CityBeat | Oct. 13-26, 2021

C I N C I N N A T I ’ S N E W S A N D E N T E R T A I N M E N T W E E K LY | O C T O B E R 1 3 - 2 6 , 2 0 2 1 | F R E E

PHLUSH is hoping to restore Cincinnati’s dignity with an urgent unmet need — more public restrooms.

BY VIVIAN KOLKS

GUIDE INSIDE

VOL. 26 | ISSUE 31 ON THE COVER: THE PORTLAND LOO PHOTO: HAILEY BOLLINGER

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PHLUSH is hoping to restore Cincinnati’s dignity with an urgent unmet need — more public restrooms.

BY VIVIAN KOLKS PARK | O C T O B E R 1 3 - 2 6 , 2 0THE 2 1PORTLAND CLOO I T YATBSMALE E AT. CRIVERFRONT OM 5

PHOTO: HAILEY BOLLINGER

THE PORTLAND LOO AT SMALE RIVERFRONT PARK PHOTO: HAILEY BOLLINGER

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P

ublic restrooms are generally nondescript, sterile places, and the Portland Loo at 9 W. Mehring Way on the far end of Smale Riverfront Park is no exception. It’s squat, gray and utilitarian, and since its 2015 installation it has existed in quiet obscurity next to Paul Brown Stadium, which is shuttered for half the year.

The Portland Loo also happens to be the symbol that inspired Jason Haap and Justin Jeffre, the founders

of Cincinnati’s regional PHLUSH (pronounced “flush”) chapter.

PHLUSH (Public Hygiene Lets Us Stay Human) pushes for equitable public toilet availability and, through the organization, Haap and Jeffre hope to change the way Cincinnati looks at one of our most basic needs.

“It's kind of a strange thing to talk about, toilet accessibility,” Haap tells CityBeat. “But all of us probably have had more than one experience of being

in a situation (when) we didn't have one. It seems so basic, but I think that’s why it gets overlooked.”

Haap’s and Jeffre’s work for public restroom access started around 15 years ago when their joint media advocacy and work with the Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition caused them to stumble upon the continuing lack of public restrooms around Cincinnati, even as the city began to redevelop Over-the-Rhine and other neighborhoods.

“We were putting dog parks down by Washington Park because we’re worried about where canines are going to go to the bathroom in the concrete jungle of an urban environment, but nobody’s talking about the people,” Haap says.

When the two learned about Portland Loo — a brand of standalone bathrooms that’s available to the public around the clock — and the effort to install the one that currently occupies Smale Riverfront Park’s far end, it was a “no brainer,” especially when taking the city’s unhoused residents into account. Haap, in particular, thought of his own experience with irritable bowel syndrome, a condition that causes stomach discomfort and unpredictable bowel habits requiring restroom access at a moment’s notice.

Clearly, he wasn’t the only one with the urge to go. Local streets are littered with excrement, bottles of urine and feces-stained cloth and papers.

“If you just start walking around the alleyways of downtown Cincinnati, you can see what happens when people don’t have access to a public toilet,” Haap says.

Jeffre, who had worked for the Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition,

is especially concerned about the hygiene options for unhoused people and its effect on their dignity, calling it a “public safety and quality of life issue.”

The May 2020 success of Issue 7, a transit levy that Haap and Jeffre advocated for as members of the Better Bus Coalition — a grassroots organization that works on improving the local bus system — also contributed to the duo establishing PHLUSH in Cincinnati.

“With all that investment that voters (just) approved throughout Hamilton County, I saw a great opportunity for us to try and double down on that investment by getting the county commissioners and hopefully the city leaders and other municipalities to basically get on board and invest in basic infrastructure like public restrooms,” Jeffre says.

Since the Cincinnati chapter of PHLUSH’s official launch in June, the organization has advocated for more Portland Loo installations near Metro bus stations and gained endorsements from local organizations with the same goals of improving the city.

One of PHLUSH’s most notable endorsements came from Cincinnati City Council member Chris Seelbach, who was instrumental in the effort to install the city’s first Portland Loo back in 2012. According to Seelbach, the installation was ultimately successful because Willie F. Carden, the director of Cincinnati Parks in 2015, decided to install it with the approval of the Cincinnati Parks Board.

“Everyone, regardless of your homeless status, deserves access to bathrooms,” Seelbach says. “And so there are people who are experiencing homelessness and, because they don't have access to a bathroom, they're having to

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very undignifiedly use the restroom (in) outdoor and public spaces.”

As the organization picks up steam, other endorsements have come in from the Better Bus Coalition, the Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition and the American Restroom Association.

The American Restroom Association describes itself as “America's advocate for the availability for clean, safe and well-designed public restrooms.” Executive Director Tim Pyle has officially endorsed PHLUSH, with Pyle being “very impressed” by the work that Haap and Jeffre have put in so far.

“We wholeheartedly endorse what Cincy PHLUSH is trying to accomplish,” Pyle says. “We know that based on the experience of working with other organizations that it can be a very difficult and long process for new public restrooms to be implemented, and we would just encourage everyone to get involved so this process doesn’t have to take so long.”

Haap and Jeffre say the main solution to the issue of accessibility is installing more Portland Loos, a freestanding public restroom with 24-hour access designed to integrate into a city’s urban environment while discouraging defacement and crime.

Called the “Swiss Army knife” of restrooms by its manufacturer, each Portland Loo is powered by rooftop solar panels, is handicap accessible, and has strategically designed bars to deter crime while maintaining privacy. The coating on the inside of the bathroom makes it so that only a hose is necessary to clean it.

According to Rocky Merz, manager of the Cincinnati Parks Division of Communications, the operations staff who service the Portland Loo have noted that it is convenient to spray the restroom clean as needed — something that is inconvenient in other restrooms that the department services.

Using numbers from a 2017 People for Fairness Coalition presentation on Portland Loos, Haap estimates that the initial base price for each restroom is around $100,000. Proximity to water and sewage lines in addition to other logistics affect the installation costs.

He says that utility costs are around $25,000, foundation work is $10,000 and general installation costs are around

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$5,000.

This brings Haap’s approximation of the full cost to install a Portland Loo to about $140,000. In addition, the People for Fairness Coalition’s presentation estimates that maintenance runs about $11,000-$12,000 per year.

For Jeffre and Haap, the partnership with the Better Bus Coalition, the strategy to get the public on board with the idea of Portland Loo and adding more public restrooms in better locations is quite simple: put them in neighborhoods where they can be seen and used. The focus on the city’s public transportation organizations serves a big purpose for that, because the high foot traffic near transit hubs bring crowds of people who need to use the restroom.

One Cincinnati neighborhood appears to be a prime candidate for Cincy PHLUSH and its work. In Northside, where the latest Metro transit center opened in October 2020, the station services eight bus routes, but there are no public restrooms readily available for riders — something Northside Community Council President Becky Smolenski Finnigan noted in a recent letter to county commissioners in support of Cincy PHLUSH. "Our only public restrooms — in the McKie Center and the Northside Public Library — have limited hours and are far from the hub,” Finnigan says in the letter, which was released partially by Cincy PHLUSH. “Nearby Hoffner Park has no permanent restroom facilities, adding cost and complexity to special events and criminalizing unhoused residents."

In order to meet “this most everyday of human needs,” it would require “an act of political will" Finnigan writes.

Jeffre agrees that political help is necessary.

“It's the kind of thing that governments should do, because we can't rely on private businesses and people you know, and their charity. I mean, this is basic human infrastructure,” Jeffre says.

Both he and Haap expressed frustration at the lack of support they’ve gotten from the city in that regard, although they both praise Cincinnati Parks for installing the first Portland Loo. Continuing to work with the county’s

OCTOBER 13-26, 2021

municipalities to keep raising support for more installations is among the organization’s goals. PHLUSH’s recent meetings have been with Hamilton County Commissioner Denise Driehaus in hopes for a collaboration with the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA) board.

Jeffre uses the term “international city” to describe his vision of what Cincinnati could be once Cincy PHLUSH’s work is complete, and Haap agrees.

“I think that Cincinnati really needs to take a close look at itself and ask (itself ) if this is a place we think people should want to visit,” Haap says.

“Because then we need to be able to offer the basic amenities that any visitor would expect when going to a new place, and (that includes) the ability to easily use the toilet.”

Learn about Cincy PHLUSH at cincy.phlush.org.

CINCY PHLUSH’S JUSTIN JEFFRE (LEFT) AND JASON HAAP PHOTO: HAILEY BOLLINGER

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2021 VOTER GUIDE

THREE WAYS TO VOTE

NOVEMBER

NONPARTISAN VOTER INFORMATION COVERING HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO

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VOTE BY MAIL VIA ABSENTEE BALLOT

VOTE EARLY AT THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS

VOTE IN-PERSON AT YOUR POLLING PLACE

FEATURED IN THIS GUIDE: HOW TO VOTE:

How to vote by mail.................................................... 02 Where and when to vote early ........................... 02 About your polling place ........................................ 02 What ID to bring to the poll ................................... 02 About this guide ........................................................... 03

WHO ARE MY CANDIDATES?

Hamilton County Municipal Court Judge ...03 Cincinnati Mayor ..........................................................04 Cincinnati Member of Council ...........................05 Cincinnati City School District Board of Education Member....................................................... 15

WHAT ARE MY BALLOT ISSUES?

Hamilton County Tax Levy .......................................17 Local City and Village Issues................................. 18 Great Parks of Hamilton County Tax Levy ....21

VOTER GUIDE SPONSORS:

YOUR PERSONALIZED BALLOT

As well as extended Voter Information including additional questions and information from the

candidates and polling place locator, can be found on our voter guide website: www.VOTE411.org

GENERAL INFORMATION

FORMS OF IDENTIFICATION Acceptable PHOTO ID: (must not be expired) • Ohio Driver License/Ohio State ID/Ohio Interim Documentation (must show your name and current or former address) • State of Ohio or Fed. Gov’t. photo ID (must show your name and current address) • Ohio Concealed Weapons ID (must show your name and current address) Acceptable DOCUMENTS as ID: (must show your name, current address, and be dated within 12 months) • Utility Bill, including cell phone bill • Bank Statement • Government Check • Payroll Check

• Government Document • Military ID Issued by Dept. of Defense A voter presenting an Ohio driver license or Ohio ID card that shows voter’s former address is permitted to cast a regular ballot so long as the voter’s current residential address has been updated with the Board and appears in the official poll list of registered voters for that precinct.

Voters who do not provide any ONE of these documents at the precinct will still be able to vote using a provisional ballot and providing the last four digits of their Social Security number or appearing at the Board Office within 7 days of Election Day to provide ID.

Thanks to all the volunteers putting the Guide together.

League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area Voter Guide Credits League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area President | Mary Kate Genis Voter Service Vice President | Desirae Futel Voter Guide Editor | Desirae Futel Vote411.org | Liz Shockey LWVCA Staff | Hope Fountain LWVCA volunteers who assisted with this publication: Carolyn Miller, Candra Lape, Janet Smith, Chris Moran, Marjorie Fox, Claire Wagner, Sandy Sommer, Elizabeth Brown, Barbara Chamberlin, Pinky Kocoshis and our dedicated office volunteers!

This publication would not be possible without the cooperation and assistance of the Hamilton County Board of Elections: Director of Elections and Deputy Director of Elections, Sherry Poland and Alexander Linser and their staff.

IS THIS YOU? • I like to know what’s happening in my community, in my state and country.

• I want all elections to be conducted fairly.

• I want voters to have unbiased information about candidates and issues.

• I am interested in discussions of public policy.

• I like to have new ways to network with people.

If this sounds like you, then we welcome you to check out the League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area. We’re a grassroots organization that includes women and men who value good government and fair elections.

Join us! Contact us and let’s talk about your interests!

513-281-VOTE (8683) info@lwvcincinnati.org www.lwvcincinnati.org www.facebook.com/lwvcincinnati

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3 WAYS TO VOTE Vote at your polling place on Election Day Election Day is Tuesday, November 2, 2021. Polls are open from 6:30 am until 7:30 pm. By law, if you are in line at 7:30 pm, the polls must stay open to allow you to vote. Contact your county Board of Elections (call 513-632-7000 or visit www.votehamiltoncountyohio.gov) or visit www.vote411.org to check your voter registration and to find out your polling place and precinct.

Sometimes several precincts share the same polling place. To assure that your vote is counted, verify that you are voting in the correct precinct!

Above all, if you are sure you are at the correct polling precinct and voting a regular ballot is not an option for whatever reason, don’t leave the polls without voting a provisional ballot.

A provisional ballot is the same as a regular ballot ONCE THEY VERIFY YOUR REGISTRATION AND ID. Give poll workers the information they request and your vote will be counted.

Vote by mail In Ohio you may obtain an absentee ballot for ANY reason.

The process is explained on the Board of Elections (BOE) website https://votehamiltoncountyohio.gov/voting-options/mail/ Questions? Call (513) 632-7000.

1. If you did not receive a vote-by-mail application in the mail around Labor Day, obtain one by printing it from the BOE website, by phoning the BOE at (513) 632-7000, or by picking one up at the Board of Elections Office or any Hamilton County Public Library.

2. Submit it to BOE office by mail or drop it off in the secure drop box at Board of Elections Office, 4700 Smith Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45212.

3. Your ballot will be mailed to you after October 5 or when the application is processed. Use the BOE website or phone (513) 632-7000 to check the progress of your vote-by-mail ballot.

4. Return your completed ballot: Place it in the BOE drop box by November 2, 2021 7:30 pm; OR use USPS with a postmark stamped at your post office by November 1, 2021. Postage is required if mailed.

IMPORTANT: Please allow at least 5 days for each mailing, or use the BOE drop box if time is short.

Vote early in-person Registered voters may vote beginning on October 5 for the November 2, 2021, election. (Ohio has no online voting) Location for early voting in Hamilton County: Hamilton County Board of Elections 4700 Smith Rd. Norwood, OH 45212 513-632-7000 https://votehamiltoncountyohio.gov/ Travel and bus routes: https://votehamiltoncountyohio.gov/wp-content/ uploads/2019/11/Driving-Directions-and-Bus-Routes-to-4700-Smith-Rd1.pdf Early voting days and hours are as follows: Oct 5-8 | T-F, 8am-5pm Oct 11-15 | M-F, 8am-5pm Oct 18-22 | M-F, 8am-5pm Oct 25-29 | M-F, 8am-7pm Oct 30 | Saturday, 8am-4pm Oct 31 | Sunday, 1-5pm Nov 1 | Monday, 8am-2pm

WWW.LWVCINCINNATI.ORG

GENERAL INFORMATION

ABOUT THIS GUIDE This guide for voters was prepared by the League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area (LWVCA) to provide a forum for candidates and information on the ballot issues.

The candidate materials in this guide were assembled in the following manner: The information for the Hamilton County candidates is solicited and compiled by the League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area (LWVCA).

LWVCA uses the following criteria: The questions selected by LWVCA

were advertised to the candidates, who were informed that each response would be printed as received and that all candidates would be solely responsible for the content of their replies.

word limit would be cut off at the correct number.

Because of the nonpartisan nature of the guide, candidates were informed that any reference to other candidates is prohibited.

In making this information available to the public, the LWVCA neither endorses nor rejects the views of any candidate or political party. The League does not and cannot assume responsibility for any candidate’s reply, or for the candidate’s motive in making it.

Because of space limitations, candidates were informed of the word limit requirements and were advised that any reply over the

The summaries and background for the Hamilton County and City of Cincinnati ballot issues were prepared by the League of Women

Voters of the Cincinnati Area volunteers. Descriptions of o ther ballot issues come from the Hamilton County Board of Elections.

The information in this guide is current as of September 14, 2021. LWVCA’s online voter guide VOTE411.org includes additional candidate information not included in this guide as well as any updates candidates may have made to their profile information after our publication deadline as stated above.

MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE HAMILTON COUNTY MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE - DISTRICT 2 (CHOOSE 1 CANDIDATE) Description: 6 YEAR TERM. Salary: $125,850 RESPONSIBILITIES: Has original jurisdiction in civil cases (auto, neighborhood disputes etc.) involving claims of $15,000 or under, and in criminal cases involving misdemeanors in Hamilton County. Conducts preliminary hearings in felony cases.

Judge of the Hamilton County Municipal Court - 1 to be elected per district - 6 year term.

For more information about judicial candidates visit: JudicialVotesCount.org Bertha García Helmick

Party: N Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/berti. helmick Occupation: Judge on the Hamilton County Municipal Court Education: J.D. from the University of Cincinnati College of Law Bachelor’s Degree in Music from the University of Cincinnati - College Conservatory of Music Experience: 2021 - Judge Hamilton County Municipal Court 2020 - Magistrate for Hamilton County Probate Court 1995-2019 Private legal practice in the areas of estate planning and family law Endorsements: Fraternal Order of Police, Queen City Lodge #69 Hamilton County Republican Party Affliations: Cincinnati Bar Association Ohio State Bar Association Potter Stewart Inn of Courts Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Political Philosophy: I believe that each person who appears before me is an individual. The only political philosophy I espouse is the equal application of laws to all persons without regard to race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or politics.

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Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: What work or other experience qualifies you to perform the duties of a judge on Municipal Court? (500 character limit) A: As the incumbent candidate, I am uniquely prepared to perform my duties as a judge on the Municipal Court. I have enjoyed the challenge of the required caseload of 75-100 cases every day; 5 days a week. I also exhibited excellent case management skills in my work as a Mental Health Magistrate for the Probate Court presiding over at least 900 cases. I also bring 25 years of experience as a private practice attorney in estate planning, family law, and extensive civil work.

Q: Describe what you believe constitutes a good judicial temperament and describe why you feel you possess those qualities.

(500 character limit) A: A good judge is able to be flexible and treat every case individually. Approaching those who appear before me with empathy and understanding allows me to gain clarity on what the defendant needs to return to life as a productive member of society. The needs of one defendant may be different than another and my years of experience as counsel to my clients has honed that skill. I like to treat others with respect and dignity because that is how I want to be treated.

Q: What do you believe are the causes of the high rates of minority incarceration? Is there anything the courts can do to address the issue? (500 character limit) A: I believe high rates of minority incarceration are due to systemic structural inequalities in education and in home stability. I think the ability to identify defendants who may be good candidates for diversion, work-release, or drug treatment programs may allow the courts to aid in improving home stability and thus breaking the cycle of incarceration.

When non-violent offenders appear in court, finding alternative pathways for them to rehabilitate and contribute to their family is critical.

Donte Johnson

Party: N Campaign Website: http://dontejohnsonforjudge.com

HOW TO FIND OUT ABOUT JUDICIAL CANDIDATES Voters often don’t have much information about judicial candidates.

Because most citizens do not routinely interact with judges in their communities, they tend to know very little about how judges conduct themselves in the course of doing their jobs. In addition, state rules do not allow judicial candidates to discuss their views on controversial issues because judges must be impartial on the bench. It is important for voters to understand the role of the courts and the important qualities to consider when evaluating judicial candidates.

To learn about candidates for judge in your area consider reading candidates’ campaign literature, visiting campaign websites, and talking with people who know the candidates, including practicing attorneys. The League of Women Voters of Ohio again this year joins the Ohio State Bar Association, the Bliss Institute for Applied Politics at the University of Akron, the Ohio Newspaper Association and Ohio Broadcasters Association in a statewide, nonpartisan, online judicial voter’s guide at www.judicialvotescount.org.

In order to make a decision, when voting on judicial candidates, consider the answers to the following questions: -To what extent has the candidate practiced in the area(s) of law the court handles?

-What work or other experience has the candidate had that will particularly qualify the candidate to perform the duties of a judge on this court?

-What is the candidate’s legal philosophy? Political philosophy?

-Consider the candidate’s integrity, judicial temperament, and level of commitment to public service and the administration of justice.

-Also, consider who is paying for any advertising about any particular judicial election. For our democracy to function, judges must carry out their tasks impartially and independently. Judges’ decisions should not follow public opinion or promote special interests or even reflect their personal beliefs. Judges’ decisions should be based on facts and law. This judicial impartiality protects fair trials and upholds the rule of law.

Facebook: http://Facebook.com/donteforjudge Twitter: twitter.com/donteforjudge Occupation: Attorney at Law Education: Howard University, B.A. - 2007; University of Cincinnati, College Law, J.D. - 2010 Experience: Attorney since 2010 focusing on Criminal Defense, Housing Law, Probate Law, and Plaintiff’s Litigation. Former

Hamilton County Public Defender; Former Assistant General Counsel of Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority; currently operating Private Law Practice.

Endorsements: As of 9/13/2021: Hamilton County Democratic Party, Laborers’ Local 265, Ohio AFSCME Power in Action, IBEW Local 212, UAW CAP Council, Scott Crowley (Hamilton County Recorder), Charmaine McGuffey (Hamilton County

WWW.LWVCINCINNATI.ORG

MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE Donte Johnson continued

Sheriff), Jill Schiller (Hamilton County Treasurer), Cecil Thomas (State Senator, District 9), Hon. Nadine Allen (Retired Judge, Common Pleas Court), Hon. Cheryl D. Grant (Retired Judge, Municipal Court - District 2), Hon. Fanon Rucker (Retired Judge, Municipal Court - District 1) Affliations: Endorsed Democrat, Cincinnati NAACP - Lifetime Member, Black Lawyers Association of Cincinnati - Lifetime Member, Cincinnati Bar Association, Cincinnati Academy of Leadership for Lawyers, Allen Temple AME Church, Howard University Alumni Association Political Philosophy: All people are entitled to equal access to justice regardless of what they look like, where they come from, who they know, or how much money they have.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: What work or other experience qualifies you to perform the duties of a judge on Municipal Court? (500 character limit) A: I’ve spent most of my career as a Trial Attorney in Hamilton County and handled thousands of criminal and civil cases.

Appearing before Municipal, Common Pleas, and the United States District Court.

I’ve successfully defended people charged with misdemeanor crimes and serious felony offenses. I’ve also successfully litigated several jury trials, non-jury trials, motions to suppress, and motions to dismiss.

Q: Describe what you believe constitutes a good judicial temperament and describe why you feel you possess those qualities.

(500 character limit) A: A good judicial temperament is when a

judge displays compassion, decisiveness, open-mindedness, sensitivity, courtesy, patience, freedom from bias and a commitment to equal justice. As a defense attorney and racial minority, I’ve had a firsthand view of the inequities and inequalities within our justice system. My experience successfully representing people of incredibly diverse backgrounds has given me the ability to embody all the aforementioned characteristics.

Q: What do you believe are the causes of the high rates of minority incarceration? Is there anything the courts can do to address the issue? (500 character limit) A: Racial disparities in the justice system are the cause of high rates of minority incarceration. The courts can work to eliminate these disparities by (1) requiring judges, attorneys, and court staff to take implicit bias training, (2) creating a statewide criminal sentencing tracking database to hold judges accountable and (3) through bail reform to ensure people are not treated differently because of their income.

Elizabeth A. Tye

Party: N Campaign Website: http://www.tye4judge. com Facebook: http://Elizabeth Tye for Judge Twitter: twitter.com/tye4judge

Occupation: I have over 25 years of professional experience. For the last 18 years I have practiced law in the Greater Cincinnati Area. I am the only candidate with experience as both a prosecutor and defense attorney.

Education: Walnut Hills High School Class of 1992 Central State University Class of 1996 University of Akron Class of 2002 Law School J.D. & Graduate School M.P.A. Experience: I have more than 18 years of experience practicing law. I have relevant local experience and served as both a prosecutor and defense counsel in Municipal Court, including jury trials. My experience allows me to hold all parties accountable and be fair and impartial. I have practiced in the Ohio Supreme Court, Appellate Court, Municipal Court, Common Pleas Court, Probate Court, Juvenile Court, Domestic Relations Court, Office of Hearings and Appeals, and Federal Court.

Endorsements: AFL-CIO Friends of Sentinel Police Association Cincinnati Women’s Political Caucus Vote Mama Charter Committee of Greater Cincinnati Affliations: Cincinnati Bar Association Black Lawyer’s Association of Cincinnati Ohio State Bar Association Ohio Women’s Bar Association Political Philosophy: Democrat Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: What work or other experience qualifies you to perform the duties of a judge on Municipal Court? (500 character limit) A: I have more than 25 years of experience as a laborer, federal employee, and an attorney. For the last 18 years, I have practiced law as both a prosecutor and defense attorney in Municipal and Common

Pleas Court. My legal experience also includes criminal defense and civil litigation in Municipal Court, Common Pleas Court, Juvenile Court, Domestic Relations Court, Probate Court, Federal Court, Office of Hearing and Appeals, Appellate Court, and the Ohio Supreme Court.

Q: Describe what you believe constitutes a good judicial temperament and describe why you feel you possess those qualities.

(500 character limit) A: Good judicial temperament is based on lived experiences both as an attorney and as a person. Ohio requires a judicial candidate to have at least six years of experience. This requirement is important because the more experiences you have to draw from as an attorney and your lived experiences as a daughter, wife, mother, grandmother in rendering decisions and ensuring the process is fair and impartial.

For 47 years this has been my experience and why I will have a good judicial temperament.

Q: What do you believe are the causes of the high rates of minority incarceration? Is there anything the courts can do to address the issue? (500 character limit) A: The causes of the high rates of minority incarceration are a combination of multiple issues surrounding policy, implicit bias, high rates of offending and arrest in socioeconomic disadvantage communities, and lack of transparency. Courts can address these issues by voluntarily implementing procedures that will help ensure transparency and fairness by developing an uniform sentencing entry. Another way is to require education and job training through probation instead of incarceration.

MAYOR CINCINNATI MAYOR (CHOOSE 1 CANDIDATE)

Description: 4 Year Term Salary: $121,291 RESPONSIBILITIES: The mayor is the presiding officer at council meetings but not a council member, has veto power over council-passed legislation with an override provision, assigns legislative matters to council committees, and appoints and removes council committee chairs and the vice-mayor without the advice and consent of council. The mayor initiates the hiring and removal of the city manager with the advice and consent of council. The mayor’s salary is twice the salary of a member of council.

The term limit for mayor is two successive four-year terms.

(Vote for not more than 1)

David Mann

Party: N Campaign Website: http://mannforcincinnati.com Facebook: http://mannforcincy Twitter: twitter.com/mannforcincy Occupation: attorney, Mann & Mann LLC; member of Cincinnati City Council Education: Harvard College cum laude Harvard Law School magna cum laude Experience: U.S. Navy officer; US Congress; mayor of Cincinnati; member of Cincinnati City Council

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Endorsements: Kevin Flynn Former Mayor Jerry Springer Former Mayor Charlie Luken Vice Mayor Christopher Smitherman Reverend Damon Lynch, Jr. Baptist Ministers Conference Fraternal Order of Police Affliations: Clifton United Methodist Church Democratic Party Political Philosophy: I support the Cincinnati Charter with its provision for a small council elected citywide on a nonpartisan ballot with administrative and executive authority vested in the City Manager. In my years of experience on Council, I have been privileged to work productively with members of all political organizations. Elected officials committed to the common good without regard for their personal career or personal gain are the ideal for which we should strive in casting our ballots.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: What is your vision for the City and in what ways will you work with Council to implement that vision? (500 character limit) A: My goals as mayor are to: a. Restore trust and confidence in city hall. b. Make Cincinnati known once again as the country’s best governed city and a city with an exceptional commitment to racial justice and equity. c. Increase affordable housing units. d. Create more jobs which pay living wages. f. Address racial disparity and end the time when Cincinnati is a “Tale of Two Cities.” g. Continue the recent trend of decreases in major crime. h. Take steps to reduce youth gun violence.

Q: Should the city of Cincinnati change its approach to policing? Why or why not? (500 characters)

A: I take pride in the positive change in our policing under the collaborative agreement.

Community based problem solving with its focus on community engagement puts us in a much better place than many comparable cities. We have funded the chief’s request for mental health teams in each district.

We must commit to continuous improvement which means that we can and should get even better. The choice of the successor to Chief Issacs is an important decision in the next term.

Q: What are your infrastructure priorities for funding in the City Budget? (500 characters) A: Complete renovation of the Western Hills Viaduct. Stabilize Columbia Parkway.

Pedestrian safety whether better crosswalks, additional signaling, support for Vision Zero, etc. We must continue the support for biking whether trails, dedicated lanes or other programs. A new convention center hotel and an expanded convention center inevitably will require city financial support.

Our parks have a tremendous backlog of essential capital needs.

Q: How do you propose to meet the need for affordable housing in Cincinnati? (500 characters) A: I authored the ordinance creating the affordable housing trust fund and the ordinance establishing the first dedicated revenue stream (the tax on air BNBs). As chair of budget and finance we crafted a budget last year which requires 25% of funds in TIF districts to be devoted to affordable housing. We have obtained $34 million in HUD funds to provide a rotating resource for affordable housing. From federal rescue money we set aside $19 million for affordable housing in current fiscal year.

Aftab Pureval

Party: N Campaign Website: http://www.aftabformayor.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AftabforOhio Twitter: twitter.com/AftabPureval Occupation: Hamilton County Clerk of Courts Education: I attended the Ohio State University and the University of Cincinnati College of Law, where I represented victims of domestic violence who could not afford an attorney.

Experience: Prior to my time as Clerk, I worked as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney and an attorney at Procter & Gamble.

Endorsements: Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey; Former Mayor Mark Mallory; Former Ohio Democratic Party Chair David Pepper; Hamilton County Treasurer Jill Schiller; Ohio Environmental Council; Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate; Our Revolution Ohio; Greater Cincinnati AFL-CIO Labor Council; Greater Cincinnati Building and Construction Trades Council; AFSCME Ohio Council 8; Cincinnati Federation of Teachers; ATU Local 627; IBEW Local 212 Affliations: Democratic Party Political Philosophy: I believe that government can put people first by looking beyond the status-quo. As Clerk of Courts, I ended the office’s nepotism and cronyism, expanded services and supported the

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MAYOR Aftab Pureval continued

most vulnerable among us with an awardwinning Eviction Help Center. We invested in innovation while simultaneously saving taxpayers millions of dollars and giving money back to the county every year I’ve been in office. Together, I know we can move Cincinnati forward with creative solutions.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Questions: Q: What is your vision for the City and in what ways will you work with Council to implement that vision? (500 character limit) A: I’m running for Mayor to lift up all of Cincinnati. We need to rebuild our economy after COVID to make sure prosperity is shared in every corner of our city.

As Mayor, I will work to build an economy with better wages and opportunities for people to start and grow small businesses.

We also need to reform our police department, invest in public safety, create more affordable housing and improve our public transportation. Together, I know we can accomplish this.

Q: Should the city of Cincinnati change its approach to policing? Why or why not? (500 characters) A: The Collaborative Agreement made Cincinnati a national model for policing in many respects. Officer training has improved, policies regarding use-offorce were implemented, and stronger accountability measures have been put in place. But we can continue to improve,

including by stopping the over-policing of minor infractions, disrupting the school-toprison pipeline, and updating police training.

We can do so while getting smarter about fighting gun violence and better focusing our resources.

Q: What are your infrastructure priorities for funding in the City Budget? (500 characters) A: We need to work to increase our affordable housing stock and promote transit equity, expanded green space and clean, vibrant neighborhoods. But in addition to my priorities, we need to actively seek out community engagement much earlier in the budget process. The vast majority of the budget gets baked in prior to the public having an opportunity to study it and respond.

As Mayor, I will be collaborative in getting community feedback at the beginning of the process.

Q: How do you propose to meet the need for affordable housing in Cincinnati? (500 characters) A: Cincinnati has not had a comprehensive approach to affordable housing, and I’ve seen the devastating effects of this every day in Eviction Court. I’m proud to be the only candidate in the race who has released a comprehensive plan to increase affordable housing -- you can read it at AftabforMayor. com. Maintaining the trust fund is important, but we also need to reform structural policy that is holding us back -- reforming our zoning, our tax abatements, and getting serious about tenants’ rights.

CITY COUNCIL CINCINNATI MEMBER OF COUNCIL (CHOOSE 9 CANDIDATES)

Description: 2 Year Term.

Salary: $65,000.

RESPONSIBILITIES: Governing body of the city. Each council member also serves on several of the committees which study, hold hearings and listen to citizens’ complaints or points of view on all proposed ordinances, resolutions, and motions before they are acted upon by the full council. The mayor has a seat on the council but no vote.

Member of Council - 9 to be elected - 2 year term.

Jalen Alford

Party: N Campaign Website: http://www.jalenalford.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ AlfordForCincinnati Twitter: twitter.com/JalenAlfordOH Occupation: President of the Cincinnati NAACP Youth & College Division, President of the Ohio NAACP Youth & College Division.

Education: Fairfield Highschool Currently Enrolled in College.

Experience: serving as the President of the NAACP Youth & College Division both locally and statewide, advocating and circulating petitions, participating in the Collaborative Agreement Refresh; various Voter Engagement Initiatives, efforts targeting urban populations and millennials, Voter Education Forums; the passage of a National Resolution against Trial Tax (National NAACP). More recently, I have worked with Councilmembers from Cleveland and Akron to explore Black Political Power and how constituents c Endorsements: Carolyn Jones Anne Flottman Affliations: Democrat Political Philosophy: I believe that government should provide a broad range of social services to ensure well-being and equality across society. While addressing and reforming systemic issues that have continually caused disadvantages for African Americans & Other Ethnic Minorities, LGBTQ, and Women.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: If elected, what will be your top 3 priorities? (250 character limit)

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A: Homlesslessness and Affordable Housing deficits, Health Equity and addressing Food Deserts in disenfranchised communities/; and Crime.

Q: What reforms should the city of Cincinnati make to change its approach to policing, if any? (500 characters) A: Essentially, it is vital that we examine our current policy model. We need to fully evaluate it and question both the negatives and positives we are doing. From there, we should view other policing models which have been deemed successful.

If it has, we must think whether those successful models could be implemented or even partially implemented here. Our incarceration rate is already one of the highest among the developed countries.

Instead of jail terms, we must reevaluate certain aspects of o Q: How can we improve relationships between the police and communities of color? (500 characters) A: Relations between both law enforcement and numerous communities of color have always remained to be incredibly fragile.

Although this relationship spans back decades upon decades, these communities have especially remained wary of law enforcement and their intentions.

However, the previous decade has saw law enforcement increase their community policing presence, focusing on rebuilding relations with the same communities who either remain scared or nervous of them.

Unfortunately, the recent infl Q: What areas would you prioritize in the public safety budget? (500 characters) A: Fully Funding the Citizens Complaint Authority, By exploring and Investing in Problem-oriented policing such as hiring mental health workers, therapists and social workers to help address more domestic and drug related calls or to sum it up quit prioritizing remedial services over preventative services. Because preventative approaches have proven more cost-effective and more humane. Exploring wider use of non-sworn staff as Sworn officers may perform tasks that could be performed by lower-cost,

Thomas Brinkman Jr.

Party: N Campaign Website: http://GoBrinkman.com Facebook: http://GoBrinkman

Twitter: twitter.com/GoBrinkman Occupation: Life Insurance Sales Education: BA The George Washington University Experience: Elected State Representative from 2001 to 2008 and 2015 to present Endorsements: Coalition Opposed to Additional Spending and Taxes Political Philosophy: Promises made, promises kept Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: If elected, what will be your top 3 priorities? (250 character limit) A: End the Corruption in City hall by passing Issue 3 Q: What reforms should the city of Cincinnati make to change its approach to policing, if any? (500 characters) A: - no response Q: How can we improve relationships between the police and communities of color?

(500 characters) A: - no response Q: What areas would you prioritize in the public safety budget? (500 characters) A: - no response -

Jaime M. Castle

Party: N Campaign Website: http://www.castleforcincinnati.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/castleforcincinnati Twitter: twitter.com/jaimecastleOH Occupation: Eighth grade English teacher at Walnut Hills High School Education: 1995 graduate of Roger Bacon High School, 1999 graduate of Miami University - Bachelor of Science in Education Experience: President and VP of the Board of Trustees of Heritage Universalist Unitarian Church, PTO President and VP, youth soccer coach, youth musical theater director. 2020 Democratic Candidate for Ohio’s 2nd Congressional District Endorsements: The Matriots, Our Revolution Ohio, Cincinnati Women’s Political Caucus, Ohio Students for Gun Legislation, Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate Distinction, Affliations: Human Rights Campaign, The Matriots, Cincinnati Federation of Teachers, ISQCCBE, Heritage Universalist Unitarian Church, Cincinnati Women’s Political Caucus, NAACP Political Philosophy: I believe that

to serve a public office is a high honor and must be carried out from a place of integrity and humility, putting the needs and betterment of the people being served first and foremost. I believe in Human Rights, the protection or our environment and our future, and in the continuous improvement of all the various types of systems: education, justice, immigration, economics.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: If elected, what will be your top 3 priorities? (250 character limit) A: A reform of the tax abatement program for development with standards, prioritizing certain neighborhoods and projects. A reviving of the 2018 Green Cincinnati Plan.

A strengthening of the city’s partnership and support of Cincinnati Public Schools.

Q: What reforms should the city of Cincinnati make to change its approach to policing, if any? (500 characters) A: We need to fully fund the Citizen’s Complaint Authority, add more mental health professionals to our police districts, and revitalize the Collaborative Agreement.

A culture shift toward stronger community guardianship, keeping up the recruitment of women to the force and making sure that officers feel secure in speaking up against injustice without retaliation, adding body camaras, and better recruitment, hiring, retainment, and firing standards are needed.

Q: How can we improve relationships between the police and communities of color? (500 characters) A: The CCA needs to be fully funded to hold people accountable and allow a platform for people to have a voice. The Collaborative Agreement needs to be revitalized so that we can better work toward community

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CITY COUNCIL Jaime M. Castle continued

problem-oriented policing and not abandon reforms that are working. We need to get to a culture of community guardianship where people of color do not feel like a target by hiring strong leaders and officers that prioritize racial justice and justice reform.

Q: What areas would you prioritize in the public safety budget? (500 characters) A: Regarding the public safety budget, there is a strong need to increase efforts to strengthen pedestrian safety. Enforcement of traffic laws and funding to help these efforts must be a priority. Community problem-oriented policing initiatives that work on prevention of crime is a worthwhile investment that deserves more focus. A huge improvement would be adding mental health professionals to our public safety efforts.

LaKeisha N. Cook

Party: N Campaign Website: http://www. votelakaiehsacook.comc Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ VoteCook2021 Twitter: twitter.com/teamupwithcook Occupation: Influential and motivated professional with a proven record of generating and building relationships, managing projects from concept to completion, designing educational strategies, managing federal funding, and running broad meetings.

Education: BA- Political Science from Wright State University, Certificate in Health Promotion - UI&U, Certification- Job Analysis, Task Analysis, Customizing Jobs, Employment Engagement, and Orientation to Support Employment, Certified in Employment Support Experience: Administrator of FEMA funding review application, create legal notice, training and award letters for recipients.

Analyze corporate programs and develop short- and long-term goals, including recommendations on philanthropic support, promotional relationships, and employee engagement. Design and execute an annual operating plan to achieve goals in proposal development. Create innovative solutions to strengthen diversity, inclusion, and cultural competencies.

Endorsements: Moms Demand Action Political Philosophy: Democratic Party Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: If elected, what will be your top 3 priorities? (250 character limit) A: Public Safety-create a city-wide initiative that aims to prevent gun violence.

Affordable Housing- provide more houses and apartments through the city. Youth engagement- support youth-led ideas, highquality youth programs, organizations, and policy.

Q: What reforms should the city of Cincinnati make to change its approach to policing, if any? (500 characters) A: Requires comprehensive reporting from Cincinnati Police Department when aiming or drawing a weapon at someone. Support creating statewide databases to record force incidents and police disciplinary actions. Cincinnati Police Department is one of the frontiers of reforms statewide.

However, minorities still have the highest arrest records. Therefore as councilmember I would address the gaps in system within

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the city ability to provide accessibility and attainability to minorities.

Q: How can we improve relationships between the police and communities of color? (500 characters) A: I support an effort to hold diversity, equity and inclusion training with community members and police in each neighborhood.

The training engage people to share stories, create initiatives and relationships.

As a councilmember I will work along side community and police to support those initiatives. Request the police provide transparency with monthly updates to the community council and city council of the complaints and complements. Police will share there tacks to building better relationship Q: What areas would you prioritize in the public safety budget? (500 characters) A: Partners with community groups, social service providers, and law enforcement groups to impact gun-related violence through strategic outreach to the youth.

Support the funding for behavioral therapy to community members to learn how to respond with non-violence. Support employment programs for students in highviolence neighborhoods. Expanding mental health service to support calls through 911 address non-violent mental health with partnership with hospitals and mental health agency.

Jeff M. Cramerding

Party: N Campaign Website: http://jeffcramerding.com/ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ CramerdingforCouncil Twitter: twitter.com/cramerding_jeff Occupation: I am currently the Director of Contract Administration for the American Association of University Professors at the University Cincinnati (AAUP-UC). I assist over 1,600 faculty at UC, making it one of the largest faculty unions in the county.

Education: Elder High School, Ohio University, University of Cincinnati (BA), University of Cincinnati College of Law (JD) Experience: Price Hill Will (founding board member and board chair), Parks Foundation (board member), Center for Alcohol and Treatment (board member), Kids Voting of Southwest Ohio, Cincinnati Recreation Commission (advisory committee), Chamber of Commerce Ballot and Issues Committee (former member), United Way Public Policy Committee (former member) Endorsements: Hamilton County Democratic Party, AFL-CIO, UFCW 75, AFSCME, Cincinnati Building Trades, The Greater Cincinnati UAW CAP Council, Ohio Environmental Council - Action Fund, Moms Demand Action (Gun Safety Candidate Distinction), UA Local 392, County Commissioner Denise Driehaus, State Rep. Sedrick Denson, State Rep. Brigid Kelly, Former Mayor Roxanne Qualls, Former Mayor Mark Mallory, Former Commissioner David Pepper, Environmental Activist Brewster Rhoads, City Council Member Chris Seelbach Affliations: Hamilton County Democratic Party, Greater Cincinnati Bar Association Political Philosophy: Council’s role should be to set the vision, strategy, and expectations to make Cincinnati a great city of all Cincinnatians. The proper and

most important role of council is to set the priorities for the city, make sure those priorities are adequately funded, and hire and evaluate a city manager to execute those priorities.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: If elected, what will be your top 3 priorities? (250 character limit) A: 1. Ensuring that the city budget is structurally sound 2. Providing access to safe green spaces and recreational opportunities 3. Addressing Gun Violence Q: What reforms should the city of Cincinnati make to change its approach to policing, if any? (500 characters) A: The role of police should be to prevent crime and not just respond to it. There are some duties currently being carried out by police that could be better and more efficiently fulfilled by other departments, including litter and quality of life issues, as well as mental health response issues.

A critical component to this kind of police reform is ensuring that the budget is structurally sound. To do this, I propose a commission (like Smale in 1986) to evaluate the city’s needs and efficiencies.

Q: How can we improve relationships between the police and communities of color? (500 characters) A: I believe that we can look at structural changes to the police department and focus on its core mission of preventing violent crime. This includes creating opportunities for police community engagement (see next answer) and determining if some duties can be better and more efficiently carried out by other city departments (see previous answer).

Q: What areas would you prioritize in the public safety budget? (500 characters) A: The Citizens Complaint Authority (CCA) is a critical component of the Collaborative Agreement and established a body independent of the Cincinnati Police Department that investigates serious interventions by police officers. City Council fully funded its investigative component which was an important step. The CCA also was intended to have data analysis and community engagement components.

I would support increasing this to fund the CCA data analysis and community engagement missions.

Michelle Dillingham

Party: N Campaign Website: http://votedillingham.com/ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ dillinghamforcouncil Twitter: twitter.com/VoteDillingham Occupation: Contributed to the growth and certification of several non-profit social services programs; UC Field Instructor; founding and contributing member to several local coalitions; 2019 Ohio NASW Social Worker of the Year Recipient Education: MSW, Masters of Social Work, Administration University of Cincinnati (2005) BA, Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Reed College (1995) Experience: Organizer, Cincinnati Federation of Teachers, Adjunct Professor and Field Supervisor, University of Cincinnati CEO, Community Shares of Greater Cincinnati Coordinator, Cincinnati Educational Justice Coalition Director of Education, Cincinnati Coalition for the

Homeless Communications and Research Manager, OVSS-LECET Project Manager, Greater Cincinnati Occupational Health Center Project Coordinator, Affordable Housing Advocates Chief of Staff, Vice Mayor David Crowley, City of Cincinnati Endorsements: Cincinnati Federation of Teachers, Cincinnati Women’s Political Caucus, Greater Cincinnati Building Trades, Cincinnati AFL-CIO Labor Council, NASW Ohio, Laborer’s Local 265, Matriots, Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund, GCNKY Apt Association, Our Revolution Ohio, Ironworkers Local 44, IUOE Local 20, IBEW Local 212, Roadmap for Progress, Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 392, Friends of the Sentinels, Teamsters Local 100 Affliations: √ Public Education Partners, Board Member √ Cincinnati AFL-CIO Labor Council, Delegate √ Woman’s City Club, Board Member √ Hamilton County Democratic Party, Precinct Exec, Exec Comm √ National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Political Philosophy: Democratic. I believe in fair and equal representation.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: If elected, what will be your top 3 priorities? (250 character limit) A: -Tax Incentive Reform to Address Racist Housing Practices and Increase Equity -Transparent/Accountable Budget Process -Neighborhood Support for Improvement of Quality-of-Life including Health Disparities, Public Health amid a Pandemic, Gun Violence Q: What reforms should the city of Cincinnati make to change its approach to policing, if any? (500 characters) A: Cincinnati residents want City Council to ensure City services are delivered efficiently and effectively. Policing is under the authority of the Mayor and Council, and so Council has a responsibility to make sure police services are being delivered fairly. Approaches to achieve this include: improving recruitment strategies to so our force reflects the community, centering community input in how police services are being delivered, prioritizing problem-solving and accountability.

