Thread by @Keifus4, Hi, I'm Keith and I'll be live-tweeting today's Wednesday, Jan 20, 2021, [...]

Hi, I'm Keith and I'll be live-tweeting today's Wednesday, Jan 20, 2021, Cleveland, Ohio City Council's Virtual Committee of the Whole Meeting that starts at 10:00 AM for #CLEDocumenters @cledocumenters @NeighborUpCle

To join us and observe the meeting live go to,

To see the upcoming agenda,

https://clevelandcitycouncil.org/calendar/2021/committee/virtual-committee-of-the-whole-1

Ward Representatives that should be in attendance are the following,

To learn more about Ward Representatives explore here, https://clevelandcitycouncil.org/council-members

Council Members

There are 17 elected Cleveland City Council members representing the 17 wards of the City of Cleveland. Each ward has approximately 25,000 residents. Council Members are elected to serve a four-year...

https://clevelandcitycouncil.org/council-members

Are you a Cleveland resident and would like to identify your Ward Representative?

Use this resource, https://clevelandcitycouncil.org/find-my-ward

Find my ward

Map with address box for residents to put in and find out what ward they live in and who their council person is. The map will offer different layers that residents can put onto it to find parks,...

https://clevelandcitycouncil.org/find-my-ward

The Virtual Committe of the Whole Meeting is live.
Roll call has been conducted.

Some members in attendance can be seen here,

Ward 13 Councilman Kelly Representative presents Ord. No. 941-2020.

Director of Public Safety Howard reviews Ord. No. 941-2020.

To read the ordinance as published on Cleveland's City Record,

https://clevelandcitycouncil.org/ClevelandCityCouncil/media/CityRecordArchive/2020/City-Record-12-04-2020.pdf

Ord. No. 941-2020 is approved.

Ward 13 Councilman Kelly presents Ord. No. 943-2020

Deputy Direct of Public Safety Howard reviews the Ordinance proposal.

He is highlighted in green.

To read the Ord. No. 943-2020 as published on Cleveland's City Record,

Ward 6 Councilmen Griffin confirms that Ord. No. 943-2020 has been vetted and approved by the safety committee.

https://clevelandcitycouncil.org/ward-6

Ward 9 Conwell speaks, sounding frustrated describing a drive-by shooting in his ward and pleads for identifiable outcome measures. We pass this ordinance year after year and have the same issues. What are ways this grant produces

https://clevelandcitycouncil.org/ward-9

Cleveland Police Chief Williams speaks. He is joined by a lieutenant McCabe (sp?) the head of task force & provides statistics. Some provided are,

70 Federal search warrants executed
39.9 lbs. of cocaine.
9.6 lbs. of fentanyl & heroine.
Over $2,000,000 in assets seized

Ward 9 Conwell seems pleased with the details provided by the Lieutenant and wants to know if more resources are needed. He describes his experiences of walking door to door and dealing with drug dealers.

Ward 9 Conwell is frustrated at the amount of time it takes to address a house in his ward occupied by criminal drug dealers. He is requesting for more concrete details about how the task force actions that this ordinance funds has lead to results in specific neighborhoods.

"I need helped from you guys. The drug dealers are winning a war with you guys [law enforcement]." - Ward 9 Councilmen Conwell.

Powerful words.

Ward 1 Councilman Jones speaks on the issues of crime in the City of Cleveland.

https://clevelandcitycouncil.org/ward-1

Ward 1 Councilman Jones,

"This is a major issue. ... The citizens are crying out for help. Right now, what are the possibilities you can hold a hearing to listen to your constituency base that are our taxpayers that paid for all of this?

Ward 1 Councilman Jones (highlighted in green) continues,

"We are not seeing the police in our communities. ... I don't see police patrolling. I don't see police busting up drug houses. ... I don't see the police engaged and working. ... Where is the police?

