Cleveland City Council Meeting – September 15, 2025

The Cleveland City Council held its regular meeting on September 15, 2025, at 6:00 PM. The meeting began with a warning about disruptions, a moment of silence, and the Pledge of Allegiance. Council considered a censure resolution against Councilmember Joseph T. Jones, heard public comments on multiple community issues, and approved a range of ordinances and resolutions. The meeting adjourned to the next regular meeting on September 22, 2025.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Daryl Houston (Bedford Heights) praised Councilmember Richard Starr for his work in Garden Valley and stated he would give Starr a $1,000 check for his leadership. He also demanded a formal investigation into Councilmembers Brian Casey and Michael Palencick, alleging incomplete and mismanaged public records. He criticized the city’s budget handling and infrastructure neglect (e.g., Kinsburn Bridge, Luke Easter Park).
• Brenda Bickerstaff (Ward 9, representing Citizens for a Safer Cleveland) raised concerns about the investigation into Councilmember Joe Jones, arguing the law firm McDonald & Hopkins had a conflict of interest because of ties to former Mayor Frank Jackson, who she claimed did not like Jones. She requested the full investigative file under Ohio Revised Code 149.43 and urged the council to “leave Joe Jones alone.”
• Rev. Pamela Pinckney (Cleveland, representing Pamela 2028/The People’s New Party) called for changes to the Cleveland football team name, improved working conditions for RTA operators (8–12+ hours without breaks), equal access for disabled people on public transit, an inquiry into a shooting on the Red Line, and better treatment of Black employees and customers at Dave’s Supermarket. She also urged funding reallocation from guns and drugs to housing.
• Edward Zajesky (Ohio City resident) spoke in favor of the proposed bus lanes on West 25th Street from Detroit Avenue to Brooklyn Centre. He argued the city should prioritize residents and public transit riders over private businesses, stating that the biggest pedestrian risk is cars, not bus lanes.
• Chris Martin (Ohio City) also supported the bus lanes, criticizing bar owner Sam McNulty for opposing the project. Martin accused McNulty of using his wealth and political power to protect street parking for private cars at the expense of working Clevelanders who rely on public transit. He cited a crosswalk safety example to argue that parked cars block visibility for pedestrians.
• Diabdar Issa (Ward 11, representing Coalition for a Better Cleveland) urged Councilmember Danny Kelly to table Ordinance 791-2024 regarding the former CVS site at West Boulevard and Madison Avenue. He argued the city should acquire the property via eminent domain for a fire station, not a gas station. He also criticized the Bibb administration for not enforcing city code on the property’s condition and noted that the city’s response to the Shaker-Madison brief had not been filed.
• Ben Heidi (Cleveland, representing The Real Cleveland Flag) presented three alternative designs for the Cleveland flag: one in Spanish (Progreso y Prosperidad), an LGBT pride version, and one honoring Black Clevelanders (Power, Progress and Prosperity). He asked the city to adopt them, citing precedent from other U.S. cities.
• Fauzi Badour (Ward 11) also urged Councilmember Danny Kelly to table the gas station proposal at 10002 Madison Avenue, calling for a fire station instead. He pleaded with Mayor Bibb to acquire the property at a reasonable price or through eminent domain.
• Matthew An (Ward 3/5) spoke in favor of the West 25th Street bus lanes, citing his personal experience being hit by a car on that street in 2022. He argued that parked cars cause crashes, slow traffic, and create dangerous conditions for cyclists and pedestrians. He referenced a UCLA study showing that bus lanes replacing parking lanes reduce fatalities, severe injuries, and pedestrian collisions.

Consent Calendar

• The council approved a consent agenda that included the reading of the journal, resolutions of condolence for 26 individuals (including former Congresswoman Mary Rose Oakar, former Councilman Mike Clamako, and others), and congratulatory resolutions for various community members and organizations.
• A presentation by Brittany Smith of Cleveland Pearls recognized September 15 as National Clothing Insecurity Awareness Day. Cleveland Pearls provides clothing to youth through their Pearls Closets in partnership with the Malachi Center and Cleveland Metropolitan School District.

Discussion Items

• Censure of Councilmember Joseph T. Jones (Resolution 1091-2025)
  • Council President Griffin read the full resolution, detailing that on May 19, 2025, Councilmember Jones threatened to kill a staff person three times and later sat next to that staff person despite being directed to avoid contact. An outside investigation found these actions likely violated the council’s workplace violence policy and standards of conduct. The resolution also referenced six prior complaints from 2024 that resulted in a written reprimand, training, and temporary removal from committee assignments.
  • Council President Griffin emphasized that progressive discipline had been exhausted and that a vote on censure was necessary for accountability.
  • Councilmember Richard Starr spoke in opposition, arguing that the censure felt like double jeopardy, that Jones had already faced consequences, and that the council had not censured other members for past misconduct (e.g., sexual harassment settlements, federal theft charges). He also noted that Jones received the most votes in Ward 1 in the September primary.
  • Councilmember Joseph T. Jones gave a statement defending himself. He claimed the remark was a joke, that the witness did not initially see it as a threat, that the second allegation of sitting next to the staff person was “inverted” and on video showing no intent. He argued he was denied due process, legal representation, and an impartial investigation, and that the law firm had conflicts of interest. He urged the council to reject the censure and focus on pressing city issues.
  • After the statements, the council voted 14–2 to approve the censure, with only Councilmembers Starr and Jones voting no.

Key Outcomes

• Censure approved: Resolution 1091-2025 was adopted with 14 yays and 2 nays, formally censuring Councilmember Joseph T. Jones for violating workplace violence and standards of conduct policies.
• First-reading emergency ordinances (multiple) were suspended and passed with 15 yays (including items on park improvements, property sales, contracts, and tax abatements).
• First-reading emergency resolutions were adopted with 15 yays (including liquor permit objections and recognitions).
• Second-reading emergency ordinances were passed: 14 yays and 1 recusal (Councilwoman Spencer recused on Ordinance 803 regarding Rivergate Park lease) for that item, and 15 yays on others.
• The meeting was adjourned to the next regular meeting on September 22, 2025.