Making an In-Person Public Comment at An Upcoming Council Meeting

Council welcomes public comments at each regularly scheduled Monday evening Council meeting. 

If you are interested in speaking at a Cleveland City Council, please read the revised rules and procedures for public comments and fill out the online form below. 

Submitting a Registration to Speak

Anyone who is interested in addressing Cleveland City Council at a public meeting must register with City Council prior to that meeting.

Registrations may be submitted:

  • By using the online form below
  • In person at Cleveland City Hall, Room 220, 601 Lakeside Avenue NE. Paper forms are available to register.
  • By downloading this form, filling it out, and emailing it to publiccomment@clevelandcitycouncil.gov or dropping it off at Council offices.

Registration Periods

Registrations will ONLY be accepted between Noon on Wednesday and 2:00 pm on the same day as a regularly scheduled Monday evening Council Meeting.

Council allows no more than 10 people to comment at its regularly scheduled Monday night meetings. Registration will close as soon as the first 10 people sign up. Each registrant will be allotted 3 minutes to speak.

Registrations will only be accepted for making comments at the next regular meeting; registrations for any future meeting will not be accepted until the Wednesday before the meeting. Early, incomplete, or false registrations will be rejected.

Notice of Registration

If your registration is successful, you will be notified by email or phone.

Accommodations

If you need assistance due to a language barrier or disability, please let us know at least three (3) days in advance by going here to make a request.

Attending Council Meetings

Cleveland City Council meetings are held in the Council Chamber on the second floor of Cleveland City Hall, 601 Lakeside Avenue, East.

Visitors may park for free at the upper lot behind City Hall after 5:00 pm on days when Council is meeting.

Public Record

Please remember that all registration information and public comments are public records and can be subject to public record requests.

Decorum

Cleveland City Council must maintain orderly, efficient, and productive meetings to ensure the important business of city government is completed. Council has developed a set of rules and procedures that allow the public to be heard in a fair and orderly manner. These rules and procedures apply to all speakers, and Council does not discriminate based on the speaker's identity or viewpoint or the content of the speech. Please read Council's revised rules and procedures for public comments before you register and before you appear before City Council.

Please note: Anyone attending a Cleveland City Council meeting is prohibited from engaging in any action or behavior that substantially interrupts, delays, or disturbs the due conduct of the proceedings of the Council; such conduct includes but is not limited to: handclapping, stomping of feet, whistling, making other loud noises, yelling, or similar demonstrations.  Any person who violates any of the above may be immediately removed from the Council Chamber.

Rules for Speakers
  • Speakers may not yield their time to other speakers.
  • Speakers shall only address the topic they registered to speak about.
  • Speakers' comments shall not be frivolous or repetitive.
  • Speakers shall not use language that is obscene or likely to produce imminent unlawful action. 
  • Speakers shall address all comments to the presiding officer.
Prohibited Items
  • Signs, posters, banners, placards, or similar items
  • Food and drink

 

To sign up to comment in person or online, please scroll down.

Make a Comment In Person at a Council Meeting

To sign up to speak during the registration period (Noon Wednesday through 2:00 pm Monday before Council Meetings) click this button.

You will be notified by email or phone if you are one of the ten people who will speak.


Make a Comment Online

If you would rather submit your comments in writing, please fill out the form below. 

Written public comments will be published on this page and delivered to all Councilmembers before the next full Council Meeting after they have been submitted.


Public Comments

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Charges against chairman Fahiem
Hey, My name is Makyah Styles and As a sophomore in high school, I feel compelled to speak out about an alarming issue that affects our community. Recently, a friend of mine faced false charges, which highlights the urgent need for real police accountability in our city. It’s disheartening to see law enforcement not living up to the trust we place in them, especially when we pay taxes for their services.

