City council approves nearly $5 million recycling grant and Cribs for Kids funding

Cincinnati City Council unanimously approved a package of grants and budget realignments during its business meeting, including a nearly $5 million U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grant to replace the city's recycling cart fleet and a Cribs for Kids grant to address infant safe‑sleep needs.

Council adopted an emergency ordinance authorizing the city manager to accept and appropriate a $4,999,557 EPA solid waste infrastructure grant to fund replacement of the recycling cart fleet. "This grant from the Ohio EPA of just under $5,000,000 will allow us to replace those with new carts," a sponsor said, noting Director Kroner's long‑running engagement on the issue.

The council also authorized applying for and accepting up to $200,910 from the Ohio Department of Children and Youth for the Cribs for Kids program. Sponsors cited a recent rise in sleep‑related infant deaths among Black infants and said the crib distribution should be paired with an education component to reduce risk. The measure passed by roll call.

Other approved items in the consent sequence included an emergency legislative resolution authorizing 2027 tax levies, an $18,940 appropriation from police asset forfeiture funds for a youth leadership/flag football program, and amendments to surface‑transportation block grant funding for Wasson Way (increasing a prior authorization from $3.76 million to $4.14 million).

Council members emphasized that many of these measures were administrative or grant acceptance actions and that details for transfers and allocations are available on the city's online agenda. All measures reported at the meeting received affirmative roll‑call votes and, where noted, were adopted as emergency measures.