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Parma, Ohio

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City of Parma
City
Location of Parma in Ohio
Location of Parma in Ohio
Location of Parma in Cuyahoga County
Location of Parma in Cuyahoga County
CountryUnited States
StateOhio
CountyCuyahoga
Founded1816
TownshipMarch 7, 1826
IncorporatedFall, 1924 (village) & January 1, 1931 (city)
Government
 • MayorDean DePiero
Area
 • Total20.0 sq mi (51.7 km2)
 • Land20.0 sq mi (51.7 km2)
 • Water0.04 sq mi (0.1 km2)
Elevation
866 ft (264 m)
Population
 (2006)[1]
 • Total80,009
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
Area code440
FIPS code39-61000Template:GR
GNIS feature ID1049063Template:GR
Websitehttp://www.cityofparma-oh.gov/

Parma is a city in the American state of Ohio in Cuyahoga County and is the largest suburb of Cleveland. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 85,655. The 2003 estimate put the population at 83,861.[2]

Geography

Parma is located at 41°23′31″N 81°43′43″W / 41.39194°N 81.72861°W / 41.39194; -81.72861Invalid arguments have been passed to the {{#coordinates:}} function (41.391852, -81.728502).Template:GR

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 20.0 square miles (51.7 km²), of which, 20.0 square miles (51.7 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it is water.

Two major changes and developments have recently occurred regarding several principal sites within the city:

  1. The West Creek Preservation Agency has worked to preserve various historic and natural sites in the city, including the Henninger House and the West Creek Watershed.[3]
  2. Henninger House, the oldest home in Parma, which was built in 1849, is planned to be part of the proposed Quarry Creek Historic District.[4]

Demographics

As of the census of 2000,Template:GR there were 85,655 people, 35,126 households, and 23,323 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,291.4 people per square mile (1,656.9/km²). There were 36,414 housing units at an average density of 1,824.3/sq mi (704.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.67% White, 1.06% Black, 0.14% Native American, 1.57% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.45% from other races, and 1.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.54% of the population.

There were 35,126 households out of which 27.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.7% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.6% were non-families. 29.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the city the population was spread out with 22.3% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 19.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 91.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $43,920, and the median income for a family was $52,436. Males had a median income of $39,801 versus $27,701 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,293. About 3.3% of families and 4.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.6% of those under age 18 and 4.0% of those age 65 or over.

Crime

Parma ranks as one of the safest cities in the United States with a population between 60,000 and 100,000. Parma's ranking has declined in recent years from 17th safest to 19th safest. As of 3 November 2006, the rank has fallen further to 32nd.[5]

History

Parma is a city southwest of Cleveland. It is bounded by Cleveland and Brooklyn on the north, Brooklyn Heights, and Seven Hills on the east, North Royalton and Broadview Heights on the south, and Brook Park, Middleburg Heights, and Parma Heights on the west. Parma was originally part of Parma Township, created in 1826. The first settlers were the Benaiah Fay family from New York State, who settled along the Cleveland-Columbus Road in 1816. The name was taken from Parma, New York, where it was probably derived from the early-19th century fascination with classical Italy. During the 19th century, Parma remained largely agricultural. In 1912, a portion of the township seceded to form the village of Parma Heights. In 1924, Parma was incorporated as a village, and in 1926 it adopted the mayor-council form of government. In 1931 a proposition to annex it to the city of Cleveland was defeated, and Parma became a city. Parma's tremendous growth came after World War II as young families began moving from Cleveland into the Suburbs. During the Cold War, Parma's Nike Site Park housed Nike missiles located in underground silos.[6][7] Between 1950 and 1980, Parma's population soared from less than 20,000 to more than 110,000.[8] More recently, the population has declined to well below 90,000.[9]

Parma was, throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the butt of jokes by local movie show hosts Ghoulardi, Hoolihan & Big Chuck, and The Ghoul, due to its Eastern European, most specifically Polish, make-up. Ghoulardi famously made a series of shorts called "Parma Place." The jokes dealt with Parmans' alleged love of white socks, pink flamingos, chrome balls, kielbasa and pierogis and the polka.[10]

Perhaps more seriously, Parma's local, state, and even national image has been marred by four incidents:

1. Such major newspapers as The New York Times covered allegations from the 1970s onwards that Parma's government worked to resist racial integration. Former Parma City Council President Kenneth Kuczma famously said, "I do not want Negroes in the city of Parma," and even federal courts ruled on the matter.[11] In Sundown Towns: A Hidden Dimension of American Racism, James W. Loewen recounts these problems and thereby labels Parma a "sundown town."[12]
2. In 2003, Parma made national news after a 345-kV transmission line failed in the city due to a tree, which played a significant role in the early stages of the Northeast Blackout of 2003.[13] A major water crisis in Parma and nearby communities also resulted from the blackout.[14]
3. According to the official website of the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, since 1998 the city has been engaged in an ongoing (i.e. still active) and costly civil suit pitting seventeen Parma residents as plaintiffs against around a dozen prominent city officials (including the current mayor and council president) as defendants. Most recently, the case titled Michael Perry et al vs. Parma, City of-et al, held a pre-trial on March 9, 2007, but the "defendant" failed to appear. Thus, the parties were to have contacted the court by telephone on The Ides of March of 2007. A new pretrial is set for July 31, 2007 at 9:45 AM.[15]
4. Parma has recently been plagued by negative press in the local media as a result of a larger conflict between the police and city government, which has some of its origins from an on-and-off investigation into whether or not former Republican Councilman John Stover stole "files from another council member's briefcase" in 2000--allegations that the Stover family disputes.[16] The incident, which has been referred to as "Filegate" by local and regional media sources, has thus far had inconclusive results, but many residents and outside observers have interpreted the escalation in tensions between the police department and city government as one of reprisals and counter-reprisals of which "Filegate" may serve as an early salvo.[17]

A Witch Hunt?

Photograph of a Parma Witch Hunt sticker on a vehicle in Parma taken during the height of the incident.
Photograph of a Parma Witch Hunt sticker on a vehicle in Parma taken during the height of the incident.

A possible fifth incident that has marred Parma's image in the recent past involves tensions between the local media and city government on one side and the police department on the other.

Those who believe in the existence of a Parma political machine led by Prosecutor Bill Mason contend that in order to distract from their own suspect activities, "Good Old Boy" politicians allegedly concocted a "Witch Hunt" that scapegoated police officers.[18][19][20] In Spring 2003, the police chief retired and "said city officials need to make peace."[21] During the investigation, police union representatives appealed to the public through the media to end the investigation.[22][23][24] A councilman who supported the police also received praise by residents in the press.[25]

Ultimately, investigator Dick DiCicco wrote in his official report that there “was no evidence presented to” substantiate “the allegation that officers were taking turns calling in sick in order that other officers could earn overtime to maintain minimums,” “there was no actual duplicate billing” concerning officers Kuchler and Robertson as indicated in The Plain Dealer articles, and based “on the review of the above activity no specific pattern of reciprocity was detected” on the part of Officer Mekruit. On page B2 of The Plain Dealer, Joe Wagner quoted Prosecutor Michael Nolan as reportedly declaring that Mayor DePiero and Council President Germana removed the “police tax request from May 3 ballot . . . ‘as an excuse for, apparently, their own inaction.’” In turn, on March 11, 2005, The Plain Dealer quoted Councilwoman Stys who summed up the investigation as a “sham,” and on January 12, 2006, prosecutor Dan Kasaris recommended that the case of The State of Ohio vs. Donald Mcnea, a retired Parma police officer who served as a focus of numerous newspaper articles, be dismissed. Further revelations about the "Witch Hunt", as found in such newspaper articles as "Report clears Parma police in payroll-padding probe," and including the retroactive appointment of a special prosecutor who had been prosecuting (in violation of the Ohio Revised Code) select police union representatives who had raised concerns about possible political corruption, has led to calls for the resignations of many members of the current mayoral administration and city council. As confirmed on the county website, most recently, on February 26, 2007, Judge Brian J. Corrigan found Patrolman Brian Barta not guilty of bribery.[26] Officer Barta was earlier discharged of charges of obstructing justice,[27] with the judge citing the fact that the prosecution's witness "skipped court appearances" and was "twice arrested and convicted, for drug trafficking and possession."[28] According to The Plain Dealer, attorney Henry Hillow said that Barta "should have never been charged" and called Barta's experience "a travesty."[29] Nevertheless, the long-term consequences of the crisis, which lasted for nearly four years (2003-2007) are yet to be seen.