Ward 1 Councilman Jones (highlighted in green) continues,

"Why can't we get them [Cleveland Police] down on the ground working? ... How are you going to keep us safe? ... "

Ward 13 Kelly interrupts Ward 1 Jones,

"I hear you but this is getting beyond the scope of the ord."

Ward 1 Jones, "...we should not pass any more safety ordinances until there is accountability. ... The crime in our neighborhoods, if this was happening in Garfield there would be a state of an emergency. Someone would lose their job. ... I would like to see some action taken."

Kelley

Ord. No. 943-2020 stands approved.

Ward 13 Kelley presents Ord. No. 944-2020.

Read the details of Ord. No. 944-2020. in the Cleveland City Record,

https://clevelandcitycouncil.org/ClevelandCityCouncil/media/CityRecordArchive/2020/City-Record-12-04-2020.pdf

Director of Public Safety Howard reviews details about the ordinance.

Ward 13 City Council President Kelley asks about the state of homicides in Cleveland, Ohio.

Police Chief Williams 49% solve rate of homicides. Another official joins Police Chief Williams to reflect.

Ward 13 Kelly, "Does this grant help solve homicides?"

Law enforcement official, "It does. It allows us to communicate more effectively. It actually is helpful."

Ward 6 Griffin confirms that Ord. No. 944-2020 has been fully vetted and passed by the safety committee.

A conversation follows reflecting on Ord. No. 944-2020 and policing measures between Ward 9 Conwell, Ward 6 Griffin, Ward 1 Jones, and Cleveland Police Chief Williams.

Ward 6 Griffin encourages others to participate in the Public Safety committee.

Cleveland Chief of Police Williams reflects,

"We are police officers. ... If we are looking at the whole explosion of crimes as only a police issue then we are totally missing the boat. ... We can't arrest our way out of this problem.

Crime is a manifestation of a lot of social ills, not just crime itself."

Here is some information about Chief of Police,

http://www.city.cleveland.oh.us/CityofCleveland/Home/Government/Cabinet/CWilliams#:~:text=Calvin%20D.%20Williams%20is%20the%20City%20of%20Cleveland%E2%80%99s,the%20Division%20of%20Police%20on%20February%2024,%201986.

Ward 1 Jones provides further reflections on policing in his ward and how the police operate in the City of Cleveland. He states, "How we [Cleveland Police] operate in the City of Cleveland is damning. ... In this particular piece, how many detectives do we have now?"

Ward 13 Kelley requests that Chief of Police Williams provides feedback to Ward 1 Jones.

Chief Williams, "Detectives do investigative work. Crime Scene Investigators do the scene work."

Ward 13 Kelley, "Are the detective properly trained?"

Cleveland Chief of Police Williams, "Yes, of course. There are always new detectives in a training phase. ... I need to make a distinction between Detectives and Crime Scene Investigators. ..."

Ward 10 Councilman Hairston speaks and is fully supportive of the comments heard today.

Councilman represents an area that includes South Collinwood, St Clair-Superior, Glenville, Euclid Park and Nottingham Village neighborhoods.

Ward 10 Councilman Hairston inquires how many years this grant has been approved and whether the grant helps the solve rate. Is it really helping us?

Cleveland Chief of Police Williams,

"This grant has no match. [Cleveland taxpayers do not have to provide money] It assists the team in solving homicides."

Another Cleveland Police representatives provides details on how the grant helps the Cleveland Police.

Quick review

Ordinance No. 944-2020 allows the Director of Public Safety Howard to apply for FY 19 Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Grant in the approximate amount of $20,374.95 to fund the Police Homicide
Review Commission.

Ward 10 Hairston restates his desire to know whether the grant provides the actual means to address the criminal activity in the City of Cleveland and communicating with victims better.

"If not with this grant, then we should make it a priority with another grant."

Ward 10 Hariston,

"It's a bad feeling when you wake up and you have emails and texts on your phone about homicides."

Ward 7 Jones speaks on issues in his ward and Policing follow up in the community.

