Council members, please come to the table.

Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

Here.

President.

President.

Thank you.

And I jump right in to uh roll call, but today is Monday, April the twentieth.

This committee of diversity, equity, and inclusion, finance, diversity, equity, and conclusion is called to order.

And uh first we will hear parks and recreation.

This is ordinance number two twenty six dash twenty twenty-six by council members House Jones, Bishop and Griffin by departmental request, an emergency ordinance authorizing the director of 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 twenty twenty-five.

Thank you, Chairman.

Um I am here today, uh representing the Department of Parks and Recreation alongside Sam Rocco with Downtown Cleveland Inc.

and Nicole Carlton also with downtown Cleveland Inc.

Today uh we are before this committee requesting uh authorization um to pay downtown Cleveland Inc.

for the maintenance of the malls at Mall B and C for the year twenty twenty-five.

Parks and recreation as a new department received uh the authority to work and collaborate with the partners as it relates to public space, uh, downtown.

And uh this work had previously been done under the group plan commission.

Group plan commission is no longer um an entity, and it has become the downtown Cleveland Inc.

organization.

Um I apologize, there was a clerical error, and the um legislative summary was not received prior.

Um, hopefully that has been received by members of this committee at this time.

Um anyway, we look forward to uh approval of this item, and we are happy to answer any questions that you all may have.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

Did your guests want to make any uh comments?

Hi, I'm uh Sam Rocco, Senior Director of Policy and Research with Downtown Cleveland.

Uh, we just want to thank City Council's continued support um of our organization and our mission, uh, which is to grow the city of Cleveland, uh, make downtown a vibrant place to live, work and play, and uh this legislation is a piece of that, and we really appreciate your support.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

This was heard in uh public uh works or in uh parks.

Uh to the chair, this item was heard at municipal services and properties committee um as well, and it did pass through that committee.

All right, thank you.

Do we have any questions regarding 226 Councilman Brian Casey?

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman to the director.

This morning during this hearing, we had the conversation about um council members using discretionary funds uh to hire landscapers to do uh maintain public rights away and stuff like that.

And I have learned that we have to run the money through your department, and then your department would have to contract with the third party.

Is that Mr.

Chairman to the director?

Is that something that that your department would be willing to take on on behalf of the council?

Thank you.

Uh through the chair to the councilman.

Uh, yeah, we'd be more than happy to do so.

I did do a little bit of research and saw that um it looks like casino money has been used in the past to help maintain some of these green spaces in the um neighborhoods, and we'd be more than happy to work with uh your team to to do this in your neighborhood and in your award.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Thank you.

Uh, are there any other questions regarding 226-2026?

Seeing no other questions, ordinance number two two-six-2026 stands approved.

Please sign on.

All right, we'll go to capital projects and public works.

All right, this is ordinance number two three six-2026 as amended by council members Bishop, Santana, and Griffin by departmental request, determining the method of making the improvement of the public improvement of design and constructing, rehabilitating, renovating, replacing, and otherwise improving roadways, streets, bridges, sidewalks, and other similar projects, including site improvements and appurtens, and authorizing the director of public works 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 to apply for and accept grants and gifts and authorizing the direct employment of the necessary labor for the Department of Public Works and or the Office of Capital Projects.

And the amendment states there is no legal objection to this legislation if amended as follows.

One in section one line six, strike two thirty six-2026A, and insert 236-2023-b and after ordinance insert in the estimated sum of 52 million six hundred and one thousand two hundred and twenty-four dollars.

Number two in section nine, line three, after restricted income tax fund, insert fund numbers 20 SF 568, 20 SF 574, 20 SF 579, 20 SF 586, 20 SF 592, 20 SF 597, 20 SF 702, 20 SF 712, 20 SF 718, 20 SF 722, and 20 SF 729.

Lines 3 and 11 after unspent insert road and bridge and strike future bonds and insert 2026 debt in all four places.

Line five, strike and shall be charged against the proper appropriation accounts.

In line seven, line 11, after restricting income tax fund, insert fund numbers 20 SF 568, 20 SF 574, 20 SF 579 20, SF 586, 20 SF 592, 20 SF 597, 20 SF 702, 20 SF 712, 20 SF 718, 20 SF 720, and 20 SF 729.

And in the last line, after gifts receive, insert for any debt issuance that is not general obligation bonds.

The director of finance shall notify the current the clerk of council of the type of debt issued and its terms.

This was dated 325-26 by Nick Dulaney, Assistant Director of Law.

Uh Director.

Um Mr.

Chair, and thank you very much for hearing this ordinance.

The legislation represents our um proposed capital improvement plan expenditure for one of the most important um areas of our infrastructure that residents fuel every day, which is our roads and bridges.

Um every neighborhood, every trip depends on the infrastructure, and investing in it supports uh public safety, quality of life, economic activity across Cleveland.

I wanted to highlight that the 2026 plan marks a significant step forward with regard to the amount of funding at 52.6 million.

This is a record investment in roads and bridges, at least doubling our typical annual expenditure in recent years.

