Cleveland City Council Meeting Summary – 2026-10-26

The Cleveland City Council met on 2026-10-26. The meeting opened with roll call, a moment of silence, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a warning about disruptive conduct. Public comment covered housing, ward representation, the Browns stadium deal, AI/data centers, ALPR surveillance, and street safety. Council then acted on multiple ordinances and resolutions, including the failed Browns reimbursement ordinance and several passed road and safety measures. The next regular meeting is scheduled for November 9, 2026. Note: the raw transcript contains apparent transcription errors; names and titles are rendered as heard.

Public Comments & Testimony

• An unidentified speaker criticized city departments (HR, water, lights, law), called for resignations, and said he would pursue accountability through the constitution and charter against Marty Kane and Delante Spencer.
• St. James Singleton (Ward 9) told a joke about campaign promises, urged council members to keep residents' trust and to let God lead their decision-making, and asked them to treat people with dignity.
• Matthew Strazewski (Slavic Village) requested a broken seat be fixed and balconies opened, and advocated amending the charter to create 34 council seats — one per planning commission neighborhood — saying 25,000 residents per councilperson is too many and council members cannot cover their wards.
• A housing advocate said families keep returning to council because otherwise they are forgotten; she cited the June 23, 2025 explosion as the worst-case outcome of negligence (a man dead, two children burned, families displaced), asked what the housing plan is, noted October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and said VAWA protections must become practice, not just paper. She also highlighted a mother waiting 16 months for an ADA-accessible unit for her disabled daughter.
• Norm Plonski, owner of Major Hoopals (Ward 7), opposed Metro Parks' removal of 80% of parking near Irish Town Bend, proposed restoring Franklin Road street parking or making an empty lot permanent parking, and said streetlights on Franklin Road/Red Line Greenway Trail had been out for over a year and a half.
• Jenna Thomas (Bike Cleveland, Ward 13) thanked council for safer streets investments, urged streets designed for non-drivers, cited average Ohio car payments of $504/month (used) and $716/month (new) and a 47% rise in car ownership costs since 2020, and said she supports sacrificing some driver convenience for safety.
• Fauzi Badour (Ward 11) urged council to extend the moratorium on hyperscale data centers, citing a September 17 researcher resignation, statements by Sam Altman and Dario Amodei, President Trump's go-fast position, and a Bill Gates warning that a wrong AI drive could kill a billion people.
• Brandon Totes (Flock No campaign, Ward 13) opposed the upcoming ALPR contract, arguing Motorola and Axon alternatives would expand ICE access, data monetization, and chilling effects; he cited Motorola's $22.8 million ICE contract and Trump's $5 million Axon stock purchase before a $220 million ICE taser contract.
• Kate Burke (Ohio Social Prescribing Collaborative, Ward 3) thanked council for passing the arts and health resolution, said arts are a health practice, and called for collaboration across health and human services and workforce development.
• Alex White (Ward 1) thanked his council member for a fast response after his basement flooded: contact on Sunday, a council reply by Tuesday, sewer department contact by Wednesday, and street surveying by Thursday/Friday.

Communications and Routine Resolutions

The clerk shared five Ohio Division of Liquor Control applications: File 1327-2026 (2175 Cornell Road, Ward 6), 1328-2026 (2821 Detroit Avenue, Ward 7), 1329-2026 (4058 St. Clair Avenue, Ward 8), 1330-2026 (6029 Superior Avenue, Ward 8), and 1331-2026 (1163 East 123rd Street, Ward 9). Condolence resolutions were offered for Renault Turner Sr., Wallace Baker, John William Bachman, Adiza Francesca Barnes, and Deacon Willie Seaborn Jr.; a congratulations resolution was offered for the Riddall Foundation, and a recognition resolution for Director Carnese McKenzie.

Legislation and Votes

• First-reading emergency ordinances, including Ordinance 1316-2026 (salary classification amendments) and a Ward 10 Casino Revenue Funds agreement for a regional convening project, were placed on final passage; the roll call recorded 12 yeas.
• Ordinance 1326-2026 (form-based code amendments) was referred for administrative and committee review.
• First-reading emergency resolutions 1312-2026 through 1315-2026, objecting to liquor license transfers at 5517 Memphis Avenue, 3022 West 25th Street, 3259 West 25th Street, and 3995 Jennings Road, were adopted by a 13-yea vote.
• Second-reading emergency ordinance votes:
  • Ordinance 931-2026 (reimbursing the Cleveland Browns for emergency repairs to Huntington Bank Field) failed: 6 yeas, 7 nays.
  • Ordinance 1205-2026 (Brook Park Road resurfacing with Brook Park and Parma) passed: 8 yeas, 5 nays.
  • Ordinance 1175-2026 (Wade Park Avenue resurfacing) passed: 12 yeas, 1 nay.
  • All other second-reading emergency ordinances — including the West 9th Street encroachment permit, Warren Road Bridge/Stokes Boulevard consent, Fire Force FAA training, St. Clair Avenue target speed pilot, Shaker Boulevard resurfacing, lead safe certificate program, Roadworthy fleet workforce development, and signal support poles contracts — passed with 13 yeas.

Discussion and Statements After the Votes

• Councilman Slife said his ward's voting representation equals two-fifteenths of city voter turnout and property tax revenue; he argued that voting against a simple street resurfacing in his ward because of the Browns move would create problems for the ward.
• Councilwoman House Jones explained her no vote on 1205, saying the legislative summary listed Ward 13 and Ward 15, and only Councilman Casey had approached her about it.
• Councilman Shaw said his no vote on 1205 was about prioritizing limited state money for city road needs rather than the interests of billionaire Jimmy Haslam, and he regretted not checking with Slife.
• The Council President noted the body cannot hold executive sessions unless the charter is changed, recommended putting that on the ballot, and challenged the administration to monitor spending and pending legal battles.
• Councilman Polensek delivered an extended statement saying the Browns deal and stadium demolition were the worst deal in Cleveland history, that the city still owes just over $22 million on a building to be torn down, that downtown businesses predict financial harm, and that council members are frustrated by how hard it is to get basic repairs done. He said the 931 vote reflected frustration, not opposition to council leadership.

Key Outcomes

• Failed: Ordinance 931-2026 (Browns reimbursement), 6–7.
• Passed: Ordinance 1205-2026 (Brook Park Road resurfacing), 8–5.
• Passed: Ordinance 1175-2026 (Wade Park Avenue resurfacing), 12–1.
• Passed: All other second-reading emergency ordinances, with 13 yeas.
• Adopted: Liquor license objection resolutions 1312–1315, with 13 yeas.
• Advanced: First-reading emergency ordinances on final passage; 1326 referred to committee.
• Excused absences for Councilmembers Jones and Santana.
• Adjourned to November 9, 2026; no meeting next week because of election day.