Staff Writer
Aug. 28th City Record also details nearly $2 million in equipment and utility contracts, Opportunity Corridor land purchase and upcoming marijuana dispensary appeal
CLEVELAND — Cleveland’s Board of Control approved a $900,000 contract for citywide management training, along with nearly $2 million in utility, vehicle and equipment purchases, according to the Aug. 28th edition of The City Record, Cleveland City Council’s official publication.
The actions came during the Board of Control’s Sept. 2 meeting. Cleveland City Council itself held only a brief special meeting Aug. 28, approving one liquor-permit resolution before adjourning after about three minutes.
$900,000 for city management training
The largest individual action was the selection of Golden Key Group to provide a citywide “structured, competency-based management training program” for managers and senior leaders across Cleveland departments.
The contract, authorized under legislation City Council approved in March, is based on the company’s May technical proposal and an Aug. 17 revised fee proposal. Its value is not to exceed $900,000.
The record does not provide details about the number of employees who will participate, the length of the training program or the cost per employee.
Why it matters: A $900,000 professional-services contract for management development is substantial enough to warrant further reporting on the program’s scope, measurable goals and how the city selected the contractor.
Nearly $2 million for utilities and city vehicles
The Board of Control also approved a series of contracts totaling about $1.95 million for water infrastructure, machinery, vehicle parts, tires and equipment.
Among them:
- $527,713.50 to Ferguson Waterworks for vitrified clay and PVC pipe used by Water Pollution Control.
- $438,120 to Colony Hardware Corp. for machinery, equipment and repair parts for Public Utilities.
- $324,975 to Valley Ford Truck for Ford passenger and police vehicle parts and labor.
- $224,739.29 to Bagela USA for an asphalt recycling machine.
- $211,000 to Bob Sumerel Tires for specialty tires, tubes, equipment, parts and labor.
- $116,839.50 to Core & Main for additional water-pollution-control pipe.
- $110,000 to VanDevere Chevrolet for General Motors and Chevrolet parts and labor.
The board rejected bids for several remaining machinery and equipment items and separately rejected bids for a mobile tire shredder.
City to acquire Opportunity Corridor property
The board also approved a $52,000 purchase price for property owned by the Ohio Department of Transportation near East 79th Street and Rawlings Avenue along the Opportunity Corridor.
The city previously received authority to acquire excess ODOT land within the Opportunity Corridor project boundaries. The board determined that the $52,000 purchase price for the parcel does not exceed its appraised fair-market value.
The record does not specify how Cleveland intends to use the parcel after acquisition.
Council objects to West Side liquor permit
During its Aug. 28 special meeting, City Council unanimously objected to renewal of a C2 and C2X liquor permit for HP Fuel at 7310 Lorain Ave.
The resolution states that council believes the permit holder has demonstrated disregard for laws, regulations or local ordinances and requests that the Ohio Division of Liquor Control hold a hearing on the renewal.
The measure passed 11-0, with four council members absent.
Council’s next regular meeting is scheduled for Sept. 14 at 7 p.m.
Marijuana dispensary seeks zoning approval
Another item worth watching involves a proposed adult-use marijuana dispensary at 4002 Jennings Road in Ward 4.
ICB 1 Inc. proposes construction of a 4,200-square-foot retail building for a state-licensed adult-use dispensary. Because the project involves a designated wetland or riparian setback, the owner is seeking zoning relief from several Cleveland requirements.
The Board of Zoning Appeals hearing is scheduled for Sept. 21.
Housing decisions
The Board of Zoning Appeals also reported several Aug. 31 decisions. It approved conversion of a property at 3804 E. 123rd St. into a three-family dwelling, an event center at 13513 Miles Ave., and a five-person recovery residence at 12113 Chesterfield Ave.
The board denied a request to establish a three-family residence at 1777 Catalpa Road.
It also approved a proposed 21-unit apartment building at 2916 Erin Ave.
Questions that need to be answered
This contract deserves a deeper look. The City Record says Golden Key Group was selected to provide a citywide management training program for managers and senior leaders at a cost of up to $900,000, but it does not provide several details residents may reasonably want to know.
- What exactly will Golden Key Group provide?
- How many city employees will participate?
- How long will the training program run?
- How many firms were considered before Golden Key Group was selected?
- What measurable outcomes will the city use to determine whether the $900,000 investment was successful?
The Cleveland Observer invites City Council members, administration officials and other parties involved in the contract to respond to these questions.
