2026-10-05 - City Council

00:07about

00:28the

00:31Yeah.

00:54Black pepper.

01:10Heat. Heat.

01:19>> [music]

01:36>> down.

01:41Heat. Heat. N.

02:41>> [music]

03:01[music]

03:28>> Hey,

04:18It's different.

05:14I can't do your mouth.

05:20over.

05:38Let me see.

06:00Heat. Heat.

06:15>> [music]

06:21>> big swing.

06:24[laughter]

06:34That's what I'm drinking.

06:37I got second.

07:00[music]

07:31>> [music]

07:39>> You got to fight.

08:21I know

08:24>> I could have stuck down there in the

08:25wrestling.

08:53I think he's got a little

09:10Oh, okay. Cuz I want to connect.

09:25Okay. All right. Thanks.

09:50All right.

09:52>> It ain't about messing up.

10:07They don't do that.

10:24>> [music]

10:45>> Okay. So, I always got to hit the audio

10:47dentist. Yeah, cuz sometimes you got to

10:49play with it just to see.

10:50>> Okay. All right,

10:57>> Madame Clerk, please call the role.

11:00>> Griffin

11:01>> here. Bishop Conwell Davis Gray

11:08Harsh House Jones Hudson Jones Kazy

11:15>> Pencic Santana

11:19Shaw

11:21Sly

11:22Star. You have a quorum, Mr. President.

11:25>> Thank you. Will everyone please rise for

11:27a moment of silence followed by the

11:29pledge of allegiance.

11:37Thank you. I pledge allegiance to the

11:40flag of the United States of America and

11:43to the republic for which it stands. One

11:46nation under God, indivisible, liberty,

11:49justice for all.

11:54>> I make the following statement.

11:56This meeting of Cleveland City Council

11:58is a lawful meeting under section 605.04

12:01of the codified ordinances. No person

12:04with purpose to prevent or disrupt a

12:06lawful meeting shall do any act which

12:08obstructs or interferes with the due

12:10conduct of such meeting.

12:13Members of the public are invited to

12:14speak only under the rules set by this

12:17council. disruptions, including but not

12:19limited to speaking out of turn and

12:21making loud noises and loud utterances

12:24are in violation of the rules and

12:25interfere with the due conduct of this

12:27lawful meeting. Such disruptions may

12:29constitute a misdemeanor and a violation

12:31of section 605.04.

12:35Anyone who disrupts this lawful meeting

12:37in violation of the codified ordinances

12:40commits misdemeanors and is subject to

12:43prosecution. The following is the first

12:45and only warning. If this meeting is

12:48disrupted, I will gather a halt to the

12:50proceedings and direct the assembled

12:52officers to escort any person

12:54participating in the disruption out of

12:57the chamber. Once persons participating

12:59in the disruption are outside of the

13:01chambers, the officers will close the

13:03doors and the disruptors will be handled

13:05as directed by the director of public

13:08safety. The council proceedings will not

13:10begin again until those that

13:12participated in the disruption have left

13:14the chamber and the chamber doors are

13:17closed. Disruptors will not be allowed

13:19back in the chamber after the meeting

13:21resumes. Again, this is the first and

13:23only warning.

13:25Madame clerk, please dispense with the

13:27journal.

13:31by council member Shaw that the reading

13:34of the minutes of the last meeting be

13:36dispensed with the journal approved

13:38seconded by council member Kazy.

13:40>> Thank you. We'll move to public comment.

13:42Uh once again I will ask the public

13:44commenters that when you see yellow that

13:47means wrap up and when you see red that

13:49means your time is up. I try to hold

13:51everybody to the strictest three limit

13:54uh three minute limit. And the reason

13:56why is because you just want to be fair

13:57across the board with everyone. So,

13:59please acknowledge your time and ask all

14:02the council members to turn around and

14:04please recognize and acknowledge all the

14:05speakers. Um, the first speaker that we

14:08have is St. James Singleton from Ward 9

14:11to talk about making Cleveland great.

14:13He's not representing organization and

14:15not being paid to comment. Mr.

14:17Singleton, you have the floor.

14:20>> How y'all doing today?

14:22>> Great.

14:23Um,

14:25one thing that we all have in common,

14:28no matter our social status, our

14:30pedigree or where we live, the

14:32complexion of our skin, is that we will

14:35die.

14:36Every last one of us will die. And for

14:39some of us, we are afraid of it. Right?

14:42Me, I choose not to believe in death.

14:45How crazy is that? Right? Although we

14:47see it day in and day out, we choose to

14:50believe what we choose to believe.

14:53uh regardless if I believe it or not,

14:55it's still going to happen. All of us

14:58have seats that we sit in. You have your

15:02seats, we have our seats. And when we

15:05die, and we will, there's going to be a

15:08judgment. We'll stand all of us in front

15:11of God and have to give an account on

15:13how we handled the business he gave us.

15:16Regardless of how you believe you got

15:18there, the only way that we can truly

15:20get somewhere is because God appoints it

15:21or he allows it. And the whole our

15:25responsibility

15:26is to make this world great. In the

15:29garden, God said, "I gave you dominion

15:31over everything." That mean we have

15:33rulership.

15:35And what we do when something go wrong

15:37typically even when we don't believe in

15:38God, we blame God. And if God was able

15:42to speak to you uh for himself, but he

15:45typically use people and I'll tell you

15:47what he'll say is everything that's

15:50going wrong is on us because he gave us

15:52a responsibility to make this world

15:54great. And he asked us to do something

15:58that is less painful than somebody else

16:00pointing the finger at you. He asked us

16:02to examine ourselves, look at ourselves

16:06and see are we doing what we should be

16:08doing. And sometimes we can get blinded

16:10by greed, selfishness, and we take

16:14resources and only think about ourselves

16:16and the ones that we love. But what

16:19about everybody else? What about the

16:20people that can't fend for themselves?

16:22What do we do then? How do we get so

16:25callous that we only care about the ones

16:27that we care about? What if it was you

16:30laying on the side of the road this

16:31winter in a tent and freezing weather

16:34and you so conditioned to lay out there

16:36that you don't even want to go in? You

16:38just want somebody to make it

16:40comfortable for you. But my question,

16:41how are anybody land on the sidewalks,

16:45under bridges and intents in the

16:48greatest country in the world that got

16:50resources, no shade to fund basketball

16:53programs,

16:55to fund prisons,

16:57to to be able to buy the things that you

17:00like? How is it that the things that

17:03really matter, we don't care?

17:06Uh, and so my suggestion before we get

17:09to that day, whether you believe it or

17:11not, it will come and it will come

17:14quicker than we believe it will come and

17:16we'll find ourselves standing in front

17:18of the judge, the one true judge who

17:20does not make mistakes, who have

17:21everything accorded. Uh, Ashton,

17:24>> thank you, sir.

17:24>> What did you do with your time?

17:26>> Thank you.

17:28Next we have

17:31Tyresa Thompson from Ward Nine to talk

17:34about city issues, not representing

17:35organization and not being paid by

17:37anyone. Is Tyresa Thompson here? Tyresa,

17:40you had the floor.

17:44>> Hey everybody, can I be honest with you

17:46all? I think I like come I like I think

17:49I like coming down here to public

17:51comment. You never really know what

17:53you're going to get. Some weeks I feel

17:54like I should bring popcorn. But

17:57underneath the entertainment, there are

17:59real people with real issues coming down

18:02here with real problems. And I've been

18:04wondering how effective is public

18:06comment at actually helping solve them.

18:09So instead of assuming, I want to ask

18:12for the members of the public here by a

18:14show of hands, how many of you or

18:17someone you know have come down here

18:19about an issue and actually seen

18:21progress afterwards?

18:24Okay. And to our public officials, I

18:26want to ask you something, too. By a

18:28show of hands, how many of you believe

18:30there are things we could do better to

18:32connect residents with the right

18:34resources after they come down here

18:36asking for help?

18:38Because that's really what I want to

18:40talk about today. There has to be a

18:42better process. I'm starting to

18:44understand why some people come down

18:45here angry. I don't agree with

18:47disrespecting people and I don't believe

18:49yelling and fussing helps helps us get

18:52anywhere. But woo do I understand the

18:55frustration now because what happens

18:58after we leave this microphone.

19:00I started coming down here on behalf of

19:02built and strong individuals one of the

19:04many great ventures we are doing within

19:06the community. We came here asking for

19:09assistance with funding and resources

19:11and we received business cards,

19:13meetings, and promises in the past and

19:15for the future that we hope to one day

19:18see fulfilled. And I do appreciate every

19:22person who reached out, but I'm learning

19:23that sometimes a problem isn't necessary

19:25that resources don't exist. It's

19:28figuring out how in the world you get

19:29connected to them. If city council isn't

19:32the resource, that's okay. But who is?

