Cleveland Finance Committee Meeting: Westinghouse PACE/TIF, Equipment, and CBAs - March 23, 2026
Cleveland Finance, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee Meeting - March 23, 2026
The committee met on Monday, March 23, 2026, to consider several ordinances, including financing for the Westinghouse redevelopment project (PACE up to $15 million and a 30-year non-school TIF), police digital forensics equipment ($310,000), vehicle purchases ($5.07 million light duty, $10.87 million heavy duty), a command bus retrofit ($320,000), automated communication services, and two collective bargaining agreements for dispatchers and chief dispatchers. All ordinances were approved as amended.
Discussion: Westinghouse Redevelopment (Ordinances 98-2026 and 104-2026)
- Project Description: TW58 Cleveland LLC proposes redeveloping the former Westinghouse site at 1200 West 58th Street. The project includes historic facade homage, new construction, public improvements (speed tables, bike racks, Herman Park Trail upgrades, streetscaping). PACE financing of up to $15 million over 28 years from the Port of Cleveland. A 30-year, 100% non-school TIF with an estimated $11,369,417 in foregone property taxes and a projected net increase of $23.3 million in tax revenue via payments in lieu of taxes.
- Speaker Positions: Councilwoman Santana supported the project and asked about historic facade preservation and affordable rents ($1,300–$1,500/month at 120% AMI for studios/one-bedrooms). Councilman Casey inquired about burying utility lines (developer anticipated underground). Councilman Star objected that the community benefits agreement (CBA) was not vetted by the Workforce Committee per council rules; the Council President responded that CBAs are typically handled by ward council members and OEO, not requiring committee passage for this deal. Councilman Polinsic requested that future TIF proposals include impact analysis on other taxing entities (Metro Parks, RTA, library). No vote was taken on this item as discussion; the ordinances were later approved.
Discussion: Digital Forensics Equipment (Ordinance 105-2026)
- Project Description: $310,000 to purchase digital forensic equipment for the police division, replacing services previously provided by federal partners. Funded $255,000 from capital and $55,000 from the police general fund. Amended to specify "not to exceed $310,000" and to remove redundant bond fund (20 SF 728).
- Speaker Positions: Councilman Polinsic asked about the lost federal service (estimated $310,000 value) and funding availability. Councilman Slife proposed the amendments, which were adopted.
- Outcome: Approved as amended.
Discussion: Police Command Bus Retrofit (Ordinance 1455-2025)
- Project Description: $320,000 for retrofitting a command bus for the police division. Vehicle has over 22,000 miles. Unanimous committee support.
- Outcome: Approved as amended with notice of cooperative purchases.
Discussion: Light-Duty Vehicles (Ordinance 227-2026)
- Project Description: $5,069,950 for various light-duty vehicles, including $500,000 for bikeway maintenance sweepers/plows. Councilman Bishop reported committee recommendation for passage.
- Outcome: Approved as amended (funding source adjustments).
Discussion: Heavy-Duty Vehicles and Equipment (Ordinance 228-2026)
- Project Description: $10,874,600 for heavy-duty trucks, fire apparatus, and equipment. Councilman Polinsic noted 24-month lead time for fire apparatus and requested location assignments. Council President committed to exploring faster procurement.
- Outcome: Approved as amended (funding source adjustments).
Discussion: Automated Communication Services (Ordinance 283-2026)
- Project Description: Contract with Miller Mosley Company for automated phone calls and text messages for council communications. Councilwoman Santana asked about contact list sourcing and protocol for usage. Council President noted need for a formal protocol.
- Outcome: Approved.
Discussion: Collective Bargaining Agreements
- CPPA Civilian Personnel (Ordinance 371-2026): April 1, 2025 – March 31, 2028. Covers ~113 employees (dispatchers, safety aid, telephone operators). Key terms: 3% annual raises, additional 2% for bilingual staff, shift differential increase from $0.35 to $0.47/hour, rehiring provisions for former dispatchers. Councilman Polinsic expressed support.
- Chief Dispatchers (Ordinance 376-2026): Same term, covering ~11 employees. Similar wage and shift differential terms, plus vacation furlough tier reduced from 8 to 5 years. Councilman Polinsic supported.
- Outcome: Both approved for full council consideration.
