All right, all right.

Um today is Tuesday, April 14th.

Um, right now the time is one thirty-three, and we are calling to order workforce education training, um, youth development committee to order.

Madam Clerk, can you call the row?

Here.

Thank you, thank you.

Um, through today, I know we have um one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.

We have nine pieces of legislation to get through today.

Um the director of Office of Sustainability here.

Um, first number four hundred dash twenty twenty-six by council members starr and griffin by departmental request authorizing the director of finance on behalf of the Office of Sustainability to apply for and accept one or more grants from various public and private entities to establish and operate a climate resilience pilot program for a period of up to two years.

And if you're on public.

Yes, sure.

Good afternoon, Chair.

Thank you, and committee members.

My name is Sarah O'Keefe.

I'm the director for sustainability and climate justice, and I'm happy to present this uh legislation for your consideration today about the Cleveland Climate Resilience Corps.

And if I may just have a couple comments and then quote a questions.

Okay.

So just a little bit about this is an idea phase.

We're asking for authorization for funding to accept apply and accept for funding for this idea and to make it a reality.

This is the Cleveland Climate Resilience Corps.

Basically, it's a two-year pilot that will pay youth and seniors to work side by side as what we would call neighborhood climate stewards.

The core will maintain green infrastructure, so maybe watering and mulching trees, for example, that have been recently planted on another uh for another project.

They will build workforce skills, create trust networks that matter when heat waves or storms hit.

So that's the idea.

This is a resilience core.

We had a tornado just a couple of weeks ago, right over Cleveland.

Huge storms, lots of things happening.

The community is always going to be on call, whether they um are prepared or not.

So this is a grant application initially, and then we have a plan in year two to figure out how this is working and how we can support it as a city.

And I can talk a little bit more about the what this will do.

The timing of this pilot in particular is aligned with two major street greening investments already underway in a particular neighborhood that is Huff.

There's a complete and green streets East 66 Street project, the break grounds and 20 breaks ground in 2026, and then a Wade Park Avenue project follows in the following year, I think 2027.

And so these are good examples for this workforce development program that can put people to work right away and have immediate impact.

So that is what we're asking for today, up to 250,000 to apply for grants from local philanthropy and any other programs that seem appropriate for this kind of project.

Okay.

Within this ordinance, um I see some of the par the um partners as far as departments.

You have park and recreation, public safety, and community relations board.

What role do they play on within this ordinance?

Yes, thank you for asking that.

So we have been working with Parks and Rec and Public Safety to talk about this program in how do we have a climate resilience core that has emergency response readiness.

So for public safety, we've been working with emergency management.

They would help train or contribute to the training of community members and community emergency response.

Community emergency response teams are a kind of specific format that's used nationally, and actually Cuyoga County has training through their um through them as well.

And then so that's the public safety piece.

Community relations board is always on call, as you know, uh when there's an emergency.

So we talked to them about this idea, and director Stuart Woodson was very on board with that in coordinating with us and giving us feedback on the uh the program outline.

And then director of parks and recreation, Alex Nichols and I have talked about specifically what people would do in this core that would support green spaces and green infrastructure so that it does not compete with current jobs, but builds a pipeline, a workforce pipeline.

And she's very interested in that aspect.

And then with your saying that this is targeted neighborhoods, Huff and St.

Clair.

Have you talked to councilwoman?

Um Stephanie House Jones regarding this pilot initiative.

Have you sat down and gave a deep brief of what is going on?

Uh to the chair, no, I have not had the opportunity to the chair.

Uh, and I am I just talked to councilwoman House Jones right before this meeting, and I'm very willing to sit down and talk about it in detail.

And then from this standpoint, when was this actually introduced to um for a council meeting?

I believe it was introduced on March 23rd.

So, and how long have you been working on this from your department standpoint?

Uh so it's been in the idea phase for a couple of months.

So, one of the things I definitely want to just share with you, like this has been um bacon for the last couple months, and it's something that's taken place in a park into a city um neighborhood in ward eight, and we haven't sat down to give the actual update with the programming of what is going on in a neighborhood in which another councilperson may be receiving calls about this.

You're talking about living wage type, and it's 20 participants, and at the end of the day, they're going to possibly ask this council person to help plan this, but they don't have um been briefed on this, and it's now being brought before us.

So I definitely am going to turn this over to um members of this committee, and starting with my vice chair, Councilwoman Stephanie House Johns to see exactly what we can actually do with orders number 400 2026, since this is occurring in her work.

Sure.

Thank you.

Thank you, uh, Mr.

Chair.

Uh, to the director.

Okay, so um, if you I have the one pager kind of outlining um the program, this is something that's supposed to be a two-year project.

A the question is have we received a grant?

No, uh, to the through the chair uh to the councilwoman.

This is the authorization we're seeking today is to get grant funding uh to implement a project, and it would not start until later this year.

And so there is absolutely time for feedback, and we have not received a grant.

So an application phase.

Sorry, yeah, through through the through the chair to the director.

Have you submitted a grant for this project?

Through uh through the chair, yes, there has been one grant application, and we are looking for other grant application opportunities and through the through the chair to the director.

Can you provide a copy of that grant application?

Who was it to when we actually get a response?

Who was it to when we actually get a response do once the timeline to get a response for the grant that was put in?

Through the chair I believe the response will be in the next month or so and yes I can provide that.

Absolutely I think that would be um helpful generally on the surface a project like this or program like this could be helpful and beneficial it's a matter of a understanding what is the actual communication plans is that outlined in the grant project or is that something simple something different where you're gonna put out this announcement for our green core stewards things of that nature that was a question.

Oh sorry um could you repeat the question I'm sorry through the so as part of your application did you include a communications plan?

So a how will people get to know about these opportunities potentially if the grant funding comes up what does that look like and what is your plan the department's plan to actually communicate to people got it yes so we uh through the chair we have a very high level communications plan with working with different groups for example community resource board was one group that we wanted to work with block clubs and with council members as well to recruit and the recruitment period would be in July so working on that together and reaching out to design that recruitment in May June after we have the actual grant was where our where our plan was through the chair to the director do you how many how many block clubs do we have in this target area?

To the chair through the chair uh I am not familiar with the number of block clubs we have in that area but we have a former resident of Huff who is working on this grant application and the program design to the chair who is that uh that is our resilience specialist whose name is Jason Goodrick Jason Goodrick he's here if you would like to ask no thank you okay all right um I'm uh I'm uh I'm gonna uh yeah please uh through the through the chair uh to the director let me see the application please sure um through the chair absolutely I can provide that we will and you know what the the question I do have through the chair to the director uh how is this area selected because of uh through the chair so we looked at a number of different areas and in particular the areas the timing of that pilot so that complete and green streets east 66th Street project what we were looking for and talking to parks and rec about was what projects might there be where the skill training for a program like this that can be centered around a recreation center like Thurgood Marshall what projects might there be that could use additional assistance that the city is supporting where we could for example water and mulch trees so a lot of times trees get planted and we have a one to two years sometimes even a three year I believe warranty on them but they don't get the attention they need so looking at those kinds of projects and working with other stakeholders that's um the Huff project complete and green streets project came up as a something that's happening this year.

And through the through the chair to the director who's going to be managing this project through the chair so the initial point person for the mayor's office of sustainability would be our resilience specialist that's Jason Goodrick in coordination with all of the different leaders that we've already been that Jason's been meeting with at Parks and Rec that would be Commissioner Toy Porch and then in urban forestry that would be Commissioner Phil Jubert in designing the program.

So the lead is mayor's office of sustainability in coordination with those departments in emergency management which is uh Matt sorry I'm not remembering many through the chair to the director I know so thus far you have talked to internal uh partners and no external partners regarding this through the chair we've talked very high level to external partners about the idea phase uh there are so for example this is based a little bit on um on different iterations of green teams but with with that cert that uh cert that community emergency response component is something we haven't done before and so this is a little bit modeled on something like a green team we a few years ago Slavic village had climate ambassadors that were supported the mayor's office of sustainability so that's where we took some of the initial design for this program we have not talked very in depth because we wanted to say that we had some funding initially um before we were able to get into greater detail through the chair to the director what was the amount of the grant contract that you submitted up to 250 to through the chair 2500 and through the chair to the director who was it sent to through the chair I can provide that information offline if that's all right but the legislation is in front of us uh okay yes we're seeking

Through the chair to the director, what was the amount of the grant contract that you submitted?

Up to 250 to through the chair, 250,000 dollars.

And through the chair to the director, who was this into the chair.

I can provide that information offline if that's all right.

But the legislation is in front of us.

Uh okay.

Yes, we're seeking.

We're going to definitely have a conversation through the chair to the director.

We absolutely are going to have a conversation offline about this.

Through the chair, thank you.

And through the stand standpoint of this ordinance number 400 2026, what is there a time of an essence or a sense of urgency on getting this completed, or do we have time?

So through the chair standpoint.

Yes, through the chair, we are seeking to have some media impact in 2026 that aligns with a couple of the efforts that I already talked about, the complete and green streets project launching later this year, or might be even launching now, where there would be a project where this core could immediately dig in and be a part of that.

Um, and that's a major project.

So, in terms of that, um, we would want to align with that timing.

And for the particular grant that I'm talking about that I will share the application of with the councilwoman House Jones and committee members, that grant would deploy middle of this year, so as early as June.

All right.

Um just from hearing some of the conversations from the councilwoman who has not yet to really fully vet this actual ordinance in our neighborhood.

Um, I know we do have a couple different meetings.

Um, I think we have one workforce committee this another committee this month and two in May.

I definitely would like for you to sit and get with Councilwoman Stephanie Howells Jones in our office to properly vet this ordinance.

Um, a lot of this stuff is taking place in her ward, and I believe she should be on board with a lot of different things.

So I would like to hold this piece and allow you to be able to work with the councilwoman.

Um, once you talk to her, she will let me know when it's ready, and I'll let you know uh from our staff when we can schedule for ordinance number 400 2026 to come back to committee um to be able to be vetted again.

Um so please get with councilwoman offline so we can be able to so you and her can discuss and we can be able to get back to this um at our possible next committee meeting.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next, we have on the mayor office of prevention intervention an opportunity to come to the table.

Um, just for the viewing public as well as my colleagues.

Um, I believe the next few ordinances is out of this office.

They do have um piece of legislation that's out of this office.

We do have a presentation.

So, how we're going to do to be able to um vet everything.

We're gonna allow the office of prevention intervention and opportunity to do their presentation.

They may touch on different parts of each legislation, and then we will go through that part of the meeting.

If you have any question or want to put down, be put down for anything.

Um, just write it down, and then after they present, we will definitely go through each legislation for us to be able to discuss.

Please, interim director, can you introduce yourself to the committee as well as your team for the view on public as well?

Yes, thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Um, I'm Sherry Allery, interim director of the Office of Prevention Intervention Opportunity.

And with me today, I have Samantha Holmes, who is a senior manager in that department, and Michael Cook, who is our um program project coordinator, and then also with me today.

I have two guests, um, Anthony Spooner from the Streets.

And Angela gotta hit the green button here where it says push.

There you go.

Okay, now good afternoon.

My name is Sherry Ellery.

I am the interim director for the mayor's office of prevention, intervention, and opportunity.

And with me today, I have Samantha Holmes, who is the senior program manager in that department, and Michael Cook, who is our project coordinator.

And then also with me today, I have two guests, uh Anthony Spooner from Beat the Streets and Angela Flowers, who is the CEO and co-founder of Making a Difference, and these are two of our um uh programs that we'll be discussing today.

Since 2018, the mayor's Office of Prevention, Intervention, and Opportunity has worked with closely with the recreation division of Parks and Rec to provide out of school time programming that goes beyond what was the traditional programming in our neighborhood resource and recreation centers and as well as programming for Cleveland youth that is provided in other community spaces such as Caramu House.

Today we are requesting legislative authority to contract with eight programs, two of which are new providers, new program providers.

As you can see here, we're requesting approval for eight programs totaling 895,165.

We have provided you with a copy of the request for proposals, which was released in October.

This this slide tells you a little bit about the purpose and the background for our programming.

Proposals were due in November, and they were submitted under one or more of the categories.

You see the four uh evaluation criteria categories listed above or listed on the slide.

Um proposals were submitted under one or more of those categories, and we received 79 proposals, totaling a little over 15 million dollars.

The evaluation process is also included here, and for the first time, we included youth in our um on our committees to evaluate uh the proposals.

A lot goes uh into the decision making process.

It's not just uh straight highest score.

Uh we look at center and neighborhood needs coordination and costs.

As we look at the proposal, there are times when we'll go back to the program provider and ask for a revision because maybe we want to uh maybe the provider uh recommended doing the program in eight recreation centers, but we only want to do it in two because of funding cases.

Um we make these adjustments in order to fit our our uh budget.

To give you better context, um this slide shows uh not only the eight contracts that are over $50,000, including renewal years, but also our contracts that were either renewed from uh previous legislation or are under $50,000.

Our total budget uh for expanded programs for the expanded programs piece is approximately 1.5 million.

Um you'll see in the um the programs that are listed in white are all the all of the programs that we're talking about here today.

The ones in the gray on the right hand side are um the four summer programs uh that are $25,000 each, the arts programs that we do every year, and then the rest uh if you go down to Caramou House, that's a renewal from uh previous legislation 558-2025, and then the Marketing Academy was previous legislation 559 2025 for Rhonda Crowder, and then you see uh Esports Scholar is 146.

That will uh be a new new contract in November.

Uh they have a currently have a contract that runs through November.

The rest of those are uh under $50,000.

So starting with our first program, um, this is ordinance 354-2026.

This is for after school All-Stars.

After school all-stars has been with us since uh the inception of this program.

We've um this has been a very successful program.

Um we're uh contracting with them for 240,167.

They will be year-round at two different sites.

One of the sites is Fairfax, and the other one for summer is Zelma George.

And um as you know, I I did send you in addition to uh the presentation.

I sent you a description of how the programs are selected by the recreation centers.

And so in this after the summer program, we will allow other uh recreation centers to say whether they want to do this program, and then we make a decision in hand in hand with recreation uh Commissioner Gisson Tanner and Alex Nichols, Director Alex Nichols.

So this program is a very comprehensive program.

They uh take the kids on field trips.

In fact, they're planning a trip to uh Columbus for this summer as well.

Um because this is uh a program that we had last year, we've put the attendance figures uh on the screen for you as well.

The next program is uh ordinance 355 2026.

This is Art House Cultural Exploration Through Art for $56,608.

This is a year-round program at that will be offered at two sites, and they do um they really do art projects that are geared to specific um cultural events that that are going on.

So they have 15 sites uh or 15 seats per site, and the if this is geared towards youth ages six to twelve, but um really they offer uh family intergenerational family art as well.

So they welcome uh if uh children from six to twelve want to come in and they want to bring their parents or siblings, they welcome that so um before you one second on Consident Joe Jones.

So what they're going to do is um go through this pro presentation.

Point of information, that's always quick.

Yep, but also I want to make sure you understand.

So they have this presentation and they have each ordinance included in the presentation, and then we're gonna dive deep.

But if you got a point, I got you.

Yes, thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Um do we have a brochure or booklet that breaks down where these activities are so that our citizens can also participate in these programs too.

Yes, this is um publicized in the booklet that uh parks and recreation puts out every season.

So each season, all of the programs are listed in that booklet, and then also they are on Civic Rec, the Rec recreations uh software system.

If you can make that available to me for what we're talking about here this day, it would be appreciative, Mr.

Chairman.

Gotcha.

Okay.

Back through the chair.

Yep.

Okay.

Um the next ordinance is 356.

This is Beat the Streets.

Um, this is um $60,800.

We uh did work with Beat the Streets one once before during the pandemic, so um that they're coming back to us.

Uh they will be serving um youth ages 12 to 18, and there are 25 uh seats per site, and they're planning to do two sites in our um in our uh recreation centers.

This is uh they provide wrestling instruction and provide a roadmap for emotional regulation through mentorship, social emotional learning, and you'll see uh a social emotional learning thread through almost all of the programs that we're um presenting today.

And this program we're anticipating uh will be at Stella Walsh and at Glenville.

Ordinance 357-2026 is our Center for Arts Inspired Learning Inspiration Through Music for 151,000.

This is a program that we have had uh for many many years.

Uh I believe uh almost it might have been almost since the inception of this program.

They uh are at three sites, Cadell, Collinwood, and uh Studio 105 in the Glenville area.

This is four days a week for one hour a day, and there are 15 seats per site per day.

So um one day they may be teaching uh percussion, one day violin, one day guitar.

So the the musical instruments over the four days changes so that uh a youth may come, they may come for all four, or they may just come for one or two.

They also um we also fund them through that 100,000 dollars uh of arts programming, the 25,000 per uh program.

We also fund them for a summer camp, so uh that's a separate contract, but that's also with uh Center for Arts Inspired Learning Ordinance 358-2026 is Cleveland Botanical Gardens, our Healthy Trees Healthy Communities program for 47,590.

Um, this program is offered during the summer and in the fall, one day a week for two hours a day.

And um it's programming that strengthens youth development through hands-on environmental learning, community gardening, and leadership skill building.

Um, this program has been at CFA, Kovasic, and Estebrook, and we plan for it to be this summer at CFA and Covasic.

And you'll see uh summer 2025, we had 141 youth participate, and in the fall we had 89.

The next uh the next program is our uh ordinance 360-2026, the Kent State University making our own space.

You may be familiar with this program.

Uh we've run it for a number of years.

This program students gather and look at the environment of their of their rec center and they determine what is needed here.

What would really enhance this um this particular rec center?

So, for example, at Alexander Hamilton, they built a swing, they painted the the bollards around the um, they determined that you really couldn't tell when you drove down uh kinsman that the rec center was there.

So they painted the um bollards around it a bright yellow color.

Um they've been at Cle at Glenville a number of years.

They've been built a bus uh bus stop covering and um some benches and some flower pots.

Um so it's really enhancing the look of the recreation centers.

Uh this is a stipend-based program.

Students can earn up to um a hundred dollars a week.

We anticipate this uh being at three sites at uh two sites during the summer and one site in the fall.

So Alexander Hamilton and Clark, which Clark were keeping our fingers up crossed, is opening for the summer, we hope.

And um uh in the fall, it'll be at um Michael's own.

The next slide is uh 361 uh 2026.

This is uh making a difference, and this is um overall well-being is the category for $100,000.

Um this is a summer program, and uh there'll be the students will be rotating through seven program opportunities focused on overall all well-being and college and career readiness.

Um this is uh for 11 to 17 year olds.

The number of site number of seats is 25 per site.

Um they are also getting exposure to health and technical industries such as barbering, recording arts, music production, entrepreneurism, financial literacy, and then of course there is an SEL uh thread through through the pro throughout the program.

The next program is uh Raney Institute.

This one is uh an off-site uh program.

This is uh 130,000, and Braine has two sites, one on the east side and one on the west side.

Uh one on the east side is uh in the Huff neighborhood, and the one in the west side is in the Clark Fulton neighborhood.

So youth would we have 25 seats for each one of these uh sites, and it's a year-round program.

The uh weekday afternoons during the school year, students receive a meal, they uh support and mentorship discipline and specific training from professional teaching artists in their area of choice: music, dance, drama, uh, or visual arts.

We um support this program in the summer with the the 25,000 dollars that the the city council um designates for this, and um last summer they had 223 Cleveland youth participate in their in their programming.

So that um that completes our eight programs for uh that we're requesting uh legislation legislative authority for, and so we are open to uh any questions you may have regarding this.

All right, before we get into ordinance number 354, um just overall from your presentation.

I did take some notes before the meet in regarding eight total primary programs.

The total amount of investment is around $895,000, $165.

And then you got the main areas of focus are out of school time programming, um, youth development and violence prevention, workforce and career readiness, and social emotional learning.

Now, through that RFP process, it was showing that um approximately about 79 proposals were submitted.

Yes, and those requested was around close to about 15 million dollars.

That is correct to the chair.

And within that process of people submitting those proposals, did we have like a range that we requested for them to stay within as far as submitted, or did they think that we had a limited cash?

To the chair, no, we did not give them a specific range.

Okay.

