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Where Am I: Council Meeting Highlights

Council Meeting Highlights

Jul 10, 2024

City Council held its first of two summer meetings tonight, both in person in Council Chambers and live streamed. Council will have its second summer meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 7th. Here are today’s highlights:

Shaker Square Supermarket Improvements: Council approved providing a forgivable loan of up to $250,000 to SH SQ, LLC to provide economic development assistance to partially finance tenant improvements and equipment costs associated with retaining Dave’s Supermarket in Shaker Square, and other associated costs necessary to redevelop the property. The neighborhood stabilization project totaling about  $700,000 will also include the tenant's match of $350,000 and an additional $100,000 from the property owners (Cleveland Neighborhood Progress subsidiary and Burten, Bell, Carr). Ord. No. 721-2024     

Restoring the Vacant Variety Theater: Council approved an $100,000 grant agreement with Variety Properties, LLC  to provide economic development assistance to partially finance costs associated with renovating the vacant Variety Theater building, located at 11801-11825 Lorain Avenue . The grant legislation, sponsored by Councilman Danny Kelly, will go towards construction and renovation, acquisition of equipment, furniture, fixtures, EV Charging Stations, as well as landscaping, signage and other eligible costs associated with redevelopment of the vacant building. “This will be a dynamic catalyst for economic redevelopment,” Councilman Kelly said. Kelly noted that ample parking is available. Ord. No. 614-2024

A New City Department is Created, and a New Forestry Division is Added: Council approved eliminating the division of Recreation and Park Maintenance and Properties and the Office of Special Events and Marketing from the Department of Public Works and instead creating a Department of Parks & Recreation.

This new Department of Parks & Recreation will be responsible for all the equipment and other property belonging to the City and relating to the Department of Parks & Recreation, as well the management of Public Hall, the Music Hall, the Little Theater, the main arena, Malls B and C, and all of the Public Auditorium, the Westside Market, the golf course, and Cleveland Browns Stadium. The new department will oversee all City parks and all recreation facilities. The new Department of Parks & Recreation will also house the Office of Special Events and Marketing, overseeing planning and permitting for special events including the filming of movies or television shows.  

Forestry Becomes its Own Standalone Division: Council members Jenny Spencer (15) and Charles Slife (17) sponsored an amendment to establish a Division of Urban Forestry that would be housed under the new Department of Parks & Recreation. The Council members noted that having a division will enable the city to be more transparent and intentional about enhancing the tree canopy, as well as dealing with other issues including tree maintenance, installations and sidewalk repair because of tree roots. Currently, Urban Forestry is under Park Maintenance & Properties in the Department of Public Works. Adding the new division should be essentially budget neutral. The establishment of the new division comes at an opportune time with the city announcing a $3.4 million award from the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program through the federal Inflation Reduction Act. Ord. No. 521-2024

Capital Improvement Projects and Equipment Purchases: Several pieces of capital improvement legislation were passed, and Council approved the city to authorize the issuance and sale of not to exceed $67,500,000 of Series 2024 Various Purpose General Obligation Bonds to pay for the improvements and purchases. Ord. Nos. 662 through 667-2024. The bond funding is going for: 

  • $1.25 million for Cemetery Improvements 
  • $11 million to acquire Heavy Duty Trucks & Equipment including snow plows, bucket trucks and garbage trucks
  • $5 million to acquire Light Duty Vehicles and Equipment
  • $9.25 million for Parks & Recreation Improvements
  • $15 million for Public Facilities Improvements
  • $26 million for Roads & Bridge Improvements