19:35If there's an application, show us. If

19:38there's a department, connect us. If

19:40we're knocking on the wrong door, just

19:42tell us that. We'll gladly stop knocking

19:44on yours. Because I don't think the

19:46community and our public officials

19:48should operate like we're on opposite

19:50teams. You understand the system. We

19:52understand the community. You know where

19:54many of the resources are and we could

19:56tell you where the needs are. Imagine

19:58what happens when we actually connect

20:00the two. So my question today is bigger

20:03than how do we get built and strong

20:05individuals funded? How do we improve

20:07the process between public comment and

20:10actual progress? Because people

20:12shouldn't have to come down here week

20:13after week getting louder and angrier to

20:15feel heard even when the answer is no.

20:17Give us a next step. Give us a person, a

20:20department, a resource, a a direction.

20:22Because I didn't come down here to make

20:24enemies. I came down here hoping we

20:26could become partners. So after we give

20:28our three minutes, say thank you and

20:29walk away from this microphone.

20:32What actually happens next? Thank you.

20:37[applause]

20:41>> Next we have Daryl Houston.

20:43>> I never stood up signed up.

20:45>> Sir, you're not. My name is Silus. Sir,

20:47you're not on the schedule to speak. I

20:49tell you right now, just care about your

20:51citizens of Cleveland.

20:53>> Sir, you're not on the schedule to

20:54speak.

20:54>> Have a nice day.

20:56>> Thank you.

20:59Daryl Houston is here and he rep he's

21:03from Bedford Heights. He's here to talk

21:04about city issues. He's not representing

21:06the organization and not being paid by

21:08any organization. Mr. Houston, you have

21:10the floor. Good afternoon or good

21:12evening everybody.

21:14And uh as I promised, I got five weeks

21:17of hard direct questions for all elected

21:20officials and people appointed by

21:23elected officials. Right. I've given you

21:26guys again 36 months of straight

21:30constitutional charter policies and it

21:33has went on a lot of deaf ears in here.

21:36If you've been watching me, I raised my

21:38hand up in here about seven months ago

21:40and I said that constitutional oath will

21:42come into play. And it is going to come

21:44into play. I can promise you guys it has

21:48to come into play, right? Because in

21:50order for us to hold this democracy, we

21:53got to respect that constitution.

21:55Whether you're a Republican or Democrat,

21:57we have to respect the constitution. And

22:00I've identified to a lot of issues in

22:03city hall and in the county and that for

22:07that matter in the governor's office as

22:08well. I've toured this whole state by

22:12myself. I sat with everybody that had

22:15any authority within the state of Ohio,

22:18Republican, Democrat, pastors and all,

22:20right? And I've came to a conclusion and

22:24I'll leave I'll leave that conclusion

22:26till after this November election

22:29because we're going to have to have some

22:30real constitutional conversations.

22:33everybody in this room, we're gonna have

22:35to have these hard conversations because

22:37it doesn't make sense to what's going on

22:39in the city of Cleveland, in the county,

22:42and in the state. Okay? We are human

22:46beings, and each and every last one of

22:48us has a civil duty to do what's right

22:52in their communities,

22:54right? And I'mma hold y'all to that

22:56because I stand here for a reason. I

22:59wasn't down here to be the mayor. I

23:02wasn't down here to take your seat,

23:04Blaine Griffin. I'm down here because 18

23:08years later, I'm still in pain from

23:10being wrongfully in prison. I'm still

23:12being impacted by that and I'm still

23:14listening to the law department

23:16withholding records 40 years later,

23:19right? And I want answers for that

23:21because enough is enough. And I changed

23:23my speech today, but today was supposed

23:26to be Drummond's day, right? Safety

23:28Director Drummond had a day today,

23:30right? But I chose to change my speech

23:33because I'm tired of what I'm getting

23:35from people that knocked on people doors

23:37and made promises to the community and

23:40they don't keep them. Right? That's not

23:42fair. I'm watching businesses stay open

23:46where this guy is convicted of a felony

23:48and you cannot have a liquor license if

23:51you have a felony. I'm watching all

23:52these constitutional things be violated,

23:55right? But I had to fight the

23:57Constitution to become free. So, I'm big

24:00on constitution, lawdriven policies. I'm

24:03not a crook. I can talk to every

24:05nationality in this community as I have

24:08done. I have more support than I started

24:11out with. Thank you. I'll see you next

24:13Monday.

24:16Next, we have

24:18Matthew Strazzinski. Matthew Strazzinski

24:21is from Slavic Village. uh the topic he

24:23would like to have is uh Slavic Village

24:26community and the council person and

24:28he's not representing organization not

24:30being paid to comment.

24:36Well, I'm speaking on behalf of Slavic

24:39Village

24:42Kohham Slavic Village.

24:45I was at the Slavic at the St.

24:50festival

24:51this weekend. And I got to tell you,

24:54remarkable.

24:55Remember, next year everyone's welcome.

24:58I have to tell you, I didn't see in

25:01those three days, I did not see one drop

25:03of litter on the ground. The place was

25:06spotless. And there was 8,000 people

25:09that traveled

25:11through that church parking lot.

25:15I have a very serious serious comment to

25:17make.

25:19This is about 57th in fleet which I've

25:21been up here before advocating about

25:25public officials to handle the situation

25:28and it's still not remedied.

25:31My understanding is

25:34the establishment there does not have a

25:36certificate of occupancy.

25:39They are in violation of many many

25:41ordinances

25:43and fire ordinances to the best of my

25:46knowledge.

25:48I would like I would like respectfully

25:53for the administration and I would like

25:56respectfully to

25:58for city council also to view that

26:02corner of 57th in fleet because I'll

26:05tell you what it's an eyesore.

26:09You have vehicles that are packed in

26:11there like sardines which is against

26:13violation

26:15uh which is against and they are

26:17violating and we really need to look at

26:19this serious. Now I spoke with the

26:21council woman over here and I am not

26:25getting the information I need to get.

26:27Okay. She doesn't even let me get a word

26:29in. She talks and talks and talks and

26:31talks. I've been to the war club

26:33meetings. She talks and talks and talks

26:36and talks and doesn't let anybody ask

26:38any questions. I go to my black club

26:40meetings. They all speak of the same

26:43thing. We are tired of seeing this over

26:46at 57th and Fleet. Now, I'm serious. You

26:49really have to look at this. You have to

26:51look at this disaster. Okay?

26:55I would like really I would like all the

26:58council people to just drive by. That's

27:00all you got to do is a quick driveby.

27:02And I don't mean that in the way I said

27:04it, but I'd like you to drive by there

27:06and look at that establishment because

27:08it's horrendous. They're even building

27:11uh rebuilding engines out in the parking

27:14lot. Now, I don't know if you remember,

27:16I think it's about 5 months ago, I spoke

27:17about the same thing and still nothing

27:19is done. Nothing is done. Now, I I I

27:22don't want to come up here again next

27:24week and if I have to, I will. And I'll

27:26give you a report card of what's going

27:27on. You have to look at this location.

27:30and please

27:32let us speak at at your meetings. Okay.

27:35>> Thank you.

27:37Next, we have

27:38>> Thank you.

27:39>> Nicole Richmond. Nicole Richmond is from

27:41Bedford Heights to talk about an officer

27:44involved shooting. Nicole is not

27:46representing anyone and not being paid

27:48by anyone. Is Miss Nicole Richmond here?

27:51Is Miss Nicole Richmond here? I do not

27:54see Nicole Richmond. Therefore, we'll

27:56move to the next person. The next person

27:58is Austria Everson from war 3. Uh the

28:02topic is love as a way of life and uh

28:05she is representing the love project

28:07movement and she is not being paid by

28:10anyone to comment. Uh I do not see Miss

28:13Everson here. I do not see Miss Everson.

28:16We'll move to the next person. The next

28:18person is um India Richmond from

28:21Garfield Heights to talk about a police

28:23involved shooting. And uh Miss Richmond

28:27is not representing organization and not

28:29being paid by any organization. Is Miss

28:31Richmond here? I do not see Miss

28:35Richmond.

28:36Okay, we'll go to uh Angela M. Ruffen.

28:41Angela M. Ruffin is from the Union Miles

28:43neighborhood and Angela would like to

28:45talk about a police involved shooting.

28:47Angela is not representing any

28:49organization and not being paid to

28:51comment. Is Angela Ruffen here? I do not

28:55see Angela Ruffin going once, going

28:57twice. Uh we'll move to the next person.

