Term: 4 yearsSalary: $40,000Brandon L. King, the most recently elected mayor of East Cleveland, was convicted of public corruption and removed from office in January. The county court then appointed Sandra Morgan interim mayor from among 34 applicants for the job, but in July an appeals court agreed with City Council President Lateek R. Shabazz that, according to the city s charter, he should have replaced King and been named mayor.Morgan and Shabazz won the most votes in the Sept. 9 primary and will face off in the Nov. 4 General Election. The race is nonpartisan.
Age
63
Education
BA, Smith College, Northampton MA; MBA, Kent State University, Kent, OH
Qualifications for office
I have years of administrative experience in the business, non-profit, and education sectors. Over the past several decades, I have served in a variety of leadership positions; most recently as External Affairs and Communications Director at Kent State University, partnering with government affairs, research and development, and external organizations in support of university goals. Previously, I served as Regional Manager for Europe, Middle East, and Africa at World Trade Center Cleveland, a franchise of the New York based organization.
Campaign Phone
2162727942
Current occupation
Retired
I’m running to bring real change to East Cleveland and close the book on corruption, mismanagement and misinformation that has plagued our community for far too long. As a direct result, our community has suffered from disinvestment, disappearing services like banks, grocery stores, and social programs, and lost trust in city leadership. Citizens lost confidence and, in many cases, have left our city altogether. That same distrust is shared by state, federal, and regional partners who once wanted to work with our city. I’m committed to starting a new chapter, and rebuilding trust through transparency, accountability, and leadership that puts residents first and results in real progress for our city.
If elected mayor of East Cleveland, my priorities will be restoring order, building trust, and creating a foundation for long-term stability and growth.
• Restoring Order and Civility: I will bring professionalism back to City Hall and end the dysfunction and chaos that has plagued our government for decades.
• Transparency and Trust: I will communicate openly with residents and partners, sharing the truth and ensuring our decisions are accountable and community-focused.
• Financial Stability: As interim mayor I created and passed a city budget in just 25 days—despite inheriting a system with virtually no financial controls. I will implement fiscal policies to promote accountability and responsible spending.
• Strategic Partnerships: I will rebuild productive relationships and forge new partnerships to attract investment, expand opportunity, and ensure sustainable growth.
• Infrastructure Improvement: I will continue working to repair and modernize our systems for the future.
East Cleveland faces multiple challenges; the most urgent being internal. First, we must restructure city staff by raising the standards of professionalism and prioritizing community service. Building a multigenerational team—combining experienced professionals with driven, civic-minded young talent—will help shift the culture and improve service to residents.
Second, restoring financial integrity is essential to attracting investment and regaining the confidence of county, state, and federal partners. I will initiate a forensic audit to examine the city’s overall budget, departmental spending, and financial practices to uncover misuse of funds and recover resources where possible. I would also overhaul the budget to ensure it reflects accurate revenue and expenditures and implement sound financial controls.
Lastly, rebuilding trust—both with our residents and external stakeholders—will be key to East Cleveland’s stabilization and growth. I value transparency and collaboration.
Yes, East Cleveland should explore regionalizing certain services where it makes sense and offers clear benefits. However, community input is essential. Given past disappointments, residents are understandably skeptical—especially when it involves ceding control of resources or services. Any proposal must demonstrate real value and ensure community participation, transparency and collaboration.
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