Cleveland City Council meeting recap

The Cleveland City Council met yesterday. 

City Manager Joe Fivas highlighted the contributions of Brian Turner to the city's park system, including the transformation of Deer Park, Civitan Park, Avery Johnson Park, and others. 

Keith McAfee, the new Cleveland Jet Port Director also addressed the Council. He shared his extensive aviation background from his days in the Marine Corps to his career with the FAA. He expressed his commitment to the airport's future and to community service.

Council members also discussed the need for additional hangers at the Jetport. McAfee said he is already planning to find ways to add additional hangers to the property.

The city manager updated the Council on various grants and projects, including a $500,000 grant for the Cherokee Hotel renovations, a $200,000 grant for downtown facade improvements, and a $1.6 million FRA grant for a bridge project.

Fivas also discussed the strategic direction for downtown events, emphasizing the positive community and economic impact of holiday decorations and programming and the potential for a comprehensive programming initiative from October 1 to December 31 to attract more people to downtown Cleveland. Ideas discussed included a walking trail of decorated Christmas trees and a nativity scene. 

The Council also announced that Bradley County ranked sixth nationally for manufacturing jobs. The country is home to 161 manufacturers and 13 Fortune 500 companies. 

The Council will consider a 10-year tax abatement agreement with Amero International worth approximately $990,000. Amero, a startup on the Australian Stock Exchange, will invest $54.9 million over three years, creating 87 full-time jobs and generating $9.9 million in annual payroll.