Sims -- Leader and shaper of today's Euclid

Kenneth Sims, born February 8, 1902, paid his way through Cleveland Law School by working in oil fields near Lodi. After graduation, Sims held a variety of jobs, and in 1935 he ran for city solicitor. He was soundly defeated by the Ely machine. Undeterred, by 1937 Sims felt it was time to try a run for mayor. 

At that time, the city of Euclid was in poor condition. Slot machines abounded and government corruption was rampant throughout its ranks. A reporter for the "The Observer," the current city newspaper, ran a number of articles on the slots and the corruption in city hall. Yet the mayor of the city, Charles Ely, dismissed these problems as inconsequential.

A young lawyer at the time, Sims began to build a political party called the Coalition Party; he believed could oust Ely and bring the city back to some semblance of law and order. By all reports, the campaign wasn’t the cleanest ever run. Among other things, campaign signs were destroyed or stolen from tree lawns. 

Election Day, November 2, 1937, Sims won as mayor of Euclid: 3,436 votes to Ely's 3,151 votes. Many looked forward to Sims’ promise of ending the era of corruption. Soon after Sims’ victory, Safety Director Bill Zitsmann turned in his resignation, as did Councilman Harry Baker, both loyal Ely men. As soon as Sims took office he ordered an audit of every department’s books. Sims’ suspicions were well placed, as the police books showed a shortage of $32,918, paid under the table to police officers who worked as special police for Addressograph-Multigraph, unbeknownst by the state. 

Sims received help in his clean-up campaign, as in late 1937 the state moved in and confiscated every slot machine in the city. While this was a good start, it would take another year or so before Sims and others could declare the city was now basically free of corruption, gambling and bootlegging. 

Sims became a wartime major when World War II began in December of 1941. It was a difficult time for everyone, complicated by a population explosion of unprecedented measures. The war’s end brought a collective sigh of relief and the hopes that Euclid could now become the city of choice for many.

Those who had been working in Euclid in the wartime factories now decided to remain in Euclid, but they needed homes for their families, not the temporary housing they were provided while they worked in the factories. Sims’ next big project was to oversee a huge building boom with all the problems that come with it, such as the need for new sewers, streets, water mains, sidewalks, and lighting. As with his previous challenges, Sims was up to the job and Euclid expanded to nearly 73,000 citizens. 

Through years of public service and experience, Mayor Sims expanded the city’s bus line, ensured needed improvements in sewage and rubbish disposal and created a model recreation program. For his efforts as Euclid’s mayor for 32 years (1938-1970), he received many awards and rewards from area clubs, newspapers, service organizations and religious groups, and his efforts have had a lasting effect on our city. 

 Well done, good and faithful servant.