Will all the members of council please come into the will.

All the members of council with please come into the will.

Madam Clerk, please call the rope.

Griffin.

Here.

Bishop.

Conwell.

Davis.

Gray.

Harsh.

House Jones.

Hudson.

Jones.

Casey.

Polencick.

Santana.

Shaw.

Slife.

Star.

You have a core, Mr.

President.

Thank you.

Will everyone please rise for a moment of silence followed by the Pledge of Allegiance?

Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

And to the Republic for which it stands.

Under section six oh five.04 of the codified ordinances.

No person with purpose to prevent or disrupt a lawful meeting shall do any act which obstructs or interferes with the due conduct of such meeting.

Such disruptions may constitute a misdemeanor and a violation of six oh five dot oh four.

Section six oh five.

The following is the first and only warning.

If this meeting is disrupted, I will gather a halt to the proceedings and direct the assembled officers to escort any person participating in the disruption out of the chamber.

Once persons participating in the disruption are outside of the chambers, officers will close the doors, and the disruptors will be handled as directed by the director of public safety.

The council proceedings will not begin again until those that participated in the disruption have left the chamber and the chamber doors are closed.

Disruptors will not be allowed back in the chamber after the meeting resumes.

Again, this is the first and only warning.

Madam Clerk, please dispense with the journal.

By council member Harsh, that the reading of the minutes of the last meeting be dispensed with the journal approved.

Seconded by Councilmember Hudson.

Thank you.

We'll move to public comment.

I'll ask all the council members to turn around to face the speakers and remember the speakers.

Please acknowledge your time.

When you see the yellow, that means to wrap it up.

And when you see the red, that means to abruptly stop.

Hold on.

Let me get together here.

Or who got this?

Onita.

Something is.

How do you get this thing set up?

I'm just gonna go ahead.

I'll look.

I'm keeping the timer up here.

I don't know what's going on with this machine.

All right, we're gonna go ahead and start.

Uh hold on for a second.

Hold on.

Stop.

Okay.

The first speaker that we have is Daryl Houston from Bedford Heights to talk about city issues.

Uh he is not representing anyone and not being paid by anyone.

Mr.

Houston, you had the floor.

Uh good afternoon, everyone.

Um, first of all, I'd like to uh clear up a few things that's uh been stated about me and uh not being a resident of the city of Cleveland.

Um I want my community to know that I was born and raised in the city of Cleveland, and I was also wrongfully in prison in the city of Cleveland.

And I also have several different businesses in the city of Cleveland.

Every business I've ever established been to give back to my community.

And uh I realized that I could not do the recall myself because I'm not a resident of the city of Cleveland.

So I did uh participate and joining in with a young man by the name of Juan Diaz for the recall.

Now, the funny thing about this entire situation is that I didn't know that this young man was only 25 years old.

He's married and has a child, and he has valid reasons for wanting to do a recall for his future of his child.

I also did not realize that um him and another gentleman, Richard Starr, are one of the two youngest people that represents two different generations of people to speaking up for what's right in the communities right now.

So I say that to say, as a 57-year-old man, I'm wondering where my colleagues are willing to speak up.

I see this young generation speaking up, but I don't see the older generation leading the younger generation anymore.

And that's a broken record now.

And I think we can do better with that.

So here's what I would like to tell my community.

I appreciate all the pastors that's reaching out.

I appreciate all the of my constituents that's been reaching out.

I hear you guys cries about the concerns, and I'm going to answer the concerns to the best of my ability.

And the main concern that you guys are crying out was that you do want the recall.

You do want the mayor gone, but you didn't want Mark Griffin to be sitting in the seat.

So I understand that as well.

So what I plan to do, if this petition doesn't work out, which I see is some constitutional issues with the petition in itself.

I'm gonna deal with that as well.

But if it doesn't work out, then my intentions are to move back into the city of Cleveland.

Don't know which ward I'm moving into, but whoever ward I decide to move into, I'm gonna move them out.

That's the first thing I'm gonna do.

And then I'm gonna consider running for the mayor of the city of Cleveland.

Because I've been asked by this community for more than eight years to run for elected official seat.

Okay.

And I have great resumes to prove that I am a leader, that I can have a vision because I do have a visit.

I've been coming down here for 24 months straight, trying to get you guys to see where we can do better at.

Some people were welcome arms and some people wasn't, right?

To the people that don't want to see change in this community.

Good luck.

Because it's a few more recalls coming.

And it's not just in the city, we're gonna do it in the county as well.

Because I believe this community deserves better from our leaders that we're voting for to deal with things in the community.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next we have Angela Henderson from Cleveland Heights.

She represents NL9 NLC, and thanks for having our group during the meeting.

She is not representing anyone, not being paid by anyone, but uh Miss uh Angela Henderson if she could come forth.

Miss Angela Henderson here to come to the mic.

Angela Henderson.

Okay.

Good evening, members of council, and in particular, my ward to councilman Kevin Bishop and Deborah Gray, councilwoman of Ward 3, where the neighborhood leadership institute resides.

As my cohort Dorcas Johnson will show the myriad of NLI's outreach services, I would like to give you a historic perspective as to the location in the Slavic village where NLI excuse me has set themselves up to provide future decades of community engagement, outreach, and support.

5246 Broadway Avenue was first settled by Eastern Europeans in the mid-1800s and immediately provided social services as well as being a medical clinic to the struggling immigrants as they were settling in their new way of life on Broadway Avenue.

Service to the community has always been the spirit of the settlement, whether it was in 1876 or 2026.

For 150 years, this property, now known as the home of the neighborhood leadership institute since 2017, has been a jewel, a mainstay, and a beacon of light to those who are searching.

As I'm learning how to become an example of community engagement through my placement in the neighborhood leadership Cleveland class of 42.

Every time I trip, there's always been someone there to pick me up and lead the way, for which I will always be grateful.

The Slavic village and in a larger part Cleveland are blessed to have NLI available to all that are seeking a way to grow, connect, and to be of service.

Thank you on behalf of the neighborhood leadership class of 42 for having us here this evening.

Thank you.

And I have to apologize if you could, Miss Dorcas, when we bring up and acknowledge neighborhood leadership institute.

We'll bring up that entire class because our rules only allow for one speaker per time.

And I want to make sure that I strictly follow our rules.

Thank you.

My apologies, thank you.

All right, next we have Matthew Strazinski from Ward 2 to talk about communications with the city.

He is not representing anyone and not being paid by anyone.

Mr.

Strazinski, you have the floor.

Yes, thank you.

And again, it's a great honor speaking.

Um this mayor's chair situation.

Okay, I'd like to end this thing once and for all.

Uh, you know, Mr.

Mayor, you probably don't have good advisors.

What I would do is just pay the 2500 and buy and buy spend the chair uh write a checkout, give it to the city, so I don't have to hear Ed Gallack, okay, again on TV about this complaint.

I think you're doing a great job as far as revitalizing the city, uh, this city hall.

I think you're doing a great job.

I don't think you're being advised correctly.

Just pay the check.

Just write a check out and it'll be done, it'll be over with.

That's what I would have done.

When I was a building inspector here, which is the city of Cleveland, I didn't like my chair, and I went and I bought a new one.

And then when I left, I left it with the city because I wasn't gonna bring it out.

They probably think I would steal it or something, you know.

So I left it with a co-worker, and you move on.

But you know, continue doing what you're doing because I do respect what you're doing.

I want to talk about uh my main topic, which is Berkeley Front Airport.

Uh can we just do both?

Can we have Berk Lake Front Airport and a park or whatever you want to build?

I think we can make we I think we can do both, okay?

And this is I've done a little research on this, okay.

We don't want to lose this airport, okay.

You do not want to lose this airport.

Uh I have uh the city uh New Hampshire and Pennsylvania, which are already creating laws for flying uh vehicles, um urban air mobility, flying vehicles, uh drones.

You know, this is something we're gonna we're gonna really regret in 10 years.

We don't want to lose this airport.

It's uh you're gonna see more housing, you're gonna see more businesses in the city of Cleveland, and you're gonna uh see private more private planes that want to utilize that airport.

I mean, it saves so much time.

So you really have to think about this, okay?

I mean, I'm a little older uh, you know, than a lot of people here.

I I know things and I've experienced things and what's gonna work and what isn't gonna work.

For God's sakes, don't get take those lobbyists, have them come back to Cleveland, Ohio, and and forget about it.

Just keep this airport, uh helicopters, okay, have 400, only have 400 miles that they can go to drop off organs.

