[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6181771,"mediaKeyId","5112259-cd13c41e12685e7d965a3ff42b371a94","parentId",5112259,"title","Committee seeks council oversight over mayor’s authority on city property after law‑department camera noted","audioSeconds",142,"startMs",2314000,"endMs",2456000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5112259-cd13c41e12685e7d965a3ff42b371a94&start=2314&end=2456","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5112259-cd13c41e12685e7d965a3ff42b371a94/thumbnail_2314000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6181771/Cleveland-Heights/Cuyahoga-County/Ohio/Committee-seeks-council-oversight-over-mayors-authority-on-city-property-after-lawdepartment-camera-noted","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6181771-33e1d8db1dd04d17ddf925e9ae6f0e22/orig.mp4?Expires=1771206268&Signature=G5RILYjTBnXZOf9U2cQ7R2Woowc3wRVPwfvXlhK-JL2KTemQle1TmTX4in5SCV-RUEDzGomTdMFiTTK2wIQo2Y8GYPVCL1HMXVGQsapH2CgZlC3ugWG7VyveZUoMxfk-K2x~9Te-bnr800Rzbx-HP1BqzZXy0ovUVgio9dtqrHjEXEAp~7iK3gsiMv-NZirE7O93emNb-ViFpXpJDi7m2KzMhjnCVuSuKcaSTwy8aTvvER~st6LKmRldwitTp-Cm--ifRMGxHfy-TTe7QoysXGleswgaIM7e5YjhTiEDsRutyvxfpMVFHz9T~QK6ywv7gIjOwDq6M3JdMG8qFBQerw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Cleveland Heights, OH","date","2025-07-01T01:57:36Z","article","The Administrative Services Committee on June 30 discussed a proposed ordinance amending Chapter 121.05 to subject mayoral rules on the care, control and use of city property to override by council resolution, and advanced the draft to the Committee of the Whole.

Chair Craig Cobb said he had searched the city charter and did not find a provision granting the mayor unilateral authority over city property; the draft would allow council to nullify a mayoral property rule by a five‑member majority vote. Cobb said the measure is intended as a preventive check on perceived abuses of authority.

Why it matters: Committee members raised concerns about a camera they said they observed inside the law department. One member described seeing a camera on the far wall facing the interior of the law department office and characterized the installation as potential retribution or misuse of authority; the administration did not respond to those characterizations during the committee meeting.

Details and committee discussion

- Proposed override: The draft adds language stating that any rule or regulation established by the mayor relating to care, control or use of city property \"shall be subject to override by a vote of five city council members through a duly adopted resolution,\" and that such rules would be deemed null and void to the extent of the council resolution.

- Example cited: Multiple council members referred to a camera installed \"inside the law department\" on an interior wall as a reason for preventive oversight; one council member said, \"I've seen the camera. ... It's facing you, on the far wall,\" and other members described the installation as troubling.

- Threshold and duration: Committee members discussed using a supermajority threshold (five votes) to overturn mayoral property rules and debated whether the measure could include a sunset provision; Chair Cobb said he would be amenable to an expiration at the end of the year as a temporary, preventive measure.

Outcome and next steps

The committee voted to forward the ordinance to the Committee of the Whole and asked the law department to review the draft for form. Committee members indicated they intend to discuss the item again at the Committee of the Whole and possibly set limits on the scope or duration of the override authority.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Cleveland Heights Administrative Services Committee June 30, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","A proposed ordinance would make mayoral rules on care, control and use of city property subject to override by five council members; committee members cited a camera installed inside the law department as an example of why oversight may be needed and forwarded the draft to Committee of the Whole.","taxTitle","Cleveland Heights, Cuyahoga County, Ohio","taxId",54271,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6181775,"Council committee moves to limit political messaging on city social media and communication platforms",528,1612000,2140000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5112259-cd13c41e12685e7d965a3ff42b371a94&start=1612&end=2140","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5112259-cd13c41e12685e7d965a3ff42b371a94/thumbnail_1612000.jpg","/articles/6181775/Cleveland-Heights/Cuyahoga-County/Ohio/Council-committee-moves-to-limit-political-messaging-on-city-social-media-and-communication-platforms","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6181775-dd948791d8de3b17cc3da86211f73023/orig.mp4?Expires=1771206268&Signature=SCmfLbH-dZRRMunQ56kxMdQ4L-7rBJ28w48YBjfie4~FwclHY2fjbkuBB88vW24CMldaMZfBudNnH3CQVZDfPz8tPHnvoW9dyrLQ8Gh9-e4tfZA9z3mRQam5v2x3gXbTe9eTFrt4-AUC6kHWsKPR2hKmEmCjFlcLEJq0~-8ruWYGWMVG512sB5myw1~6Bdeq3lf9D~G698lPfVlW0sW7c2YLbCayz1KxM3vRLLadHK55egouCoLGAbpyKB3IBHaoUiRM-7-xEE3v7Oygz3yRWKq3DrAaiDJT2Azpkte984Pxe0QN3S1HKUQ0p9nS5kWshvv8Gg3ZiIAhjSEFrdqgYA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Cleveland Heights Administrative Services Committee on June 30 voted to forward a draft ordinance that would prohibit political messaging and personal or partisan communications on city-operated social media accounts, email, and other electronic communications.

Committee Chair Craig Cobb said the draft, which he authored, would bar city accounts from posting criticism or support of elected officials, advocacy for or against political parties or ballot measures (except legally permitted neutral explanations), fundraising, campaigning and “score settling with the media.” The draft would limit official accounts to factual, neutral information about city programs, services, operations, announcements of city‑sponsored events, emergency notifications and legally required notices.

Why it matters: Committee members said recent city communications have included what they regard as non‑informational, partisan, or personal content. The draft is intended to create a single, enforceable standard that applies equally to council communications and the administration’s messaging on official city platforms.

