Cleveland council approves $1.8 million plan for street, sewer and water work after residents object to sidewalks and tree removal

The Cleveland City Council on March 31 adopted a five-year street reconstruction plan and authorized up to $1.8 million in general obligation bonds to pay for street, sewer and water improvements after an informational open house and a public hearing at City Hall.

City Engineer Adam Jacobs (Bolton & Menk) outlined the project scope, including full reconstruction of Columbia Street from Tenth Street to Seventh Street (narrowing the roadway from 44 to 40 feet to allow two travel lanes and 8-foot parking on both sides), widening Washington Street between Fifth and Sixth streets to 30 feet and replacing the sewer line running to Cherry Creek Park. The County will perform mill-and-overlay work on Columbia, Sixth and Broadway and build a curb bump-out on Broadway near Jocko’s and Hometown Bank to improve ADA access. Jacobs provided a schedule contingent on weather: tree removal the week of April 6; Broadway work complete by Aug. 5; Washington/Fifth/Sixth and the alley behind the legion by Aug. 28; Columbia completion by Oct. 23.

Jessica Green of Northland Securities reviewed the financing plan. The current borrowing estimate is $1.8 million on a 20-year term, subject to adjustment after bids; the preliminary breakdown presented was $670,000 for street reconstruction, $565,000 for sewer and $565,000 for water. Green said the bonds would be tax-exempt and bank-qualified and noted a special meeting around May 20, 2026 is scheduled to sign the bond purchase agreement and adopt the awarding resolution.

During public comment, residents raised practical concerns about driveway access, parking and garbage collection during construction. Jacobs said Columbia Street residents may need to park on Sixth or Tenth streets at times and that the contractor should assist in relocating garbage to designated collection points; he also said accommodations would be made when possible for people with mobility issues. Several residents asked for design changes or protections: Pamela Gersemehl questioned why sidewalks were planned on both sides of Columbia Street and said homeowners would have welcomed more input on sidewalk design. Mayor Don McCabe responded that Columbia is a State Aid road overseen by the County and that, according to the County Engineer, sidewalks on both sides are considered ideal for safety because of nearby school activity.

Scott Ziebarth opposed the sidewalks and the removal of trees and said he had not received notice of the project; Mayor McCabe said multiple meetings had been held, letters sent and a project survey circulated. Darrin Ely asked about timing for tree removal in relation to his in-ground dog fence and the location of his sump pump. Colleen Stoffel asked the city to place markers to prevent vehicles from creating blind spots at driveways, and Betty Lloyd requested a stop sign at Sixth and Columbia because of speeding. County Engineer Dave Tiegs clarified that County municipal state aid funds are covering the construction of the sidewalks, not the city’s tax levy. The clerk reported no written comments were received by mail.

After the hearing closed at 7:17 p.m., the council voted 5–0 on Resolution 10-2026 to adopt the five-year street reconstruction plan and approve issuance of general obligation street reconstruction bonds. The motion was made by Council Member Sarah McCabe and seconded by Tonya Schummer; the vote was recorded as “Yes – All.” The council adjourned at 7:18 p.m.

Next steps: the city expects to adjust the borrowing amount after bids are opened and to hold a special meeting around May 20, 2026, to finalize the bond purchase agreement and adopt the awarding resolution. Construction milestones cited by the engineer include tree removal the week of April 6 and phased completion dates through Oct. 23, 2026.

Note on sourcing: the meeting transcript paraphrased public comments; verbatim quotations were not provided for all remarks.