Q: How can we improve relationships between the police and communities of color? (500 characters) A: Relationships between the police and communities of color can be improved by committing to the best practices of community policing that were put into place by consent decree. But, Council should not rely on the federal government’s decree to assume these practices are working on the ground in our neighborhoods. This requires leadership from Council that prioritizes problem-solving and ongoing community input to ensure the principals of community policing are being put into practice.

Q: What areas would you prioritize in the public safety budget? (500 characters) A: Policing is not the entire answer to public safety, it is just a part of it. It is not fair nor is it reasonable to expect police to solve community violence and crime. Policing communities is not the solution to fixing the social problems that arise from communities divested of educational opportunities, safe and stable housing, and jobs. Police should be our partners in our communities, but they cannot be expected to create safe neighborhoods. The safety budget should reflect this.

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CITY COUNCIL Kevin Flynn

Party: N Campaign Website: http://FlynnForCincinnati.com Facebook: http://Facebook.com/Flynn For Cincinnati Twitter: twitter.com/kevinflynncincy Occupation: Attorney, retired Law Professor, former Cincinnati Council Member, Advocate for Persons with Disabilities Education: Little Flower Grade School LaSalle High School ‘78 UC BA Philosophy ‘83 UC Law JD ‘87 Experience: Former City Council Member 2013-2018; Former Member, Cincinnati Board of Park Commissioners 2018-2021 Retired Law Firm Partner Retired Law School and Business College Professor Real Estate Law Current or Former Board Member: Center for Independent Living Options; St. Vincent de Paul Society; Center for Addiction Treatment; Cincinnati Fire Foundation; Ohio Statewide Independent Living Council; The Drake Center.

Endorsements: Charter Committee of Greater Cincinnati Cincinnati Firefighters IAFF Local #48 Cincinnati Police FOP Local #69 Greater Cincinnati Homebuilders Association Political Philosophy: I am proudly independent in my political affiliations.

Political independence is important. The people of Cincinnati must have confidence that decisions are made by me based on the merits of the proposal and no other reason.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: If elected, what will be your top 3 priorities? (250 character limit) A: 1. Restore integrity, trust, and transparency to City Council. 2. Encourage continuous improvement in all of the departments of the city. 3. Bring City Council back to adequately funding “needs” required of the city, before funding “wants”.

Q: What reforms should the city of Cincinnati make to change its approach to policing, if any? (500 characters) A: Cincinnati was decades ahead of most other cities in the United States concerning community oriented policing. The city must update the Collaborative Agreement, looking at the Police Department protocols for use of body cameras and use of force, adjusting the standards and protocols to 21st century policing. Utilize data and predictive models to bring the police and the community together, so that there is mutual trust and respect between the police and the community served by the police.

Q: How can we improve relationships between the police and communities of color?

(500 characters) A: Relationships improve when people get to know each other. Focus on police being a part of the community that they are policing in. Mel Gravely, in Dear White Friend, states “the taboo nature of race makes it a topic too sensitive for you and me… to really discuss with candor, vulnerability, and even love”. We have to recognize that many black people and white people have travelled along different paths as we have grown up. Knowing each other will help bring about mutual trust and respect.

Q: What areas would you prioritize in the public safety budget? (500 characters) A: Primary focus of the public safety budget

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must be to bring both the Fire and the Police Departments up to their authorized strength. Each department is below strength by over 100 officers, delays by the city in instituting recruit classes has resulted in the city being barely able to keep up with retirements. Excess overtime leads to burn out and decreased efficiency. If police are responding to calls for service constantly, it is impossible to have proactive trust building in the community.

Jackie Frondorf

Party: N Campaign Website: http://JackieFrondorf.com Facebook: http://facebook.com/ JackieFrondorfForCityCouncil/ Twitter: twitter.com/JackieFrondorf Occupation: Mother of five young children and full-time 4th-grade teacher.

Education: BA in Economics from the University of Toledo Experience: President of the St. Catharine School Parent Teacher Association, longtime community volunteer, mother of five children.

Endorsements: Charter Committee of Greater Cincinnati; Cincinnati Women’s Political Caucus; 2021 Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate Distinction Political Philosophy: Our city government should work for all — not just some.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: If elected, what will be your top 3 priorities? (250 character limit) A:Pedestrian safety, creating an Office of Neighborhood Development to focus on neighborhood business districts and generate community-supported growth, and ensuring public service issues like trash and litter are dealt with in a timely manner.

Q: What reforms should the city of Cincinnati make to change its approach to policing, if any? (500 characters) A: Speeding and reckless driving need to be curtailed. Pedestrian safety initiatives can only go so far if our police do not have the capacity to enforce existing traffic laws.

I believe our Police Department is doing the best they can with the staff they have, but we need to be better positioned to address unsafe driving. Also, the City should hire more mental health specialists to work side-by-side with officers to support citizens experiencing a mental health crisis.

Q: How can we improve relationships between the police and communities of color? (500 characters) A: To start, I would push to review and refresh the Collaborative Agreement. I would also vote to continue financially supporting the Citizens Complaint Authority, which helps ensure accountability and build trust. I think it would be beneficial to provide more opportunities for our police to make themselves more visible and accessible to the people they serve, for example, more walking or biking officers in busy areas. We also need to ensure officers are receiving adequate implicit bias training Q: What areas would you prioritize in the public safety budget? (500 characters) A: 1) 911 Call Center. 2) Citizens Complaint Authority. 3) Hiring mental health experts to work side by side with police officers. 4) Bolstering recruitment efforts for both Police and Fire. 5) Updated firehouse facilities.

Some of our firehouses do not have

adequate space for equipment or facilities for female firefighters. Our firefighters need facilities that equip them to do their lifesaving work.

Bill Frost

Party: N Campaign Website: http://frostforcinci.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/frostforcinci Twitter: twitter.com/frostforcinci Occupation: Consulting Engineer at GE Aviation specializing in the Design and Manufacture of Turbine Airfoils in Aerospace Gas Turbine Engines.

Education: Aeronautical Engineering and Design (1984) Diploma of Industrial Studies (1984) - Loughborough University of Technology, England Experience: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC, UK 1980-1988 - Engineering Apprentice Performance Development Engineer - GE AVIATION, CINCINNATI, OH 1988-CURRENT - Mechanical Design Engineer - Director of Technical Resources (4 years in Michigan) - Engineering Manager (Design, Repair, Manufacturing) Consulting Engineer - PLEASANT RIDGE COMMUNITY COUNCIL - 2013-2018 President - Safety Committee Chair Endorsements: Charter Committee of Greater Cincinnati Affliations: Charter Committee of Greater Cincinnati (Board Member) Cincinnatus Association (Member) Political Philosophy: I believe that the principles of the Charter Committee are the right ones for the leadership of our City. - Independence - Accountability - Transparency - Fiscal Responsibility - Regional Co-operation - Equity Continuous Improvement Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: If elected, what will be your top 3 priorities? (250 character limit) A: (1) Get all neighborhoods an effective voice at City Hall with strong community councils (2) Ensure budget is spent effectively, efficiently, equitably, with respect for the taxpayer (3) Restore faith in the professionalism and integrity of Council Q: What reforms should the city of Cincinnati make to change its approach to policing, if any? (500 characters) A: - Staff now to the agreed minimums, and add annual recruit classes - Overhaul Police hiring process with thorough background checks - Double the number of Community Officers - Prioritize officers on foot - Add social workers to de-escalate in non-violent situations - Body Cameras on by default Anonymous reporting system for Officers

(incl. self-reporting) - Fully staff and fund the Citizens Complaint Authority - Regular public reporting of complaints and outcomes (incl. remedial measures) Q: How can we improve relationships between the police and communities of color? (500 characters) A: - Improved, transparent reporting of police complaints via the CCA. - Community officers who reflect the demographics of the community they serve. - Increased use of Social workers and School officers to build trust with youth. - Encourage participation in the policing of the community: Blockwatch, COPP, etc - Close partnership with Community Councils to address Community issues. - Improved facilities and opportunities for youth in local Community Centers.

Q: What areas would you prioritize in the public safety budget? (500 characters) A: - I would prioritize staffing of community oriented policing across the City, adding officers who look like the public they are serving. This would include neighborhood officers, officers walking the beat, school resource officers, and the addition of social workers for non-violent situations. - I would also prioritize the staffing and funding of the Community Complaint Authority up to (and possibly above) the minimums in the Collaborative Agreement.

Brian Garry

Party: N Campaign Website: http://BrianGarry.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BrianGarry/ Twitter: twitter.com/BrianGarry Occupation: Owner of Green City Ecostruction Education: University of Cincinnati, Liberal Arts. BA - Music Composition, Theology, Fine Art. LEED, AP. Experience: Founder of Neighborhoods United, Co-Founder of the Cincinnati Racial Justice Coalition. Founder, Just Slow Down Cincinnati. Chair of the Human Services Coalition of the Faith Community Alliance.

Involved with improving Cincinnati for 38 years. Authored 2 chapters of the Green Cincinnati Plan. Advocate for services for those with addiction, mental illness and homelessness. Chief Advisor to Maslow’s Army 2017-2020. 2nd chance employer for those returning to the community.

Endorsements: Cincinnati AFL-CIO Labor Council, AFSCME Power in Action, Cincinnati Building Trades Union, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 75, Intl. Electrical Workers Local 212, United Auto Workers, Laborers International Local

WHY SHOULD I VOTE?

DEMOCRACY IS NOT A SPECTATOR SPORT! WWW.LWVCINCINNATI.ORG

CITY COUNCIL Brian Garry continued

265, Sheet, Metal, Air, Rail and Transport Local #24, Plumbers and Pipefitters 392, Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund, Our Revolution - Ohio, RoadMap For Progress, Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate, The Baptist Ministers Conference, Ohio Students For Gun Legislation, Affliations: Democratic Party Political Philosophy: Proud and longstanding Democrat who believes the role of the government is to help people.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: If elected, what will be your top 3 priorities? (250 character limit) A: 1)Creating Affordable Housing. Increase, Protect and Fund Affordable Housing. 2) Investing in Our Youth. Re-establish the Citizens Committee on Youth. 3)Safe and Clean Neighborhoods. Implement the Neighborhoods United Plan to End Gun Violence Q: What reforms should the city of Cincinnati make to change its approach to policing, if any? (500 characters) A: We need more collaboration and more frequent opportunities for communication and dialogue. I support the Collaborative Agreement refresh. Quickly terminate officers with a history of abuse. Officers personnel files should be public. Increased partnerships for more trained mental health professionals for mental health related police calls. Additional domestic violence experts should be hired to assist in these types of calls. Continue to work collaboratively with more community outreach.

Q: How can we improve relationships between the police and communities of color? (500 characters) A: Police community relationships improve when all people feel respected and protected. Officers should seek deescalation techniques. The Camp Joy C.I.T.I. Police Camps, Youth Explorer and Summer Youth Cadet Programs have been helpful and could be expanded. Implicit bias

training and more police accountability will improve relationships. More social workers should be hired to accompany officers. Our police force, currently 28% Black, should be more reflective of our city, which is 42% Black.

Q: What areas would you prioritize in the public safety budget? (500 characters) A: Public Safety must be viewed from a broader perspective and we need to take an evidence based approach. Neighborhoods United, which I chair, wrote the 46 page Cincinnati Plan to Reduce Gun Violence.

Among other recommendations, the plan calls for supporting our youth by investing in programs like the Citizen’s Committee on Youth which will reduce crime long term. To reduce crime, we must reduce poverty by investing in affordable housing, economically deprived communities and addiction treatment.

Steven P. Goodin

Party: N Campaign Website: http://GoodinForCincinnati.com Facebook: http://Goodin For Cincinnati Twitter: twitter.com/Goodinforcincy Occupation: I was appointed to Cincinnati City Council November 30, 2020. I have led on issues ranging from affordable housing to development and took a leading role in our budget process. I also maintain at active law practice at Graydon Head & Ritchey LLP Education: BAs in English and Political Science (Miami University); JD University of Cincinnati College of Law; Judge Advocate General Corps Basic and Advanced Courses (administered at University of Virginia) Experience: I worked behind the scenes at

WHY SHOULD YOU VOTE? VOTING CONNECTS US The simple act of voting gives us a connection to our community and the decisions that affect all of us. In 1835 Alexis de Tocqueville wrote Democracy in America giving three good reasons to vote that are still valid today.

He called voting a “ritual observance” that fosters patriotism.

This is true patriotism--informed, thoughtful voting on issuesand for candidates that will represent us best. Research your candidates, learn about the issues, demand true and civil debate and then cast YOUR vote in confidence.

Second, Tocqueville reminds us that voting combats an apathy that destroys the political process. The people that tell you your vote doesn’t matter are depending on you to believe them and then stop caring about what you can do. Keeping voters away from the ballot box is a common strategy in many locations. If you give up, if you don’t vote, you’re giving more power to these people.

Finally, Tocqueville tells us that voting is about stirring the interests of the populace for their locale. To be effective citizens of our country we must first be active citizens in our community.

By becoming involved in elections, we become interested and involved in our local government, which has long-lasting and direct impacts on state and national politics.

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City Hall on complex budgetary and pension matters for nearly a dozen years prior to my appointment. This experience included work on bond rating agency presentations and work on the 30-year federal consent decree which remade the City’s pension system. I have also worked as both a felony prosecutor and a public defender, seeing both sides of the criminal justice equation.

My public service includes time as both a Peace Corps volunteer and Army JAG officer.

Endorsements: Charter Committee of Greater Cincinnati; AFL-CIO Labor Council; AFSCME Council 8; Cincinnati Firefighters Union (IAFF) Local 48; Laborers Local No. 265; Cincinnati Building Trades Unions; Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 69; Hamilton County Republican Party Affliations: Cincinnati and Ohio Bar Associations; Past Board Chair — Center for Addiction Treatment and River City Correctional Facility; past trustee, SORTA (Metro bus line); past member of Hamilton County Public Defender Commission; Ohio Commodore Political Philosophy: I work every day to be a non-partisan, independent voice for all Cincinnatians. To me, that means being a good steward of taxpayer dollars, working to maintain and improve basic services and ensuring equity among the neighborhoods.

That also means changing the culture of corruption which still hangs over City Hall and ensuring that we incorporate equity, inclusion and diversity in all of our municipal decision-making.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: If elected, what will be your top 3 priorities? (250 character limit) A: 1) Create safe and vibrant neighborhoods with improved focus on basic services, business districts and vacant properties; 2) Ban dark money and active dcontributions; 3) Increase jobs and opportunity with better access to capital and public transit Q: What reforms should the city of Cincinnati make to change its approach to policing, if any? (500 characters) A: We should: 1) Renew and refresh our commitment to community policing as established by the Collaborative Agreement of 2002; 2) Increase transparency by funding new software and personnel to allow for the timely editing and collation of police body cam footage; and 3) Support the Citizens Complaint Authority with adequate funding and staff; and 4) Never take for granted the progress we have made during the last 20 years.

Q: How can we improve relationships between the police and communities of color? (500 characters) A: We have an ongoing obligation to build on the Collaborative Agreement of 2002.

Banning overt racial profiling and certain other tactics was a good start. But we must keep going forward with enhanced transparency; diversity in our recruitment classes; more de-escalation and cultural competency training; and increased use of mental health professionals. As a City, we should ensure that body cam footage is timely released to the CCA (an ongoing issue) and address our unfair marijuana laws Q: What areas would you prioritize in the public safety budget? (500 characters) A: Our public safety departments face the same challenge many of our nonuniform departments face — outdated facilities and a lack of new personnel in the pipeline. The Fire Department faces a particular challenge in that it needs new trucks and operators and outdated

firehouses. The Police Department likewise faces operational challenges in District Five (which is housed in a strip mall). We should create a new Smale Commission to objectively evaluate these needs and present funding solutions.

Galen G. Gordon

Party: N Campaign Website: http://www.galenforcincinnati.com Facebook: http://facebook.com/ galenforcincinnati Twitter: twitter.com/galenggordon Occupation: I am the Business Travel Sales Manager for the Hilton Netherland Plaza. Every day I work to provide inspirational Hilton moments for my guests.

Education: Studied Theater at Wilmington College where I learned the value of integrity, equality, community and stewardship of the earth.

Experience: For the past 13 years, I have worked to showcase the best of Cincinnati to itself. As a member of the hospitality industry, I understand the importance of safety in our communities and the need for business development within each business district. If we want Cincinnati to prosper we need to be an 18-24 hour city with frequent and safe transit options with more dense and fresh housing stock Endorsements: Charter Committee of Greater Cincinnati, Queen City Lodge #69 FOP, Ohio Hotel & Lodging Association Affliations: Certified Tourism Ambassador, Rotary Club of Greater Cincinnati, HSMAI Board member, OTR Museum Board member, Democratic Party Political Philosophy: Democrat - I believe it is important to protect the best interests of our citizens; primarily as it relates to safety and opportunity. The Democratic Party has shown the most consistent effort to hold true to this philosophy. I also believe firmly that I should make my own informed decisions and not be forced to vote the party line.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: If elected, what will be your top 3 priorities? (250 character limit) A: Small Business - Intentional investment in our Neighborhood Business Districts.

Equitable Housing - Increase the density and supply of housing in all neighborhoods.

Multi-modal Transportation - Increase frequency and access to our employment centers.

Q: What reforms should the city of Cincinnati make to change its approach to policing, if any? (500 characters) A: The City of Cincinnati along with our Police Department and community leaders created the Collaborative Agreement 20 years ago. I believe it is important the City stands by this legally binding agreement and continue to keep the Citizen’s Complaint Authority funded so citizen concerns can be addressed in a timely manner. I believe the CCA is a fair and transparent way of protecting our citizens, our police and our city. I believe our police are doing a great job for Cincinnati.

Q: How can we improve relationships between the police and communities of color? (500 characters) A: I believe there are at a minimum, two ways we can improve these relationships. 1) get our officers back on the street. I imagine we have gotten away from walking patrols

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CITY COUNCIL Galen G. Gordon continued

Cincinnati Intellectual Property Law Association-CincyIP; Life Member of Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers and FBI Cincinnati Citizens Academy Alumni Association Political Philosophy: Lifelong Democrat who believes in science and working collaboratively to seek out and implement solutions that work for everyone. Council members should, at all times, be working for the public good. City Council is not the place for building empires or self-dealing.

I am not running for personal gain. In fact, I have pledged to donate my Council paychecks to local charities that advance education, job training, and job creation right here at home.

for budgetary reasons. When you are walking I believe you can have direct, less intimidating communication with residents in each neighborhood. 2) encourage youth of color to join the police department at an earlier age. We can provide paid training and education that fills the gap from 18-21 yrs when they can join the academy Q: What areas would you prioritize in the public safety budget? (500 characters) A: I would prioritize the use and availability of our Mobile Crisis Teams. I believe we should have an MCT working at least 5 of our 6 districts.

Kurt L. Grossman

Party: N Campaign Website: http://GrossmanforCouncil.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ Grossman4Cincy Twitter: twitter.com/Grossman4Cincy Occupation: Retired Education: Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Cum Laude (University of Cincinnati); JD with Honors (George Washington University) Experience: Patent Attorney with Wood Herron & Evans for three decades.

Technical Advisor to Federal Judge Helen Nies. Tutor at Hays-Porter Elementary and Scholar House. Serve on the Board of the American Jewish Committee, the Board of the Downtown Residents Council, the Catholic Diocese Immigration Task Force, Steering Committee of the Immigrant Dignity Coalition, a founding Board Member of the Immigrant and Refugee Law Center, and served on Mayor Cranley’s Immigration Task Force.

Endorsements: 314 Action Fund; Sierra Club; and Sentinels Police Association. Also awarded Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate of Distinction.

Affliations: Cincinnati Bar Association; University of Cincinnati Alumni Association;

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: If elected, what will be your top 3 priorities? (250 character limit) A: · Restore trust in City Hall. · Drive economic growth by investing in infrastructure, job creation, and affordable housing. · Improve public safety by focusing our police force on violent crime and addressing the root causes of poverty.

Q: What reforms should the city of Cincinnati make to change its approach to policing, if any? (500 characters) A: · Strengthen community policing by getting officers out of their cars, connecting with youth, and walking in the community. · Require training to prioritize de-escalation through effective communication prior to the use of force wherever possible. · Provide trained, non-police public safety teams to respond to incidents related to mental health, addiction, and homelessness. · Recruit potential officers from high-crime areas to serve as role models.

Q: How can we improve relationships between the police and communities of color? (500 characters) A: · Hire and promote officers of color to better match the demographics of our City. · Work closely with community councils to establish and deepen liaison officer relationships. · Establish diverse officer teams (racial and/or gender) that offer a sense of connection with individuals they encounter. · Encourage officer participation at community-based social gatherings.

Q: What areas would you prioritize in the public safety budget? (500 characters)

A: · Fund neighborhood police foot patrols. · Address the root causes of poverty by providing more support for childcare, housing, job training, re-entry, and youth programs. · Funding for non-police public safety teams to respond to incidents related to mental health, addiction, and homelessness (including improvements to the 911 system for more particularized response). · Invest in safer and more efficient pedestrian, bike, and multi-modal travel between home, work, school and places of interest.

Reggie Harris

Campaign Website: http://reggieforcincinnati.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ ReggieForCincinnati/ Twitter: twitter.com/ReggieForCincy Occupation: Clinical Social Worker who is currently the Director of Community Life for the Community Builders Education: Boston University School of Social Work, Boston, MA Master of Social Work, Clinical Concentration, Family Therapy Certificate (2015) Experience: Reggie is a retired professional ballet dancer, clinical social worker, and licensed therapist who currently works for The Community Builders — a nonprofit affordable housing developer. He is also the founder of InContext Advising, LLC, where he has worked with state and local campaigns, nonprofits, educators, and healthcare providers on issues related to mental health, LGBTQIA+ equality, and social policy. He was appointed to the CMHA board and currently serves on the board of Equality Ohio.

Endorsements: To date, we have been endorsed by the Hamilton County Democratic Party, Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund, AFSCME Ohio Council, Laborers Local 265, AFL-CIO, UFCW Local 75, Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 392, Cincinnati Building and

Construction Trades, Sheet Metal Workers Local 24, IBEW Local 212, IAFF Local 48, IUOE Local 20, Roadmap for Progress, LGBTQ Victory Fund, and the National Association of Social Workers.

