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Residents urge Summit County Council to refrain from reinvesting in Israeli bonds
Summary
During public comment Jan. 26, several residents urged Summit County Council not to reinvest in Israeli bonds and to adopt a divestment policy; speakers cited moral and economic concerns and asked the council to follow through on an earlier commitment not to reinvest. Council did not take a vote on investment policy at the meeting.
Several members of the public used the Jan. 26 public comment period to press Summit County Council to stop reinvesting in Israeli bonds and to adopt an indefinite divestment policy.
Reverend John Beatty addressed council expressing concern for Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank and urged "a non renewal of the Israeli bonds" because, he said, such investments "support genocide and ethnic cleansing." A speaker identifying themselves as a founder of Peacebuilders Academy said the county should not reinvest $1,500,000 in Israeli bonds and described firsthand experiences from visits to the West Bank.
Emily Carson, who identified herself as a resident of Cuyahoga Falls and said this was her first council meeting, asked council to follow through on a prior promise not to reinvest. Carson said county funds could be used for local needs instead of foreign investments and stated, "Why should we use our funding for genocide halfway across the planet when it's clear that our own community could use that funding" and urged the council to "please follow through."
Teresa Augustine, a small-business owner and longtime Summit County resident, asked the council to "divest from investments in war bonds indefinitely" and to prohibit the county from investing in war bonds in the future. Kent Quaid thanked the council for previously following through on its commitment not to reinvest and urged continued leadership on mindful investments.
The council concluded public comment without a recorded vote on the county’s investment policy; later in the meeting the council moved into executive session to discuss personnel matters under ORC Section 121.22(g)(1).
