Cuyahoga County Council swears in four members, elects Dale Miller president and Yvonne Conwell vice president; adopts 2025–26 meeting schedule

Cuyahoga County Council held its organizational meeting on Jan. 2, 2025, swearing in four council members, electing Councilman Dale Miller as council president by unanimous roll call and naming Yvonne M. Conwell vice president. The body also suspended rules to adopt Resolution 2025-0001, setting the council meeting calendar for 2025–2026, and announced board appointments ahead of a Jan. 6 board of control meeting.

The meeting opened with the administration of oaths. Clerk Andrea Richardson called members to the podium and swore in Dale Miller (District 2). Mark C. Casselberry (District 4) was sworn in by his daughter Megan Casselberry. Robert E. Schlepper Jr. (District 6) was introduced and sworn in with County Executive Chris Ronain present. Purnell Jones Jr. (District 8) was sworn in by Judge Tanya Jones, and Michael J. Hauser Sr. (District 10) was sworn in by Cleveland Councilman Anthony T. Hairston.

In the election for council president, a nomination for Dale Miller was made from the floor and the clerk conducted a roll-call vote. The results were unanimous: 11 votes for Miller, who was then ceremonially handed the gavel. "Our focus will be on making lives better in our community," Miller said, listing priorities including improving call-center service, protecting children, making housing and mental health care more affordable, increasing economic opportunity, improving health care and education, eliminating disparities, and reducing violence, opioid fatalities and lead poisoning.

The council then moved to elect a vice president. Councilman Sweeney nominated Yvonne M. Conwell; the roll-call vote was unanimous, with 11 votes in favor, and Conwell was elected vice president. The clerk announced the results and the president called on the vice president for brief remarks of thanks and a call to continued collaboration with the county executive.

Council President Miller announced appointments of Councilmembers Michael Hauser, Robert Schlepper and Meredith Turner to the board of control so the county would be fully represented at the upcoming Jan. 6 meeting; he said remaining committee and board appointments would be announced the following week.

On procedural business, the council voted to suspend the usual three-reading rule to allow for first-reading adoption of an item under suspension. The body then considered Resolution 2025-0001, "establishing the 2025 and 2026 schedules of council meetings and declaring the necessity that the resolution become immediately effective." The resolution was moved, seconded and adopted on unanimous voice vote. The clerk described the resolution as setting the calendar to avoid unexpected schedule conflicts such as successive-week meetings.

During miscellaneous business, outgoing leader Purnell Jones reflected on 10 years of leadership and noted his continued interest in education, housing and the business community. In public comment, a speaker identified as Lou urged the council to prioritize funding for health and human services rather than building larger jails, describing long-standing inequities in fund allocation and urging members to study the county's needs ahead of the budget cycle: "We need to allocate our funding to the people, health and human services. Instead of building a bigger new jails to house more people...".

There were no recorded dissenting votes during leadership elections or the meeting-schedule resolution. With no further business, the council adjourned the organizational meeting and planned a brief reception and group photo after the session.