Committee reviews $75 million proposed capital plan; Gateway funding swap, parks and sidewalks draw questions

The Municipal Services and Properties Committee met Monday, April 28, 2025, to review a proposed capital improvement plan (CIP) that city staff said could reach $75 million in bond proceeds to fund public facilities, roads and bridges, recreation projects and cemetery work.

Committee members and staff said the FY2025 proposal would direct roughly $35 million to public facilities, $28 million to roads and bridges, $11 million to parks and recreation, and $500,000 to cemetery projects. Staff also described several program-level items included in the proposal: an $8 million residential resurfacing allocation, a $12 million vehicle-and-equipment pool, and a $500,000 annual “recreation glow up” program for basic repairs at recreation centers.

The CIP matters because it sets the city’s bonding plan and schedules projects that affect neighborhoods, stormwater and sidewalks, public safety facilities, parks and other services. Chief Tewen, whose prepared statement staff read into the record, summarized the plan’s purpose: "The capital improvement plan is essential to the operations of the City Of Cleveland and its residents." That statement, staff said, reflects the plan’s use to prioritize long-term projects and to preserve assets with at least a 10-year useful life.

Staff outlined how the CIP was developed. The Municipal Office of Capital Projects (MOCAP) said it solicited project requests from departments and council offices, received more than $140 million in requests, and then narrowed that list by applying criteria such as safety needs, regulatory compliance, third-party funding requirements and mayoral or council priorities. A capital improvements committee including public safety and finance staff reviews cost estimates and…