Cleveland Finance Committee Meeting - September 29, 2025
Cleveland City Council Finance, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee Meeting - September 29, 2025
On Monday, September 29, 2025, at 6:03 PM, the Finance, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee convened. Chair called the meeting to order with council members present: Councilman McCormick, Councilwoman Santana, Councilman Conwell, and others. The committee considered several ordinances, including a lease extension for the Community Police Commission, compensation for planning commission alternates, a public safety grant, and a series of capital improvement plan ordinances.
Community Police Commission Lease Extension (Ordinance 1166-2025)
- The committee considered an emergency ordinance authorizing a one-year lease extension at 3631 Perkins Avenue. An amendment was made to change the name from "Cleveland Police Commission" to "Community Police Commission" throughout the ordinance, with legal approval dated September 25, 2025. Alex Norton, interim executive director, stated the extension is needed while exploring alternative spaces. Councilman Polensek asked about relocating to city-owned buildings and raised concerns about delays in ratifying police district commanders. Councilman Casey questioned whether the commission was paying trash removal twice; it was clarified they pay once. The ordinance was approved as amended.
City Planning Commission Alternates Compensation (Ordinance 984-2025)
- City planning staff requested $187 per official meeting for alternates to address quorum issues, matching the Board of Building Standards' rate. Council members discussed whether the amount would incentivize participation and whether funds were already in the planning budget (yes). Two interested alternates have been identified. The ordinance was approved.
Public Safety Grant (Ordinance 950-2025)
- The Ohio Department of Public Safety grant for FY2026 Impaired Driving Enforcement and Selective Traffic Enforcement Programs in the amount of $46,054 was presented. No cash match is required; funds cover overtime, educational materials, and transportation. The city has received this grant annually since 2008. Approved unanimously.
Capital Improvement Plan Ordinances (846, 847, 848, 852, 853-2025 as amended)
- A series of companion ordinances authorizing capital projects for facilities, recreation, roads/bridges, and vehicle acquisitions were discussed. The administration presented the 2025 capital improvement plan, noting only projects ready for encumbrance this year are included; others will carry over to 2026. Several amendments were made: correcting "bond" to "bond or note" in three ordinances, and updating the vehicle lists for ordinances 852 and 853. The updated vehicle list includes heavy vehicles totaling $2,690,000 (e.g., loaders, trucks) and light vehicles totaling $2,690,000 (e.g., pickups, vans, SUVs) for various departments. Councilman Polensek criticized the use of light-duty pickups, urged citywide funding for cameras and speed tables, and asked about a red brick street program. Councilwoman Spencer clarified the new process: carryover projects are guaranteed for the 2026 capital improvement plan, and bonds will be issued closer to expenditure to avoid interest costs. All five ordinances were approved as amended.
Neff Road Resurfacing and Pedestrian Facilities (Ordinance 1078-2025 as amended)
- An amendment clarified that the city is responsible for costs of upgrading pedestrian facilities (sidewalk, railing under railroad tracks) beyond the county’s 50/50 cost-sharing. Councilman Harrison noted the poor condition of the bridge and sidewalk and urged continued efforts with CSX and other partners. Approved.
Key Outcomes
- Ordinance 1166-2025 approved as amended (lease extension)
- Ordinance 984-2025 approved (planning alternates compensation)
- Ordinance 950-2025 approved (public safety grant)
- Ordinances 846, 847, 848, 852, 853-2025 all approved as amended (capital improvement plan)
- Ordinance 1078-2025 approved as amended (Neff Road pedestrian facilities)
- The committee adjourned, with thanks to Councilman Bishop and Ms. Satan for their work.