29:00The next person is Terry Wong from Ward

29:038 to talk about data centers flock and

29:05the theater of regulation. Uh the

29:08organization that she is representing is

29:10Surveiled the State and she is not being

29:12paid to comment.

29:14>> Thank you. My name is Terry Wong. T E R

29:17I W. You can find me on social media.

29:21Here's how I know the fix is in about

29:24data centers in Cleveland. On May 7th,

29:272026, Lakeland Equity Group filed a

29:30permit for a hypers scale data center in

29:32Slavic Village. The public outrage was

29:35immediate. The city rejected the project

29:37on a technicality. No drawings. How

29:40interesting that a company would submit

29:42an incomplete permit application for a

29:44$1 billion project. But the city had

29:47already introduced a moratorium on data

29:49centers 10 days earlier on April 27th.

29:52Unless our council people are psychic,

29:55this was a coordinated effort. And

29:58Lakeland later confirmed that the city

30:00had known about their plan since May

30:022025, a full year. So what did the city

30:06do with that year? No scientific

30:09studies, no technical training, no

30:12public hearings. The city manufactured

30:15an emergency which gave them control

30:17over the zoning, the narrative over you

30:20and I.

30:22Then we had public hearings recently on

30:25data centers, three of them. The last

30:26one is tomorrow is Wednesday at 6 p.m.

30:29at the Gunning Recreation Center. But on

30:32September 18th, before any of those

30:34hearings happen, the city planning

30:36commission had already moved to reszone

30:38parts of North Collwood to allow data

30:41centers by right. You heard me, North

30:43Columwood. So why hold hearings to

30:46listen when the planning decisions are

30:47already made? And at the second hearing,

30:50Councilman Brian Casey told a room full

30:51of opponents that what the public really

30:53objects to is hypers scale, not other

30:56types of data centers. That's not what I

30:58heard. As if the three other tiers are

31:01harmless. They aren't. The difference is

31:03scale, not kind. Smaller data centers

31:05can be clustered together to have the

31:07same harmful effect as a hypers scale

31:09center. We've seen this public

31:11manipulation playbook before. Remember

31:14the flock cameras? Clevelanders have

31:16opposed them for over a year only for

31:18the city to extend the contract and look

31:20for a new vendor. You know, Axon, the

31:23taser and drone company. They have

31:24cameras that clip onto street lights so

31:26you can't see them very well. Same

31:28surveillance, harder to see. Indeed, the

31:31fix is already in. In 2011, Les Wexner

31:34and Jeff Bezos worked with Governor

31:36Kasich to lease our liquor profits for

31:3925 years. In 2025, our legislature

31:42extended that lease 15 more years. This

31:45money is being used to expand data

31:47center development throughout Ohio in an

31:49attempt to make us the Silicon

31:50Heartland. We cannot rely on

31:53billionaires or public officials bought

31:55by billionaires to determine the future

31:57of this city and of the Great Lakes.

31:59Council, you have all shown us who you

32:01are. So, we will write the legislation

32:03ourselves. We will put it in front of

32:05you. And if you don't vote for it, we

32:07will remove you from office just like

32:09people all over the nation. Who's with

32:11me? Thank you.

32:17Next, we have Darwin Paige from Ward 5

32:21to talk about Rainbow Tears. He is not

32:23representing organization, not being

32:25paid to comment.

32:28>> How y'all doing today, city hall? My

32:30name is Darwin Paige. I'm here for the

32:32people of Rainbow Terrace. I was a

32:34maintenance technician during the late

32:36December of 2024 all the way up until

32:40February of 2025.

32:42I left this position because I noticed

32:45the neglect, the lack of resources, the

32:48lack of materials needed to facilitate a

32:51proper properly ran facility for people

32:54to live at. I've noticed uh utility

32:57closets full filled with uh trash,

33:00cats, um cat feces, piss, you name it.

33:05Um

33:07I brought these uh issues to maintenance

33:12uh director attention um and center

33:14director attention and there was nothing

33:17ever done, no materials ever uh ordered.

33:20And these people have come down here and

33:22told y'all about the neglect that was

33:24done to them while living in Rainbow

33:26Terrace.

33:28What I would like to speak on is the

33:30neglect that only happens in black

33:31neighborhoods.

33:35These people came down here and told

33:36y'all they had experienced a fire

33:40explosion and a loss of life. One of

33:42those loss of life was

33:45was my little nephew's father, Mr.

33:48Sheffield himself, the Garden Valley

33:49hero.

33:50CJ lives without a father till this day

33:54because he helped other kids get out of

33:58them burning buildings. These people

34:00live without resources and they come

34:03down here and beg you people look into

34:06this. Investigate. We're telling you we

34:09lived in in pain, misery, agony. These

34:12people didn't even have proper places to

34:14put their own trash because they removed

34:16dumpsters from accessibility places near

34:19their homes. These people had to travel

34:22long distances just to put their trash

34:24out in a neighborhood where we know it's

34:26gunfires every day. So, they got to take

34:29chances with their safeties at night.

34:32These people are living in homes without

34:35smoke detectors.

34:38Some of these utility clauses smelling

34:39like gas. And I'm saying that I'm not

34:41here being paid to say this. I'm saying

34:43this because these people are not

34:46tripping about what they smell. These

34:47people are not tripping about what they

34:49have to walk over every day just to get

34:51to their homes. And yes, we live in

34:53lowincome areas. We live in black

34:55neighborhoods. But that does not mean we

34:57are allowed to be neglected.

35:00Get these people resources. Get these

35:02people help. They're not tripping. And

35:06Jessica, the maintenance director or uh

35:08property manager down there, she knows

35:10the neglect that she uh gave that

35:12property. And the maintenance director,

35:14Jay, knows that uh neglect that they

35:16gave that property. They were underst

35:18staffed. They didn't have any type of

35:21resources to give these people. And

35:22these people need their help. And that's

35:24my time.

35:25>> Thank you, sir.

35:28[applause]

35:31That concludes public comment. Madame

35:34clerk, please share communications.

35:38There are no communications. Are there

35:40any condolence resolutions?

35:45Resolutions of condolence by Council

35:47Member House Jones, for Nanny Bell

35:50Sanders, by Council Member Casey, for

35:53Roger Lopez, by Council Member House

35:55Jones, for Gregory Van Prince, by

35:58Council Member Conwell, for Ida A Grant,

36:01by Council Member Griffin, for Elder

36:04Cedric DT Jackson Senior, by Council

36:07Member Kazy, for Patricia A. McGinty.

36:12>> Thank you. Are there any other

36:13condolences? Any other condolences?

36:18I don't see any other condolences. Will

36:20all council members rise for a moment of

36:21silence?

36:28Thank you.

36:32Are there any congratulatory

36:33resolutions?

36:34>> Resolutions of congratulations by

36:36Council Member Griffin for the

36:38Girlfriends, Inc. Cleveland chapter on

36:41their 75th anniversary by Council Member

36:44House Jones for Journey Center for

36:46Safety and Healing on their fifth on

36:50their 50th anniversary by Council Member

36:52Jones for Marcela Cathy by Council

36:56Member Griffin for Winton Marcales by

37:00Council Member House Jones for Minutemen

37:03Press on their grand opening by Council

37:06Member Griffin for Frank G. Jackson by

37:08council members Griffin and Palencic for

37:11Anthony Tado. ItalianAmerican honore by

37:15council members Griffin and Palencic for

37:18Frank Boresi. Italian-American honore by

37:22council member Griffin for Alicia Louise

37:25Mazi Maisie

37:28uh ItalianAmerican honore by council

37:31members Griffin and Palencic for Maria

37:35Castanzo ItalianAmerican honore by

37:38council members Griffin and Palencic for

37:41Lisa

37:44Black Italianame honore

37:49by council member Griffin for Gamma

37:53Alpha Sigma chapter of Beta Sigma

37:56fraternity on their 75th anniversary. By

37:59council member Davis for Rosie

38:01restaurant, New York Times 50 favorite

38:05honore. Resolutions of recognition by

38:08council member Palencic for Mary France

38:12Allen Pritchette by Council Member

38:14Griffin for Laura Cowan by Council

38:18Member Griffin for Zeta Fi Beta Sorority

38:2268th Ohio State Leadership Conference by

38:26Council Member Slife for CJ Dechic.

38:32>> Thank you.

38:34That concludes resolutions. Uh I'm going

38:38to ask Councilman Conwell if he could

38:41join us up front and if we could open up

38:44the well for his guest that uh he has.

38:51And I believe county councilwoman Yavon

38:55Conwell is also going to join us.

39:04right in the middle. Everybody, if you

39:06could come in right on this side right

39:07here and

39:11>> right here. Anybody who's want to come

39:13in could come right here. Right here.