Planes, okay, can do 4,000 miles.

So we need planes to be in the airport.

Okay, helicopters are just gonna be a local situation.

So look into this.

New Hampshire and Pennsylvania are already passing laws for this, and dig deep on it, okay?

We can ever next we have Bridget Smith Jackson from East Cleveland to talk about housing solutions, not representing one, not being paid by anyone.

Good evening.

This Thursday, April 23rd, marks 10 months since the explosion at Rainbow Terrace Apartments.

An explosion that changed the life, I'm sorry, that claimed the life of Mr.

Cordell Sheffield, left two children burned on over 50% of their bodies and displaced 44 families.

10 months.

And for many, the crisis is not in that day.

What happened there was not just a tragedy, it was the worst case result of what happens when negligence goes unchecked, when accountability is inconsistent, and with predatory housing practices are allowed to exist in silence.

So I asked, what will this body do to ensure this does not happen again?

Additionally, Miss Novena Watkins is still homeless.

Since the last time I stood here, she has received two additional denials for housing.

Not because she isn't trying, not because she did anything wrong, but because the system continues to fail her.

And she is not alone.

This is not just a housing issue, it's a systemic, I'm sorry, it's a systems failure, and system failures require action within your authority.

City Council has power.

Through the housing committee, you can hold hearings, call departments into alignment, review enforcement gaps, and advance legislation that strengthens tenant protections.

You have the authority to require transparency to demand data on inspections, violations, and repeat offenders, and to ensure that information leads to action.

In partnership with the mayor's administration, you can ensure that building in housing, law, fair housing, and community development are not working in silos, but in coordination.

What residents are experiencing is fragmentation and fragmentation creates gaps and gaps are where people fall through.

So I ask again, use the housing committee as a vehicle for accountability, convene the departments, establish a coordinated response, and move forward real enforceable protections, including anti-retaliation measures, clear enforcement pathways, and real consequences for continued non-compliance.

As we see, without coordination, people suffer in silence and are left to pick up the pieces after disaster.

The city remains reactive instead of preventive.

Across the city, we have seen the pattern.

From sewer failures in the Lakeshore community to deplorable living conditions at Park 85 to the closure of Vista 1 and 2 to the retaliatory displacement of Ms.

Watkins to the explosion at Rainbow Terrace.

These are not separate incidents, they are connected.

They are evidence, they are the cost of Clevelanders are paying for a housing system that is not working.

And the reality is residents have been sounding the alarm, they have been reporting, they have been asking for help, and too often they have been met with delay, deflection, or silence.

The body is publicly on notice.

The question is when will you take action?

Because if telling the truth about safe living conditions can be ignored without consequence, costs someone their housing and or life, then what we have is not a housing issue, it's a power issue.

And power when left unchecked becomes harm.

The question is over what's happening is what would you do.

Thank you.

Next we have next we have Stephanie Thomas.

Stephanie Thomas is from Ward 12 to talk about local carceral, jail or prison, institutional system.

And she's not representing one and not being paid.

Stephanie, you had the floor.

Hi, thank you for having having me.

The last time we was here, we talked about how the Cleveland police should not be equating low-income children who spray paint abandoned buildings and break into cars as terrorists because it is dangerous rhetoric.

Since then, under the guise of killing terrorists in Lebanon, Israel has used tanks and missiles to murder 2200 people and displaced over 1.3 million men, women, and children, primarily Muslims.

Additionally, they have used chemical weapons to poison the earth, which feeds the people of Lebanon, and they have used bombs and controlled demolition to level most of the buildings in southern Lebanon.

All of this is funded and aided through the United States of America.

Today I wanted to talk about the cost we the taxpayers pay so that somebody else can get rich off the pain of innocent people.

The price tag has gone up a hundred thousand dollars in the past two weeks.

At the current jail, taxpayers pay a nightly rate of 150 dollars per night per bed to the carceral institutional system.

At the new jail, we will be paying 192 per night per bed.

And guess what?

It's bigger.

If it's bigger, they will fill it.

And we will be paying for more pain, more trauma, more oppression of our people so that somebody else can get rich.

This is the continuation of vestige of slavery in modern times.

So don't be fooled.

The police brand children as terrorists, just as the Israeli government and the Republican Party, so that somebody else can make money off the pain of our people.

Thank you.

Next we have Lauren Lawler from Cleveland to talk about infrastructure failures, water main breaks, power outages, and other city issues.

She's not being paid by anyone and not um and not representing anyone is Lauren here.

Okay.

Well, um, Michael, um, you're a great councilman.

Um I see that people usually drive down the street to throw trash on the side, a nephro.

Some people are courteous to clean it up, some people are not.

I mean, for heaven forbid, there's a nursing home with people with compromise and use systems.

And as residents, um as a resident, um, my idea is to reduce the shootings and establishments going on in the neighborhood to send more criminals out there to doing the robin to work and clean the trash up.

Um they want to rob people because of whatever they're going through financially.

I see a lot of people um crying because they can't fire jobs or whatever case is, and I feel like it's a good idea as a resident, it's a good idea to send people out like that to you know clean some of the trash up is um or whatever case is.

Um, I feel like um it's a win-win situation because the community will be uh cleaner with less criminals.

I just want to clarify the hit person that's in charge of the trash unit.

I don't know his name, said that he was going to get a power, his power washer to clean the feces off the bus stop and a steer smarter on the glass in front of this gas station in front of Saverlot.

But um, overall, um, I don't know if he's here, but Michael Polanc, you are a phenomenal councilman.

I wasn't talking about you, but uh you know, I appreciate you as a councilman.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next, we have Fauzi Bador Fauzi Bador is from Ward 11 to talk about a hyperscale data center.

He's not representing one and not being paid by one.

Mr.

Vador, you had the floor.

Good evening, Council Mayor Bib Gabnett.

This petition does one thing.

It allows the Bible of Ohio to decide for themselves, matter that affect them all.

The data center.

First, I'm asking you to sign this petition.

Some of you here already signed it.

I'm asking the rest of this council because you're good people.

You belong to the people, sign this petition.

Other thing, I'm asking this council to come up with a resolution to either reject the data center or put it off for a few years just to study that the problem.

They're invading farmlands, city land, uh uh, township lands, villages land in Ohio.

Ohio is their second biggest state after Virginia.

We know in Virginia there was a revolution in the last election, and they're getting rid of them.

Ohio right now is with 203, and they aim it at 280 station.

Michigan, 58, West Virginia, 7.

Ohio is 280.

That's not tech companies, that's a trillion dollar corporate agreed.

He was asked last week if he thought the people of Ohio should decide this.

Mike DeWine, the outgoing governor, said not so fast.

Yes, it is fast, governor, faster than the time it takes you to get back home.

This is the Bible of Ohio, and your servant of the people of Ohio.

His his standing defending he that the data center.

Everybody has an idea why.

Counsel.

In in Cleveland, they have two locations.

One up the street here on Rockwell.

It over three acres.

In Downtown Cleveland, they have over three acres.

And then they have the AX Center.

The IIX Center, Cleveland acquired the IX Center, and some people here witnesses to that.

Kevin Cornwell, Mike, Mike Bolensik, and you play.

Cleveland gave up entire neighborhoods to acquire the I center.

Not the data center in it.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next we have Justin Streeko from Ward 12 talk about the future of Louisa May Alcott school.

He is not being paid by anyone and not representing anyone.

Justin, you had the floor.

Hello, hello, council, mayor, administration.

Um I'm gonna start with some words you probably don't always hear.

Thank you.

Um I know that the process of having to make difficult decisions uh through CMSD to close a number of schools throughout the city is profoundly difficult.

And I'm very appreciative of the mayor's administration as well as some of his staffers who have engaged with my neighborhood block club and had conversations and made sure that we understood how the process is expected to unfold and been relatively up to date with managing our expectations backwards about their aspirational timeline.

In my uh block club, we conducted a survey, and I know that not every neighborhood around this city is as necessarily tenacious as Clifton Baltic neighbors, so I wanted to share with all of you some of the results that we had.

We had 53 different residents from around my neighborhood, uh, fill out an open-ended questions and allowed them to express what they would like to see and what they're concerned about.

70% of our neighbors explicitly reference either one of two, if not both things as concerns.

One that the building would remain vacant.

I don't need to explain that concern to all of you.

It's a concern that you have for your school buildings that are slated for closure in your districts.

The other one is housing.

I know that I've heard leaders in the city government time and time again speak about the need and how we need to address housing, the housing crisis.

Um, and and what I don't often hear is the word affordability.

If we are going to build a vibrant city uh of the future, we need to make sure that the people who can afford to live in this city also have money to patronize restaurants, nightclubs.

I love that new uh bill to reduce the local venue uh that was in tax, so thank you for that.

Um tangent.

Um but the these are things.

So when using terms like market rate housing, I just wanted to make sure to take a second and remind folks when you use tax subsidies, when you use tax incentives, it is no longer market rate.

You are creating a market distortion.

You are creating an incentive for the value of that property to be sold higher than the market would typically bear, which is going to raise the valuations of those communities, which is going to put further stress on the property tax, uh, property taxes of your residents who are doing the very patriotic thing and paying their fucking taxes.

Excuse my language.

So please, please, please take that in consideration as you're thinking about how to address housing overall.

And um, so that's what I have to say about that.

Just want to flag that on a personal note.

Um, some of you know me.

I I spent 10 years in Washington, DC as a public interest lobbyist, and I saw legislation introduced last week that profoundly concerns me, and that's the use of cannabis tax revenue for personal counsel um uh discretionary funds.

As somebody who worked on this issue with leaders like then Senator Kamala Harris and Jerry Navarried our bill.

Those taxes should go to who was harmed.

Time people who look like me.

Time, thank you.

I'm gonna ask if all of the speakers can refrain from using any profanity.

We do have children in here, and we do have a live listening audience.

Um, so I wanna make sure that we um be respectful of the crowd, and um that goes for everybody, counsel as well as the audience uh that are speaking at the microphones.

Thank you.

Next, we have Dante's Taylor.

Dante's Taylor is from Ward 2.

Uh Dantez is here to talk about dumping and other issues.

Uh Dantes is not representing anyone and not being paid by anyone.

Uh, thank you, uh Councilman Slipe for helping Dante's get to the microphone.

Thank you, Mr.

Taylor.

You had a floor.

Hello, my name is Danteus Taylor, and I would like to know what can y'all do about dumping on different properties because it's all they're dumping in different areas all the time, and you call in on it, and it's still it's still sometimes sit there two or three months at a time.

Yes, it does.

And I hope that we can get this dumping under control and figure out how to get these lots attainable to the residents, so we won't have this dumping in our cu in our communities out here.

And everything else, and oh and and I am about to bring out a petition for parentransit, and see how we can get.

I would like to figure out how we can sit down and with pair of transit and figure out how to get their system better.

Because every every month, about two or three times a month, their system is going down, and they be like they can't find their uh their vehicles and all that, and and it and it put stress on people on wheelchairs, people all over and everything else, and God bless.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Last but not least is uh James Bentley from Mayfield Village, here to talk about safety.

Um he is not representing anyone, not being paid by anyone.

Mr.

Bentley, you had the floor.

Good evening, Mayor, and uh relevant city officials.

I'm writing to formally report a hostile work environment, ongoing retaliation, and serious concerns for my personal safety stemming from a prior workplace violence.

On October 24, 24, I was physically assaulted twice by my supervisor Don Kluppel in the presence of a witness, Bill Carreras.

I filed a police report following this incident.

The severity of Mr.

Klepo's conduct was later substantiated by human resources, specifically Ariel Flores, who confirmed the findings of workplace violence on January 14, 2024.

The prosecutor's office subsequently pursued this matter and subpoenas were served for the court proceedings.

Mr.

Kleppel was arrested at the job site, escorted off the property, and dismissed from his position.

Despite being the victim, I was displaced from my regular job assignment at West 41st on October 28th, 2024, and reassigned at 1300 Lakeside for my protection as communicated by Assistant Commissioner Bernie Jackson.

This resulted in my uh removal from my department for over a year until my return as of recent back in January 5th, 2026.

Shockingly, Mr.

Kleppel was rehired December 29th, 2025.

A no contact order had been put in place for my safety through legal counsel, which I hired.

However, on January 21st, 2026, Mr.

Klepel appeared on the job site at around about 1300 Carnegie and came in close proximity to me, violating the expectation of my safety.

This incident um triggered a PTSD episode directly related to the prior assault.

I contacted the police and I was instructed by dispatcher Wayer to leave the area and go file a police report, which I did at the third district police station.

While I was filing the report, Director Martin Kane arrived.

When I later obtained the police report, it stated that this manner would be handled in house, which raised serious concerns about the integrity of the reporting process.

Shortly after the incident, I was issued a five-day suspension.

More recently, I've been given a 10-day suspension, Tanya Pugh from DPU, allegedly for not calling the secondary sick line.

I did call the primary sick line.

I believe this disciplinary actions are excessive and retaliatory.

As a result of this, I've been diagnosed with PTSD.

I'm under medical care and I occasionally miss work due to this condition.

I strongly believe that I'm targeting in this shirt.

Can I send this to the mayor?

Uh if you could, if you could, you could submit it, but I keep everybody to a strict three-minute time period.

This is very important.

I just need to do that.

You could you could submit it to the mayor's administration, but I do keep everybody at a straight three-minute time period.

Thank you, sir.

I would like this allegations to be looked into.

Thank you.

We'll now move to communications.

Madam Clerk.

File number 525-2026 from Cleveland Foundation, first quarter 2026 report for neighborhood safety fund pursuant to ordinance 486, 2023, passed May 15th, 2023, received.

File number 526, 2026 from Mayor Justin M.

Bibb, appointment to community relations board, Brandon, and Brandon Ingo.

Appointment for a four-year term ending March 31st, 2020.

I'm sorry, 2030 received.

File number 527, 2026 from Mayor Justin M.

Bibb, appointment to community relations board, Reverend Anthony Small, appointment for a four-year term ending March 31st, 2030, received.

File number 528, 2026 from Mayor Justin M.

Bibb, appointments to community relations board.

Ms.

Stephanie Morrison Herbick, reappointment for a four-year term ending March 31st, 2030.

Mr.

Yasir Hamdala, reappointment for four-year term ending March 31st, 2030.

Peter Witt, current member appointment for a three-year term ending March 31st, 2029.

Jay Westbrook, current member appointment to three-year term ending March 31st, 2029.

Luce Payot, current member appointment to a three-year term ending March 31st, 2020, 2029, received.

From the Ohio Division of Liquor Control, file number 529, 2026 regarding a transfer of ownership application at 24 Public Square Ward 5.

File number 530 2026 regarding a transfer of license application at 1048 Old River Road Ward 7.

File number 531 2026 regarding a new license application at 4611 West 130th Street, Ward 13.

Thank you.

Are there any condolence resolutions?

Resolutions of condolence by Councilmember Santana for Hector L Carabayo Sr.

By Councilmember Palencick for Mila Chapman by Councilmember Starr for Sabrina Christina Stein by Councilmember Slife for Kalima Maroon Gazul.

Are there any other condolence resolutions?

Councilman Brian Casey.

Madam Clerk, can you please hold out a number for James Jimmy Dean, longtime union labor leader in the city who passed away?

Thank you.

So noted.

Thank you.

Do we have any other condolence resolutions?

Seeing no other condolence resolutions, will all council members rise for a moment of silence.

Thank you.

Aren't any congratulatory resolutions?

Resolutions of congratulations by Councilmember Jones for Isaiah Waiters.

By Councilmember Slife for Jimmy Haas, my councilmember Griffin for Robert Johnson Jr.

My Councilmember Griffin for Gerald A.

Moore.

My councilmember Griffin for Bishop John Wesley Sigars by Councilmember Santana for Neighborhood Family Practice on their grand opening.

Resolutions of recognition by Councilmember Hudson for National Library Workers' Day.

By Councilmember Conwell for Raven Walker by Councilmember Griffin for Neighborhood Leadership Institute Class 4 Class 42 by Councilmember Griffin for Akilu DeMessy, Cleveland International Hall of Fame Honoree.

My Councilmember Griffin for Andy Fidensky, Cleveland International Hall of Fame, Honoree.

My Councilmember Griffin for Lucy Torres, Cleveland International Hall of Fame, Honoree.

My Councilmember Griffin for Sheena Fane.

By Councilmember Slife for Andre Murphy.

Thank you.

We have a few presentations.

I'm going to ask for all of the presenters to please be brief with your presentations.

We have a few more that we were not aware of.

But I'm going to start out with Councilwoman Nikki Hudson.

And we're going to celebrate National Library Workers' Day.

If the colleagues can open up the will, if our colleagues can open up the will for any guests that we have, library workers, if you want to join Councilwoman Hudson to my right, your left.