Moreover, it's frustrating that our city council often overlooks the concerns of young people like us. We are speaking up about these issues, yet it feels like our voices are not being heard. We need to work together for a safer community and ensure that those in power are listening to us. It’s time for change, and we must advocate for a system that truly serves and protects everyone. Thank you for your attention.
Makyah Styles
The sale of foie gras in Cleveland
I would like to speak with the Cleveland city council about banning the sale of foie gras in Cleveland. There are 3 petitions to get it banned in the state of Ohio, one is for Cleveland. It has been banned in several other cities, states, and countries and it should get banned here for many reasons. Please contact me (216)509-9237
Leslie Fox
Littering and Balloons
I've seen so many balloon release events on people's Facebook stories and Facebook live broadcasts, it's clear the ordinance prohibiting balloon releases is not enforced when repeat offenders have public videos and events reported on channel 5 and channel 19 And do not get cited for illegal dumping. Please charge NeeNee Doingthingdifferent and ART Mckoy for their egregious, large balloon littering events, thats a major thing they do on weekends. They have blocked me from watching their stories. MYSELF AND SEVERAL OTHERS HAVE asked them to stop.
Jeremy Koosed
Bridge to lake
Considering city has a lot of other pressing issues like fixing existing streets in disrepair for years, saving money by using shoddy recycled patch material in winter vs commercial grade, resulting in dangerous pebbles after rain and spring rework - While I appreciate DOT picking up ~90M (gas tax revenue?) The other half would seem to come from citizens pockets(recent property tax hike? Bonds?)
Where's the ROI on a bridge that appears to serve very few people and requures ongoing upkeep?
Charles Havranek
Change in process for redrawing ward lines
At this point in the new mapping process, the die is cast, and you are expected to vote to approve the new wards tonight. This is a very sad time for many of us in the current Ward 12, especially for me, as the Democratic Ward Leader. I'm leader of a lame duck area that will be split into six parts. We will lose not only many of our associations in the ward club but also our Councilwoman Rebecca Maurer, who has worked extremely hard to serve this area. Since we can't change; the current process --maps were released with minimal public input-- it's time to look to the future.
Cleveland City Council voted to support the Ohio Issue 1 in the November 2024 election to create fair maps at the state level, so we ask Council to also change the city charter to take the mapping process out of the hands of the council president and give the power to the citizens. Should Council not do that, many of us are prepared to take the issue to the ballot by petition.
Rosemary Palmer
redistricting
Below are my two maps proposals that are within the appropriate guidelines:
https://davesredistricting.org/join/357ef986-0098-4325-8f77-8b277f40e0e8
https://davesredistricting.org/join/b310f62e-c5d5-40f8-8311-a1ba17cdbe25

Eric Johnson
Ward Redistricting
The League of Women Voters of Greater Cleveland is submitting a proposed map to Council as an example of how it is possible to draw a fair map, one that keeps communities and neighborhoods together, has wards fairly equal in population, and gives citizens a true voice and representation. Moreover, the proposed map includes two true Hispanic opportunity districts in Wards 11 and 14 (over 30%).

https://davesredistricting.org/maps#viewmap::4bf4f05c-f621-48d2-b7b4-96d682e6ce42
Nadia Zaiem
Proposed ward map needs time
Dear Members of Council -
Given the extensive public criticism of the proposed ward map presented by Council President Griffin, please delay your vote.
The public and its council representatives need more time to fully comprehend the weaknesses in the map and what appears to be gerrymandered boundaries to protect incumbents.
Moving forward with a vote on January 6 will only confirm citizens' suspicions that Mr. Griffin and the $100,000 team he assembled have purposely divided neighborhoods to achieve hidden agendas.
This is very concerning.
Council President Griffin delivered this map to council during the busy holiday season and has determined a vote for early January. Neither council members nor residents and business owners have had enough time to fully digest the impacts of the proposed wards.
President Griffin's timing is disrespectful.
I urge you to delay this vote until early February and host public input sessions where ALL council members should be present to hear all comments.
There is no need to rush this vote.
You can allow for further consideration without jeopardizing any deadlines, timelines or requirements.
Sincerely,
Leslie Bednar
Leslie Bednar
New Ward Maps
Well, I like it and find it much less gerrymandered than the previous version. I only wish the law would be re-written to prioritize traditional neighborhood continuity more and population less. The New Ward 8 is MUCH improved. Previously St Clair was divided along its median throughout the St Clair-Superior neighborhood, which made public engagement with street issues more difficult. Personally, I like the number "7" much more than "8." Can we keep our number? lol
Joe Milan
the ward boundaries
Ward 8 now appears to include most of the st clair avenue neighborhood. The only incosistency is by the lake front off east 55th street and toward east ninth street: it should have been included. Councilwoman Stephanie Jones Howse is doing a good job.
stane kuhar