Cleveland City Council Member Mike Polensek is fuming at Public Safety Director Wayne Drummond for the second time in recent weeks.
Polensek, the chair of the Safety Committee who is known for blowing off steam through his hyperbolic soundbites, told Signal Cleveland that Drummond asked for his blessing to bypass council and renew the city’s contract with Flock Safety for its license plate readers. The contract expires at the end of June.
“I said no, that’s not happening, you’re gonna sit at that table and justify why it’s needed,” Polensek said.
A spokesperson for the Public Safety Department confirmed that Drummond “discussed the possibility” at his weekly meeting with Polensek.
In April, Drummond got an earful from Polensek and other members of the Safety Committee for renewing a contract for the ShotSpotter gunshot detection system by using an obscure section of the city code that allows department heads to extend software contracts without council approval.
The city’s Board of Control, which is made up of members of Mayor Justin Bibb’s cabinet, approved the ShotSpotter extension at its April 8 meeting with no discussion. Facing Polensek a couple weeks later, Drummond took responsibility for the maneuver and said that it wouldn’t happen again.
Bibb’s administration has shown “more and more disrespect” for the council’s authority over spending, Polensek said.
“It’s called oversight, and I don’t give a frick or frack who doesn’t like it,” he said.
Last Monday, Polensek and Council President Blaine Griffin introduced a bill that would require council’s OK for software contract renewals costing more than $150,000.
Drummond is scheduled to present information about the city’s use of license plate readers at Wednesday’s Safety Committee meeting.
