Residents discuss ShotSpotter; council approves funding for housing and the arts

Meeting coverage by Cleveland Documenters | Compiled by Doug Breehl-Pitorak, Assignment Editor with Signal Cleveland

Here’s what happened last week in local public government meetings covered by Cleveland Documenters.

Cleveland Public Meetings Report – The week of October 3, 2022




Residents speak against ShotSpotter expansion; council approves additional funding for new grocery store in Fairfax

Oct. 3 – Cleveland City Council
Covered by Documenters Chau Tang and McKenzie Merriman

Ward 3 resident Paula Kampf addresses City Council during public comment (screenshot from video on YouTube).

What happened: Residents spoke against the expansion of ShotSpotter, a gunshot-detection technology. The city has piloted it in parts of wards 1, 2, 4, and 6 since November 2020. Ward 3 resident Matthew Ahn focused on violence prevention. “It cannot prevent violence. The violence has already happened once ShotSpotter is alerted,” he said. City Council’s Safety Committee advanced the legislation at its Oct. 6 meeting. The Finance, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee was set to review the legislation at its Oct. 10 meeting.

Speaking out against hate: Ward 3 resident Paula Kampf challenged a public comment made at a recent meeting. She also took issue with the council’s silence in response to that comment. A community member asked the council on Sept. 26 to protect heterosexual and Christian rights. She said she did not want to be “forced to accept homosexuality and other beliefs.” Kampf called the comment hateful and harmful to the LGBTQIA+ community. She urged the council to respond in opposition when comments like that are made. “I call on you, city councilors, to speak out when hate is asked of you,” Kampf said.

And also: Council passed legislation for additional funding for a new Meijer grocery store in Fairfax.

Kampf also mentioned The Trevor Project. It offers free and confidential counseling for LGBTQIA+ youth 24/7. Learn more about the help The Trevor Project offers.

Watch the full public comments or read transcripts on Public Comment CLE (website created by Ohio City resident Angelo Trivisonno).

Committee advances legislation to fund housing and the arts

Oct. 3 – Finance, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, Cleveland City Council
Covered by Documenters Rosie Palfy and Tina Scott

What happened: The committee advanced legislation that dedicates $30 million of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to finance housing development across the city. Council passed it at its regular meeting later that night. The city could use the funds to create roughly 900 affordable-housing units and 1,200 market-rate units, said Assistant Director of Community Development Michiel Wackers. Ward 15 Council Member Jenny Spencer said she supports the legislation, but she asked why the city would target more market-rate units than affordable housing. The city needs to make sure the labor force has the housing it wants, Wackers said.

A fund for the arts: The city will spend $3 million of ARPA dollars to establish a fund for public art programs. City Planning Director Joyce Huang called the fund an investment in neighborhoods. The legislation creates a Program Arts Committee. It will include five city residents, one council member, and one representative of a local community arts organization. Council members wanted to make sure the city involves local artists.

Documenter Tina Scott wondered where folks can find presentations made to council committees. Some presentations are in the “attachments” section below each legislative summary on meeting agendas. The below screenshot is an example. Check out our video to learn how to find council meeting agendas.




Utilities officials discuss vocational training programs for high school graduates

Oct. 4 – Utilities Committee, Cleveland City Council
Covered by Documenter Kathryn Johnson

What happened: The committee advanced legislation for training Department of Public Utilities employees. The training includes vocational apprenticeship programs for high school graduates, according to Public Utilities Director Martin Keane. Council Members Mike Polensek, Ward 8, and Jenny Spencer, Ward 15 said apprenticeships are good opportunities for students to land good-paying jobs.

The Kirtland Crib: The department wants a state loan to renovate the Kirtland Crib. The crib draws drinking water from Lake Erie for Clevelanders. The committee advanced the legislation.

Left wondering: Documenter Kathryn Johnson asked, “Now that Cleveland will have a new Cleveland Metropolitan School District CEO after this school year, will Mayor Justin Bibb and City Council push the district to pay more attention to the development of trade programs in schools?”

Curious about the council’s legislative process? Check out our one-page guide.

Storefront Renovation Program moving forward

Oct. 5 – Cleveland Board of Control
Covered by Documenters Kellie Morris and Emma Sedlak

What happened: The board issued contracts for the city’s Storefront Renovation Program. The program helps property owners design and finance signage and fix up storefront buildings. The board approved a $35,000 contract with Aurora Research Associates, LLC, and a $15,000 contract with LMB Consulting, LLC, to help applicants in 2023. Community Development Director Alyssa Hernandez said both companies were familiar with the program.

Land sold: Hernandez presented the sale of four land parcels. They are part of the Land Reutilization Program. The board approved all the sales, including the $200 sale of land at 1472 E. 111th St. to the Orlean Co. to build housing.

Documenter Teela Patterson wondered how folks could transform abandoned land parcels into environmentally rich “healing spaces.” Check out a documentary — created with Documenters Kevin Naughton and Courtney Green — that tracks what Teela learned. Teela also led a seminar about environmental justice at Case Western Reserve University on Sept. 27.

Committee members receive presentation on rail safety

Oct. 4 – Standing Committees, Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority
Covered by Documenter Nina Awal

An RTA presentation defines “reportable” rail injuries. It notes that there have been zero so far in 2022.

What happened: Steven Peganoff, Director of Safety for RTA, updated a committee about public transit safety. In the last year, there were 20 “reportable” rail-safety events. There were zero deaths related to train collisions. There have been zero reportable injuries so far in 2022. Reportable means the incident required notifying the Ohio Department of Transportation and the Federal Transit Administration.

Motor overhaul: The most common rail incident is tied to overdue overhauls of train motors, Peganoff said. That often results in smoke, which causes operators to evacuate and the train to shut down. He said RTA has repaired 36 of 160 motors.

And also: An RTA committee is creating a pandemic response plan for a guide in future pandemics.

Fare evasion on public transit was a hot topic in the first year of public comment at Cleveland City Council. Learn more about fare evasion, a criminal offense in Ohio that could result in up to 30 days in jail and $250 in fines.


Civic Term of the Week:

Curious about more local government lingo? Check out this glossary of terms from Signal Cleveland’s Paul Rochford.


What’s ahead?

A look at the meetings Documenters are set to cover the week of Oct. 10.

Oct. 10

• 9:30 a.m. – Health, Human Services and the Arts Committee, City Council (livestream) 

• 2 p.m. – Finance, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, City Council (livestream)

• 7 p.m. – Cleveland City Council (livestream)

   

Oct. 11

• 1:30 p.m. – Workforce, Education, Training and Youth Development Committee, City Council (livestream)

   

Oct. 12

• 9:30 a.m. – Board of Building Standards and Building Appeals (livestream)

• 9:30 a.m. – Board meeting, Cuyahoga County Board of Elections (livestream)

• 10 a.m. – Safety Committee, City Council (livestream)

• 3 p.m. – Cleveland Board of Control (livestream)

   

Oct. 13

• 10 a.m. – Landmarks Commission (livestream)