This includes the additional 8 million that city council asked to invest in residential resurfacing, um, which directly addresses neighborhood priorities in improving the streets that residents use every day.

This is not incremental change to uh invest this much money, it's a deliberate effort to meet long-standing needs and rising expectations across our city.

So thank you for your leadership and partnership, and I'm happy to answer any questions about the proposed 2026 road and bridge investments.

Okay.

All right, thank you.

Uh anything else you want to add to this director?

No, sir.

All right, just uh question for you, a couple of things.

This this doesn't include the city hall improvements yet, does it?

Uh Mr.

Chairman, this legislation relates to roads and bridges.

So just strictly roads and bridges.

Uh Mr.

Chairman, correct.

Each type of bond requires its own legislation.

So this legislation relates to road and bridge bonds, and therefore only road and bridge improvements.

Okay, thank you.

Councilman Bishop, this was heard in municipal services.

Thank you.

Yes, Mr.

Um Chairman.

We uh artisan municipal service and we're recommended for passage.

All right.

Any other questions regarding 236-2026?

Mr.

Chairman, I guess, because that's I'm trying to look for it here.

Is there a list of all the projects?

I'm trying to in the next one.

There's a file, a list that has all of the projects in the next capital projects one that we'll be looking at.

I can't get it downloaded.

In 231-2026, there will be a list that is added to the files of the projects that will be added.

Okay.

Um, Mr.

Chairman, there should be a list for this ordinance as well.

Okay, and this is so there would be a file the way that it was set up by law department, as there would be a file with the list of I'm seeing it now.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Okay.

All right.

Any other questions regarding 236-2026 as amended?

Seeing no other questions, ordinance number two thirty-six-2026 as amended stands approved.

Please sign off.

That's why I keep in my hand.

All right, this is the companion piece for capital projects.

And there is a file attached to this one as well.

This is ordinance number two thirty one-2026 as amended by councilmember Starr Bishop, Santana, and Griffin by departmental request.

An emergency ordinance determined the method of making the public improvement of designing, constructing, and or constructing, rehabilitating, renovating, replacing, or otherwise improving the Erie Street Cemetery and the Highland Park Cemetery Mausoleum, including site improvements and appurtenances, and authorizing the director of parks and recreation and door 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 service and other contracts needed to implement the improvement and apply for and accept grants and gifts and authorizing the director, the direct employment of the necessary labor for the Department of Recs, Department of Parks and Recreation, and or the Office of Capital Projects.

There is an amendment.

Number two, in section 10, line three, after restricted income tax fund, insert fund number 20 SF 725, lines 3 and 11 after unspent insert cemetery and strike future bonds and insert 2026 debt in all four places.

Line five, strike and shall be chant charged against the fund number SF 725.

And in the last line, after gifts received, insert for any debt issuance that is not general obligation bonds.

The director of finance shall notify the clerk of council of the type of debt issued and its terms.

The date is 325-26, signed by Nick Delaney, Assistant Director of Law.

So please look at the list of projects that have been attached to this file.

Mr.

Chairman, can you read that number again?

What's that number?

This is ordinance number 231-2026 as amended.

Because I I just see I see cemetery.

This one, okay.

I apologize.

This one has not been attached yet.

Okay.

The prior one was attached.

So the two is pulling it out.

236.

Yeah.

Now I just see this is just a cemetery.

These are just the cemeteries.

Do you director?

Can you please respond?

Uh yes, sir.

So um we uh uh I'm not we had a list of projects for each piece of legislation.

I'm not sure why this one didn't get attached.

I think it's because the law department defined each location within the ordinance and therefore didn't attach it.

Um and so I believe as a um request, council said that they wanted to attach the dollar amount associated with each of these two improvements in the ordinance.

So I believe there's an amendment that um is gonna be proposed by councilman bishop uh related to that.

But but again, Mr.

Chairman, just clarification.

I'm looking at 231 and it just has the cemetery.

Correct in other projects.

So in the body of the ordinance, it lists the projects, and it has the total expenditure amount, but for some reason the the law department didn't uh attach the spreadsheet, which means that you don't have how much is intended to be allocated to each of those two projects.

And I believe there's an amendment that will be proposed in a few minutes regarding that.

Okay, I gotta try to find that.

All right, Councilman Bishop.

Uh yes, Mr.

Mr.

President, I have uh I'd like to make an amendment.

Please proceed.

Yes, uh, Mr.

President, in section one, after improvements, insert in quotes as described in file two thirty-one twenty twenty-six-a-torney.

Do you have that?

All right, do uh we have a second to the amendment that has been proffered.

Okay.

Councilman Star is seconding the amendment.

Any discussion regarding this amendment?

Call to question.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

The ayes have it.

The amendment carries.

I have a question on the piece.

Councilman Pilinsick on question on the general two thirty one.

I Mr.

Chairman, I pulled up the I pulled up the legislation and I pulled up the summary, and outside of the cemetery, I seen a list of projects.

Could you um elaborate?

Yes, so through the chairman, the councilman.

