Miami Beach, Fla., stirred up some conversation recently with a city-approved video urging college students on spring break to stay away.
But that warning did not apply to a (presumably) less rowdy crowd: America’s mayors. A flock of them – Cleveland’s Justin Bibb included – descended on the South Florida beach town for the Aspen Ideas: Climate conference this week.
Bibb wasn’t just carrying Cleveland’s flag at the confab. He’s also the chair of Climate Mayors, an environmental advocacy group for city leaders.
At a panel discussion on Tuesday, Bibb talked up his goal of making Cleveland a “15-minute city,” in which such essentials as grocery stories are within walking distance of all residents. He highlighted the city’s work trying out speed tables to slow down neighborhood traffic.
“This is really about, in my opinion, ensuring that we have high-quality amenities in every part of our city,” he said. “That’s why we want to become, in Cleveland, one of the first 15-minute cities in North America, because we truly have to prioritize people over cars.”
City Council members didn’t spend the week as homebodies either. They trekked to Washington, D.C., for a National League of Cities conference. While in D.C., they met with U.S. Rep. Shontel Brown. Council’s Blaine Griffin and Kerry McCormack took a spin through an empty White House press room with Nicolette Jaworski, a Northeast Ohio native who now directs press advance for President Joe Biden.
At the conference, Ward 16’s Brian Kazy provided live social media coverage of a talk on immigration by Biden administration officials.
“I have to apologize to the @cledocumenters for my novice x’ing,” he wrote on the social media site formerly known as Twitter. “I’m not good at this, however, I wanted to try and put the information out as it is important. Hey – at least give me credit for trying.”
We’ll give Kazy more than credit. We’ll add him to the assignment rotation of Cleveland Documenters, who regularly attend public meetings and post information on social media.
Bill Mason working the defense table
Former Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Bill Mason is back in the local courtroom. This time he’s sitting across from the prosecution’s table representing indigent defendants.
After leaving the prosecutor’s office in 2012, Mason joined the law firm Bricker & Eckler (now Bricker & Graydon) and later became former County Executive Armond Budish’s fourth chief of staff.
After Weekly Chatter recently spotted his name on the Court of Common Pleas’ “assigned counsel” list, we asked Mason why he is doing criminal defense work. He said it’s long been part of his post-prosecutor life – and asked who is better suited than he is to defend people.
“I’ve been representing criminal defendants since I left the prosecuting attorney’s office in 2012 all over Northeast Ohio,” he told Signal Cleveland. “I am back with my prior law firm, Bricker Graydon, working primarily with public sector clients on development and financing projects. However, I still enjoy being in the courtroom. Every defendant needs and is entitled to good legal counsel, which I can provide. I am on the assignment list to take a few cases a month to assist indigent defendants in need of good lawyering. ”
CSU largely mum on Notre Dame College discussions
Cleveland State University officials don’t have much more to say about the brief courtship with the financially strapped Notre Dame College, which recently announced it’s closing at the end of the semester.
Though CSU had said it engaged in a “thorough review” around potentially partnering with or acquiring the South Euclid school, it’s been stingy with details.
“After thoroughly reviewing a potential acquisition, Cleveland State ultimately decided to maintain focus on our university’s strategic priorities,” university officials said via email earlier this month.
Signal Cleveland’s Amy Morona, who broke the story about the initial discussions between the two institutions in January, recently asked for more context on those conversations.
Cleveland State demurred.
Instead, the school reiterated its goals for the 2023-24 academic year. That list includes prioritizing students’ on-campus engagement, boosting research, and “ensuring financial resilience.”
It won’t be easy. In September, the university’s board of trustees approved tapping into the university’s reserves for up to $11.5 million to balance its 2024 operating budget. Another financial review is also on the horizon. Cleveland State’s months-long consulting work with Ernst & Young – which is costing nearly $1 million – is set to be completed in April.
