City Council

Council Minutes October 27, 2025 CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS The Council of the City of Shaker Heights met in a regular session at 7:01 p.m., Mayor David E. Weiss presiding. Council Members Present: Mrs. Kaus Mr. Malone Mrs. Moore Ms. Anne Williams Ms. Carmella Williams Ms. Bixenstine Council Members Absent: Mr. Claytor * * * * Video of this meeting may be found here through October 27, 2028. * * * * At 7:04 p.m. a joint Council/Finance Committee work session was held. Finance Committee members present: Anthony Moore (via Zoom) Finance Director John Potts presented the 2025 General Fund Revenue Projections and 2026 General Fund Revenue Budget. At 7:30 p.m. Council returned to the regular meeting. * * * * It was moved by Ms. Anne Williams, and seconded by Ms. Bixenstine, that the minutes of the regular meeting of September 29, 2025, be approved as recorded. Roll Call: Ayes: Mrs. Kaus, Mr. Malone, Mrs. Moore , Ms. Anne Williams, Ms. Carmella Williams, Ms. Bixenstine Nays: None Motion Carried * * * * The Mayor asked the Clerk of Council to read into the record public comments received by email or phone on any of the agenda items. Clerk of Council Mr. Carroll stated that no comments were received on agenda items by email or phone. The Mayor invited members of the audience and those participating via Zoom the opportunity to “raise their hand” to provide public comment. No comments were offered. * * * * Ordinance No. 25-79, by Mrs. Moore, amending Section 153.03 and enacting new Sections 155.07 and 155.08 of the Administrative Code; amending Sections 747.01, 747.02, 747.03, 747.04 and 747.07 of the General Offenses Code; amending Section 1111.02 of the Traffic Code; amending Sections 1319.03 and 1319.08 of the Building Code; and amending Sections 1412.01, 1412.02 and 1412.03 of the Housing Code of the Shaker Heights Codified Ordinances to update requirements for landscaping on private property and the use of the tree lawns in the right-of-way of the City. Law Director William Ondrey Gruber stated that we have been looking into the City’s ordinances on landscaping in yards and tree lawns for several years. Several proposals have come before Council. The latest proposal was brought to Council with regard to landscaping on first reading in Ordinance No. 25-79 on July 28, 2025. It then went back to the Safety and Public Works Committee, Tree Advisory Board and the Sustainability Committee and it was agreed by the committees to move forward with the legislation. It came back to Council on October 14, 2025 for a second reading with amendments to the originally proposed ordinance. Council moved to accept the proposed amendments. This item is now on third reading. Communications and Marketing has worked hard to create a web page on the City’s website on the proposed ordinances with links to the meetings, recordings and handouts for Council and the public to review. We will be adding resources per Council’s request to the website and if approved tonight a plan for how it will be introduced to the public and how it will be enforced. The latest proposed ordinance has taken into account a lot of the suggestions from Council and the public. Mayor Weiss asked if this item was reviewed a second time by committees. Director Gruber clarified that after it was initially introduced in July, and then went back to several committees. Council member Ms. Bixenstine stated that members of the Sustainability Stormwater and Green Space Subcommittee were asked to bring forward any comments but she has not heard any. She thanked all of the departments who have invested so much time into this amendment to our landscape ordinances and the balance that has been achieved. She thanked the Communications and Marketing Department for their work in posting the resources. Council member Mrs. Moore stated that she received requests from residents to have copies of the final ordinance and forwarded to them the agenda for tonight, but has not heard back. She also explained that tonight would be an additional public comment opportunity. Council Meeting October 27, 2025 Page 182 Council member Mr. Malone stated that he heard from a number of residents with some concern about the way this may be enforced. Council has talked about how enforcement would be key in the perception of fairness. He believes this only applies to private property so some residents may be taking a closer look at certain areas of the City under public or business control. It probably would behoove the City to make sure our grow not mow sites are maintained and that we are holding ourselves to the same standard. Director Gruber stated this applies to private property, including commercial and residential, along with City-owned properties, as well as public entities