So the amendment that uh councilman bishop just read in, it would add a spreadsheet that relates to the two projects.

So that the reason for his amendment was to add what you're looking for currently on your tablet.

Okay, so outside so I want to get clarification.

Yes.

Outside of the the air the cemetery, which is uh estimated cost of what $640,000?

Uh that's right, $650,000.

Then what are the projects are in there?

Because I don't see them.

Yes, sir.

So um, if may I present?

Yes, can you please so um thank you for hearing this piece of legislation?

Um it's important for us to remember our responsibility to care for the city-owned cemeteries, spaces that hold deep meeting for families in the community.

And so this this ordinance proposes two targeted investments in cemeteries.

One is at the Highland Park Cemetery Mausoleum, and that would be improvements that would be related to water intrusion repairs, and the amount of that is 150,000.

And the second project is the Erie Street Cemetery.

This includes site improvements, including rodent path, road and path repair, drainage and maintenance building repairs in preparation for the cemeteries bicentennial in 2026.

Um the amount is $500,000.

Now that celebration, as I understand it, is happening Memorial Day weekend, so we gotta you know get moving on our improvements as soon as this legislation is passed.

Okay.

Now, together, these projects represent um total proposed investment of six hundred and fifty thousand dollars into cemeteries.

And while that's a modest in scale, um the investments are important.

It's um, you know, it allows us to ensure that these spaces remain safe, dignified, and properly maintained while preparing Erie Street Cemetery for a significant milestone this year.

Yes.

I would like to say that there were some questions after the MSP committee in case other council members are curious.

One was how many cemeteries that the city owns.

We own 12 cemeteries.

Uh another question was who oversees the small cemetery fund and commissioner porch in parks and recreation oversees the cemetery's small enterprise fund.

Okay.

So with that, I'm happy to answer any questions.

Mr.

Chairman, um, to the director.

Again, as I stated publicly, um to not only at this table, but to the viewing public, the responsibility of maintaining cemeteries in the city that in essence in some cases were abandoned, uh, fell upon the city of Cleveland.

So this is a responsibility that this council historically took up the charge to make sure that these final resting places for our citizens and our constituents were maintained.

So I totally support both uh maintaining and improving both cemeteries.

Would you quickly read down the list of all the cemeteries for the viewing public that we own?

Do you have the list?

Um, Mr.

Chairman, I I printed a link to Parks and Rec's website, so I don't have the list of them printed out here.

But if you would provide that to us, I appreciate that.

Absolutely.

Thank you very much.

Councilman Brian Casey.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Mr.

Chairman to the director, where exactly is um Highland Park Cemetery Mausoleum located.

Uh the through the chairman of the councilman, and as we discussed at the MSP committee when you asked the question, it's in uh Highland Highland.

Yes.

And Mr.

Chairman to the director, do we know how many Clevelanders are are in the mausoleum?

Have been their final resting places are in the mausoleum.

Uh through the chair to the councilman.

I do not know that.

All right.

And then Mr.

Chairman to the director, has anybody had a conversation with you regarding this year's capital plan in Cleveland Public Power?

Uh through the chairman and the councilman.

Uh you have had those conversations aside from me.

Um, besides uh city council leadership, no, okay.

Um, Mr.

Chairman, this one will go without, I mean, it won't go without opposition.

I just have to take a stand that if we're not going to be investing in Cleveland Public Power, that roads and bridges are the only thing in the Capitol project that I want to vote for.

So this won't be without opposition.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman.

Do we have any other questions regarding Highland uh regarding these funeral improvements?

All right.

Uh seeing no other questions, ordinance number 231-2026 as amended stands approved.

Thank you.

What Mr.

Chairman for Director Lee.

Director one second.

Um Mr.

Chairman, my colleagues to the director.

Um, based on Councilman Casey's uh comments and and ongoing concerns, who's and his concerns are representing the good core group of us here.

Um who makes the final call on directing critical resources to Cleveland Public Power?

Is it MoCAP or is it utility?

Who's who's the point person to say, yeah, this is this is what we need, and this is what we're gonna do.

Um Mr.

Chairman, so uh to date MoCap has never been involved in those discussions.

So it would be the Department of Public Utilities, it would be the chief operating officer, it would be the mayor, it'd be the you know, uh city council with their input.

So the not MoCAP.

So the buck stops at the mayor's desk.

Yes, sir.

Okay, because that's what we need to understand here because um many of us are concerned about the grid of uh clean public power, the system itself, the reliance, reliability of the system, and so um, and I'm saying that to the viewing public as well who experienced these issues.

So now you've heard where that buck stops.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Thank you.

And just for clarity, um, Councilman Casey has been working overtime on this.

I have backed Councilman Casey on this um whole initiative, and I want to be honest with the listening public.

Five million dollars is not gonna get it.

Um it's gonna take a significant investment.

And it's my understanding working with Councilman Casey and talking to Director Kane, that Director Kane and um Chief Tielwin are going to be submitting a plan in the very near future.

