Parma, Ohio

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Parma is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio and is the largest suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 85,655.

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[edit] Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 85,655 people, 35,126 households, and 23,323 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,656.9/km² (4,291.3/mi²). There were 36,414 housing units at an average density of 704.4/km² (1,824.3/mi²). 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.

With a murder rate of 0.0 per 100,000 residents, 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. See the history section of this article for possible reasons for this decline.


[edit] 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, Modern Tool & Die, the Union Carbide Research Center, and Cox Cable Television. [1]

Located close to the city's town hall is Parmatown Mall, which has recently been overshadowed in size by the neighboring South Park Mall located south of Parma in Strongsville.

[edit] Education

The City contains 3 public high schools: Parma Senior High School, Valley Forge High School, and Normandy High School. Each school shares a common stadium for football games, also known as Byers Field. The rivalry that exists between these schools is well documented. Normandy High School is located in the South Eastern part of the city, and its population is made up of students from south Parma, and Seven Hills. Valley Forge is located in the South Western portion of the city, and includes students from South Western 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.

The city also is home to a positively recognized private Catholic high school named Padua Franciscan High School. Founded in 1961 as a school for boys, Padua Franciscan became co-educational in 1983 and is now the largest private, co-educational secondary school in northeast Ohio. Padua has recently embarked on aggressive expansionism. After initiating the "Greening of Padua" program to improve the overall look of the campus, Padua then acquired Camp Cordé - a 15-acre property to be used for Padua's boys and girls soccer programs. Padua's principal rivalry is with Holy Name High School, located in nearby Parma Heights.

[edit] Famous Parmans

[edit] Geography

Location of Parma, Ohio

Parma is located at 41°23′31″N, 81°43′43″W (41.391852, -81.728502)1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 51.7 km² (20.0 mi²). 51.7 km² (20.0 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it is water.

Recently, 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. Henninger House, the oldest home in Parma, which was built in 1849, is planned to be part of the proposed Quarry Creek Historic District.

[edit] History

Parma is an incorporated 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. Between 1950 and 1980, Parma's population soared from less than 20,000 to more than 110,000. [2]

Nevertheless, Parma's national image has been marred by three 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.[3]

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 2003 North America blackout.

3. 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 Councilman John Stover stole "files from another council member's briefcase" in 2000. 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.

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 apparently concocted a "Witch Hunt" that scapegoated police officers. Ultimately, investigator Dick DiCicco wrote in his official reporter 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.” Further revelations about the "Witch Hunt", as found in such newspaper articles as "Report clears Parma police in payroll-padding probe," and including the highly questionable 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. The long-term consequences of the crisis, which lasted for nearly four years (2003-2006) is yet to be seen.

[edit] Mayors

Frank D. Johnson 1928-1933
Anthony A. Fleger 1934-1935
Roland E. Reichert 1936-1942
Sylvester Augustine 1942-1945
Roland E. Reichert 1946-1949
Lawrence Stary 1950-1951
Stephen A. Zona 1952-1957
Joseph W. Kadar 1958-1959
Sylvester Augustine 1960-1961
John Bobko 1961
James W. Day 1962-1967
John Petruska 1967-1987
Michael A. Ries 1988-1994
Gerald M. Boldt 1994-2003
Dean DePiero 2004-present

[edit] Council Presidents

Kenneth Kuczma
Charles M. Germana – present

[edit] Current City Council

Council President Charles M. Germana

Ward 1 Mary Buchholz Galinas

Ward 2 Sean Brennan

Ward 3 Nicholas J. Celebrezze

Ward 4 Brian Day

Ward 5 Tom Regas

Ward 6 Lawrence J. Napoli

Ward 7 Kenneth A. Ramser

Ward 8 Scott M. Tuma

Ward 9 Roy J. Jech

[edit] References in Popular Culture

  • Parma was, throughout the 1960's and 1970's, the butt of jokes by local movie show hosts Ghoulardi, Hoolihan & Big Chuck, and The Ghoul, due to its white suburbanite makeup. Ghoulardi famously made a series of shorts called "Parma Place."

[edit] References

  1. ^ Encyclopedia of Cleveland History: Parma. Case Western Reserve University (June 29, 2003).
  2. ^ Kubasek, Ernest R., The History of Parma (1976). Parma Chamber of Commerce, Parma (1984). Parma Sesquicentennial, 1826-1976
  3. ^ Parma City Council President makes national headlines for racism. URL Accessed June 25, 2006

References for Nike missiles in Parma:

References for presevation efforts:

References for the Good Old Boys/Parma Machine:

Reference for Filegate:

References for the Witch Hunt:

References for Mayors:

[edit] External links

[edit] Cleveland Suburb Finder


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