Meeting Transcript
So this is where I'm gonna do I gotta I got her work with us okay and that's what I'm working for that's why I have the process report the fact that I was like safety so how do we get to yes rather than yes and that's where I'm trying to like help her because the difference is what people don't need for thank you so I don't have some case we have got about proposings of the 440 she's got now that commission right she does it simply right she just needs to have a structure saying performance October the third okay you have a call um these mics are nice they're on they're all these on the dogs we can't put them on yeah these ones so you have to be mics these stay on these are called boom mics so in order because our channel twenty system is down yeah this is the only way that they can pick up the sound but what's saying is that they always mic they're not ripping us up at all no but that helps because it's louder so you just use the regular mics yeah these will work a bit we gotta watch out what we're saying yes but I can't try to say that's the case all right we read it does why is it we ready that meeting because there's a number of Jenny Spencer good afternoon today is Monday September 29th 2025 this committee of finance diversity equity and inclusion is called the order Madam Clerk please call the role here present is the chairman Madam Kurt please mark down councilman McCormick Councilwoman Santana and Councilman Conwell that's excuse absences thank you all right first up we'll bring up uh public safety public safety is public safety here this is ordinance number nine five zero dash twenty twenty five by council members Belisic and Griffin by departmental request an emergency ordinance authorizing the director of public safety is he here you I wait I'll wait till you get him I'll go to the next one okay finances finance here come on finance this is ordinance number eleven sixty six dash twenty twenty five by council member griffin by departmental request as amended an emergency ordinance authorizing the director of finance to enter into an amendment to uh to lease agreement with mid um agreement number two thousand seventeen twenty-o two three with mid-city LTD for the lease of office space for the Cleveland police commission located at 3631 Perkins Avenue for one additional year uh director yeah to the chair of the committee member to the chair of the committee members I'm gonna turn it over to the uh the acting chair for the um police commission to talk about this extension one year extension good morning council members and committee uh Alex Norton interim uh executive director with the Cleveland communities commission uh this uh ordinance under consideration is uh pretty straightforward is to authorize uh the uh city to enter into a uh one year additional one year term um at 3631 Perkins Avenue uh there's some legislative history with regard to this lease it started in 2017 uh went through a couple of uh pieces of legal approval to extend uh the term and we are here again because the um the the term currently ends I believe it's October 25th uh of this year so we're seeking one year uh approval with the hope to begin exploring additional spaces uh during that year thank you Mr Gentle to the chair I I think we need to there maybe need to be an amendment to this because it says Cleveland Police Commission I think it needs to be community police commission I think that wasn't a motion might be community Thank you. Mr. Gentel to the chair, I I think we need to there maybe need to be an amendment to this because it says Cleveland Police Commission. I think it needs to be community police commissioner. Is that the motion? It should be community police commission. All right, um, I'll let um councilman for listen make a motion and we'll go for the okay, thank you. All right, council community. That uh the uh language be changed to community police commission within the ordinance. All right. Uh actually, you know what? The amendment are located, and I'll just read it in because actually we have already made the amendment. Is there is no legal objection to this legislation if we're made it as follows. One in the title, line five, and in the referrals, whereas clause line three, strike Cleveland, and insert community. This was dated 925-25 by Lewis Smoot the third, assistant director of law. Thank you. Alright, thank you. Um I do believe uh Councilman Palencick has a question. Yes, chairman. Chairman, uh in and with the uh uh is it acting? Your acting interim. Will you please uh your last name? N-O-U, R U R E D. R E D. D I N E. Another D? Correct. D I and E. And how would you pronounce that? Nordine. Okay. So to Mr. Nordine, um, you are interim director or the community police commission. Okay. Um so go into the back to the legislation that is in front of us, and I have another question. But was it has there been any effort made? I'll say this to you, but also to Mr. Gentle. Was there any effort um made to possibly uh find the civil space in the city building? I think we're always looking to try to relocate, and I know there's been a space study. Right. Um, so right now they're need one more year where they're at, but hopefully uh and soon we'll start bringing back some of these people that we're releasing spaces back to city hall with the new space that we can't raise the past uh not as with this, but with other uh entities that are leasing space and you know we have city buildings, city facilities. So let's figure out how we can uh accomplish this uh this relocation. My last well, my next question is to Mr. Nordie. Um the um you know what I'm not even gonna believe. I would ask you to kind of take my office because I have some questions with regard to we're waiting almost two years for the Cleveland Police Department to have commanders certified or ratified by the commission, which I don't understand why it is taken so long. Division of police district commanders. I don't understand it for the lately why it is taken so long.
openpublica.com