And uh we have to uh I also watched some of Councilman Starr's meeting, and I think that the administration stated at his meeting as well that they would actually um be coming forth with a plan, and we're eagerly looking forward to that.

But we also want to keep in mind that we cannot use general fund dollars if I'm not mistaken to pay for um a lot of the enterprise fund projects.

So we can't okay.

So we can use general funds, we can't use enterprise funds to supplement the general.

That's right.

Okay, all right.

So, but bottom line is this is a priority and uh something that we have been talking with the administration about.

So thank you so much, okay?

All right, thank you.

All right, next is ordinance number 406-2026 as amended by council members Casey and Griffin by departmental request, an emergency ordinance 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 the director of finance on behalf of the Office of Sustainability to enter into one or more contracts with the Sustainable Ohio Energy Council to implement the electrical aggregation program for a period of up to 36 months, beginning with the 2026 meter read cycle.

Uh director.

Oh, and let me read the amendment.

Uh there is no legal objection to this legislation if amended as follows.

One, in the title, line six after finance insert and director of public utilities, and strikes line 10, 11, and 12 in their entirety, an insert aggregation program for a period of period up to one year beginning with the August 2026 meter read cycle with two options to renew for additional periods up to one year, up to one year, both exercisable with additional legislative authority.

Two in section two, lines one and two, in section two, lines four and five, in section three, lines one and two, and then section five, lines one and two, after finance strike on behalf of the Office of Sustainability is an insert, and director of public utilities on behalf of the Office of Sustainability are in all four places.

Number three, in section two, lines three and four strike up to 36 months beginning with the August 2026 meter read cycle and insert up to one year beginning with the August 2026 meter read cycle with two options to renew for additional periods up to one year each, both exercisable with the leg with additional legislative authority, and strike line 10 in its entirety and insert up to one year beginning with August 2026 metered cycle and two options to renew for additional periods up to one year, both exercisable with additional legislative authority.

This was signed for 10 2026 by Vishnu Ganglani, assistant director of law.

Uh Director O'Toole.

Thank you, Chairman and Committee members, and thanks for hearing this legislation today.

As it said, we are seeking council's authority to proceed with the recommended vendor sustainable Ohio Public Energy Council to provide our city's community electricity choice aggregation program beginning this late July 2026.

And just a quick note, if I may, Chairman, explain what aggregation is that might that might be helpful.

We did this in utilities committee as well.

So a quick note for residents and anyone else listening today and others watching.

The electricity bill that we have in your mail that you get for your home has two parts.

And this, by the way, this program is specific to first energy customers in Cleveland.

That's the illuminating company, because this program is governed by the at the state level.

So it this is only for first energy customers, this program.

Your electricity bill has two parts.

One part is the actual power that gets supplied to your house, and the other is the wire that carries it.

So your electricity bills divided into those two pieces.

In Ohio, customers can shop for the power part of their bill.

That takes time.

There are a lot of companies and complicated teaser rates and auto-renew contracts with termination fees.

This city program in collaboration with council helps Clevelanders get competitive pricing for that top part of their bill for the electrons.

And what it does is it brings together a bunch of different residents and small businesses to get a better price together.

We have one bucket, we negotiate a better rate than someone would typically get on their own going by themselves.

Again, this program is for Clevelanders who are customers of the illuminating company.

And basically, the city has selected an aggregator and with approval of council.

This aggregator does the legwork on behalf of households and small businesses to get rates that are competitive with the utilities standard rate.

In Cleveland's case, we have also committed to a program that includes a renewable energy component.

We have a three-year cycle for this program, and that's why we're here for you today because that program current cycle is ending at the end of July.

This most recent program saved residents a good amount of dollars as well.

The goal of this program, one more thing, sorry, is the stable price for participating households and small businesses, a price that would not change more than once per year and provide savings over time by comparison.

Have their price change about six times per year.

Okay.

Thank you.

Sure.

Uh Councilman Casey, this was heard in public utilities.

Yes, Mr.

Chairman.

Mr.

Chairman, just in regards to the amendments, we just wanted to make sure that if with the uh instability of the market that uh council had had uh the legislative authority to come for for them to come back, and that also um not only the director of finance, but the director of public utilities is involved in in the decision making as well.

So thank you.

But was duly vetted and recommended for passage.

Thank you, and that's important, councilman, because as you know, these uh companies and these rates change, as you just say it, dramatically quite often.

How many other companies did apply?

Because I know in the past we've had NOPEC.

And how many other companies have applied?

And did we look at our prices and aggregation now compared to NOPEC?

Yes, uh I have a couple questions there, Chairman.

That I'll answer.

One for we did run a competitive RFP, and that was a number of respondents.

We had six different respondents, all of them are aggregators in the state of Ohio for different cities.

And when we ask for the RFP and we go to RFP, what the respondents provide is called indicative pricing.

We cannot ask them to provide the final price because of the volatility of the market.

Once we actually choose an aggregator, that aggregator will work with us after it's prov uh approved by council.

The aggregator will work with the director of finance and utilities and sustainability to finalize that price that will not change more than once per year.