Key points from the committee discussion

- Scope: The ordinance defines “city communications platforms” broadly to include the official social media account, official city email, website, or any electronic communication system operated or managed by the city of Cleveland Heights. Cobb said the rule should apply to both elected officials and city employees when using official channels.

- Examples and enforcement: Committee members discussed expanding the prohibited uses to include personal messaging and “score settling.” Cobb said he planned to broaden the prohibited-use language and, if necessary, test enforcement through the courts: “If someone wants to go ahead and violate this provision, at least we will then have the ability to go to court … and if they violate that injunction, seek to hold them in contempt of court,” he said.

- Administration communications: Members noted a recent email from the city’s new communications director that one committee member said would fall within the draft’s prohibition; the communications director was referenced by name in the meeting but did not speak at the committee hearing.

Outcome and next steps

The committee voted to forward the draft ordinance to the Committee of the Whole for further review by the law department; Cobb said he will revise the draft’s prohibited‑use language before the next discussion. Committee members did not specify civil penalties in the draft beyond referring to potential judicial remedies.","A proposed ordinance would restrict use of official city social-media and email accounts to neutral informational messages and prohibit political messaging, personal score‑settling and partisan campaigning; the Administrative Services Committee advanced the draft to the Committee of the Whole.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6181780,"Cleveland Heights committee advances ordinances limiting city email use and restricting access",1133,67000,1200000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5112259-cd13c41e12685e7d965a3ff42b371a94&start=67&end=1200","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5112259-cd13c41e12685e7d965a3ff42b371a94/thumbnail_67000.jpg","/articles/6181780/Cleveland-Heights/Cuyahoga-County/Ohio/Cleveland-Heights-committee-advances-ordinances-limiting-city-email-use-and-restricting-access","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6181780-979d9b9642ca8a830fbf006825eb5cd4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771206268&Signature=CWy86dx7PAtlQB5qRgcx2AnzwGKA5tTja2iyUWdlpyabSvxfyE1mJmfwoB1z7MQ4qQLU1o01frmziAybz~2KkDjcuX4HCWsJMKHnulAjhSjnDfFHDJf4CZmNxIO0oyW7~fzsGS4~j1ASPcG5XSLW82VIeSsYyPYVUA2KnmKK3C-cnvObvF8NBIGGDASVP2HcbX~ydPW74flXJBhtIJfTCgYYHdLLYbvt9xjqG313RvrvWg8nojmuwzW9fZwnxLVSQvaf-3Ydthp5GrmdSbC4YMEjYgaijbDwzdzKO5z~duKEfmdz8odKZuVRzyBR-2eTJMUL2kZtDSS4dzxkpQY7kg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Cleveland Heights Administrative Services Committee voted June 30 to advance proposed ordinances that would (1) encourage or require city employees and elected officials to use official city email for city business and (2) prohibit review of city-provided email accounts except under limited conditions.

Chair Craig Cobb led the discussion and described changes he drafted to the mayor’s original proposal for rules on city email. Cobb said he had “put consideration of that legislation on hold because I thought the introduction of it … was political,” and later said the package is meant to prohibit review of council emails “without consent or unless it is done by the law department in responding to a lawful records request.”

Why it matters: Council members said the measures respond to concerns that the mayor or others may have accessed council members’ city-provided email accounts during an investigation into possible sunshine-law violations. Committee members also raised practical questions about enforcement and technology: several asked whether the city’s email system can be modernized to allow secure mobile access before a strict requirement is imposed.

Details of the proposals and committee discussion

- Scope: The draft changes discussed would (a) expand who is issued an official city email to include council and each city employee and may include contractors, (b) prohibit non‑employees from using city accounts, and (c) require, “when practical,” that city business be conducted using the official city email account, subject to Ohio Revised Code chapter 149 and section 149.43 (the state’s public-records/open‑meetings provisions).

- Access restrictions: The draft would prohibit review of city‑provided email accounts except in response to a public‑records request reviewed by the law department and with consent in non‑records situations. Chair Cobb framed that change as intended to prevent unilateral access by the mayor or other officials: “My read of that is that he, yes, he has been looking at our emails,” Cobb said, adding that if true the practice would be “outrageous.”

- Practical concerns: Multiple council members said the city’s current email system sometimes prevents access while traveling (including from outside the country) and that upgrades already approved in the budget are needed before strict requirements are imposed. One council member said, “I really question the need of this legislation,” adding support for waiting until the email system is modernized.

- Implementation questions: Committee members asked staff and the law director to clarify whether the ordinances would conflict with the charter or state law and whether employees’ consent language in HR policies differs from the status of elected officials. The committee also discussed whether council and board/commission chairs could be given dedicated .gov accounts for boards and commissions, and whether stipends or city-provided devices should be budgeted to avoid forcing officials to use personal phones or incur personal expense.

Outcome and next steps

A motion to advance the ordinance package to the Committee of the Whole passed by voice vote. The committee chair said he intends to present the measures as emergency legislation at the next committee meeting and asked the law director to review the drafts for form and potential legal conflicts before full council consideration.

What remains unresolved: The committee requested legal review on whether the mayor has authority to access or review council email accounts and asked IT to report back on the feasibility of secure mobile access and creating committee/board email accounts. The proposals as discussed do not include monetary penalties in the draft ordinance under consideration.","The Administrative Services Committee voted to forward ordinances to require use of official city email for government business and to restrict who may review city email accounts, sending the measures to the Committee of the Whole for further consideration.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee seeks council oversight over mayor’s authority on city property after law‑department camera noted

Council committee moves to limit political messaging on city social media and communication platforms

Cleveland Heights committee advances ordinances limiting city email use and restricting access