Live reporting by
Gennifer Harding-Gosnell
City Council committee approves proposal to prep land for development
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Gennifer Harding-Gosnell
@GenniferwithaG_
Cash Rules Everything Around Me: I’m live-tweeting today’s @CleCityCouncil Finance, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee meeting starting at 2 for @cledocumenters & @signalcleveland. #CLEDocumenters https://t.co/ddYOQhMvbm
12:58 PM May 22, 2023 CDT
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There is a full boatload of ordinances waiting on the agenda:
cleveland.documenters.org/documents/agen…
cleveland.documenters.org/documents/agen…
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Think we got something wrong? Send any enquiries on the meeting or these tweets to @cledocumenters or email us at cledocumenters@gmail.com
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This meeting will be live-streamed on @CleCityCouncil’s YouTube channel:
@ClevelandCityCouncil/featured' target='_blank'>youtube.com/@ClevelandCity…
And here's the link to watch on @TV20Cleveland:
tv20cleveland.com/watch-now/
@ClevelandCityCouncil/featured' target='_blank'>youtube.com/@ClevelandCity…
And here's the link to watch on @TV20Cleveland:
tv20cleveland.com/watch-now/
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Ward 3 Council Member @KerryMcCormack1 is chairing this meeting and apologizes to us "poor souls" that are "stuck with me" for this meeting. Don't mess it up, McCormack! 😂
youtube.com/watch?v=9UZGU4…
youtube.com/watch?v=9UZGU4…
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The first ordinance is passed, approving a sister-city relationship between Cleveland and Novi Sad, Serbia.
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Next, an ordinance to provide funding for this organization - a network of doulas, birth experts who support women with pregnancies at high-risk for infant mortality with a variety of pre-natal services. I have a friend who is a doula, she loves it. birthingbeautiful.org
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Representatives of Birthing Beautiful explain the wraparound services provided by the doulas in their network, and it includes post-partum services. McCormack & Ward 9 Councilman @kevinconwell216 ask to be added as co-sponsors to the legislation. https://t.co/51HV4BvAhN
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Carnival barker @KerryMcCormack1 is handing over the next legislation's discussion to Ward 14 Council Member @jsantanaward14, it's on the CentroVilla 25 development. https://t.co/E7LdtkJ6g1
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We're watching an animated tour of what the CentroVilla25 space will look like, and it's quite lively Latin musical accompaniment. https://t.co/o7sfYWAGj5
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@jsantanaward14 explained, just what I suspected, CentroVilla25 is a mercado!! I love indoor markets, they're cozy but highly social, the goods are authentic and will directly support members of our Latino community right here in Cleveland. https://t.co/EZ5YONBCWh
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Ordinance No. 487-2023 provides funding for Site Readiness that would have city land clean & ready for companies to develop job facilities here. https://t.co/6k721laFix
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More from the city's presentation: https://t.co/KY3LdFHort
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Here's how this project would staffed for decision-making and management. https://t.co/yyJ2YGI3it
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@KerryMcCormack1 says it's a "tangible, meat-and-potatoes" way of getting jobs back into the city & wants to see cooperation from @GCRTA making each of the new sites accessible for city-based workers. https://t.co/kKeCo6qXUt
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Ward 8 Council Member Mike Polensek, who still owes me twenty-five cents, gives us a history lesson on NAFTA, & has concerns about tensions with property owners on issues like delinquent taxes & EPA standards. https://t.co/xydGsZFmsz
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Polensek says he wants to make sure these sites aren't near wealthier neighbourhoods & used by developers to build expensive housing.
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I googled Cuyahoga Land Bank President Gus Frangos to make sure he wasn't a @ProFootballHOF member wearin' his gold jacket to a City Council meeting. https://t.co/LEmrCammsO
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@CityofCleveland Chief Financial Officer Ahmed Abonamah says they are hesitant to disclose the locations of selected sites because it will instantly drive up prices around that and surround land. That's kinda scary that it happens so quickly & easily. 😳
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The goal is to prepare at least 1,000 acres total across the city for investment, over approx. the next ten years.
