Cuyahoga County has launched a new web site with all the news about the Community Merger click here for all the news including press releases, news articles, committee reports and FAQs.

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Press Release


Moreland Hills, Orange, Pepper Pike, and Woodmere, Ohio, January 18, 2013 – The Shared Services/Merger Study is being launched through a series of municipal hall events on Thursday, February 7, and Friday, February 8.

These meetings will provide the community with an opportunity to learn about the study process and to join the conversation around both merger and shared services. The meeting will include an overview of the project, information about some of the key characteristics of the four communities, an interactive live survey and a roundtable discussion of challenges and opportunities.

The meeting will be moderated by the project consultant, the Center for Governmental Research of Rochester, New York.

Each of the events will follow the same format, so please attend the meeting that is most convenient to you.

Thursday, February 7th
1:30 pm – Woodmere Village Hall at 27899 Chagrin Boulevard
4:00 pm – Orange Village Hall at 4600 Lander Road
7:00 pm – Moreland Hills Village Hall at 4350 SOM. Center Road
Friday, February 8th
8:30 am – Pepper Pike City Hall at 28000 Shaker Boulevard


About CGR
CGR is a 98-year-old independent nonprofit strategic consulting and decision support organization with significant expertise conducting local government merger and shared service studies and developing implementation plans across New York and the Northeast. CGR is headquartered in Rochester, NY and in December, 2012, was engaged by Cuyahoga County and the involved municipalities to serve as study consultant.

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Press Release
Possible merger between Moreland Hills, Orange Village, Pepper Pike and Woodmere to be analyzed

CLEVELAND – Cuyahoga County has selected the non-profit Center for Governmental Research of Rochester, New York (“CGR”) to lead the Merger/Shared Services Study involving Moreland Hills, Orange Village, Pepper Pike, and Woodmere. CGR will serve as project manager and produce by June a report on the merits of increasing shared services between the communities or possibly merging two, three or all four of them.

“This is an exciting development in our efforts to help communities find more efficient ways to deliver services,” said Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald. “CGR has a proven track record and the four mayors have stepped forward as leaders in finding new, more cost-effective approaches to local government.”

Click here to read the full press release at the Cuyahoga County - Office of the Executive web site.

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(LGIF) grant for a Merger/Shared Services study being advanced by Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald and four suburban Mayors.
Read the press release

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"Merger/Shared Services Study for the Village of Moreland Hills, Orange Village, the City of Pepper Pike, and the Village of Woodmere"
Published by March 1, 2012
Cuyahoga County
County Executive Edward FitzGerald

An indepth study of the possible community merger is available on-line in pdf format. This 500 page study explores all aspects of a community merger.

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Corporate Club - Mayors Discuss Possible Merger - 10/6/11	Mayors answer callers' questions on WCPN - talk radio.
Possible Community Merger - In The News Briefing from Ed FitzGerald Press Release 6-22-2011	Municipal Services Collaboration Study Baldwin Wallace performed a Municipal Services Collaboration Study including Hunting Valley, Moreland Hills, Orange Village, and Pepper Pike. Read the study on-line

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June 22, 2011

Mayor Bruce Akers of Pepper Pike; Mayor Kathy Mulcahy of Orange Village, Mayor Susan Renda of Moreland Hills, and Mayor Charles Smith of Woodmere announced today that they feel the time is now appropriate for the four municipalities to seriously consider and to take the necessary steps to determine if merging the four into one community is in the best interests of their collective residents, economically and otherwise.

Historically, these four were all part of one governmental entity, then known as Orange Township. In fact, if you look up the biography of President James A. Garfield, you will note that he was born in Orange Township, but the log cabin was located in what is today Moreland Hills.

The Mayors said a merger between these specific communities could make sense since they already share the same school system, the same recreation department, the same senior citizens programs, and the same library.

At a time when there is increasing need for more governmental efficiencies and reductions in the costs of government, this step towards evaluating a merger of the four communities is long overdue. The mayors believe it is possible that, by reducing redundancies and integrating their services collaboratively, taxpayer dollars could be saved, thus easing the burden on each of our constituents now and in the future. It is increasingly evident that local governments just can’t keep doing business as usual.

The four mayors asked Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald if the County can assist in a study, perhaps with their resources in the County Planning Commission.

The mayors approached County Executive FitzGerald because they have been impressed with, and are encouraged by, Mr. FitzGerald’s comments on, and commitment to greater collaboration among local governments. In his meeting with the Cuyahoga County Mayors and Managers Association after his election, his inauguration address and his State of the County address, Mr. FitzGerald has called for more such collaborations. Through his commitment and far-sighted leadership, a thorough analysis of the benefits of merger could serve as a guide for other communities asking the same sort of questions on behalf of their constituents. These four mayors asked to serve as the County’s pilot case study.

Clearly, any sort of merger will take time, careful thought and patient deliberations. Under Ohio law, any such merger would ultimately have to be approved by the voters in all of the involved communities at a General Election. Whether it gets put before the voters in a year, two or three down the road, only time and results will tell. An initial step would be for a citizens committee to be formed to begin the discussion and participate in the process. The County should lead those deliberations.

While the study of a full merger is underway, the four mayors will continue to explore opportunities to share services and take advantage of other efficiencies that can be achieved through working collaboratively to serve all of their constituents. Ultimately, these efforts, in combination with the information learned from the study, will ensure that the residents of the four communities have the most effective governance structure with the highest quality of services in the most economical manner possible.

Today’s realities dictate bold initiatives, and while there will understandably be resistance, and even outright opposition to the mere thought of a possible merger, the four mayors feel strongly that the time is right for all the options to be considered. Only time and facts will tell.