and the public right-of-way. However, there are different standards. It is up to the City to determine how public properties should be maintained. Council member Mrs. Moore stated that two out of the three grow not mow sites are the re-establishment of a woodland. We do not mow the grass undergrowth of woodlands. That is why it is called grow not mow. In the effort to extend the woodland to create a greater tree canopy where a tree canopy has been removed, we are planting trees. The undergrowth planted is a meadow of sorts. At the third site on Shaker Boulevard we are proceeding more slowly with the undergrowth because it is a low mow area. As we establish additional tree plantings and carefully managed native gardens, it will be maintained in a slightly different way from the other two. Council member Ms. Bixenstine stated that there is a perimeter around the grow not mow sites that is mowed, equivalent to a tree lawn, with height limitations so we won’t have the safety concerns that we would have with the private property landscape ordinance. They are well managed as well as can be with mostly volunteer effort. They have been planted with intentionality. Mayor Weiss stated that he has expressed some concern about how this will be accepted by the community. The changes with respect to the tree lawns are primarily safety driven. Moved by Mrs. Moore, and seconded by Ms. Bixenstine, that Ordinance No. 25-79 be enacted as read. Roll Call: Ayes: Mrs. Kaus, Mr. Malone, Mrs. Moore , Ms. Anne Williams, Ms. Carmella Williams, Ms. Bixenstine Nays: None Ordinance Enacted * * * * Ordinance No. 25-111, by Mrs. Kaus, authorizing a personal services contract with LinkedIn Recruiter for recruiting services for a three years, at a total not-to-exceed contract amount of $66,903.25, and declaring an emergency. Human Resources Assistant Leonard Goodwin stated that the Human Resources Department began using LinkedIn Recruiter in March 2024 through a six-month pilot program. Following the success of the program the City entered into a one-year agreement with LinkedIn in August 2024. LinkedIn Recruiter provides advance search and targeting tools that enables organizations to reach a broader and more qualified talent pool than traditional recruiting. It also lets us use direct messaging through email which helps us engage candidates who aren’t actively looking for jobs but fit the City’s criteria. Council Meeting October 27, 2025 Page 183 Functionality has made the recruiting process faster, more efficient, and more effective, resulting in a reduced time-to-hire rate in most cases. Utilization of LinkedIn Recruiter has been instrumental in attracting qualified candidates for a variety of positions including Human Resources Analyst, Police Officers, Police Jailer, Neighborhood Development Specialist, and many more. From January 1, 2025 to August 2, 2025, City job postings received 9,181 job views and 1,212 apply clicks which is a rate of 11.2%, 2.4% higher than the benchmark average for the government administration sector. LinkedIn has proposed a three-year agreement for a total of $66,903.25. The first year of the agreement will be $22,301.25 and the funds for the first year contract were included in the 2025 budget. Questions were raised by the Administration Committee about the City’s use of search firms and the availability of point of contact for the LinkedIn Recruiter tool. It was noted that a designated contact will be available for any issues or questions related to the platform. While the City has not recently used search firms due to cost and limited need, those relationships remain in place should future use be necessary. LinkedIn platform is used for recruiting across various departments, including Police, Fire, Public Works and word of mouth continues to be an effective hiring method. This item is requested as an emergency with a suspension of the rules so we can move forward with renewing the contract with LinkedIn that expired on September 30, 2025. Council member Mrs. Kaus stated that this item was reviewed and approved by the Administration Committee. Council member Mrs. Moore stated that this item was reviewed and unanimously approved by the Finance Committee. It was moved by Mrs. Kaus, and seconded by Mrs. Moore, that the rule requiring ordinances to be read on three different days be suspended and Ordinance No. 25-111 be placed upon its final enactment. Roll Call: Ayes: Mrs. Kaus, Mr. Malone, Mrs. Moore , Ms. Anne Williams, Ms. Carmella Williams, Ms. Bixenstine Nays: None Motion Carried Moved by Mrs. Kaus, and seconded by Mrs. Moore, that Ordinance No. 25-111 be enacted as read. Roll Call: Ayes: Mrs. Kaus, Mr. Malone, Mrs. Moore , Ms. Anne Williams, Ms. Carmella Williams, Ms. Bixenstine Nays: None Ordinance Enacted * * * * Ordinance