Cleveland City Council meeting

The meeting began around 7 p.m. with enough council members to establish a quorum. Council Members Kevin Bishop, Rebecca Maurer, Richard Starr, Deborah Gray, Lauren Welch, Blaine Griffin, Michael Polensek, Kevin Conwell, Anthony Hairston, Danny Kelly, Kris Harsh, Jasmin Santana, Jenny Spencer, Charles Slife and Brian Kazy were present. Council Members Joe Jones, Stephanie Howse-Jones, and Anthony Hairston were absent (all three were excused). Roll call was followed by a moment of silence and the Pledge of Allegiance.

The agenda for this Cleveland City Council meeting and list of meeting items can be found here.

Public comment

Eight people spoke.

The two predominant topics among the eight individuals who spoke during the public comment section of the meeting were: 1) support for Tanisha’s Law, which would expand the mental health options available for individuals involved with the police (the law was originally proposed over a year ago and has been the subject of recent public comment at council meetings), and 2) expression of support for retiring council member Jenny Spencer (this is her last council meeting).

1. Ben Heide (Ward 11) spoke about the “huge opportunity” for lakefront development in the city due to the relocation of the Cleveland Browns to Brook Park, calling it a “once in a century” event. Heide also showed the council a “variation” of the Cleveland flag that he designed, saying that he felt it better reflected the spirit of the city than other flags.
2. Stephanie Ash (Shaker Heights) is a social worker affiliated with the Ohio Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers who spoke in favor of Tanisha’s Law.
3. Bobby of Ward 15 thanked council person Jenny Spencer for her work on the council and listed several of Spencer’s accomplishments during her time in office. A standing ovation from those in attendance followed his remarks.
4. Dale Snyder (residence unknown), founder of R.O.A.D. Gold Inc. (an initiative to reduce recidivism through training to receive a commercial driver’s license (CDL) along with other programs. Snyder spoke of the need to remember Cleveland history and mentioned the creation of the traffic light and the Superman comic book character.
5. Abby of Ward 15 offered thanks for Spencer’s work and specifically mentioned her support for public comment during council meetings.
6. Matthew Thomas (Ward 15), speaking as part of the Ward 15 Democratic Club, expressed “deep gratitude” for the work of Spencer and spoke about working with her before she joined the council.
7. Teri Wang (Tremont) spoke in opposition to the city’s proposed contract with Flock Safety surveillance system, which through cameras is supposed to help law enforcement read license plates and detect gunshots.
8. Kayla Pincus (Tremont) spoke about a police report she filed in 2024 saying she was raped by a city employee who has since left the city. She spoke about trauma, and what she perceives as the failures of the Bibb administration particularly related to police oversight.

Communications

The clerk read into the record information about an employment extension, a grant acceptance, the dedication of several townhomes in Ohio City, one new license application, two transfers of ownership applications, and two transfers of license applications.

Condolences

The clerk read into the record one condolence resolution and one recognition resolution.

First Reading legislation

Council passed 31 emergency ordinances on their first reading regarding various issues such as authorizing the directors of different city departments to enter into contracts (e.g., buying pool chemicals, making sidewalk repairs, and providing outreach services for high-risk youth in certain areas of three wards). 

The most noteworthy ordinance was #1325-2025, which was about the relocation of the Cleveland Browns to the suburb of Brook Park and the potential demolition of their home stadium at Huntington Bank Field. The ordinance passed on a 13-2 vote, with Council Members Michael Polensek and Brian Kazy voting against.

Polensek said that his “gut tells me this is not a good deal for the city of Cleveland.”

Polensek expressed skepticism about the amount of money the city will receive from the Browns. Polensek was skeptical about whether Huntington Bank Field needed to be demolished and was critical of how the Browns will receive the funds from the resale of scrap materials from the stadium (steel, copper, etc.) rather than the city.

In brief remarks opposing the ordinance, Kazy said that “a pig with lipstick is still a pig.”

[Editor’s note: Read Reporter Nick Castele’s story from this meeting about the Browns deal.]

Kazy also voted “no” on ordinance #1456-2025 (an amendment to an agreement with Downtown Cleveland, Inc. about Public Square). The ordinance passed 14-1.

Spencer recused herself on ordinance #1512-2025 (an amendment to add the North Coast Inner Harbor & Marina to an existing lease with the Cleveland Metropolitan Park District). The ordinance passed 14-0. 

Emergency resolutions

Council passed two emergency resolutions (one of which vacated a road and the other objecting to the transfer of a liquor permit).

Introductions

Former Cleveland mayor and U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich was recognized by Council President Blaine Griffin, who expressed appreciation for his remarks earlier in the day about the settlement between the Browns and the city regarding the football team’s relocation to Brook Park. The following individuals were also introduced: Mike Seals (by Griffin), Stephanie Herbick (Welch), Vickie Trotter (Conwell), and “Miss Walker” (Starr).

Announcements

On behalf of the Public Safety Director, Griffin announced a snow emergency parking ban starting at midnight due to an expected significant snowfall overnight into Tuesday, Dec. 2. 

Griffin said that this is the last meeting for five council members (Spencer, Maurer, Kelly, Hairston and Welch). A standing ovation was given for the council members, followed by remarks from the four members present.

Spencer spoke in a complimentary manner toward her fellow council members and spoke positively of her work while on the council (“I hope you saw my work was my love language.”)  Spencer said she will release a transition memo to the three new councilpersons who will be inheriting the divided portions of her old ward.

During her remarks, Maurer referenced past remarks from council president Griffin at a November 2024 council meeting about her not “being a team player.”  Maurer spoke about redistricting as ultimately being about “a philosophy of power,” comparing one approach as being “retaliatory, top-down, quick to punish dissent” with a different approach that is “bottom-up, slower, harder” and “demands transparency.”

Maurer spoke about her work with housing issues (including lead exposure) and advocacy for Tanisha’s Law. She also spoke about how the current structure of city council made it difficult for change and about the need to overcome the distrust Cleveland residents feel toward city council.

Finally, Maurer handed out copies of her transition plan to council members and others present.

Kelly made brief remarks of a positive tone about his time on the council.

Finally, Welch described her brief time on the council as “the honor of a lifetime” and thanked former Council Member Kerry McCormack (who nominated her for the seat when he resigned in September).

The meeting ended with current council members offering remarks about their departing colleagues. Griffin offered positive comments about Spencer and Maurer (even if Griffin thought that Maurer felt he was “authoritarian” at times), and thanked Kelly for bringing a “working man’s perspective” to council. Polensek wished his departing colleagues well.

Starr spoke directly to Maurer in a reconciling tone (following their contentious Ward 5 campaign before the November election) and spoke positively of Hairston. Finally, Conwell spoke of his relationship with Kelly dating back to when Kelly had a son enrolled in CMSD and spoke positively of Maurer’s work to reduce lead poisoning in Cleveland.

[Editor’s note: Read Reporter Nick Castele’s story from this meeting about council members farewells.]

The meeting was adjourned shortly before 9 p.m. The next scheduled city council meeting is on Jan. 6, 2026.

These notes are by Documenter Tucker Handley.

If you believe anything in these notes is inaccurate, please email us at documenters@signalcleveland.org  with “Correction Request” in the subject line.