Cleveland City Council Meeting - September 29, 2025: Public Comments on Recidivism, Gas Station, and Rainbow Terrace Explosion
Cleveland City Council Meeting - September 29, 2025
The Cleveland City Council met on September 29, 2025, under the leadership of Council President Blaine Griffin. The meeting included multiple public comments addressing issues such as recidivism, a proposed gas station, the Rainbow Terrace apartment explosion, homelessness, and public safety. The council also passed a series of ordinances and resolutions on consent and emergency passage, and recognized community leaders.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Dale Snyder (Rogo Inc., CDL training program) expressed frustration over a $35,000 grant dispute for a Class B CDL training vehicle, arguing the grant criteria were unclear. He stated his goal is to reduce recidivism through trucking careers and invited partnership with the city. He commended Council President Griffin and Mayor Bibb for their leadership.
- Darryl Houston (resident of Bedford Heights) criticized city leadership for public infighting and spending on outside law firms. He urged Mayor Bibb and Council President Griffin to resolve disputes in-house and called for more attention to downtown development and public safety. He also mentioned plans to address the Cleveland Foundation and Marshall Recreation.
- Paula First (Ward 11 resident) opposed the proposed conversion of the former CVS building at 12202 Madison Avenue into a gas station. She noted that Councilmembers Danny Kelly, Jenny Spencer, and candidates Tan Mai Shah and Nikki Hudson support a city purchase for a fire station. She stated the city offered $725,000 for the property, but the owner has refused, arguing the gas station is the only viable use. She also highlighted safety concerns due to vandalism.
- Fauzi Badour (Ward 11 resident, Coalition for a Better Life) expressed support for Nikki Hudson, the presumptive incoming Ward 11 councilmember, stating she received donations from individuals across party lines but not from special interests. He criticized the proposal for a gas station on a site zoned for pedestrian overlay and called attention to breaches in city responsibility.
- Brandon Krustowski (Edwin's Leadership and Restaurant Institute) urged council to "care more" about crime and violence, citing recent shootings and robberies. He noted that Cleveland is among the top ten most dangerous cities and suggested calling the National Guard if necessary. He thanked council members for their outreach.
- Bridget Smith Jackson (East Cleveland resident) demanded transparency and accountability regarding the June 23, 2025 explosion at Rainbow Terrace apartments that killed Cordell Sheffield, injured two children, and displaced over 44 families (more than 150 people). She criticized the disparate response compared to an industrial explosion in Ward 5, calling for full site testing, a dedicated emergency response team, and better enforcement of housing codes.
- Juan Collado Diaz (Ward 11 resident) challenged Mayor Bibb directly, reporting a homeless encampment of over 35 people near CSU and Superior Avenue. He argued that the mayor's office has not provided assistance and that police sweeps worsen the problem. He called for housing and support services rather than enforcement.
- Josiah Quarles (Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless) linked public safety to affordable housing, landlord accountability, reentry programs, food access, and mental health interventions. He criticized council for hiring a former member who took a position with Flock (surveillance company) and raised concerns about police chases and the consent decree. He urged passage of Tanisha’s Law to integrate mental health crisis response into 911.
Consent Calendar
- Communications were filed regarding an oath of office for Luther Roddy (Community Police Commission), notice of intent to apply for state housing funding for Lorraine Avenue Redevelopment and Wade Park Station, and several liquor permit transfers/ownership changes.
- Condolence resolution for Mary Simmons (Councilmember Hairston).
- Congratulatory resolutions for: Lee Fisher, Officer Gloria Mercado, Clark School ribbon cutting, Jose Hernandez, Karen Camper Cox, Stephen House, Charles Scrugs Jr., Brian Anthony McCain, Anthony Henderson, Stanley House, Joseph M. Gallagher Pre-K to 8 School, Equality Ohio, and the President of Slovenia.
- Recognition of Danny "Coach Boone" Solomon for 30 years of youth coaching and Officer Gloria Mercado for receiving the NOBLE Civil Rights Outstanding Youth Services Justice by Action Award.
Discussion Items
- The meeting featured extensive public testimony but no separate discussion items on the floor beyond procedural motions and recognitions.
Key Outcomes
- Legislation passed (14-0): Emergency ordinances and resolutions on first and second reading were suspended and adopted, including:
- Amending water pollution control revenue bonds (Ordinance 1210-2025).
- Cooperative agreement with Ohio Water Development Authority (Ordinance 1211-2025).
- Supplementing codified ordinances on subpoenas for Community Police Commission (Ordinance 1214-2025).
- Defining underspeed vehicles (Ordinance 1215-2025).
- Establishing local government trust fund (Ordinance 1216-2025).
- Pedestrian and bicycle improvements (Ordinance 1218-2025).
- Sewer replacement and rehabilitation (Ordinances 1219-2025, 1220-2025).
- Temporary employment agencies for parks and public works (Ordinance 1221-2025).
- Nuisance abatement process (Ordinance 1222-2025).
- Sale of city-owned property on East 90th Street for hotel development (Ordinance 1223-2025).
- Fund transfers and amendments for HUD grants (Ordinances 1224-2025, 1225-2025).
- Renaming Department of Economic Development to Department of Development (Ordinance 1226-2025).
- Objection to liquor permit transfer (Resolution 1227-2025).
- Withdrawing objection to liquor permit (Ordinance 1228-2025).
- Various street vacation ordinances and consent to county road resurfacing.
- Grant acceptance for impaired driving enforcement (Ordinance 950-2025).
- Lease amendment for Police Commission office (Ordinance 1166-2025).
- Tabled legislation: Several ordinances and resolutions were tabled, including a grant from Cuyahoga County for Urban Area Security Initiative, a smoke shop moratorium, cemetery bonds, underspeed vehicle legislation, and cemetery improvement authorization.
- Next meeting: October 6, 2025, with a special committee meeting on September 30 at 2:00 PM regarding the federal monitor’s update on the Cleveland Police Department.
Meeting Transcript
Madam Clerk, please call the road. Griffin. Here. Bishop. Conwell. Great. Kirsten. Harsh. House Jones. Jones. Casey. Kelly. Santana. Slide. Stern. Thank you. Pledge of allegiance. I want to make sure that all council members know we are very close to quorum. Please stay in the will. Please avoid leaving outside the will. Your vote has to be, you have to be in the will for your vote to count. Okay. So we have a couple of members that are out, sick, and also a couple of members that are out. Alright, would everyone please rise for a moment of silence, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Thank you. I pledge you to the flag of the United States of America. Which is stand one under the independent liberty and justice. I make the following statement.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 the codified ordinances, commits misdemeanors, and is subject to prosecution. The following is the first and only warning. If this meeting is disrupted, I will gather 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 chamber 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. And road he represented Road Gold Inc. And he is not being paid by anyone. Mr. Snyder. Excuse me. Reverend Dale, Reverend Dr. Dale Bruce Snyder Senior. And Pittsburgh, Bethel AME. My grandfather, three uncles, all of them served in the military. I am Dale Bruce Snyder Jr. And with that declaration, there comes a responsibility of transparency.
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