Cleveland Heights Community Relations and Recreation Committee March 9, 2026

The Cleveland Heights Community Relations and Recreation Committee convened to discuss the management and utilization of the youth scholarship and recreation funds. The committee addressed challenges related to the limited use of these funds, which currently support only in-house city programming, and explored expanding access to include partner nonprofit organizations. They considered the possibility of implementing a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process to pre-screen and approve external organizations for fund allocation. Legal and financial clarifications were sought to determine permissible uses of the funds and to potentially revise internal policies to increase spending on youth programming. Additionally, the committee discussed operational challenges related to liability insurance requirements for independent contractors providing recreational instruction, which impacts program offerings. The meeting also covered the expansion of senior transportation services through the addition of a third van and driver, aiming to extend service areas and improve accessibility. Lastly, updates on the Parks, Recreation, and Open Spaces Master Plan were provided, with plans for upcoming presentations to council and stakeholders to gather feedback before finalization.