Delete WardCouncil Meeting Highlights (5/22/23)
May 22, 2023
City Council held its regular meeting tonight and passed several projects using American Rescue Plan Act and revenue recovery funding for important community projects. Council has been intent to use the ARPA money and revenue recovery funds for tangible projects that improve or help Cleveland residents and neighborhoods. The next regular meeting is June 5th. That is also the last regular meeting before Council goes into its summer recess schedule. Here are tonight’s highlights:
Birthing Beautiful Communities – Council approved providing the non-profit organization $1 million to be used towards the construction of a Birthing Center at East 66th Street and Chester Avenue. Birthing Beautiful Communities works with expectant moms at every stage of their pregnancy and through the postpartum transition. BBC was formed in 2014 by African American trained Perinatal Support Persons (PSP) with the pilot program established first in the Hough neighborhood. Since its inception, the organization has served as an agency for training, certifying, and employing PSPs who provide services for the women at highest risk for infant death. Sponsored by Council President Blaine A. Griffin, Councilwoman Stephanie Howse, with Council Members Jasmin Santana, Kevin Conwell and Kerry McCormack joining to co-sponsor. Ord. No. 507-2023
CentroVilla25 – Council approved providing a $1.5 million grant through revenue recovery funds to the Northeast Ohio Hispanic Center to partially finance the CentroVilla25 project at 3140 West 25th Street. CentroVilla25 entails an adaptive reuse of a vacant 32,500 square foot warehouse and office building with an additional 12,500 square foot expansion. The market will feature 20 kiosk-style micro-retail spaces, commercial kitchen, business innovation center and co-working space, office space for Latino and neighborhood-serving organizations, outdoor plaza with a restaurant, and a community gathering space for arts & culture programming. This funding will close the financing gap to start construction and renovation. Sponsored by Councilwoman Jasmin Santana (Ward 14) where the project is located, as well as Council President Blaine A. Griffin and Councilman Anthony Hairston. Ord. No. 508-2023
Electrical Aggregation Program for First Energy Customers: Council fast-tracked legislation to allow the city to enter into an aggregation contract with the Sustainable Ohio Public Energy Council so that residents and small businesses served by First Energy (Illuminating Co.) will save money. However, the administration’s delay in going out for request for proposals means that residents won’t see any savings until August meter read cycle. The administration must still put out an RFP for aggregation for city-owned facilities. Ord. No. 631-2023
Cleveland National Airshow: Council approved legislation to enter into a lease with the Cleveland National Airshow, Inc. for the use of office space, airfield and airport facilities at Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport to conduct the air show and related events, for a three-year period with two one-year options to renew. Ord. No. 430-2023.
Introductions:
Habitat for Humanity: Council introduced legislation to provide $5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity. These funds will help Habitat’s plans to build 50 new homes as the first part of a five-year, $27 million strategic initiative through which the non-profit aims to benefit more than 400 households through a combination of new home builds, rehabilitations, and critical home repairs. Council has made a focus of using ARPA funds for housing needs in the city. The legislation will go for administrative review to the Directors of Community Development, Economic Development, Finance, and Law; before coming back to Council Committees of Development Planning & Sustainability, and Finance Diversity Equity & Inclusion before a full vote. Ord. No. 658-2023