No. 25-112, by Mrs. Moore, authorizing an amendment to Ordinance No. 24-109 to provide an additional 0.25% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) and a one-time $600 lump- Council Meeting October 27, 2025 Page 184 sum bonus for all current regular full-time and part-time non-bargaining employees for the year 2025, and declaring an emergency. Human Resources Director Sandra Middleton stated that Ordinance 24-109 enacted on December 16, 2024 established a 2.25% cost of living adjustment (COLA) for non-bargaining employees effective January 1, 2025. However, since that time the City has negotiated contracts with Teamsters Local 507 representing Public Works employees and IAM Local 1363 representing maintenance workers in the Recreation Department. Both unions received a 2.5% COLA and a $600 lump sum bonus for 2025. The City has had a rich history of maintaining parity between non-bargaining employees and non-safety force bargaining unit employees with respect to annual COLAs. In keeping with that longstanding practice, the City proposes providing regular full-time and regular part-time non-bargaining employees an additional .25% COLA retroactive to January 1, 2025, and a one time lump sump bonus in the amount of $600. The additional COLA was not included in the 2025 budget and the estimated cost increase is $20,750. The total cost of the $600 lump sum bonus is approximately $63,000. This item is requested as an emergency with a suspension of the rules so the increases may be paid in 2025. Council member Mrs. Moore stated that many municipalities that have the choice about an increase that amounts to parity, make up the difference in budget deficits by shorting one type of employee over another. It is praiseworthy and important that the City of Shaker Heights has chosen not to do that. It was moved by Mrs. Moore, and seconded by Ms. Carmella Williams, that the rule requiring ordinances to be read on three different days be suspended and Ordinance No. 25-112 be placed upon its final enactment. Roll Call: Ayes: Mrs. Kaus, Mr. Malone, Mrs. Moore , Ms. Anne Williams, Ms. Carmella Williams, Ms. Bixenstine Nays: None Motion Carried Moved by Mrs. Moore, and seconded by Ms. Carmella Williams, that Ordinance No. 25-112 be enacted as read. Roll Call: Ayes: Mrs. Kaus, Mr. Malone, Mrs. Moore , Ms. Anne Williams, Ms. Carmella Williams, Ms. Bixenstine Nays: None Ordinance Enacted * * * * Ordinance No. 25-113, by Mrs. Moore, administrative approval of improvements to public land, pursuant to Section 1212.02 (I) of the City’s Zoning Code, as recommended by the City Planning Commission, for the purpose of making improvements to City Hall. Council Meeting October 27, 2025 Page 185 Planning Director Joyce Braverman stated that this item is for an addition and renovations to City Hall. The City Planning Commission recommended this item to Council with the following conditions: that a final landscape plan for the proposed landscape beds is submitted; and with the suggestion to include a walkway from the Clayton Boulevard entrance. The addition will create office space in order to relocate City staff from basement offices and creates an ADA accessible space for the Human Resources Department. The project also includes some interior renovation of the lobby area, and the addition is 1,900 square feet. The addition will be to the north side of the former Fire House bays. The Architectural Board of Review (ABR) preliminarily approved the design with a condition that construction plans are reviewed and formally approved. City Hall is also an individual locally designated landmark property. The Landmark Commission also reviewed this design review and granted a certificate of appropriateness with the conditions that the final design and details be reviewed by the ABR, and final materials and color selection also be approved by the ABR with a suggestion that a walkway be added from Clayton Boulevard. This item is requested with a suspension of the rules in order to keep the architectural design and plan preparation moving along to stay on schedule. Copies of site plans and renderings for the addition were placed at the seat of every Council member. Council member Mr. Malone stated that this item was reviewed and approved by the City Planning Commission. The parking lot remains compliant. The driveway is not interfered with in any way. It is a great project because it is moving our staff into a more modern office space and will renovate the entrance to City Hall. Council member Mrs. Moore stated that she reviewed the ABR meeting recordings and this is very impressive. They then had a joint meeting with the Landmark Commission. There were a lot of opinions, but the consensus was a beautiful process and she believes the community will be happy with