Live reporting by
Alicia Moreland
Council evaluates budgets of police and oversight groups
Alicia Moreland
@DDutchCreative
Hey Cle. I'll be live-tweeting Cleveland City Council's Finance, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee: General Fund Budget Hearing, Day 2, Afternoon Session for @cledocumenters and @signalcleveland
#CLEdocumenters
We'll get started when council comes back from lunch. 🥪🥤
#CLEdocumenters
We'll get started when council comes back from lunch. 🥪🥤
11:02 AM Feb 21, 2024 CST
Alright folks! We're kicking off with a look at the fire departments 2024 budget. They're asking for
$ 114,619,599. $ 73,268,476 for salaries and wages and $ 36,319,888 for benefits.
$ 114,619,599. $ 73,268,476 for salaries and wages and $ 36,319,888 for benefits.
A class of 40 new recruits is expected in the second quarter of the year. Overtime pay is expected to decrease this year as the new hires fill out vacancies.
Polensek- This week, there's been media attention regarding fire inspections not happening in high-rise buildings.
Administration- We're not aware of this.
Administration- We're not aware of this.
Polensek- I want to know how many people are working in fire inspection and what the protocol is for high-rise building fire inspection.
On to the Division of Police. They're asking for $ 6,076,955. $ 3,431,876 for salaries and wages and
$ 1,093,222 for Benefits. Overtime pay is expected to go down after collective bargaining with police unions leads to 12 hour shifts.
$ 1,093,222 for Benefits. Overtime pay is expected to go down after collective bargaining with police unions leads to 12 hour shifts.
increase in police budget for "professional services" planned for new county coroner marijuana test and vet services for canine unit.
Polensek asks for itemized breakdown.
Polensek asks for itemized breakdown.
council asks- why Increase in clothing costs? uniforms for 181 new police cadets.
"We're at 1915 levels in the division of police," says Polensek. To administration: "What's your blueprint for success?"
"We're at 1915 levels in the division of police," says Polensek. To administration: "What's your blueprint for success?"
Administration- public safety is Mayor Bibb's #1 priority. Newly implemented $5K signing bonus, fast-track for applicants with college degrees or prior military service, a 3 day weekend every other week, and greatly increased wages... all part of success plan.
There is a lot of discussion surrounding the optimal number for police staffing. 1350 is the number that's being used now, but estimates in the past have been 1700, 2000.
Questions are being raised about how police command, aided by staffing study, is reaching optimal staffing number. What organization is running that study?
Switch to 12 hour shifts for Cleveland police officers started in January. The hope is this will save the city money in overtime pay. Questions remain as to how this will affect officers health and police efficacy.
Starr talks about importance of proactive measures to support the reactive nature of policing.
"We need enough resources for our youth."
"We need enough resources for our youth."
maintenance cost increase in police dept budget due to dash & body cam maintenance, building maintenance, and garage door replacement.
Now we're hearing from the Community police Commission. (This was issue 24 on the ballot. Approved by voters it became Charter 115-5).
The Community Police Commission is asking for $598,000 for Staffing. This is up one 70K position from the Mayor's budget book. An additional 35K for benefits and 40K for computer software are requested.
The 70K position is for someone solely devoted to managing grant money- getting the money to programs that can prove they are reducing the need for policing. The commission is "bogged down" with managing grants and unable to push forward on Consent Decree Compliance.
Polensek: You, as director, are interim. There are 13 members on the commission. Do you pick the director?
A: The director is nominated by the 13 commissioners and sent to the mayor to be ratified.
A: The director is nominated by the 13 commissioners and sent to the mayor to be ratified.
Ugh, guys. My tweet thread got all messed up. Stay with me here while I retweet a few videos. I'm about 40 minutes behind the live feed but I'll get us caught up in no time. Quick like a bunny! 🐰
Ok. Back on track:
Polensek: The current nomination has not been ratified by the mayor- do we have any indication of when he will act on that?
Administration: Mayor Bibb laid out what he would like to see for a renewed nomination and to my knowledge that has not happened.
Polensek: The current nomination has not been ratified by the mayor- do we have any indication of when he will act on that?
Administration: Mayor Bibb laid out what he would like to see for a renewed nomination and to my knowledge that has not happened.
Total budget ask: 2.364 million. That's 150K more than what the Mayor is proposing (2.214 million). Frustrations over that difference were apparent.
Commission on what they've learned after their first year in operation:
Things got a lil spicy there for a second. 🌶️Council pushed back on comments from Commission with a few major points from several council members.
Discussion Point #1: the budget has to be balanced. There just isn't enough money to have everything everyone wants.
Discussion Point #1: the budget has to be balanced. There just isn't enough money to have everything everyone wants.
Discussion Point #2: frustration over duplication. Council is concerned the commission is performing tasks that several other agencies already perform. Especially in regards to grants for things like violence prevention, social justice, etc.
Discussion Point #3: There are two unfilled vacancies. Can adjusting the duties of those positions, which are already budgeted for, fill the grant management need?
Not sure what allegations Howse-Jones speaks on here, but her message is clear. Nominate a new executive director.
Kazy breaks the growing tension briefly before addressing the commission
Part 1/3
Part 1/3
I have to say this meeting has been growing more and more uncomfortable to watch. 😅
Part 2/3.
Part 2/3.
Alright. I'm going to stop sharing videos. Basically the rest of the speakers are very unhappy with the commission and the executive director. It took a while to get back to talking about the budget.
And after all the icky stuff... it seemed to me, personally, like Council was not likely to grant the request. That being said, deliberation and a final decision will be made during Reconciliation.
Alright folks! That was a 5 hour and 3 minute meeting. I was about an hour behind the live feed so it probably ended about 5:30ish. Whew! Is it too late to take a nap? Thanks for hanging in there with me!
Have questions? Think we got something wrong?
Send any inquiries on the meeting or these tweets to @cledocumenters. Or email us at cledocumenters@gmail.com
Send any inquiries on the meeting or these tweets to @cledocumenters. Or email us at cledocumenters@gmail.com