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Monday, Oct. 21, 2024
7:00 p.m. — 9:00 p.m. EDT

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601 Lakeside Ave Cleveland, OH 44114 (Directions)

City Hall, Attend in-person or watch via YouTube

Cleveland City Council is the legislative branch of the government of the City of Cleveland in Ohio. In this meeting, residents may address council with public comments, and council typically introduces legislation and votes on legislation. Council does not typically discuss legislation in detail at this meeting; that happens in council’s committee meetings.

There are 17 elected Cleveland City Council members representing the 17 wards of the City of Cleveland. Each ward has approximately 25,000 residents. Council Members are elected to serve a four-year term. Council members serve two roles in their duties: to draft and enact legislation for the city of Cleveland and act as ombudspersons for their constituents.

Council members:

Joe Jones
Kevin Bishop
Kerry McCormack
Deborah Gray
Richard Starr
Blaine Griffin, council president
Stephanie Howse-Jones
Michael Polensek
Kevin Conwell
Anthony Hairston
Danny Kelly
Rebecca Maurer
Kris Harsh
Jasmin Santana
Jenny Spencer
Brian Kazy
Charles Slife

Note: Sometimes, council is late to update its agenda for this meeting. If you hear the clerk read something interesting, but you don’t see it on the agenda, you may want to check for updated agendas for this meeting and other council meetings from earlier in the day. Check out this video for how to find those agendas.

Note: Confirming the spelling of public commenters’ names can be tricky. One place for a quick check is the commenter index on Public Comment CLE, a website created by Clevelander Angelo Trivisonno. The index has the names of all public commenters at Cleveland City Council meetings since October 2021, along with links to video of their comments. Check out the index to see if any commenters from the meeting you covered have been at the mic before: https://pubcomment.org/cle/commenter-index/. If not – and if a one-minute Google search doesn’t turn up a match – feel free to note that you’re unsure of the spelling in your coverage.

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The meetings are streamed on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ClevelandCityCouncil/streams

You may also catch livestreams on TV2O’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ClevelandTV20/live_videos Also TV20’s website: http://www.tv20cleveland.com/watch-now/

Attending in person? We add two hours of pay ($36) to the assignment. Be sure to bring a photo ID. Parking is free on Mondays after 5 p.m. on the top level of the Willard Parking Garage, located at 601 Lakeside Ave. Find past Documenters coverage of City Council meetings here: https://cleveland.documenters.org/reporting/?agency=181

For more information go to Cleveland City Council’s website: https://www.clevelandcitycouncil.org.

Check the source website for additional information

Reporting

Edited and summarized by the Cleveland - OH Documenters Team

Live reporting by Emma Sedlak

Council members share their concerns about the Browns moving to Brookpark.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla

Good evening! I’ll be live tweeting tonight’s Cleveland City Council meeting scheduled to begin at 7 PM. #CLEDocumenters @cledocumenters @signalcleveland 🚣

05:52 PM Oct 21, 2024 CDT

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 2/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Here is a link to the meeting details, including the agenda and items: cityofcleveland.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.…

cityofcleveland.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.…

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 3/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland At 7:03, Council President Blaine Griffin called the meeting to order. After taking roll, Griffin reminded the chamber of City Ordinance 605.04

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 4/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Griffin added, "Members of the public are invited to speak only under the rules set by this council." Any disruptions that interfere with the meeting violate ordinance 605.04 and constitute a misdemeanor. Anyone who disrupts the meeting is subject to prosecution.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 5/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland “The following is the first and only warning," said Griffin. "If this meeting is disrupted, I will gavel a halt to the proceedings and direct the assembled officers to escort any person participating in the disruption out of the chamber."

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 6/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Griffin opened the public comment period by reminding speakers they have three minutes. He also encouraged council members to turn around to face the commenters.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 7/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland First, Ronald James from the Morelands Group said that "On September 15, 2024, the residents of 2010 Hampton Ave were supposed to vacate their apartments because their building had been condemned by the city of Cleveland." morelandsgroup.org

morelandsgroup.org

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 8/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland The building across the street at 2899 Hamden Ave is in similar condition. Both buildings must be evacuated. However, many residents are still living in the buildings because they have no where else to go.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 9/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland James said, "There are few affordable cold-compliant apartments to move into."

