Cleveland Heights · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Cleveland Heights public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Council Code of Conduct and Legislative Process
Resolution 202-2026, a code of conduct for council members, was up for its second reading. It sets behavior standards for the city's elected leaders.
Bulk trash pickup policy
A resident said the refuse task force recommended against changes to bulk pickup, but the color-calendar system makes it hard to dispose of furniture; she proposed an on-demand portal with roughly 25 allowances a year.
Chapter 111 rules revision
Council is rewriting the rules that govern how it operates: who can call special meetings, whether Zoom attendance counts for quorum, how a council president could be replaced, and whether council can act only through ordinances and resolutions. The MOU controversy of past years loomed over the debate.
Cain Park operating deficit
Cain Park went from a $900,000 transfer last year to roughly breaking even this year — nearly a million-dollar swing. A full revenue and expense review is promised during the budget process.
Moving committee records off personal Gmail and Google Drive
Several committees keep agendas, minutes, and contact inboxes on personal Gmail accounts and private Google Drives. Council wants everything moved to city systems and posted publicly for open-meetings compliance.
Administrative Code Review
Council wrapped up its line-by-line review of the city's legislative procedures chapter, flagging outdated language — gendered pronouns, 1950s-era copy requirements, and an expenditure-approval provision that may conflict with a newer charter amendment — for the law department to redraft.
Crossroads rental registration settlement
A court found the city's $100 rental registration fee unlawful, and the city is paying out about $554,000 to settle rather than litigate further. Legislation to remove the fee while keeping landlord registration requirements comes to council June 15.
Accounting system software replacement
The city's aging New World accounting system makes financial reporting difficult. Replacing it would take at least two years and affect every department; the new finance director wants to evaluate it fully first.
Nonprofit and event funding policy
Council is crafting a policy for handling outside funding requests, agreeing the city isn't a grant maker and favoring co-sponsorship of community events with clear public-purpose criteria. The Music Hop's $30,000 staffing request is one pending example.
Community engagement task force
Council Member Cohen proposed a community engagement task force, developed with input from about ten residents and building on the racial justice task force model, and asked council to give it a home.
Budgeting process for large project incentives
Vice President Gail Larson flagged that this money was never built into a department budget, and the legislation doesn't even name the project. She asked staff to set up a process so future big projects get budgeted up front. Staff said that work is underway.
Temporary hiring freeze
The mayor announced a freeze requiring approval for every hire and vehicle purchase. Council members questioned how it applies to council-controlled positions and whether it saves real money.
Streaming public meetings on YouTube
Council Member Sarah Stone pushed for recording all board and commission meetings, not just Planning Commission and BZA. Staff say staffing limits make that hard right now, but they'll look into affordable recording devices and audio-only posting as options.
CDBG Annual Action Plan transparency
A resident asked for line-item detail on how roughly $1 million in CDBG funds — youth services, housing rehab, commercial revitalization — are allocated, including whether private schools benefit. Council offered to connect her with staff for answers.
CDBG funding presentation
About $1.56 million in federal block grant money will fund the same slate of programs as last year, with no room for two new applications. The CAC also wants the Office of Aging Specialist salary moved into the city budget rather than relying on year-to-year grants.
2026 Committee Priorities
The committee was scheduled to map out what it wants to focus on in 2026, from budget matters to capital spending. These priorities will guide which financial issues get attention this year.