Cleveland, Ohio USA - Postings from Ward 14 Cleveland City Councilman Brian Cummins on legislation; City services; projects and initiatives; and, news and information about the neighborhoods of Clark Fulton, Stockyard, and portions of Brooklyn Centre, Tremont and Cudell.
Bonnie Entler, Executive Director of Seeds of Literacy
Our Ward 14 office has been working closely with Seeds of Literacy over the last few years in providing them with funding and helping them to leverage their resources to strengthen their programming and services.
Last year, working collaboratively with other City Council members and Mayor Jackson's Administration, Seeds of Literacy obtain additional funds that assisted in the expansion of operations to an east side location at 13815 Kinsman Road - they serve as a city-wide adult literacy program. Their west side offices are located on the 3rd floor of the US Bank Building at 3104 W. 25th Street (at Clark Avenue).
Also, check out the volunteer opportunities here, and other ways to help including monetary and in-kind contributions here.
Change Your Life Through Education –
Advice from Seeds of Literacy
Having an education is important. It can change your life in many ways. Getting an education can help you:
Find higher-paying jobs.
Go to college or trade school.
Understand your health.
Keep a budget.
Express your opinions.
Participate in politics.
Help your children or grandchildren in school.
At Seeds of Literacy, we take education very seriously. We have free classes for adults in basic education and GED preparation. We want you to walk out of each class knowing more than when you came in!
At Seeds, each student works at his or her own level and pace. We have tutors to help, too. Seeds has helped thousands of students since 1997.
Classes are Monday – Thursday, 9 am to 11 am; 1 pm – 3 pm; and 6 pm – 8 pm. Seeds is located at 3104 W 25th Street, 3rd floor (corner of W 25th and Clark Ave.). Seeds has a free, secure parking lot, building security, and is on major bus lines. All classes are free. Registration is every Monday and Tuesday. Call 216-661-7950 for more information.
Here are some ways you can improve your educational skills:
Read to your children – this is one of the best things a parent can do. When you read to your children, they do better in school.
Make a schedule for important things like family, work, and school. This helps you find the time to do them.
Read outside of class. The more you read, the more you know.
Write your goal down. Then think of the steps you need to reach it.
We hope to see you soon! For more information, call 216-661-7950 or visit www.seedsofliteracy.org or facebook/seedsofliteracy.
The City of Cleveland entered into a Consent Decree Agreement today with the Department of Justice (DOJ). The agreement was reached in an unprecendented short period of time, just under 6-months after the DOJ issued their Investigation of the Cleveland Division of Police on December 2, 2014.
Upon quick review, the agreement that has been announced appears to have drawn from some of the best practices from around the county. Specifically there is concern expressed by many to ensure the following three critical areas are covered:
Reform of the existing Civilian Review Board and Office of Professional Accountability (OPA) (IX. Accountability, pg 43-57). There is a requirement to develop within 180-days a new operational manual for the OPA and for City Council to be involved in placing on the ballot a City Charter Amendment to form a new Police Review Board from which its members would appoint a Chair and Vice Chair;
Creation of an Audit or Inspector General oversight component (X. Transparency and Oversight, pg 58-59); and,
Major inclusion of a broad and representational group of citizens in the research, review and recommendations of policy and protocols - Community Police Commission, 13-member body to be established within the first 90-days. (III. Community Engagement and Building Trust, pg 4-7).
In addition to the three main issues above, another notable issues addressed includes a section on bias free policing - requiring that within 18-months CPD will develop a,"bias-free policing policy that incorporates, as appropriate, the recommendations developed by the Commission pursuant to paragraph 17, and that provides clear guidance to officers that biased policing, including deciding to detain a motorist or pedestrian based solely on racial stereotypes, is prohibited."
Other notable inclusions in the agreement is a lengthy section on use of force policies, guidelines and procedures (VI. Use of Force, pg 12-31). Additionally, to deal with Police response to individuals or situations involving mental health issues a Mental Health Response Advisory Committee will be created within 180-days (VII. Crisis Intervention, pg 34-38).
There is a lot of information and timelines to review within the agreement. The Cleveland Plain Dealer and Northeast Ohio Media Goup has already begun tackling sections of the agreement and a link to their work and a full copy of the Consent Decree is provided below (downloadable and searchable PDF document.
Some of the most immediate next steps will be that the City of Cleveland in collaboration with the DOJ will select a Monitor to oversee the implementation of the agreement. An Request for Information was issued back in April and it is expected that more applicants will respond now that the agreement has been reached.