the final design. Council member Mrs. Kaus stated she appreciated everyone’s effort and that this project is living the values of Shaker Heights in taking care of our employees and in terms of inclusion and diversity she appreciates the ADA accommodations and upgrades. It will show candidates and visitors to the City that we are an inclusive and welcoming place to be. She appreciates the care and consideration given. It was moved by Mrs. Moore, and seconded by Mr. Malone, that the rule requiring ordinances to be read on three different days be suspended and Ordinance No. 25-113 be placed upon its final enactment. Roll Call: Ayes: Mrs. Kaus, Mr. Malone, Mrs. Moore , Ms. Anne Williams, Ms. Carmella Williams, Ms. Bixenstine Nays: None Motion Carried Council Meeting October 27, 2025 Page 186 Moved by Mrs. Moore, and seconded by Mr. Malone, that Ordinance No. 25-113 be enacted as read. Roll Call: Ayes: Mrs. Kaus, Mr. Malone, Mrs. Moore , Ms. Anne Williams, Ms. Carmella Williams, Ms. Bixenstine Nays: None Ordinance Enacted * * * * Ordinance No. 25-114, by Ms. Anne Williams, authorizing the application for and acceptance of a grant from the Cuyahoga County Department of Development 2026 Community Development Supplemental Grant (“CDSG”) Program in the amount of $50,000 for building stabilization and rehabilitation of the historic Lynnfield RTA Rapid Transit Station, and declaring an emergency. Planning Director Joyce Braverman stated that this item authorizes the application and acceptance of a grant to the Community Development Supplemental Grant (CDSG) program in the maximum amount of $50,000 for the Lynnfield RTA Rapid Transit Station located at Van Aken/Parkland/Lynnfield. There is no local match required. Last year the Planning and Economic Development Departments applied for and received $50,000 toward Hildana Park improvements that are now under construction. A public meeting was required and held on June 10, 2025, for residents to learn more about the grant opportunities and share project ideas. We received comments by email and at the public meeting. Ideas included traffic- calming measures, improvements to parks, a basketball court, and the historic RTA Lynnfield station. The RTA station is also on the Shaker Village National Register Historic District site as well as a local landmark. Local landmarks undergo local design review. It was constructed in 1922 and originally marked the end of the rapid line before it was extended to Warrensville Center Road. RTA has leased the property to various tenants over time, but it has been vacant for 8 or 9 years. The station has fallen into disrepair. We desire to stabilize the station and eventually put it back into productive use so grant funds will be pursued to begin the stabilization process. Some of the projects could include masonry, tuckpointing, roof repair, foundation work or other site work. The total renovations are estimated at $267,000 and we have applied for other grants. This item is requested as an emergency with a suspension of the rules so we may mee the grant timelines. Council member Ms. Anne Williams stated that this item was reviewed and unanimously supported by the Safety and Public Works Committee. Council member Mrs. Moore stated that this item was recommended to Council by the Landmark Commission and reviewed and approved by the Finance Committee. She thanked Director Braverman for the Planning Department efforts. If all the grants are awarded we may have $150,000 towards the $267,000 total estimate. It was moved by Ms. Anne Williams, and seconded by Mrs. Moore, that the rule requiring ordinances to be read on three different days be suspended and Ordinance No. 25-114 be placed upon its final enactment. Council Meeting October 27, 2025 Page 187  Roll Call: Ayes: Mrs. Kaus, Mr. Malone, Mrs. Moore , Ms. Anne Williams, Ms. Carmella Williams, Ms. Bixenstine Nays: None Motion Carried Moved by Ms. Anne Williams, and seconded by Mrs. Moore, that Ordinance No. 25-114 be enacted as read. Roll Call: Ayes: Mrs. Kaus, Mr. Malone, Mrs. Moore , Ms. Anne Williams, Ms. Carmella Williams, Ms. Bixenstine Nays: None Ordinance Enacted * * * * Ordinance No. 25-115, by Mrs. Kaus, authorizing a personal professional services contract with Singleton & Partners Ltd. in the total amount not to exceed $210,000 for professional marketing and public relations services, for a period of up to three years at the City’s discretion. Communications and Marketing Director Ann McGuire stated that for several years the City has contracted with a marketing firm to develop and put in place an advertising plan focused on retaining current residents and attracting new residents to Shaker Heights with an overarching goal of maintaining the City’s tax base given that residential property and income taxes