Council Meeting Highlights

Sep 16, 2024

City Council held its regular Monday meeting tonight, both in person in Council Chambers and live streamed. Council's next meeting will be Monday, Sept. 23rd. Here are today’s highlights:

Two Historic Cleveland Churches Receive Landmark Status: The First Hungarian Reformed “Stone” Church (AKA Second New Hope Baptist Church) and St. Margaret of Hungary Catholic Church (AKA Second New Hope Baptist Church) were both designated by Council as Landmarks.  Councilman Richard Starr sponsored The First Hungarian Church landmark status, which was originally constructed in 1894 out of wood. In 1903, construction began for the stone church which was dedicated in 1904. In 1943 the Second New Hope Baptist Church moved into the building. The steeple was removed in 1956.  

Councilwoman Deborah Gray sponsored the former St. Margaret of Hungary church landmark status. The original church was also made of wood and was completed in 1922. The wood church was replaced by a brick church built between 1928 and 1930. The membership declined and the final mass was held August 13, 1989. Ord. Nos. 472 and 472-2024

Bring InsideOut Dad Program to the County Jail: Council approved a resolution strongly encouraging County Executive Chris Ronayne to implement the InsideOut Dad program in the county jail. The resolution was originally sponsored by Councilman Kevin Conwell, a leader and supporter of Fatherhood initiatives, and later co-sponsored by all of Council. The National Fatherhood Initiative runs the InsideOut Dad program, which is the nation’s most widely used evidence-based curriculum developed specifically for incarcerated fathers. InsideOut Dad is proven to develop pro-fathering attitudes, knowledge and skills to help fathers successfully reenter the lives of their families and communities. The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction implemented InsideOut Dad in its prison system in 2008. Res. No. 948-2024

Outside Help for the Community Police Commission: Council approved hiring the United Black Fund of Greater Cleveland for one year (with an option to renew a second year) to help manage the Community Police Commission’s $1 million annual grant making process. Under the charter, the commission distributes $1 million in annual grants to organizations focused on restorative justice, violence prevention and community-based mediation. The $110,000 cost for the United Black Fund to administer the grants will come from the commission’s $1 million fund. Commission members found it difficult to administer, and with 9 members leaving the 13-member commission at the end of the year and new members to be appointed, the grant management becomes more complicated. Ord. No. 835-2024

Introduced:

Legislation that amends various Sections of Chapter 514 to exempt bicycle racks from permit application fees and renewal fees was introduced. The ordinance, sponsored by Councilman Kerry McCormack, does not exempt them from insurance, indemnification, and other requirements. Ord. No. 991-2024