Public comment is one of the least complicated and most direct ways to reach your local politicians. Public comment sessions are often part of public meeting agendas.
Some residents come to speak about issues that directly affect them and their communities or to speak about larger causes. Others come as part of an organization they represent or work for.
Take a look back at some highlights of the public comments residents have made at local government meetings this year.
On June 3, Ward 11 resident Faouzi Baddour spoke as part of a resident-activist group, Friends of Cudell Commons Park, that opposed the Cleveland Metropolitan School District’s design plans for a new Marion C. Seltzer Elementary School that would have altered and removed some portions of the park.
Cudell Commons Park was left to the city by architect Frank Cudell in his will in 1914 and is home to the Tamir Rice memorial. Construction was paused while a new plan was developed.
Two weeks ago, I mentioned that we celebrated the birthday of Frank Cudell. Two weeks from now, we’re going to celebrate the birthday of Tamir Rice. See, those two souls, separated by 158 years of age, separated by 40 days of death date, separated by 27 days of birth date. Less than 100 feet separate their memorial in the Cudell Park, that straight line. Had this project went through, it would have buried their souls under your land swap vote.”
Ward 11 resident Faouzi Baddour
Watch Baddour’s full comment here.
Listen back to memorable public comments on our podcast
A proposed rezoning that would allow for a gas station to be constructed at West Boulevard and Madison Avenue, spurred on by Ward 11 Council Member Danny Kelly, was met with significant support and opposition. Nearly 30 residents spoke to Cleveland City Council about it. Developers and city officials are now looking at the site as a potential re-homing spot for a fire station currently located on Madison Avenue just down the road from the embattled site.
Ward 11 resident Kayla Keith supported the effort, saying it would bring revenue into her neighborhood, while another Ward 11 resident, Adam Bresnahan, opposed the development because of safety concerns for residents, specifically children.
Approving this rezoning is a proactive way to ensure that we have the financial resources necessary to maintain and improve the public infrastructure that all of us rely on.”
-Ward 11 resident Kayla Keith
See Keith’s full comment here.
Council Member Danny Kelly stated that people, quote, ‘people in my ward are in their 60s and they drive cars, they’re not getting on their bikes with their babushkas’, end quote. While there may be people in the ward who are in their 60s, the city’s own census data shows that the median age in the ward is about 32. Moreover, as I noted, the people who spend time in this particular area, whether they live in the ward or not, are children.”
Here is Bresnahan’s full comment.
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine continued to dominate public comment this year. Supporters of a ceasefire in Gaza asked Cleveland City Council to pass a ceasefire resolution, and some protested in council chambers.
Speakers packed Cuyahoga County Council sessions to comment on the purchase of Israel Bonds, many asking the county to divest or sell off the bonds it has purchased.
On June 18, Cuyahoga County Council was in session for more than four hours to hear comments from residents for and against a resolution that demanded the county stop investing in bonds sold by foreign countries, including Israel.
Cleveland Heights resident Wendy Bilgen, who is Jewish, said she supports divestment because of her identity as a Jewish person, saying, “I have no material connection to the ancient land of Palestine, nor do my ancestors…”
I also speak to oppose the charge that divestment from Israel is anti-Semetic and that opposition to Zionism is anti-Jewish.”
-Cleveland Heights resident Wendy Bilgen
Watch Bilgen’s full comment here.
Cuyahoga County resident Mark Freimuth opposed the selling off of Israel Bonds and said he viewed the introduction of the failed divestment resolution as a step in a direction similar to 1930s’ Germany, pointing out, “It took about eight years, or nine years, for Germany to prepare the culture of its citizens to wind up with the attempted elimination of the Jewish people.”
It began to remind me of just how things changed bit by bit, step by step, until ultimately we wind up with the Holocaust.”
-Cuyahoga County resident Mark Freimuth
See Freimuth’s full comment here.
Ward 5 resident Cassandra Lee asked Cleveland City Council for help with a land bank purchase at its meeting on Nov. 25. She said she has been trying to purchase a sidelot next to her property and has encountered multiple obstacles blocking her path to ownership.