Uh we just asked them to present what they wanted, what they had the capacity to do, and then uh when we got the uh responses back, if it rated high, and we wanted to um to revise what they had proposed, then we would have enter into conversations with them and say, Oh, well, you submitted a proposal for eight sites, and now we only want you to we only want you to do two, and so we would work with them on that.

All right, and then you also included a 17-person evaluation team, and I know you mentioned you included youth participation.

Um what did the evaluation team make up?

How diverse was the evaluation team as well as the youth, and where are folks, you know, from born and raised, um, people from the rec centers, communities, how was that team um formulated or assembled?

So the the team was formulated from um our social support service specialists who work in the recreation centers and are familiar with with um the children and and that are in those centers, um, and of course, our uh social support service specialists are a very diverse group.

Um, also members of the um the city hall, so other departments who are uh engaged with youth, and then our youth congress uh youth participated in the um evaluation as well.

So each proposal was scored by four members of the evaluation team.

Was any center recreation managers a part of the evaluation team?

This year, for the first time, they were not.

Usually we do have uh recreation center managers involved in uh the evaluation, but uh this year uh it was decided uh to use the specialists and um they have conversations with the managers regarding uh what they feel are important programming.

What about um any center um staff?

So other than the social support specialists out of your office, who from the recreation department was involved.

So after the after the proposals were scored, I sat down with um director Nichols and we went through all of the top scoring um proposals and uh made decisions based on on her input.

And the reason why I just bring that up because um when I put on my athletic or my center manager hat on, uh as a leader of a recenter or leader of a center, uh one of the biggest things that that frustrated me is when people were bringing programs into a facility that I was managing and I was not able to vet it.

And it may be something that sounds good on paper, but it's hard for me to be able to get behind something.

And one of the biggest challenges is um a lot of these programs are taking place inside of our neighborhood resource recreational centers, and I'm trying to get an understanding of how the partnership works with your office as well as the department of parks and recreation when it relates to how we are spending programs and services inside of a facility.

Um, and like I said, if me as a that's just me just saying from my standpoint, no, I'm not always right.

I'm I'm wrong half the time.

But within the context of that, and when it comes to these youth, when it comes to these recreation centers, if the managers as well as potential staff is not involved, how can we ensure that participation is going to exist if their staff is not encouraging or participating with the program because you could possibly show up and you may have one day 15 kids, and then actually you know, if the staff person haven't bought into it, those kids might not come back to the services next week.

Correct.

So if they're not fully in in grabs, whether it's from the commissioner, whether it's from the the director, whether it's down to the center manager saying, hey, this is something that we all want.

Hey, this is how you help us retain these youth.

They were going to be having program, but possibly not actual deliverables because people may sign in and just leave out.

And that's what I'm just wanting to make sure within your evaluation team, if you possibly can really look into that, um, ensuring that the center managers as well as possible center staff person who may be actually the chaperone or the lead person on recruiting the kids for this program to be involved in this.

I think it would really help because you know we can expand access to these different opportunities, um, but we need to make sure that we are able to measure the outcomes and also how do we tie that into whether it's education, whether it's workforce, or rather it's public safety.

How do we actually are uh measuring these programs?

Do you have any ways or things you could talk to or how we are measuring these programs when it comes to the amount of close to 900,000 that we're putting into our neighborhood resource recreation centers through the yes, we I think to the chair.

Um, yes, I want I want to um point out that this was the first year that um recreation center managers were not included and rec staff were not included in the review teams, and we are going back next year to uh including them in the in the process.

I do want to um to uh toss your neck your question to um Michael regarding uh the outcomes and because Michael is really the one who's gathering all the date data and um looking at the outcomes for our programming.

No problem.

Uh thank you.

Uh so yeah, we put them a little closer.

All right, can you hear me now?

Um so uh as part of this work, we are collecting um every week we collect attendance from all the speaking of that mic so there we go.

We collect attendance from all the partners um and I do weekly checks on that to make sure it's being inputted correctly.

Um we also um before the season asked them to submit what whatever participant assessment tool that they use for review.

Um a lot of them use kind of national standard models, some that you and I are familiar with from uh you know, previous work.

So and then at the end of the season they share that assessment data um with us uh that they've that they've taken.

Uh and then I also at the end of every season kind of create from all the data they've given us some kind of bigger attendance work on how many hours of of programming we provided, um, how many participants unique, um, how many of them are going to at least half of the sessions because we want repeat, we want you know the the impact grows the more the more times uh youth participate or or people participate in a program.

So thank you.

And then one more thing, question I definitely will ask.

I see this super soccer stars.

Obviously, it was a program that was under 50,000.

Um, it was selected through the department.

How do we get to this organization super soccer stars?

Because when I hear soccer, I know American scores.

Um, that's been someone I've partnered with, and so I've seen a new organization, which I never have no problem with, but I just wanted to see what is this program.

Um, and I think it's it's it's been here already, so it's being renewed.

Um, what is that program and where it takes place at?

Through the chair.

Um, this program is uh a new program for us.

It is for really the younger children, um, primary school, preschool students.

And this is uh at Halloran.

No, it's it's uh it's it's at room and uh Stella Walsh.

Estherbrook and Stella Walsh.

And then so there's new this is their first year.

This is our first year, so um, and Michael works very closely with them with the program providers.

He holds a meeting uh at the beginning of every season to kind of go over with them their outcomes and and uh how we take attendance and recruitment processes and procedures.

So he he meets with them and and really covers a lot of information with them so that they are providing solid programs.

And he goes in and visits the the classes to make sure that they're delivering um high quality instruction.

And they started when then did they start?

This was the spring March 16th.

Yes.

Oh, definitely and Esther Brook and you said Stella Wash.

Definitely I want to take a take a look at it because I am a big American scorers guy.

Also, for the record, we do have a mini soccer pitch field that's opening up at Lonnie Burton.

I definitely met with America Scores a couple weeks ago and I asked them to send me a proposal because nothing is implemented for that mini soccer pitch field, and I definitely want to get some soccer programming over at that Lonnie Burton.

So I definitely will get with you and I'm directed to see and possibly Mr.

Cook to see what we can actually do.

And Mr.

Chair, I I want to also as Sem Samantha just pointed out to me.

This also includes parental uh involvement in the summer soccer program.

So it's parents and their little ones.

All right, so it's a little bit different.

Yeah.

Yeah, because it's those younger, them younger children.

One and two year olds.

One and two-year-olds.

That's good.

Um other than that, I definitely will um get started with the first ordinance.

Um just for the committee members, we're gonna go through each ordinance.

If you have any questions or want to begin on, just let me know.

But we definitely will start with ordinance number 354 2026 by council member Griffin by departmental request and emergency ordinance authorizing the director of finance on behalf of the mayor office of prevention intervention and opportunity to enter into one or more contract with after school all-starts for the purpose of providing after school youth enrichment activities under the city's out of school time programs for a period of one year with two one-year options to renew, exercisable by the director of finance.

And that one is the afternoon all-star um program.

We did see that on the presentation uh right there, and just all from a standpoint you have year-round programs, right?

This program is taking place at two locations.

Yes.

And what are the two sites?

To the chair, um, Fairfax and Zelma George this summer.

And then uh in the fall, we will assess where the second site will be.

And now don't you take another from Zelma George?

Don't you dare?

Don't you dare I see her.

But it also look, I I filtered out.

Um, but I also see that you say we serves Grays Ages, grades first to 12th.

Yes, they they uh separate them by grades that if they have a small group.

Usually it's the kids who actually attend are up to grade eight.

They very rarely have the high school kids there, but uh when they do, they have uh special projects for them.

All right, and then um and it's focused on academics, workforce readiness, leadership, wellness, um, and then you have strong participation history of about 300.

No, no, what is that?

Um to the chair.

Um in the winter we had a hundred and three, in the spring, eighty-three last summer a hundred and eight participants, and in the fall we had 53.

And there's no way to determine if those are the same kids or the same people, or are these different how do we determine these numbers?

How how frequent or how is it broken down?

To the chair, these are unduplicated youth.

It's not total attendance, so these are different youth for each of those seasons.

There may be some overlap from season to season.

It's a that's a little bit harder, um, just given the data that we get to we could figure it out, but it would take us a little while.

So you're close to that number, okay.

And then to the chair, I will uh add that with uh this program a lot of times the kids will come.

This is a uh three-hour a day program.

So a lot of times the kids will come right after school and and they'll be there for an hour, hour and a half, and then their parents come and pick them up or they go home.

And then there are other kids who uh after school, they have another program that they participate in after school, and then they come to the rec center later and join.

So that 25 is a rolling 25.

And then I'll just add one question um to Mr.

Cook from your standpoint.

What measurable improvements in literacy attendance or behavior are tied directly to this program for ordinance number 354 2026.

To the chair uh for this specific um, I think Fairfax especially has been uh uh real price spot for their program.

Um they had the the school right across the street, which is helpful.

But the kids have I was I've actually been there and seen Brittany, Miss Brittany, who teaches there is great with the kids and um is able to kind of especially from a social emotional perspective able to get them back on track when there are any sort of behavioral um you know issues and um she does yoga with them and dancing with them and and she's every 15 20 minutes are doing a new thing.

Um so yeah they're in the classic kind of OST model of uh bringing the kids teaching them something new every day but also really teaching them how to emotionally regulate and and and deal with kind of adversity as they're learning all right um I have no other question I'll open up to the committee and I'll go to my vice chair councilwoman Stephanie House Jones.

Uh th to the chair to the team here, how long is a season?

A season is usually 10 weeks.

Um sometimes in the summer it's only eight weeks, depending on when school lets out and when school starts back up.

Um I would really like to look at, and this is just overall, right?

We have these numbers um of like participants, and I really would like to know like the disaggregated information, um specifically looking at the ages, how many times are they actually going to a program and um and where like zip calls people are going to to then receive a program?

I just think we need to think more comprehensively about our programming.

Um let me ask this question through the chair to the team here.

How has the evaluation of programs, whether um renewal and um new programs, how does that tie into gaps in service based on the need uh here in the city of Cleveland?

Or does it and how so?

Through the chair to the councilwoman, I think that um as we look at all of the different programs that are offered in a recreation center, those conversations that Michael and Samantha and I have with the managers kind of identify those gaps that that they may be seeing in terms of um, for example, at Lonnie Burton uh one year, uh the clerk there brought to our attention that they had a lot of young people who are really struggling with learning to read.

And so we put some a couple of programs in that particular recenter because we identified that gap.

So we're having conversations with the rec centers and the the managers, but some of these programs really are um more broad based in terms of teaching kids those self-regulating um processes and um the social emotional, you know, play is really teaching kids how to cooperate with one another, um how to work as a team, how to share those kinds of things that are difficult to measure on on a on a scale, but are so valuable in the growth of a child.

Yeah, uh through the through the chair to the team here.

I I really would be interested, because I for some of this one in particular, I I really would like to see like the disaggregated data for this program in particular, because I'm looking at these numbers.

Something, you know what I'm saying?

Something about these numbers to for me, I again I I'm like, okay, is it difference if it's the same kids that are coming back, but then you say it's sporadic people coming in and out, and the investment that we are making?

I I just don't know.

You know what I'm saying?

And I'm not familiar, and I just know there are other programs.

When I look at programs like Fatima Family Center, and I'm just going to say explicitly many of these programs, they not doing a fraction of what Fatima Family Center is doing, and I'm just be honest.

Um, and the amount of money that we are paying for it when you think about the quality in comparison, it's just like, well, how do we get to this point?

Um, and then they are like really great organizations who are doing things that have no connection to the city whatsoever, and we are not getting the quality and then some of it.

I think through the chair to the councilwoman, I I would like to to meet with you and pick your brain in terms of um we are looking at how do we expand our um data collection and the the num what we're looking at, the numbers that we're looking at.

We're concerned with the quality of the of the program, and so um I'd be thrilled to sit down and talk to you about and I think just beyond that what you're seeing through the chair to the team here.

Do we have like outside of the programs that we utilize?

Are we looking at an analysis of like some of the top high performing um youth programs here in the city of Cleveland?

Do we have like a list like that?

Does the city of Cleveland have that list?

We have been working with uh Starting Point, and I'll I'll uh turn this over to Samantha to talk a little bit about the um the work that Starting Point has done around our uh out-of-school time programming.

Come on, see your manager.

Through the chair to the councilwoman.

Um, yes, we started last summer really in an intentional partnership with Starting Point as they develop their out-of-school time department.

Um, they are now a part of the Ohio um after school network and the lead there.

Um, and so we meet with them about once a month to really talk through who their list of out-of-school time providers are, understanding what they're looking at from program quality and assessment, also with background checks, and so they are helping us to flush kind of what our list is and having a benchmark of compare and contrast based off of how they're vetting.

Um, and that will also help inform us when we think about future RPs, like who's even on that list, right?

You know, because a lot of times we have a list and it's like, is it comprehensive?

Are we making sure that we're kind of really diving into who's out there in the community now?

Understanding that, you know, there have been some ebbs and flows based off of funding that has come into our community.

Some organizations are no longer there, and there are also some great organizations that have come up.

Um, and so that is kind of where we are with the development, they're out of school time locator based off of our last meeting, had over, I think, a hundred organizations already that have gone through their vetting process.

Um, and so that's kind of where we are, and the nice thing about their locator as well is you can do it by particular area, ward.

You can also look at what type of services you're looking for, so if you're looking for summer, um, so they have actually been you know a great thought partner, and how we can even better utilize that and promote that beyond just like printed materials and what we have on the city site as well.

Yeah, to the chair to the team here, I I can get like real like I really think and again because it's not this.

One of the things that I know I hear, and I'm not sure of my other colleagues, is we consistently get the message everywhere I go in a community men, one of the top things that always rises up, there's nothing for our young people to do cross-board.

And I must I'm gonna just say it, depending on what neighborhood resource and recreation center that you go into, they're telling the truth.

Because all just because you have a program don't mean like as the councilman was saying, does not mess does not necessarily mean you have um the person who uh provider who is giving the best and quality thing that will attract young people because that's one this is a people-based thing.

It's not just doing the program.

If you don't have a good person doing the program, you're not going to get the attendance.

And you can see it very clearly.

I don't have to be that sharp to understand if it's a good program or not.

Families know where a good program is because the kids will let you know it's a great program, right?

And it's just I there's just something that's off, and like I said, because I haven't really like dug into this probably the way I need to, because it's always still going on.

Um I I really do think that just separately from committee meetings, we should actually have a real um like some sessions to look at this thing comprehensively, where it is, where it isn't, how people signing up, how they not civic rec, I do not like it.

I'm gonna just tell y'all that civic rec, I it is too complicated.

How long is it through the chair to how long is the contract for Civic Rec?

I I believe it's it was three years.

It was one year with two uh options to renew.

But I'd have to go.

Can you provide can you provide through the chair to the um director?

Can you absolutely provide like when is the the even the renewal like we need to it is have have y'all all like register people on civic right?

Do people register by themselves on civic right through the chair to the team to to the chair to the councilwoman through the chair?

Um I have my um concerns that's not even y'all.

No, it's but I have my concerns.

That's through the um civic rec is recording parks and so I'm gonna scratch that from it all matter.

But no, no, but because this is how, but I'm just for clarification through the director to the chair.

Families are required to go through Civic Rec to register to even get into the program, correct?

Or no?

Through the chair to to the councilwoman, that is correct, but they will they will register you at the desk at the front desk.

Um if you if if a child comes in and says they want to register for a particular program.

Okay, we should talk about that.

I just think and the reason why I even though through the chair, and this is my last question, because I tried to do a pottery class.

And if I didn't try to try to do a pottery class and had the experience myself, I wouldn't have known what residents have to go through trying to register for a program for a season, like it was very enlightening, and it should not be that challenging to register for a program.

We should could do something more per per person centered, people centered if we want to.

So I'll stop and I'll probably through the chair and the councilwoman.

You have some very valid concerns, and um I know that the the director is really looking at that program.

And through that standpoint, um, just for our our staff, if you could make a note for us to possibly workforce education, training, youth development committee, um, work with municipal services so we could dive deep into recreation.

We possibly could schedule a hearing together where um mayor office of provincial intervention opportunity as well as um municipal service can possibly collaborate on a hearing just to get to understanding more about Civic Rec and just how they work together in line.

Um I definitely will talk to our chairman Kevin Bishop about that, so we can possibly follow up and see what we can do to understand some of the concerns that councilwoman House Jones brought up about Civic Rec and just signing up for programs and also get the understanding of what is going on inside of our rec centers because it all ties intogether and partnership and collaboration is how we can get those answers that we need or make the changes that we should need, it should do.

Um I did have Councilman Joe Jones next, but he stepped out.

Councilman Shaw.

Thank you to the chair, and thank you to the team for your time this afternoon.

My apologies for the delay.

I was on uh neighborhood call.

Um you know, this is my first time um going through this process.

I wanted to just understand what what do the activities actually look like that the students are doing it?

Um it's you know, the academic achievement to workforce readiness and um the training that's a pretty broad range.

So I just wanted to understand like what are the students actually doing.

So through the chair too, uh Councilman, this is one of our more comprehensive programs.

So they do a variety of things.

They have homework tables at the very beginning where they uh help the kids go through their homework.

Then they may have physical activities, like they may uh play games or go down to the gym and play basketball, or they may do art projects, um, they go on field trips.

This uh particular group is actually taking a group down to Columbus to the State House uh this summer to um to to tour the state house.

So um they do a variety, it it looks differently every day in in with this particular group.

Okay.

Um I I appreciate that um background that will I guess for example, like what does workforce readiness and training um, what would an activity of that look like?

What's an example to the director through the chair?

So they may um they may explore a a particular I can't think of uh uh an example right off the top of my head, but um they may take uh a career pathway and talk about it in in their group settings.

Um they may uh do a field trip to to uh someplace that that is um uh uh uh has a workforce development program, those kinds of things.

Okay.

Um and then uh my well, another just I'm I'm trying to understand what the program actually looks like, so bear with me.

I know some of these are probably more basic than uh you're getting from my colleagues.

Uh it helps kind of help me understand.

And I would love to also actually come and do a tour or like uh drop in to one of these sites when there's actually classes going on.

That would help me understand.

Um and I guess my so you mentioned that these are kind of like drop-in hours, it sounds like where students may come in and they get picked up earlier by their parents, they can come in later.

Can you is that correct?

Is my understanding correct?

Through the chair, yes.

This particular program is a three-hour program.

So it it a lot of the kids uh uh, for example, Fairfax.

Um there's a school right across the street.

So when school lets out, a lot of the kids come over and participate in after school all-stars.

Now they may not stay the whole three hours.

They they may have you know something else that their parents want them to do, or maybe their parents want them home at five o'clock.

A lot some of them do stay for the whole three hours, and that's that's encouraged.

But some of them, you know, depending on the family circumstances.

And then some students may have an after school activity that they're participating in, maybe they're on the school's basketball team and they don't get out for another hour, so they come an hour later to the program.

But basically the kids come into the into the Fairfax or whatever rec center, and they have um they have the leaders of this program, and they help them with their homework, uh make sure that they're uh getting everything done, uh talking to them, they're they're mentoring them, they're talking to them about situations that may have occurred in school, um, they because there is that um social emotional learning kind of thread that goes through all of these programs.

Um then they'll do some physical activities, some arts activities.

It just depends on that day's um what the curriculum is for that day.

And how many mentors or instructors do they have at each site?

The the um usually they have two, but it's thir 30 to one is the is the contracted ratio.

Okay.

So if each site only has 25 seats, they're still having maintaining two at each location?

Yeah.

Okay.

And we through the chair to the councilman, we welcome you to come and visit and uh we will make sure that you get a copy of the Parks and Rec catalog with um all of the programs uh and the times that they're offered.

Yes, I think we did get one in the mail if I remember correctly, but I'll definitely reach out.

Uh so what what happens when the 25 seats are filled, or you know, it does it ever get to capacity?

So we'll kind of wanted to understand, do we turn it to students away?

What's what's happening there?

Our our um our policy is to develop waiting lists if if a class is full, then we develop waiting lists.

Can you walk me through that process a little more so in the kind of how you explained?

So if students are coming there after school and if the first 25 students that come that day it's full.

