Cleveland Heights City Council meeting highlights 6-24-2024

JUNE 24, 2024, special meeting

• Public comment
• Police chief report
• Council action
  
  

Present were Mayor Kahlil Seren, Tony Cuda (council president), Craig Cobb, Gail Larson, Anthony Mattox, Jr., Jim Petras, and Jim Posch. Davida Russell was excused. Also present were Clerk of Council Addie Balester, Law Director William Hanna, and City Administrator Danny Williams. The special meeting ran for one hour and 30 minutes; the COW for a little over two and one-quarter hours.

Public comment

A resident said he felt the ordinances regarding appointments to citizen advisory committees were unnecessary and spiteful and cut out the mayor due to imagined slights and grievances.

Destiny Burns and Adam Fleischer, Cedar-Lee merchants; Jacob Orosz, a Cedar-Fairmount merchant; and Melody Joy Hart, a former city council president, expressed support for the DORA (Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area, i.e. outdoor dining at restaurants).

Seven individuals spoke about the two ordinances involving a commercial development loan to the Russo family and Grocery Outlet, and the sale of the parking lot to the city. Sal Russo read a statement from Luna Bakery owner, Bridget Thibeault, about the importance of the parking lot for all local businesses and of a grocery store in the space. Lee Chilcote, Mr. Russo’s lawyer, said Grocery Outlet is a good operator and would work with the Russo family to make the store successful. Building tenant Jack Valancy said that Cedar-Fairmount needs a store that serves everyone, including residents without private transportation and those living in poverty. He said if the Grocery Outlet should fail, the $5 million investment in improvement from Grocery Outlet and the landlord would stay in Cleveland Heights. A Grandview Road resident supported the plan after visiting a Grocery Outlet in Boardman, Ohio. Several other residents opposed the ordinances, saying there are other grocery stores within two miles, this would compete with them and cause more traffic, and the chain was not good quality. 

Police chief report

Police Chief Christopher Britton announced the department will be hiring seven new officers from the police academy graduating class. He expressed concern for traffic safety in all Cleveland Heights business districts, noting he lives near Lee Road and relates to the safely problem as a resident as well as police chief. He feels the DORA is a positive step and safety can be worked out.

Council action

On first readings, council:

• Authorized purchase of 19 dash cam video systems from Motorola Systems for the police department, at a cost of $197,999.
• Authorized inclusion of two city-owned parcels in a ground lease to Flaherty & Collins (F&C) to be included in the Cedar-Lee SID (special improvement district) as part of the Cedar Lee Meadowbrook Development. There will be a value cap on the property and F&C will pay any special improvement district SID assessments.
• Accepted the proposed public services and improvements plan for the Cedar Lee SID without changes for the next five years and with the expanded territory.
• Approved a variance for the property at 1774 Lee Road as recommended by the Board of Zoning Appeals.
  
  

Several mayoral appointments were presented on first reading only (no vote) including Sam Bell to the Transportation and Mobility Committee and Carly Beck, Mohammed Irfan, and Sean Terry to the Climate and Environmental Sustainability Committee.

On second reading council:

• Authorized a commercial development loan of $340,000 from the General Fund to Cedar-Grandview Company to be secured by a mortgage on the property at 12426-12438 Cedar Road. The loan will be for 15 years, with 2 percent interest and no tax credits. Assistant Economic Development Director Brian Anderson pointed out what a good deal this was for the city, especially in view of the alternatives, as it would bring cash into the city. Mr. Cobb said it was not uncommon for the city to assist private businesses; this would be an investment. Mr. Posch, Mr. Petras and Mr. Cuda made supportive statements about the improved terms.
• Purchased the parking lot at 2127 Grandview from the Cedar-Grandview Company for $660,000.
• Amended two pieces of legislation, one for creating the Climate and Environmental Sustainability Committee, and a second for the Transportation and Mobility Committee, to provide that all members be appointed by council. Mr. Cobb and Mr. Mattox voted no on both; therefore, the legislation was not on an emergency (i.e., was not effective immediately). There was much disagreement among council members, and several explained their vote. Mr. Mattox called these measures problematic and punitive measures. Ms. Larson said she proposed these amendments after these citizen advisory committees had waited more than two years to be functionally divided in to two. She explained the committees’ history of difficulty working with the administration, during which many members resigned because they could not function without the staff support denied by the mayor. Mr. Cobb had worked with the mayor and got a commitment to appoint a sustainability coordinator, but the mayor did not go on to make the member appointments the legislation granted him. Mr. Cobb also delved into the history but decided to vote no. Mr. Petras noted other committees to which the mayor had also not made appointments, specifically the Arts Commission and the Community Investment Corporation. Mr. Cuda said policy differences happen. He advocates a strong, independent council as a check and balance to the mayor. The council relies on community expertise; it does not have a staff of advisors and has always appointed committees. He concluded there is no spite in this legislation, just policy differences.
• Appointed assessment equalization boards to hear objections to various street assessments to property owners. These are routine annual items.
• Allocated $7,500 to the Heights Music Hop in late September. City Council will be a co-sponsor for the event with FutureHeights.
• Approved an agreement with Protect-A-Cote for public improvement of the Compton Road Pocket Path Parkway with the use of ARPA funds. The total project budget is $251,125.
• Authorized agreements with various nonprofit entities for the purpose of awarding ARPA Funds. There were some amendments to clarify the language. The city will try to start signing contracts and issuing money by June 28.
  
  

On fifth reading and after amendments to assure compliance with state liquor laws, council authorized the creation of DORAs, within which businesses with liquor permits may sell alcohol for consumption off-premises but within the DORA. All alcohol served in the DORA shall be served solely in plastic cups to readily identify such alcoholic beverages as being permitted in the DORA during the times specified. Traffic calming on Lee Road will be a high priority. Mr. Posch spoke about the need to increase safety, adding his committee will address this at its June 25 meeting. 

Committee of the Whole (COW)

The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD) presented a design update on the Doan Brook Restoration Project. The detail design is about 30 percent complete, and they expect to have the final design and be ready to solicit bids by May 2025. They planned to make the same presentation to Shaker Heights City Council later this evening. There will be public meetings including one on July 15 on Zoom (register at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ik-DIuLnQEGqg0dXwEY2vQ#/registration) and in-person (no registration required) on Tuesday, July 16, at the Shaker Heights Public Library.

The first COW in August will look ahead to the 2025 budget.

President Cuda suggested a select committee of the council be formed to exercise oversight of the ARPA fund distribution. He suggested Mr. Cobb and Ms. Larson serve with him, along with collaboration from the administration and the law department. Mr. Mattox volunteered to join the select committee, as well.

The next regular meeting will be Aug. 5.

LWV observer: Blanche Valancy

Meeting packets, legislation, and other information can be found on the city website at: https://www.clevelandheights.gov/1625/City-Council-Agendas-and-Minutes

Videos of council meetings can be viewed on the “City of Cleveland Heights, OH” YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/ClevelandHeightsOH