Cleveland City Council Regular Meeting - March 23, 2026

This regular meeting of Cleveland City Council, presided over by Council President Blaine Griffin, included recognitions, public testimony, approval of appointments, and passage of numerous emergency ordinances. Key topics included the recognition of a championship basketball team, public concerns about city services and accountability, and councilmember criticisms regarding the closure of the East Side Market and the financial crisis at NEON health services.

Recognitions and Resolutions

• Council adopted condolence resolutions for multiple individuals.
• Congratulatory resolutions were passed for Two Friends Brewing (first anniversary), Ricky Tatum, and Archwell Health (grand opening).
• Council recognized the Breakthrough Woodland Hills Lions basketball team for an undefeated 12–0 season and a city championship. Coach Jawanza Clater and Athletic Director A.D. Watkins praised the team’s perseverance through personal challenges. Councilwoman Deborah Gray commended the school’s arts program.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Adrian Freeman (Ward 1) expressed support for the Senior Safety and Energy Initiative (rebooted LED lighting program) and requested council votes for the program.
• Darrell Houston (Bedford Heights) criticized city leadership, citing a weak school system, a hiring freeze, lack of code enforcement, and proposed closure of Burke Lake Airport. He urged council to "do the work or remove yourselves."
• Reverend Pamela Pinckney alleged discrimination as a Black woman, requested "storm prevention" for women of color, and reported unaddressed police reports. She also asked for prayer to be reinstated in the meeting.
• Brenda Bickerstaff claimed the city is providing inaccurate information about the cost of federal consent decree monitors, stating that the actual compensation is far less than reported by Fox 8. She accused the city of avoiding police reform.
• Sabrina Otis (Cleveland) complained about lack of access to Codell rec center, potholes, denied vehicle reimbursement claims, and overcharging tenants for waste. She urged council to hold town halls on the consent decree.
• Bridget Smith Jackson (East Cleveland) highlighted the March 23, 2026 anniversary of the Rainbow Terrace explosion, which killed one and displaced 44 families. She presented Novena Watkins, a resident evicted after reporting unsafe conditions, and urged the mayor to assist her.
• Christina Hill (Ward 11) described the closure of her child care center (Tiny Heroes Academy) by the Cleveland Department of Public Health over a food license issue. Charges were dismissed after a year, but she requested a formal review of the process.
• Fauzi Bador (Ward 11) alleged that someone used a fake identity to sign up for public comment. He opposed hyperscale data centers, warning they could increase residents’ electric bills by $70 per month, and asked that companies absorb the costs.
• Matthew Saras (Ward 2) criticized the Cleveland Police Department’s persistent response-time backlogs over 37 years. He argued that better police protection is key to attracting residents and urged council to address the issue.

Discussion Items

• Appointments: Council approved appointments to the Fair Wage Employment Board (Lucas Reeve), Cleveland Commission on Black Women and Girls (Sydney Evans), Board of Zoning Appeals (Nina Holzer and Arlesha Wilson), and others without objection.
• Communications: Various permits, grant acceptances, and liquor license transfers were noted.
• First Reading Emergency Ordinances: A large block of emergency ordinances was introduced, covering topics such as design services for Lorraine Avenue rehabilitation, body armor grants, dynamic message signs on highways, after-school program contracts (with After-School All-Stars, Art House Inc., Beat the Streets Cleveland, Holden Forests and Gardens, Kent State University, Making a Difference Consulting, Eleanor B. Rainey Memorial Institute), purchase of proprietary placement parts for heavy equipment, a food and beverage purchasing code for Municipal Court, an encroachment permit for Juliet LLC, demolition contract renewal, 311 call answering services, purchase of property for Fire Station 23, cremation services for indigent residents, and various race permits. The rules were suspended and these ordinances were passed unanimously (14-0).
• First Reading Emergency Resolutions: Resolutions regarding liquor permit objections and withdrawals were passed unanimously (14-0).
• Second Reading Emergency Ordinances: Several ordinances were advanced to final passage. Notable items included:
  • Ordinance 98-2026: Tax increment financing (TIF) for the Westinghouse redevelopment project at 1200 West 58th Street. Passed 9-5, with Councilmembers Hudson, Shaw, House Jones, and Casey voting no.
  • Ordinance 283-2026: Contract with Buckeye Peach Group for automated phone/text messages to residents. Passed 13-1, with Councilmember House Jones voting no.
  • Ordinances 227-2026 and 228-2026: Purchase of light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles. Passed 12-2, with Councilmembers Shaw and Casey voting no.
• Third Reading Emergency Ordinance: Ordinance 117-2026, the fiscal year 2026 appropriation budget. Passed 11-3, with Councilmembers Shaw, House Jones, and Starr voting no.

Councilmember Remarks on East Side Market and NEON Health Services

• Councilman Kevin Conwell criticized the administration for not consulting council members about the planned closure of the East Side Market, contrasting it with efforts to revitalize the West Side Market. He warned of a re-emerging food desert in Glenville, Collinwood, and Huff. He also flagged the "code red" financial crisis at NEON (Northeast Ohio Neighborhood Health Services), citing wage theft and foreclosure risks for clinics serving thousands. He demanded contingency planning.
• Councilman Michael Polensick echoed concerns, calling NEON’s mismanagement "outrageous" and urging council and the administration to take action, including potential federal investigation. He noted the compounding challenges of school closures, lack of traffic enforcement, and deteriorating neighborhood conditions on the east side.

Key Outcomes

• All first-reading emergency ordinances and resolutions were passed on suspension of rules.
• The Westinghouse TIF (Ordinance 98-2026) passed 9-5.
• The automated messaging contract (Ordinance 283-2026) passed 13-1.
• Vehicle purchase contracts (Ordinances 227 and 228-2026) passed 12-2.
• The FY2026 budget (Ordinance 117-2026) passed 11-3.
• Ordinance 791-2024 (zoning change) was tabled.
• Council adjourned to the call of the chair, with the next meeting scheduled for March 30, 2026.