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 10/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland According to James, people claiming to be the managers of the apartments have stolen security deposits and rent payments from residents. The housing court has been unable to contact the real owners of the buildings.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 11/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland In 2023, the city set aside money to support people in these situations. “Winter is coming,” James said. “Please release the money now. Enforcement of the law without help for residents is very harmful to people in need of affordable housing."

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 12/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Next, Juan Collado Diaz wished the chamber a happy Hispanic Heritage Month. He pointed out that only one Latina, Jasmine Santana, currently serves on Cleveland's City Council.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 13/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Diaz called attention to the fact that the Council website needs a Spanish translation. He reminded the chamber that Wards 12 and 14 have large Latino, Spanish-speaking communities.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 14/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Diaz called on the Council to make their website more accessible for Cleveland residents who don’t speak English. He also advocated for translation services at public meetings.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 15/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Diaz went on to talk about how public comment should not be used to lobby for ward-specific problems. He urged the Council to expand available platforms to communicate with city residents.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 16/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Next, Yvonne Polk stated, “I am standing here to tell you how hurt I felt when the mayor’s administration denied a proclamation for a mother who lost her child, a sibling who lost their sister, and a child who lost their mother.”

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 17/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland According to Polk, on Friday, September 13, Christmas Barksdale lost her life in a fatal car accident on I-90 near E 55th St.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 18/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Polk said Barksdale's loved ones underwent a long process to get a mayoral proclamation to recognize Barksdale’s passing. They had to submit the form multiple times and speak with various representatives from the mayor’s office, but their request was still denied.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 19/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland “There is no protocol or transparency for this,” Polk explained.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 20/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Polk said she contacted Councilman Richard Starr the day before the funeral, and he was able to complete the proclamation and deliver it to her house. She thanked Councilman Starr on behalf of Barksdale’s family.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 21/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Next, Angela Davis stated that the Cleveland Police Department illegally towed her car.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 22/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland According to Davis, when the police initially towed it, "they said I was arrested for a hit and skip, no parking on private property, block drive, rush hour, abandoned car, and expired fictitious plates."

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 23/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland After 30 days, the police department notified her that they had towed her car for abandonment. Davis said that her vehicle was destroyed, and she has been without a car for six months.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 24/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Davis thanked council members McCormack, Spencer, and Hairston for helping her resolve this issue. Davis said she now has an attorney. “If this issue is not resolved and I have a new vehicle in the next 30 days, I will be suing Cleveland,” she explained.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 25/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Davis concluded the public comment. Griffin asked the Clerk of Council, Patricia Britt, to share communications. Britt shared two notices of grants accepted by the Department of Public Utilities for the sewer work on E 115th St and W 70th St.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 26/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Next, she shared notices concerning applications for liquor permits from the Ohio Division of Liquor Control.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 27/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Britt read Griffin’s recommendation to reappoint Councilman Anthony Hairston and Joseph Titran to the Community Reinvestment Area Housing Council.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 28/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Councilman Kevin Conwell said his “good friend” Theresa Sutton passed away. Conwell noted that Sutton was “a good activist.”

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 29/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Hairston announced that Loatha Braxton passed away. The council rose for a moment of silence.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 30/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Next, Griffin called Honorary Council Sandra Morgan and Mayor Alioune Pouye to the front of the chamber. Morgan is best known for being Garrett Morgan’s granddaughter. Pouye is the mayor of Sebikotane in the Dakar region of Senegal.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 31/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Griffin stated that Morgan organized Pouye’s visit so he can look at how Cleveland’s government works and how it approaches economic development. Morgan thanked the city for accommodating the visit.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 32/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Pouye thanked the city and said he is eager to learn more about how democracy functions in Cleveland.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 33/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Pouye mentioned that he looks forward to applying the public comment period at his council meetings in Senegal. “It is a very democratic way to give people the voice to tell their problems and their trouble,” he said.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 34/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Griffin presented a resolution of welcome. He said the resolution is “not just a piece of paper. These go down in the city record, which means that your visit to Cleveland, Ohio will be memorialized in the history of our city.”