So at the beginning of the season, at the beginning of the season, they register for the for the class.

The parents do or the students?

The the parents register them through Civic Rec.

But a lot of times um they'll come in, they'll be walk-in uh registrations at the site.

At the beginning of each season.

At the beginning of each season.

And so they they have a roster of who their youth are that they're working with for that particular season.

And how many do they uh allow to register?

Well, 25 is the maximum, as you pointed out from the from the slides, 25 per site.

But if if a child says, I'm only gonna come from three to four, and then someone else comes in and says they're gonna come from four to five, then they manage that.

I understand.

And so then on like any given day, say for example, 25 students are already there and more students roll up, what happens?

So we have a we have a policy through the chair to the councilman.

We do have a policy of not of trying not to turn away any students.

So if students would come in and it they're a couple over the 25, um, we would we would welcome them into the program after school all-stars would, I don't believe that they would turn away any any youth.

But again, you know, they're in the rec center.

If they're walk-ins that aren't registered for that particular program, there may be other programs being offered in the rec center that they would participate in.

Okay.

Uh that's helpful, and I'm I'm I'm glad to hear that.

Um I'm not suggesting that we're not serving students and I that's like I said, so if the number of students, you know, first season is one of 103 at any given point at what capacity are these classes?

I'm trying to understand if this should be a program that should be expanded to maybe more areas, or like what does that actually look like in terms of the usage and how full the classes are?

Through the chair to uh to the councilman.

Um on the the numbers 103, we were running four sites at that time.

I see.

So this isn't necessarily just one site.

It's it depends on how many sites we were offering that season.

And so for the winter of 2025, we were offered at four different sites, and that's uh how we came up with with that number.

And these are unique, unique kids.

So for the 2026 year than we're planning on only doing this at two sites?

At only at two sites, yes.

Why are we going down?

Um financial reasons through the count through the chair to the councilman.

Um there's only so much money that we have, and we had to make decisions regarding programming.

Okay.

I I didn't realize that.

I guess I maybe I missed that during the budget sessions.

I didn't realize we cut the amount of funding for MPIO.

I thought we were at the same level.

Is that not?

Well, we have we have some other uh programs that we're we're offering this this season.

So we have um two for after school all-stars, but we're offering some other programming as well across the city.

Okay.

And I I'm presuming I know we have some other stuff, so we're gonna get into more of those details.

Yes.

Okay.

Um I appreciate that.

Uh I'll reserve done.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman.

And within our standpoint, that means you just reallocated funds to different programs instead of maximizing um the additional dollars that you possibly have for at the school all-stars?

Or to the chair, we have 1.5 million approximately for expanded programs.

Um we have uh two million that we used for youth um youth employment, and then we have um some other um like Myrna's Taylor that we fund as well out of our uh pre-contracted services line.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Um I would like to call on Councilman Joe Jones, then Councilwoman Gray at the Councilman Joe Jones.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Um just want to make sure we're at the 354-2026 after school all-stars.

Correct.

And Mr.

Chairman, um, for 2026, because I see 2025, you have so you have like uh the winter, spring, summer, and fall.

Will that be the same way um again this season?

So for orders number 354, will you still have this program being offered potentially if pass winter, spring, summer, fall for 2026?

Through the chair, that is correct.

Would those numbers be the same as it is here, or or do we have an idea if the numbers are going to be more?

Through the through the chair to Councilman Jones, um, we're offering it this program at two sites, so we're expecting 50 50 participants each season.

Okay, so it would be a little bit lower.

Yes, that is correct.

I see.

And um uh councilmember Shaw had had uh asked a number of questions previously uh that covered some of my questions but I also want to, Mr.

Chairman, um, to Mrs.

Euler.

Um I hope I'm pronouncing that right.

Ellery, thank you.

Thank you.

So I don't want to be saying the wrong word.

Thank you.

So that's quite easy, Ellery.

Ms.

Ellery.

Um so the the question that I want to ask here, and I've I asked this in years past.

Now this program previously was were we using ARPA funds for these programs previously that we're we're looking at right now?

It's through through the chair to Councilman Jones, no.

We we have always only used general funds for this expanded program.

And that total package is it at the end, whereas like uh um I want to say you have a summary.

I presume this is the summary package of all your programs added together.

Um would that what would that total be?

Is it the end of the package?

I saw a figure there.

The um the eight programs that we're bringing to you today come to uh total of $895,165 through the chair.

Okay.

And so, Mr.

Chairman, I I want to turn to page four.

And I don't know if that's a part of um would this be because it says 79 proposals received.

Okay, don't worry about that.

Take that back.

We don't even worry about that.

Um, because now I see I'm answering my question by reading it.

Um so what I would request, Mr.

Chairman, is what would be very helpful for me is to have a pro have a uh uh request of information showing the description of the programs like we have it outlaid here in this program as it is now.

Uh I like to know what site locations these programs are offered and what communities they cover.

Um that is important.

I've asked Mr.

Chairman uh when sign your prior jones was here, I asked the question, and I presume uh Mr.

Chairman to Mrs.

Ellery, you're you're taking over the responsibility of Mrs.

Prior Signor Jones.

Through the Chair Um to uh Councilman Jones, I I am the interim director for the uh mayor's office of prevention intervention and opportunity.

So um, so you're taking over prior sign, you're you're taking over for prior sign your jones.

So just for context.

No, for context, um Chief Prior Jones have additional responsibilities more than just uh mayor uh prevention or mayor office of prevent intervention opportunity.

So she's taking over some of the role, but she's not taking over for taking over the whole program.

You only taking over part of the program.

So just for clarification, um chief prior Jones was a chief who had other responsibilities than just this office, so it wouldn't be taken over for her.

She's moving into the role of one or of possibly half of her responsibilities into that role.

Okay, I see.

So you're gonna be doing part of the work.

Yeah, but she's the interim director of the office.

So she's not the chief, she's the director.

Exactly.

Is that is that the best way to put it?

Through the through the chair to the to the councilman, that is correct.

I'm not over aging.

Um, aging is its own department, uh, and they have their own director.

I see.

So did so you're saying that prior uh Mrs.

Jones was over aging too at one point?

Yes.

Okay, I see.

Yeah.

All right.

So then, Mr.

Chairman, um, let me ask this question.

For your programs, all the programs you have working out of there because there's so many of them.

Um, how many programs you have?

Are you talking about expanded programs or are you talking about the other?

All the programs that you yourself run that you're responsible for.

So so the um Office of Prevention Intervention and Opportunity has the social support service specialists that has expanded programs.

I I guess uh I want to get to it.

So I'm gonna get uh change the questions, Mr.

Chairman, to Mrs.

Uh Ellery.

Uh what is the number?

Do you run 79 programs, 105 programs, two million programs?

How many programs you run out of your office that you're responsible for?

Like we have all of these programs here.

You don't seem like you understand what I'm saying.

You have like 15 programs or five or six programs here.

How many programs do you run out of your particular shop?

For expanded programs, we have we're having about 16 contracts.

So you run 16 contracts.

Out of your shop.

16 out of your whole shop.

Once again, um, Councilman, since she's talking about just one part of our program, she may have other programs that are not just expanded programs.

So, interim director, can you explain on the programs you have from expanded programs and then possibly um additional programs that you are offering so you can understand exactly what you are doing in your department to the council person?

So the expanded programs, we have 23.

Listed all of them listed on page three of this.

Okay.

We also are responsible for youth employment, our contract with YOU.

So that's another one.

So that's another one.

That's another program.

So is it one program that has 25 other programs in it, or is just one?

One program that has 23 programs.

Okay, so it's 2020.

So one program that has 23 contracts.

So I don't want to get confused here, Mr.

Chairman.

So I tried to make it simplistic.

So what I'm trying to ask, Ms.

Ellery, is if you out of your shop as the director, as the interim director, how many programs you run out of your shop?

So is there two programs, 102 programs, 23 programs, or 75 programs?

To the chair.

In my office, prevention, intervention, and opportunity, we have seven areas of focus.

We have many contracts.

I I'm I'm I guess I'm not clear about expanded programs.

We have 23 programs that we run in the recreation centers and in other spaces, community spaces, like Caramou House.

So in the office of prevention intervention and opportunity, we have the Cleveland Thrive Grant.

We have the social support service specialists, we have the family support specialists, we have the youth employment program.

Okay.

So and can I hope you're coming to the chairman, please um through our to our staff and as well as to the director, can we get a list broke down of all the contracts that are coming through MPIO?

Um as well as a breakdown of what detail or category it fall or any bureau that it falls under your office so we can get an understanding of what list you have, because you may have um to the councilman point 70 different contracts and just trying to figure out where do they fall at under your supervision so we can be able to get a better breakdown and understanding of what it's doing.

And I know right now we're talking about one part of your office, which is the expanded programs, but you also do have um youth opportunities are limited.

You also do have the Cleveland Thrive.

You also have different things that are coming in your uh um through your department and your office so you can be able to have a better breakdown, and I didn't make that clear so our staff may have it as well to be able to get that request to you to do that.

And thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

And to add on to that is knowing what those contracts numbers are, how much are we talking about?

What's our overall expenditure out of your program for these type of programs to help our citizens?

And then the next question would be an evaluation process.

Um and that may be something where I may have to come and sit down and with you and really fundamentally understand that um since I'm new here on this committee.

So I want to be able to really fundamentally understand how your department works.

Um and I don't know that.

I just know that often your department has come to this table with the previous chief, and there's been so many programs.

And I've asked about um those programs and getting a breakdown of those programs, and I got like a quick sheet, but it didn't give me much of information of anything.

So what I would like to have is a thorough understanding of what you do and how well you serve our citizens sitting here at the end of this table here every day I think about how I can serve my people, how I can serve citizens, how I can serve my young folks.

I know that we have um the Frederick Douglass, Mr.

Chairman, a recreational facility.

And I would like to sit down with you to really fundamentally understand the programming and how we can bring the type of programming that used to exist when I was a kid, and how it took me and my peers off the street and started to do something positive with their time.

And so understanding what programs work, and Mr.

Chairman, I'll be straightforward.

Some programs uh may work better than others.

So I think that sometimes when we're looking at these programs and understanding its evaluations, we want to be able to focus where we can get the biggest bang for our buck.

And so often we may spread ourselves too thin, Mr.

Chairman, to the director, but I won't know that unless I have a true sense of understanding of what you do.

I tried to do that previously and it didn't happen.

And so I would hope that you know we can do that.

I can understand how your programs work.

I have a number of citizens, Mr.

Chairman, especially young people that really need a lot of services in my community.

Our community is poor, uh, has been impacted in a super negative way, and we don't have nowhere near uh the same kind of activities of when I was a kid.

And we only had we didn't have a whole lot of what you're offering across the table.

We just had a handful, but that handful was able to keep crime down in our neighborhood and and mischievous mischievous activity down in the neighborhood.

And um, and there was a moment in time, unfortunately, where we were furloughing all of these programs.

And when we did that and we shut our um recreational facilities down, Mr.

Chairman, we saw the increase in crime in our streets.

And it brought us all the way back here to the table to really fundamentally start dealing with that right here.

And so I would like to to understand that better.

So I'd love to set up a time with you.

You know, once you've given me the information that the chairman has requested, and I have an opportunity to review, I don't want to waste your time and certainly don't want to waste my time.

So once I've had the information, I can go through, I can home in on those things I really want to fundamentally talk about and see how we can add those programs in my neighborhood and how we can work together in partnership so that I can start pulling these young folks into something that's gonna really hopefully make an impact and make a difference in our neighborhood.

So, Mr.

Chairman, thank you for the request of information.

And if we can get the dollars for those programs and we can find out what neighborhoods they operate in, and then if you have a quick sheet evaluation on each of those programs and their efficiency and effectiveness, uh that would help me to determine and make a decision on what programs I would like to see in my community.

Is that okay, Mrs.

Ellery?

Can you do that?

Through the chair to the councilman, I would be thrilled to sit down and explain to you our.

I appreciate that.

And Mr.

Chairman, no further questions.

Thank you.

And you got that um go on.

All right.

Um Gray.

Yeah, thank you, Chair.

And I thank you for coming, team.

I just have a few comments and and a couple questions pertaining to the uh all-star after school all-star program, uh, which Ms.

Allery, you already know that it was at Zamba George the last year.

And I um be a Zamba George quite often, which anyone knows is right in my backyard.

So that is then always been a um recreation center that I went to before I even came counsel.

Uh yeah, we had uh incorporated the um the um the uh after school summer um uh uh cooking program there before uh when Mr.

Jamison, Director Jameson was there.

We incorporated a cooking class for um the uh adolescents, the teenagers and single citizens.

Um that was a a a uh four program for all of them, and we had uh the extension program.

Um Miss Um, she was from the OSU extension program, she was the chef, and she actually brought her food from her farm, fresh food, and she uh had the uh the adolescents on a Tuesday, she had the teens on a Thursday, and she had the single citizens on Saturday afternoon.

And it worked fine.

And I'm not sure I know she left, I can't remember her name.

She was good too.

My God, everybody fell in love with her on time.

The kids did learn how to prepare food from their kitchen at home instead of eating uh processed food from all the fast foods.

And they enjoyed the class and missed it because I went to each one of them and stayed too and learned how to cook other stuff for my kitchen cabinet.

And uh uh it was a success.

And I know once she had COVID, she did not return because it was on the limit uh uh uh it was on the limit of um short string.

Then we incorporated a young young uh lady that did the cooking class for the kids.

Can I remember her name?

I don't think the cooking class still going on, but she stayed uh a couple of uh years after that.

She was like it was after school, it was not during the winter, it was just during the uh after school through May and September.

But it was a success, and the everyone embraced that cooking class.

And uh I was um I listen, we were proud of having that in uh having that at Zamba George.

And I know most of these Emma George uh programs have always been successful.

The fruit that I know that been there, if they it's a turnover course, and they stay for uh a long period of time, like the like the dance class or the um Zoomer class we had in the exercise class.

But the exercise classes are still going on with the single citizens, and that is a big hit.

And the single citizen, you know, they have their own performance there, they have their cooking, they do their cooking, they zoom up classes, their exercise classes.

So that is strong there at Xamar George.

Uh, but to say the least about the all-star class that was there last last year.

Now, by me spending a lot of time there, chair to the team.

I spent a lot of time in Xamar George, but I don't know if I brought it to your attention, and maybe I brought it to I did bring it to your attention when the when the when the staff and the director and the and the manager who I'm very close with, and I didn't know that the all-star uh this all-star uh um after school program was there, but they brought it to my attention by me spending so much time there because you had uh uh it's the social service guy, is uh what's his name that used to be there.

Do you still have that program there where they talk to the kids privately?

Yes.

Through the chair.

Because he left and another one came, right?

Yes.

Now that's Stephen Woodard is there now.

Okay, see that.

And that's a strong, uh, that's a strong advocate there that they really engage with the kids when they have those social problems.

But unfortunately, I brought this to your attention because the staff and the manager brought this to my attention when they said, Councilwoman McGray, there's no one in that class.

And I didn't know the class, the class was there.

But they explained to me that the all that that this after school all-star class was there during a certain time.

And they said, Councilwoman McGray, there's no one be in the class.

And we bringing it to your attention because we know you always up here, and you can talk to the person at City Hall and let them know there's no one in the class.

So when I they told me that, I went into the room, and there was nobody in the class at the time that it's supposed to have been scheduled.

Now the other the now the people who work there for it, they were at the table, but there was no one in the room.

Then they said, Council McGray, come back at certain times and just walk in here, and you will see no kids are in the class.

And they said that the kids do come, they come and sign up.

They don't stay long enough for them to teach them anything, and they are not privileged to stay.

To say the least, that the kid can come in and stay for an hour, that is not productive enough for the class to be existent.

If the class is there to teach these kids to be more attentive, so though so they can know the class is there for them for that time frame, and they shouldn't be in the class.

They shouldn't go in 15 minutes and then leave out.

If that class is initiated for three hours, that kid should be there.

Like I said, maybe four hours, like you say, if the parent needs to pick them up, because after school per se.

But I'm saying that I spend more than enough time at Zenma George, not because I'm the counselor, because I like being there, and I was there before I came counsel.

That's it's a very busy, busy uh recenter in that particular area, the most busy rec center of all the rec centers that I had, which I have Hamilton and I had Woodland, but now that's part of Ward Six now, and we know how busy that recenter is.

And kids is there all I mean, kids are there from the time is open.

Now, now the kids come after school, but there's time they open, singers there, people come and go, people stay, you got the skating ring, so I know how busy it is.

And I have my community classes.

I mean, I have my community meetings there too.

However, this particular class, and I did come periodically from time to time just to see was there anybody in this class, and that's when I brought it to your attention.

It wasn't active enough.

And not saying that it wasn't a good program, but I'm saying that from what I viewed last year, it wasn't active enough for the kids to have that much interest to stay long enough.

Not saying it's not a good program.

Yeah, but it wasn't, it didn't give the attention span for the kids who kids who did come, should have wanted to be wanted to stay from what the what the um the representators who was been teaching something, maybe maybe it was the wrong representative.

Maybe the representatives didn't have that uh to uh that uh to uh entertain the kids to want to stay to learn.

You know, maybe uh, you know, maybe they wasn't the right fit to engage for the uh to engage to be studable to uh um to run the program so that uh so the kids will want to stay and also didn't know how to attract other kids to come in during that time frame to want to be there, even to sit and listen to see you know to see if it fit their uh personality of interest.

Yeah, so I'm saying this, and the and the staff and the and the manager, they like the program being there.

But when they told me that there's no one never there, and then the kids did come, they didn't stay long enough to have interest, even to stay.

So I'm just giving you from the truth of what I've seen, but no hearsay.

Yeah.

This program need to be re-examined because if you're gonna continue to fund it, you need to get the right people who have that, who have that ability and that passion to take the time to assert themselves to um uh to uh um to get the kids interest of um of who have these problems or these um or these um who have these certain problems that they need to open up or want to learn something.

So I'm not saying that the program is not the right program.

I don't, you know, it says Zelma George, we want as many programs at every recenter as possible.

Believe you me.

I'm all for that because I advocate for more programs to be at both centers, especially, especially Hamilton.

Hamill is Hamlin is right now.

We're trying to figure out what more we can bring to Hamilton because sometimes Zelma George is overpacked.

They overpacked, they can't even get any more programs on the list, and people want to be there because of the flux of the um of the residents constantly in and out that particular rack, more so than more so than gearing them to Hamilton, which I tried to give them to Hamilton, because we want Hamilton to be busy as well, you know, with that overflow.

But I'm just giving you I'm just giving you that um this truth word of mouth.

This program.

If you're gonna continue this program, it needs to be re-examined.

You need to get the right folks who want to initiate this program, who's uh who have the ability uh to be assertive, who has the ability to get up out that room instead of sitting in that room, because that's what they did.

Yeah, because I went to the room and talked and and I spoke with them, you know.

I did not, I just wanted to know what was going on, what was happening, and they said that they did have kids with the kids left.

That wasn't um, you know, that wasn't acceptable because you are the people in this pro in this room supposed to be out of this room and get these kids that's coming to this rat to get more kids.

I don't care if those kids was not on the list like you said.

If those kids left who was on the list, get about that room and assert yourself through that recenter and get and get other kids to come into that um into that room and just listen to see what they're doing, and it's the opportunity for other kids who want to come in to learn something.

You just don't sit and make and get paid for something because the kids don't show up in three hours.

So that was the concern of the staff because they want that they said it's a good program, Cuss of Woman, but no one's never in it.

Okay, so I'm just letting you know, and we and I brought it to your attention.

Yes.

So you're bringing it back to Zama George.

You need to reexamine the people who you have going to be in that room for this class.

So I understand councilwoman's uh uh concerns and the concerns that she brought up, not knowing that she does, not knowing that that rec center is not in her ward, but what's her but her but her concerns were truth to fact because I seen it and I be in that rec center major time because it's because it's in my backyard.

Yeah.

So I'm letting you know that is true.

