Cleveland Heights City Council meeting highlights 9-20-2021

SEPTEMBER 20, 2021- regular meeting

• Public comments
• City Hall still closed
• Budget legislation postponed
• Council member comments

Present were Kahlil Seren, council vice president; Craig Cobb; Melody Joy Hart; and Michael N. Ungar. Jason Stein, council president; and Davida Russell were absent.

Also present were Susanna Niermann O’Neil, city manager and Amy Himmelein, clerk of council and finance director. The meeting was 15 minutes.

Public comments

A Cedarbrook road resident asked council to slow down the approval process for the Cedar-Lee-Meadowbrook development, claiming the project would eat up green space and require taking down trees. He also spoke for another resident who is circulating a petition to ask council to delay any decisions until the new administration is installed in January.

City Hall still closed

Ms. O’Neil reported that Cleveland Heights City Hall, except the building and housing departments, is still closed to the public. 

Budget legislation postponed

One piece of legislation, a first reading of an ordinance dealing with appropriations and expenditures, was removed from consideration by Ms. Hart because there were too few council members present. She said the amendments to the budget will be combined for the October 4 meeting for approval of changes to appropriations and expenditures.

Council member comments

Ms. Hart reported the Diversion Program in Housing Court recently enrolled its first resident. The resident will work with the Home Repair and Resource Center to locate appropriate resources to repair the home to bring it up to code and avoid further court appearances.

Responding to requests by Ms. Hart, City Manager O’Neil said she would provide the new resident packets and distribution guidelines; the Start Right memorandum of understanding will be presented to council on October 4; staff will try to schedule a meeting next week with the Jewish Orthodox community regarding the Desota infill project; Chief Mecklenburg will provide information on the software status for the police; and staff will provide council with a charter review before year end.

Mr. Seren requested an update on hiring the Horseshoe Lake consultant. Mr. Ungar said staff is close to hiring an expert to conduct a study and will provide the expert with the entire Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District report.

Regarding the Cedar-Lee-Meadowbrook development, Mr. Ungar denied that council has moved too hastily without public input.

Mr. Seren reported that the Cleveland Heights police are using the new Cuyahoga County Diversion Center [a treatment alternative to jail for low-level offenses committed by the mentally ill and addicted].

LWV Observer: Gail Larson

Meeting packets, legislation, and other information can be found on the city website at: https://www.clevelandheights.com/1142/2021-Agendas-and-Minutes 

Videos of council meetings can be viewed on the “City of Cleveland Heights, OH” YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/ClevelandHeightsOH