Live reporting by
Christina Easter
Council reviews proposed 2024 budgets for Departments of Aging, Law
Coffee
@CoffeeDocuments
Good afternoon Cleveland and beyond! I will be live tweeting the afternoon session of Day 1 of the Finance, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee: General Fund Budget Hearing. #CLEDocumenters @signalcleveland @cledocumenters
Watch at
Watch at
12:45 PM Feb 20, 2024 CST
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Here we go! Blaine Griffin, (Ward 6) chair of the Finance, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee opens the meeting.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Griffin reads the Emergency Ordinance 160-2024 which provides for the daily operation of a municipal department. Mayor Justin Bibb gives opening remarks.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters The Mayoral Priorities for 2024 include Southeast Side, Public Safety and Violence Initiative, and Shore to Core to Shore.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Ahmed Abonamah, Director, Department of Finance leads the afternoon session starting Feb. 16 presentation which is a breakdown of expenses by department.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Abonamah gives overview of the General Fund.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters New items for 2024 Budget include organizational chart, letter from the Director of the Department Finance, vacancy pool, community budgetary priorities, and oversight hearings for various committees.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Abonamah discussing staffing - police, firefighters, and paramedics expect to hire 180 officers, 40 fire personnel, and 30 in paramedics.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Griffin asks how much does the city plan to issue in bonds and Abonamah states around $63m which is around the same from last year.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Next questions from council members starting with Chris Harsh (Ward 13) who asks about staffing, excluding uniformed personnel - 125 vacancy pools and whether these are all executives.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Abonamah confirms Harsh's inquiry that 174 vacancies + 125 vacancy pool = the 299 executive vacancies.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Next is council member Joseph Jones (Ward 1) who inquires about the effect of using bond proceeds vs. monies in the general fund.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Abonaham explains how monies in the general fund are used to pay debt service on bond issuances.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Next, Michael Polensek (Ward 18) who states the income tax collections are understated and s/b closer to $3.5b. Abonamah confirms that after 2028 the debt on the Browns Stadium will be paid and the city will be debt free.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Polensek inquires about: future repairs for the Browns Stadium and this information will be provided later; hiring an additional 67 officers will not be sufficient and that ramping up the police department is critical b/c we are around 1915 levels and asks Abonamah what he thinks
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Abonamah states ultimately there are two goals make due with what the city currently has and going to 12 hours shifts which dramatically relieves the burden of staffing all shifts all the time. That officers left to go to other cities due to pay.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Polensek states the city projects 181 vacancies now and only 21 officers were hired, 165 retired, and unless there is a full court press the city will not come close to filling vacancies; and he has not seen any improvement in police on the streets, traffic enforcement, etc.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Next Kerry McCormack (Ward 3) who inquires about capital repairs because there is no real way to account for amounts encumbered vs. actual spending. Griffin to add this to the follow-up list.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Next Jenny Spencer (15) who asks for clarification on what SLITs are and Abonamah replies subordinate lean income tax bonds which are bonds that are subordinated to the city's general obligation bonds.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Spencer next asks when are SLITs issued and Abonamah replies it depends on how much debt the city and overlapping city entities may issue and the last SLIT was issued in 2021 - and this is in the Budget Book. Abonamah confirms that the city does not plan to issue bonds this year
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Spencer states she appreciates the Mayor's office doing the people's budget public meetings because these are important - Abonamah states the city anticipates continuing these this year.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Abonamah states the department will try to hold meetings at locations where people are and the city will work on geographical proximity and having more meetings.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Spencer asks whether there are public safety positions within the vacancy pool that are not uniformed and Abonamah replies yes.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Next Rebecca Mauer (Ward 12) inquires about what rescue fund policy (in the introductory language of the Budget Book) refers to and Abonamah replies ensuring that these funds are not used to support day-to-day operations (he believes).
