Lorain Mayor Jack Bradley had good reason to exhibit how proud he is with the International City and the improvements taking shape.
Bradley delivered his Lorain Address on Feb. 23, presented by the Lorain County Chamber of Commerce and Lorain Rotary Club, at the Palace Theater in downtown Lorain where he recapped multiple projects in the city.
One of the city’s largest accomplishments that stood out was Bradley stating that the crime rate has gone down.
And Bradley gave a “salute” to Lorain Police Department Chief James McCann who achieved his goal in 2022.
The violent crime rate dropped by 15.8 percent while homicides were cut in half, which is certainly something to tout.
McCann and several of his officers attended the event as well, maintaining a presence throughout the theater.
When Bradley took office in 2020, the city employed 90 police officers.
Today, the Police Department has 110 officers, which gives law enforcement the ability to crack down on crime.
Bradley spoke on the successful creation and implementation of the Patrol Impact Team, which utilized the extra manpower at the Police Department as well to assist in decreasing crime.
Last year, Lorain was featured in Lake Erie Living magazine, and we agree with Bradley that this was a big triumph to celebrate.
Lorain was named best of Lake Erie in Lake Erie Living magazine, which is presenting the International City to a broader spectrum of people.
Residents already know what Lorain has to offer, but now others can visit and explore the city.
Advocating for the city was a priority for Bradley through several large projects, including the submarine repair station that would bring hundreds of new jobs to the city.
The Bartlett Maritime Plan would be a joint public/private venture with Lorain and Lordstown where workers would repair Navy submarines.
Bradley and Bartlett Maritime officials believe the addition of the shipyard in Lorain and repair facility in Lordstown would help the Navy get more of its fleet back out to sea quicker.
Currently, Bartlett Maritime is in financial discussions with the U.S. Navy, and Bradley vows to stay on top of it.
Last year, Bradley visited the nation’s capital to advocate for the project, and he hopes an announcement is forthcoming.
Bradley also spoke about his trip to a brownfield conference last year where he learned how to remove some of the dilapidated, abandoned properties throughout the city, noting he was one of five mayors who attended the event.
The trip was to learn more about how to advance economic development in the city, and make it a place where entrepreneurs will have infrastructure in place to open shop.
Focusing on improving city parks also was a priority last year.
The coronavirus pandemic taught people that outdoor activities are crucial to their lives and are an escape to being confined indoors.
Another ongoing issue Bradley discussed was the city cracking down on landlords who are not keeping their property up to reasonable standards.
Just look at Bruce Towers, 5001-5003 Oberlin Ave., where the city administration had argued conditions were so bad, the buildings were a nuisance to public health and safety, and at least two homicides occurred there in 2021.
The city sued Ohio Multifamily LLC, the owners of Bruce Towers, in July 2021 in Lorain County Common Pleas Court in July 2021, and won.
City officials wanted Bruce Towers shut down and possibly even demolished.
The 46-unit complex, which was a plush motel when it opened in the late 1960s, had become a magnet for crime.
The facility came to the city’s attention due to the significant amount of calls the Lorain Police Department responded to there over the years.
With increasing downtown development taking place, and businesses opening all across the city, Lorain had to go after landlords not caring for their investments.
The mayor also expressed his gratitude for the millions of dollars the city obtained in federal and state funding.
Bradley’s address was more like a rally, getting the people excited.
The mayor invited about 50 Lorain High School students to learn about their city.
A breakfast provided by Chick-fil-A started the morning for the large group of public officials, residents and students.
A few musicians were on hand, performing a song with lyrics special for the event, “We love this town, Lorain proud.”
Bradley thanked staff members who were seated in the front row.
Bradley has good reasons to feel good about the direction of Lorain.
But the momentum that is taking place must not stop, it must continue.
