OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Municipal Service and Properties Committee Meeting - March 23, 2026

City Council Meetings — Monday, March 23, 2026
BodyCleveland, Ohio
SessionCity Council Meetings
DateMonday, March 23, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 3:18:27

Transcript — Verbatim
5:43

Good morning.

5:46

Today is Monday, March 23rd, 2026.

5:51

I'm calling the municipal service and properties committee to order, Madam Madam Claire.

5:56

Clerk, can you please call a row?

5:59

Here.

6:03

Present.

6:08

Okay, thank you.

6:09

Can you ex please excuse the absence of uh councilman Chris Harsh?

6:15

Okay.

6:16

All right, Director.

6:17

Uh just a moment we've been waiting for.

6:20

Um you want to get started with you have a presentation?

6:23

Uh Councilman, I did not load the same PowerPoint that we did last time since I gave it, you know, a couple weeks ago.

6:30

Um so I thought that we could go through the project lists and anything that's changed since the last time.

6:36

Okay.

6:36

Um if if council would like uh that presentation again, I could give it at the next committees.

6:43

This will go through a couple more committees.

6:45

I think we okay.

6:45

Um so is there any piece that you want to start with off the bit off the bat?

6:49

Um, Mr.

6:50

Chairman, would you like to go um piece by piece or uh yeah, let's just go piece by piece.

6:56

Okay.

6:57

Um so if we start with the um vehicles, uh what number?

7:03

That'd be two twenty-seven and and two twenty-eight.

7:06

So we could start with light vehicles, which is two twenty-seven.

7:12

And then just for uh council's information, so vehicles would would go from uh today's uh committee uh MSP into finance committee this afternoon if if approved by by MSP.

7:29

All right.

7:29

All right.

7:31

And in with me I have the assistant commissioner um as well as Director Laird and Assistant Commissioner, if you could Kushner.

7:39

Okay, let me read this piece into the record.

7:42

All right, we're gonna start off with ordinance number two two seven twenty twenty-six by council members Bishop and Griffin.

7:48

This is a departmental request, an emergency ordinance authorizing the purchase by one or more standard and requirement contracts for the purchase lease or lease with options to purchase of various light duty vehicles and equipment for the various divisions of city government.

8:07

Okay.

8:08

All right, Director, so it wasn't a um amendment to this piece.

8:14

Let me let me make sure.

8:16

All right, it wasn't amendment to this piece.

8:18

Okay, Director Clay.

8:19

Um yeah, Mr.

8:20

Uh Chairman.

8:21

So no MMS from our side on this piece.

8:24

Okay.

8:24

And uh ordinance two twenty two twenty-seven twenty twenty-six is regarding light vehicles, and the amount of the um proposed acquisition is five million sixty-nine thousand nine hundred and fifty dollars.

8:38

And um, in the ordinance itself, there's the list of the specific um light and medium vehicles that uh will be acquired with this this funding.

8:49

And um, we're happy to answer any questions.

8:53

I would say this is uh this is uh approximately the amount that um in a typical year would be spent on um light vehicle acquisitions.

9:05

Okay, all right.

9:06

Is there um any questions from the committee?

9:11

Um Councilman Brian Cage.

9:14

Thank you, Mr.

9:14

Chairman, Mr.

9:15

Chairman, and um light of discussions that we've had uh previously offline.

9:21

Uh I want to say that this these capital projects that are coming through.

9:27

Um I see nothing for Cleveland Public Power in any of the capital projects, and I've been asking for more than a decade now for the administration the past two administrations to invest in Cleveland Public Power, and it is gone for naught.

9:45

And the only thing that I have uh left to do is vote on projects.

9:51

So aside from the uh street resurfacing and repaving, I'm in no vote on any of the capital projects that are going through.

10:01

This has nothing to do with uh our with the director or or our commissioners here, but eventually I have to take a stand um with the lack of investment that the administration is doing to Cleveland Public Power.

10:14

So aside from the pieces that have to do with red with the resurfacing or roads and bridges, um please mark me a no on all the pieces of legislation for the capital projects, and that's just on principle alone for the lack of investment in the Cleveland Public Power.

10:30

And to the assistant commissioner, um, I don't think we've ever seen you at the table before.

10:35

Twice at the table before you know what I'm gonna say, don't you, Director?

10:41

There's an institution here that that we are deeply involved in.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Engineering And Infrastructure██████████████████████████████30%
Parks and Recreation████████████████16%
Procedural████████████12%
Public Engagement████████████12%
Public Utilities███████████11%
Budget Equity Analysis████████8%
Environmental Protection██2%
Historic Preservation██2%
Technology and Innovation██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Municipal Service and Properties Committee Meeting - March 23, 2026

The Municipal Service and Properties Committee met on March 23, 2026, to consider multiple capital improvement plan (CIP) ordinances for the 2026 fiscal year. Key discussions centered on vehicle acquisitions, public facility renovations, recreation projects, road and bridge investments, and cemetery improvements. Council members expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of investment in Cleveland Public Power (CPP) and the perceived lack of council consultation on major projects like City Hall renovations. Several amendments were offered by Councilman Starr to improve financial transparency, and most ordinances were passed as amended.