And Councilwoman Hudson can assume the uh microphone.

And I'm going to ask our colleagues if they can keep the doors of the well open.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

As our as our library workers make their way inside the well, I'm gonna read part of this proclamation.

Um I'm very grateful to have two libraries in my ward.

One that is on Lorraine.

I had my ward meeting there last week, and I was very fortunate to be to have them welcome me after hours, and then the new Carem Senior Living Center, which um is currently being constructed.

So whereas the members of city council, Cleveland City Council take great pride and pleasure in recognizing April 21st, 2026 as National Library Workers Day during National Library Week in the City of Cleveland, April 19th through 25th, 2026, in the spirit of this year's theme, find your joy.

And whereas National Library Week is an annual celebration recognizing the vital role that libraries, librarians, and library workers play in transforming lives, strengthening communities, and promoting lifelong learning.

And whereas since its founding in 1876, the American Library Association has championed access to information, defended free speech, and upheld the power of libraries to strengthen democracy, marking 150 years of advocacy in 2026.

And um thank you all.

Um I wonder if um so it was uh their union rep Terry Metter who arranged this today.

So I wanted to see if Terry wanted to come up and say a few words.

Thank you, Nikki.

Uh thank you, members of the spoty, and my uh union siblings behind me.

Uh we are all here for each other, but we also serve you, your constituents, and your communities every day.

Uh we appreciate this resolution in recognition of National Library Workers Day.

Uh, we would also appreciate your support as we are in a contract campaign with the library, hoping to uh keep our working conditions and keep up with inflation so we can all invest in our homes and our communities and our families and continue to show up and do the work we love every day.

Thank you so much for your support and for all the people behind me.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh I do want to acknowledge, if I could, could the youth congress please stand, the youth congress.

Let's get them a round of applause.

Thank you all so much for your service.

Um, and thank you, Miss Ullery and your team for making sure that they came here today to see democracy in action.

Neighborhood Leadership Institute.

Uh Mr.

Trevale Harp and Mr.

Don Slocum.

If you guys can join us, and then anybody from your team, if they could join us, please open the well for any neighborhood leadership institute.

You guys can fill up all around.

All around.

You got this up here, and you got this down here.

So all around.

Fill in as much as you can around the top.

All of the above.

I mean, it's over 50 minutes.

All right.

All right, we're going to acknowledge if we could today.

I'm always proud to bring this organization up here.

Uh this is neighborhood leadership institute.

This is more than 1,500 grassroots leaders from around the entire county.

Um, many council members are also graduates of this organization.

I myself had the privilege and honor of being one of the five founding members of this organization.

Uh so it's always a proud moment to see all of these grads come today.

All of these grads went through a neighborhood leadership uh Cleveland class, and then uh they subsequently joined as graduates neighborhood leadership institute.

Uh I see Councilwoman Deborah Gray coming up here, but like I said, several other council members uh were part of this movement and actually worked with us, okay.

All right, so uh I'm gonna bring up if I could um I do want to acknowledge one person.

Where'd he go hide?

I do want to acknowledge this gentleman.

Um Slocum, former um director of the Collinwood Community Center, also former associate director of neighborhood centers association, and then um most frequently the uh chair of the board for neighborhood leadership institute, and also was the founding president and CEO.

Uh Don is a mentor and a friend of mine.

Don, Don and his family have decided to uh move from our area so that he could be a better grandfather, and I just wanted to take an opportunity to uh acknowledge him as well as Trevale Harp, who is the executive director, and then I'm gonna let Treville bring up one of the grads.

Thank you so much, Council President.

Um, what we do at Neighborhood Leadership East Institute, we invest in people, develop leaders, transform communities.

That's a supplement as a gift because we know when you invest in community, right?

We invest in people, you get the best that community has to offer.

And so without further ado, we're gonna uh bring up Dorica.

So she's gonna uh um she's gonna give some words about her experience.

Give her a hair y'all.

Thank you.

Hello, I'm Dorcas Johnson.

I'm in the current class.

We graduate next month in May, and we're over one and a half thousand people that we're following in leadership and service to our communities and training, networking, project conceptualization, fun and overall leadership.

We thank all esteemed leaders, a civic hosts to us, constituents, city staff, et cetera, for allowing us to come see civics all the way live and in person tonight.

Thank you very much.

All right, we're gonna take a picture, but I want to thank all of the neighborhood leadership, Cleveland grads that are here, and uh we're gonna take a picture.

I'm gonna let you hold this, Miss Dorcas.

And the young ones.

Send us all your graduates for leadership training.

Geez and D.

Thank you.

Outstanding.

Here goes the sleeve right here.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Watch your step, ladies.

At least, at least.

I'm good.

All right, I'm going to ask if Councilman Kevin Conwell, he has uh two guests he would like to present.

Councilman Kevin Conwell.

Ms.

Walker, Raven Walker.

Can we open up the will for Raven Walker?

Is she here?

Raven Walker.

Come on up, young lady.

This young lady exemplifies true leadership.

She's dealing with epilepsy, and she wanted to give back to the community to help people out in the community.

And that's one thing about leadership is to work.

And I really, really appreciated that when I got a chance to talk with you and meet with you.

So let me say this on behalf of the 374,000 residents in the city of Cleveland, and the members of Cleveland City Council are pleased to recognize you, Raven Walker, the founding of the Living for Epilepsy Initiative, for her extraordinary work, unwavering dedication, and heartfelt commitment to uplifting individuals and families affected by epilepsy throughout the city of Cleveland and Carga County.

I'm going to skip and go down here.

Your mission deeply is rooted in life experience and purpose continues to honor the influence of mentors and loved ones while building a legacy of service for future generations.

Additionally, a vision for the future is being realized through your efforts to transform the landscape of epilepsy awareness, ensuring that individuals of all backgrounds are empowered, educated, and equipped to live without limits.

Down therefore, this has been approved by Cleveland City Council.

You are a young person, you work in the community, you from the community, and you have the goodness of the community at heart.

Raven.

Thank you all.

And thank you all, Cleveland City Council for having me here.

I do want to encourage each and every one of you.

I was born with epilepsy, and being born with it, I had many challenges growing up in the community.

One of those challenges is being bullied.

You know, other kids are making fun of you, you know, with the uh condition that you have, and you're trying to figure out, you know, why meet why do you have this condition that you're living with?

But all through all that I've been through with my epilepsy and just going through different things, my mother not having all of the resources, you know, to be able to even know, you know, the different side effects, you know, with the medication, you know, even the financial barrier that it can put on a parent, you know, or even a household, you know.

I want to also you all take and be encouraged tonight that epilepsy is it's not about me.

I started my organization because the Lord called me to start my organization.

By the grace of God, I wanted to go forth and be able to help the people in the community because it's bigger than me.

It's about everyone.

So for me, I'm just a vessel in the face to be able to help and empower those in the community.

And I want everybody to come together in unity, and that's one of the things that we as a community have to get better at coming together as a community and be stronger and uplift those.

Because it can be a lot on a single mother, a single father, someone living in a household taking care of kids, they might not have all the financial support to be able to support someone with epilepsy or even a child or an adult.

So I also want you to be encouraged tonight that this organization that I started was also something to be able to impact the community and also uplift everyone, not just you know, African American minority is a group that I work with, but I can work with all races from all different walks of life, and I want you all to be encouraged, and also just being here tonight and thanking you guys for all being here.

This also means a lot for me to be here, to be standing here talking with you.

It's a miracle because at 12 years old, the doctors told my mother that I she was not going to be able to see me live my adulthood.

So it's a miracle that I'm here.

And like I say, I'm just the face in the vessel to be able to help those to get where they need to go with epilepsy and to be encouraged.

I want to be able to work with all of the wards to bring awareness and safety to the community because it's important.

It's something that is overlooked, and we as a community have to come together in unity to be able to help those individuals that's struggling.

You might have epilepsy, but you might be dealing with a mental health situation, and you might need to have a counselor, somebody to talk to to be able to help you get through that.

Also, I am one of 3.5 million people living with epilepsy.

Each year, over 6,000 Americans die from epilepsy.

An African American and minority community like mine make up a greater number of those deaths.

So everyone living with epilepsy deserves support.

And this is my mission.

This is my vision, and this is who I am.

And I am Raven, and I am committed into ensuring that every family and small business in our region is prepared to face epilepsy with courage and understanding.

Thank you.

She's pushing her way through.

And Mr.

Mayor, you as well with this young lady here.

She's giving back to the community.

She's walking it, and you're not just talking it.

