Speaker numbers apply only to this recording. Names come from transcript evidence. “Possibly” marks uncertain attribution.
Cleveland City Council convened a regular meeting on October 19, 2026, at Cleveland City Hall. Council President Blaine Griffin opened the meeting with the standard warning regarding disruptions. A quorum of 12 members was present. The council passed numerous emergency ordinances and resolutions, including an extension of the data center moratorium and a resolution opposing a U.S. Census Bureau proposed rule. Extended public comment featured a wide range of concerns, including housing conditions, police recruitment, surveillance expansion, and domestic violence services.
Sabrina Otis expressed frustration over the lack of resident notification regarding upcoming changes to waste management rules. She also alleged that city employees have retaliated against her by discussing her with other residents and labeling her "difficult."
Daryl Houston (Bedford resident) raised multiple concerns about the Cleveland Fire Department, alleging racism, hazing connected to the death of firefighter Simeon Williams, and a failure to address complaints. He also criticized Safety Director Drummond for a lack of security at police precincts and other responsibilities, calling for accountability.
Matthew Strazinski (Slavic Village resident) noted the absence of his ward council members and urged the city to improve police officer recruitment through stronger marketing campaigns, including "Evergreen hiring." He advocated for updating patrol vehicles, stating that a clean vehicle is a motivating factor for employees. He praised Alex Nichols and Brenda Nelson for maintaining Kowalski Field.
Bridget Smith Jackson (East Cleveland resident) thanked the Mayor and Council President Griffin for prior responsiveness. She raised serious plumbing issues at Lake Shore properties, including raw sewage backing up into bathtubs. She proposed that each of the 15 council members contribute $1,000 ($15,000 total) to fund a centralized oversight position to handle housing complaints and prevent landlord retaliation against tenants.
Brynn Adams (Ward 12, Flock No campaign) strongly opposed the expansion of surveillance technology in Cleveland. She detailed specific statistics over the last five years: audio surveillance expanded from 3 to 13 square miles, the drone fleet grew from 0 to 9, license plate readers increased from 0 to 100, and integrated cameras grew from 350 to "several thousand." She noted the city does not have an active, legally enforceable contract with Flock and that the required transparency portal has not been activated, calling the situation a "complete lack of trust" between City Hall and residents.
Latalia Fontaine (Garden Valley, Rainbow series properties) described the living conditions in her complex as a "plantation" and a "hazard." She stated the property is at risk of another disaster on behalf of the 44 families living there and demanded immediate action.
Nia C. Holland (Euclid, Rise and Rebuild Foundation) advocated for emergency funding and safe housing for domestic violence survivors. She questioned the status of "Asia's Law," stating that strangulation has not been made a felony despite promises following a high-profile murder in Shaker Heights.
President Austria Everson (Buckeye Woody, Project Love Movement) alleged retaliation by the city for filing a federal lawsuit. She stated that the day after the lawsuit was filed, she was notified her organization was no longer being considered for a Neighborhood Safety Fund grant, despite positive feedback during the application process.
Council suspended the rules to consider a large block of emergency ordinances and resolutions on final passage.
First Reading Emergency Ordinances (Approved 12-0): The council unanimously approved several items, including: authorizing the donation of city fleet vehicles to Roadworthy Inc. for a workforce development initiative (1280-2026); amending short-term rental regulations (1282-2026); funding for the "Creative Fathers Connected Families Project" via the Center for Arts Inspired Learning (1289-2026); and emergency meal distribution through the Famicos Foundation (1290-2026). A resolution objecting to a liquor permit transfer (1307-2026) was also adopted.
Second Reading Emergency Ordinances:
All right, we should be ready to go, right? I thought we got nine. We got nine, don't we? You need ten. We need one more. Why do we need I thought nine was quorum? If all council members could come to the well, we need to get started. All council members, if you could come to the well. Thank you. And to the republic, which is standard. I make the following statement. This meeting of Cleveland City Council is a lawful meeting under Section Six O Five. No person with purpose to prevent or disrupt the lawful meeting shall do any act which obstructs or interferes with the due conduct of such meeting. Members of the public are invited to speak only under the rules set by this council. Disruptions, including but not limited to speaking out of turn and making loud noises and loud utterances are in violation of the rules and interfere with the due conduct of this lawful meeting. Such disruptions may constitute a misdemeanor and a violation of section six oh five dot oh four. Anyone who disrupts this lawful meeting in violation of the codified ordinances commits misdemeanors and is subject to prosecution. 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, out or outside of the chambers, the 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. As always, any public commenters, please. Please dispense with the journal. By council member House Jones, that the reading of the minutes of the last meeting be dispensed with the journal approved, seconded by councilmember Davis. Thank you. We'll now move to public comment. Once again, all public comment. First, we have Sabrina Otis. Sabrina Otis did not give the area that she lives in. She is not representing any organization. You have the floor. That um that we have optic issues. We have an issue because trash is gonna change, and instead of notifying residents on the new rules about waste, um, it's not being discussed. If you guys are gonna change the rules regarding waste and how much we the residents can actually put out, it needs to be discussed now. So we as residents can either object or learn to figure out what we're doing with our waste. Um, which brings me to my other issue, and that has to do with I know we as residents get on your nerves, and y'all think we are annoying and that we cause trouble. Not all the time, are we causing trouble? Sometimes what we have to say has to do with just not wanting to put up with shenanigans.