Notes

The meeting started promptly at 1 p.m.

Cleveland Clerk of Courts

• See the court’s estimated budget in the 2026 Mayor’s Estimate (starts on pg. 112)
• See the presentation.

Cleveland Clerk of Courts Earle B. Turner presented the proposed 2026 budget, staffing levels, and operational updates for the Clerk of Cleveland Cleveland Municipal Court.

The discussion emphasized the importance of transparency and providing factual information regarding traffic camera tickets. It was clarified that there is no state statute for Drivers with Excessive Tickets Excluded from Registration (DETER) blocks, and the primary goal is for individuals with large ticket balances to become legal drivers and to pay what they owe. Improvements in technology have helped consolidate records and track issues such as flipped plates.

Council Member Brian Kazy requested detailed information on the parking violations, limitations and changes in ticket processing. Turner explained the process for putting individuals on payment plans, noting the challenges of managing multiple tickets while ensuring all owed amounts are clearly communicated both online and in person. Public reporting on registration releases and success rates was also requested, and staffing concerns were highlighted, with 134 vacancies and difficulties retaining trained employees discussed.

Council members raised concerns about the historical manipulation of driver credit card payments, which began in the 1990s as a workaround for system issues. Turner said the workarounds ultimately did not work as intended. [Editors note: Read Signal Cleveland’s reporting on this issue.]

Suggested Reading

Sidewalk repair, city HR functions come in for questioning from city council

by Cleveland Documenters March 1, 2026

Waste collection ticket disputes were addressed, with the hearing process available online or via Zoom, and special attention was given to the impact on senior citizens and renters in targeted neighborhoods. The staff emphasized their ongoing commitment to helping people become legal drivers despite operational challenges.

Finally, the implementation of AI in the clerk’s division was discussed. Staff expressed excitement about its potential, but concerns were raised about citywide impacts. Some council members called for freezes on AI usage until proper safeguards are in place. One council member stressed that transparency remains central, particularly in providing accurate information to the press and the public.

Key operational updates

• In 2025, the City of Cleveland experienced a cyber incident that caused a shutdown of all city, court and Clerk of Courts operations until March 11, 2025. During this incident, the City of Cleveland IT Department and the Ohio National Guard assisted with recovery efforts.
  
• The office operated in a disaster recovery cloud environment until Jan. 24, 2026, which limited functionality. As a result, the City of Cleveland implemented cybersecurity training, which 97% of employees completed.
  
• During the meeting, Turner was questioned by Kazy regarding the staffing levels. Kazy noted that the IT position, staff attorney, hearing officer, deputy clerk, and special projects roles “seem like people that should probably work more than part time.”  He specifically questioned why these positions were designated as part-time rather than full-time, given how involved the roles appeared to be in daily operations.
  
• In response, Turner stated that he did not believe the positions needed to be full-time because the Clerk of Courts shares resources with various departments.

House Bill 29 & collections

• Ohio House Bill 29 took effect on April 9, 2025. The law removed vehicle registration holds for unpaid fines and fees and driver’s license suspension of unpaid fines and fees. The Clerk of Courts believed that moving to a payment plan system would help residents continue driving legally while paying off their fines. Registration is applied to vehicles, not driver’s licenses.
  
• This change limited enforcement options for the Clerk of Courts. The Clerk of Courts office works with a collections agency and the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, with the attorney general’s office acting as the main collection partner.
  • Kazy asked about the number of unpaid red light tickets. Turner said that about $34 million in tickets have gone unpaid over the past 12 years and that the city is considering expunging those tickets.
    
  • Council Member Joe Jones asked whether money collected through the Ohio Attorney General’s office returns to the City of Cleveland or goes to the State of Ohio.
    
  • Turner stated that once the Attorney General receives the tickets, the city loses all control over them.
    
  • Council Member Mike Polensek criticized the Clerk of Courts office for not enforcing more traffic tickets over the last 20 years. He also raised concerns about the increase in hit-and-run incidents and the new parking system adopted by the City of Cleveland. He noted that not everyone has a smartphone or knows how to use a QR code and said this discourages residents from coming downtown because they receive tickets without understanding why.

Technology and artificial intelligence

• The clerk’s office is exploring the use of AI to improve staff efficiency. AI would be used to support the early stages of the electronic filing process. City officials emphasized that implementing AI is expensive and requires strong oversight and careful governance.
  • Turner said AI will not be used to replace employees but instead to support their work and improve efficiency. He also said that if the city does not begin adapting now, it risks falling behind.
  • Kazy asked the clerk’s office where additional cybersecurity funding was included in the budget.

Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO)

• See the OEO’s estimated budget in the 2026 Mayor’s Estimate.
• See the presentation.

The Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO) presentation was given by Director Tyson Mitchell:

• “I struggle with my opening remarks traditionally … and I don’t believe the time we’re in calls for a traditional opening. This position reminds me of my days at Morehouse College; we always saw things that happened to us and said we wouldn’t allow that on our watch. And so I carry those memories with me, and I’m proud to serve as the director of Equal Opportunity, particularly in a time when diversity, equity and inclusion are under attack…when the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is under attack, and when they’re trying to rewrite history.”

Join the movement for transparency

Civic power can start with you! We train and pay Documenters to take notes at local government meetings and share them here. Learn more about becoming a Documenter.

Mitchell reported 838 certified businesses in 2025 securing $90 million. The office negotiated 33 community benefits agreements (CBAs) totaling $960 million. Mitchell emphasized the importance of early contractor engagement to meet Minority Business Enterprise (MBE)/Female Business Enterprise (FBE) participation goals, achieving 80% compliance. The office also monitors living wages and wage theft, with a new fair employment wage manager to be hired.

Council members stressed the need for transparency, public reporting and ensuring minority and female participation in city contracts:

• Council Member Kevin Conwell emphasized the importance of ensuring minority representation in construction projects, highlighting the role of OEO in facilitating this.“Minority representation in construction isn’t just a goal; it’s a responsibility, and OEO ensures that responsibility is met.”

• Council Member Joe Jones criticized a specific contractor for failing to hire minorities and for poor workmanship, citing a $100 million contract without Black employees and subpar work on Lee Road. “I’ve seen millions spent on projects in my neighborhood, yet minority workers aren’t being hired, and the work isn’t meeting promised standards. Poor workmanship and safety issues shouldn’t be ignored. Residents deserve both representation and competent work.”

Mitchell explained that Cleveland’s disparity study finds no racial disparity when it comes to horizontal construction (which is road work), based on available minority-owned businesses. Jones pressed for accountability and updates on specific projects, including a $5 million investment on East 131st Street. The discussion underscored the need for better minority inclusion and contractor accountability in city projects.

Polensek questioned whether teams using publicly-supported facilities, including the Cleveland Guardians, Cleveland Cavaliers and Cleveland Browns, are meaningfully hiring minority, female-owned and Cleveland-based contractors. He emphasized that, without consistent reporting, council cannot assess whether public investments are benefiting local residents.

Mitchell noted that the Cleveland Guardians are compliant, stating they are “over compliant,” but expressed concern about the lack of similar transparency from other teams. Referencing the significant public investment in the Browns stadium, Polensek stressed the need for accountability, saying, “We put about $700 million into the Browns stadium, and I want to know what they’ve done for Cleveland-based businesses and residents.”

Polensek made it clear that future funding decisions would depend on demonstrated compliance, adding, “A lot of my posture and position is going to be based on what I see.” He warned that organizations seeking additional public support must show tangible commitments to minority hiring and local economic participation before returning to council for funding.

Department of Community Development  

(Note: Community Development and Economic Development presented together due to overlapping work, with council questions addressed at the end of all presentations.)

• See the department’s estimated budget in the 2026 Mayor’s Estimate.
• See the presentation.

Council Member Kris Harsh reviewed the Community Development budget and shared how the department is navigating major restructuring following the creation of the Department of Development: 

The Community Development Department retains three main areas:

• Residential Improvement – led by Danette Davis, focusing on home repair and neighborhood stabilization programs.
  
• Community Programming – led by Arin Miller-Tate, overseeing wealth-building initiatives and community engagement activities.
  
• Interim Director of Community Development – Joy Anderson

Cleveland Chief of Integrated Development Tom McNair introduced his team and described the challenges of the transition, highlighting leadership changes and the complexity of contracting within the department. He emphasized the operational work required: “It is a hell of a lot easier to pass a piece of paper than it is to operationalize something like that.… There’s a lot of work that happens here.”

Community Development operates primarily through federal grants totaling nearly $30 million, with only $1.9 million coming from the General Fund. The General Fund supports six full-time employees and five board members, while the department overall has 81 staff, most funded federally. Chief McNair noted that despite the transition, the department remains focused on neighborhood stabilization, safe and affordable housing, and direct resident services.

During the meeting, Bureau Chief for Community Programming Arin Miller-Tait gave an update on the work of Consumer Affairs and Fair Housing: “This is also going to increase our transparency around the process and allow us to be a lot more responsive to public records requests.”

Community Engagement Specialists (CESS) were highlighted for their critical role in inspections, code compliance and resident support. Their work also supports other city departments and facilitates community benefits agreements. Miller-Tait stated: “A big part of their job is to build trust and work in partnership with residents in ways that lead to improvement, both in the housing stock and residents’ quality of life.”