And that's why I think Councilman Casey's amendments are so important because Councilman Casey remind me, if you could, the reason that we kind of moved away from no pet is because they had a fixed rate, which they tried to negotiate and they were stuck, or that rate was frozen, and then it wound up that their rate would actually be more expensive than some of the other ones, but we don't know if that rate is least expensive or if it is indicative to correct, and then NOPEC ended up dropping all of our customers uh which put them back in the open market.

So that's why it's built in here that they can change the um the pricing one time within the contract.

So we think this is a pretty good solid piece of legislation, and the director did a good job in and coming up with the pricing, hopefully the pricing with the right with the right vendor, and I think we have everything baked in to do the best we can to protect our rate pairs.

Thank you.

Appreciate it.

Thank you for vetting this.

Councilman Charlie Slife.

Uh, thank you.

And and I don't know if this came up during utility, so I apologize if I'm repeating a question.

Uh the last time we went through this process, there had been a lag period where uh customers were switched over to the first energy standard rate before coming onto SOPEC.

Is there a comparable lag period or is this a seamless transition from the current aggregation into the new aggregation?

Uh to the chairman, thank you for that question.

I don't believe that did come up actually, so thank you.

There will need there will not be any lag, and there will not be any change, so this will be a seamless transition.

Okay, thank you.

All right, thank you.

Any other questions regarding ordinance number 406-2026 as amended?

See any other questions?

Ordinance number 406 dash 2026 as amended stands approved.

Thank you.

Thank you.

We'll bring up utilities.

All right.

First is ordinance number 363-2026 by council members Casey and Griffin by departmental requests, an emergency ordinance authorizing the director of public utilities to enter into one or more requirement contracts without competitive bidding with Murphy Tractor and Equipment Company, Inc.

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, and Water Pollution Control, Department of Public Utilities for a period of two years.

Director.

Thank you, Chairman.

Uh, number of these uh large pieces of equipment throughout the divisions is purchased through the state contract lately.

John Deere has a proprietary service entity in our region of the state, and that is Murphy Tractor.

We do like to keep these pieces of equipment working.

A lot of the um parts and maintenance are still under warranty, which requires us to also go to Murphy looking to continue that relationship for two years, approximately 325,000.

All right, thank you, Councilman Brian Casey.

Duly vetted and recommended for passage out of utilities.

Thank you.

Do we have any questions regarding 363-2026?

Seeing no questions, ordinance number 363-2026 stands approved.

Please sign on.

Next is ordinance number 407-2026 by Council Members House Jones, Hudson, Santana, Slife Casey, and Griffin by Departmental Requests and Emergency Ordinance determining 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 and accept any loans or grants from any public or private entity.

Thank you, Chairman.

This is water pollution controls annual capital improvement plan for sewer replacement based on existing data that the commissioner and his team monitor very closely, identifying those areas of our service area under uh that have the most need.

These projects have been identified.

We do anticipate going out to bid approximately 5.4 million dollars.

We do seek any available grants to pay for this, but um as it currently stands, the language for financing is loose and includes everything, and we do um also plan to sh to uh partner with any ORSD for the community cost share.

Thank you.

Councilman Casey.

Julie Vedin recommended for passage out of utilities.

All right, do we have any questions regarding 407-2026?

Seeing no questions, ordinance number 407-2026 stands approved, please sign on.

Next, we have ordinance number 408-2026 by Council Members Casey and Griffin by departmental request, an emergency ordinance authorizing the purchase by one or more requirement contracts of plumbing services and backflow testing and inspection, including labor and materials necessary to repair, replace, and install existing and new equipment and appurances, and the purchase of any of the necessary equipment and appurtens for the various divisions of the Department of Public Utilities for a period of two years.

Thank you, Chairman.

This piece uh historically was for the division of Cleveland Public Power, as they don't have plumbers on staff, whereas water and water pollution control has uh DPU plumbers.

However, recently we've also expanded it to include backflow services, which are a requirement of our facilities, and it is heavily regulated by the state.

So we use this also for compliance of backflow.

Approximately 425,000 over the life of the contract, which we will go out to bid for.

Thank you, Councilman Brian Casey.

Ms.

Duly Vedon recommended for passage out of utilities.

Thank you.

Do we have any other questions regarding ordinance 408-2026?

Seeing no other questions, ordinance number 408-2026 stands approved, please sign on.

Next up is ordinance number 409-2026 by Council members Casey and Griffin by Departmental Request and Emergency Ordinance Authorizing the Purchase by one or more requirement contracts of various sized PVC and FRE duck line materials for the division of Cleveland Public Power, Department of Public Utilities for a period of two years.

Thank you, Chairman.

The PVC and FRE conduits and fittings and the molded junction boxes and the solvent cements that include in uh put piecing that together to distribute power is something we use on a regular basis.

We do anticipate going out to bid.

We budget approximately $500,000 per year.

Thank you.

Councilman Casey.

Duly vetted, recommended for passage out of utilities.

Do we have any questions regarding ordinance number 409-2026?

