Bedford Heights residents approve changing name of Jimmy Dimora Community Center

BEDFORD HEIGHTS, Ohio - The Jimmy Dimora Community Center will have a new name after voters approved Issue 9 on Tuesday.

Former Cuyahoga County Commissioner Jimmy Dimora was the mayor of Bedford Heights for 16 years and had the center named in his honor. In July, he was sentenced to 28 years in federal prison for conspiracy, racketeering and bribery charges.

Just days after his conviction, current Mayor Fletcher Berger called for Dimora’s name to be removed, but instead, it was put to on the November ballot. Bedford Heights residents voted 67 percent to 33 percent to call it the City of Bedford Heights Community Center.

"I don't think, personally, we should have the name of a felon on the building," Berger said before Election Day.

Voters also approved Issue 20, which specifies that no city building can be named after person until after their death in the wake of the Cuyahoga County corruption investigation.