He represents an area which includes the historic Hough district, as well as the St. Clair-Superior, Midtown and Asia Town neighborhoods.

https://clevelandcitycouncil.org/ward-7

Ward 7 Jones, "Is there a process that you are working with families that have been murdered or died, is there a part of the department that you are doing that?"

Cleveland Chief of Police William responds,

"We are kind of between a rock and a hard place concerning the information we can give to the victims' families. ... A lot of the time there is no updated information to provide to the families."

Ward 9 Conwell provides an experience of Mrs. McCormack (sp?) whose husband was shot in the head and whose son was murdered in a similar fashion. He seconds fellow Councilman Ward 1 Jones, Ward 10 Hariston, and Ward 7 Jones concerns.

Cleveland Chief of Police William responds,

"Our detectives aren't counselors, but we give them [the victims and their families access to] professional services for this kind of situation."

Ward 1 Jones,

"I am not trying to annoy. ... We hear the same dance and song 'that it takes all of these other factors.' ... We shouldn't have to live out of fear. I look forward to working with you, not just talking about these issues.

Ward 1 Jones continues,

"I know you have a very difficult and hard job. ... I will work with any one to help solve these issues."

Cleveland Chief of Police William responds,

"Our folks are out there and they are working hard. I just spoke to the officer on the hit and skipped. He has spoken to the victim's family multiple times."

Ward 7 Jones responds,

"This is a very serious thing. ... We are always accepting grants but not accepting responsibility. It is our lack of empathy for our residents. We should have a department that is continuously checking on them. ... "

Ward 6 Griffin responds,

"I have sat and listened patiently to everyone. I was at a 4 hour safety committee meeting last week and another the week before. I've been at this 4 years. ... I am frustrated. ... It costs $100,000 to put an officer in place. ...

Ward 6 Griffin continues,

"If you want to have police ... then I would advise everyone to sit down with me and this administration to figure out how we get more officers. ... I am sympathetic to the concerns of communicating. ...

Ward 6 Griffin continues,

"We have found out that 8 to 10% of the city is responsible 80 to 90% of the homicides. ... I would caution everybody. We are trying to have intelligence lead policing where we build cases. ... I want to encourage everybody ...

Ward 6 Griffin continues,

"I want to say this to the public I am pissed too. We are all upset. This is a societal breakdown that has more to it the just a million police officers to arrest everybody in this city."

Ward 6 Griffin continues,

"Until we look at this holistically and how we will address this societal breakdown then we will still have this problems. We need to get into the business of how we find more resources and how we get the information to show we are having results. ..."

Ward 6 Griffin continues,

"I understand the passion, but I encourage everybody to pass this legislation."

Ward 15 Councilwoman Spenser supports the ordinance and stands in solidarity with the other Councilman.

She represents areas that include Edgewater, Cudell, Detroit Shoreway and parts of the Ohio City and Stockyard neighborhoods.

Ord. No 944-2020 stands to be approved.

Ward 7 Kelley presents Ord. No. 946-2020

Deputy Director of Public Safety Howard reviews the grant.

Read the details of the Ord. No. 946-2020 on the City of Cleveland's City Record.

https://clevelandcitycouncil.org/ClevelandCityCouncil/media/CityRecordArchive/2020/City-Record-12-04-2020.pdf

Ward 9 Conwell responds to Ward 6 Griffin's earlier comments and states that filing grants is not enough, we also want to know the details of the results. That is the concern of my fellow councilman.

Deputy Director of Public Safety Howard responds to Ward 9 Conwell comments while also highlighting the purpose of Ordinance No. 939-2020.

"It is a holistic approach that is needed."

Ward 9 Conwell responds to Deputy Director of Public Safety Howard,

"I know it is a holistic approach. ... The focus is you giving us an evaluation process. Why are we passing these grants? How are they are benefiting our residents, our taxpayers?"

Ward 1 Jones speaks,

"People commit crime when they know they can get away with crime. ... That is one of the reasons we have epic levels of crime in our communities."

