In Second State of the County, Chris Ronayne Plays it Cool for Packed Atrium

Despite the ceaseless drumming and droning of vuvuzela horns outside the new atrium at the Huntington Convention Center, County Executive Chris Ronayne delivered his second State of the County address in a mostly cool and concise manner on Thursday.

For a little more than 40 minutes, Ronayne rattled off a "best of" tour of county achievements, both recent and foretold, to a sold-out crowd of 800—and about a half dozen pro-Palestine protesters who repeatedly interrupted Ronayne's boosterism as if privately on set cue.

Despite the constant criticism for the county's $16 million investment in Israel bonds, Ronayne kept his fatherly, friend-to-all schtick intact, whether it was lauding the creation of the Child Wellness Center, or helping to build the new Fairfax Market in Midtown, or applauding Downtown Cleveland's own "Superman Summer."

Ronayne kept his tour concise just as it was comprehensive—especially when touching on sensitive matters. Both the controversial County Jail project in Garfield Heights—which has seemed to worry surrounding residents—and the possible loss of the newly-named Huntington Bank Field to Brook Park, were glossed over quickly, it seemed, as if to check off a box.

"Cuyahoga County is leading the way," he said, when touching on the projected $750 million correctional facility. "Our government continues to innovate, modernize and transform."

With just a year-and-a-half in the county executive post, Ronayne has spent what seems to be an incalculable amount of time trying to present the county in a positive light, which seems bolstered by Ronayne's encyclopedic knowledge and affection for a place where he's lived the bulk of his life.

It's how Ronayne, in his 34-minute speech, seemed to frame his policy: vying to keep the 54 municipalities in Cuyahoga County politically attuned through a highly personalized lens. ("You can see I'm very close to our mayors," he winked at one point. "We got each other's backs.")

"Wherever I am, I always stop to hear from residents. I tell them I work for them. I work for all of you," he told the crowd.

"And the reality is our entire county team works for you," he added. "Protecting our children, investing in housing, keeping our roads and bridges safe, supporting our small businesses, improving our government services, transforming our social safety net, innovating in sustainability and leveraging our assets for growth."

And growth was often substantiated by, as in Bibb's State of the City, impressive data: 502 small businesses helped with the county's financial assistance; 122 guns taken off the streets by the Downtown Safety Unit; 222 low-interest loans handed out for home improvements; $130 million from the EPA for the county to use towards climate pollution reduction.

But Ronayne's itch to highlight dozens of county programs and hurrahs sometimes felt a bit lacking in the exec's trademark chutzpah, as if he was narrating a script for a marketing video to be shown in the Convention Center lobby.

"Our word to the world is that you are welcome here," he said, capping off a mention of the county's new Welcome Center for immigrants. "We all are. All of us."

A welcome that apparently extended to the half dozen pro-Palestine protesters who managed to sneak into general admission tables. ("It's the First Amendment right," he said, as one accused him of "supporting genocide.")

At one point, during the event's Q&A, a man wrapped in a black-and-white keffiyeh scarf asked Ronayne if he would reconsider the $16 million in Israel bonds in the county's investment portfolio.

Ronayne responded both curt and personal. He thanked the man for "coaching the kids" in the deep, complicated matters surrounding the Israel-Hamas War. He recalled his work as a local soccer coach.

"I'm just going to say this," Ronayne added. "We are not moving away from Israel bonds."

And that was that. Until next year.

"In the words of my mother, a small business owner who got me through school and got me here today, I say to you what she said to me," Ronayne said, ending his speech. "Let's keep going."

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