"Ghost" at gas station?

In November 2007, Parma made national news when a gas station video camera at State Road and Pleasant Valley Road captured a strange blue light or cloud moving around near the pumps.[30][31][32][33]

Economy

During the population boom between 1950 and 1980, Parma's commercial sector grew to match its residential sector. Since the 1950s, Parma has fostered the growth of many small businesses and been an operating hub for such well-known companies as General Motors, the Union Carbide Research Center, and Cox Cable Television.[34]

Located close to the city's town hall is Parmatown Mall, which is the location of the Parma Area Chamber of Commerce.

Education

The city contains two public high schools: Parma Senior High School, and Normandy High School. Valley Forge High School, though part of the same district, is located in Parma Heights, Ohio. The schools share a common stadium for football and track events, called Byers Field. The rivalry that exists between these schools is well documented.[35] Normandy High School is located in the southeastern part of the city, and its population is made up of students from south Parma, and Seven Hills. Valley Forge is located in the southwestern portion of Parma Heights, and includes students from southwestern Parma, as well as Parma Heights. Parma High School is located in the center of the city, and includes students from central and northern Parma.

Each high school has a corresponding middle school, and each middle school has a specific group of elementary schools. Together, each set of schools is known as a "cluster."

The city also is home to a private Catholic high school, Padua Franciscan High School. Founded in 1961 as a school for boys, Padua Franciscan became co-educational in 1983 and as of 2005 was the largest private, co-educational secondary school in northeast Ohio.[36] Padua's principal rivalry is with Holy Name High School, located in nearby Parma Heights.[37]

Television and radio towers

Parma is the location of most of the Cleveland area's television and FM radio transmission towers.

When Cleveland started to get television service in the late 1940s, WEWS-TV (Channel 5), the first television station in Ohio, picked a site on State Road. At the time, Parma was transitioning from a rural enclave to an urban area. Parma was selected for its high elevation. At almost 1,100 feet above sea level, it is 500 feet higher than downtown Cleveland. Other local stations followed, and nearly all local TV and FM radio outlets broadcast from Parma, or from other nearby suburbs.

The television towers are taller than downtown Cleveland's tallest buildings, and can be seen from great distance in Cleveland, and most of its southern suburbs. Airline pilots and broadcast experts call the collection of towers in and near Parma the Cleveland area's "antenna farm".

Heights of Cleveland's television towers

  • WEWS-TV 5 (ABC) - 1,060 feet (State Road)
  • WJW-TV 8 (FOX) - 1,080 feet (Pleasant Valley Road at State Road)
  • WOIO-TV 19 (CBS) - 1,149 feet (Broadview Road)
  • WKYC-TV 3 (NBC) - 1,150 feet (Broadview Road)

Mayors

Frank D. Johnson1928-1933
Anthony A. Fleger1934-1935
Roland E. Reichert1936-1942
Sylvester Augustine1942-1945
Roland E. Reichert1946-1949
Lawrence Stary1950-1951
Stephen A. Zona1952-1957
Joseph W. Kadar1958-1959
Sylvester Augustine1960-1961
John Bobko1961
James W. Day1962-1967
John Petruska1967-1987
Michael A. Ries1988-1994
Gerald M. Boldt1994-2003
Dean DePiero2004-present[38][39]

