Delete WardCouncil Meeting Highlights (3/20/23)
Mar 20, 2023
(Cleveland – March 20, 2023) - City Council held its regular Monday meeting tonight, both in person in Council Chambers and through live streaming. The next regular meeting is April 3rd (no meeting on March 27th). Here are tonight’s highlights:
City Council tonight passed Cleveland’s $1.9 billion budget for 2023, which includes more than $710 million in the General Fund for daily operations and services.
This was the third reading of the budget where the actual vote was taken. Under the City Charter, three readings are required for passage and adoption. Council could not make changes to the document after the second reading, and the budget had to “sit” for seven days after publication in the City Record before the final reading and vote. The budget must be done by April 1. Council made some additions to the budget and corresponding cuts were made to ensure a balanced budget.
New Police HQ Moves Ahead: Council approved legislation to move forward on a new Department of Police Headquarters at the “ArtCraft” building located at 2350-2570 Superior Avenue. The city will purchase the property and enter into a design-build with the developer TurnDev, to renovate the building. The $90 million maximum deal includes a total renovation of the building including its plumbing, electrical, HVAC, roof and elevators, build a parking garage and surface parking. It also includes procuring the furniture, fixtures, equipment, information technology business systems, movers, consulting services, and any other related expenditures needed for the new police headquarters. Ord. No. 54-2023
Community Development Block Grant Funding: Council approved the grants from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development for PY2023. The city is expecting to receive $23,237,665 for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program; $5,864,922 for the Federal HOME Investment Partnerships Act (HOME) Program; $2,523,867 for the Emergency Solutions Grant Program; and $2,350,189 for the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS Program. Ord. No. 135-2023
Railroad Safety: Council passed a resolution sponsored by Councilmember Jenny Spencer on railroad safety urging Congress and the Ohio General Assembly to enact legislation to protect Cleveland residents from the inherent dangers of a train derailment on the multiple tracks that run through the city. The resolution notes that Council passed a resolution in June of 2020 condemning Norfolk Southern Corporation for rerouting daily trains carrying highly toxic flammable crude oil and ethanol through Cleveland, without public notice, and urged Norfolk Southern Corporation to cease this rerouting and move all hazardous materials shipments not originating or terminating in the City of Cleveland to less populated routes.
The resolution also urges Congress to pass Senate Bill 576, The Railway Safety Act of 2023, to take clear actions to prevent future, man-made rail disasters. Res. No 340-2023.
Council will hold a special hearing on rail safety and emergency preparedness at 9:30 am, Tuesday March 21st.
Two other resolutions were passed tonight:
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