are the major sources of revenue for the City. The City’s current contract with the marketing firm Shark and Minnow expires December 31, 2025. On August 5, 2025 the Communications and Marketing Department issued a request for proposals (RFP) seeking proposals from qualified professional marketing agencies. The RFP was posted on the City’s website and emailed to 22 marketing firms that had either previously submitted proposals to Communications and Marketing or we learned about from a targeted Google search. We received 25 proposals, convened a selection committee of staff members to review submissions, and reviewed 2 finalists. Based on this review the Communications and Marketing Department requests approval to enter into a one year professional services contract with Singleton and Partners, renewable for up to 2 additional years, to evolve and refresh the awareness work that we began with Shark and Minnow. With Singleton we may craft a 2026 plan that takes a fresh look at our messaging, design, and the mix of platforms that we use. The amount of the contract is $70,000 per year or $210,000 total if we renew for 2 additional years for marketing and communication services for the period of January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2028. Funds sufficient for this contract are regularly allocated in the Communications and Marketing Department annual operating budget. This item is requested with a suspension of the rules so that the contract with Singleton may begin January 1, 2025 to continue the City’s marketing efforts with minimal interruptions. Council Meeting October 27, 2025 Page 188 Council member Mrs. Kaus stated that this item was reviewed and unanimously approved by the Administration Committee. The committee was very supportive and pleased to see them selected given they are an MBE/WBE firm that came highly recommended. Council member Mrs. Moore stated that this item was reviewed and unanimously approved by the Finance Committee. Many times RFPs are issued and the number of responses are diminished. This was such a successful process with 25 firms responding after 22 were contacted. It was moved by Mrs. Kaus, and seconded by Ms. Carmella Williams, that the rule requiring ordinances to be read on three different days be suspended and Ordinance No. 25-115 be placed upon its final enactment. Roll Call: Ayes: Mrs. Kaus, Mr. Malone, Mrs. Moore , Ms. Anne Williams, Ms. Carmella Williams, Ms. Bixenstine Nays: None Motion Carried Moved by Mrs. Kaus, and seconded by Ms. Carmella Williams, that Ordinance No. 25-115 be enacted as read. Roll Call: Ayes: Mrs. Kaus, Mr. Malone, Mrs. Moore , Ms. Anne Williams, Ms. Carmella Williams, Ms. Bixenstine Nays: None Ordinance Enacted * * * * Ordinance No. 25-116, by Mrs. Moore, authorizing the City to enter into agreements to provide vehicle and apparatus mechanic services by the City’s Fire Department to the City of University Heights and the Heights-Hillcrest Technical Rescue Team (HHTRT), and to other communities as services are available. Fire Chief Patrick Sweeney stated that this item authorizes the City to enter into agreements to provide vehicle and apparatus mechanic services by the City Fire Department to the City of University Heights and the Heights Hillcrest Technical Rescue Team (HHTRT). The City has a mechanic in the Fire Department who maintains the fire trucks, rescue squads and fleet. This includes preventative maintenance, emergency repairs and keeps the fleet in optimum condition. We have contracted his services over the last year or so to University Heights who was looking to utilize our mechanic to maintain their fleet. That relationship has worked very well for us. To date we are $10,000 to $12,000 in revenue from those services that we provided to University Heights and they are happy with the ability to keep their equipment in top condition close by. When we send trucks to shops they could be there for months at a time out of service. We are part of a regional technical rescue team that is a collaboration of about 15 Council Meeting October 27, 2025 Page 189 cities with a team of firefighters that provide technical unconventional rescues. They have a fleet of about 8 vehicles that they have asked us to maintain that are specialized equipment. They have asked if we have the capacity to also maintain their fleet. The City’s equipment will always take priority, but after talking with our mechanic, we feel that we can do it. The situation with University Heights has not created any precarious situation with our equipment so we believe we have the capacity to do this. This item is requested with a suspension of the rules so that we can provide the assistance. Council members Ms. Anne Williams stated that this item was reviewed by the Safety and Public Works