Utilities Committee

Cleveland City Council

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Thursday, May 2, 2024
10:00 a.m. — 12:00 p.m. EDT

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601 Lakeside Ave Cleveland, OH 44114 (Directions)

Cleveland City Hall, Mercedes Cotner Room 217 (or watch on YouTube)

The Utilities Committee of Cleveland City Council considers legislation relating to the city-owned Water Department, Cleveland Public Power and Water Pollution Control, which is responsible for managing the sanitary sewage and storm water drainage collection systems in Cleveland. The committee is tasked with ensuring that all utility services are being provided at a reasonable cost and examining any increase in service fees and rates when necessary, as well as exploring how physical infrastructure and distribution methods can improve information technology, digitalization and smart technology to enhance internal and external city operations.

Note: Though the agenda wasn’t posted at the time of opening this assignment, at least two pieces of legislation should come up: One regarding the lease renewal for Cleveland Public Power’s East Side service center, and another for renewing a community choice energy aggregator program. For more background, check out this summary of Documenters coverage as well as the full meeting notes.

Committee members:

Brian Kazy, chair
Jenny Spencer, vice chair
Kevin Bishop
Deborah Gray
Kris Harsh
Danny Kelly
Michael Polensek

Watching remotely?

Find live streams of this meeting: On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ClevelandCityCouncil/streams

You can also catch livestreams on TV2O’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ClevelandTV20/live_videos

On TV20 website: http://www.tv20cleveland.com/watch-now/

Attending in person? Documenters: Two additional hours ($36) will be added to your paid assignment hours. Be sure to bring your photo ID.

Find Documenters coverage of past City Council meetings here: https://cleveland.documenters.org/reporting/?agency=181

For more information go to Cleveland City Council’s website: https://www.clevelandcitycouncil.org.

Check the source website for additional information

Reporting

Edited and summarized by the Cleveland - OH Documenters Team

Note-taking by Alfreda Williams

Committee OKs contract regarding electricity

View notes

Note-taking by Mrinalini Pandey

Cleveland replacing aging sewer pipes

View notes

Live reporting by Alicia Moreland

Electric rate-lowering program moves forward

Alicia Moreland @DDutchCreative

Good Morning Cleveland! I'll be live-tweeting Cleveland City Council's Utilities Committee meeting, starting at 10am, for @cledocumenters and @signalcleveland
#CLEdocumenters

08:55 AM May 2, 2024 CDT

Alicia Moreland @DDutchCreative 2/12

On the agenda for today:
The Department of Public Utilities will present on the findings of the Administration’s rate study, which was recently completed, on water and water pollution control.

Alicia Moreland @DDutchCreative 3/12

Council will also be considering the lease renewal for Cleveland Public Power’s East Side service center, which is in limbo, as well as a proposal to extend the city’s Sustainable Ohio Public Energy Council Community Choice Aggregation Program.

Alicia Moreland @DDutchCreative 4/12

For a summary of what's been discussed up to this point, see @signalcleveland's coverage

signalcleveland.org/lease-for-clev…

Alicia Moreland @DDutchCreative 5/12

@signalcleveland The meeting was called to order a few minutes after 10. We then went right into legislation: Emergency Ord 386-2024, renewal of the SOPEC contract.

Alicia Moreland @DDutchCreative 6/12

@signalcleveland This has been under discussion quite a bit. Under this contract customers would pay 6.302 per kilowatt hour cents versus First Energy's pricing of 11.08 per kilowatt hour. Pricing is fixed for two years and would save the average consumer a little over $200/year.

Alicia Moreland @DDutchCreative 7/12

@signalcleveland Fixed pricing does mean that if prices go down customers will still pay the fixed rate. customers can opt-out of this program. 386-2024 was approved.
373-2024, a contract to fix the LED displays off N. Marginal Road (By the whale mural on I-90) was also approved

Alicia Moreland @DDutchCreative 8/12

@signalcleveland Next up: 167-2024. Council had many of their questions answered during a tour of the facility. Council is unhappy paying 250K rent per year for a facility it doesn't own and is seeking better solutions down the road. 167-2024 was approved with a small amendment made by Kris Harsh

Alicia Moreland @DDutchCreative 9/12

@signalcleveland Up next: The Department of Public Utilities presents it's findings of the Administration’s rate study, which was recently completed, on water and water pollution control.
The Water portion of the presentation went first.

Alicia Moreland @DDutchCreative 10/12

@signalcleveland Water Pollution portion came next.

Alicia Moreland @DDutchCreative 11/12

@signalcleveland Conclusions: Modest rate increases (about $9 a year for the average user) are needed to pay for capital improvements. This graph shows the aging pipe system by age and material, with pipes as old as the 1870's needing replaced.

Alicia Moreland @DDutchCreative 12/12

@signalcleveland The committee meeting wrapped up about ten minutes to noon.
Have questions? Think we got something wrong? Send any inquiries on the meeting or these tweets to @cledocumenters. Or email us at cledocumenters@gmail.com

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Agency Information

Cleveland City Council

See meeting notes for details

www.clevelandcitycouncil.org

(216) 664-2840

@CleCityCouncil

Facebook page

See Documenters reporting

Cleveland City Council is the legislative branch of the government of the City of Cleveland in Ohio. There are 17 elected Cleveland City Council members representing the 17 wards of the City of Cleveland. Each ward has approximately 25,000 residents. Council Members are elected to serve a four-year term. Council members serve two roles in their duties: to draft and enact legislation for the city of Cleveland and act as ombudsmen for their constituents.

Find meetings streamed at: *online on TV20 at: http://www.tv20cleveland.com/watch-now/

*The meetings are also streamed on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ClevelandCityCouncil/