Cleveland Heights council asks law department to draft rules on key-card access, contract transparency and possible independent review after administrator's 
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Council members directed the city law department on April 7 to draft potential ordinances and other measures to tighten security and transparency at city hall and to clarify council’s investigatory and charter powers following the March resignation of City Administrator Dan Horrigan and subsequent media reporting that raised questions about the mayor’s wife’s access to city offices.

Council President Kuda opened the Committee of the Whole meeting by reviewing recent events, saying the city had seen “news articles alleging a hostile work environment” and that the former city administrator had resigned on March 17; Kuda also said “It appears the mayor's wife was given key card access credentials to city hall and some or most of its offices.”

Why it matters: Council framed the discussion as a set of limited, legislative options it can pursue as an oversight body: restricting nonemployee key-card access to city facilities, requiring more timely public disclosure of contracts and contract modifications, lowering review thresholds for contracts, and pursuing charter revisions that could change confirmation and investigatory procedures. Council members emphasized they were not taking personnel action at the meeting but were authorizing staff research and draft legislation for future consideration.

What council asked the law department…