Cleveland Heights Special Council Committee of the Whole Budget Hearing Session 1 November 4, 2026

Cleveland Heights City Council Committee of the Whole budget hearing, Session 1, November 4, 2026: Finance presented the proposed 2027 budget. The general fund is budgeted at about $65.9 million in revenue and $64.3 million in expenses; the all-funds summary shows roughly $130 million in revenue and $142 million in expenses, with fund balances and financing covering differences across funds. The budget includes financing for the Cumberland Pool (about $15 million in anticipated proceeds) and a previously approved fire truck costing $1.142 million, though the truck is not expected to arrive until 2028. Officials also discussed a $1.1 million transfer of the local TV programming fund balance to the general fund, approximately $675,000 in 2027 Leopardo project debt payments, and the need to review enterprise-fund operations and possible rate changes to improve long-term sustainability. No budget or procurement vote was taken at this hearing; council members were asked to submit follow-up questions ahead of a later discussion.

Department procurement and capital topics included police vehicle purchases of $210,000 for three cruisers; evidence-storage expansion using Wasabi cloud storage, including an additional 100 terabytes at an unspecified recurring cost; and $100,000 for City Hall safety enhancements. Police also confirmed budget provision for the deer-management contract, approximately $68,000, and discussed increased Chagrin Valley Dispatch costs and First Call program funding. Fire discussed kitchen remodels at both stations, with a capital request of about $326,008 and design work underway, and replacement of an incident-command vehicle. The Law Department described existing use of DocuSign for document management and a possible legal-technology consultant, but no RFP or award was identified. The proposed budget contains no general new hires; staffing additions or backfills are to be reviewed based on need, and future salary appropriations may follow labor negotiations.