OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Finance, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee Meeting – September 22, 2025

City Council Meetings — Monday, September 22, 2025
BodyCleveland, Ohio
SessionCity Council Meetings
DateMonday, September 22, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:04:16

Transcript — Verbatim
3:54

Today is Monday, September twenty second is the lady of finance diversity equity.

4:16

I'll uh start out if I could find our guests.

5:17

Chief McKinney?

5:19

Good afternoon, Chairman.

5:20

Um Griffin, I am Michelle Kinney.

5:22

I am the finance director for Cleveland Municipal Court.

5:25

Um our judge early was not able to make it today, so I'll be um representing the court on behalf of these two pieces that we have coming forth.

5:33

This piece for the specialized docket, we're receiving 230,000 to help constituents that come through the court for the four specialized dockets that we have.

5:44

We have been receiving this fund funding for over 10 years coming through the court, so it helps the constituents get assistance that they may need while they're getting treatment or help from our human trafficking drug court, veterans court, and also mental health court.

5:59

So some of the treatment that they receive comes from help with their rent, if they need assistance with that, help with their utilities, their cell phone transportation, or things that they need in order to stay in the treatment that they do receive.

6:14

Okay, thank you.

6:16

Uh this is pretty routine.

6:17

So this is just drug court, is it veterans court and all those other ones as well?

6:21

Yes, it's human trafficking court, veterans court, mental health, and also drug court.

6:26

Okay.

6:27

So you use how much of what percentage of your general fund is this?

6:31

No percentage of general fund.

6:32

All that is is grant funded, and there is no match required.

6:36

Okay, so no match required, and it's all grant funded.

6:39

Yes.

6:39

And it's only 80,000?

6:41

230,000.

6:42

230,000?

6:43

Yes.

6:43

Okay.

6:44

And we get this on an annual basis.

6:46

And they actually went up this year for the allocation.

6:49

Normally we get between 180, 200,000 was last year, and this year is for next year's service is 230,000, which starts July 1st.

6:59

Well, outstanding drug court is a very good tool, and we know that we uh have a lot of uh constituents and a lot of family members that are dealing with addiction, so definitely uh well needed.

7:09

I'm always uh sticker shocked at how little we get for these programs, and you guys are really so nimble.

7:15

So kudos to all of you guys.

7:17

Thank you.

7:18

All right, any uh anyone else want to uh comment on ordinance number 1081-2025?

7:22

Councilman Mike Messenger.

7:24

It's an outstanding program, and I support the legislation.

7:29

Okay, any other questions?

7:31

Seeing no other questions, ordinance number 1081-2025 stands approved, please sign on.

7:37

Thank you.

7:38

All right, next one is 1080-2025 by Councilmember Griffin by Departmental Request, an emergency ordinance authorizing the director of finance on behalf of the Cleveland Municipal Court to apply for and accept the grant for from the Alcohol, Drug, and Mental Health Services Board of Cuyahoga County to expand access to evidence-based supervision and treatment services for defendants of the Greater Cleveland Drug Court and the Human Trafficking Special Document.

8:06

Ms.

8:07

Kenny.

8:07

Good afternoon again.

8:08

Now, this funding also comes from ATP.

8:11

We also get this on an annual basis.

8:13

So this would be our ATP admin fund used towards drug court and um human trafficking court.

8:23

So this money does not expire, so they give us an opportunity to use it until we need to use it.

8:29

And some of the things that has been used for this funding over the past years under drug court, um, Judge Lauren Moore, who used to be with our court, she was able to provide a book for the constituents that graduated from drug court.

8:44

They were able to write a story about themselves and their experience, and this funding um provided the book to be printed and given out to those individuals that came through the drug court.

8:57

So this funding can be used for anything that we may need for those constituents to help um throughout the drug court.

9:05

Uh once again, this is uh great program, and it's mainly for administration, but it's only 17,000.

9:11

What do you do with 17,000?

9:13

Little things like that because it's not restricted for services, it's restricted for things that we can do, such as have a book authored, um, yoga on the beach that we do on an annual basis for the constituents, host of graduation for those that come through the drug court.

9:28

So it's just a little bit of money, but we can use it at our leisure, and it's not restricted for services such as um treatment services and things like that.

9:37

So, and it does not expire.

9:39

And we do use those funding for little things like that that aren't required as the other 230,000 that we do receive.

9:46

It's all grant.

9:47

We don't do not have to match any funding from that, so it does not touch the general fine.

9:52

Thank you.

9:52

Seeing any uh questions, anybody have any questions regarding 1080-2025?