Discussion Items

  • Light Vehicles (Ordinance 227-2026): $5,069,950 for light duty vehicles. Councilman Brian Casey announced he would vote against all capital projects not related to street resurfacing, citing years of neglect of CPP. Councilman Starr questioned fleet strategy, sustainability goals, and procurement transparency. He introduced amendments adding fund numbers and requiring notification for non-general obligation bond debt. The ordinance was approved as amended with one 'no' vote.

  • Heavy Vehicles (Ordinance 228-2026): $10,874,600 for heavy duty trucks and equipment. Similar amendments by Councilman Starr. Approved as amended.

  • Public Facilities (Ordinance 232-2026): $22,254,400 for improvements to public buildings. Includes $7 million for the garden level (basement) renovation of City Hall, with a new west entrance, expanded lobby, coffee shop, and improved security. Councilman Casey and Councilman Polency criticized the lack of council input and demanded design plans and a citywide facilities utilization study. Councilman Shaw requested the downtown facilities study. The ordinance was amended and approved.

  • Cemeteries (Ordinance 231-2026): $650,000 for Erie Street Cemetery (200th anniversary) and Highland Park Mausoleum (water damage repairs). Councilman Polency supported the investment. Councilman Casey noted the Highland Park Mausoleum is outside city limits. Approved as amended.

  • Recreation (Ordinance 234-2026): $13,301,500 for parks and recreation improvements. Includes $1.1 million for Highland Park Golf Course irrigation system. Councilwoman Hudson and Councilman Polency objected to funding a golf course outside city limits. Councilman Casey calculated the funds could buy over 1,500 utility poles for CPP. The ordinance passed as amended with two 'no' votes.

  • Roads and Bridges (Ordinance 236-2026): $45.5 million, including $20 million for residential resurfacing (a $8 million increase over initial proposal). Councilman Polency raised concerns about coordination of brick street repairs and the sidewalk 50-50 program. Passed as amended.

  • Requirements Contracts (Ordinance 309-2026): Authorized two-year requirements contracts for roadway work (asphalt, concrete, sidewalks, bridges). No specific dollar amount certified. Passed without dissent.

Miscellaneous

Councilman Shaw announced his intention to introduce legislation requiring U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to obtain council approval before deploying personnel at Cleveland Hopkins Airport, which was recently selected as an ICE deployment location.

Key Outcomes

  • Ordinance 227-2026 (Light Vehicles): Approved as amended. Councilman Casey voted 'no'.
  • Ordinance 228-2026 (Heavy Vehicles): Approved as amended.
  • Ordinance 232-2026 (Public Facilities): Approved as amended.
  • Ordinance 231-2026 (Cemeteries): Approved as amended.
  • Ordinance 234-2026 (Recreation): Approved as amended. Two 'no' votes.
  • Ordinance 236-2026 (Roads and Bridges): Approved as amended.
  • Ordinance 309-2026 (Requirements Contracts): Approved.
  • Councilman Shaw's upcoming legislation on ICE deployment was noted.

Meeting Transcript

Good morning. Today is Monday, March 23rd, 2026. I'm calling the municipal service and properties committee to order, Madam Madam Claire. Clerk, can you please call a row? Here. Present. Okay, thank you. Can you ex please excuse the absence of uh councilman Chris Harsh? Okay. All right, Director. Uh just a moment we've been waiting for. Um you want to get started with you have a presentation? Uh Councilman, I did not load the same PowerPoint that we did last time since I gave it, you know, a couple weeks ago. Um so I thought that we could go through the project lists and anything that's changed since the last time. Okay. Um if if council would like uh that presentation again, I could give it at the next committees. This will go through a couple more committees. I think we okay. Um so is there any piece that you want to start with off the bit off the bat? Um, Mr. Chairman, would you like to go um piece by piece or uh yeah, let's just go piece by piece. Okay. Um so if we start with the um vehicles, uh what number? That'd be two twenty-seven and and two twenty-eight. So we could start with light vehicles, which is two twenty-seven. And then just for uh council's information, so vehicles would would go from uh today's uh committee uh MSP into finance committee this afternoon if if approved by by MSP. All right. All right. And in with me I have the assistant commissioner um as well as Director Laird and Assistant Commissioner, if you could Kushner. Okay, let me read this piece into the record. All right, we're gonna start off with ordinance number two two seven twenty twenty-six by council members Bishop and Griffin. This is a departmental request, an emergency ordinance authorizing the purchase by one or more standard and requirement contracts for the purchase lease or lease with options to purchase of various light duty vehicles and equipment for the various divisions of city government. Okay. All right, Director, so it wasn't a um amendment to this piece. Let me let me make sure. All right, it wasn't amendment to this piece. Okay, Director Clay. Um yeah, Mr. Uh Chairman. So no MMS from our side on this piece. Okay. And uh ordinance two twenty two twenty-seven twenty twenty-six is regarding light vehicles, and the amount of the um proposed acquisition is five million sixty-nine thousand nine hundred and fifty dollars. And um, in the ordinance itself, there's the list of the specific um light and medium vehicles that uh will be acquired with this this funding. And um, we're happy to answer any questions. I would say this is uh this is uh approximately the amount that um in a typical year would be spent on um light vehicle acquisitions. Okay, all right. Is there um any questions from the committee? Um Councilman Brian Cage. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Mr.

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