So if you're gonna bring it back to Xamar George, you need to reexamine the folks that's going to be over this program at Xammer George and get folks who are going to be attentive, who's gonna be active, who's gonna be assertive, that's going to bring, have the be assertive enough where the kids be interested in them while they are facilitating the information to them and not and not just be in there 15 minutes and leaving, and but if you have no kids, get up and go get the kids that's in their rec and facilitate the information to see what other kids would like to come in and just sit for a while to see what they're doing and learning and what they want to give them to help them with something if they're not even aware.

So that's what I and that's that's it.

I yield on that, uh, counsel chair.

Through the chair to uh councilwoman gray.

I I remember that incident, and um we did call uh after school all-stars, and I believe that after after you made those comments, they did make some changes to the uh instructor there.

And you know, we don't want to we don't want to waste money and we don't want to waste um time and tie up a room uh if if kids are not gonna show up or or not participate, so we will watch that program very clear closely and make adjustments as we need to, but I believe that they did um they did change the instructor uh midway through that after you raised those issues with me.

And so um they're very responsive.

Okay, all right, good because like I said, if you need to have someone to oversee the program, make sure they're doing their due diligence, uh helping the kids with this program, it's not necessarily need to be put, it probably have to be uh re uh recreated and get someone that has the passion and the deaf who wants to spend that time with different ages of individuals who who need this.

We need this type of social connection in our community, as my colleague um Jones stated, uh what we have lost uh uh with our children, but our children don't have a connection with the connection of folks who's in these positions because they don't feel it.

It's a feeling now for the kids because they're dealing with a lot of emotional stress in their lives, and they can't even figure it out.

But if you got here to say that, if you have here to say that um after school starts to for the purpose of providing after school youth enrichment activities per se, uh uh what type of activities that you're gonna provide for the youth to find their interest to find their interest of they want to be part of the program.

It's not an interest of what someone else stated that this is what we're gonna do.

These kids may not be interested in that.

We need to find the interest of what the kids also you can extend it and add it on there, not to uh not to uh uh not to uh uh eliminate the purpose of the program, but also when the kids come in to you know to see what their interest is to add on to what should what the purpose is for them to have the attention or to want to stay uh uh you know um want to stay there because um because they tapped into something they are dealing with if that's the purpose, you know what I'm saying?

Because our kids going through so many other stuff.

We can't figure out other folks' kids.

We can't, but we know they're dealing with something, and if they are willing to come into that room, don't talk about what you're doing in the program.

Um talk about what's going on with them, and then you can reroute what you're doing and what they are feeling if you want to continue funding this program because I I'm telling you something, uh I am about the kids too.

Um and I think we all are.

We all about the kids, but we want to try to figure out other folks' kids on how we can help other folks' kids that we don't know what's going on in the household, but we need to get these kids in these programs so we can help them in any type of capacity.

So if we got to make adjustment to a program to get these kids into this program, let's try to consider that and get the right folk in these programs who want to do it and not just uh um and not just getting paid through the chair to councilwoman gray.

Thank you very much for that feedback, and we will act on it.

Yes, um, I definitely see a lot of the committee members have great pointed questions regarding this ordinance.

Um so definitely some of the thoughts I definitely would at least want to ask to the director with these different pieces of legislation for um expanded programs with the vote here today if one does not pass what happens with the actual funding for these programs through the to the director.

So what do you do with the program dollars if it does not pass through council through the chair?

Um we will go back and look at other programs and replace it.

pieces of legislation for expanded programs with the vote here today if one does not pass what happens with the actual funding for these programs through the to the director so what do you do with the program dollars if it does not pass through council through the chair um we will go back and look at other programs and replace it all right with um clerk could you call a roll on 354 um 2026 354 26 no no can i say table do i say yes or no okay we've got um um i recuse because i want to try it again i recuse can we have a b chairman point of information before we continue with the vote yeah or we just taking a vote can we have a discussion at some point there's seven let's here one refuse all one two yes um i'll I'll recuse i know that I can't I can't refuse that's not that's not even off that's not an option uh I'll vote abstain no you can't just say um voting Mr.

Chairman can I make some comments after the vote after the vote I'm gonna I'm gonna vote no but I I would like to make comments and it's at the privy of the chair I usually don't go against the chair no six no already thank you and just to point out I will call on councilman Joe Jones Mr.

Chairman I would you know because I don't know much about the program that's the reason why I wanted to sit with Mrs.

Ellery and and understand the her programs a little bit better we've approved a lot of stuff across this table um the testimony of Deborah Gray I'm here talking about how it has been ineffective was enough for me to say no and also um I always go with the chairman of the committee whenever there's a vote of no this show our consolidate you know our consolidation as as a group uh on this but Mr.

Chairman I would be uh open to understand if it was effective like as I asked earlier about the programs and I was trying to get to how many programs it would seem difficult um don't want to have a difficult time when I ask questions about how many programs you're running out of your your office in your shop when I saw that difficulties uh in terms of getting a a direct answer um and and if there's if it's uh Mr.

Chairman if it's one of those situations where um is really complicated you can just say that then that way I can understand that you have different breakdowns or sections of it but just having the conversation with you proved to be difficult for me for what I felt was a simplistic question that I asked you how many how many programs you offer how much of those programs for what neighborhoods do they serve do they serve our community that's important Deborah Gray is in the southeast section of the city of Cleveland and her recreational facility is not far from me.

My citizens go to her recreational facility for her to give that damning testimony uh gave me a sure say no in process in part because I don't know more about your program so when you do bring your programs here and you really want those programs to work it would also help uh to have an assessments of those programs and why they're so good who's saying is good and how effective it is and one of the things Mr.

Chairman um that I've learned in past previous meetings and community forums uh with the your prior chief um they didn't have a real good assessment process and when I started asking questions in community formats and forums I couldn't get any answers so it's like how do I how do I know that this is really working for our community so with that Mr.

Chairman if we can get more information and if you want to bring this back again to the council I don't have a problem with being supportive of the program if you can tell me how that program is going to have an impact to help the citizens of my neighborhood thank you Councilman Joe Johns for your um your comments regarding this to to the chair um can would we be able to bring this program back to uh to you with these additional pieces of information because this is a very excessful program at Fairfax recreation center and I think if you talk to um council president he would agree with with that assessment um I would like to come back to the table with the people from after school all stars and have them talk to you about their program and the selection of their um instructors so that we could uh maybe reconsider this particular one I think from through the legislative process we got the um reorganize or restructure what we're talking about if you were to

I would like to come back to the table with the people from after school all-stars and have them talk to you about their program and the selection of their um instructors so that we could uh maybe have reconsider this particular one I think from through the legislative process we have the um reorganize or restructure what we're talking about if you were to want to bring back this program it would have to be some differences between what you currently presented um the vote was taken within the workforce committee to discuss some of these things I think from the standpoint of what most colleagues at this committee were talking about is an actual what is the return on investment on the dollars that we're getting to a program where you talk about close to 900 thousand dollars of programming dollars into out of school expanded programs um the importance is to make sure we are getting the participation the actual wellness to actual leadership and conjunction of ensuring that uh we have that partnership and collaboration with this recreational staff so if there's some other discussion we would like to have offline on what possibly can help get committee members in this committee to support the initiative we could definitely discuss offline um just to make sure we get no best return on our investment in dollars and councilwoman step yeah and go ahead Cosman Harsh yeah Mr.

Chair just for the uh those following along at home for the civics lesson for today um this committee votes to recommend or not recommend uh we don't vote up or down to uh pass or deny the passage of ordinances so uh if the chairman wanted to set relieve this to finance it would go right now without recommendation from this committee for passage but it would still be eligible for a full vote of the council I just wanted to clarify the role of this committee in terms of the ordinance itself yep and and it works both ways if this if because this is one of the things that I don't want to have be an issue in years past is that uh to not really this the point of going through the committee process Mr.

Chairman is to make sure we're vetting every piece of legislation and I've seen in years past where you didn't want to handle the issue and you sent it to finance so it could be passed off.

If it dies in the committee it dies in the committee that's just the way it is and so I just want to make sure that's a part of our council rules and you as the chairman um you know the only other person that could probably pull it out would be the leadership for whatever reasons uh but at the end of the day when I saw legislation in years past and I've been sitting here at this table for over 17 years and I've saw some doozies and so what I will share with you is that there's been once it's killed in committee it's dead unless it goes back by the chairman it just all depends on who the leadership is but our council rules says all of these processes go through the committees now I'm not I'm not a person who Mr.

Chairman uh would would would have a problem with it going to the finance committee um but it's supposed to be vetted through these processes and that's the way it works it works that way in Congress it works that way in other legislative bodies they have their own rules thank you council jones uh councilwoman Stephanie Jones um I think it's two point this is part of the reason why this body actually needs to look at our rules um but similarly it is what uh councilman harsh said because I brought this up several times about when a committee recommends or lacks we only give recommendations we actually don't vote on the legislation legislation will actually go before the entire bit um Monday council on Monday nights too that's when you actually vote on it but with that being stated that's why I think we need to look at our rules and I do think we need to examine it but as it relates to this piece of legislation in and of itself um the reason why I've voted not to recommend it is because based on if we're looking at eight programs this one program is more than 25% of the dollars for the multitude of things and even with some of the new programming that's coming up I I know that even though they don't operate in my community I know when the the the beat the streets one I know that's a good program.

Like you see what I'm saying like it ain't no question I know the work that they do I've actually I was at a um I was at the National League of cities and somebody was talking about their program when they brought the uh professional wrestling uh the NCAA so like I said when you know good programs you know it and I think it is very troubling that you have one of the council members that talks about a program that's getting at least the limited investment that we have and no one is there and that's the reason why I said we absolutely need the disaggregated data we need to know for this program how many times did people actually go to this program like and I'm gonna I'm gonna say that I'm gonna say less and Mr.

Like and I'm gonna I'm gonna say that.

I'm gonna say less.

And Mr.

Chairman, uh, on the point, um, I the council lady brings up a good point.

I've said here, I've even seen legislation by chairman not even brought to the table and killed and wouldn't even brought with it, no presentations.

So making sure that we understand what those rules are are going to be important.

I will look into it.

Thank you.

Order's number 355, 2026.

Um, an emergency ordinance authorizing director of finance on behalf of the mayor's office of provincial intervention and opportunity to enter into one or more contracts where Art House Inc.

for the purpose of providing art lessons and activities with artists for youth and young ladies, young adults, I meant, under the city's out of school time program for a period of one year with two one-year options to renew, exercisable by the director of finance.

