Council sets summer meeting schedule

Every summer, Cleveland City Council takes a months-long break from weekly meetings, save for a few summer gatherings. Now, the council knows when those summer meetings will be. 

Council passed an emergency resolution to approve its upcoming summer meeting schedule. During summer recess, the full council is set to meet twice – on July 10, and Aug. 7. Council’s summer recess is scheduled to begin after its Monday night meeting on June 3. The resolution says council is set to return to its regular sessions on Sept. 9, good for a 14-week break between regular sessions.

Cleveland City Council will allow for public comment at both meetings, according to council’s Director of Communications Darryle Torbert.

The following excerpts from Documenter Aaron Skubby’s notes share more highlights from the meeting:  

Public commenters want to save Cudell Park

Five residents spoke against plans to build a new school building for Marion C. Seltzer on the land of Cudell Commons Park. They cited the importance of the park for the community, and several cited the wishes of architect Frank Cudell, saying the land was given to the city on the condition it be a park forever. Recently, a judge gave the green light for construction to proceed.

Council members criticize hiring of safety advisor Phillip McHugh

During the miscellaneous portion of the council meeting, Council Members Kevin Conwell of Ward 9 and Richard Starr of Ward 5 criticized the hiring of public safety advisor Phillip McHugh. McHugh was at the center of a civil rights lawsuit in Washington, D.C., and is also Mayor Justin Bibb’s former college roommate. Starr wore a blue t-shirt displaying the words “Who’s getting Fired”. 

“The administration response defending McHugh’s hiring is like saying it’s OK to hire the officer who killed Tamir Rice, since he was found of no wrongdoing, which is a flawed argument,” Starr said. “Given the serious allegations against McHugh, he must resign from this position within the City of Cleveland immediately.”

Council Member Anthony Hairston, Ward 10, voiced his support for Conwell and Starr.

Watch the full public comments or read transcripts edited by Documenter Gennifer Harding-Gosnell on the Public Comment CLE website created by Ohio City resident Angelo Trivisonno.

Read more from Documenter Aaron Skubby:

Read the live-tweet thread from Documenter Regina Samuels:

Suggested Reading

‘We want to work together’: Residents address CMSD officials about preserving Cudell Park

Samaria Rice, mother of Tamir Rice, asked school officials to work with the community while renovating Marion C. Seltzer Elementary.

by Dakotah Kennedy and Cleveland Documenters March 25, 2024March 22, 2024