Committee. They very much appreciate the cooperation between the communities. This is a win-win for both. They also appreciate that we will make sure our equipment is serviced first and making sure we had the capacity to assist with others. Council member Mrs. Moore stated that this item was reviewed by the Finance Committee. This is another instance of regional collaboration. Council member Ms. Bixenstine stated that she applauds the collaboration with other communities and that the City gets priority. She asked as we expand the network of communities using this one mechanic’s services if there have been instances in the past or we anticipate there would be a conflict and how we would resolve two concurrent emergencies. Chief Sweeney stated that we work very closely with all the nearby fire departments. If there are multiple vehicles down at the same time, we evaluate which one makes the most sense collectively to work on first so we can work together. It has not been a problem. Any major emergency will be worked on by all the departments together and so we will make a decision that make sense for us all collectively. Mayor Weiss added that we can always outsource the work. This is a benefit of being able to keep it in house as much as we are able, but we have other options. Chief Sweeney stated that he was one of the original members of the Heights Area Team back in 1993 that was later merged with the Hillcrest communities. We are the fiduciary. It provides services for the entire south east side of Cleveland, with members who are also part of FEMA teams deployed throughout the country. It was moved by Mrs. Moore, and seconded by Ms. Anne Williams, that the rule requiring ordinances to be read on three different days be suspended and Ordinance No. 25-116 be placed upon its final enactment. Roll Call: Ayes: Mrs. Kaus, Mr. Malone, Mrs. Moore , Ms. Anne Williams, Ms. Carmella Williams, Ms. Bixenstine Nays: None Motion Carried Moved by Mrs. Moore, and seconded by Ms. Anne Williams, that Ordinance No. 25-116 be enacted as read. Council Meeting October 27, 2025 Page 190  Roll Call: Ayes: Mrs. Kaus, Mr. Malone, Mrs. Moore , Ms. Anne Williams, Ms. Carmella Williams, Ms. Bixenstine Nays: None Ordinance Enacted * * * * Ordinance No. 25-117, by Ms. Anne Williams, authorizing a five-year service agreement with Spectrum Enterprise for the purchase and installation of a gigabit circuit at the Police Department, under state contract pricing, at a total maximum cost of Fifty-Four Thousand One Hundred Ninety Dollars ($54,190), and declaring an emergency. Police Commander John Cole stated that this item is for a five-year agreement with Spectrum for a gigabit circuit through state bid in the total amount of $54,190. The current system is nearing its end of life. After purchasing that product, we found out the manufacturer would no longer continue services on premises and would only have cloud service. They wanted to negotiate with us to remain a valued customer and gave us $475,000 worth of upgrades including an AI driven redaction software that is becoming critical in law enforcement with public records requests. We needed a 500 megabyte circuit but the 1 gigabyte circuit gives us the ability to expand. The Safety and Public Works Committee asked about the negotiated settlement and the additional savings. Having on premises services required officers to manage it but going to the cloud allows a third party to manage the resources giving us time to do a better job. We were able to save money by going to a five-year agreement from a three-year agreement. This item is requested as an emergency with a suspension of the rules to ensure circuit installation and functionality for our 2026 project as the current system is at the end of life. Council member Ms. Anne Williams stated that this item was reviewed and unanimously supported by the Safety and Public Works Committee. Council member Mrs. Moore stated that this item was reviewed and unanimously approved by the Finance Committee. Council member Mr. Malone asked about the AI redaction, how it works and if there is a human element. Commander Cole stated that there will always be a human element. The software redacts all of the images and removes recordings. It does a better job than having a human go through every recording minute by minute, and hour by hour. We now have a third party vendor doing it and we will no longer have that cost. Council member Ms. Carmella Williams asked about the pros and cons for being on premises versus in the cloud, and whether there are concerns about instability of switching to the cloud or unavailability of the network. Commander Cole stated that they queried their partners and others who use the system who stated they experience very little delays, and coupled with