Ward 1 Jones advocates for a return to heavy police enforcement and creating a culture of fear / awareness of consequences to deter criminals from committing crime.

Note: many of these are paraphrased comments. Please, use due diligence and review their whole comments in video.

Ward 12 Councilman Anthony Brancatelli speaks.

He has been a member of City Council since 2005, representing Slavic Village and parts of Tremont, Brooklyn Center and Old Brooklyn neighborhoods.

Ward 7 Jones asks,

"Do you have information on where most arrests and traffic enforcement take place in the city?"

Deputy Director of Public Safety Howard responds,

"I would like to collect the data before providing an answer."

Ward 7 Jones reflects on a diversity of crimes and concerns about policing and law enforcement in general. He asks Deputy Director of Health Howard,

"Do you feel you have enough resources to apply this holistic approach you talk about?"

Deputy Director of Howard responds,

"I do. Some of the changes is based on selection process via behavior based interviews and psych assessments... We know review for an applicant 'Is this a right fit? Not just for a police officer, but also for policing an urban environment."

Ward 7 Jones reflects on his experiences as a Councilman on the City of Cleveland Council. He comments on how when he first arrived, he did not understand Ward 9 Conwell's consistent demand for performance outcomes, but he does now.

Ord 937-2020 is presented and approved. Dir of Public Utilities Marin Keane reviews.

Purpose: "to design, reconstruct and attach a new trunk main to the new Hilliard Road bridge over the Rocky River as part of the County’s bridge reconstruction project."

Ord 955-2020 is presented and approved. Dir of Public Utilities Marin Keane reviews.

Purpose: "to make the public improvement of rehabilitating automated control systems at Division of Water treatment plants, secondary facilities and in the distribution system"

Ord 956-2020 is presented and approved. Dir of Public Utilities Marin Keane reviews.

Purpose: "to make the public improvement of replacing pump discharge control valves and appurtenances at the Fairmount Pump Station,"

Ordinance No. 957-2020 is presented, reviewed, and adopted.

Ordinance 9-2021 is presented, reviewed, and approved

Purpose: "to make the public improvement of renovating the Engle pump station in the City of Middleburg Heights, the Green pump station in the Village of Highland Hills, the Shepard pump station in the City of Macedonia,

and the replacement of the Independence pump station in City of Independence"

Emergency Ordinance 10-2021 is presented, reviewed, and approved

Purpose: "to make the public improvement of renewing a transmission main, including valves and related appurtenances, underneath the Cuyahoga River near Harvard Avenue"

Emergency Ordinance 11-2021 is presented, reviewed, and approved

Purpose: " to make the public improvement of repairing or replacing roofs and appurtenances, including but not limited to roofing systems"

Emergency Ordinance 12-2021 is presented, reviewed, and approved

Purpose: "[purchase] for a term of two years of the necessary items of concrete pipe adapters, repair saddles and accessories, in the approximate amount as purchased during the preceding term"

Emergency Ordinance 13-2021 is presented, reviewed, and approved

Purpose: "to repair and maintain the decorative and special lighting for City bridges and the Wyland Whale Mural Park on North Marginal Road, including materials, equipment, appurtenances, services, and insurance"

Emergency Ordinance No. 14-2021 is presented, reviewed, and adopted.

Commitee is pausing to present to watch the inauguration.

Meeting adjourned at 12:05 p.m. This concludes the City of Cleveland City Council's Committee of the Whole meeting. The next general council meeting is scheduled for January 20, 2021 after the inauguration. For more meeting coverage, check out http://documenters.org .

Documenters.org: Making Local Government More Accountable

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To become involved and for more meeting coverage, check out http://documenters.org .

Have questions? Think we got something wrong? Send any enquiries on the meeting or these tweets to
@cledocumenters

Or email us at [email protected]

Documenters.org: Making Local Government More Accountable

All the info you need on public meetings in your town, in one easy-to-search place. Get TRAINED and PAID to hold your local government accountable. Powered by City Bureau.

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