The Cleveland City Council convened on December 1, 2025, for a lengthy session covering routine capital and property matters followed by urgent deliberations on the settlement agreement regarding the relocation of the Cleveland Browns. Former Cleveland Mayor and Congressman Dennis Kucinich provided testimony urging the Council to reject the settlement, maintain legal leverage, and negotiate a significantly higher return for taxpayers. The Administration and Council leadership presented a revised settlement term sheet, which included amendments to increase community benefits and allocate funds specifically to neighborhood improvements. Despite strong opposition from some Council members and Kucinich regarding the lack of transparency during negotiations and the perceived inadequacy of the financial exit package, the Council proceeded to vote on the measures.
Just make sure that we don't have a lot of people. Before I gavel back in, I want to make sure that I let the media know that we have about ten pieces of legislation that we're gonna go burn through first with capital projects as well as finance and a small public works piece, and then we're gonna go into the uh the Browns piece of legislation last so that everybody's aware, okay? Madam Clerk, do we have uh we got committee of the whole though? Yeah, it's nine. Still committee of the whole I know you gotta we'll make it work. I know what you gotta do. You gotta go in person. Okay. Um, if you could, I'm probably gonna need you to come back to make sure after. Okay. Yes, I will. Jasmine, if Jasmine lets you know when it's about to call the roll on that, okay? Well, that's that's no, it's supposed to, it won't be recommended, but it can still go to the floor. Right. Right. But that's one of the things. Let me make sure I do something real quick, because that's one of the things. I'll be there one minute. All right. Once again, I'm going to ask council members if we could uh a lot of these uh have been vetted already. I'm asking you guys to uh make sure you limit your questions because most of this has already been vetted, and we want to give um ample time to have a discussion around the Browns piece, okay. Thank you. All right. So the first piece that we're going to hear is ordinance number 1082 2023 by Council Members Bishop, Harrison, and Griffin by departmental request, an emergency ordinance authorizing the director of capital projects to apply to the District One Public Works Integrating Committee for state funding for constructing improvements to portions of State Route 283, East 55th Street and St. Clair Avenue to apply for and accept any gifts or grants for this purpose from any public or private entity authorizing professional services agreements with public and private entities and any relative agreements and authorizing the commissioner of purchases and supplies to acquire, accept, and record for right of way purposes any real property and easements necessary to make the improvement. Not here, I'll take it. Commissioner. Thank you, sir. Now this project is about 1.1 miles long. Improvements will include pavement rehabilitation, new sidewalks, 88 compliant ramps, landings, new driveway aprons as needed, new water main. Uh this will be an ODOT administered job. It has a number of features we'll be looking into to add to it and to make it more complete and green. Uh estimated project cost is somewhere north of three thirteen million dollars. Thank you. Uh I know it was relieved by Councilman Bishop or Councilman Bishop. Your team has uh looked at this. Uh yes, Mr. President. We've heard this in municipal services and we fully recommend it for us. Thank you. Councilman Harrison, you release this out of DPS. Yes, sir. But they uh did get a briefing from the um from the team about this piece. Fully support. Thank you. Thank you. Seeing no other questions, ordinance number 1082-2023 stands approved. Please sign on. Next is resolution 1407-2025 by Council Members Griffin, Bishop, and Harrison by departmental request. An emergency resolution declaring the intent to vacate a portion of Mount Carmel Road.