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WOW. Ward 10's Anthony Hairston just said he's had people call him looking for space wanting to bring jobs to Cleveland & he's had to tell them no. I have lots of questions....😳 https://t.co/i1Jmd7gnjR
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Hairston is now explaining several amendments to the legislation, starting with financial returns being split at least 50% in the site fund and neighborhood development.
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Hairston explains another amendment that would give @CleCityCouncil more power over the selection of advisory board meetings.
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Hairston's doing the formal reading of the proposed amendents now. https://t.co/bKSXHziQTj
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The ordinance will be held while the amendments are pending. The next ordinance is for funding that provides more trauma-informed programs & neighbourhood resources at the city's rec center.
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This legislation on trauma-informed programming at rec centers was approved last week in Council's Safety Committee meeting before being moved on to this committee:
youtube.com/watch?v=4ILf2Z…
youtube.com/watch?v=4ILf2Z…
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This ordinance is approved. Moving on to ordinances that will fund air-quality sampling & monitoring equipment, featuring Director of @CleDPH @DaveMargo! https://t.co/88rScMlmUc
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City of Cleveland Lead Auctioneer @KerryMcCormack1 races through the reading of the Waterfront Fund and lakefront development legislation with $3M of #ARPA dollars.
Some background on all the proposed projects from @NeotransB:
neo-trans.blog/2023/05/05/cle…
Some background on all the proposed projects from @NeotransB:
neo-trans.blog/2023/05/05/cle…
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Oh my, this is ultra-interesting! Something else I definitely want to know more details about. Some of this is over my head, not gonna lie. https://t.co/CVm1XgwHG7
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Hairston has more proposed amendments, including increased reporting requirements to @CleCityCouncil. Santana seconds the amendments & they are approved by the full committee. https://t.co/14t1bOAAgA
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McCormack & Polensek discuss the Cleveland Browns' involvement. City reps say the Waterfront Plan they are looking at is separate from what the Haslam Sports Group proposed but that they are expected to be involved in future discussions. https://t.co/kLzn3uHFn4
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This ordinance is approved. The committee is moving on to an ordinance to explore new options for food service management at Hopkins Airport. Here is how the conversations on this legislation started last week:
signalcleveland.org/cleveland-city…
signalcleveland.org/cleveland-city…
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The committee & airport execs are discussing several ordinances to fund equipment, de-icing, improvements & other airport maintenance systems. These are approved. https://t.co/snvHNullI3
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Dept. of Public Utilities for the @CityofCleveland Martin Keane is there for his department's bi-annual request for funding to repair & maintain the city's sewer system. Utilities Committee chair @kazy_brian says this was approved in his committee, it is also approved here. https://t.co/UhwfLl5wPi
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I know I'm old, but Abonamah shaves all his face hair off and looks like he's 12. Meanwhile @kazy_brian's beard, he's Abe Linkin Park. 🤘🏻😅 https://t.co/ANT1MZN5kI
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Some background on the @SOPECenergy agreement. Council members Polensek, Harsh & Kazy all expressed their disapproval that the city did not attempt to implement this sooner. Polensek has concerns about how effective it will be.
cleveland.com/news/2023/05/n…
cleveland.com/news/2023/05/n…
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The Law Director is explaining the ordinance being reviewed is to allow the selling of bands to acquire millions of dollars to purchase Public Safety equipment & vehicles, not the actual purchase, those will come back as future legislation. https://t.co/lDn5TIl5cM
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The committee is rolling through several recreation & development ordinances. Carnival barker Kerry McCormack has adjourned the meeting with just under 55 minutes to spare before the full @CleCityCouncil meeting starts.
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Today is also #WorldGothDay!
I expect a Council that embraces diversity will have created a resolution for this evening’s @CleCityCouncil meeting to recognise all us black-clothed bad-ass Clevelanders, we gave you Nine Inch Nails & nightclubs in warehouses, you owe us. https://t.co/5p8Zuhcx7n
I expect a Council that embraces diversity will have created a resolution for this evening’s @CleCityCouncil meeting to recognise all us black-clothed bad-ass Clevelanders, we gave you Nine Inch Nails & nightclubs in warehouses, you owe us. https://t.co/5p8Zuhcx7n
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This concludes my coverage of today’s @CleCityCouncil’s Finance, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee meeting for @cledocumenters. Keep up with all local government happenings on our website at signalcleveland.org/governmentmeet….