You know, so we're gonna take a picture with you to support you, the young people.

We have one more presentation by Councilman Conwell with the Ewing family and African American Cultural Gardens.

And you'll see it in the community when you when you ride down MLK and East Boulevard over there.

Come on up, OB Shelton.

Did you bring your violin with you also?

You got to practice anywhere and everywhere.

But they have been pushing this project for over 60 years, and now they're ready to bring it all home.

And they broke the um, they did a groundbreaking last week.

Come on, Yorin.

You know, when you open up the dictionary, man, I see you when you look at black history, and which is very, very important.

This African American culture gardens, when you pass by it, you see the door of no return.

The door of no return come from the ivory coast of Senegal and Nigeria and Niger and Ghana that's over there.

And when black folks see this and everybody, you have pride because you see that, and it goes through the middle passage from Senegal to the Middle Passage, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and many of my people that went through that went to South America as well as North America.

But when you see African American history, well, that's African history too.

So we want to bring you guys up, and the city wants to do, and where's Casey?

Yeah, he mentioned it last time that we can try to figure out a way or how to help to close this project out.

And when our children come on up, Brian Casey, you can't, council member.

You was there too, and Kevin Bishop.

Anyone else to want to stand with this?

Um Kevin Bishop, because this is pride not only for Cleveland, not only for the African American community, but it's pride for America, so we can see this through.

I'm probably the newest comer on this, but I it is it's such an honor to uh represent uh the African American Culture Garden, which has been in the works for 61 years, and we finally have been able to get enough money to break around and um and build a garden that is going to be representative.

Yeah.

A garden that's gonna celebrate uh the presence and the accomplishments of the African American community, not just at Cleveland, but in Northeast Ohio.

And I always ask people how did you get here?

And your story is important, it's going to be celebrated at the African American Cultural Garden.

So we thank the mayor and not just the councilmen who have actually given money, but those who have given their vocal support, those who've talked about it, that it's important that it makes a whole lot of difference in terms of us being able to not only uh raise the money to build it, but also to move it forward because we have to sustain it now into the future generations.

I would be remiss if I did not give testimony to the tireless efforts of all these persons that made this possible.

You know, I have often been told not until you've walked in those shoes can you really feel it.

I had the undying love to be able to go to Ghana this past uh Valentine's Day and spent a month going down the coast and going to the doorway of no returns, and now I truly can have empathy for what it was like, but I want to again thank all of those persons that gave up their time, their talents, and their money to help help this project to fruition.

Oh, oh, oh, oh yes, sir, Councilman.

And again, there's two times in the city when uh Martin Luther King is closed.

One is for One World Day, and one is for June 19th.

We celebrate Juneteenth on June 19th.

So I extend a hearty invitation to all of you to come and take part in your history.

Thank you.

Anyone, first lady, uh, don't get me in trouble.

I also want to say thank you to all of you who have been on this journey with us.

And as Carl and Obi said, you know, it's been 60 years, and we are excited that we are close to the finish line.

And with the help of all of you, we will get there.

You know, one of the things that has come up is that we have an eagle's nest on our property.

So we are working with the mayor and with others to make sure that uh we get the approval from the Ohio uh national Ohio, the Department of Natural Resources, so that we can break ground.

But we've got the funds, we have got our production manager, we are all set, you know.

And so we're just waiting for that eagle's nest to be approved, and we are very ready to go.

And uh Carl talked about One World Day.

You know, that's how we got started in this project.

It was One World Day, everything was going on at every garden except the African American garden.

And we are the change that we wanted to see.

We got involved right after that to make sure that this garden would come to a reality for African Americans and for all the citizens of Cleveland.

Uh, that's why we're on the national civil rights network.

That's why we're on the Cleveland Civil Rights Network because we have contributed and we are proud to be part of the Cleveland Cultural Garden Federation.

All right, thank you.

Madam Clerk, first reading emergency ordinances referred for administrative review and committee review.

Ordinance 516 2026 by Councilmember Griffin by Departmental Request, authorizing the Director of Finance to enter into one or more contracts with one or more insurance carriers to procure various types of comprehensive insurance coverage needed to maintain continuous coverage for municipal operations, including policy renewals, adjustments, and other related services for a period of three years with two one-year options to renew exercisable by the director of finance.

Ordinance 518-2026 by Council Members Santana and Griffin by Departmental Request to amend sections 235 and 8 of Ordinance 858-2025 relating to a budget relating to budget allocations received from HUD for the 2025 Community Development Block Grant, Home Investment Partnerships Act Grant, Emergency Solutions Grant, and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS grant.

Ordinance 519-2026 by Council Members Palency Bishop and Griffin by Departmental Request to amend sections one and two of ordinance 1470-2025 relating to the consent to the county of Cuyahoga for the resurfacing to the South Corporation line and allocation of the county tax funds for the improvement and to cause payment to the county for the city share of the improvement.

Excuse me, by council members Santana and Griffin by Departmental Request, authorizing the Director of Community Development to apply for and accept grants from United States Department of Housing and Urban Development for fiscal year 2026 under the title under the Title One of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 for the 2026 Community Development Block Grant Program, Federal Home Investment Partnerships Act Program, Emergency Solutions Grant Program, and the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS Program.

Ordinance 521 2026 by Council Member Bishop by Council Members Bishop and Griffin by Departmental Request, authorizing the Director of Public Works to apply for and accept a grant from Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District for the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District Special Project.

Ordinance 522 2026 by Council members by Councilmember Bishop to amend Section 451.0453.01 403.04 and 06 of the codified ordinances and ordinance 1806 2000 passed March 19th, 2021, relating to paid parking regulations.

Ordinance 523 2026 by Councilmembers Star Santana and Griffin by Departmental Request, authorizing the mayor and commissioner purchases and supplies to acquire and reconvey properties presently owned by 1900, the Loft LLC and or its designee, located at 1900 Euclid Avenue for the purpose of entering into the chain of title prior to the adoption of tax increment financing legislation authorized under Section 5709.41 of the revised code for the 1900 Euclid Project.

Thank you.

First reading emergency ordinances to be passed.

Ordinance 511 2026 by Councilmember Harsh, authorizing the clerk of council to enter into a Fifth Amendment to the agreement with iVideo for additional labor and travel hours on on-site troubleshooting maintenance and system related services for the audio upgrade to the to the council chamber and the Mercedes Cotner Committee Room for Cleveland City Council.

By Council, I'm sorry, ordinance 513, 2026 by Councilmember Davis, consenting and approving the issuance of a permit for the TJ Carey Hart Warrior Run Walk June 27, 2026, managed by Hermes Sports and Events.

Ordinance 514 2026 by Councilmember Santana to amend Section 2 of Ordinance 1862 relating to the agreement with Metro West Community Development Organization for the Latin American Historical Society Oral History Project.

Ordinance 524 2026 by Councilmember Griffin by Departmental Request to amend sections 4 and 31 of Ordinance 194 2021 relating to salaries for various classifications.

Thank you.

Read the motion to suspend the rules.

By Councilmember Harsh that the rules be suspended and the legislation just read be placed on final passage.

Seconded by Councilmember Hudson.

Carter.

Griffin, Bishop Comwell, Davis Gray, Harsh House Jones, Hudson Jones, Casey Palencick, Santana Shaw, Slife, Star.

13 YAs.

Call to Roll on Passage.

Griffin Bishop Conwell Davis Gray Harsh House Jones Hudson Jones.

Casey Polency Santana Shaw Slife Star.

13 YAs.

Thank you.

First reading emergency resolution to be adopted.

Resolution 515 2026 by Councilmember Santana objecting to a new C2 liquor permit at 3315 Clark Avenue.

Resolution 549 2026 by Councilmember Griffin.

Fixing the 2026 summer schedule of meetings of the Council of the City of Cleveland.

Read the motion to suspend the rules.

By Councilmember Harsh that the rules be suspended and the legislation just read be placed on final passage.

Seconded by Councilmember Hudson.

Call to roll.

Griffin, Bishop Conwell, Davis Gray, Harsh, House Jones, Hudson Jones, Casey Palencyc, Santana, Shaw, Slife, Star.

13 Yes.

Carterola on adoption.

Griffin Bishop Conwell Davis Gray Harsh, House Jones, Hudson Jones, Casey Palencick, Santana, Shaw, Slife, Star.

13 YAs.

Thank you.

Second reading emergency ordinances to be passed.

Ordinance 226, 2026 by Council Members House Jones, Bishop, and Griffin by Departmental Request.

