Cleveland City Council Meeting - December 1, 2025

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.

Consent Calendar

• Ordinance 1082-2023: Fully supported by Council members; approved to authorize state funding applications for State Route 283 improvements (pavement, sidewalks, water main).
• Resolution 1407-2025: Fully supported; approved to vacate a portion of Mount Carmel Road in the Woodland Hills neighborhood to facilitate the Woodhill Choice Project development.
• Ordinance 1471-2025: Fully supported; approved to modify the non-compliant sidewalk repair program (formerly 5050), allowing contracts up to $300,000 to support small business growth.
• Ordinance 1472-2025: Fully supported; approved to vacate a "paper street" portion of East 73rd Street for economic development land assembly.
• Ordinance 1470-2025: Fully supported; approved for City consent to resurface Nottingham Road using county motor vehicle license tax funds.
• Ordinance 1481-2025: Fully supported; approved to vacate a "paper street" portion of East 70th Street.
• Ordinance 1486-2025: Fully supported; approved to vacate a "paper street" portion of East 71st Place.
• Ordinance 1487-2025: Fully supported; approved to vacate a portion of Redmond Avenue Southwest to facilitate ODOT property transfer.
• Ordinance 1488-2025: Fully supported; approved to vacate the old alignment of West Boulevard to establish a permanent easement for the Timere Rice Memorial.
• Ordinance 1496-2025: Fully supported; approved to authorize an encroachment permit for Cleveland Clinic Foundation to install a driveway and erosion control barrier along Alley in Court.
• Ordinance 1508-2025: Fully supported; approved to appropriate $1.2 million to the streets division for employee personnel and benefits related to resurfacing work.
• Ordinance 1509-2025: Fully supported; approved to provide temporary appropriations for city payrolls and expenses from January 1 through the effective date of the annual budget.
• Ordinance 1510-2025: Fully supported; approved to transfer and amend general fund appropriations totaling approximately $19.6 million to balance year-end budget variances, specifically addressing savings due to vacancies in Urban Forestry and Police, and overages in Fire and EMS.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Cleveland Mayor Dennis Kucinich (Former): Expressed strong opposition to the proposed Brown's settlement, characterizing it as a "fraud upon the city." He argued the administration deceived the Council for three years, that the City is waiving a lawsuit worth over $200 million, and that the $100 million deal undervalues the stadium (which has 24 years of life left). He proposed charging the owners $100 million annually for rent until 2031 and advocated for the community to buy the team under the Modell Law.
• Councilman Mike Polonski: Expressed significant concern regarding the lack of communication from the administration. He argued the $100 million figure was known two years ago and questioned why the City is accepting a deal that does not fund neighborhood improvements, noting that taxpayers have subsidized the stadium for $700 million with nothing to show for it.
• Councilman Richard Harsh: Expressed disappointment and skepticism, stating the administration has "resigned" to losing the team. He argued that if the administration is not fighting to keep the team, the Council cannot win alone. He emphasized the risk of taxpayers being left with a demolition bill and the loss of the City's status as a major league city.
• Councilwoman Deborah Gray: Expressed deep concern about the lack of transparency, stating she has not made a final decision. She emphasized that the Modell Law was created in 1996 to protect the City's investment and questioned why the Haslums were never required to negotiate with the City under that law.
• Councilwoman Rebecca Jones: Expressed frustration regarding the lack of inclusion in the negotiation process, stating the City was "blindsided" by a press conference. She argued that while the Administration claims to have listened, the lack of direct engagement with Council members before the deal was finalized created a trust deficit.
• Councilman Brian Casey: Expressed hesitation and partial opposition, citing two main concerns: the risk of the lawsuit being dismissed before the new stadium in Brook Park is built ("shovels in the ground"), and the lack of commitments regarding unionized service workers who would be moving to the new facility.

Discussion Items

• Browns Settlement Settlement (Ordinance 1325-2025): The Council debated a settlement to vacate the City's current stadium and exit the lease. Key points of contention included:
  • Financial Value: Kucinich and Councilman Polonski argued the $100 million exit fee is insufficient compared to the potential damages of the lawsuit. The Administration countered that litigation carries significant risks, legal fees (over $1.5 million already spent), and no guarantee of retaining the team.
  • Neighborhood Benefits: Councilman Slife proposed and supported an amendment to redirect $5 million of the community benefit package from lakefront development to direct neighborhood improvements, creating a $25 million total fund for residents.
  • Communication: Councilman Casey and Councilwoman Jones criticized the Administration for negotiating secretly and presenting a "take it or leave it" deal with a deadline. The Administration defended the process, citing the need for confidentiality during mediation.
  • Stadium Demolition & Repurposing: Councilman Harrison and others questioned the necessity of demolition, asking if an engineering report confirmed the stadium could not be repurposed. Administration officials confirmed that developers and engineers believe the stadium is too large for other uses and requires significant investment to retrofit, necessitating demolition.
  • Service Workers: Councilwoman Jones expressed concern that the settlement did not include guarantees for unionized service workers to retain their jobs at the new Brook Park stadium, which the Administration said was outside their jurisdiction.
• Ordinance 1461-2025 (Urban Forestry): Council members discussed expanding the tree assistance program for seniors. Councilman Casey requested clarification on whether the program covers trees on private property, which the Director confirmed as "99% sure" it does. Council member Belichick supported the program and suggested exploring tree farms to improve canopy cover. Councilman Palonski questioned the 26-year cycle for tree trimming.
• Ordinance 1492-2025 (Luke Easter Skate Park): Council members fully supported the authorization to apply for a Land and Water Conservation Fund grant to build a 10,000 square foot skate park, with matching funds from the MGK Foundation and The Skate Park Project.

Key Outcomes

• Amendments Approved: The Council unanimously agreed to five amendments to the settlement term sheet (Ordinance 1325-2025-A1). Key changes include:
  • Increasing the total community benefits funding to $103 million (with $25 million allocated specifically for neighborhood improvements, $25 million of which is directed to neighborhoods rather than the lakefront).
  • Clarifying that any lease extension options will require additional payments for community benefits.
  • Mandating that 30% of demolition contracts go to Cleveland businesses (20% small businesses/MBEs) and requiring prevailing wage compliance.
  • Ensuring Council has approval authority over the 20 million dollar community benefits fund.
• Ordinance 1325-2025 Vote: The amended ordinance was put to a roll call vote. The vote tally was 11 in favor and 3 in opposition (Councilman Casey, Councilman Polonski, and Councilwoman Jones). The ordinance passed, authorizing the Mayor and Directors to enter into the settlement with Haslam Sports Group.
• Next Steps: The Council adjourned the consensus calendar and scheduled a brief meeting for the following day (7:00 PM) to address remaining diversity and equity items. The Administration is expected to finalize the legal documentation for the settlement based on the amended term sheet.