our IT Department, he believes this will work very well. Council Meeting October 27, 2025 Page 191 It was moved by Ms. Anne Williams, and seconded by Ms. Carmella Williams, that the rule requiring ordinances to be read on three different days be suspended and Ordinance No. 25-117 be placed upon its final enactment. Roll Call: Ayes: Mrs. Kaus, Mr. Malone, Mrs. Moore , Ms. Anne Williams, Ms. Carmella Williams, Ms. Bixenstine Nays: None Motion Carried Moved by Ms. Anne Williams, and seconded by Ms. Carmella Williams, that Ordinance No. 25-117 be enacted as read. Roll Call: Ayes: Mrs. Kaus, Mr. Malone, Mrs. Moore , Ms. Anne Williams, Ms. Carmella Williams, Ms. Bixenstine Nays: None Ordinance Enacted * * * * Ordinance No. 25-118, by Mrs. Kaus, authorizing a contract with the Cuyahoga County Board of Health for the period January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2027, in the total not to exceed amounts of $263,773 for 2026 and $295,568 for 2027, for health permitting, licensing and enforcement under Ohio law, and to provide various health related services to the City’s residents. Chief Administrative Officer Matthew Carroll stated that this item is for a contract with the Cuyahoga County Board of Health (CCBH) for services effective January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2027. The City was the last suburban community to contract with CCBH in 2018. The City of Cleveland has the only other public health department within Cuyahoga County. CCBH provides a wide variety of services, including inspection services and many important policy items and other services including vaccinations, disease reporting and are a trusted partner. This item is requested with a suspension of the rules. Council member Mrs. Kaus stated this item was reviewed and approved by the Administration Committee. She appreciates the CCBH for attending the meeting. It was very informative and members were able to ask many questions. There may be opportunities for even further partnerships such as National Night Out with the CCBH hosting a table to share information with the community. Council member Mrs. Moore stated that this item was reviewed and unanimously approved by the Finance Committee. It was moved by Mrs. Kaus, and seconded by Mrs. Moore, that the rule requiring ordinances to be read on three different days be suspended and Ordinance No. 25-118 be placed upon its final enactment. Council Meeting October 27, 2025 Page 192  Roll Call: Ayes: Mrs. Kaus, Mr. Malone, Mrs. Moore , Ms. Anne Williams, Ms. Carmella Williams, Ms. Bixenstine Nays: None Motion Carried Moved by Mrs. Kaus, and seconded by Mrs. Moore, that Ordinance No. 25-118 be enacted as read. Roll Call: Ayes: Mrs. Kaus, Mr. Malone, Mrs. Moore , Ms. Anne Williams, Ms. Carmella Williams, Ms. Bixenstine Nays: None Ordinance Enacted * * * * The Mayor asked the Clerk of Council to read into the record public comments received by email or phone on other items. Clerk of Council Mr. Carroll stated that no comments were received on other items by email or phone. The Mayor invited members of the audience and those participating via Zoom the opportunity to “raise their hand” to provide public comment. Kristen Romito of 2706 Belvoir asked the City to prioritize a real impactful solution to address the ongoing safety concerns at the intersection of Shaker/Belvoir/Inverness/Ashley. This intersection is not just a problem for one neighborhood or a few families, it is a danger to everyone who walks, bikes or drives through it. Every day kids walking or biking to Shaker Middle School cross Shaker, often with cars speeding or failing to stop. The City has already acknowledged that this intersection would benefit from a Hawk signal system, a proven tool for improving pedestrian safety, but ultimately decided to postpone any solution until a future recreation center project moves forward. That project; however, is years away. In the meantime, this delay leaves families, students and commuters vulnerable at a crossing already known to be unsafe. She appreciates the speed reduction signals that were installed on Belvoir and Shaker. They were a step in the right direction, but the reality is they are not solving the problem. Those signs assume drivers care enough that they are speeding. Too many simply don’t. The design of the area also makes matters worst. Belvoir is an extra wide lane and as drivers come north from University Heights, the speed limit drops from 35mph to 25mph, but there is little to signal that change or drivers are simply not paying attention. The road widths also make it feel like a two lane street encouraging higher speeds and leading to confusion and unsafe behavior at the Shaker/Belvoir intersection. Adding to the danger, the hedges on the corner of Shaker and Inverness