39:18That's opening the well for you. Yes,

39:21>> Star. The person we're going to honor

39:24today is uh been around twice as long as

39:28Council Member Mike Palins been on

39:31Cleveland City Council. And that would

39:33make his birthday was September 25th. So

39:36he would be how old?

39:39>> 100 years old. He got you beat, Mike.

39:42He's 100 years old. World War II

39:45veteran. Come on up, Leman. World War II

39:48veteran. 100 years old. Let's get it.

39:53Let's get it up in there.

40:00We stand for you.

40:03[applause]

40:06>> Come on, Leman. 100.

40:14Thank you. Thank you. We were all You

40:16know why everyone stood up? They thank

40:18you for your service also. A great

40:21service, Leman. Great service. You know,

40:24in the neighborhood, we always called

40:26you Leman in in Glenville. If you would

40:29have said Charles, it went who? So, it's

40:32Leman. Hey, little [screaming] man.

40:34What's going on? My little grandson

40:36here. How you doing?

40:40What's up, dude?

40:44>> All right, Jackie Robinson.

40:46So, we go and move forward.

40:49So, we're here to honor you. Hey, baby.

40:55We are here to honor you today.

40:58And I'm going to read this piece here,

40:59but I'll do it fast. Whereas the

41:02Cleveland City Council takes a great joy

41:04in recognizing Charles Leman as he

41:08celebrates

41:09the extraordinary milestone

41:12of his 100th birthday on September the

41:1625th. as you making a century of life

41:19filled with family, hard work,

41:22leadership, and perseverance,

41:25and service to others. Charles Leman,

41:28affectionately known as Charlie. No,

41:30it's Leeman, man, was born on September

41:33the 25th, 1926.

41:37In 1950 at the age of 24, he journeyed

41:41from Huntsville, Alabama during the

41:43great migration. you came up here to

41:45Cleveland, Ohio, where he established

41:47roots and began building a remarkable

41:50life and legacy that would span

41:52generations. Charlie made a Cleveland

41:55home of the mighty, mighty, mighty top

41:58bloods Glennville neighborhood his home

42:00for extraordinary 70 years where he and

42:04his beloved wife Bernice to whom he was

42:08a devoted husband for over 62 years. He

42:13raised their four children and became an

42:15enduring part of the fabric of the

42:18mighty mighty top blood I mean

42:20Glennville community. Charlie was a

42:22devoted husband who shares 62 years of

42:26marriage with his beloved Bernice

42:29building a life together grounded in

42:31love, commitment, family, and the values

42:34they pass along to their children and

42:37future generations. Throughout his

42:39working years, Charlie demonstrated a

42:41strong work ethic and dedication as an

42:44employee of the East Ohio Gas Company,

42:47faithfully serving until his retirement

42:50in 1989.

42:53While also establishing himself as a

42:56property owner and businessman, Charlie

42:58committed to the mighty to Glennville

43:00extended well beyond his own household

43:04as he served as a street club president.

43:06we don't hardly add him anymore. And

43:08community leader and became a trusted

43:12source of uh of assistance to his

43:15families, migrating from Huntsville to

43:18Cleveland during the 1950s,

43:21helping them establish new lives and

43:23found a sense of home and there adopted

43:25their own in the city of Cleveland. As

43:27Charlie reaches the remarkable century

43:29mark, Cleveland City Council proudly

43:32celebrates you, Charles Leman. A man

43:35whose life embodies the strength,

43:38determination, generosity, community

43:41spirits of generations of Clevelanders,

43:44and whose enduring legacy can be seen in

43:48the family he raised, the neighbors he

43:50supported, and the community he helped

43:52strengthen. and therefore the Cleveland

43:55City Council congratulates you, Charlie

43:58Leman, on your joyous 100 years of

44:03milestone birthday and extend a warm

44:06wishes and a wonderful celebration

44:08surrounded by family, friends and loved

44:11ones with heartfel felt appreciation in

44:15this remarkable century. That is a huge

44:18huge milestone of 100 years. So we thank

44:23you and we thank you for your service.

44:25Uh any family members would like to say

44:28anything,

44:31>> you know, we'll take this picture here.

44:33If anyone wants to come up with us, this

44:35is a huge milestone to make it to 100

44:38years. You want

44:41>> Sherry, you want to say anything?

44:44>> Say something. You his baby.

44:50I would like to say up here it's five

44:53generations of Leman. He he's the master

44:58and he's raised us to be good citizens

45:02of Cleveland, Ohio and we appreciate we

45:06love our father dearly. We have been

45:09blessed

45:10>> to have our dad this long.

45:13>> Thank you. Thank you city council. Thank

45:16you so much from our family to yours.

45:19Thank you. [applause]

45:24Take a picture. Uh Joe Jones or any

45:27anyone you want you want Leman to say

45:30something. Hey Leman, you fought in

45:33World War II. I'm going to bring it to

45:35you. Say something. Say hey.

45:38>> Hey.

45:40Say it again.

45:41>> Hey.

45:42>> Thank you.

45:44>> Say thank you.

45:46Hey,

45:48>> say thank you.

45:49>> Thank you. Thank you very much. So, if

45:52anyone wants to come up here and take a

45:54picture, this is a huge milestone. 100

45:57years and to double the time that

46:00council member Mike Pinsic has been on

46:02Cleveland City Council. Come on up,

46:04Mike. This is a huge milestone here. He

46:08was 50 when you became a councilman.

46:12That's cool beans, man.

46:14remember

46:16>> he used to be your councilman?

46:17>> Yes.

46:17>> They say you used to be that councilman,

46:19Mike. They remember. You want to say

46:21anything?

46:24>> Yes. They did tell me that when I

46:25honored them, they said Mike was our

46:27counselor. So, let's do what we do.

46:32>> Set this up. You probably want this in

46:35the background.

47:26Say 100.

47:28>> 100.

47:38Come on.

47:40Put your eyes over here. Smile.

47:59>> I'm fig

48:07all the time.

48:09Come on, let's get it right.

48:37>> Yes, sir.

48:38Thank you.

49:00Come on.

49:26All right, we'll resume the meeting.

49:29Madam clerk, first reading, emergency

49:31ordinances referred for administrative

49:32review and committee review.

49:36Ordinance 1205 2026 by council members

49:39Kazy, Slife, Bishop, Santana, and

49:42Griffin by departmental request

49:45authorizing the director of capital

49:46projects to enter into one or more

49:48agreements with the cities of Brook Park

49:50and Parma to resurface po a portion of

49:54Brook Park Road located in the city of

49:56Cleveland giving consent of the city of

49:58Cleveland to the director of

50:00transportation of the state of Ohio for

50:02the improvement. authorizing agreements

50:05and authorizing payment of the city of

50:07Brook Park for the city of Cleveland's

50:09portion of the improvement. Ordinance

50:111229 2026 by council members Kazy and

50:15Griffin by departmental request to amend

50:18section one of ordinance 6002026

50:21relating to contracts with ST

50:24Engineering Telematic Wireless for

50:26upgrades and modifications to manage the

50:29bright city lighting system. Ordinance

50:3212:30 2026 by council members Conwell,

50:35Santana, and Bishop by departmental

50:38request to supplement the codified

50:40ordinances of Cleveland, Ohio by

50:43enacting new section 141.40 40 relating

50:46to a good food retailer certification

50:50program and authorize a job retention

50:52income tax credit incentive program for

50:56the good food retailers

51:00for the good food retailers subject to

51:02separate council legislation authorizing

51:05each individual tax credit to provide

51:08economic development in incentives for

51:11the purpose of fostering job retention

51:14and improving improving the economic

51:16welfare of the people of the city as

51:18authorized in article 7 and article 8

51:23section 13 of the Ohio constitution

51:26ordinance 1231 2026 by council members

51:30Bishop Pinsic Shaw Slice Santana and

51:33Griffin by departmental request

51:36authorizing the directors of development

51:39and or public safety to enter into one

51:41or more agreements with the board of

51:43education of Cleveland Municipal School

51:45District for the exchange of lands for

51:48future redevelopment and the mutual

51:51benefit of the parties and authorizing

51:53the mayor and the commissioner purchases

51:55and supplies to acquire and convey the

51:58properties.

52:02>> Thank you.

52:04First reading, emergency ordinances to

52:05be passed. Ordinance 1204 2026 by

52:09Council Member Griffin by departmental

52:11request to amend section 20 of Ordinance

52:14194 2021 as amended relating to

52:18compensation for various

52:20classifications.