9:57

Seeing no other questions, ordinance number 1080-2025 stands approved.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Capital Improvements████████████████████20%
Procurement██████████10%
Affordable Housing█████████9%
Active Transportation█████████9%
Public Utilities████████8%
Fiscal Sustainability████████8%
Airport Management███████7%
Parks and Recreation██████6%
Engineering And Infrastructure██████6%
Summary of Proceedings

Finance, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee Meeting – September 22, 2025

The Finance, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee of the Cleveland City Council met on Monday, September 22, 2025, at approximately 5:58 PM under the chairmanship of Council President Griffin. The committee considered over two dozen ordinances and resolutions, including grant acceptances, contract authorizations, bond issuances, salary updates, and community reinvestment area designations. Substantive discussions focused on affordable housing financing, capital improvement priorities, speed table deployment, fair wage compliance, and airport safety concerns.

Consent Calendar

The committee approved the following routine items with limited discussion and without opposition:

  • Ordinance 1081-2025: Acceptance of a $230,000 grant from the Alcohol, Drug, and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board for the Cleveland Municipal Court's specialized docket programs (drug court, veterans court, mental health court, human trafficking court). The grant is fully funded with no city match required.
  • Ordinance 1080-2025: Acceptance of a $17,000 ADAMHS Board grant for administrative support for the drug court and human trafficking court. Funds may be used for non treatment items such as graduation ceremonies and therapeutic activities.
  • Ordinance 972-2025: Acceptance of a $31,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Health to monitor radiation levels at Burke Lakefront Airport via weekly air sampling near two nuclear power plants. The two year agreement covers filter analysis at the state lab.
  • Ordinances 491-2025, 533-2025, 822-2025, 823-2025, 824-2025, 825-2025, 826-2025: Authorizations for Department of Public Utilities contracts for landscaping services (with discussion about MBE/FVE participation goals), backup generator fuel, water meter software/hardware maintenance, debris disposal, fencing and gates, HVAC systems, and backup electrical gear maintenance. The contracts total several million dollars over two‑ to three‑year periods.
  • Ordinances 951-2025, 952-2025, 953-2025, 954-2025, 965-2025, 966-2025: Authorizations for Department of Port Control contracts for proprietary replacement parts, roofing repairs, a lease for a podcast studio at Burke Lakefront Airport, and snow removal equipment and supplemental staffing (discussion noted about need for supplemental staffing during weather‑related vacancies). Combined annual costs range from $30,000 to $60,000 per contract.
  • Resolutions 1098-2025 and 1099-2025: Annual resolutions accepting property tax rates and advances from Cuyahoga County for 2026.
  • Ordinance 1085-2025: Authorization for the Clerk of Council to enter into a mailing services contract with Weeklies Mailing Service Inc. for one year with renewal options.

Discussion Items

  • Gateway 66 Affordable Housing (Ordinance 1170-2025) Sheila Wright of Frontline Development Group and Angela Bennett of Stark Enterprises presented the $27 million, 80‑unit mixed‑income project at East 66th Street and Linwood Avenue in Ward 7. To obtain financing clarity, the developers requested the redesignation of four market‑rate units to 80% area median income (AMI). Rent thresholds were provided: a two‑bedroom at 80% AMI would cost $1,200–$1,235; at 60% AMI, $1,125; at 50% AMI, $945. Council members expressed strong support, noting the project aligns with neighborhood investment from the Cleveland Foundation and Midtown Collaboration Center. The ordinance was recommended to the full council.

  • Bond Issuance and Capital Improvement Plan (Ordinances 673, 675, 676, 677, 678 as amended) The administration, represented by the Director of Finance, presented a new borrowing strategy that aligns bond issuance with actual project contracting needs. The original $76 million capital improvement program (CIP) was reduced to $36.044 million plus issuance costs, resulting in a total $40 million bond package. Amendments lowered principal amounts, increased interest rate caps to 6.5% to accommodate longer‑term rate fluctuations, changed the trustee from Huntington National Bank to Argent Institutional Trust Company, and extended certain dates. During debate, several council members raised concerns:

    • Councilwoman Santana requested acceleration of speed table installations, noting that the "Cleveland Moves" program was not highlighted for immediate funding. She pressed for a citywide strategy and better alignment of capital projects with neighborhood needs.
    • Councilman Polensek advocated for automatically installing speed tables during street resurfacing and for increasing general fund allocations to the 50‑50 sidewalk program. He argued that security cameras should be a capital priority rather than funded through ward discretionary accounts.
    • Councilman Harris urged inclusion of a long‑neglected park (Quigley Park?) in the capital plan and called for a complete list of recreation center improvements funded by the "Glow‑Up" program.
    • Councilman Casey requested a detailed breakdown of vehicle purchases and clarification on the Third District police station budget (corrected from $2 million to $50,000).
    • Council President Griffin and others noted the importance of systematic vehicle replacement and transparent CIP reporting. Despite concerns, the committee approved all five bond ordinances as amended, with the understanding that unanswered items would be addressed in the January CIP update.

  • Salary and Wage Update (Ordinance 1169-2025) The Human Resources department presented legislation to amend pay bands in conformance with the Fair Employment Wage Ordinance (Ordinance 194-2021). The city's minimum wage will increase from $15.85 to $16.26 per hour, a 2.6% adjustment tied to the Consumer Price Index. Bishop Eugene Ward, Vice Chair of the Fair Employment Wage Board, highlighted the need for broader public awareness of the city's worker‑friendly policies. The ordinance was recommended to the full council.