Um director, can you talk about three orders number 35 a little bit?

We didn't.

Okay.

You got any questions?

Any questions to the committee about the art house inc?

Well, Councilman Harsh.

Yeah, Mr.

Chair, uh, I heard houses on Denison Avenue in the uh Brooklyn Center neighborhood.

Uh I've been familiar with their work for a long time.

They are wonderful folks.

They are right across the street from Benison Elementary where a bunch of kids walk.

It's true right across the street after school.

Uh the participating notice programs are well attended, they're well run, and uh they're an absolute asset to the neighborhood.

That's all.

Yep.

Any other council members?

See no.

Other questions, orders number 355 2026.

I passes.

Ordinance number 356, 2026, an emergency ordinance authorizing director of finance on behalf of the mayor's office of prevention intervention opportunity to enter into one or more contracts with Beat the Streets Cleveland for the purpose of providing after school programming involving structure physical activity and social emotional learning to promote fitness discipline and healthy lifestyle habits for youth and young adults under the city's auto school time program for a period of one year with two one-year options to renew, exercisable by the director of finance.

Beat the streets is here at the table.

Uh you've been here for a minute.

Anything you would like to say about this program.

There's uh my name's Anthony Spooner.

Uh, I'm uh head of uh mentoring and coaching, and uh actually from listening to uh you know the things that were brought up with with the all-stars, um I was fulfilled in knowing that uh we've addressed a lot many of those issues and and the adults matter.

Um and the kids want to be there because you're there.

Um and beat the streets truly uh emphasizes that that the relationships we have with the kids come first.

Um and the wrestling is is a joke, is the sprinkles.

Uh, if I can get them on a mat, that's the things that happened before that is is the true story.

Uh what happens on the mat is just fun.

Um and we saw that this last week and I had a uh a kid from John Marshall who informed me that he just recently has a you know has a two-month-old.

He's only a sophomore at John Marshall, and he wrestled uh in styles he was unfamiliar with and on a trip that he's never done before.

And first match he wanted to fight his opponent, second match he wanted to fight the ref, third match he wanted to fight the coach.

Um and by the fourth match, he grabbed me.

And if you didn't know the relationship, you wouldn't know, you wouldn't know why I wasn't worried because he told me I just want to do something for this team, and he's holding me like he's trying to say, let's go.

But it was a powerful moment because the next match he won and he grabbed me with tears of joy.

And and you know, he returned home to his young one, I'm sure motivated.

And so I kind of joked that we kind of give these kids a beginning, a middle, and a start.

And when we can do that, it it everything starts to grow.

And right now, our major issue is growth, is the is the rate of growth and keeping up with it and being able to provide what we know these kids need at another scale and another scale.

So I'm truly excited about the uh opportunity right down the street from uh you know within Slide Village with Stella Walsh and being able to extend those services amongst the summer.

So I just I hope we continue to have the opportunity to be great for the community and honestly for the families.

Yes, um, just clarification.

Um Beat the Streets is was in the old ward five, now is in a great ward, the ward great ward three.

Oh is it two?

No, beat the street right across the street from the boys and girls club.

Yeah, I got you.

I got you.

Um I definitely will call uh councilman Shaw.

Thank you, uh Chair.

I wanted to uh understand which are the two sites it's going to be at to the director or the coach Stella Wall through the chair to uh councilman um it's Stella Walsh and Glenville.

Okay.

Uh appreciate that.

And I wanted to just give a quick shout out, coach.

I don't know if you remember, but a couple years ago I was a guest coach along with Russell Hauser, um, a former wrestler.

So um I'm really happy with the progress, and uh I will really heard great things and uh wish you all so thank you.

Thank you.

Any other say there's no other questions?

Orders number three, five six twenty twenty-six, stands approved.

Please orders number three five seven twenty twenty-six, an emergency ordinance authorizing the director of finance on behalf of the mayor's office of preventure intervention opportunity to enter into one or more contracts with the Center for Arts Inspired Learning for the purpose of providing music lessons to use in grades three to twelve under the city's out of school time program for a period of one year with two one-year options to renew, exercisable by the director of finance.

Any questions of the committee?

Seeing there's no questions by the committee, ordinance number three five seven 2026.

Stands approved.

Ordinance number 358 2026, an emergency ordinance authorizing the director of finance on behalf of the mayor's office of preventure intervention and opportunity to enter into one or more contracts with Holden Forest and Gardens for the purpose of providing hands-on STEM-based educational experience under the city's out of school time program for a period of one year with two one-year options to renew, exercisable by the director of finance.

Any questions to the committee?

Ordinance number.

Seeing there's no question, orders number 358 2026, stands approved.

Ordinance number 360-2026, an emergency ordinance authorizing director of finance on behalf of the mayor's office of preventure intervention, an opportunity to enter into one or more contracts with Kent State University for the purpose of providing various hands-on workshops for youth engagement under the city's out-of-school time program for one for a period of one year with two one-year options to renew, exercisable by the director of finance.

Seeing that we had the presentation on ordinance number 360 already.

Any questions by the committee?

Seeing there's no questions, ordinance number 360 2026, stands approved.

Please sign ordinance number 361 2026 by Councilmember Griffin by Departmental Request and Emergency Ordinance authorizing the director of finance on behalf of the mayor's office of preventing intervention and opportunity to enter into one or more contracts with making a difference consulting LLC for the purpose of providing an eight-week long summer program focused on well-being and college career readiness for use in the ages ranges of 11 to 17 years under the city's out of school time program for a period of one year with two one year options to renew, exercisable by the director of finance.

Council Councilman Stark, can I um speak about our program, please?

Hi, I'm Angela Flowers with Making a Difference Consulting.

Um we are excited to operate in the ward five um central community and then also the Glenville community.

And so um just in regards to some of the questions that were proposed prior to our organization has done a little bit of due diligence and did a needs assessment with our young people in the community.

We found out what programs they wanted in regards to offerings, and then we also have hired uh ambassadors to go out and help with recruitment.

Our um programs are evaluated through Cleveland State and Case Western Reserve University, so we have program data.

We've been in operation for 19 years.

Um, in terms of CMSD, we've gone into the lunch um lunch times already and recruited.

We currently have 125 young people that have signed up for summer programming already in Ward 5.

We've also gone to both councilmen's um meetings to present information in regards to summer programming.

We've knocked on doors, door to door with door hangers for our programs with our QR code to scan, and then we also um twice a week.

Our ambassadors uh at Lani Burton go with us into the community to actually do hands-on learning so that the kids can experience the program already to know that it's something they want to be a part of.

And so I'm excited because we're offering career pathways where our scholars that are middle school and up will receive hands-on training in regards to cosmetology.

They are gonna um get a boutique license.

We have rented a space downtown on 13th Street for an actual salon location.

We also um we have to go through the process for our store, but they're the kids are gonna be doing workforce development in terms of entrepreneurship.

They're gonna learn how to operate a business, to create their own t-shirts, mugs, and things to sell, and they get the money back in return for themselves as well.

In regards to social and emotional learning, our Better Choices program is based on managing anger and emotions and feelings and trauma.

My clinicians are all licensed social workers and counselors that are going to be providing that type of engagement in the recreation centers for our Divas program, which is the girl program that stands for demonstrating inner value acceptance and self-worth that has operated in CMS D schools in 27 sites over the last 10 years.

We also um have operated the Boys to Man program as well, which is a component of it, which is based on social and emotional learning strategies, and we have an academic portion for this particular summer program, which will reinforce literacy because we know the literacy rates in the community are low.

We have literacy-based things embedded into every program.

So our staff and team members are already um intervention specialists within different school districts, but then we also have some trained tutors that are going to be doing math enforcement, STEM enforcement, in addition to the literacy, so that they can gain those particular skills that they need.

And so in central community in particular, we have um raised additional dollars for this program, which have um been 300,000 for this particular program.

And what it is allowing us to do is expand the opportunity, not just at the recreation center, where we've been delivering some free programming at Lani Burton in regards to the rec manager.

He said that he has never seen his kids so engaged and stayed for programming, um, and they were not forced to be there.

And so um, we are taking them on some college tours and doing some civic engagement.

So the students are learning about photography and videography, they're capturing the assets in the community to do a video documentary, and I invite everyone to come out for the culminating event.

Um, and then they also are going to um the state house to learn about civic engagement and the power of their voice and vote, and we have some college tours that are already lined up for the scholars in addition to just programming that's going to be offered in general, and so I'm excited to be here just because of the work that we've been doing in the community.

We're in a lot of your wards already, but within the schools and embedded during the lunch period and after school.

Um, and so I'm just excited because our work is youth-centered, and we believe their voices are so important to actually getting the word out, but making sure that we're not saying it's a great program on paper.

We're letting the young people say it in general, and they actually come back and try to work for the organization too, which is a highlight of what we do.

That is a great, great short explanation of what's going on in Ward 5.

Um, but one of the most important things that you may want to hear is the recruitment.

Um I've had two on War 5 community meetings, and we've had great deep conversations.

Some of the things that we're looking to do is expand on War 5 creating a year-long um program for our children.

So understanding what is being offered, the frequencies, where they are located at, which department, which um rec centers, including Friendly Inn, both our rec centers, um, boys and girls club, as well as sisters of charity coming together and say what we're doing at Tri-C to be able to say this is what we have to offer.

This is what's going on during the spring, um, the summer, the fall, the winter, and roll it out.

So we're trying something differently, but most importantly, we're making sure the services and the programs and opportunities are presented on each and every level for everyone to understand.

So that is something that is that is very important to get in a buy-in and a participation.

As like you said, um, recenter Mike Powers is not easy to get along with.

Um there's any more questions.

Ordinance number 361 2026 stands approved.

On behalf of the mayor's office prevention intervention, an opportunity to enter into one or more contracts with Eleanor B.

Ramey Memorial Institute for the purpose of providing various arts education and enrichment activities under the city's out of school time program for a period of one year with two one-year options to renew, exercisable by the director of finance.

Any questions of the committee members?

See if there's no questions, ordinance number 362-2026 stands approved.

Please sign.