Cleveland City Council Meeting Summary - November 24, 2025
Cleveland City Council Meeting Summary - November 24, 2025
The Cleveland City Council convened for a public session characterized by extensive public commentary on civil rights, surveillance technology, and wrongful convictions, alongside the unanimous approval of over twenty emergency ordinances and resolutions. Council members engaged in standard administrative procedures, including recognition of community leaders and condolences, while public speakers utilized the platform to urge the council on immediate policy reversals and ethical considerations regarding city spending and justice system integrity.
Consent Calendar
- The Council reviewed and transmitted standard communications, including reports from the Fair Employment Wage Board, the Ohio Division of Liquor Control, and sustainability updates.
- Condolence resolutions were adopted for Salima Moya Smith, Ernestine Welch Baker, Kenneth L. Zoller, and Richard Michael St. Clair.
- Recognition resolutions were passed honoring the 82nd Lebanese Independence Day, various community award recipients (including Dr. Nasib Fawaz, Edward C. Banks, and Zoe Wolf), and Ingreta Ublis and Earl B. Turner.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Terry Wong (Ward 3): Spoke against "flock-ups" (systemic failures) regarding the city's surveillance technology. She expressed strong opposition to the purchase of shot spotter and Flock gunshot detection technology, characterizing it as a misallocation of public funds and a legal liability. She criticized Councilmember McCormack for leaving to work for a lobbying firm (Flock) and advocated for deep soul-searching among council members regarding their service to the community. She opposed the proposed move of the Browns to Brook Park, calling it the "biggest mistake in Cleveland history." She expressed a position that current elected officials are "complicit" and do not deserve their paychecks. She stated she will be back after the holidays to discuss "real issues."
- Dean Van Farrell (Ward 7): Expressed gratitude and appreciation for outgoing Councilwoman Jenny Spencer, stating he values her passion for public participation and her ability to engage with those who disagree with her.
- Norman Edwards (Ward 3): Representing the Black Contractors Group, he stated he is present to discuss the lack of diversity and inclusion in the city, though he was noted as not being physically present during the roll call.
- Fauzi Badour (Ward 11): Expressed strong opposition to a gas station zoning appeal at 100 Madison Avenue. He stated that the court, Planning Commission, and border zoning decisions rejected the appeal, and he argued that reintroducing legislation for a gas station would look "bad" for the council. He asserted that the neighborhoods (Kuduell, West Boulevard, Euclid) voted "clear and loud" against the gas station.
- Josiah Quarrells (Shaker Heights, representing Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless): Called on the council to pass "Tanisha's Law." He expressed support for the law as a necessary runway for community engagement and workforce recruitment. He requested confirmation that the safety committee hearing is scheduled for December 4th at 1 p.m.
- Evangelist Darlene (Ward 4): Representing Anthony Connor, she urged the council to use their platform to call for DNA testing ordered by the Court of Appeals and to encourage the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office to review Connor's case. She described the evidence against Connor as non-existent and the identification methods as unduly suggestive.
- Vivian Connor (Ward 6, mother of Anthony Cobb): Expressed a desperate need for justice for her son, Anthony Cobb, who has spent over 13 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. She asked the council to use their platform to help free her innocent son.
- Alexis Mason (Garfield Heights): Reiterated the call for the council to use their platform to demand DNA testing for Anthony Cobb and urged the Prosecutor's Office to review the case with "fresh eyes" in the interest of truth and fairness.
Discussion Items
- Emergency Ordinances: The Council considered a large batch of emergency ordinances (1507–1545) related to:
- Credit card regulations and appropriations.
- Transfers of liquor license ownership and location.
- Leases for parks, marinas, and airport kiosks.
- Contracts for water treatment chemicals, polymer, and hauling residuals.
- Collective bargaining agreements for the Firefighters, Electrical Workers, Plumbers, and Painters Local unions.
- Tax incentive reviews and the Waterloo Art District project.
- Redevelopment of the Warner Swayze building and the Village of Joy birthing center.
- Design Review Districts: Discussion on establishing the Lorraine Antiques Design Review District (Ordinance 1520) and expanding the West 117th Street Design Review District (Ordinance 1521).
- Infrastructure and Public Works: Approval of contracts and grants for the Euclid Avenue Pedestrian Improvement Project, Euclid Beach Trail Connector, signal support polls, and active transportation programs.
- Court Services: Authorization for contracts with Court Community Service, Oriana House, and the Cuyahoga County Public Defender Commission for the Cleveland Municipal Court.
- Street Vacations: Ordinances to vacate portions of West Third Street (Ordinances 1490 and 1492).
Key Outcomes
- Unanimous Passage of Emergency Ordinances: With Councilmember Starr recusing himself on Ordinance 1416-2025, the Council voted 14-0-1 (for 1416) and 15-0 for all other emergency ordinances and resolutions listed on the second reading and first reading, placing them on final passage immediately.
- Specific Vote on Ordinance 1416: The vote on Ordinance 1416-2025 (Euclid Beach Trail Connector) resulted in 14 Yeas, 0 Nays, and 1 Recusal (Starr).
- All Others: All other emergency ordinances passed on final passage with a 15-0 vote tally.
- Scheduling Confirmation: Councilwoman House Jones confirmed via announcement that the first hearing for "Tanisha's Law" will be held on Thursday, December 4, 2025, at 1:00 p.m.
- Acknowledgments: Council members recognized community figures including Stephanie Morrison Herbeck, her husband George Herbeck, and local business owner Solomon.
- Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned to the call of the chair, with the next meeting scheduled for Monday, December 1, 2025.
- Recusal Note: Councilmember Starr recused himself from the vote on Ordinance 1416-2025.
Meeting Transcript
Madam Clerk, please call the road. Griffin here. Bishop. Bishop. Cromwell. Gray. Harrison. Harsh. House Jones. Jones. Casey. Kelly. Moore, Polensick, Santana, Slife, Spencer, Star, Welch. Well, everyone, 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 for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Such disruptions may constitute a misdemeanor and a violation of Section Six O five dot oh four. Anyone who disrupts this lawful meeting is 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 gabble 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 a disruption are out of the chambers, the officers will close the doors and the disruptors will be handled as directed by the Director of Public Safety. Thank you. We will now move to public comment. Once again, I'm asking all of the council to turn around and acknowledge the speakers, and I'm asking all of the speakers to acknowledge your time. Many of you have uh spoken before, so you pretty much know the routine. Yellow means to wrap it up, red means to abruptly stop. Please come forward. The first person that we have is Terry Wong. She's from Ward 3. Terry is here to talk about flock and other flock ups by the city of Cleveland. She's not representing anyone and not being paid by anyone. Ms. Wong, you had the floor. Good evening. If Alfred Hitchcock were alive today, he wouldn't need to imagine a horror film about birds overwhelming a town. He could just film Cleveland. In August 2022, the first flock automatic license plate reader appeared, perched on a pole like a mechanical raven, silent and watching. And then just like in the birds, they multiplied. Within two months, nearly 100 had settled across the city, tracking our movements without a single public conversation. And here's the twist Hitchcock would have loved. I was serving on the community police commission at the time, and even I wasn't told. The oversight body created by voters through issue 24, the one meant to shape police policy and protect civil rights, found out only after these machines were everywhere. If the commission wasn't informed, the public was never meant to be. Then came the horror level defects. These aren't small bugs, they are structural flock-ups that create enormous legal liability for Cleveland. If a hacked camera triggers a wrongful arrest or leaks personal information, it's Clevelanders, not flock, who will pay the price. But instead of removing these invasive birds, the city seems eager to make a sequel. Cleveland has recently spent 150,000 on a shot spotter study, even though decades of research already questioned its value. And CSU researchers could barely reach conclusions because ShotSpotter and CPD couldn't provide full data sets.
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