Cleveland Heights City Council passes 12-month budget

CH City Council passed the city's 2025 budget on March 17.

After four months, and much debate, Cleveland Heights City Council passed a 12-month budget for 2025 at its March 17 meeting. Members of city council, who received the mayor’s appropriations on Nov. 15, 2024, requested additional information from the mayor’s office before voting on the budget. On Dec. 19, council adopted a temporary three-month budget that was set to expire March 31.

The $105 million budget provides funding for a range of programs and projects, notably $2.8 million for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) programs including home repair grants and sidewalk repair programs that serve low- to moderate-income residents; Economic Development Department programs that help to redevelop vacant properties in the city; and Cain Park, which received $1.8 million to operate the city’s arts park and venue in the upcoming season. 

In a March 18 news release, Mayor Seren stated, “2025 is about looking forward and building. I’d like to thank the Finance Department, including Willy (Felts), Rodney (Hairston), Donna (Fisher), Laurie (Newshutz) and Earline (Robinson). And I’d like to thank council. It has been a difficult process, but I respect the role council plays, and the requests on appropriation have been fairly considered.” 

The council vote in favor of the budget was 6-0; Council Member Davida Russell had an excused absence.