  • Community Reinvestment Area Amendments (Ordinance 1079-2025) Council President Griffin and Councilman Harrison sponsored amendments to add three parcels to the opportunity area near the East Cleveland border (Penrose‑Brightwood). The correction of parcel numbers allows the properties to qualify for 100% tax abatement to spur redevelopment. The ordinance was recommended to the full council.

  • Airport Safety and Land Acquisition Concerns During the Port Control segment, Council President Griffin raised concerns about the proposed Cleveland Browns stadium in Brook Park. He criticized the state's intervention and lamented the city's failure to acquire the 170‑acre site adjacent to Hopkins Airport for future expansion. Councilman Polensek echoed these concerns, questioning why the airport had not pursued the land earlier and calling for a comprehensive council discussion on safety and congestion impacts. The comments were for discussion only; no formal action was taken.

Key Outcomes

  • Approved (committee approval effective immediately for council action): All items under the Consent Calendar, including the court grants, radiation monitoring, public utilities contracts, port control contracts, property tax resolutions, and the mailing services contract.
  • Approved with amendments: The five bond ordinances (673, 675, 676, 677, 678) passed as amended, reducing borrowing amounts, adjusting interest rate caps, and modifying other terms.
  • Recommended to full council: The Gateway 66 affordable housing financing (1170-2025), the salary and wage update (1169-2025), and the community reinvestment area amendments (1079-2025) were forwarded for final consideration.
  • Directives and next steps:
    • Capital improvement requests from council members must be submitted to staff by September 30, 2025, for inclusion in the next CIP update.
    • The administration will provide a detailed vehicle acquisition list and clarify the CIP spreadsheet errors before full council consideration.
    • Council President Griffin called for a future committee hearing on airport safety and land‑use planning related to the Brook Park stadium proposal.

Meeting Transcript

Today is Monday, September twenty second is the lady of finance diversity equity. I'll uh start out if I could find our guests. Chief McKinney? Good afternoon, Chairman. Um Griffin, I am Michelle Kinney. I am the finance director for Cleveland Municipal Court. Um our judge early was not able to make it today, so I'll be um representing the court on behalf of these two pieces that we have coming forth. This piece for the specialized docket, we're receiving 230,000 to help constituents that come through the court for the four specialized dockets that we have. We have been receiving this fund funding for over 10 years coming through the court, so it helps the constituents get assistance that they may need while they're getting treatment or help from our human trafficking drug court, veterans court, and also mental health court. So some of the treatment that they receive comes from help with their rent, if they need assistance with that, help with their utilities, their cell phone transportation, or things that they need in order to stay in the treatment that they do receive. Okay, thank you. Uh this is pretty routine. So this is just drug court, is it veterans court and all those other ones as well? Yes, it's human trafficking court, veterans court, mental health, and also drug court. Okay. So you use how much of what percentage of your general fund is this? No percentage of general fund. All that is is grant funded, and there is no match required. Okay, so no match required, and it's all grant funded. Yes. And it's only 80,000? 230,000. 230,000? Yes. Okay. And we get this on an annual basis. And they actually went up this year for the allocation. Normally we get between 180, 200,000 was last year, and this year is for next year's service is 230,000, which starts July 1st. Well, outstanding drug court is a very good tool, and we know that we uh have a lot of uh constituents and a lot of family members that are dealing with addiction, so definitely uh well needed. I'm always uh sticker shocked at how little we get for these programs, and you guys are really so nimble. So kudos to all of you guys. Thank you. All right, any uh anyone else want to uh comment on ordinance number 1081-2025? Councilman Mike Messenger. It's an outstanding program, and I support the legislation. Okay, any other questions? Seeing no other questions, ordinance number 1081-2025 stands approved, please sign on. Thank you. All right, next one is 1080-2025 by Councilmember Griffin by Departmental Request, an emergency ordinance authorizing the director of finance on behalf of the Cleveland Municipal Court to apply for and accept the grant for from the Alcohol, Drug, and Mental Health Services Board of Cuyahoga County to expand access to evidence-based supervision and treatment services for defendants of the Greater Cleveland Drug Court and the Human Trafficking Special Document. Ms. Kenny. Good afternoon again. Now, this funding also comes from ATP. We also get this on an annual basis. So this would be our ATP admin fund used towards drug court and um human trafficking court. So this money does not expire, so they give us an opportunity to use it until we need to use it. And some of the things that has been used for this funding over the past years under drug court, um, Judge Lauren Moore, who used to be with our court, she was able to provide a book for the constituents that graduated from drug court. They were able to write a story about themselves and their experience, and this funding um provided the book to be printed and given out to those individuals that came through the drug court. So this funding can be used for anything that we may need for those constituents to help um throughout the drug court. Uh once again, this is uh great program, and it's mainly for administration, but it's only 17,000.

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