Authorizing Director Parks and Recreation to cause payment to downtown Cleveland Inc.

for the cost of providing landscaping maintenance services at Malls B and C in the year of 2025.

Ordinance 231 2026 as amended by Council Members Star Bishop Santana and Griffin by Departmental Request.

An emergency ordinance determining the method of making the public improvement of designing, constructing, or constructing, rehabilitating, renovating, replacing, or otherwise improving the Erie Street Cemetery and the Highland Park Cemetery Mausoleum, including the including site improvements and appurtenances and authorizing director parks and recreation andor capital projects as appropriate to enter into one or more public improvement contracts for the making of the improvements.

Enter into one or more professional services and other contracts needed to implement the improvement to apply for and accept grants and gifts and authorizing direct employment of the necessary labor for the Department of Parks and Recreation andor the Office of Capital Projects.

Ordinance 236 2026 as amended by Council Members Bishop Santana and Griffin by Departmental Request.

An emergency ordinance determining the method of making the public improvement of designing, constructing, rehabilitating, renovating, replacing or otherwise improving roadways, streets, bridges, sidewalks, and other similar projects, including site improvements and appurtenances, and authorizing the director of public works and or capital projects as appropriate to enter into one or more public improvement contracts for the making of the improvements.

Enter into one or more professional services and other contracts needed to implement the improvements and to apply for and accept grants and gifts and authorizing the direct employment of the necessary labor for the Department of Public Works andor Office of Capital Projects.

Ordinance 355 2026 by Council members Griffin and Starr by Departmental Request, authorizing the Director of Finance on behalf of the Mayor's Office of Prevention, Intervention and Opportunity to enter into one or more contracts with Art House Inc.

for the purpose of providing art lessons and activities with artists for youth and young adults under the city's out-of-school time, 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.

Ordinance 356 2026 by Council members Griffin and Starr by Departmental Request.

Authorizing the Director of Finance on behalf of the Mayor's Office of Prevention, Intervention and Opportunity to enter into one or more contracts with the Beat the Streets Cleveland for the purpose of providing after-school programming involving structured physical activity and social.

I'm sorry, and social emotional learning to promote fitness, discipline, and healthy lifestyle habits for young for youth and young adults under the city's out-of-school time for a period of one year with two one-year options to renew exercisable by the director of finance.

Ordinance 357 2026 by Council members Griffin and Starr by Departmental Request.

Authorizing the Director of Finance on behalf of the Mayor's Office of Prevention Intervention Opportunity to enter into one or more contracts with Center for Arts Inspired Learning for the purpose of providing music lessons to youth 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.

Ordinance 358 2026 by Council members Griffin and Starr by Departmental Request, authorizing the Director of Finance on behalf of the Mayor's Office of Prevention, Intervention and Opportunity to enter into one or more contracts with Holden, Forests, and Gardens for the purpose of providing hands-on STEM-based educational experiences under the city's out-of-the-school time program for a period of one year with two one-year options to renew exercisable by the Director of Finance.

Ordinance 360 2026 by Council Members Griffin and Starr by Departmental Request, authorizing the Director of Finance on behalf of the Mayor's Office of Prevention, Intervention and 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 a period of one year with two one-year options to renew exercisable by the Director of Finance.

Ordinance 361 2026 by Council members Griffin and Starr by Departmental Request.

Authorizing the Director of Finance on behalf of the Mayor's Office of Prevention, 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 youth in the age range of 11 to 17 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.

Ordinance 362 2026 by Council Members Griffin and Starr by Departmental Request.

Authorizing the Director of Finance on behalf of the Mayor's Office of Prevention, Intervention and Opportunity to enter into one or more contracts with Eleanor B.

Rainey 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.

Ordinance 363 2026 by Council members Casey and Griffin by Departmental Request.

Authorizing Director of Public Utilities to enter into one or more requirement contracts without competitive bidding with Murphy Tractor and Equipment for the purchase of proprietary replacement parts for heavy duty construction equipment and labor and materials to repair and maintain the proprietary equipment for the divisions of water, Cleveland Public Power, Water Pollution Control, Department of Public Utilities for a period of two years.

Ordinance 406 2026 as amended by Council Members Casey and Griffin by Departmental Request authorizing the City of Cleveland to participate in the Sustainable Ohio Public Energy Council Electric Aggregation Program to serve residential and small commercial customers and authorizing director of finance on behalf of the Office of Sustainability to enter into one or more contracts with the with the Sustainable Ohio Public Energy Council to implement the electrical aggregation program for a period up to 36 months beginning with the August 2026 meter read cycle.

Determine the method of making the public improvement of constructing the Archwood Avenue and West 39th Street, Bradgate Avenue, Clyborne Avenue, East 58th Street, and Luther Avenue area sewer replacement projects, authorizing the director of public utilities to enter into one or more public improvement contracts, authorizing the director to employ one or more professional consultants necessary to design the improvement and authorizing the director to apply for accept any loans excuse me.

Thank you.

And accept any loans or grants from any public or private entity.

Ordinance 408 2026 by Council members Casey and Griffin by departmental request authorizing the purchase by one or more requirement contracts of plumbing services and black and backflow testing and inspection, including labor and materials necessary to repair, replace, and install existing and new equipment and appurtences and purchase of the necessary equipment and appurtenances for the various divisions of the Department of Public Utilities for a period of two years.

Ordinance 409 2026 by Council members Casey and Griffin by Departmental Request authorizing the purchase by one or more requirement contracts of various sized PVC and FRE duct line materials for the division of Cleveland Public Power Department of Public Utilities for a period of two years.

Ordinance 410 2026 by Council Members Casey and Griffin by Departmental Request, authorizing the purchase by one or more requirement contracts of labor and materials necessary to maintain and repair substations, including roofs and landscaping, and to evaluate, test, maintain, repair, or replace substation equipment, including but not limited to transformers, switch gears, circuit breakers, batteries, fiber optics splicing, and training if necessary for the division of Cleveland Public Power for a period of up to two years.

Thank you.

Read the motion to suspend the rules.

By council member Harsh that the rules be suspended and the legislation just replaced on final passage.

Seconded by Councilmember Hudson.

Call to roll.

Griffin, Bishop Conwell, Davis, Gray, Harsh, House Jones, Hudson Jones, Casey, Polency, Santana, Shaw, Slife Star.

14 years.

Carol on Passage.

Griffin, Bishop Conwell, Davis, Gray, Harsh, House Jones, Hudson Jones, Casey, Polencick, Santana, Shaw, Slife Star.

Oh.

Councilman Casey.

Speaker, Mr.

President, please mark me a no one.

231.

Thank you.

So noted.

All right.

We'll now move to introduction.

Oh, you got to read it?

Okay.

Please read it.

Um 231 2026.

13 years, one nay.

On all others, 14 years.

Thank you.

We'll now move to introductions, introductions.

Does anybody have any introductions?

Seeing no introductions, we'll move to announcements.

Does anybody have any announcements?

Any announcements?

I don't see any councilwoman House Jones.

Oh, yes.

Um, just wanted to extend an invitation out.

Uh, the Commission on Black Women and Girls.

Uh, the Commission on Black Women and Girls will be having a public meeting that will be out in the community um this upcoming Thursday, April 23rd at Bridge City Church, located at 3381 Fulton Road, on starting at 5 o'clock.

So just wanted the public to know.

It's outside of City Hall.

Councilman Michael or Councilman Kevin Conwell.

Yeah, you know, um Council President.

Melissa, I think it's Harsh or Hirsch um Garrett Hirsch.

Yeah.

She's downstairs.

It used to be a snack bar down there.

Remember, I used to do events at her place for the community.

So I plan.

You know, a lot of times people look at a coffee shop just as a coffee shop, but I used Umbar, Umbar, as a gathering place where we did jazz and coffee with the cop, and we did all many community events there at that coffee shop because it was a gathering place and I had a great time.

So I plan to do some events here at City Hall with her when I went down there today.

My matter of fact, I'll probably bring some of my band members uh next week, maybe even next week.

And we bring some um city employees down there, we do what we do because the coffee shop, you use it.

It's gonna be a gathering place.

You think it's limited if you just think of coffee shop.

So I had a great time with her.

They give good services, and I'm glad to see that um she's here.

Thank you very much for that announcement.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh we're gonna go to miscellaneous.

I am holding everybody to the four minute time limit.

The one person that has asked for an extended period of time has been Councilman Michael Palency.

Um Councilman Palency, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman, vulnerable colleagues, Mr.

