Committee advances resolution to allow county properties into Downtown Cleveland Improvement District

The Cuyahoga County Economic Development Planning Committee moved Resolution 2025-0044 to the full County Council for consideration under second-reading suspension, enabling the county executive to sign a petition seeking inclusion of certain county properties in the Downtown Cleveland Improvement District.

A public commenter, Terry Coyne, argued the renewal process is governed by Ohio law and read a provision he cited as Ohio Revised Code §1710.06, saying petitions must come from property owners representing at least 60% of front footage and that the county’s nonpayment and status as a nonvoting member precludes voting eligibility in the current renewal cycle. Coyne said his review showed a procedural error that would bar the county from voting on the renewal.

Greg Hoos, speaking on behalf of the county law department, told the committee he reviewed the statute and “does not interpret it in the same way,” and said counsel believes the county may lawfully move forward with the legislation at this time. Relying on that opinion, a committee leader moved to refer the resolution to the full council and requested suspension of the second reading; a colleague seconded the motion and the chair recorded the motion as passing on a voice vote to advance the item to full council.

The resolution authorizes the county executive to sign a petition supporting continuation of the Downtown Cleveland Improvement District and requests that specified county properties be included in the district. During the committee discussion, members asked for more detail about the district’s operations and financial oversight.

Michael Diemer, who identified himself for the record, said the district contracts with a national firm called Block by Block to run clean-and-safe services. He said the organization has a professional staff of about 20 and that its number of ambassadors varies seasonally between 40 and 50. Diemer said the SID assessment brings in about $5,000,000 a year and that about 80% of that revenue goes toward the clean-and-safe program; he also said ambassadors are on Block by Block’s payroll while the district manages the contract and oversight.

A committee member asked whether staff had obtained itemized payment records to the contracted organization. Trevor Mackler, County Council staff, said he had not received those materials from the administration. Debbie Berry, chief of integrated development for Cuyahoga County, apologized for the lapse and said the administration would provide the requested information to council staff this week so it can be available before the full council meeting.

The committee’s vote to move the resolution does not itself approve the petition or add county properties to the district; it advances the legislation to the full council, which will take the next formal action. The committee adjourned after the referral was recorded.