Cleveland City Council Members: https://t.co/GQLkjJxNa0

you can watch this meeting on City Council's YouTube channel 👀👉youtube.com/watch?v=gebp--…

Council meeting started on time. A moment of silence, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Last meetings minutes were approved. By 7:02, public comment was called for. A Y. Hall was called to give comment, but was not present.

Samaria Rice, (mother of Tamir Rice) was also called, but was not present at that time. This was followed by two citizens , a Mr. Martin and Mr. Pryor, who both gave passionate denouncements of the "Unit Rule".

To illuminate why these citizens were speaking against the Unit Rule- From a cleveland.com article : "Immediately preceding Friday’s caucus vote, the 16 members-elect voted unanimously to invoke a party rule and long-standing council tradition known as the “unit rule.”

"The rule is used for presidential elections and the appointment of new members to fill vacancies. It compels council to vote unanimously in January for the winner of Friday’s vote, else be barred from future caucuses."

For more information:
cleveland.com/news/2021/11/b…

A quote from Scene article on the Unit Rule sums up the arguments against it's use:
" the rule actually does make sense in a politically divided legislature, where voting blocs can use it to leverage the full might of their membership..."

"...But in Cleveland City Council's current makeup — that is, 100-percent Democratic — the Unit Rule's function is authoritarian. It serves only to silence dissent."

More information:
clevescene.com/cleveland/kevi…

public comment ended. Communication files were read out- an appointment to the fair housing board- and several new license applications were announced. Resolutions of condolence, followed by a moment of silence, followed by resolutions of congratulation.

📜1st reading of emergency ordinances to be referred to committee: 973-2021, 978 through 998-2021, 1005-2021, 1008-2021, 1009-2021.

📜1st reading of emergency ordinances to be passed:
Emergency Ordinances 999-2021 through 1005-2021
.....👉15 yays

📜1st reading of emergency ordinances to be adopted:
Emergency Ordinances 1006-2021, 1007-2021
.....👉15 yays

📜second reading of emergency ordinances to be passed:
Emergency Ordinances 867-2021, 916-2021, 942-2021, 944-2021
.....👉15 yays

📜second reading of ordinances to be passed
Ordinance 842-2021
.....👉15 yays

The legislative portion of Council concluded. President Kelley asked for introductions. Basheer Jones introduced his uncle in from New York. 😁👋. Blaine Griffin said "We always have to acknowledge Silver B in the mix, mix, mix." Which I really wish someone could decode for me.🤔

Kelley than called for "anything miscellaneous". Basheer Jones stood and asked council to support rebuilding the beloved NEON health center on Hough, which suffered a major fire last May and has yet to reopen.
news5cleveland.com/news/local-new…

He shared his personal experience with the center, and how much NEON on Hough had meant to residents. His speech was short but heartfelt. It was the highlight of the meeting for me, personally.

Dolores Gray spoke next. She seemed upset to me. She spoke about integrity, principles, morals etc. but I didn't get a clear understanding of her intent in speaking or why she was upset.

She may have been speaking to some internal council politics I'm unaware of? She was clear on one thing: she was a council member till the end of her term. In it until end!

Joe Jones spoke next. He continued Ms. Grays theme of ethics, integrity, and principles. I believe I am missing underlying political context, because neither speaker said anything I understood as more than buzzwords and general statements about the importance of morality.

Someone more politically savvy than me will have to decode the meaning behind those closing statements. 🤷‍♀️ The meeting ended around 8:20. This concludes my coverage of Cleveland City Council's council meeting! Until next time folks.👋🐰

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

Or email us at documenters@neighborhoodgrants.org