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Next Griffin states they will try to get through Landmarks, Board and Buildings Houses Standards, Board of Zoning Appeals, City Planning Commission, Aging and Law - starting with reading of Office of the Mayor.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Griffin states $500,000 from last year was not spent and asks how these amounts were reallocated and Abohamah, Director, Department of Finance states he is not sure.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Next questions from council members starting with Brian Kazy (Ward 16) who inquires about full-time permanent jobs increased by almost $800k but the budget is for four less people - Abonamah replies it's for 5 positions, the 27 pay periods this year, and 2% pay increase.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Next Polensek who inquires about positions on the Org. Chart that doesn't give detailed information on why employees are working in the Mayor's office and Kazy states there are 31 positions on the Org Chart but 27 are budgeted for and asks for an explanation.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Abonamah replies an employee can be split between to orgs but show up in one place; some positions are grant funded versus the general fund; the Org. Chart doesn't line up because it is intended as a snapshot of the organization and not for budget purposes.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Polensek asks whether city council can be provided who is working in the Mayor's office and paid for by another division and Abonamah replies he can't but knows that Austin Davis is split between the mayor's office and law.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Polensek states they used to be able to see the salary range, how many people were assigned the staff specific title and now you can't tell who is working well and what they're making.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Next Anthony Hairston (Ward 10) agrees w/olensek and states "we should not get this again like this" then inquires about the $10k increase in travel and Abonamah replies expected travel to D.C. to bring resources to the city and the Mayor is chair of U.S. Conference of mayors.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Hairston requests a breakdown of the travel expense and who the amounts are attributed too.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Hairston inquires about the increase in professional services which Abonamah replies its due to a communications contract with Collective for $35k for communications support in the Mayor's office which does ad hoc media productions (i.e. state of the city).
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Abonaham states the city did not exceed its appropriations for 2023 - and a discussion begins on whether the mayor exceeded the budget.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Hairston states that the a line item method should be used rather than shifting things around on the back-end without input from counsel, then inquires about the increase in supplies and what revenue source is used to pay for special event supplies.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Abonamah replies the general fund is used; signage and other supplies that will be needed for events the mayor hosts. Hairston asks for additional information on what this expense category is increasing from $4,100 to $16,000.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Hairston asks about the four part-time positions the and Abonamah replies special assistant to the mayor which will support government relations, communications, and the mayor's Southeast side efforts.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Hairston inquires about and Abonamah confirms that anyone in the mayor's office who is not an executive is a special assistant.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Griffin inquires about why dues are just not being paid we've always been a part of the Mayors and Manager's Association and Abonamah replies the expense used to be paid out of non-departmental and now it's paid out of the mayor's office.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Hairston asks why the change in report the Association dues and Abonamah replies he can't recall. Griffin reiterates that the almost quadruple increase in special events needs to be justified.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Patricia Britt, Clerk of City Council gives opening remarks.
clevelandcitycouncil.org/council/clerk-…
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Britt states staff of Council is categorized into clusters and not departments because it is small; there are 26 current employees; the budget has 2 open part-time positions and 8 summer intern positions (May 1 - Aug. 31); and the CFO will have to answer more specific questions.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Hairston states the staff of city council members needs to be increased because they are making "peanuts" compared to what others are making and they work being done.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Richard Starr (Ward 5) agrees with Hairston stating when you look at the Mayor's staff "our staff find themselves having to do that work" and he would like to see one additional full-time position added to each council member's office.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Starr continues that Council will be going down to 15 seats which will add more residents and work.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Council member Jones states the cost of his Ward office has increased and if he went somewhere else he could not go because of the cost; and the fund for an expense account was created 36 years ago and there has not been an increase in over 30 years.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Jones says to Britt that he would like to see the pay of council member executive assistances increased to $60k and the market for the position is $85k to $90k, this year or next year. Britt replies they are happy to bring this to the Operations Committee.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Council member Kevin Conwell (Ward 9) states there are 4 elements to the budget: people, supplies, equipment, and money and for all of these budgets 68 - 70% of it is people and you can't add this up because you don't have how much they're making.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Abonamah states it was not intended to take critical information away from Council as it reviews the budget; that the appropriation ordinance provides a set dollar amount for each division to spend on personnel which is up to the commissioner/director to determine how to spend.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Abonamah also states it's his job to make sure the departments have what they need to do their job but the Finance Department has no say in how the money is spent.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Next Landmarks Commission general budget.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Council member Deborah Gray (Ward 4) states it's been a great experience serving the Landmarks Commission.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Spencer asks about the increase in professional services and Abonamah states it's due to fees and there will be an AmeriCorp. volunteer this year.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Next Board of Building Standards and Appeals.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters There was minimal discussion on the Board of Building Standards and Appeals, particularly related to Residents First. Next is Board of Zoning Appeals
