Council Meeting Highlights

Apr 22, 2024

Cleveland (April 22, 2024) - City Council held its regular meeting tonight, both in person in Council Chambers and live streamed. Council's next meeting will be Monday, April 29th. Here are today’s highlights:

Baseball and Softball Summer Program: Council approved accepting a grant in the amount of $80,000, and any other funds that may become available, from the Cleveland Guardians Charities to conduct the Baseball and Softball Summer Youth Program. This will provide free baseball and softball activities for Cleveland youth/teenagers. The city estimates that there will be 55 Teams with 675 Participants who will utilize 25 plus diamonds located across the City. Over 100 fields are available. Ord. No. 305-2024

Lone Sailor Monument to Be Installed at Voinovich Park: Council approved a license agreement to the USS Cleveland Legacy Foundation to install and maintain the Lone Sailor monument to be located at the Northwest Corner of Voinovich Park. The monument pays tribute to the men and women who have served, are currently serving or will serve in the U.S. Navy and raises awareness of the future Navy ship, USS Cleveland, currently under construction in Wisconsin and scheduled to be commissioned in Cleveland in 2025. The Lone Sailor monument was designed by sculptor Stanley Bleifeld, who enlisted in the Navy during World War II. The original statue arrived on station at the U.S. Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C. more than 30 years ago. Today, there are 17 replicas, with Cleveland being the location of the 18^th.  The USS Cleveland Legacy Foundation plans to install and maintain the Lone Sailor monument, as well as proposing improvements to the area surrounding the statue which include installing new pavers, four benches and two donor walls. Ord. No. 311-2024

Refugees Arriving in Cleveland Need Supports: Council approved providing the May Dugan Center $50,000 in funding to provide services to refugees arriving in Cleveland. HIAS (formerly the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) is “the Jewish humanitarian organization that provides critical services to refugees, asylum seekers, and others from 23 countries around the world.” It is the oldest refugee resettlement organization in the world and has had a presence in Cleveland for almost 100 years and recently affiliated with May Dugan. The refugees are specifically selected and supported by the State Department to come to the United States, and these refugees enter the United States with full legal status.

May Dugan is expected to resettle 200 people in 2024. Once at full capacity, it will receive up to 500 people to Cleveland each year. Specifically, the May Dugan team assists people from the time they arrive at the airport through their first 90 days in Cleveland. They help the refugees secure housing, obtain food and household items, enroll in schools and English classes, find employment, and otherwise integrate into the United States. Ord. No. 411-2024 

Designing the Lakefront: Council approved, after holding the legislation for a week, to provide an additional $400,000 to James Corner Field Operations, L.L.C. and to extend the contract for an additional year for additional services, and to amend the name of the consultant to Field Operations, L.L.C. The administration had acknowledged the contractor’s work had exceeded $500,000 that had been approved by Council as a not-to-exceed amount. James Corner Field Operations had also been allocated a separate $400,000 contract for community engagement activities. Ord. No. 1337-2024