Cincinnati City Council approves package of grants, environmental cleanups and reporting motions

Cincinnati City Council voted unanimously on a slate of emergency ordinances, grant acceptances and motions during its business meeting, approving funding for asbestos abatement at a downtown city-owned property, environmental remediation in Walnut Hills, a Camp Washington skate park, and several administrative reports and studies.

The measures, passed by roll call during the meeting, included acceptance of multiple state and private grants, authorization to apply for outside funding, and requests for reports directing city departments to compile information for council review. Council members described the items as part of ongoing work on infrastructure, public safety and neighborhood investment.

The most prominent actions included passage of an emergency ordinance accepting a $1,000,000 grant for asbestos abatement at the Shillito West property at 137 West Seventh Street in the Central Business District; authorization to apply for up to $50,000 from Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Mayor’s Challenge to support a grocery delivery pilot; a $200,000 grant appropriation for voluntary-action environmental assessments and remediation preparations at a former dry-cleaner site in Walnut Hills; and a $300,000 ODNR grant to support construction of a skate park at the Camp Washington Recreation Area. Council also accepted a donation of up to $18,250 from University of Cincinnati Physicians to buy paramedic training equipment for the Cincinnati Fire Department’s paramedic school.

Council members moved and approved several procedural motions asking the administration to report back to council within set timeframes. Those included directed reports on: (1) the use and equity of proceeds from any future sale of the Cincinnati Southern Railway (the “rising 15” neighborhoods study), (2) city resources for reporting and addressing hate crimes (including any hotline and data procedures), (3) existing city food contracts and procurement policies, and (4) current city supports for immigrant communities. Council also asked the administration for a combined report on proposals submitted for a roughly $1.2 million capital-project carryover allocation.

Council members framed the motions as requests for transparency and equity. Vice Mayor Kearney and others described the hate-crime and rising-15 reports as tools to ensure public trust and to prioritize historically underserved neighborhoods when large one-time funds are available. City Manager Cheryl Long told council that the administration will prioritize project presentations that increase equity and that department directors are preparing projects consistent with the city’s CinciOnTrack plan.

Votes at a glance - Emergency ordinance accepting $1,000,000 ODOD grant for asbestos abatement at 137 W. Seventh St. (Shillito West): passed (roll call; emergency). Referenced by: city manager statement on grant. - Ordinance to authorize application for up to $50,000 from Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayor’s Challenge for a grocery delivery pilot: passed (roll call). - Emergency appropriation of $200,000 for voluntary-action environmental assessments in Walnut Hills (former dry cleaner site): passed (roll call; emergency). - Acceptance/appropriation of up to $108,000 from Ohio Drug Law Enforcement Fund (Fiscal Year 2024) for investigative resources: passed (roll call). - ODNR grant of $300,000 for Camp Washington skate park construction: passed (roll call; emergency). - Acceptance of donation up to $18,250 from University of Cincinnati Physicians for paramedic training equipment: passed (roll call). - Community Reinvestment Area tax-exemption agreement (510 West Liberty) to create 13 housing units in Over-the-Rhine: passed (roll call). - Motion: administration to prepare combined report on proposals for the $1.2M capital carryover (report due in ~3 weeks): adopted. - Motion: administration to report within 60 days on public resources and mechanisms to report and address hate crimes (hotline, data availability, follow-up procedures): adopted. - Motion: administration to provide report within 90 days on city food contracts and procurement policies: adopted. - Motion: requirements to increase visibility/accessibility of wheelchair-accessible restrooms at public events: adopted. - Motion (amended): report in two weeks on steps to ensure equitable disbursement of proceeds from sale of the Cincinnati Southern Railway (rising 15 neighborhoods): adopted. - Motion: report within 90 days on how the city currently supports immigrant communities and outreach efforts: adopted.

What this means Council framed the package as moving both immediate projects (remediation, park construction, training equipment) and creating near-term accountability through reports that will inform the FY budget review and future allocations. Council repeatedly emphasized transparency: several members asked for written analyses and dashboards so the public can see how funds flow to neighborhoods. City administration said it will align proposed projects to the CinciOnTrack plan and equity analyses before bringing funding requests forward for formal budget votes.

The business portion of the meeting concluded after the roll-call votes; the agenda items will be implemented or advanced by the relevant city departments and staff.