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 35/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Next, Britt read the following emergency ordinances for committee and administrative review.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 36/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland The ordinances include the sale and redevelopment of City-owned properties currently in the City’s Land Reutilization Program, resurfacing a portion of Villaview Road, and amendments to food shop licenses and fire permits.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 37/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Next, Britt read the following emergency ordinances to be passed on first reading. They all passed with 16 yays.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 38/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland All these ordinances concern the use of Casino Revenue Funds.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 39/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Next, Britt read the following Second Reading Ordinances to be passed.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 40/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland The ordinances include repairing and maintaining State Route 176, paying for the Automated Fingerprint Identification System, developing young adult violence interventions and prevention, and supporting Near West Recreation youth programs.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 41/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland The ordinances passed with 16 yays.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 42/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Conwell announced that Benjamin Rose is hosting the 17th Annual Disability Awareness Day on Wednesday, October 30, from 11 AM-1 PM. He also noted that he plans to talk to Mayor Bibb with Councilman Brian Kazy about creating jobs for disabled Clevelanders.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 43/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Councilman Michael Polensek announced that Wednesday, October 23, is the operational review of the Department of Public Safety. Kazy announced Haunted Hallow on October 25th at Jefferson Park from 5-9 PM.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 44/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Council Member Jenny Spencer stated that on Wednesday, October 23, at 5 PM, there is a community meeting for the new Marion C Seltzer School redesign.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 45/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Councilman Richard Starr praised Griffin for hosting meetings about redistricting. “We have to do what’s right, so we do have to redistrict, we do have to make sure some things change, and we have to figure out what we’re going to do,” he said.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 46/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Kazy spoke about the Browns stadium, stating that Cleveland taxpayers have been paying for the stadium for 30 years. “I’m hoping that the mayor and the administration doesn't look at 30 years of that stadium and just flushes $300 million down the toilet,” he said.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 47/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Kazy said that no organization should be able to get so much support from the city and just walk away. On May 7, 2024, Cleveland City Council unanimously passed an ordinance to defend Ohio's revised code 9.67.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 48/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Kazy urged Bibb’s administration to ensure Council President Griffin is involved in all discussions with the Browns about the stadium. “This should not be a closed-door session," he said.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 49/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Polensek noted that they need to ensure the County Council is on the same page about the stadium. He also stated that the Browns' owners have been taking from the city for 30 years and haven't given anything back.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 50/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland “Our team owners are the wealthiest people in the country, and what are they doing to reshape and reenvision the city of Cleveland,” Polensek added.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 51/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Conwell said the city needs to invest in children and schools instead of the Haslem Sports Group. He explained that he can't raise taxes to pay for this stadium when we have abject poverty in our city.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 52/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland At 8:03 PM, Griffin adjourned the council until their next meeting on October 28, 2024.

Emma Sedlak @eesedla 53/53

@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Have questions? Think we got something wrong? Send any inquiries on the meeting or these tweets to @cledocumenters. Or email us at cledocumenters@gmail.com

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Agency Information

Cleveland City Council

See meeting notes for details

www.clevelandcitycouncil.org

(216) 664-2840

@CleCityCouncil

Facebook page

See Documenters reporting

Cleveland City Council is the legislative branch of the government of the City of Cleveland in Ohio. There are 17 elected Cleveland City Council members representing the 17 wards of the City of Cleveland. Each ward has approximately 25,000 residents. Council Members are elected to serve a four-year term. Council members serve two roles in their duties: to draft and enact legislation for the city of Cleveland and act as ombudsmen for their constituents.

Find meetings streamed at: *online on TV20 at: http://www.tv20cleveland.com/watch-now/

*The meetings are also streamed on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ClevelandCityCouncil/

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