Sept. 16: Cleveland City Council
Covered by Documenter Alicia Moreland (live tweets)
Ward 11 residents give both sides of proposed gas station debate
Seven Clevelanders spoke up during public comment about a proposal to put a new gas station at the corner of West Boulevard and Madison Avenue in Ward 11 on the city’s West Side, presenting arguments both for and against the development.
Ward 11 resident Adam Bresnahan spoke in opposition to the proposal, which he said presents a danger to pedestrian safety. He offered a rebuttal to a quote that Ward 11 Council Member Danny Kelly gave to Axios Cleveland in August.
Kelly, who is sponsoring the legislation along with Ward 10 Council Member Anthony Hairston, told Axios, “People in my ward are in their 60s, and they drive cars. They’re not getting on their bicycles with their babushkas.”
Bresnahan challenged that and said U.S. Census data shows the median age in the area is about 32. “The people who spend time in this particular area…are children,” he added, referencing the site’s proximity to Cudell Park and Marion C. Seltzer Elementary school.
Ward 11 resident Kayla Keith said during public comment that she supports the plan, which would re-develop the site of a vacant CVS Pharmacy. Keith emphasized her concerns for her personal safety when surrounded by boarded-up properties and storefronts.
“[I] try not to venture out at night,” Keith said. “I have a rottweiler, and I don’t even feel safe with my dog.”
Keith said she hopes the gas station will be a “catalyst” to bring more business and development to the neighborhood.
Harsh and Hairston appointed as neighborhood development watchdogs
Cleveland City Council members Krish Harsh and Anthony Hairston were approved as appointees to the Reinvestment Review Committee. The committee is tasked with assessing whether the banks Cleveland uses comply with agreed upon neighborhood development goals. The review includes the number of loans the bank issued – and the total dollar value of them – for residential, commercial, and community development throughout the city.
Banks and other financial firms receiving city investment are required by city code to share specific lending figures annually to the Director of Community Development. The code states that the Reinvestment Review Committee reviews that information and must make recommendations to City Council about which banks are in compliance.
Reimbursement for solar eclipse security
Cleveland City Council passed legislation allowing the city’s Public Safety director to apply for and accept reimbursement funds for extra security costs incurred during the solar eclipse events in April.
The expected reimbursement from the Ohio Department of Public Safety and Ohio’s Emergency Management Agency (OEMA) is $89,000. It covers most of the overtime costs for police, fire, and EMS workers between April 6 and April 9.
Read the live-tweet thread from Documenter Alicia Moreland:
