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Former Cleveland City Councilman Joe Cimperman Charged In Public Contracts Case

Joe Cimperman speaks at a Global Cleveland event in 2017. [Nick Castele / ideastream]

Former Cleveland City Councilman Joe Cimperman is facing misdemeanor criminal charges connected to city contracts awarded during his time in office. 

Cimperman faces 26 counts of having an unlawful interest in a public contract. Several of the contracts named in the charging papers involve nonprofit design firm LAND Studio, previously known as ParkWorks, where Cimperman's wife works. 

“I am not contesting these charges as part of an agreement we have reached with the state of Ohio,” Cimperman said in a written statement. “I accept full responsibility for my actions and I apologize to anyone who may have been impacted by this. I look forward to having this investigation and legal process complete. Given that this is still an open case I cannot say anything more at this time.”

Cimperman is charged under a section of state law preventing a public official from having “an interest in the profits or benefits of a public contract” entered into by an agency “with which the public official is connected.” Violation is a first-degree misdemeanor.

Two of the counts involve contracts with ParkWorks, approved unanimously by council in 2002, for ward landscaping training programs. Another count, dated 2011 to 2012, is connected to a subcontract for a skate park in the Flats, a project that involved LAND Studio

At various times, Cimperman sponsored and voted on legislation in favor of the firm’s bids for public work. He has also recused himself.

In 2008, Cimperman sponsored legislation supporting ParkWorks’ application for $1.3 million from the Clean Ohio Fund of the Ohio Department of Development.

It wasn’t immediately clear whether that 2008 resolution was a part of the charges against Cimperman. A records request has been filed with the city for all contracts mentioned in the charging document.

Cimperman’s 2013 election opponent, Carrie Kurutz, raised the issue of the contracts during the campaign.

Cleveland.com reported in 2015 that the Ohio Ethics Commission had issued subpoenas as part of an investigation of Cimperman.

Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson released a statement in support of the charged Democratic former councilman on Wednesday night.

“I served with Joe for many years,” Jackson’s statement read. “He has done a lot for the Ward he represented and the City of Cleveland. I am proud to call him my friend.”

In an emailed statement from LAND Studio spokesperson Tara Turner, the company said it cooperated with the Ohio Ethics Commission, "including producing all available documents requested and complying with request to be interviewed as part of the investigation."

“To our understanding LAND studio was never the target of any Ohio Ethics Commission investigation,” the statement reads. 

Auditor Dave Yost's office acted as special prosecutor in the case. Stephanie Anderson, an assistant legal counsel in the auditor's office, filed the charges in county common pleas court Wednesday.  

Cimperman resigned in January 2016 and took over as the head of the nonprofit Global Cleveland. 

Global Cleveland’s chairman said Wednesday night that the board will not fire Cimperman over the charges.

“During our search and hiring process, Joe made it known to us that there was a pending review of some of his actions when he served on City Council,” chairman David Fleshler wrote in a statement. “Our Board has voted unanimously to have Joe continue as our president.”

Cimperman’s arraignment is scheduled for Friday.

An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported that Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O'Malley's office filed the charges. In fact, Ohio Auditor Dave Yost's office acted as special prosecutor in the case and filed the charges in common pleas court. 

Nick Castele was a senior reporter covering politics and government for Ideastream Public Media. He worked as a reporter for Ideastream from 2012-2022.