52:22Ordinance 1233 2026 by council member

52:26Kazy authorizing the director of

52:28department of public safety to enter

52:30into agreement with Beller Puritis

52:32Development Corporation DBA Jefferson

52:35Puritis West Park Community Development

52:38Corporation for the annual safety series

52:42through the use of Ward 13 discretionary

52:44funds ordinance 12

52:48I'm sorry ordinance 123420 2026 by

52:53council member Griffin authorizing the

52:55director of department of community

52:57development to enter into agreement with

52:59Fairfax Renaissance de Renaissance

53:02Development Corporation for the public

53:04purpose of health wellness and general

53:07welfare

53:08by proi by providing food cards to

53:12eligible city of Cleveland residents

53:14through the use of W 6 casino revenue

53:17funds.

53:20>> Thank you. Read the motion to suspend

53:22the rules

53:23>> by council member Shaw that the rules be

53:26suspended and the legislation just read

53:29be placed on final passage. Seconded by

53:31council member Kazy.

53:33>> Call the role.

53:34>> Griffin Bishop Conwell Davis Gay Harsh

53:37House Jones Hudson Jones Kazy Palencic

53:40Santana Shaw Slicear

53:4315 yays

53:44>> call a roll on passage. Griffin, Bishop,

53:48Conwell, Davis, Gay, Harsh, House Jones,

53:51Hudson, Jones, Kazy, Pensic, Santana,

53:54Shaw, Slice, Star 15. Yay.

53:57>> Thank you. First reading emergency

54:00resolution referred for administrative

54:02review and committee review.

54:04>> Resolution 1235, 2026 by Council Member

54:08Kazy, declaring October 13th as Bernie

54:11Kosar Day in the city of Cleveland.

54:16Thank you. First reading, emergency

54:19resolutions to be adopted.

54:20>> Resolution 1232 2026 by Council Member

54:24Santana objecting to the transfer of

54:27location of a C2C2X liquor permit at

54:303870 West 25th Street. Resolution

54:341236206

54:36by Council Member Shaw withdrawing

54:38objection to a new C1 liquor permit at

54:4110207 Madison Avenue and repealing

54:44resolution 1158 2026 objecting to said

54:48permit.

54:50>> Thank you. Read the motion to suspend

54:51the rules

54:52>> by council member Shaw that the rules be

54:54suspended in the legislation just read

54:56be placed on final passage. Seconded by

54:59council member Kazy.

55:01>> Call the role. Griffin Bishop Conwell

55:04Davis Gray Harsh House Jones Hudson

55:06Jones Kazy Palencic Santana Shaw Slice

55:10Star

55:1215 yays

55:13>> call a roll on adoption

55:15>> Griffin Bishop Conwell Davis Gray Harsh

55:17House Jones Hudson Jones Kazy Palencic

55:21Santana Shaw Slice Star 15 yays

55:25>> thank you second reading emergency

55:27ordinances to be passed

55:30>> ordinance 758 2026 6 by council members

55:34Kazy, Bishop, and Griffin by

55:36departmental request determining the

55:38method of making the public improvement

55:40of renewing, repairing, and replacing

55:43various water manes in 2027 and 2028,

55:46and authorizing the director of public

55:49utilities to enter into one or more

55:51public improvement contracts for the

55:53making of the improvement. Ordinance

55:55902206

55:57by council members Slife and Griffin by

56:00departmental request. authorizing the

56:02director of port control to exercise a

56:05second option to renew a contract with

56:08PMG executive program management to

56:11provide executive airport development

56:13programming, financing, planning,

56:15design, and related services. Ordinance

56:18921-2026

56:20as amended by council members Slife,

56:23Bishop, Santana, and Griffin by

56:25departmental request to vacate a port an

56:29emergency ordinance to vacate a portion

56:31of each of the following streets.

56:33Forestwood Avenue Southwest, Midvale

56:36Avenue Southwest, West 185th Street,

56:39West 188th Street, and West 190th

56:43Street. Ordinance 924 2026 as amended by

56:48council members Slife and Griffin by

56:50departmental request.

56:53An emergency ordinance determining the

56:56method of making the public improvement

56:58of designing and constructing an upgrade

57:01and improvement to the inline baggage

57:04system at Cleveland Hopkins

57:06International Airport. Authorizing

57:08director of port control to enter into

57:10one or more contracts with Cleveland

57:12terminal and equipment company for the

57:15per for that purpose. Authorizing the

57:17purchase of materials, equipment,

57:19supplies and services if not provided

57:22under the public improvement and

57:24authorizing one or more agreements to

57:26implement the improvement. Ordinance

57:29927206

57:31by council members Conwell, Santana,

57:33Palencic, and Griffin by departmental

57:36request authorizing the directors of

57:38public health department

57:41and/or public safety to enter into one

57:44or more agreements with the board of

57:46education of the Cleveland Municipal

57:48School District for the exchange of

57:50lands for future redevelopment and the

57:53mutual benefit of the parties and

57:55authorizing the mayor and the

57:56commissioner purchases and supplies to

57:59acquire and convey the properties.

58:01Ordinance 1035 2026 by council members

58:05Pencic and Griffin by departmental

58:07request authorizing the director of

58:10public safety to cause payment to Kyhoga

58:13County for services rendered through the

58:15county medical examiner's office to

58:18reimburse the county for the city's

58:20share of the costs for maintaining and

58:23use of the automated fingerprint

58:25identification system. Ordinance 11 1166

58:302026 by council members Conwell and

58:33Griffin, sorry, Conwell Hudson and

58:35Griffin by departmental request

58:37authorizing the director of public

58:39health to enter into one or more

58:41agreements with the Ohio with the Ohio

58:44State University, East 66 Street un uh

58:47services

58:49and other entities to support the

58:52administration of the city of

58:54Cleveland's community gardening program

58:56known as the summer sprout community

58:58gardening program for a period of one

59:01year with an option to renew for an

59:04additional one-year term exercisable by

59:06the director of public health.

59:09>> Thank you. Read the motion to suspend

59:11the rules.

59:12>> I council member Shaw that the rules be

59:14suspended and the legislation just read

59:16be placed on final passage. Seconded by

59:19council member Kazy.

59:21>> Call the role.

59:22>> Griffin Bishop Conwell Davis Gray Harsh.

59:24House Jones, Hudson Jones, Kayy

59:26Palencic, Santana Shaw, Slifar, 15 yays.

59:31>> Call the role on passage.

59:32>> Chairman,

59:33>> uh, Councilman Mike Penci.

59:34>> Mr. Chairman, I would like to address

59:36the body on ordinance number 927-2026.

59:40>> Please proceed, sir.

59:41>> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman,

59:42my honorable colleagues, I want to

59:44indicate I want to cast a no vote on 920

59:47927. Um, I know that this piece is

59:51important to my colleagues, Councilman's

59:53Slife and and um, Santanum and to

59:55Councilman Conwell. Um, but I have to

59:58express my um, my deep opinion on what's

1:00:02transpired here on the northeast side of

1:00:03the city of Cleveland. Mr. Chairman, we

1:00:06just experienced four schools being

1:00:07closed with the support of the mayor.

1:00:09Mayor supported the four schools on the

1:00:11northeast side. uh Colwood High School,

1:00:14Hannah Gibbons, Noddingham, uh Uclid

1:00:17Park, and um uh Kenneth Plymouth All

1:00:20Boys Leadership Academy. If that wasn't

1:00:22bad enough, then out of the clear blue

1:00:24sky comes this announcement that the Jay

1:00:27Glenn Smith Health Center is being

1:00:28closed. I mean, no advanced warning to

1:00:31me as I've indicated to Dr. Margolus and

1:00:35members of the administration. I mean,

1:00:37no advanced notice. I have gone there

1:00:39myself. members of my family have gone

1:00:41there myself for vaccinations. And then

1:00:43I look at the big picture here. I see

1:00:46schools being closed, critical schools.

1:00:49I see now the health center on the east

1:00:51side. And I'm asking the question, what

1:00:53is the game plan for the northeast side

1:00:55of the city of Cleveland? So, I'm

1:00:57looking forward to talking to somebody

1:01:00who could explain what the game plan is

1:01:02to providing health services on the

1:01:04northeast side. I'm going to try to

1:01:05attend a meeting tomorrow. I just found

1:01:07out earlier about uh meeting with Metro

1:01:09Hospital. But Mr. Chairman, I'm not

1:01:12happy at all. This is beyond politics

1:01:16with me. This is personal. I see what

1:01:18has happened to the schools. I see

1:01:20families pulling their children out and

1:01:22putting them across the border into

1:01:25Uklid and into East Cleveland schools. I

1:01:28see them putting their children in um

1:01:30charter schools on the outside of the

1:01:32city as well. I see no game plan for the

1:01:35northeast side of the city. I see

1:01:36poverty, despair, lack of opportunity.

