Westlake-Bay Village Rotary Club Meeting Minutes
(Disclaimer: Transcription Summary from Audio Recording (Full notes available upon request.)
• Date: August 12, 2026
1. Welcome & Introduction of Guests
• Meeting was called to order by Past President Amy Kubacki, followed by the invocation, the Pledge of Allegiance and the Rotary Four-Way Test.
• Guests:
o Joe Matuscak: Past President (3x) from the Rotary Club of North Coast Lorain County. He has been in Rotary for 11 years and attended to explore local clubs as he considers transferring.
o RYLA Students: High school students Myra (Westlake), McKenna (Bay Village), and Ewan(Bay Village), along with Ewan's father.
o Todd LeVeck: Westlake Ward 4 Councilman.
2. Guest Presentation
• Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) Students:
o Presenters: Myra, McKenna, and Ewan.
o Shared their experiences from RYLA camp, including interactive leadership simulations (e.g., Cultural awareness, land/property allocation games, and the "Grid" leadership puzzle).
o Discussed learning the "Fish! Philosophy" (Play, Be There, Choose Your Attitude, Make Their Day) and taking the MVTI personality tests to understand leadership and communication styles.
o Detailed their involvement in reflection "Color Groups," banquet projects (presentation and banner projects themed around The Lion King), and team-building exercises.
o Reflected on how RYLA broadened their definition of leadership—shifting from a focus on being the loudest speaker to emphasizing active listening, self-improvement, and leading by example.
o Answered questions regarding their extracurricular activities (art, track & field, theater/stage crew, robotics) and discussed ways schools can better promote RYLA to prospective students.
• Guest Speaker: Todd Leveck (Westlake Ward 4 Councilman)
Background: Retired computer science/social studies teacher (27 years in Cleveland schools), U.S. Navy veteran (air traffic control and logistics), long-time coach, union representative, and President of the Westlake Democratic Club. Elected to City Council in November 2025.
o City Focus & Priorities:
Pushed for Westlake to form a committee on responsible AI use by city employees to address municipal efficiency, privacy, and cybersecurity guardrails. Address short-term rentals (STRs/AirBnBs) while balancing property owner rights and community concerns.
Traffic/transportation considerations regarding e-bikes.
Zoning and land use, particularly surrounding Health Campus Districts/assisted living expansions.
o Addressed member questions regarding state-level property tax elimination proposals and his plans for ongoing engagement with Ward 4 residents, local schools, and the library.
3. Old Business
• Was not discussed.
4. New Business
• Zoom Link Update: Members were notified that a new Zoom meeting link will go live starting next week.
o The updated link will be sent out via email and posted in the member area on Club Runner.
o Members were reminded to update any recurring calendar invites using the old link.
5. Club Fellowship & Good News
• Happy Bucks were not collected.
Meeting Adjourned: 8:32 AM