Key Outcomes
- Ordinance 98-2026 (Westinghouse TIF) and 104-2026 (Westinghouse PACE) approved as amended. Vote: voice vote, ayes unanimous.
- Ordinance 105-2026 (digital forensics) approved as amended (not-to-exceed language; fund corrections).
- Ordinance 1455-2025 (command bus) approved as amended.
- Ordinance 227-2026 (light vehicles) approved as amended.
- Ordinance 228-2026 (heavy vehicles) approved as amended.
- Ordinance 283-2026 (communication contract) approved.
- Ordinances 371-2026 and 376-2026 (CBAs) approved and forwarded to full council for evening session at 7:00 PM.
Meeting Transcript
I just did one thing for you. Good afternoon. Today is Monday, March twenty third, two thousand twenty-six. This committee of finance diversity, equity, and inclusion is called to order. Madam Clerk, please call the role. Here. Uh that'll be number 104 2026 uh if we may present uh the project and the two uh requests uh at the same time. Sure, let me read it into the record. Uh in addition to 98 2026, it will be ordinance number 104-2026 as amended by Council Members David Davis, Santana, and Griffin by departmental request and emergency ordinance approving the addition of property located at 1200 West 58th Street to the Northeast Ohio Advanced Energy District, accepting and approving a petition and plan from a property owner in the district proposing a special energy improvement project, declaring it necessary to conduct the special energy improvement project, providing for the assessment of the cost of such special energy improvement project, authorizing the director of development to enter into an energy project cooperative agreement and a special assessment agreement to implement the project and declaring an emergency. Please proceed. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So discussing the Westinghouse redevelopment here. So we'll talk about the developer first. So TW58 Cleveland LLC is the holding and development entity form for this project. The developers are based out of Cleveland. This project is led by Mr. Fishback next to me, as well as his partner, Mr. Liam Fishback and Mr. Jim Rosnov, who's also a local Clevelander. Mr. Rosnoff has experience in real estate transactions through his role with uh RTA and Mr. Fishback's company has a whole host of development experience performing as GC on projects such as the True by Hilton in Midtown, as well as projects like Timberman Lofts and Worthington Yards. So the property. This comes with standard benefits like MBE and FBE participation, but also some really uh exciting kind of unique things to the project, including uh four speed tables being constructed near the project site, uh the installation of public bicycle racks, uh funding for improvements to the nearby uh Herman Park Trail, as well as uh streetscaping all along the uh frontage of this uh project site. Regarding the request for uh special assessment financing, uh the PACE property assessed clean energy financing uh component to this project will be funded by the Port of Cleveland uh for up to 15 million dollars on financing over 28 years. Um this will cover some clean energy improvements as part of the project. Uh this pace has been approved by the special energy improvement district uh to move it forward to this uh legislation. Uh and regarding the uh tax increment financing request, uh this would be a 100% non-school TIF for 30 years. Uh the uh benefit to the development over the course of the term would be approximately 11 million dollars, uh 369-417. Uh and the estimated net increase in tax revenue to uh the city and the uh city schools via payments in lieu of taxes is estimated to be 23.3 million dollars uh over the course of this term. Uh so with that, happy to uh turn this to the project team or to answer any questions. Thank you. Um on behalf of the development team, TW58. Cleveland. Um I just want to thank all of you involved in the city's help and the county and all the public entities that have so far stepped up to help us put this whole thing together. It's been uh couple uh quite a few years that we've been working on it, and we're very anxious to get the project started. Okay, so just a couple of things. Uh do you have the I take it you've been working closely with both the council members, uh Davis and also Santana? Okay. So I'll pivot to uh councilwoman Santana. Thank you, Council President. So this was vetted um and approved by DPS committee. There was tons of questions that were answered. But um, I do want to through the chair, if you could talk about the facade, you know how you guys were trying to keep it um historical. If you could kind of share with the council members what you're planning to do that with that facade. We're still working on the final design of the what's gonna happen on the south side of the I want to say the existing tower. There will be a new uh five-story tower that's gonna be built on top of the parking garage behind what was shown as representing the existing facade. Our structural engineers um so far have concluded that that existing facade is not stable and gonna be able to be saved, but we're looking to replicate or pay homage to the blessing house design with the new design of that phase one B facility. And we just don't have that yet together.
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