CLEVELAND -- Officials from 14 suburbs that ring the city are trying to enlist religious leaders to fight the effects of urban sprawl, according to a report in The Plain Dealer.
Ken Montlack, vice mayor of Cleveland Heights and chairman of the First Suburbs Consortium (FSC) said the alliance is a logical union.
"In a sense, many of the challenges that are faced by First Suburbs member cities are very similar to challenges faced by religious organizations serving First Suburbs," Montlack said.
The FSC consists of 14 communities in the Greater Cleveland area; Bedford, Bedford Heights, Brook Park, Cleveland Heights, Euclid, Faiview Park, Garfield Heights, Lakewood, Maple Heights, Parma, Shaker Heights, South Euclid, University Heights, and Warrensville Heights.
The newspaper reported about 70 religious leaders and FSC officials listened May 16 to an address by Peter Forbes, co-director of the Trust for Public Land. Forbes praised Bishop Anthony Pilla's Church in the City program, which encourages suburban Catholics to maintain ties with Cleveland.