1:01:39And when you look at the population

1:01:40losses, tie them directly to the closure

1:01:44of schools on the east side of the city.

1:01:46Directly to the east side, schools being

1:01:48closed, the migration out of our city,

1:01:51and now a health center. So, Mr.

1:01:53Chairman, I am casting my vote against

1:01:56ordinance 927 out of frustration and

1:02:00anger for a lack of a game plan for the

1:02:03east side of the city. I stated and I'm

1:02:06you know what I say in that room or what

1:02:09I say I don't say anything behind closed

1:02:12doors I won't say publicly. I don't

1:02:14think the mayor understands the east

1:02:15side of the city of Cleveland. I got to

1:02:18tell you that I don't think he

1:02:19understands the east side of the city of

1:02:21Cleveland. I don't think Dr. Morgan

1:02:23understands the east side of the city of

1:02:24Cleveland because they don't live on the

1:02:26east side. They live on the west side. I

1:02:29see disinvestment. I see abandonment. I

1:02:32see population loss. And Mr. Chairman,

1:02:35as I've said in the chairman's meeting

1:02:37today, we have got to focus more on

1:02:39quality of life issues than ever before.

1:02:42Schools are critical for our

1:02:43neighborhoods. I want to see my

1:02:45colleagues benefit from the transfer of

1:02:47properties, but I also want to say

1:02:49publicly to the administration to the

1:02:52mayor, you can't keep closing stuff. You

1:02:55can't keep abandoning the east side of

1:02:57the city and expect our residents to

1:02:59stay. Our people are talking with their

1:03:01feet. The proof is in the pudding. I

1:03:03expect better and I expect more out of

1:03:05this administration. You know, at the

1:03:08end of the day, if we don't stand up for

1:03:10our own folks, no one else will. I'm

1:03:12going to stand up for my people. This is

1:03:13not politics. This is personal with me.

1:03:16You closed the high school I went to,

1:03:18that my mother went to, that my sisters

1:03:20went to without a game plan. You closed

1:03:24the elementary school I went to and my

1:03:26kids went to without a game plan. So,

1:03:28Mr. Chairman, I'm stating my opposition

1:03:30in 927. Thank you very much.

1:03:32>> Thank you,

1:03:36>> Councilman Star. Is this pertaining to

1:03:38that legislation?

1:03:39>> Yes.

1:03:40>> Okay. On that on that topic,

1:03:42>> thank you. Mark V no for 927.

1:03:45>> All right. Thank you.

1:03:48Madame clerk, please call the role on

1:03:49passage.

1:03:52>> Okay.

1:03:54Griffin, Bishop, Conwell, Davis, Gray,

1:03:56Harsh, House Jones, Hudson Jones, Kazy,

1:03:59Pencic, Santana, Shaw, Slip, Star. On

1:04:02924, 2026, 14 yays, one nay on 927 2026,

1:04:0813 yays, two nays. On all others, 15

1:04:12yays.

1:04:13>> Thank you. Legislation to be tabled.

1:04:17Ordinance 8072025

1:04:20as amended by Mayor Bib to establish the

1:04:23office of s of sustainability and

1:04:25climate justice to supplement the

1:04:28codified ordinances by enacting new

1:04:30section 123.11

1:04:33relating to the office of sustainability

1:04:35and climate justice and to amend section

1:04:38121.01 01 as amended

1:04:42relating to offices considered

1:04:44departments.

1:04:47>> Thank you. Call the role on approval of

1:04:50tableabling.

1:04:51>> Griffin Bishop Conwell Davis Gray Harsh

1:04:54House Jones Hudson Jones Kazy Palencic

1:04:57Santana Shaw Slifar 15 yays.

1:05:01>> Thank you. Do we have any introductions?

1:05:05Uh,

1:05:10Councilman Star would like to be marked

1:05:12as a no for 924.

1:05:15>> You have it. Okay. So, you're marked as

1:05:17a no, sir. Thank you. All right. Uh, are

1:05:20there any introductions? Any

1:05:22introductions? Councilman Joseph Jones.

1:05:27I just want to stand to recognize um

1:05:31a former 21st Congressional District

1:05:34Caucus member, Congressman Lewis Stokes.

1:05:37And she comes down here all the time,

1:05:40but I just want to just thank her

1:05:42because she represents and is a part of

1:05:45our organization and institution as my

1:05:48colleague uh Mike Plins sits here and

1:05:50talks about how um it's tough in his

1:05:54neighborhood. Congressman Lewis Stokes

1:05:56talked about how important it was to

1:06:00have black leadership and he fought for

1:06:04a very long time uh with a number of

1:06:07great leaders, Arnold Pinkney, George

1:06:11Forbes

1:06:12and many other blacks and I just want to

1:06:15thank her for coming down here and just

1:06:17being consistent and being with us every

1:06:19almost every Monday. Thank you, Roa

1:06:21Canrell.

1:06:22>> Thank you.

1:06:24And I echo that. Miss Cantrell's been

1:06:27around and we all learned politics from

1:06:28her mama, um, Mrs. Vivian Cantrell. And,

1:06:33uh, you know, she was a big influence on

1:06:35all of us. So, you continue to embody

1:06:37that public service. Thank you. All

1:06:39right. Uh, any other introductions? Any

1:06:41other introductions? Seeing no other

1:06:44introductions, are there any

1:06:45announcements? Any announcements?

1:06:46Councilman Kevin Conwell.

1:06:50>> So, you Okay. Uh, Councilman Charles

1:06:53Life.

1:06:55>> Thank you. Uh, just for uh, the members

1:06:58and the public, uh, there's been a

1:07:00number of requests since we had four

1:07:03hearings earlier this year about the

1:07:05mayor's proposal to close Burke Airport

1:07:08and repurpose that land into a park. Uh

1:07:10there's been many people uh looking for

1:07:12an additional hearing uh to learn more

1:07:15about uh Burke from the perspective of

1:07:17users and and how advocates of it

1:07:20maintaining its functionality as an

1:07:22airport uh would would like to speak

1:07:24with us and and explain to this body uh

1:07:27that perspective. Uh we've scheduled

1:07:30that for this Wednesday. Uh the reason

1:07:31frankly it hasn't happened yet is

1:07:33because there's been a lot of important

1:07:34legislation and uh we're actually going

1:07:36to start the meeting half an hour

1:07:38earlier than normal at 9:30 because

1:07:40there's one piece of legislation uh that

1:07:44uh will be on the agenda but it's

1:07:46related to the ex center and since I

1:07:48know so many things around the ex center

1:07:49are of interest and there's a lot of ins

1:07:52and outs of of that lease I wanted to

1:07:54make sure that we had just a little more

1:07:56time to be able to address both. So 9:30

1:07:58transportation mobility on Wednesday.

1:08:01We'll start with the ex centerpiece and

1:08:03then move into the presentation. Thank

1:08:04you.

1:08:05>> Thank you, Councilman Christopher Harsh.

1:08:08>> Thank you, Mr. President. Um guards are

1:08:11down two in the bottom of the eighth.

1:08:12Tying runs at the plate. Uh no, uh this

1:08:16weekend, uh the Old Brooklyn Street

1:08:18Fest, the third annual Old Brooklyn

1:08:19Street Fest is taking place on Broadview

1:08:21Road, uh between Tampa and Spring. Come

1:08:24on out. It's uh from about 2 to 8. Uh,

1:08:26we got live music, got food, it's good

1:08:28for the family. Bring everybody. I'm

1:08:30personally challenging every single one

1:08:31of you in this room to a game of

1:08:33Foursquare. Uh, and I bet I can take

1:08:35you. So, come on down between 2 and 6 on

1:08:37Broadview Road this Saturday.

1:08:40>> Thank you, Councilwoman House Jones.

1:08:44>> Um, yes. Good evening. And uh I just

1:08:45wanted to um make the announcement of

1:08:48coming to your ward which is a h housing

1:08:51jobs uh fair uh that's been done in

1:08:54partnership with the city of Cleveland

1:08:56is coming to Ward 8 this upcoming

1:08:58Thursday October 8th from 11:00 a.m. to

1:09:013:00 p.m. at the Midtown Collaboration

1:09:03Center which is at 1974

1:09:06um East 66 Street. And also just wanted

1:09:09to give a huge um thank you to Derek

1:09:12McDaniel and that team. Um it really has

1:09:15been a joy and many times I have um a

1:09:19lot of frustration and working with

1:09:21various departments within the city of

1:09:23Cleveland. But I will say um the

1:09:25standard that Mr. Derek McDaniel does

1:09:27and working um with um when just with my

1:09:30office and I believe in others office

1:09:33has been something that I think other um

1:09:35directors and people in the city of

1:09:36Cleveland should learn from. So thank

1:09:38you so much and come on out on Thursday

1:09:40if you're looking for some housing and

1:09:41career opportunities.