Notable natives

References in Popular Culture

References

  1. ^ US Census 2000 est
  2. ^ Parma (city) QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau
  3. ^ Welcome to West Creek!
  4. ^ Historic Henninger House Saved (OH)
  5. ^ Parma Ranked 32nd Safest City Nationwide
  6. ^ EPA checks for hazards at former Nike site
  7. ^ Records Relating to Nike Missile Sites at the National Archives and Records Administration-Great Lakes Region
  8. ^ Kubasek, Ernest R., The History of Parma (1976). Parma Chamber of Commerce, Parma (1984). Parma Sesquicentennial, 1826-1976
  9. ^ The 2006 population estimate for Parma city, Ohio is 80,009.
  10. ^ The Ghoul Power Page: Parma's Revenge
  11. ^ Parma City Council President makes national headlines for racism. URL Accessed June 25, 2006
  12. ^ James W. Loewen, Sundown Towns: A Hidden Dimension of American Racism (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2005), 4, 242, 253, 276, 341.
  13. ^ "Lights out again - some on purpose" by Donna Iacoboni, URL accessed on April 10, 2007
  14. ^ website features a photograph with the citation: "The National Guard supplied water to Parma City, Ohio, and other communities Aug. 15, 2003, after a massive blackout disrupted clean drinking water supplies.", URL accessed on April 10, 2007
  15. ^ For the official and detailed information on this case, do a civil search on this government website for either "Michael Perry" or "Parma, City of", URL accessed on July 18, 2007
  16. ^ "Parma and Madison Councilmen Are Ambassadors For Truth" - article that provides additional background information on John Stover
  17. ^ [http://www.cleveland.com/parmapolice/index.ssf?/parmapolice/more/104729732388160.html "Extended medical leave, unquestioned by officials, paves way to retirement" - article cites "Filegate" twice]
  18. ^ Debbie Lime takes on Dean DePiero for mayor - and Bill Mason and Parma's political establishment
  19. ^ "DePiero and Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Bill Mason control what is referred to as the “Parma Democratic machine,” and Lime – elected to council as a Democrat – is running as an anti-machine Democrat."
  20. ^ Parma Good Old Boys
  21. ^ Parma police chief retires unexpectedly
  22. ^ An Open Letter To All Union Police Officers -- Original version.
  23. ^ An Open Letter to all Union Police Officers -- Published version
  24. ^ AN OPEN LETTER TO THE MEDIA BY PARMA POLICE SUPERVISORS FOP REPRESENTATIVES
  25. ^ Councilman praised for supporting police
  26. ^ For the official and detailed information on this case, do a criminal search on this government website for "Brian Barta", URL accessed on April 10, 2007
  27. ^ For the official and detailed information on this case, again, do a criminal search on this government website for "Brian Barta", URL accessed on April 10, 2007
  28. ^ "Parma officer cleared of bribery, obstruction charges" by Jim Nichols, February 26, 2007
  29. ^ Nichols, Jim. The Plain Dealer, 26 February, 2007. Retrieved 15 March, 2007.
  30. ^ Caught On Tape: Gas Station Ghost? Blue, Fuzzy Image On 50 Minutes Of Tape
  31. ^ Blue Ghost Recorded on Ohio Gas Station Camera (Video)
  32. ^ Ghost-Like Blue Cloud Haunts Parma Gas Station
  33. ^ Security Camera Captures Image of Ghost?
  34. ^ "Encyclopedia of Cleveland History: Parma". Case Western Reserve University. June 29, 2003.
  35. ^ Even though rivalry may exist on the field of sports, the Spanish pen pals found connections to begin new friendships; “On the field, you think that the guys from Valley Forge and Parma are bad guys because they’re playing you tough trying to get the win” said recent Normandy graduate Dan Ebinger, who will play defensive end. “But, after you meet with them, you realize that they’re all actually pretty nice guys. It’s pretty nice getting to know them as people instead of just judging them by how they played against you.”; Normandy was upsetted last week against Parma. Over the years, a second rivalry has formed between Valley Forge & Normandy, the battle of Parma, a battle that would determine the better team.
  36. ^ "www.ohsaa.org/members/hsenroll05.htm OHSAA enrollment figures". Retrieved 2007-03-07.
  37. ^ "Holy Name (5-4) vs. Padua (6-3)" - article discusses how their game, called "Holy War Jr.", "is more about area bragging rights and pride."
  38. ^ The Political Graveyard: Mayors of Parma, Ohio
  39. ^ Most of the list of mayors came from the city.
  40. ^ Robert Olds of Windsor and Suffield, CT and his descendants

References for Police Chiefs:

External links

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Cleveland Suburb Finder


North:
Cleveland, Brooklyn, Old Brooklyn (Cleveland)
West:
Brook Park, Parma Heights, Middleburg Heights		 Parma East: Seven Hills, Independence, Brooklyn Heights
South: North Royalton, Broadview Heights
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