PREFERRED VENDOR/PARTNER n Kurtz Bros www.kurtz-bros.com Kurtz Bros., Inc. is a leading manufacturer and distributor of landscape supply and wasteto-resource solutions. Serving homeowners, contractors, and municipalities across Northeast Ohio, we provide high-quality mulch, soil, stone, and recycling services that support sustainable landscaping and environmental stewardship. Proudly family-owned and locally operated since 1948. “I think our resident base is perfect in Garfield Heights. They’re just waiting for an opportunity to support something new, because currently they have to go elsewhere to dine at a sit-down table cloth restaurant,” Mayor Burke observes.The city’s strategic positioning near Cleveland Metroparks, combined with restored facilities like Garfield Pond and new trail systems at Wargo Farms, creates recreational assets that distinguish the community regionally. The Mayor identifies two primary objectives for the next 24 months: securing the Transportation Boulevard extension and implementing sustainable revenue strategies. “The major focus right now is determining a way to continue Transportation Boulevard and connect it to Rockside Road. I recognize, and I think others in the state and the county recognize that it’s a major area for growth, not just for Garfield Heights, but for the state and the county as well,” he states. The Mayor draws inspiration from established affluent communities,noting that resident investment drives municipal success.“When I remind them that the residents of Westlake and Independence and Beachwood support these things, the lesson there is that the residents had enough pride in their community to support that type of thing,” he explains. Garfield Heights represents a case study in proactive municipal leadership, demonstrating how strategic vision, community engagement, and regional collaboration can transform suburban communities into economic development catalysts. Mayor Burke’s approach suggests that successful municipal transformation requires both bold infrastructure investment and sustained community partnership. 10 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 06
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