Cleveland Heights council adopts emergency resolution calling for outside investigation of mayor

Cleveland Heights — The City Council adopted Resolution 116-2025 during an emergency meeting on June 13, 2025, calling for an outside investigation into matters concerning the mayor after new information was received the morning of June 13. The resolution also asks the mayor to refrain from making personnel decisions that could be retaliatory and requests that a redacted letter from the police chief be posted on the city website.

Council President Cuda introduced the emergency resolution at the meeting and said it was based on "new information received by council on the morning of 06/13/2025," urging immediate action. "This resolution calls for three things," Cuda said, and then outlined a request for an investigation, a limitation on personnel decisions, and that the mayor consider resigning so the community could move forward.

The measure was presented for immediate adoption as an emergency ordinance. After discussion, the council voted to adopt the resolution; the roll-call vote recorded Aye from Cobb, Cuda, Maddox, Larson, Petras and Posh. The council recorded the vote verbally: "Cobb. Aye. Cuda. Aye. Maddox. Aye. Larson. Aye. Petras. Aye. Posh. Aye." The clerk called the roll for the vote.

Councilman Cobb moved the meeting into executive session earlier in the gathering, citing personnel and investigative exceptions that allowed a closed session to consider "the appointment, employment, dismissal, discipline, promotion, demotion, or compensation of any public employee or public official" and related complaint investigations. The council recessed into executive session and returned to open session before taking up the resolution.

Members who spoke in favor described concerns about trust within the law department and the police department. Councilman Cobb said the new material "absolutely confirms that, he's lost the trust of the law department employees and I believe also the police department," and called for law-enforcement investigation into what transpired. A council member who identified themselves as supportive of an outside investigation said many residents had called, and that investigations "bring out information, they bring clarity, they bring understanding to whatever those facts are."

Council members also referenced a cleveland.com article. President Cuda said that article "alleges potential felonies that may have been committed by the mayor and need to be investigated." Cuda asked that the clerk post a redacted copy of a letter reportedly sent by the police chief to the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation; Cuda characterized the letter as setting out facts rather than mere allegations.

Several speakers praised the law department and police officers who raised concerns. One council member said their actions "took enormous courage," given concerns that the mayor's involvement could compromise an internal probe. Councilwoman Larson said she was "particularly concerned for our law department staff" and agreed an outside party should conduct the investigation if internal investigators are conflicted.

President Cuda closed council comments by saying the ongoing controversy had been damaging to the city and asked the mayor to consider stepping down: "Please, mayor, for the good of the community, step down." The mayor did not address the council before the meeting adjourned.

The resolution is titled "Resolution number 116-2025, a resolution calling for an investigation into matters concerning the mayor of the City of Cleveland Heights based on new information received by council on the morning of 06/13/2025, and declaring the necessity that this legislation become immediately effective as an emergency measure," introduced by President Cuda. The resolution directs an outside investigation and places temporary limits on the mayor's personnel authority pending the outcome of that investigation.

No enactment timeline or named investigator was specified during the meeting. The council did not provide additional details about next procedural steps beyond requesting an outside investigation and asking that the clerk post the referenced redacted letter.