Mayor, members of the administration.

I rise to discuss the ongoing controversy and quite frankly, outrageous situation we are dealing with within the city of Cleveland, pertaining to our public school system, and a proposed closure of 18 schools.

Mr.

Chairman, um, I've done a lot of research.

I've done a lot of deep diving into this issue.

We're confronted with 18 schools being closed on the east side.

Uh 18 schools being closed.

I'm told 16 of those are on the east side of the city.

On top of the 29 that have already been closed on the east side of the city.

Mr.

Chairman, when I look at what's being presented to us, and what I'm gonna say is what I've already said to the mayor um in his red room.

Um they told us that there would be no teachers laid off, no teachers laid off now.

We didn't know at the time that we spoke that there would be 410 teachers when we were told that no teachers would be laid off.

They were gonna be reassigned to the other schools, but now what we have found out that the students are not going to the other schools, as we were told.

They're bailing, they're bailing out of the city, they're going to this uh systems with open enrollment, like the city in the city of Euclid, East Cleveland at Shaw, and all the charter schools.

As the mayor knows, I presented to him a spreadsheet.

I gave to Michelle Palm Ransom.

I gave this to Dr.

Morgan when I met with him face to face, showing where all the charter schools were on the northeast side of the city, charter and parochial schools, and what was gonna happen.

Just what I predicted was gonna happen has happened.

Families are bailing out of the east side, northeast side, and yet when you go to the United States Census data, it will show you that the greater Collinwood community had one of the least population losses in the city of Cleveland, huh?

On the east side of the city.

So think about that for a moment.

The neighborhood that has among the least population loss now is gonna have three schools closed on extreme bars for the east side, and then one and my colleagues ward um at uh Kenneth Clement All Boys Leadership Academy.

Now we learn that um Collinwood High School graduates will not even be allowed to graduate from the school.

They have to go somewhere else, and why?

Because it is allegedly gonna be too hot in the auditorium, and that the PA system doesn't work.

But yeah, thousands and thousands of students have graduated from Collinwood High School at auditorium, including myself, Stephanie, excuse me, um, our Congresswoman, Stephanie Tubbs Jones, George Vondovich.

Kids have got to go someplace else now.

They want to kill the name Collinwood High School.

They want to just extinguish it.

100 years old, largest high school in the city of Cleveland, 300,000 square feet.

We're going to kill it.

185 students gave their lives in the second world war.

No 185, including one female.

Largest loss of life of any school in the second world war in the city of Cleveland.

Over 2,000 served to protect our freedom.

Hannah Gibbons.

Euclid Park.

If this goes through, there'll be no high school, there'll be no elementary schools for the first time in a hundred years in St.

Clair and on Euclid Avenue.

First time in a hundred years, no elementary schools.

And yet the population is there.

I mean, just look at this.

And I've said here, and I'm going to say again to the mayor.

Mayor, they have misled you.

Dr.

Morgan has misled you.

We're going to lose the after school program at Collinwood.

Where's it going?

No one's telling us where it's going to go.

There's no program, and my colleague knows it, because we both inherited a new area.

There's no program after school in the Collinwood Nottingham village area, which also takes in Euclid Park.

But what I think they didn't tell you as well is that there's six voting precincts gonna disappear.

Four at Euclid Park, two at Hany Gibbons.

So not only do we have to contend with voter suppression coming out of Washington and Columbus, now we see voter suppression coming out of CMSD.

And I've been sitting here looking at all their stuff that they've put out.

Nice glossy stuff, building brighter futures.

So what in essence it tells us on the Northeast side, you're gonna build brighter futures for the charter schools and the surrounding suburbs, because that's where our kids are going, based on their own numbers now.

And yet, their own documents, I'm presenting their own documents, only 36% of the students have successfully demonstrated college career, workforce, and military readiness.

How could you go from a hundred and fifty-two a hundred and forty-one point one million dollar cash balance in 2324 to now 2526 and anticipate 152 million deficit?

I'll tell you how.

We all know it.

We pay the highest property taxes today than we've ever paid.

And our citizens are struggling to pay their property taxes.

So, Mr.

Mayor, as I've said, if anyone thinks I'm giving up on this, because I know they misled you.

They misled you.

I'm sure they didn't give you all the fine print of what they're gonna do to the Northeast side.

What are we gonna do with the closed buildings?

What are we gonna do with Collinwood High School?

Why did we build a police station across the street, a firehouse, a library, a football stadium, and now we're gonna close it and it's gonna be put on the open market, allegedly.

But we all see what they've done to the other closed school buildings.

They let them rot.

That's been the legacy.

Dr.

Morgan ought to be selling snake oil.

That's what he should be selling.

Because I see what they did to Hannah Gibbons teachers, some of the brightest and youngest teachers have been gotten their pink slips.

Look at those teachers.

They've called me.

I've talked to the principals.

They're just distraught over what's happening to their teachers in their school buildings.

Not only is this about education, it's about our neighborhoods.

I've said on this floor, Mr.

Chairman.

I sat in this body with 33 members.

Okay, I'm gonna wrap it.

This chamber was designed for 50.

We're down to 15.

If we cannot stabilize our east side neighborhoods, we're gonna lose another two.

Schools are critical.

And again, I say to this mayor, when this is said and done, the school board's not gonna take the wrap.

Because people can't well, majority of people don't even know who they are.

Dr.

Morgan, he'll be off.

He'll go someplace like the previous one did who now they blame for everything with a golden parachute.

But mayor, you appoint the school board.

You appoint the CEO along with the school board.

You're be the one to wear it.

You will be the one to wear what's happening to the east side of this city.

Mr.

Chairman, I rest my case.

I'm prepared to work with the mayor with his team, but I will tell you they are zooming you.

I'm gonna use a good east side term.

There's they have zoomed you over this school system.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Thank you.

I have councilman.

Councilwoman Stephanie Howes Jones, Council.

I got Councilwoman Stephanie House Jones, Councilwoman Hudson.

Star of Connell.

Yes, I just wanted to give a thank you.

Um to um the agent department director McNamare.

Is she here?

No, she's not here.

Okay.

Um, but I really wanted to give a thank you to her.

Um a little over a week ago, I was given a call from Eliza Bryant Village basically as an upcoming sentencing hearing was being brought forth to someone had who had broken into uh the facility and caused damages, cut a gas line, and you know, just the indication that residents were fearful and they did not think that the uh perpetrator was going to get any type of real consequences.

And um, I was given that call on a Friday um last Monday.

I actually reached out, my office reached out to Director McNara, and working with her team, we were able to provide transportation to a resident to a group of residents, um, seven brave ladies who took the trip down to the Justice Center uh to participate in a court watch, and because of their advocacy and just showing up for themselves, um, the perpetrator was given a prison sentence, and you know, I really count that as a win because many times people don't believe that people listen to us, that our voices are not in power, but it was an uh just in a short period of time to show that what can what we can do when we work together, and I really want to just uh say thank you to the Department of Aging for partnering with residents at Eliza Bryan Village to be able to show up for themselves.

So many thanks.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next, I have Councilwoman Nikki Hudson, then Councilman Starr, then Councilman Congress.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

I I rise today to ask for prayers um for local trail build building legend Lenny Stover, um, who unfortunately suffered a medical emergency while mowing the grass last week.

Um not sure if all of you are aware of who Lenny is, um, but you might know of uh one of the trails that he helped create um beginning in the in the 1990s with the Rotary Club of Cleveland.

And Lenny um Lenny's motto is it's it's easier to ask forgiveness than to get permission, and he certainly lived by that motto.

Um I I met Lenny last year um when I became aware of um what I thought would be an overgrown trail in what is now my new ward in old Brooklyn.

It's the Snake Hill Trail, which is a vacated roadway that leads down to Wildlife Way by the zoo.

And I met with uh friends of Snake Hill group to hike this trail last summer, and I I geared up even though it was hot outside because I was expecting to um you know I could find overgrown trees and a lot of brush, and instead I found uh a beautifully maintained trail.

And I found out that's because of Lenny Stover.

Lenny Stover on his own.

Um had uh he he you know went down there with his pickup truck and he he cleared away the the fallen trees and he cleared away the brush so that people in the neighborhood could enjoy this this beautiful trail.

And um he this isn't the only trail that he created.

And I I had the privilege of touring, I of taking Lenny's Red Line Greenway tour and his pickup track, which is quite an experience if anyone's ever been on it and um saw some uh hidden spots like Graffiti Gulch and a few other uh urban treasures, and um I just um wanted to take a minute to um remind everyone that um live every day to the fullest.

