Mayor vetoes $25,000 CIC transfer and urges CIC sponsorship to restore city events; council lets veto stand

Mayor Michael Dylan Brennan used a line-item veto at the Jan. 1 council meeting to block a $25,000 transfer to the University Heights City Beautiful Community Improvement Corporation (CIC), saying the organization already carried a balance of $81,089.99 and that the transfer had not been openly discussed in finance committee meetings.

The mayor proposed that the CIC instead sponsor restored event funding for programs that Council had cut from the combined city events budget — specifically recommending $10,000 each for the Memorial Day Parade, Juneteenth and the Summer Concert Series, $10,000 for Fall Fest and $5,000 for the Civic Awards, totaling $45,000 to make up the cuts council applied to events in the amended budget.

Councilmembers questioned adding funds to an organization with an existing balance when departments and events across the city had been trimmed. Councilmember Christopher Cooney said he had difficulty justifying another transfer to a fund with cash on hand and observed that projects — not cash — should drive CIC funding requests.

Mrs. Sheri Sax noted that the CIC scheduled strategic planning for Jan. 16 and said she expected the new board leadership to present concrete project proposals. Because no motion was made to override the mayor's line-item veto during the meeting, the veto remained in effect and Finance will not transfer the $25,000 to the CIC pending any future action by Council.

The discussion highlighted differing views about the CIC's role: the mayor urged the CIC to "put the community back in Community Improvement Corporation" by sponsoring events the administration said residents value; some councilmembers emphasized fiscal restraint and project-driven transfers.