Here are a few reference links to examples of policing reform that Cleveland will be pursuing under the agreement:
Complete Video of today's annoucement and press briefing
Justice Department announces settlement with Cleveland police actions. In a news conference on Tuesday, U.S. Attorney Steven M. Dettelbach of the Northern District of Ohio announced a settlement between the Justice Department and Cleveland that will see widespread police reform in the city. Published on May 26, 2015 (1:01:08)
The following is a complete copy of the 105-page agreement. It can be downloaded and is a searchable PDF formatted document.
The City's Division of Waste Collection & Disposal will be completing the Curbside Expansion project by October 15, 2015. The postcard that will be mailed to the remaining households that are still receiving manual pick-up is provide below along with a map of the final areas to be covered in Ward 14.
An informational meeting will be held at 6:30-7:30 on June 24th at Estabrook Recreation Center, 4125 Fulton Road. For any questions or more details, please call 216-664-3717.
Residents will receive wheeled waste collection carts: a 95-gallon black
cart for garbage and a 65-gallon blue cart for recyclables. Seniors,
disabled residents and households of three persons or less can request
48-gallon black and blue carts.
Homestead Exemption - Residential property owned and occupied by
senior citizens 65 years of age or older and/or disabled with an annual
income less than $29,500 may be eligible to receive the Homestead rate
discounted to $4.
The City's automated curbside started as a pilot project in October 2007. With a struggling economy and drops in City Revenue, the City passed legislation to begin charging a waste fee to residents in December 2007, currently $8.75 per month.
The Aragon Ballroom project received final administrative approvals through the the City's Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) today clearing the way to receive permits for renovations to the interior of the building. See details and updates posted in April here.
The Historic Aragon Ballroom, a conference and banquet facility, is expected to open in Fall 2015/Spring 2016.
To-date emergency repairs and a majority of the exterior renovations have been completed. The interior renovations will include a new commercial kitchen to service the conference and banquet facility. At today's BZA hearing, the variances the building needed to operate were passed with seven conditions that were agreed to by the owners. The list is provided below.
Also see the Freshwater article that featured some photos of the unfinished interior.
The following documents represent policy research and tools to assist in sharing best practices from around the country in work being done to bring justice to policing and ensuring better citizen oversight and community-centered policing.
The Center for Popular Democracy, PolicyLink, Communities United for Police Reform, and, Local Progress are four organizations that held a convening last week in New York City where community activists, non-profit organizations and elected officials came together to share their experiences from around the country regarding police and justice reform. The meetings build on and follow a Convening by Local Progress that was also held in New York City in early December, 2014.
The Center for Popular Democracy works to create equity, opportunity and a dynamic democracy in partnership with high-impact base-building organizations, organizing alliances, and progressive unions. CPD strengthens our collective capacity to envision and win an innovative pro-worker, pro-immigrant, racial and economic justice agenda.
PolicyLink is a national research and action institute advancing economic and social equity by Lifting Up What Works.
Communities United for Police Reform is an unprecedented campaign to end discriminatory policing practices in New York, bringing together a movement of community members, lawyers, researchers and activists to work for change.
Local Progressis a network of hundreds of local elected officials from around the country committed to a strong economy, equal justice, livable cities, and effective government.
Location:
3566 West 50th Street,
Cleveland Date/Time:
Thursday, May 7, 2015 @ 11:00 a.m.
See the press release below for the Stockyard Initiative.
“We’re excited about doing this project on the near Westside...We expect to complete five to seven full rehabs, and help 40 existing residents with exterior home repairs. We are particularly pleased by all of the diverse partners who are joining us on this year’s initiative.”
- John Habat, executive director for Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity.
NOTE: $30,000 in Ohio Casino Tax Revenue Funds are being utilized as the Ward 14 authorization, being used to leverage other funding and significant volunteer labor for this home improvement and beautification project.
There is another public meeting this Monday, May 4th to discuss the Lincoln-West building assessment as well as academic planning. Note that assessment, provided below provides suggested options but no specific recommendations on any particular option. This assessment will help inform the community conversation as we move forward.
The following documents help explain CMSD's Facilities Plan released in mid-February and three area meetings scheduled for: Cluster 4 - Clark Fulton & Stockyard (3/5), Cluster 5 - Old Brooklyn & Brooklyn Centre (3/11), and Cluster 3 - Ohio City & Tremont (3/24). See full post with CMSD documentation here.
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