Parental leave
Full-time non-union city employees will soon be eligible for 12 weeks of paid parental leave. The committee discussed and advanced the proposal, which full council passed later that day. Union employees’ eligibility depends on their collective bargaining agreements. Employees can take the time off following the birth or adoption of a child or use it after a court appoints them the legal guardian of a child. The policy also allows employees to take 20 hours of paid leave for prenatal care. Council Member Kevin Conwell said the city needs to encourage employees to use the benefits. “We have a culture of people not understanding what’s going on,” he said.
Permits for parklets
Own a restaurant in Cleveland? Interested in setting up a curbside patio in the street? You’ll now need approval from the full City Council first. The committee advanced a proposal to revise the permitting process for parklets. Parklets are curbside areas on the street. Restaurants used them to expand outdoor seating during the pandemic. The legislation, which full council also passed following this meeting, sets a new permitting process. Committee members amended the legislation to require full council’s approval of permits.
The original proposal required approval from neighboring business owners before the city expanded a parklet in front of their business. The committee got rid of that requirement. Council Member Kerry McCormack argued that private business owners should not have final say over public space.
Housing for veterans
The committee also advanced plans for housing in Union-Miles for veterans experiencing homelessness. The city is set to contribute up to $750,000 of federal stimulus money to the project.
This was one of two times the full Cleveland City Council meets over the summer. The next is scheduled for August 16.
Check out more details from Documenter Emma Sedlak’s live-tweet thread: