Cleveland City Council

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Michael Polensek Ward 8

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Michael Polensek
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Ward 8 Councilman Michael D. Polensek has served the neighborhoods of northeast Cleveland since 1978, making him the longest-serving Council member in the city's history.

For nearly four decades, Councilman Polensek has represented the Collinwood Neighborhood. Today, he represents North Shore Collinwood, Collinwood Village, and the eastern section of the Glenville neighborhood.
Councilman Polensek is vice chairman of council's Safety Committee and serves on council's Utilities Committee and its Rules Committee.
During his long and productive tenure, Councilman Polensek has been at the forefront of numerous development projects and issues and has been vigilant in creating grassroots community groups and helping business develop and grow in the community. He served as President of City Council from 1999 to 2002 and was instrumental in creating the Neighborhood Equity Fund, which targeted $21 million into neighborhood and ward redevelopment projects and initiatives.

After working for decades, he was instrumental in bringing the new $11 million Collinwood Recreation Center located at 16500 Lakeshore Blvd. It opened in November 2011, becoming the first gold LEED certified building in Cleveland's history. Councilman Polensek championed the effort to transfer Cleveland's lakefront parks to the Cleveland Metroparks system. He was also instrumental in creating the Waterloo Arts and Entertainment District in the historic Waterloo neighborhood, helping small businesses and guiding a major streetscape project completed in 2014.

Councilman Polensek was instrumental in the founding of two non-profit neighborhood development groups -- Northeast Shores and Collinwood Nottingham Villages. Councilman Polensek serves on the advisory committee of the Hospice of the Western Reserve and is a member of the NAACP and the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party.

Councilman Polensek was born in the Glenville neighborhood on East 120th Street and raised in Collinwood, graduating from Collinwood High School where he is an inductee in the school’s Hall of Fame.

As an employee of the former White Motors Corp. on St. Clair Avenue, Councilman Polensek became involved in Local 32 of the United Autoworkers Union, which led to his first run for Council.

Councilman Polensek lives in the North Shore Collinwood area and attends St. Mary’s of the Assumption Church in Collinwood. He has five grown children and two grandsons.
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News & Press

  • Community Development Block Grant Hearings, Council Budget Hearings Start Feb. 16
    News
    Community Development Block Grant Hearings, Council Budget Hearings Start Feb. 16
    February 05, 2021
  • Good News for Longfellow School Redevelopment
    News
    Good News for Longfellow School Redevelopment
    December 19, 2019
  • Chain Reaction Invests Nearly $300,000 in 6 Businesses Locating to Collinwood Neighborhood
    News
    Chain Reaction Invests Nearly $300,000 in 6 Businesses Locating to Collinwood Neighborhood
    December 18, 2019
  • Councilman Polensek Celebrates Stay for Collinwood High School: More Work
    News
    Councilman Polensek Celebrates Stay for Collinwood High School: More Work
    November 21, 2019
  • View all news
  • View all press

Events

  • Consent Decree Status Conference
    February 24, 2021 3:00 PM
  • View calendar

Publications & Resources

Publications
  • The Ward 8 Citizen (Winter 20-21)
  • The Ward 8 Citizen (Fall 2020)
  • All Council Newsletter (Summer 2020)
  • All Council Newsletter (SPRING 2020)
Publication Archives
  • View Archived Publications
Quick Links
  • Street Repair - 216-664-2510
  • Building & Housing - 216-664-2910
  • Waste Collection - 216-664-3717
Get in touch Michael Polensek Ward 8
Phone
  • Office: 216.664.4236
Email
  • mpolensek@clevelandcitycouncil.org
Executive Assistant
Mary Louise Daley E-mail
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Cleveland City Council
Cleveland City Council
601 Lakeside Avenue, Room 220
Cleveland, OH 44114
Phone: 216.664.2840    Fax: 216.664.3837
City of Cleveland
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