Cleveland City Council Meeting - August 13, 2025
Cleveland City Council Meeting - August 13, 2025
Cleveland City Council convened on August 13, 2025, at 21:29 UTC, with Council President Blaine Griffin presiding. The meeting included the adoption of numerous routine items, the passage of a large block of emergency ordinances and resolutions, and the introduction of a contractor for police station repairs. Roll call showed 13 members present; later, three members were excused.
Consent Calendar
- Journal dispensed without objection.
- Communications from various city departments and state agencies were read into the record, including quarterly reports, grant acceptances, liquor license applications, and oath-of-office ceremonies for multiple boards.
- Appointment: Dion Alexander was appointed to the Tax Incentive Review Council without objection.
- Condolence Resolutions: Several resolutions of condolence were adopted for individuals including Jimmy Cook, Jeffrey Stupianski, and others. Councilmembers were added to specific resolutions.
- Congratulatory Resolutions: Multiple congratulatory resolutions were approved for individuals and organizations, including Raymond Rossborough, Brother Orlando O. Grant, and others.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No public comments or testimony were recorded.
Discussion Items
- Introduction of Guests: Council President Griffin recognized Eric Betts and Heather Garay from Leopardo Energy, the contractor for repairing police department stations. Griffin commended them for attending the full meeting and noted the rigorous debate earlier in the day.
- Announcements: Councilmember McCormack invited all to attend the Feast of the Assumption mass and procession in Little Italy on the upcoming Friday.
Key Outcomes
- First Reading Emergency Ordinances: A motion to suspend the rules for a large list of ordinances (including 939-2025 through 1055-2025) passed 13-0. On roll call for passage, Ordinance 986-2025 received 12 yes, 0 no, and 1 recusal; all other ordinances passed 13-0.
- First Reading Emergency Resolutions: A motion to suspend the rules for a list of resolutions (including 943-2025 through 1054-2025) passed 13-0. All resolutions were adopted 13-0.
- Second Reading Emergency Ordinances: A motion to suspend the rules for a large set of ordinances (497-2025 through 859-2025) passed 13-0. On roll call, Ordinance 725-2025 passed 12-1; Ordinance 812-2025 passed 12-1 (with an initial tally of 11-2 noted in the transcript); all others passed 13-0.
- Second Reading Ordinances (Non-Emergency): Ordinance 726-2025 (parking lot regulations) and Ordinance 860-2025 (zoning change) were passed 13-0 after suspension of rules.
- Absences Excused: Councilmembers House Jones, Jones, and Starr were excused on a motion by Councilmember Kelly, seconded by Councilmember Santana.
- Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned to the next regular meeting on Monday, September 15, 2025.
Note: A discrepancy in the vote tally for Ordinance 812-2025 was observed in the transcript: initially reported as 11 yes and 2 no, then corrected to 12 yes and 1 no. The final recorded vote was 12 yes, 1 no.
Meeting Transcript
All right. Madam Clerk, please call the road. Griffin. Here. Bishop. Conwell. Gray. Hairston. Harsh. House Jones. Jones. Casey. Kelly. Moore. McCormack. Polensic. Santana. Slife. Spencer. Starr. You have a core, Mr. President. Thank you. All right. Uh, if everyone could please rise for a moment of silence, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Thank you. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic. Which is one nation under God. Indivisible with liberty. Justice for all. I'll make the following statement. This meeting of Cleveland City Council is a lawful meeting under section 605.04 of the codified ordinances. No person with purpose to prevent or disrupt the lawful meeting shall do any act which obstructs or interferes with the due conduct of such meeting. Members of the public are invited to speak only under the rules set by this council. Disruptions, including but not limited to speaking out of turn and making loud noises and loud utterances are in violation of the rules and interfere with the due conduct of this lawful meeting. Such disruptions may constitute a misdemeanor and a violation of section 605.04. Anyone who disrupts this lawful meeting in violation of codified ordinances commits misdemeanors and is subject to prosecution. The following is the first and only warning. 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. Once persons participating in the disruption are outside of the chambers, the officers will close the doors and the disruptors will be handled as directed by the director of public safety. The council proceedings will not begin again until those that participated in the disruption have left the chamber and the council doors are closed. Disruptors will not be allowed back in the chamber after the meeting resumes. Again, this is the first and only warning. Madam Clerk, please dispense with the journal. Thank you. Are there any communications? Yes. From Digital C quarterly report for second quarter of 2025. File number 908 2025.
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