Seeing no questions, ordinance number 409-2026 stands approved.

Last utilities piece, ordinance number 410-2026 by Council members Casey and Griffin by departmental request, an emergency ordinance 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, tests, maintain, repair, or replace substation equipment, including but not limited to transformers, switch gears, circuit breakers, batteries, fiber optic splicing, and training if necessary for the division of Cleveland Public Power for a period of up to two years.

Director.

Thank you, Chairman.

This is our substation maintenance piece, which uh beyond those that you just mentioned from the uh caption also includes the like the roofing materials, fencing materials, and foliage management because everything you do around high voltage power transmission uh does require special licenses and credit accreditations.

So this um contract, and we do anticipate going out to bid would give us the necessary resources to augment existing CPP staff and the maintenance of our substation network.

Current contract expires in August, and we do anticipate or budget approximately six million dollars for the two-year period.

Thank you.

Councilman Casey.

Thank you.

Any questions regarding ordinance number 40410-2026?

Seeing no questions, ordinance number 410-2026 stands approved.

Uh that's it for utilities.

Director, just a point of miscellaneous briefly.

If you could have anybody look at 82nd in Woodland, there is a poll that is hanging up literally by ropes tied to two trees.

And I know um we brought it up to you in chief or you and Commissioner Danielson, but if uh you could uh have somebody look into that, that'd be very good.

Got it.

Thank you, sir.

Appreciate it.

All right, uh Office of Prevention, Intervention, and Youth Opportunities.

First is ordinance number 355-2026 by Councilmember Griffin by Departmental Request.

Um Councilman Starr, you heard all of these in your committee, right?

Yes.

Um, Madam Clerk.

For all of these pieces, they should also have Councilman Starr as a sponsor on all of these as well.

So can we make sure that his name is added to all of these pieces that I'm about to go through?

Is that appropriate, Councilman Starr?

Yes.

Okay, thank you.

All right.

First is ordinance number 355-2026 by council members Griffin and Starr by Departmental Requests and Emergency Ordinance 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 program for a period of one year with two one-year options to renew, exercisable by the director of finance.

Director.

Good afternoon, everyone.

Um, I'm Sherry Ellery, interim director of mayor's office of professional prevention, intervention and opportunity.

And with me today is Samantha Holmes, who is the senior program manager.

We're seeking authorization on seven pieces of legislation to support our partnership with the Department of Parks and Recreation to provide expanded programs for out-of-school time programming, both in our neighborhood resource and recreation centers and also uh in other community spaces.

We appeared April 14th, as uh so noted before the workforce education training and youth development committee and provided a presentation around the work that each of these programs will be doing.

Um, the committee uh moved these seven pieces forward.

As you know, um summer is a very important season for us, and we're looking forward to providing our youth with programs that will keep them engaged.

It's also important to uh note that almost all of our programs also weave a social emotional learning component throughout the program.

Thank you.

Councilman Starr on 355-2026.

Well, property vetted so moved on it went through the workforce education training youth development committee.

Thank you.

Any questions regarding ordinance number 355-2026?

Councilman Michael Pelisi.

You want to do all of these and then miscellaneous?

Yeah.

Okay, so Councilman Pelic, we'll do it on miscellaneous after we do these pieces of legislation.

Then he uh would like a miscellaneous on the general department.

Uh seeing no other questions, ordinance number 355-2026 stands approved.

Please sign on.

You gotta be all out of order, brother.

Come on, man.

He'll put me back together.

It's all approved.

We got it.

I got a system here.

All right, here we go.

I like this.

Hold on, hold on, hold on.

Let me get back together.

All right.

Next up is ordinance number 356-20 26 by council members Griffin and Starr by Departmental Request and Emergency Ordinance authorizing the Director of Finance on behalf of the Mayor's Office of Intervention, 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 emotional learning to promote fist uh fitness, discipline, and healthy lifestyle habits for youth and young adults under the city's out-of-school time program for the period of one year with two one-year options to renew, exercisable by the director of finance.

Director, that's good.

To the to the chair, this is another one of the ones that we presented before uh the workforce committee.

Thank you.

Councilman Starr.

Property read it's all moved.

Thank you.

Councilman Kevin Conwell.

So beat the street.

Can you elaborate on that?

Um director, a little bit more.

Okay.

If you could reach them, and then I'll bring up Councilman Starr.

Through the chair, yes.

Um, this is our a wrestling program, but but it also provides uh a roadmap for leadership as well.

They do um a lot of social emotional uh learning work along with um mentorship, and they teach them academic and life skills as well.

So it's a very comprehensive program.

The um the uh representative from uh Beat the Streets also came to the uh April 14th presentation.

And you will have it in different um rec centers.

This this will be at Stella Walsh and at Glenville in the summer.

Okay, yeah, yeah.

All right, no more problems.

Okay, uh Richard Starr follow-up yes, just just as you just heard from the director uh to to the chair to council member um Kevin Conwell, Beach the Streets is a wrestling program.