The Right to Counsel Program

The Right to Counsel program, administered by The Legal Aid Society of Greater Cleveland, provides legal representation for low-income tenants facing eviction. Since 2020, the program has handled 5,370 eviction cases, preventing displacement in 85% of cases. 

Legal Aid stressed the importance of continued funding. Miller-Tait stated: “93% of the clients we serve have never come to us again, indicating this is a critical point in a family’s life.”

Community Development’s Right to Counsel program was granted $750,000 in the mayor’s budget, requested an additional $500,000 from the city, and proposed forming a city-county task force to secure long-term funding. The program also relies on approximately $500,000 in philanthropic contributions, though many funders have moved on, highlighting the need for a sustainable funding strategy.

Council questions and clarifications

• Council members raised multiple questions and concerns during the hearing, highlighting both the complexity of the department and ongoing organizational transitions.
  
• Polensek expressed frustration over the department’s structure and the presentation of the budget, saying to McNair: “You know, this is what I don’t understand…we passed the legislation to put the Community Development Department and Economic Development Department together. I’m just a simplistic guy. I don’t understand. I can’t figure out what you’re doing here…Why didn’t you come in with one department showing exactly who’s doing what and what it’s going to cost us?” Polensek further questioned the need for consultants, adding: “We got more consultants around here [than] Jimmy Carter had peanuts. I mean, what do we need a consultant for?”
  
• Following Polensek’s comments about the department, McNair responded that the work was not “half done” and emphasized that careful thought went into the current structure. He explained that while full consolidation into a single department had been considered, separating real estate functions from community-focused programs allowed for a more efficient and resident-centered approach. The new Department of Development now handles real estate, housing, land bank and asset redevelopment, while Community Development retains residential improvement, community programming and legacy programs.
  
• McNair noted that the department remains complex, with 81 employees and 648 contracts, and the consultant was hired to help staff better understand operations and ensure a smooth transition for future leadership. He stressed that segmenting departments makes them more “nimble and bite-size” while maintaining oversight of programs and contracts, ultimately aiming to improve efficiency and clarity.
  
• Polensek continued pressing for justification of the consultant’s role and costs and expressed ongoing skepticism about why a standalone Community Development Department remains necessary, given its responsibilities and the potential for combining all functions.
  
• Council Member Nikki Hudson asked whether Community Development will “maintain responsibility for compliance of federal funds” for the Housing Development Office and the new Office of Major Projects. McNair responded that Community Development “remains the central agency responsible for federal applications,” noting that discussions are ongoing about whether separate compliance is needed in the new departments. He emphasized that while federal funds are routed through Community Development, they can be extended to other departments, and the priority is ensuring compliance is “handled correctly.”

Department of Economic Development (or just “Development”)

• See the department’s estimated budget in the 2026 Mayor’s Estimate.

Jones expressed frustration over the changes in the Department of Community Development and Economic Development, noting, “This is confusing…we sat here and passed everything you asked us to pass to streamline this department, and now it sounds like we’re breaking it all up.”

He requested a clear breakdown of the two departments, their programs, and which might be discontinued, while also asking how the Urban Analytics & Innovation team factors into performance tracking: “What would be very helpful…is to get a breakdown of these two departments, and what programs are offering out of what…then explain…how does that [Urban Analytics] work?” 

Jones emphasized the need for a more fundamental discussion, adding, “We’ve had a department that has unfortunately been plagued with not being functional.”

He also raised concerns about vacant lot pricing through the land bank, stating, “…we have the dubious distinction on the East Side of having 20,000 vacant lots…we should be taking that and not trying to charge people up the hill at $3,000 for those lots. It just seems egregious.”

The administration clarified that sales must meet fair market value per law but some flexibility is available through deed restrictions or modified pricing proposals.

Council Member Kevin Bishop expressed frustration over the city’s land bank strategy and inconsistent lot pricing, noting that residents are confused when “pricing is all over the board” and asking how “fair market value” is determined, particularly on streets with numerous vacant lots.

He also raised questions about the paint program, which he said was previously “dead in the water” but now appears to be returning.

McNair and Harsh acknowledged the confusion, explaining that land had previously been managed across multiple departments with different disposition rules, which made the process unclear. McNair emphasized that the new Office of Land Strategy consolidates these responsibilities to establish a “singular disposition strategy and pricing strategy,” and that temporary pauses and system automation, including weekly updates via Urban AI, have improved inventory management.

They also highlighted proposals for new programs, such as a lease-to-own option for greening purposes, aimed at providing clarity and consistency for residents.

These notes are by Documenter Mikayla Coleman.

If you believe anything in these notes is inaccurate, please email us at documenters@signalcleveland.org  with “Correction Request” in the subject line.