create serious sight line issues for drivers turning from Shaker onto Belvoir or Inverness. Those overgrown hedges make it difficult to see pedestrians in the crosswalk until the last second, putting anyone crossing at an even greater risk. This is not a matter of enforcement alone. It is a matter of design and accountability. They need the City to take leadership in Council Meeting October 27, 2025 Page 193 implementing a meaningful traffic-calming solution now, not years from now. Whether that means reconfiguring the intersection, addressing the crosswalks, or improving visibility, they need an intervention that protects residents and reinforces that this is a neighborhood, not a speedway. She urged Council to make this intersection a priority. The safety of our children, neighbors, and commuters depend on it. Mayor Weiss stated that over the last year or so, the number of concerns expressed by residents about traffic, traffic signals, and anything traffic related has moved up the list of those expressed by residents. We are actively looking at a number of intersections residents have asked us to review so we will take this under advisement. Council member Mrs. Moore asked if we applied for a substantial grant to do planning for traffic safety and when the grant will be awarded. Mayor Weiss stated that he believes there were two pieces: a traffic study and subsequently we could apply for grants to implement recommendations. Council member Mr. Malone stated that he believes the study is in 2026 and implementation would be in 2027. Council member Mrs. Moore stated that what is being asked for is a pedestrian signal at minimum to begin with, but they may require input from the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and a cost component. She wondered in the meantime if we could have an evaluation of the advisability of a pedestrian signal. Ms. Romito stated that her husband confirmed in March that a study had already been conducted and we would be seeking contractors. A month later it was deemed that because of the plans for the recreation center we would wait due to potential changes in foot traffic. Council member Mr. Malone stated that the other complicating factor is that the School District is involved and a decision was made not to have a crossing guard there. This is at the north side of Shaker heading westbound. There is a flashing light on Shaker going east. Ms. Romito stated that signal is heavily used on Saturdays for soccer. During the school week that is not where kids cross. When people on Belvoir are crossing Shaker they have to look left to see traffic coming from Shaker, they have to look at traffic coming from Inverness, and they have to look at traffic coming from Belvoir going south, and they have to look at traffic coming from Ashley. All these cars are converging at once with people going to University School or commuting to work. Rita Carfagna of South Park is concerned about her granddaughter who lives on Parnell. She asked Council not to put this in a circular file for review a year from now and again two years from now. A potentially fatal accident could happen tomorrow. They are looking for flashing lights that would be very helpful. She would also like to see digital speed signs. Every time she sees one she slows down and checks her speed. Placed strategically it would help tremendously. Maybe a posted sign saying “dangerous intersection ahead” would help too. She doesn’t think it would be that costly. She does not believe that would require a detailed study to do something like that. Mayor Weiss stated that a sign would be easier and more likely to implement in the short term. Council Meeting October 27, 2025 Page 194 Alyson Carfagna of Parnell stated that she wanted to remind everyone that a little boy was hit a couple years ago in that intersection. If we had flashing lights, it is likely that would not have happened. Often when her daughter is walking to school cars will slow down so she thinks they are stopping, but they are not so she has almost been hit. It is getting darker and the roads may be icier so we need to protect our kids. She does not want her kids to use the rapid line because she does not want them crossing that intersection without an adult. She asked Council to make this their top priority for the safety of our kids and residents in the area. There is a deaf person who does not feel comfortable walking in that area and someone who is going blind so this impacts everyone in the neighborhood. * * * * There being no further business before Council, the Mayor adjourned the meeting at 8:41 p.m. _________________________________________ DAVID E. WEISS, Mayor _________________________________________ MATTHEW CARROLL, Clerk of Council Council Meeting October 27, 2025 Page 195