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Hairston asks for the reason for the increase in the full-time permanent pay when the positions stayed the same and Abonamah responded the 27 pay periods and rate pay increases.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Jones asks a question related to department heads not being present and Griffin asks Jones to limit his question to budget questions and concerns - Jones and Griffin have agreed to talk about his later.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Griffin apologizes for the Director of the Board of Zoning Appeals not being present.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Hairston make several inquires regarding vacancies and pay the Finance Department will provide some information later.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Jones states it would be good to have a break down of what City Planning does; Jones and Abonamah discuss grants City Planning receives and Jones asks for the grants City Planning receives; Jones states he has requested certain information from City Planning since 2018.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Jones inquires as to whether the 3 vacancies will be filled and Abonamah states there are no vacancies but there is one vacant board position.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Griffin asks Abonamah to provide information on what it costs for senior to have their grass cut.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Conwell states he is going to provide everyone a copy of the Strategic Plan; he also discusses the issue with lack of people having a will because the city has to cut the grass when a property is in probate.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Jones asks what other source of funds the Department Receives and Abonamah replies the CBDG and other programs.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Jones states there is a lot of money running through the Department of Aging and requests a breakdown as to where the money is coming from; he has a huge number of seniors who want services; he wants improved communication; and production needs to be improved for seniors.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Griffin asks Conwell, who is over the Department of Aging, to make sure there is better communication with the Director and Conwell says he will.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Abonamah states the unit cost for grass cutting is 1,300 homes on the list for this year which works out to about 7 grass cuts every week which is about $25 each.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Jones states senior need a better idea about snow plowing as well. Spencer inquires about other contractual services and professional services and Abonamah replies the bed bug and grass cutting programs.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Griffin asks why the Law Department always goes over its budget and Abonamah replies part of it is judgment and claims the city has to pay out for settlements.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Conwell and Griffin discuss what information can be obtained to support damage due to pot holes on city streets.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Jones states that if anyone has any kind of moral claim, he believes in taking care of constituents, and he will sit with people because if the city is liable it should pay; that he wants to see some production from the more than 100 building and housing inspectors.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Jones wants more information on the number of tickets that are being written on residential and commercial property in all Wards, specifically in the Lee-Harvard Ward.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Jones asks how much is set aside for judgments and Abonamah replies $5.5m, then discusses the contract process including payment to contractors.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Polensek inquires about moral claims stating what is important is that if you have damage caused by city property/streets have documents, take pictures, and get other evidence in order to be reimbursed - that the city is self insured.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Polensek requests the number of people working on building code prosecutions; and that the Law Director was supposed to be working on better response to police reports and he has not heard back - therefore he requests this information again.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Spencer asks whether increases in staffing is related to Residents First and Abonamah replies no because Residents First did not exist at the time the budget was put together.
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City of Cleveland Ohio (.gov)
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@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Abonamah resplies to Gray's question that hearings are held May and November and it takes around 12 to get a response; Griffin states moral claims are private and public and Abonamah will provide information on this.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Kazy requests all of outside counsel names and amount of fees paid; number of cases that were brought forward but dismissed; and number of cases brought under Ordinance 98-2022.
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters Abonamah states Rhonda Curtis in response to Jones question who is the chief corporate counselor for the city; chief counsel is Michelle Comer; chief trial counsel is Elena Boop; and Lee Anderson is executive assistant to the mayor from the law department who handles police acct
@signalcleveland @cledocumenters That's it. Meeting adjourned! Have questions? Think we got something wrong? Send inquiries on the meeting or tweets to @cledocumenters or email us at cledocumenters@gmail.com.