CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Cleveland Heights last December signed a $25 million green energy deal with Leopardo Energy, touted as a no-brainer with $8 million in guaranteed savings .

Those savings may take up to a decade to materialize — and could be smaller than promised.

The revelation came last week during the first of city council’s several hearings on Interim Mayor Tony Cuda’s 2026 budget proposal.

Interim City Administrator Sharon Dumas told council on Thursday that the city is planning to spend $4.1 million over the next three years in debt service to Leopardo.

Dumas told council that the city’s law department was reviewing the agreement.

“We did see savings in the agreement, but they were over….a 7-, 10-year, 20-year period,” Dumas said.

The city hired Leopardo in December

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