Ward 5 city councilwoman shares vision

Christine McIntosh takes over seat vacated by current council president

When current Euclid City Council President Charlene Mancuso won that leadership position in the Nov. 7 election, she vacated her incumbency in Ward 5.

That ward council seat, however, wasn’t vacant for long. On Jan. 2, Euclid City Council appointed 37-yearold resident Christine McIntosh as Ward 5 councilwoman. She was one of six candidates up for consideration.

McIntosh, who is married with no children, works as a senior product specialist at Indie Merchandising in Cleveland and is a registered yoga teacher at One Tree Yoga/Big Heart Yoga at 20010 Lake Shore Blvd.

She is a member of the Euclid Master Plan Steering Committee; Keep Euclid Beautiful; the Euclid Community Organization; and a member and volunteer of the Euclid Art Walk Steering Committee.

McIntosh is completing Mancuso’s term, which ends Dec. 31, 2019, and is compensated $11,000 a year in the position.

McIntosh initially shrugged off thought of seeking appointment to the Ward 5 seat after Mancuso’s victory on Nov. 7, believing her family was joking about it.

“(Following) the election last fall, I received more encouragement from family, friends and neighbors, so I figured why not throw my hat in the ring?”

Since moving to Euclid three years ago, McIntosh and her husband, Steve, have been involved in as many community activities as their schedules have allowed. That experience, and her love of Euclid, she said, gave her the confidence to apply for the seat, though she remained detached from the outcome as much as possible.

“My fellow applicants were tough competition,” McIntosh added. “They had tenure and relevant experience, and I felt that no matter the outcome, my ward would be represented by a person of integrity, someone who would have similar goals and visions for our city as I. Had council made a different selection, I vowed to continue my involvement and advocate for the amazing city I live in.”

While not speaking on behalf of the council members who appointed her, McIntosh believes the panel was encouraged by her positivity, passion and focus on community engagement initiatives.

“I was speechless (when I found out I was selected),” she said. “I received word by phone and upon hanging up had a pretty lengthy solo dance party in my living room. I literally jumped for joy.”

As to her vision, McIntosh, with her colleagues and the administration, seeks to create vibrant and sustainable outdoor spaces by working with Euclid’s community engagement team to expand programming in public parks, and encourage mixed-use activities for individuals, families and groups, including additional citywide events.

“I also want to partner with residents and stakeholders to create more active and sustainable outdoor spaces throughout the city by transforming vacant land into gardens and pocket parks that can be built, maintained and enjoyed by residents,” McIntosh said. “I will promote more health and wellness initiatives by encouraging more involvement in the city’s various recreation programs and the Memorial Park Community Garden. To aid in increasing involvement in the community garden, I hope to program it with educational food workshops, farm-to-table outdoor dining, yoga in the garden and other complimentary events.”

McIntosh said she will support economic development throughout the city by promoting and encouraging business startups and small-business growth. She would do this by offering business training courses, assisting with finding commercial spaces for lease, and connecting business owners with funding partners and marketing strategists.

“I want to increase and grow community engagement by encouraging higher citizen participation rates in block clubs and neighborhood associations, and community policing,” she said. “I want to connect more residents to available programs that our administration currently offers and add partnerships with other local or regional organizations.

“I also want to offer more opportunities for our city’s youth by adding programming that would connect our youth to supportive adults and peers to build basic personal, leadership and teamwork skills.”

The promotion of public art by way of grant funding and partnerships with local arts organizations, Euclid Schools, and Shore Cultural Centre is also a priority on McIntosh’s agenda.

In addition, she plans to work toward growing Euclid’s downtown business district by helping to connect landlords and business owners to fill vacancies along Lake Shore Boulevard.

On another subject, McIntosh said she is a strong proponent of the county’s Greenway Plan and will do all she can to help that become a reality within Euclid’s city limits. “I also feel we could greatly benefit from streetscape improvements that encourage walking and cycling, thus growing commerce,” she said. “I will, too, advocate for green growth and sustainability in civic buildings, city streets and parks, and encourage local businesses, contractors and schools to follow best practices in renewable energy, recycling and composting. I also plan to have a role in planning greenspace above the soonto-be finished water reclamation site.”

“I also want to partner with residents and stakeholders to create more active and sustainable outdoor spaces throughout the city by transforming vacant land into gardens and pocket parks that can be built, maintained and enjoyed by residents.”

— Ward 5 Councilwoman Christine McIntosh

McIntosh