1:09:43>> Thank you.

1:09:43>> Oh, and I would be remiss uh today is

1:09:46the last day to register to vote.

1:09:48Tomorrow is early voting. Um, you can go

1:09:51and cast your ballot in this upcoming

1:09:532026 general election uh down at the

1:09:57Kaga County Board of Elections, which is

1:10:00in W 8 down on 18th in Superior. Um,

1:10:04hopefully everybody knows every election

1:10:06is important, but this one for sure with

1:10:08all of the madness that is going on

1:10:10throughout this country.

1:10:12>> Thank you. Seeing no other

1:10:14announcements, we'll move to

1:10:15miscellaneous. Councilman Tom Shaw has

1:10:18asked for extra time in miscellaneous.

1:10:22>> Thank you, Chair, uh, Council President,

1:10:25and my honorable colleagues.

1:10:28Uh, I am, uh, just wanted to give a

1:10:32shout out to the director of public

1:10:33health, Marggo, Dave Margolius. Uh, I

1:10:35don't see him, but was really grateful

1:10:37for his presence on Saturday morning

1:10:40when um, Council Member Hudson and I

1:10:43were doing a cleanup in our community

1:10:46because there were unhoused um, members

1:10:49of our community that have been living

1:10:52uh, around outside and in an abandoned

1:10:55building at 98th in Lorraine. Uh, we

1:10:58were out there for about 3 4 hours. Um,

1:11:00we had over a dozen volunteers from the

1:11:03community and uh, it was it felt good to

1:11:06do that work, but also just reminded me

1:11:08of uh, how little so many of our members

1:11:12in our community have.

1:11:14I'm rising today primarily to address

1:11:17the mayor's newest pet project. I know

1:11:20he's not here today because he's in

1:11:22Miami to announce this group. Uh, I I

1:11:26wish him well. Uh, it's called Blue

1:11:27Cities, Red States. In national media,

1:11:30it was reported

1:11:32this group's goal is to counter MAGA

1:11:34Republicans and far-left groups like the

1:11:37Democratic Socialists of America.

1:11:40Now, I understand the mayor is simply

1:11:42looking for his next job, and I say good

1:11:45luck, but the facts matter. To compare

1:11:48or put the DSA next to MAGA Republicans

1:11:51is simply delusional at best and

1:11:54dishonest at worst.

1:11:57The mayor touts his handling of public

1:11:59safety, affordability, and economic

1:12:02growth as reasons for why mayors in red

1:12:05states like him are up to the challenge.

1:12:07This begs the question, how has

1:12:10Cleveland fared on these factors under

1:12:12Mayor Bib? I'm going to release my

1:12:15assessment of the mayor at the first

1:12:16session back in January. I'll wait for

1:12:18this full year, but I'll leave it up to

1:12:20my colleagues who've been watching,

1:12:22who've provided the oversight, and

1:12:24who've been holding them accountable on

1:12:26their opinions on these factors.

1:12:28Until then, all I have to say is please,

1:12:31for now, please focus on your job and

1:12:33stop looking for the next one. Centrist

1:12:36Democrats like Mayor Bib have three

1:12:38things to offer. Privatize,

1:12:41subsidize, and minimize.

1:12:44They want to privatize public services

1:12:46like the mayor's former chief chief of

1:12:48education is intent on privatizing our

1:12:51schools while CMSD schools have closed

1:12:54while taking money from the hasslams.

1:12:56Subsidizing developers and billionaires

1:12:58is a trend that we continue seeing

1:13:00continue seeing subsidizing more

1:13:02professionals and contractors while we

1:13:05cut our in-house services. We'll see the

1:13:07mayor push for more money for the

1:13:09Hasslam soon enough here. We've already

1:13:11seen them turn away twice.

1:13:13We've already given away over $259

1:13:16million in financial incentives between

1:13:18September 2023 and July 2026. How many

1:13:21more hundreds of millions before he's

1:13:23done? Finally, Cent's Democrats want our

1:13:27people to minimize their dreams. The

1:13:30bigger the bigger their own personal

1:13:32ambition, the smaller they want us to

1:13:34dream. Centrist Democrats at the state

1:13:37house last week are a great example of

1:13:39this.

1:13:40They just voted to approve a gas tax

1:13:43holiday that's going to cost our state

1:13:47over $750 million. That $750 million

1:13:51that go could go towards our roads, our

1:13:54bridges, our schools, all these

1:13:56essential services that we keep getting

1:13:59cut and they keep saying we don't have

1:14:01the money for. But they know what the

1:14:03election outcomes are going to be and

1:14:05they wanted a quick win.

1:14:07The Democrats

1:14:09could have not given them that win. They

1:14:12could have denied it if they all voted

1:14:14no on this. Instead, what they did, what

1:14:16did the centrist Democrats do? They

1:14:18voted with them. They didn't even have

1:14:21the shame to stand in solidarity with

1:14:22the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus.

1:14:25Unfortunately, they didn't. Our

1:14:27Cleveland representatives, Tristan Rder,

1:14:30did. I'm grateful. So did Darnell

1:14:32Brewer. So did the other members. I'm

1:14:34grateful for their no votes because they

1:14:36were honest and they know that these

1:14:38cuts and these this gas tax holiday is

1:14:41going to hit the cities the hardest.

1:14:43It's going to blow our hole in a future

1:14:45budget.

1:14:46Their anguish about our school funding

1:14:48rings hollow when they do stuff like

1:14:50this. I'll conclude with a reminder that

1:14:53it was not socialists that have brought

1:14:55you the last 60 years of decline of

1:14:57Cleveland City. It's been capitalists.

1:14:59It's been declining jobs. It's been the

1:15:02privatization. It's been the eroding uh

1:15:06every single facet of public life. It's

1:15:08been the decline of our public

1:15:10infrastructure, the health outcomes, the

1:15:12racist policies, the racist police. All

1:15:15of these have been policies that have

1:15:18nothing to do with socialists. All I

1:15:21urge the people here and the people in

1:15:23city hall to look at is the mirror when

1:15:25they look at why these things are

1:15:26happening and say that we can do better

1:15:29instead of red baiting and doing things

1:15:31from Ronald Reagan's era that we know

1:15:33aren't going to work. Thank you, chair.

1:15:39>> All right. Next, we have Councilman

1:15:42Kevin Conwell.

1:15:43>> Thank you very much. Um, I should have

1:15:46did this in announcements, but it's part

1:15:49of miscellaneous also. On October the

1:15:5214th, 2026,

1:15:55a greater faith church. I'm going to

1:15:58discuss with the residents in the

1:16:00Colinwood community, the new Colinwood

1:16:02community. Um, three things.

1:16:06The redevelopment of quite playground.

1:16:09It's never been um redeveloped.

1:16:13We're meeting with the residents and I

1:16:15asked the bib administration to help me

1:16:17with it and they're going to help me

1:16:19with this playground to be re um which

1:16:23we're very happy in the Colinwood

1:16:25community also

1:16:29because I have to work as the council

1:16:30member 40 new houses will be built in

1:16:33the Colinwood community and we're going

1:16:35to discuss that also in the community by

1:16:38clean the housing network because when

1:16:40you build houses and rooftops then

1:16:43you're able to bring in more economic

1:16:45development into the community because

1:16:47real estate retail follow density.

1:16:52Also, I met with Felton Thomas and we're

1:16:55going to build rehab the library to the

1:16:58tune of millions of dollars in the North

1:17:01Colum area on East 152nd Street. So we

1:17:05would talk about it with my bosses in

1:17:08that area, but I had to work hard and

1:17:10lobby for it and even work with the bib

1:17:12administration to work for it. And we're

1:17:14going to move forward with these three

1:17:16things. Now the Kenneth Clemens School

1:17:19that council member, my buddy Mike

1:17:21Pencick mentioned is an allmale school

1:17:24and by me being the national father, I

1:17:27love that kind of stuff working with

1:17:29them. They are not closing. They've

1:17:32moved to Mary Mloud Batum right up the

1:17:35street from Councilman Conwell in the

1:17:37University Circle area that will work

1:17:40with other key stakeholders in the

1:17:42University Circle area so that we can

1:17:44help these young males to become men and

1:17:48I will be over there. You know, children

1:17:50have to see success every single day.