It's important to um you know take advantage of the time that we have and uh leave your mark like Lenny has.

Thank you.

Next we have Councilman Richard Starr.

Thank you, Council President, real quick and brief.

Um just a reminder, I forgot to mention um next Tuesday, we will have a workforce education, training, youth development committee, um, talking about the built environment, um, Ohio Means job, that that whole organization just to provide some updates regarding um just the work and voice environment and different things like that, as well as other committees.

We're gonna have two more meetings about different initiatives with this committee um before we go to recess um in June.

Um, in context, I definitely want to say councilman Mike Polency, I understand your frustration with the built the Building Bright Futures initiative and a lot of things and tough decisions that have to be made.

Um, in context, I also want you all to know that in 2001, our CMSD school district received an F report card in 2001.

Also want everybody to know the context that CMSD issues has been going on for so long, and no one has done nothing to address these issues.

When I graduated out of CMSD in 2007 with a 3.6 GPA, when I went to Baltimore Wallace and wrote my first paper, I had a C minus.

But everybody was telling me I was prepared for for college.

So I remember going to the learning lab, the writing lab, just to try to get that, get get everything I needed to be successful at Borden Wallace.

So I understand your frustration and a lot of challenges.

But I also understand that as an elected official, there's a lot of things we can do and a lot of things that probably haven't been done.

No, I'm not pointing the blame at anybody or anyone.

But I know that if we're going to think that Mayor Bibb and Dr.

Morgan want to lay off 410 teachers, I just think that is not the truth.

I think for decades at a time, people have not been held accountable when it came to when it comes to education within our children in our schools.

And I think we're at a point in time where we as leaders, this body, we need to stand front line to make the change.

We can't just give Dr.

Morgan all the punishment because he had to be the first one to do something that others didn't want to do.

And I remember and I remember in 2019, it was another CMSD CEO who said we need to make closes.

We need to make the we need to write the ship because everything is falling off the cliff.

No one stepped up and said you might need to make closes and start doing three or four closes.

Everyone let them slide out.

But now I'm not going to go into my deep thoughts.

What about these kids who can't read and write?

We can't keep blaming everyone because I grew I graduated from the system.

I never remember my mom sent me down teaching me how to read.

I know I got a lot of reading to help inside of school.

That is not happening.

We got a K through eight model that was not designed by Dr.

Morgan.

It was about other CEOs.

And we haven't right the wrong in this.

So Building Bright Future has some pros, some some some negatives.

I can't agree with everything it's doing.

But what we have to do is make sure where we're heading in this building bright future, it got to be the right ship that you mean.

And we got to work with the administration.

We got to make sure we bring residents back to this city, and we got to make sure the education is a top priority.

So I look for your leadership, your wisdom, your understanding to be able to work with this administration.

But I know it's hard for me to look and say, Mayor Bibb is at fault or Dr.

Morgan when I know it was past ministrations and past leaders who get in a free get-out of butts for your car because they ain't get to the same scrutiny when they were making these poor decisions with me as well as these other students.

When I'm talking about kids who can't even do Microsoft Office or work, and we trying to hire them for jobs who can't do nothing, but they've been passed along.

So I can't just give it all to them or beat them up.

I gotta talk about the other ones who ain't do nothing.

But now they gotta make the right decisions and the tough decisions because these other ones didn't.

But like you said, Councilman Palency, we gotta do our part to help, and we can't be all happy about these decisions because it's gonna hurt us.

But I'm willing to roll up my sleeves with you and administration to be able to get this right.

I appreciate your leadership.

Thank you.

I have Councilman Joseph Jones.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

I rise um to talk about one of our colleagues who um and give him recognition, and that's Bill Patman, who's passed.

And I can remember being a young man coming into Cleveland City Council, much as Richard Star is and um and Bill Patman uh became the finance chairman under the president of Cleveland City Council Mike Palency, and he created in 2001 the first neighborhood equity fund, of which the council president was able to give a million dollars for each council member.

And I remember being a young council member and how that helped positively impact our community.

We were able to put new playgrounds in our parks that had not had playgrounds in years.

We were able to put money into our recreational facilities that needed improvement and assistance, and in that time we had a roof leak.

We were able to use the money for that.

We were also able to use the money for infrastructure.

And I just want to applaud my colleague uh Richard Starr for fighting to say, hey, we need to give some funds from uh the the um the marijuana piece last week.

So I just want to commend you for standing along, being brave, uh other council members, uh Mike Klinzik uh has was started it out by uh giving counsel for the very first time a million dollars, and then also uh Bill Padman as the finance chairman opened it up so that the council could be taken care of.

So he was one of the first finance chairmen that took care of that body uh who were sitting on that committee.

And I remember and we recall the times, uh, Mr.

President, that um uh we we were discussing then at the time a very controversial issue, which was Kinsman Avenue.

And at that time, Kinsman Avenue was uh the talk was to uh pretty much give it asphalt.

And um I raised the conversation that why should Kinsman Avenue have asphalt when on West 117th Street, they got 10 inch thick concrete, curbs, sidewalks, aprons.

Doesn't the East Side deserve to have the same opportunities?

And at the time, Bill Padman uh held the legislation.

Mark Ricudo was this uh person who was at the time you remember Mark Recruit on Mike Palenzi.

And then Fannie Lewis, one of the moral foundations of council at the time, woke up and said, Yes, we need to do something about Kinsman Avenue.

At the time, Kinsman Avenue was a heavy traffic road, and it was so bumpy uh and it was so wacky that that we needed to do something, and we needed to do something immediately.

And I just want to just take that opportunity to give him the recognition that's due to him, creating a first neighborhood equity fund, as well as making sure that concrete was put in place on Kinsman Avenue and Kinsman Avenue is still smooth some 23 years later after that street has been put in.

So I I just want to say uh, Mr.

Chairman, all respect and honor due to what he has done here being a council member, and um, and take the time to give the condolence to his family and respect.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

I rescind my time.

Thank you, Councilman Jones.

Uh Councilman Conwell or Palency.

Mr.

Chairman, I just wanted to just say this as well.

I thank Joe for what he commented.

Some of us went out this evening to visit the family.

And Sharon just wanted to express her deepest um appreciations to you, Mr.

Chairman, and all members of the body for the um condolence proclamation.

Um Bill's family greatly appreciated.

And I just needed to say that the family um has always been a part of this council.

So I she wanted to express that through Kevin Conwell, myself, Councilman Bishop, who went out as well to the all members of the body.

Appreciation.

Thank you.

Thank you for going to represent us.

Councilman Kevin Conwell.

Thank you very much.

I want to echo, let me say some of this with it.

We need to uh, Mr.

President, order a bus or a van, and look at some of the not the good projects that's happening that the area that I inherited on January the 6th.

He's right.

There's a lot of abject poverty.

Now you gave us money for streets.

Well, it's our residents' money, it's not my money, not your money.

It belongs to the people, my bosses.

Things are falling apart.

We have um Iowa Maple School.

We have um Boys Town that's there that's falling apart, 122nd Street, and the children going to and from schools.

I mean, Councilmember Starr was talking about academics, but they see all that blight that's over there in that Collinwood community that we inherited.

In East Glenville, he's mentioned it in East Glenville.

We need help over there.

But we need to take a ride over there so we can show other council members what councilmember Mike Balenciaga is talking about.

People, which is their right because they're my bosses, are calling me all time.

So if you order the buses, we take for a ride around, and then we even take some people from Mayor Bibbs and Mayor, not Bibbs, Mayor Bibbs, but administration, to so that they can get an up close view of what's going on.

They need help.

We need help in the Collinwood Glenville area.

We need a lot of help.

So I understand what you were talking about, but you'll see it if you go for the ride arounds.

And then Quake Playground also.

That playground never been done.

Never.

And we need help to look at the playground and try to get it done so the children will have a nice place to enjoy for playground.

And last but not least, Councilmember Star and Slife and Austin Davis before you guys were born.

My wife and I, and Mayor Beard, before he was born, we're celebrating our 41st wedding anniversary this Saturday.

I had to hit you with that one.

Thank you, Councilman.

Uh, that concludes miscellaneous.

Madam Clerk, please excuse the absences.

By councilmember Harsh, that the absence of councilmember Santana is hereby excused, seconded by Councilmember Hudson.

Thank you, Madam Clerk, for excusing the absences.

Uh council's adjourned to the call of the chair.

The next meeting will be on next Monday, April the 27th.