Juneteenth Close To Becoming Municipal Holiday In Lakewood

LAKEWOOD, OH — Juneteenth is one step closer to being a municipal holiday in Lakewood.

An ordinance recognizing Juneteenth as a city holiday has been referred to the Rules & Ordinances committee of Lakewood City Council. Several Lakewood City Council members have already expressed their support for the legislation.

City Council President Dan O'Malley said he supports the legislation and has already adopted Juneteenth as a paid holiday for his staff at the AFL-CIO. Councilperson Tess Neff indicated she plans to support the measure and noted that Cuyahoga County and many courts have implemented the holiday.

"Juneteenth is an incredibly significant day in our nation’s history that the federal governor rightly saw fit to recognize as a national holiday. It is very appropriate and timely the Lakewood follow suit," said Councilperson Tristan Rader.

Rader commemorated this year's Juneteenth with a video briefly explaining what the day means and why it's important to celebrate.

President Joe Biden and the federal government declared Juneteenth — also known as Emancipation Day — a federal holiday on June 17, 2021.

"The City of Lakewood also recognizes the significance and importance of Juneteenth," said Claudia Dillinger, the city's director of human resources, in a communication to city council.

Here's the text of the ordinance:

AN ORDINANCE to take effect June 19, 2021 provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least two thirds of the members of Council, or otherwise to take effect and be in force at the earliest period allowed by law, amending Section 149.10, Holidays, of the Lakewood Codified Ordinances, to establish Juneteenth as a City holiday and observe such holiday on July 2, 2021 and on June 19 of each subsequent year.
WHEREAS, June 19 has been established as a Federal holiday; and
WHEREAS, the City of Lakewood recognizes the history and the struggle to end Slavery and the hurt, anguish and oppression endured by African Americans; and
WHEREAS, the City seeks to honor and pay respect to such plight endured by the African American community and to recognize the achievement of the end to this injustice; and
WHEREAS, the City seeks to establish Juneteenth as a City holiday to honor and respect the official end of slavery on June 19, 1865; and
WHEREAS, as set forth in Section 2.12 of the Third Amended Charter of the City of Lakewood, this Council by a vote of at least two thirds of its members determines that this ordinance is an emergency measure and that it shall take effect immediately, and that it is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public property, health, and safety and to provide for the usual daily operation of municipal departments in that delay could impair the City’s ability to recognize Juneteenth in 2021; now, therefore,

Section 2. That new Section 149.10 Holidays, of the Lakewood Codified Ordinances is
hereby enacted to read as follows:
149.10 HOLIDAYS.
(a) Effective June 19, 2021, full-time permanent hourly employees and annual salaried
employees, not covered by a collective bargaining agreement, shall be granted holidays with regular time pay, as follows:

New Year's Day
Labor Day
Martin Luther King Day
Thanksgiving Day
Day after Thanksgiving
Presidents Day
Good Friday Christmas Day
Memorial Day
Three Days Personally Requested
Employee's Birthday
Independence Day
Juneteenth

However, no employee shall be compensated for holiday pay unless he works or is available for work on his full regularly scheduled work day next preceding and next following the holiday.
(Day after Thanksgiving shall not apply to individuals working in the Refuse Department or
Wastewater Treatment Plant, who shall receive an extra personal day).
(b) Whenever any such holiday falls Saturday, the preceding Friday shall be regarded as the
holiday and when any such holiday falls on Sunday, the Monday following shall be regarded as the holiday, for all purposes of Sections 149.01 through 149.13.
(c) Nothing herein contained shall be construed to prevent the City as employer from requiring any employee to report for work or to work on any holiday if necessary, by reason of emergency or to carry on essential municipal functions.
Section 3. That the Mayor is hereby authorized to enter into agreements with each
collective bargaining unit to grant Juneteenth as an additional holiday to be recognized July 2, 2021 and on June 19 of each year thereafter.
Section 4. It is found and determined that all formal actions of this Council concerning
and relating to the passage of this ordinance were adopted in an open meeting of this Council, and that all such deliberations of this Council and any of its committees that resulted in such formal action, were in meetings open to the public, in compliance with all legal requirements.
Section 5. This ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure necessary for
the immediate preservation of the public peace, property, health, safety and welfare in the City and for the usual daily operation of the City for the reasons set forth and defined in the preamble to this resolution, and provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least two thirds of the members of Council, this ordinance shall take effect and be in force immediately upon adoption by the Council and approval by the Mayor, or otherwise it shall take effect and be in force after the earliest period allowed by law.