It is actually located in the new war three, right off of um Broadway, right across the street from the Boys and Girls Club in the old Dollar Tree facility.

Um, I've been having good participation working with this organization since they moved into that facility when it was the old war five.

Um Demetrius Williams and his team does a great job with bringing kids to their facility, first engaging with them with wrestling, but also teaching them mentorship, leadership, and development, community service, outreach, and different programs just to bring um each of them together.

In addition, um council member um Shaw actually was one of the wrestling coaches through this program through his previous work um before he became a council member.

So I do understand the work that they do.

Um I support the initiative, and I believe the residents in Glenville will definitely definitely appreciate Beat the Street program coming in summer.

Thank you very much, Councilmember through the chair.

Thank you very much, especially at the Glenville Rec, too.

So thanks.

And uh you're right, Demetrius does a great job.

I had the fortune of working with him at Fairfax when he started the program.

So great, great program.

Glad that he's getting the opportunity to continue to mentor these young fellas.

All right, see another question is ordinance number 356-2026 stands approved.

Next up is ordinance number 357-2026 by council members Griffin and Starr by Departmental Requests, an emergency ordinance 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 Center for Arts Inspired Learning for the purpose of providing music lessons to youths in grades three through 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.

Director to the chair again.

Uh we did present this April 14th uh to the workforce committee, and this program uh is at currently at Cadell at Collinwood and at studio 105.

Thank you.

Councilman Starr.

Property vetted in the workforce committee and moved on and was passed.

Thank you.

Seeing no other questions, ordinance number 357-2026 stands approved.

Next up is ordinance number 358-2026 by Councilmember Griffin and Starr by departmental requests and emergency ordinance 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 Force and Gardens for the purpose of providing hands-on STEM-based educational experiences 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.

To the Chair.

Thank you.

Councilman Starr.

Probably vetted in Workforce Education Training Youth Development Committee.

So move.

Thank you.

Seeing no other questions, ordinance number 358-2026 stands approved.

Next up is ordinance number 360-2026 by Council Members Griffin and Starr by departmental request, an emergency ordinance 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 exercise vote by the director of finance.

Director.

Mr.

Chair, this is a stipend-based program, and it will be offered at Alexander Hamilton and Clark this summer, and in the fall, it will be offered at Michael Zone.

Thank you.

Councilman Richard Starr.

Probably vetted in workforce education training youth development committee.

Um and it passed.

Thank you.

Seeing no other questions, ordinance number 360-2026 stands approved, please sign on.

Ordinance number 361-2026 by Council members Griffin and Starr by departmental requests and emergency ordinance 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 use 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.

Director through the chair to the committee.

This is a very exciting program that uh is going to focus on workforce readiness.

The youth will uh experience those uh careers in barbering, rec recording arts, music production, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy.

Thank you, Councilman Starr.

Yep, heard in workforce education training youth development committee recommended for passage.

Thank you.

Uh do we have any uh questions regarding 361-2026?

I do, Councilman Kevin Conwell.

This is located where I like this.

They're gonna do performing arts to have a studio in there or what?

What's going on?

Through the chair to Councilman Conwell, you will be thrilled to know that this program will be at Lonnie Burton and at Glenville.

Oh, and they got a studio in there too?

Uh no.

Uh recording arts and um music production.

Well, what not it's not at studio 105.

Okay, but what um recording artists do the chair you have coming through there.

I would have to go back through and look at the um at the proposal.

Councilman Star.

Councilman Starr.

Yes, um, they did request reached out to council member um Kevin Conwell to participate in this program this summer.

So if you check your email, you will see that you are on the list as to guess.

Oh, so move.

All right, seeing no other questions, ordinance number 361-2026 stands approved.

Last uh last workforce piece, ordinance number 362-2026 by council members Griffin and Starr by Departmental Request, an emergency ordinance 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 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.

Director.

Through the chair.

Uh, this will be held at their uh sites at Rainey Sites.

Uh they have one on the east side at Huff and one on the west side at Clark Fulton, and we'll have 25 seats at each site.

Thank you, Councilman Starr.

Property veter recommended for passage.

All right, thank you so much.

Uh seeing no other questions, ordinance number 362-2026 stands approved.

Please sign off.

Thank you so much, Director.

Mr.

Chairman, I have a question for you.

Uh Councilman Polencick has a miscellaneous forward to do that.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Um, Mr.

Chairman, my honorable colleagues.

Um, we just pass um or her one, two, three, four, five, six pieces of legislation for after school programs.

Mr.

Chairman, to the acting director, is that correct?

It's seven.

Through the chair, yes.

So it's 356, 357, 358, 360, 362, 361.

355.

350.

Through the chair.

Okay.

Which one which what is that?

355.

355 was the art house.

Art house, okay.

And that's for how much 56,608.

56, 800?

608.

608.

Okay.

Art House.

Okay.

Mr.

Chairman, my honorable colleagues to the acting director and to her team.

These are all after-school programs that I'm assuming are going to provide critical resources to young people in those respective neighborhoods that you've pointed out, correct?

That is correct.

Through the chair.

Are you aware that as a result of Collinwood High School being recommended to be closed by the mayor and the school board and Dr.

Morgan that the afterschool program at Colloway is going to disappear?

Through the chair.

Yes, we are aware of that.

And that is why we did some specific programming at the Collinwood Neighborhood Resource and Recreation Center.

The Art House program will be held there.

And then we also are doing the Making a Difference program at Glenville in the Glenville neighborhood, which will cover the Collinwood as well.

And that's, you know, we specifically identified that.

Mr.

Chairman, to the acting director, the recenter is approximately three miles to the north.

Glenville rec.

I'd say it's at least two miles, if not more to the west.

And so in the South in the Collinwood Village community, which now Councilman Connell and I both represent with the redistricting.

And as I indicated to the mayor uh earlier this uh late last year and earlier this year about the closing of Collinwood High School, uh recommended closing Collinwood High School.

There was no thought given to the after-school programs that we have funded.

City Council has funded, and we have funded them for years.

So I'm greatly concerned that in that whole neighborhood what we refer to as the SPA, Collinwood Nottingham, which runs from 131st Street East along St.

Clair, there's going to be no after-school program since he's also supporting the closure of Hannah Gibbons Elementary School.

So, Mr.

Chairman, to the director, I'm going to ask of you.

Um, I'd like to I'd like the PIO to take a good look hard look at the neighborhood there and see what programming uh can can be implemented in that area.

Uh I'm greatly concerned about the disinvestment, uh, the lack of concern for that area, um, because not only that area take in Collinwood village, Collinwood Downing, but also services, the Euclid Green neighborhood uh along Eucod Avenue.

And as I indicated to Mayor, I don't believe um, I thought he was greatly misled over the uh the whole school issue by Dr.

Morgan and the school board um as it pertains to the reduction of services and programs on the northeast side.

And this only reinforces it to me, what I'm looking at here.

So I'm not gonna belabor the point, Mr.

Chairman.

But if people in the if if you think people in a neighborhood don't see what's taking place here, the disinvestment, uh then they uh because Stevie Wonder could see what's happening here, the disinvestment, lack of programming for kids and young people in this area.

So I just want to make that I want to present that at the table to the acting director, because this is um this is outrageous what's taking place here.

Um you've isolated not you uh uh acting director, because you're trying to do the best you can, but the administration is totally um uh ignored this entire section of the city of Cleveland, and it's um it's become very clear to all of us about the um lack of concern for this area.

So I'll leave it at that.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Thank you.

Councilman Conwell.

Um I just heard this area in January 6.

And um I mentioned to uh Councilmember Mike Palencick yesterday.

Although I I have the baton now.

Chairman thank you no councilman conwell um I just heard this area in January 6th and um I mentioned to uh councilmember Mike Palencick yesterday although I I have the baton now but they're in my ear isn't that right there in my ear about it and uh they're beating me up and and I want to help I gotta try to seek to understand it more but they're saying what he just narrated and they tear me up about it and I can't tell him I just inherit the area because a lot of things I fought for before I became the council member over there.

I didn't even know it was gonna be the council member over there until later we made that move but since I'm there now and I have the baton I can't say anything they're at my meetings they tear me up badly so we gotta figure that out have to talk with the administration and um I even getting calls on Sunday mornings about um several things it's just that areas is have a lack of resources and it's been just broken down but they I don't know was the person number four fighting for the area or not I don't know but it's not there right council it's not there and I gotta figure it out and help Michael and in the residents because they're my bosses they're my board of directors to fight for it and I can't even say I'm gonna just close this out until I just got there January the 6th because they don't want to hear that they just know it's not there what he just narrated and they're protesting today about it.

What is about 245 or 3 o'clock some of the things that he's narrating so I have to figure it out maybe have a short very short learning curve and that's where I'm at thank you through the through the chair to both councilmen we will take a close look at thank you the issues that you've raised thank you thank you all right uh thank you so much Miss Ulery we'll hear the final piece of legislation is ordinance number 524-2026 by council member griffin by departmental request and emergency ordinance to amend sections four and thirty one of ordinance number one ninety twenty five passed March 29 2021 as amended by various ordinances relating to salaries for various classifications and uh director you had the floor uh thank you chair and committee um yes this this piece today is to amend the pay ban uh specifically section four which uh incorporates uh city council employees um we've been working with uh city council to create an executive assistant um progression so we are um newly have newly created an executive assistant one and exec executive assistant two position with associated salaries um uh moving away from um the the differentiation between an administration and city council members in the in the former pay ban um the second is in section 31 to the administrative officer uh position um and this is to amend the maximum salary to um bring it more in line with the market uh for purposes of recruitment those are the two um major uh changes to these sections i'm certainly happy to answer any questions thank you thank you are there any questions for 524-2026 seeing no questions ordinance number 524-2026 will be heard for consideration for the whole council this evening thank you thank you that concludes this committee of finance diversity equity and inclusion um it will be adjourned by the call of the chair until next week Monday the tw uh April the 27th