Oct. 7: Cleveland City Council
Covered by Documenter Marcy Clark (notes)
With additional details from the Oct. 2 Safety Committee meeting covered by Documenters Mildred Seward (notes) and Denise Lykes (notes)
Cleveland residents question opportunities for public comment
A week after a Cleveland City Council member raised concerns about the public comment sign-up process, three Cleveland residents voiced their frustration with it.
Resident and activist Brenda Bickerstaff said she “put in for a public comment” with resident and business owner Darrell Houston for three consecutive weeks at noon on Wednesday. That is when the registration window opens. But for three straight weeks, Houston has not gotten one of the 10 speaking slots at council’s Monday night meeting. Council fills the spots on a first come first serve basis.
Bickerstaff, from Ward 9, tried to give some of her three-minute speaking time to Houston. Council President Blaine Griffin, referencing council’s public comment rules, did not allow that. The rules state, “Speakers may not yield their time to other speakers.” Bickerstaff and Houston eventually left the mic but expressed their frustration.
Shejuti Wahed, a student at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), also discussed opportunities for people to make a public comment. She said she is one of numerous CWRU students, New Era Cleveland supporters, and Cudell residents who registered. Wahed echoed concerns that Council Member Charles Slife raised last week. Public comment should not be a means for organized lobbying efforts, Wahed said, particularly if it crowds out dissenting voices and those wanting to address other issues.
At council’s Sept. 30 meeting, Slife said two people dropped off registration forms at City Hall for all 10 people who spoke at that meeting. All spoke in favor of a proposed rezoning in Cudell that would pave the way for a new gas station. Four commenters spoke in favor of the plan at this meeting.
Griffin said in the Sept. 30 meeting that council is looking at the public comment registration process.
$1 million for Cleveland Public Safety equipment
Cleveland Public Safety personnel are set to get a bevy of new equipment.
Council passed legislation allowing the purchase of new hazmat suits, medical stair chairs and ventilators for EMS. It also passed legislation for the purchase of turnout gear for firefighters.
A separate piece of legislation authorizes each purchase. Council’s Safety Committee discussed each piece at its Oct. 2 meeting. The maximum total cost of all contracts for the equipment is about $1.27 million.
In the committee meeting, EMS Commissioner Orlando Wheeler said Cleveland will get 27 ventilators for front-line EMS vehicles. Chief of Fire Anthony Luke said the city will get 45 sets of turnout gear for firefighters. He added that turnout gear typically has a 10-year lifespan.
Ohio Issue 1 gets council’s formal support
Cleveland City Council formally supported Issue 1. The Nov. 5 ballot measure, if approved by voters, would change Ohio’s process for drawing state congressional maps. Council passed a resolution supporting the initiative.
Resolutions are council’s official declaration of support for or condemnation of something. This resolution states that Issue 1 “would transfer the power of drawing legislative and congressional maps from politicians and lobbyists to the citizens of Ohio.”
Read the notes from Documenter Marcy Clark:
Watch the full meeting on the Cleveland City Council YouTube page.
