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Record of Proceedings

Cleveland City Council MSP Committee Meeting - September 14, 2026

City Council Meetings — Monday, September 14, 2026
BodyCleveland, Ohio
SessionCity Council Meetings
DateMonday, September 14, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:39:58

Original source
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6:00

Good morning.

6:02

Today is Monday, September 14th, 2026.

6:14

Here.

6:18

Present.

6:23

All right, thank you.

6:25

I hope everybody had a good uh break over the recess.

6:28

Uh time to make the donuts, as they would say.

6:31

So can I have um CMSD and director who's who's the director representing CMSD?

6:38

Is that you, Director?

6:40

Uh yes.

6:41

All right, come on up.

6:51

This is uh twenty-two.

6:53

We're gonna start with nine twenty-two.

6:58

Okay, good.

7:13

All right, director.

7:15

Um we're gonna start with uh ordinance number nine twenty-two-six.

7:25

Great, thank you.

7:30

This is by council members Bishop Starr and Griffin.

7:33

This is a departmental request.

7:34

This emergency ordinance authorizing the directors of parks and recreation andor finance as appropriate to enter into one or more contracts with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District to conduct recreational culture and extracurricular programs for the benefit of school children during the twenty twenty-five, twenty twenty-six school year.

7:58

So that is uh wrong.

8:01

That is not twenty twenty-five, twenty twenty-six.

8:03

That is that school year is behind us, right?

8:07

So we we're doing twenty twenty-six, twenty twenty-seven school year, correct?

8:14

Can you turn your mic?

8:18

The C funding, um, I'm sorry, to um the chair, the council, excuse me.

8:25

The C funding is one year behind.

8:28

Okay, so this is correct.

8:29

Yes, this is correct.

8:30

Okay.

8:30

All right.

8:31

Okay, Director.

8:32

Uh, can you uh introduce all of the um folks that we have at the table?

8:37

Great.

8:38

Thank you to the chair.

8:39

I appreciate being here today uh with representatives from CMSD.

8:44

Um to my right is uh the athletic director, Jezarae Powell.

8:49

Uh next to her is Nikita Baker.

8:53

Yes.

8:54

Uh, also a CMST.

8:59

Um to the chair, my title is the budget analyst and manager of special projects.

9:04

Okay.

9:06

Okay.

9:08

Also we have uh Trent Mosley, who oversees the um athletics um at CMSD.

9:15

And on my left, I have uh Jeffrey Allen, who is the executive director of finance for CMSD.

9:22

Fine arts, fine arts, sorry.

9:28

Right.

9:29

Oh, and then also we have Ken Baird, who is at the end of the table.

9:34

He's student activities.

9:35

Student activity.

9:36

Yes.

9:36

Okay.

9:37

All right, Director.

9:38

So uh in 1996, uh uh Cleveland Municipal School District partnered with the city and entered into a collaborative agreement to implement the comprehensive extracurricular activities program, also known as SEEP.

9:52

For uh nearly three decades.

9:54

Um, this partnership has provided out of school time activities and opportunities for elementary and middle school age students.

10:02

We offer um wide range of enrichment, recreational, and educational activity through this collaboration.

10:09

Uh countless students have had access to meaningful experiences that complement their education, support healthy development, and encourage positive and healthy lifestyles.

10:21

This is an important example of how our two organizations partner together.

10:25

And I am requesting that city council provide the necessary authority to continue this important collaboration through funding support.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Youth Programs███████████████15%
Transportation Safety███████████████15%
Public School Closures████████████12%
Public Works██████████10%
Community Engagement█████████9%
Public Safety███████7%
Parks and Recreation███████7%
Land Use Planning██████6%
Procedural████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Cleveland City Council Municipal Services and Properties Committee Meeting - September 14, 2026

The Municipal Services and Properties (MSP) Committee of Cleveland City Council met on Monday, September 14, 2026, at 1:24 PM to consider eight ordinances. The committee approved all items, with amendments to several. Key discussions included funding for CMSD extracurriculars, a land swap for a new Glenville High School, a pedestrian safety grant, and green infrastructure improvements.

Discussion Items

Ordinance 922-2026: CMSD Comprehensive Extracurricular Activities Program (SEEP)

  • Purpose: Authorizes $950,000 in city funds for the Cleveland Metropolitan School District's (CMSD) extracurricular, recreational, and cultural programs for the 2025-2026 school year (amended from 2024-2025).
  • Background: The partnership dates to 1996, originally funded by a parking tax related to the Browns stadium.
  • Debate: Councilman Brian Casey questioned why CMSD, with a $1.6 billion budget, needs city funds, noting that only $200,000 of CMSD's budget goes to the requested programs. He also raised a broken promise about a track at John Marshall High School. Councilman Richard Starr delivered a lengthy critique of varsity sports safety, citing incidents with guns, inadequate security, poor facilities (e.g., players changing under bleachers), and lack of game-day technology. He called for a joint safety committee hearing. Councilwoman Deborah Gray expressed support but shared a personal conflict with a CMSD board member. Councilwoman Nikki Hudson confirmed the program keeps CMSD a "no pay-to-play" district.
  • Outcome: Approved as amended (year corrected to 2025-2026).

Ordinance 912-2026: Public Auditorium Food and Beverage Concession

  • Purpose: Authorizes a competitive RFP for a new concessionaire at Public Auditorium, replacing current provider Levy.
  • Details: Levy has served for three years; current agreement expires in February 2027. City receives 16% commission (15% on sales, 1% on utilities), generating $147,000 in 2025.
  • Outcome: Approved.

