Council Meeting Highlights

Jul 14, 2021

City Council held a virtual meeting electronically today in compliance with Ohio’s Open Meetings Law. The legislative body adopted various ordinances and resolutions, keeping the city’s government in full function during the ongoing COVID-19 emergency. Today’s meeting was one of two scheduled during council’s summer recess. The second meeting will be held August 18.

Here are highlights from today’s meeting:

*Authorized spending up to $1 million to fund a program aimed at improving the city's housing stock and the overall quality of life for residents. The money will allow the city to enter into contracts with various neighborhood development corporations, which will interview and hire staff for the initiative.

The aim of the Community Engagement Healthy Home Initiative is to restore all of the city's neighborhoods into safe, healthy and vibrant communities in which to live, work and raise families. Much of that initiative has been underway by non-profit neighborhood development corporations, focusing on development, preservation, safety and new capital investments.

Besides hiring staff, the funding will allow purchasing of software, staff training, and the purchasing of materials, equipment, supplies and services. Ord. No. 469-2021.

*Passed legislation adding Juneteenth as a holiday for city employees beginning in 2022. The federal government recently established the Juneteenth National Independence Day - commemorating the emancipation of those who had been enslaved in the United States. Ord. No. 561-2021.

*Passed legislation requiring, as a condition of a city permit to obstruct the public right-of-way, that work zones to provide safe, temporary sidewalk, walkway, and re-routing access for pedestrians and wheelchair riders during construction. The legislation aims to protect those who use the sidewalks by ensuring temporary pedestrian access routes are established through building operation work zones. Ord. No. 979-2020 AS AMENDED

Introduced:

*Legislation allowing the city to accept a $350,000 grant from the Cleveland Foundation to continue work on the African American Cultural Garden on Martin Luther King Blvd.

The garden, not yet completed, was established by prominent business and civic leaders, public officials and community activists. They identified the garden’s mission as promoting education and interest in African American culture and heritage and a spirit of friendship among all people.

The legislation allows the city to accept the grant to be used for consulting fees and to begin construction of Phase 2, estimated at $883,187. This legislation will go to Municipal Services and Properties Committee. Ord No. 536-2021.

*Legislation authorizing the Director of Community Development to accept an estimated $16,507,009.20 in funding from the U.S. Treasury Department for purposes of implementing the Emergency Rental Assistance program established under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The city of Cleveland applied for this additional funding, as it is separate from the nearly $512 million the city is receiving in two parts.

The legislation will also allow the department to enter into contracts with various community development organizations to assist eligible Cleveland residents needing this financial help. This legislation will go to Development, Planning & Sustainability Committee. Ord. No. 531-2021.