Cleveland City Council Finance Committee Meeting - March 9, 2026
Cleveland City Council Committee of Finance, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - March 9, 2026
The Committee on Finance, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion met on March 9, 2026, to consider several ordinances, most notably the 2026 budget reconciliation (Ordinance 117-2026). The meeting featured lengthy debate over neighborhood investments, food insecurity, and the administration's priorities. Other items included expanding payment methods, funding summer youth employment, renewing the racism as public health crisis coalition, and approving contracts for North Coast Harbor management, airport HVAC services, and a management training program. All ordinances were approved, some with amendments.
Budget Reconciliation (Ordinance 117-2026)
Finance Director presented the amended budget, reflecting negotiations with council. Key amendments included $699,000 for 10 park maintenance workers, $250,000 for the Sprouts program, $4.5 million for Neighborhood Equity Funds ($300,000 per ward), $806,853 for a receivership program, $8 million for road resurfacing in the CIP, and $1 million for facility management software. The reconciliation used $7.89 million from carryover funds, reducing the backing for capital projects from $90 million to $82 million.
Councilmember Casey asked procedural questions. Councilmember Bishop sought clarification on the carryover reduction, confirming no CIP projects were cut. Councilmember Starr expressed strong opposition, citing lack of investment in food insecurity and clean power infrastructure; he indicated he would not vote for the budget. Councilmember Polensek voiced deep frustration over utility cuts on brick streets, food deserts, and a perceived disconnect between city hall and neighborhoods. Council President defended the budget as a fair compromise, noting that further adjustments can be made via transfer ordinances and that food insecurity plans can be developed with Director Margolis.
Councilmember Conwell raised concerns about the $700,000 subsidy for West Side Market while the East Side Market struggles. The budget was approved by the committee and sent to full council.
Payment Processing Expansion (Ordinance 180-2026)
The administration requested amending city code to accept mobile pay, digital wallets, e-checks, ACH, and contactless payments. Discussion centered on security. The ordinance was approved without objection.
Summer Youth Employment Program (Ordinance 31-2026)
The Office of Prevention, Intervention, and Opportunity presented this ordinance, amended to increase funding by $500,000 to not exceed $2 million. Craig Dorn from Youth Opportunities Unlimited (YOU) reported 4,080 unduplicated Cleveland youth applications (7,036 countywide). The additional funding would allow 204 more youth, bringing total Cleveland placements to 751. Private funding of $2 million also supports the program. Councilmember Polensek highlighted the importance of summer jobs. Councilmember Conwell urged more career-focused placements, such as arts and music. The amendment was accepted and the ordinance approved.
Racism as a Public Health Crisis Coalition (Ordinance 229-2026)
Commissioner Wells and Urban League CEO Marcia Mockabee presented the renewal of the partnership for phase two implementation. The coalition has identified five pillars (education, criminal justice, health, workforce/equity/finance, housing/infrastructure/environment) and is moving from research to implementation. Councilmember Conwell commended the internal equity work. Councilmember Polensek expressed frustration with CMSD school closures and their impact on the east side, calling for greater accountability. Councilmember Starr noted low literacy rates and graduation preparedness. The ordinance was approved.
North Coast Harbor Management (Ordinance 93-2026)
The first renewal option for Downtown Cleveland Alliance to manage North Coast Harbor at a cost of $470,203 was approved. Michael Deemer highlighted hosting 110 events, removing 60,000 lbs of trash, and removing 258 graffiti tags.
Airport HVAC Services (Ordinance 94-2026)
The first renewal of a contract with Air Force One Inc. for HVAC maintenance at Cleveland Hopkins and Burke airports was approved.
Management Training Program (Ordinance 29-2026)
Amended to cap at $100,000, this ordinance authorizes a citywide management training program for approximately 1,100 managers. The program follows a needs assessment. Approved.
Key Outcomes
- Ordinance 117-2026 (budget) approved by committee; will go to full council for second reading.
- Ordinance 180-2026 approved.
- Ordinance 31-2026 amended and approved.
- Ordinance 229-2026 approved.
- Ordinance 93-2026 approved.
- Ordinance 94-2026 approved.
- Ordinance 29-2026 amended and approved.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon. Today is Monday, March ninth, twenty twenty-six. This committee of finance diversity, equity, and inclusion is called the order. Madame Clerk Caldero. Here. So we share the help of the 10th. Thank you. From January 1, 2026 until December 31, 2026, as amended. And all of the amendments are on the agenda. So uh on your tablets. So please take a look at all of the amendments. Uh once again, I will want to thank the leadership team and all of you who um really went through the entire financial process. We uh actually came to a resolution last week with the administration on reconciliation items. Uh therefore um director, do you want to make any comments? And uh once again, all of your amendments are on the tablets, okay. Uh Director. Yeah, through the chair of the committee, just want to um thank the council president uh you know for the reconciliation. I want to thank everybody for you know sitting through budget hearings. I think we came to a resolution um, you know, that we're all happy with, satisfied with. So um we're here for questions if if needed. Okay. Uh well, first of all, everybody should have all of the items if any council members would like to make um uh a choice. I do I do want to make sure that I reiterate that everyone. Um we usually try to stay within reasonable um reason uh reasonableness when it comes to any reconciliation items. I believe what we have is uh fair um as in any negotiation, nobody got everything that they wanted, but as in most negotiations, um I think we ended up pretty well um with um what each council member um requested and actually put in to us. Uh therefore I'll open up the floor to any comments regarding uh this uh ordinance number one seventeen dash twenty twenty-six, Mr. Chairman Councilman Casey, Mr. Chairman. To the uh to the finance director, first of all, was this sent out with all the amendments? Was this sent out to the council? Um schedule change. I believe it was in the agenda. Okay. Yeah, it was in the agenda. Joe, all of this was sent out to council, right? Yes. With with the amendments here. Yes. Okay, and then the first number that we're looking at, is that the original amount and then the second second number? Director, can you answer that for through the chair to the councilman? I'm looking at the seems to be could you show them what these would and I believe this is more of a process question. Could you make could we make sure we clarify this for councilman casey? So through the chair to the councilman, is this essentially what you're looking at? So I I can kind of run down them if you'd like. Um there are some brief description, I believe, on the legislation, but the six hundred and ninety-nine thousand um for department of parks and recreation was for 10 uh real estate maintenance workers. So these are park maintenance workers. Uh 75,000 of that, the additional 75,000 above and beyond the 624 for the real estate workers is for um one additional council event per ward. So these as uh requested from councilman Polensick, I believe, um, allows for one additional group A event uh per ward for council. Um moving down the Department of Public Health. There's 250,000 for the Sprout Sprouts program.
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