July 16: Cuyahoga County Council
Covered by Documenters Laurie Redmon (notes) and Christina Easter (live-tweets)
Changes to public comment don’t hamper turnout
Despite a change limiting the number of public commenters at Cuyahoga County Council meetings, residents nearly filled council chambers at the council’s July 16 meeting. Documenter Laurie Redmon noted the crowded room.
Many were there to show both support and opposition for a resolution urging the county to stop future investment in Israel bonds and other foreign securities even though the resolution was withdrawn last month. Council Vice President Cheryl Stephens and Council Member Patrick Kelly introduced the resolution on June 4.
The sponsors withdrew the resolution later in June after Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne received a letter from Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost stating that the resolution is illegal under state law.
The new public comment rules, which temporarily limit the number of commenters to 20 people, follow multiple council meetings with over 50 commenters speaking on Stephens’ and Kelly’s resolution. The 20 speakers are randomly selected during the public comment section of the meeting. Potential public commenters must submit request forms in-person prior to the start of the meeting.
Commenters continue to focus on county investments in Israel bonds
During public comment, some speakers continued to call on the council to reintroduce the resolution, while others thanked the council members for reversing course.
Alyce Thompson told council members that she grew up in Cuyahoga County, and that she moved back here with her husband–who is Palestinian–to start a family.
“I know that some members of our community feel that Israel represents safety for them. I’m here to remind you that there are also members of this community for whom Israel has always meant, since its very inception, the opposite of safety,” she said, adding that she worries for her son. “Investing in Israel bonds is a direct investment in the continuation of the nightmare that Palestinians have been living for over 75 years.”
Joshua Sunshine of University Heights thanked council for not passing the resolution. He said that, per Yost’s letter, the movement to boycott, divest from, and sanction Israel (BDS) is illegal in Ohio. He said that the return on these investments contribute to various county projects and services, and, “The BDS resolution … will do nothing but punish the residents of Cuyahoga County by preventing it from investing in a U.S. ally that has provided a strong financial return.”
He added, “This action does not change anything in the Middle East, but does create division amongst Cuyahoga County neighbors.”
Timeline extended for Variety Theatre revitalization
County Council advanced legislation that would extend the sunset provision on $2.5 million to revitalize the Variety Theatre on Cleveland’s West Side. The resolution is set for a third reading and potential vote at the July 30 County Council meeting.
The resolution would convert the funding from a grant to a loan and extend the sunset provisions on it. During the meeting, Council Member Martin Sweeney proposed extending the provisions even further, from November 2024 to December 2025. The project was first awarded funding in 2016.
Council Member Jack Schron pushed back on Sweeney’s proposal. He argued, “If you don’t somehow, sometimes, keep a little pressure on, things don’t get done… They go to whatever the length of time the calendar allows.”
Schron and Council Member Yvonne Conwell voted against the extension to 2025, but were outvoted on the amendment by the rest of the council.
Metrohealth park space and more
Council also moved much of the legislation on the agenda to committees for review or the July 30 meeting for a third reading and possible vote. Upcoming resolutions would:
- Award up to $150,000 of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money to MetroHealth for the West 25th Street Park Improvements Project. MetroHealth officials announced earlier this year that the hospital was no longer moving forward with plans for a 12-acre park on its campus, but that they still intended to have some park spaces. This resolution is set to be discussed in the July 22 Community Development Committee meeting.
- Award ARPA funding to the Western Reserve Historical Society for the Carl B. Stokes History & Legacy Project. Council amended the legislation to increase the funding from $20,000 to up to $40,000. The resolution is set for a final reading and potential vote at the July 30 council meeting.
- Award no more than $200,000 of ARPA funding to Karamu House for its Next Generation Capital Improvements Project. Karamu House estimates the total cost at $9.3 million. The resolution is also set for a final reading and potential vote on July 30.
Read the notes from Documenter Laurie Redmon:
Read the live-tweet thread from Documenter Christina Easter:
Suggested Reading
Should Cuyahoga County keep its money in Israel? Residents debate for nearly four hours at county meeting
Dozens of residents showed up to speak about a now-withdrawn resolution that called for immediately stopping local investments in foreign countries, including Israel.