Ordinance 911-2026: Cleveland Guardians Charities Grant

  • Purpose: Accept $80,000 grant from Guardians Charities for summer baseball and softball youth programming.
  • Outcome: Approved.

Ordinance 748-2026: Ohio City Inc. Near West Recreation

  • Purpose: $100,000 contract with Ohio City Inc. for youth recreation programming (sports, summer camps).
  • Debate: Councilman Casey questioned why only this organization receives $100k, while other west side leagues (e.g., OBOL, West Denison) do not. Kerry La Palma of Near West Rec explained they serve 1,500 kids across eight neighborhoods, with only two staff. Councilman Chris Harsh praised the program's inclusivity.
  • Outcome: Approved.

Ordinance 927-2026: Land Exchange with CMSD

  • Purpose: Authorizes a property swap: City gives J. Glenn Smith Health Center, two land bank parcels near Glenville, and a lot near Denison Elementary; CMSD gives Walton School (for new fire station) and Newton D. Baker School (for redevelopment).
  • Debate: Councilman Conwell demanded assurance the new school will be named Glenville High School and that a health center remain on the east side. He withheld support until confirmed. Councilman Starr questioned the cost of demolitions (estimated $1.3M per school) and fairness to other closed schools that have waited years. He also noted enrollment declines and worried about future school closures. Councilman Slife supported the swap for housing redevelopment at Newton D. Baker.
  • Outcome: Approved. City will demolish the schools; Newton D. Baker demolition cannot use capital bonds.

Ordinance 926-2026: ODOT Pedestrian Safety Improvement Program

  • Purpose: Accept $1,640,368 ODOT grant for pedestrian safety improvements at 18 locations across 7 wards (1,5,7,8,10,13,15). City match $455,665.65 from Vision Zero fund.
  • Improvements: Flashing beacons, hybrid beacons, high-visibility crosswalks, refuge islands, curb extensions.
  • Debate: Councilman Harsh criticized ODOT for funding crosswalks while neglecting State Road (a state route) resurfacing. He successfully offered an amendment requiring council be notified of any cost overruns. Councilwoman Gray questioned why Kinsman Road (55-60 crashes/year) was not included. Cameron Roberts explained locations were chosen based on proximity to public facilities and prior to his tenure. Director confirmed a striping project is planned for Kinsman from East 55th to East 93rd.
  • Outcome: Approved as amended (notification of overages).

Ordinance 921-2026: Street Vacation near Hopkins Airport

  • Purpose: Vacate portions of five streets (Forrestwood, Midvale, W. 185th, W. 188th, W. 190th) on 30 acres of city-owned land north of Cleveland Hopkins Airport for redevelopment.
  • Amendments: Corrected legal descriptions and added language for release of utility easements.
  • Outcome: Approved as amended.

Ordinance 769-2026: Green Infrastructure Grant for Capitol Theater Parking Lot

  • Purpose: Accept $250,000 NEORSD grant for green infrastructure (permeable pavers, bioretention) at the city-owned Gordon Square parking lot, combined with $522,000 from CIP for resurfacing.
  • Debate: Councilman Shaw raised maintenance concerns, noting the city has not maintained existing green infrastructure. Councilwoman Hudson questioned whether the city has equipment for permeable paver maintenance. Director acknowledged the city's poor track record but said the Gordon Square Arts District (CID) will handle maintenance.
  • Outcome: Approved as amended (restructured to separate city and grant work).

Key Outcomes

  • All eight ordinances were approved, several with amendments.
  • Councilman Harsh's amendment to Ordinance 926-2026 passed (council notification of ODOT overages).
  • Councilman Starr requested a joint safety committee hearing on varsity sports security.
  • Councilman Shaw announced plans to introduce a motion to swear in witnesses at future committee hearings.
  • Council members noted ongoing concerns about CMSD funding equity, pedestrian safety on Kinsman Road, and maintenance of green infrastructure.

Meeting Transcript

Good morning. Today is Monday, September 14th, 2026. Here. Present. All right, thank you. I hope everybody had a good uh break over the recess. Uh time to make the donuts, as they would say. So can I have um CMSD and director who's who's the director representing CMSD? Is that you, Director? Uh yes. All right, come on up. This is uh twenty-two. We're gonna start with nine twenty-two. Okay, good. All right, director. Um we're gonna start with uh ordinance number nine twenty-two-six. Great, thank you. This is by council members Bishop Starr and Griffin. This is a departmental request. This emergency ordinance authorizing the directors of parks and recreation andor finance as appropriate to enter into one or more contracts with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District to conduct recreational culture and extracurricular programs for the benefit of school children during the twenty twenty-five, twenty twenty-six school year. So that is uh wrong. That is not twenty twenty-five, twenty twenty-six. That is that school year is behind us, right? So we we're doing twenty twenty-six, twenty twenty-seven school year, correct? Can you turn your mic? The C funding, um, I'm sorry, to um the chair, the council, excuse me. The C funding is one year behind. Okay, so this is correct. Yes, this is correct. Okay. All right. Okay, Director. Uh, can you uh introduce all of the um folks that we have at the table? Great. Thank you to the chair. I appreciate being here today uh with representatives from CMSD. Um to my right is uh the athletic director, Jezarae Powell. Uh next to her is Nikita Baker. Yes. Uh, also a CMST. Um to the chair, my title is the budget analyst and manager of special projects. Okay. Okay. Also we have uh Trent Mosley, who oversees the um athletics um at CMSD. And on my left, I have uh Jeffrey Allen, who is the executive director of finance for CMSD. Fine arts, fine arts, sorry. Right. Oh, and then also we have Ken Baird, who is at the end of the table. He's student activities. Student activity.

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