1:17:52It's about working, putting it in the

1:17:55work. The other piece, the outcome

1:17:58measure, Metro Hospital. We know this

1:18:01man here, Council Member Mike Palinsky,

1:18:03and I thank him. Former council member

1:18:06Anthony Haristen and I fought to keep

1:18:09the Jay Glenn health center open some

1:18:12years ago. It's in deplorable

1:18:15conditions. When you have a physical

1:18:17plan, it's the city fought that um you

1:18:22got to do preventive maintenance. I've

1:18:23always cried about that. If the building

1:18:26the building is falling apart and you

1:18:28can't have a building a physical plant

1:18:32falling apart just like we're talking

1:18:34about the fire stations and have city

1:18:36employees work in that building. You

1:18:38have to protect employees

1:18:41customers you have to protect them as

1:18:43well to have a great building. We fought

1:18:45for that, but the city did not um keep

1:18:48up the building to rehab it. And I don't

1:18:51want to see the building closed either

1:18:53because of healthc care inequality.

1:18:56And I fought for healthc care equality

1:18:59when I got out there and you were with

1:19:01me u my council member Mike Pencic years

1:19:04ago when we battled Cleveland Clinic and

1:19:06they turned around. This council don't

1:19:09know that that University Hospital

1:19:11turned around and put a trauma center

1:19:13there cuz we fought to keep a trauma

1:19:16center in that area.

1:19:18So I know about healthcare inequality.

1:19:21So but what Dr. Dr. David Mongolia said

1:19:24that Metro Hospital will go in the side

1:19:27of the east side market

1:19:30that was built for Neon Health Center

1:19:35that will deal with healthcare

1:19:37inequality in the Glenville community.

1:19:39So what I said when he told me that I

1:19:42call the director and the head of Metro

1:19:45Hospital and we will meet with them

1:19:48tomorrow at 2 PM. they have to see us

1:19:51looking at them and council

1:19:54will be there also at that area. So you

1:19:56got to do that to make sure that they go

1:19:59into that um east side market

1:20:02temporarily and I'm going to push for

1:20:03them to take over the right aid stuff.

1:20:05So you got to monitor and control and

1:20:08manage your outcome measures which is

1:20:10very very important. But I'm going to

1:20:12fight to make sure that Metro Hospital

1:20:14and I think they have a grant from the

1:20:16federal government to stay in the

1:20:17community. But here's the risk, council

1:20:20president, and here's the threat. Neon

1:20:23Health Center, there's a high

1:20:25probability that they will go under. And

1:20:28if they go under and if um the promise

1:20:31is not kept to keep a health center in

1:20:35the northeast side, that would be not

1:20:37good. And that's why we're going to meet

1:20:40with the doctor at 2:00 p.m. If that

1:20:42neon health center go under, you'll hear

1:20:44a huge sucking sound. And people need

1:20:47that center to stay strong and the Jay

1:20:50Glenn health center to stay strong in

1:20:52the community. But we're going to go and

1:20:54talk with her. And uh also my wife,

1:20:56county council woman Ivon Conwell is

1:20:59going to go there also at 2 p.m. Cista

1:21:02County and the county gives them funding

1:21:05at Metro Health. So I plan to be in

1:21:08there um working. So I I'm going to work

1:21:10with the county. We'll work with um

1:21:13Mayor Bib administration because this

1:21:15overlapping authority. They owe it to

1:21:17the residents in the Glenville in the

1:21:19Columwood community to work with us, the

1:21:22my residents and the Colwood residents.

1:21:25They're your bosses and my bosses, too.

1:21:29So, thank you very very much. That was

1:21:31the update. And the outcome measures are

1:21:33there. And at that uh meeting on October

1:21:36the 14th, we're discussing millions and

1:21:38millions of dollars. and I just became

1:21:40the council member in um Conway January

1:21:43the 6. But we gota you got to push it.

1:21:46You got to walk it like you talk it or

1:21:48you lose that beat. Thank you very much.

1:21:52>> All right, that concludes miscellaneous.

1:21:55Madame Clerk, please excuse Councilman

1:21:58Joseph Jones.

1:22:02>> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I know it's a

1:22:04long night. Um, there's a number of

1:22:06topics. I I know I won't be able to get

1:22:07through all of them, but I wanted to

1:22:10touch on some of them. And you know,

1:22:13Fanny Lewis had a saying,

1:22:16and she would often say it.

1:22:19She says, "It doesn't matter how you

1:22:22shot me.

1:22:24Whether you shot me on purpose or you

1:22:27shot me by mistake, I'm still dead."

1:22:32And it was a powerful statement. And I

1:22:35sat at the table today and

1:22:40there was a display

1:22:43and presentation on air quality control.

1:22:47And when I looked at the presentation,

1:22:49it showed just how bad air quality was

1:22:52on the east side of the city of

1:22:54Cleveland.

1:22:56And so I asked a question

1:22:59to the distinguished lady

1:23:03who brought 90ome pages of legislation

1:23:07that majority of those pages were edited

1:23:12and some of it was talking about all

1:23:15sorts of reeregulating blast furnaces,

1:23:20uh, incinerating plants and some of

1:23:23which our committee He didn't even get a

1:23:26chance to dive into it. I got to thank

1:23:28the chairman to for holding the

1:23:31legislation and just making a

1:23:32legislation presentation so that we

1:23:34could go through it a little bit more

1:23:35thoroughly. But what was just glaring on

1:23:40the screen

1:23:42uh was how lit up the east side of the

1:23:45city of Cleveland was as it relates to

1:23:47air contamination. And I asked the

1:23:50question, Mr. President,

1:23:53have we at any time

1:23:57cited someone?

1:24:00What was the legal remedies of dealing

1:24:02with the issue? And uh,

1:24:06Mr. President, there was none.

1:24:10So, it's no way in the world we can

1:24:11continue to pay for all of these

1:24:13programs

1:24:15in the city and not get any legal remedy

1:24:17to help the citizens. and then sitting

1:24:19here and listening to the group and I

1:24:22must applaud

1:24:25my colleague Richard Starr for doing a

1:24:28deep dive and being engaged in his

1:24:31citizens. But I've seen this issue all

1:24:33across the city of Cleveland when black

1:24:36people have problems and issues and

1:24:38we're we're excited about having a mayor

1:24:40and having a council president who

1:24:42happens to be black. But we have a

1:24:44problem when our citizens come down here

1:24:47and especially when we continue to as

1:24:50council members talk about issues

1:24:52impacting the African-American community

1:24:55and still yet we haven't gotten any

1:24:59progress. I talked about that in caucus

1:25:01sitting here year in and year out

1:25:03talking about the same problems, the

1:25:05same issues and still getting the same

1:25:07results.

1:25:09And so when they said that they were

1:25:13moved from one location to another

1:25:16apartment location and that it was far

1:25:18worse than the previous location that

1:25:20they had lived or that they're living in

1:25:22a condition that is unbelievably

1:25:24unbearable.

1:25:26I had heard this in Ward 6 and your ward

1:25:28through a number of my friends who live

1:25:31uh in the Buckeye area. I heard this and

1:25:34I seen this with my hands, Mr. president

1:25:36when I dealt with CHA and HUD in terms

1:25:39of who their inspectors were. And so I

1:25:42conclude with this because I know my

1:25:43time is winding down and some people

1:25:46might not want to hear what I got to

1:25:48say, but we have to do a better job with

1:25:50occupancy permits. We have to do a

1:25:53better job with holding accountable HUD

1:25:55and these big institutions. And we just

1:25:58can't sit here, Mr. president

1:26:00day in day out, week in week out and

1:26:03really never get any any kind of results

1:26:06that we're improving from one condition

1:26:08and improving those services for our

1:26:10citizens because with that being said,

1:26:14what we do down here matters. What we

1:26:17say down here matters and we need to

1:26:19take it seriously. And so I just want to

1:26:22thank those who do work hard in the

1:26:24various different departments. And I do

1:26:27want to just look more into this issue

1:26:29uh as relates to uh occupancy permits

1:26:32and how we do those processes here. And

1:26:34so I just want to put that on the radar

1:26:36screen of our director. If you if we

1:26:38could sit down and talk about that

1:26:40because I have a number of properties in

1:26:41my neighborhood that are section 8

1:26:44property, HUD properties, and others

1:26:46that are in deplorable conditions. So

1:26:48with that being said, thank you, Mr.

1:26:49President. and I yield the floor. Thank

1:26:51you.

1:26:56Madame clerk, please excuse the

1:26:57absences.

1:26:59There are no absences. Council has

1:27:01adjourned to the call of the chair. The

1:27:03next meeting of council will be on

1:27:05October 12th, 2026.

1:27:26>> [music]

1:27:34[music]