“I’ve been trying to get this lot for 10 years. I think I deserve this.”
-Ward 5 resident Cassandra Lee
Here is Lee’s full comment.
Clevelander Sabrina Otis came to Cleveland City Council’s May 6 meeting to thank city waste workers for their support of her family and her neighbors cleaning up after severe storm damage.
Ridge Road, their workers are excellent. They have helped our family and others in the community out with trash because of floods and wet basements, so I really want to thank them, because they went above and beyond.”
-Cleveland resident Sabrina Otis
Watch Otis’ full comment here.
On Feb. 13, Cuyahoga County Council heard from Michael Dudley Sr., who criticized Council President Pernel Jones Jr. for Cleveland taxpayers footing the bill to demolish a property he owns. In an article Dudley references, Jones told Signal Cleveland he would reimburse the city with money recouped from the sale of the land.
That property was condemned in 2021. That gave you ample time for you to come up with the money to take down your own property.”
-Cuyahoga County resident Michael Dudley Sr.
See Dudley’s full comment here.
Gabe Flores spoke directly to the Cleveland Community Police Commission at its meeting on Feb. 28, addressing a noted lack of ability of commissioners to work together. He encouraged the commission to consider team-building exercises and to make an effort toward understanding:
The make-up of the current Community Police Commission will soon change, with three members resigning and six members reaching the expiration of their two-year terms.
Diligence is extremely effective, but at the other end of diligence is understanding, so there are things that I think a lot of folks have to work on within these meetings where I don’t think that one should always lead with that.
Gabe Flores
See Flores’ full comment here.
Elyria resident Melissa Gorski was one of two public commenters who spoke to the Cleveland Metropolitan School District expressing concern about a proposed state law that would require school districts to provide early release time to students for off-campus religious instruction. Much of the discussion centered around an organization named Lifewise, which provides religious education for students from public schools. More than 400 people have submitted testimony both in support and opposition to the bill, which is still with a committee in the Ohio House, though the full state legislature has since passed release time for religious instruction as part of HB 8, the Parents’ Bill of Rights.
It’s a poaching ground. These people see our public schools and our K-5 as their missionary fields. They take these children out from under the protection of teachers and buildings and they take them off-site and they indoctrinate.”
Elyria resident Melissa Gorski
Gorski’s full comment can be found here.
On June 11, the Board of Education voted to rename CMSD’s East Professional Center administrative building on East 79th Street in honor of the late Cleveland activist and civil rights leader Arnold Pinkney. Several friends and colleagues of Pinkney used public comment at the June 25 Board of Education meeting to talk about his legacy, including Cleveland’s longest-serving pastor, Rev. E.T. Caviness of the Greater Abyssinia Baptist Church.
He was the first African-American president of the school board, who served the people, the parents, and especially the students of this great district with dignity, intellect, understanding, vision and progress.”
-Rev. E.T. Caviness
Watch Caviness’ full comment here.
What you need to know to participate
Both Cuyahoga and Cleveland’s councils made changes to their public comment policies this year as a result of comments and sustained protests over Israel and Palestine and other challenges to the rules.
To make a public comment at Cleveland City Council’s regular Monday night meeting, this form must be emailed or delivered in person to council offices between Wednesday at noon and Monday at
2:00 p.m. the day of the meeting. Up to 10 people are permitted to speak for up to three minutes per person.
People can also make public comments at City Council committee meetings. To do so, contact the committee chair directly to obtain permission.
Cuyahoga County Council requires all public comment applications be written and submitted in person before the start time of the meeting. The clerk will provide a request form. A maximum of 30 speakers will be randomly selected, and each may speak for up to two minutes.
The Cleveland Metropolitan School District has a request form to speak which can be submitted online. The first 13 registrants will be selected and can speak for up to three minutes per person.
The Community Police Commission holds public comment sessions at its full commission meetings where anyone in the public who attends is offered the chance to speak.