Affliations: Endorsed Democrat Political Philosophy: Progressive Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: If elected, what will be your top 3 priorities? (250 character limit) A: 1. Ensuring Safe, Affordable Housing for Everyone 2. Fighting for Equitable Growth and Economic Inclusion 3. Increasing Access to Jobs and Opportunities that pay a living wage Q: What reforms should the city of Cincinnati make to change its approach to policing, if any? (500 characters) A: I believe in fully funding upstream interventions, such as economic and housing aid, mental health and counseling services, as well as downstream interventions such as the mobile crisis unit and the full adherence to the Collaborative Agreement that community activists in this city worked so hard to make a reality. When these become reality, it will reduce the need for an extremely large (proportionally) police budget that has been continually growing over the past half-century.

Q: How can we improve relationships between the police and communities of color? (500 characters) A: This is an issue for both the community and the safety of our officers. Law enforcement is traumatized, our citizens are traumatized, and now both are hypervigilant of each other. This is the reality we live in today. We MUST enforce the Collaborative Agreement so that citizens trust that there are systems of accountability in place.

Finally, we must lean on communityoriented policing so that the police are not only showing up in traumatizing situations but building relationships naturally.

Q: What areas would you prioritize in the public safety budget? (500 characters) A: First, I would prioritize that our fire department has the staff and equipment they need so that fire and EMS can adequately perform their essential duties.

Second, I would like to see our public safety budget emphasize creative and proven crime prevention and safety

IF I’M AT THE RIGHT POLLING PLACE AND PRECINCT TABLE, BUT NOT ON THE REGISTER, I’LL VOTE A PROVISIONAL BALLOT! A provisional ballot is used to record a vote if a voter’s eligibility is in question and the voter would otherwise not be permitted to vote at the voter’s polling precinct. The content of a provisional ballot is no different from a regular ballot, but it is cast “provisionally” until election officials can verify the voter’s eligibility to vote in that particular precinct at that election.

If you cast your provisional ballot and provided acceptable proof of identity, you typically do not need to provide any additional information to the Board of Elections.

Proof of identity: If you cast a provisional ballot and did not provide acceptable proof of identity at the time of voting, you must appear in person at the Board of Elections to provide such proof within the seven days immediately following Election Day, in accordance with Ohio law.

See What are acceptable forms of ID for voting? information.

Proof of name change: If you cast a provisional ballot because, at the time you voted, you have changed your name, but did not

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provide proof of a legal name change to a precinct election official, you must provide that proof in the form of a marriage license or a court order that indicates your current and prior names.

Voter eligibility challenged: If you cast a provisional ballot because your right to vote was challenged at the polling place under Ohio Revised Code R.C. 3505.20, and the election officials either determined that you were ineligible to vote or were unable to determine your eligibility, you must provide any identification or other documentation required to resolve the challenge. Details concerning the process and required information can be found at http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/3505.20.

Above all, if you are sure you are at the correct polling precinct and voting a regular ballot is not an option for whatever reason, don’t leave the polls without voting a provisional ballot.

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CITY COUNCIL Reggie Harris continued

programs that perhaps the city hasn’t invested in in the past. This includes neighborhood beautification, traffic calming, job training and access, investment in small businesses, and more that will help struggling communities.

Robert Harris II

Party: N Campaign Website: http://robharrisforcouncil.com Facebook: http://Robharrisforcouncil Twitter: twitter.com/rob Occupation: Retail Bank Management Education: Cincinnati Withrow High School 1997 Wittenberg University 2001 Keller Graduate School of Management 2010 Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: If elected, what will be your top 3 priorities? (250 character limit) A: 1 Partner with all community councils to help support their initiative and develop goals to build cleaner, safer neighborhoods.

2 Gain an in-depth understanding of the responsibilities of an effective councilman.

3 Join the Public Safety Committee.

Q: What reforms should the city of Cincinnati make to change its approach to policing, if any? (500 characters) A: Upon my research, Cincinnati police department are ahead ranked above average with it comes to police reform.

However, I city just experienced a record high in shootings and homicides. Expand the efforts of the Citizens Complaint Authority.

Q: How can we improve relationships between the police and communities of color? (500 characters) A: Police Advisory Board that meet Monthly.

Creating a police (training) boot camp that focus on hold officers accountable for bad practices. In addition to stiffer penalties for bad police misconduct.

Q: What areas would you prioritize in the public safety budget? (500 characters) A: 1. Provide best in class training for both our Police and Fire Departments. 2. Provide Training, equipment and preparation for Police and Fire Departments. 3. Expand diversity and inclusion opportunities when recruiting.

K.A. Heard Jr.

Party: N Campaign Website: http://stayheardcommittee.weebly.com/ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KAHeard-Jr-109490041215226/ Twitter: twitter.com/kaheardjr Occupation: Disc Jockey Education: Some College University of Cincinnati University of Toledo Endorsements: Hamilton County Green Party Ohio Green Party Affliations: Independent Green Political Philosophy: Once Heard, Stay Heard!

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Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: If elected, what will be your top 3 priorities? (250 character limit) A: Once elected, my top priority is unity!

Make sure we are all involved with our community councils. Make sure staff or myself is at each one within the first 90 days. Secondly, make sure we have great public safety. Thirdly, safe infrastructure!

Q: What reforms should the city of Cincinnati make to change its approach to policing, if any? (500 characters) A: In my opinion, marijuana charges need to be lessened. Speeding needs to be more enforced. Once heard, stay heard!

Q: How can we improve relationships between the police and communities of color? (500 characters) A: We can do quite a few things! I believe the night outs within communities will help in the long run. Also by having more officers work in the neighborhood that they live in will help. We can try to have officers represent each neighborhood based on the race of each neighborhood when capable.

It’s not only on officers, as communities we have see the bigger picture and know that there are good or even great officers within our city! We must acknowledge good officers do exist!

Q: What areas would you prioritize in the public safety budget? (500 characters) A: Traffic enforcement will be number one. Secondly would be crime. Thirdly, fire prevention. Once heard, stay heard!

Evan C. Holt

Party: N Campaign Website: http://holtforcincinnati.com Facebook: http://voteholtforcincinnati Twitter: twitter.com/voteholt Occupation: Most of my working career has been in customer service, but predominantly in the restaurant field as a server/bartender. This fuels my motivation to provide working class perspective to City Hall, which has been lacking in the decisions being made.

Education: I am Cincinnati Public School educated and graduated from the original School for Creative & Performing Arts at 13th & Sycamore. I studied classical piano, jazz piano and music composition.

Experience: I’m a lifelong, working class Cincinnatian. I seek to represent the people most often forgotten in the decisions made by lawmakers: the renters, the public transit users, the wage slaves, those experiencing homelessness. City Council is technically a non-partisan public servant role. Decisions made should be untethered from political affiliation or political ambitions & should, as priority, be in the interests of everyone who actually works & lives in the city, especially the most vulnerable.

Endorsements: I have been endorsed

by Our Revolution Ohio, the Democratic Socialists of America (both the local chapter and the national org), Roadmap for Progress, Primary Ohio, Ohio Students for Gun Legislation, Run for Something and local chapter of the Sunrise Movement.

Affliations: I am affiliated with the local chapters of the Democratic Socialists as well as the local Sunrise Movement, but I am also canvassing with fellow progressive candidates like Michelle Dillingham and Brian Garry.

Political Philosophy: I have historically only voted Democrat, but I am pretty firmly to the left of the Democratic Party. Where a Democrat believes that no one working 40hrs a week should live in poverty, I believe that NO ONE deserves to live in poverty. Poverty is policy choice. My political inspirations include progressive Justice Democrats like Bernie Sanders, AOC, Cori Bush, Nina Turner & India Walton. I want to represent the direction that the Democratic Party should be seeking to embrace.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: If elected, what will be your top 3 priorities? (250 character limit) A: Affordable housing & providing for it is my #1 priority. I will seek to introduce a Tenant Bill of Rights that would include rent control & stronger renter protections. We must also up-zone the city to provide for more multi-unit buildings city-wide.

Q: What reforms should the city of Cincinnati make to change its approach to policing, if any? (500 characters) A: Less than 2% of the 911 calls that CPD receives are for active violent crime. We need to spend less time & resources merely enforcing laws & more that seek to protect the citizen, even the “law breaker.” Our compounding crises of homelessness, drug addiction & mental health cannot be solved by policing. I would seek to divert city resources into mobile crisis units as well as decriminalizing addiction by decriminalizing small amounts of possession so resources can be redirected to rehabilitation Q: How can we improve relationships between the police and communities of color? (500 characters) A: Most people agree that community policing should be centered, and I agree, but I believe our relationship can be best improved with transparency & accountability. Citizens of all color should have the ability to access information about officers pertaining to previous disciplinary actions, but most importantly, there needs to be accountability for civil rights violations. Too often, outright civil rights violations committed by officers who receive promotions instead of discipline or dismissal.

Q: What areas would you prioritize in the public safety budget? (500 characters) A: We are dealing with compounding crises of homelessness, drug addiction & severe mental health impairments. We desperately need more investment in shelters & rehabilitation centers. Housing is healthcare & in the #1 interest of public safety. 1,000 people a day & as many as 3,000 CPS students experience homelessness every day. Beyond that, the vast majority of the chronically homeless have addiction issues and severe underlying trauma. Our priority for public safety should be our most vulnerable.

Nick Jabin

Party: N Campaign Website: http://jabinforcouncil.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ nickjabinforcincinnaticouncil Twitter: twitter.com/Nick_Jabin Occupation: we Education: Depaul Cristo Rey High School Graduate Wright State University Experience: Tech builder and troubleshooting Humanitarian Activist, Street Activist Manager and General Manager, Team Lead Affliations: Independent, Change Clothing Nonprofit Political Philosophy: my philosophy is i work for the people im in office representing, i do and will work to restore and rebuild a city that works directly for the people, by returning the voice of the people to the people.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: If elected, what will be your top 3 priorities? (250 character limit) A: Mental Health Resources and services.

Affordable Housing and Higher wage Training and opportunities Evaporating homelessness and figuring out new remediation services and programs.

Q: What reforms should the city of Cincinnati make to change its approach to policing, if any? (500 characters) A: we need to make reforms to our whole system as its been lead in corruptive powers we must start rewriting how we serve our residents and constituents ,i believe it is important to start being more progressive in our response and actions being taken for the people.

Q: How can we improve relationships between the police and communities of color? (500 characters) A: we have to start holding individuals and our law enforcement officers accountable for their actions we cant afford situations that jeopardize protecting and serving our communities, we also have to take in to account that their are situations not being handled right and we need to put the resources and people equip to be handling these situations in the community.

Q: What areas would you prioritize in the public safety budget? (500 characters) A: pedestrian safety measures and protocols for keeping families and individuals safe, its important for any neighborhood to have measures to keep the public safe. as well as protocol’s during violent situations.

Check Vote411.org for information candidates may have added after print deadline.

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CITY COUNCIL Mark Jeffreys

Party: N Campaign Website: http://www.votejeffreys.com/ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ votemarkjeffreys/ Twitter: twitter.com/jeffreysms Occupation: Mark is an entrepreneur and community leader. He is the Founder and CEO of 4Sight - a data analytics company.

He is also Chair of the Board of go Vibrant, a non-profit he founded, and Trustee of Clifton Town Meeting and Cincinnati Parks Foundation Education: BA History, University of Chicago with Honors MBA, Georgetown University, Beta Gamma Sigma Honors Experience: Mark started out as a janitor.

He had a union job to earn his way through college. After college he worked for 3 years on Capitol Hill before taking at job with USDEC working in Asia. After business school he spent 17 years at P&G managing brands like Pampers and Gillette before leaving 4 years ago to start his own company, 4Sight. Along the way he started a non-profit, go Vibrant, and serves as a Trustee on Clifton Town Meeting & the Cincinnati Parks Foundation Boards.

Endorsements: Hamilton County Democratic Party Cincinnati AFL-CIO Sierra Club Moms Demand Action Cincinnati Building Trades Sentinels Laborers Local 265 Sheet Metal Workers Local 24 Ironworkers Local 44 UFCW Local 75 Plumbers, Pipefitters & Mechanical Equipment Service Local 392 Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund Affliations: Hamilton County Democratic Party Political Philosophy: Mark grew up working poor and on food stamps, the son of an immigrant. HIs political philosophy is guided by his value that we all succeed through the help of others - a Network of Support. In Mark’s case that was a union that enabled him to earn money for his college tuition and his parents who gave Mark opportunity. The role of government is to help provide a network of support for those who don’t have it so they too have equal opportunity to live to their full potential.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: If elected, what will be your top 3 priorities? (250 character limit) A: Safety - with a focus on reducing violent crime, but also designing our streets so they’re safe to walk and/or bike; Jobs - grow our economy with good-paying jobs and training for those jobs; Affordable Housing quality housing that’s affordable Q: What reforms should the city of Cincinnati make to change its approach to policing, if any? (500 characters) A: The city of Cincinnati should have a refresh of the Collaborative Agreement with a focus on improving accountability and trust. This includes fully funding the Citizens’ Complaint Authority, improving data collection and reporting on use of force particularly by race and gender, and racial bias training. We should also pilot deploying social workers to help resolve non-violent offenses as a way to de-escalate situations and ensure police are using their skill set appropriately.

Q: How can we improve relationships between the police and communities of

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color? (500 characters) A: Building trust between the police and communities of color starts with acknowledging facts in differences within the police dept in promotion, hiring of minorities and differences in use of force by race - regular reporting of both with plans for addressing should be required. Required use of body cameras while on duty, plus implicit bias training will also improve transparency and understanding. Finally, community policing - having police in the neighborhoods as partners to community councils.

Q: What areas would you prioritize in the public safety budget? (500 characters) A: Community-based public safety - enabling community councils to be the eyes-and-ears of police in their neighborhood in partnership with police including investing in Citizens on Patrol and youth programs to stop crime before it occurs. Funding for partnership of police with feds with Gun Intelligence Unit to get illegal guns off our streets. Piloting having social workers aid in non-violent calls without putting them at risk, which has worked in other cities to de-escalate situations.

Scotty Johnson

Party: N Campaign Website: http://scottyforcincinnati.com Occupation: Retired Education: BS Bowling Green State University Certificate from Harvard in Race Relations Experience: 33 Years as Cincinnati Police Officer - Original Community Oriented Police Officer - School Resource Officer Senior SWAT Crisis Negotiator - Director of Security for Mayor Mark Mallory - Executive Aid to 3 Cincinnati Police Chiefs Endorsements: Hamilton County Democratic Party, Firefighters Local 48, Sentinel Police Association, Fraternal Order of Police Local 69, AFSCME Affliations: NAACP, Life Member of Sentinel Police Association, Life Member Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Political Philosophy: What’s popular isn’t always right, and what’s right isn’t always popular. If you tell the truth, you never have to remember what you said.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: If elected, what will be your top 3 priorities? (250 character limit) A: My top priorities are jobs, housing, and public safety. By bringing good paying jobs to underserved neighborhoods, investing in housing across the region and improving the relationship between the police and community we can bring our city forward Q: What reforms should the city of Cincinnati make to change its approach to policing, if any? (500 characters) A: I was one of the original community oriented police officers for the Cincinnati Police Department. I have seen the different approaches that have been taken and I know what works. We must maintain community-oriented policing as a philosophy. Police officers have to be held accountable for their actions. In real community oriented policing, the community has input on policy and procedures, and that is what we need.

Q: How can we improve relationships between the police and communities of color? (500 characters) A: Coming from a 33 year background in police and community relations, I have the experience to bridge this divide. We must first establish trust and accountability. Both parties must be accountable, one to the other. Every future issue will be decided on how strong trust and accountability is between these two parties. Improving this area is the most critical part to improving overall relationships between the police and communities of color.

Q: What areas would you prioritize in the public safety budget? (500 characters) A: My first priority is always the safety of our citizens. After working in public safety, I have seen first-hand what needs to be prioritized. We must upgrade our firehouse infrastructure and continue to make sure police and fire have the adequate equipment to fulfil their jobs serving the citizens of Cincinnati. We additionally must continue to invest in methods and programs to increase pedestrian safety in all neighborhoods of Cincinnati.

Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney

22% female. 2. Increase partnerships with human services agencies & community groups 3. Create bridge from Summer Cadet program for youth (18 years old or less) to joining the police force at age 21.

Q: How can we improve relationships between the police and communities of color? (500 characters) A: 1. Continue to foster a culture of mutual respect and trust through communityoriented policing where our Cincinnati police officers continue to work collaboratively with and in the community. 2. Support the Citizens Complaint Authority to build community trust and police accountability Q: What areas would you prioritize in the public safety budget? (500 characters) A: Given the increase in gun violence and the plethora of guns in our communities, violent crime reduction has to be a high priority. Technology such as ShotSpotter to allow rapid responses to shootings, and programs such as PIVOT and CIRV to address violence, DVERT to intervene in domestic violence, and initiatives such as the new system that tracks guns used in shootings must be funded & their effectiveness assessed.

Liz Keating

Party: N Campaign Website: http://kearneyforcincinnati.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ KearneyForCincinnati Twitter: twitter.com/kearneyforcincy Occupation: Cincinnati City Councilmember, Attorney, Realtor, Entrepreneur Education: CPS Schools: Rockdale Elem. & Walnut Hills High School; Dartmouth College, A.B., & exchange student at Talladega College; Harvard University, masters in psych.; Harvard Law School, J.D. Experience: 2020 - present: Cincinnati City Council; 2005 - present: President of Sesh Communications (The Cincinnati Herald; Daddy-Daughter Dinner Dance; Nefertiti Awards); Attorney, Realtor, Community volunteer Endorsements: Hamilton County Democratic Party, AFL-CIO, AFSCME, LiUna 265, UFCW 75, Sheet Metal Workers, Moms Demand Action, Fraternal Order of Police, The Sentinels, Cincinnati Women’s Political Caucus, Cincinnati Building Trades Union, Cincinnati Sheet Metal Workers Affliations: Democratic Party Political Philosophy: We must collaborate with diverse stakeholders to move our communities forward and create equity.

Party: N Campaign Website: http://votelizkeating.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ votelizkeating Twitter: twitter.com/votelizkeating Occupation: Marketing Director, The Jim Stengel Company Interim Cincinnati City Councilmember Mom Education: UCLA - Political Science International Relations (BA) Experience: Engagement Strategist, UC Health Marketing Director, The Jim Stengel Company Interim Councilmember, City of Cincinnati Board Member, Honor Flight TriState; Cincinnati Para-Swim Open; Talbert House; Lane 8 Fund; Dan Beard Council; and Friends of the Classic.

Endorsements: Charter Committee Hamilton County Republican Party Cincinnati Fraternal Order of Police Queen City Lodge No. 69 Cincinnati Fire Fighters Union Local 48 Ohio Young Republicans Matriots Affliations: Volunteer Experience: Cincinnati Cancer Center; FBI Cincinnati Citizens Academy Alumni Association; Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Cincinnati; UC Presidential Bicentennial Committee; Women’s Crosstown Shootout; Professional Leadership Network

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: If elected, what will be your top 3 priorities? (250 character limit) A: 1. Housing: affordable housing & increase in homeownership 2. Economic opportunity: thriving business districts, small business growth, training opportunities, including for youth 3. Safety: increasing pedestrian safety, and decreasing gun violence Q: What reforms should the city of Cincinnati make to change its approach to policing, if any? (500 characters) A: 1. Increase diversity: While Cincinnati is almost 50% African American, our Cincinnati Police Department is less than 30% African American, and only about

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: If elected, what will be your top 3 priorities? (250 character limit) A: 1. Ensure that we have safe neighborhoods 2. Create an economic climate for small businesses and workers to thrive 3.

Restore the faith and integrity of our city institutions in the wake of historic corruption Q: What reforms should the city of Cincinnati make to change its approach to policing, if any? (500 characters) A: I think it is critical to work closely with CPD to ensure that we are continuously finding ways to improve how police and the community interact. Strong community relationships are critical. I believe we need an increased focus on community policing -

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CITY COUNCIL Liz Keating continued

the more our police department is connected to the community in which they serve, the more effective and efficient their service to the people can be.

Q: How can we improve relationships between the police and communities of color?

(500 characters) A: This comes back to our police department and community being connected.

Communication shouldn’t only happen when there is a problem, but should happen day in and day out. Additionally, we need to put more resources into our recruitment efforts so our police department better reflects the community it serves. As a member of Council, I would like to focus on being an integral part of assisting in strengthening the relationship between our police and community.

Q: What areas would you prioritize in the public safety budget? (500 characters) A: Our police department is currently 100 officers short, causing an enormous strain on our officers and our budget because of overtime pay. I would focus on recruiting classes to take the strain off of the officers and to build a more diverse police department, including the 30x30 initiative for our police department to become 30% female by 2030. I have also focused my efforts on better mental health and wellness for our officers, which will have a positive impact for the communities we serve.

Andrew Kennedy

Party: N Campaign Website: http://www.voteforkennedy.org Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ AndrewKennedyforCincinnatiCityCouncil/ Twitter: twitter.com/andrewekennedy Occupation: I do marketing for Total Quality Logistics Education: I graduated from NKU in 2005 with a degree in Speech Communication.

I have a concentration on Radio and Television.

Experience: From 2006-2007 I was a general assignment news reporter. From 2007-Present I have been with a company called Total Quality Logistics Endorsements: Freethought Equality Fund PAC Affliations: Proudly Independent Political Philosophy: My centrist political platform approach involves working to bring all Cincinnatians together while extinguishing all political corruption in city hall. I sympathizes with modern political movements akin to centrism that attempt to reconcile divisions of right-wing and leftwing politics by advocating for a synthesis of center-right economic platforms with some center-left social policies.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: If elected, what will be your top 3 priorities? (250 character limit) A: 1. Rooting out corruption and shadow deals. Building trust is a must. 2. The safety of ALL Cincinnatians. 3. Booming our Cincinnati economy! *4. Identifying ways to technologically advance our services to the community.

Q: What reforms should the city of Cincinnati make to change its approach to policing, if any? (500 characters) A: We need to start listening to each other

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again and find win-wins.

Q: How can we improve relationships between the police and communities of color? (500 characters) A: It’s simple yet hard to do. Listen to one another. Never stop listening, working together and trying to improve our situation.

Q: What areas would you prioritize in the public safety budget? (500 characters) A:All areas of our public safety are a priority. Finding balance is the key.

Greg Landsman

Campaign Website: http://www.greglandsman.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ LandsmanGreg/ Twitter: twitter.com/GregLandsman Occupation: I’m currently serving my first term as a Cincinnati City Council Member.

Prior to serving on Council, I led several organizations that advocate for and invest in children’s development, education, and literacy. I was also a classroom teacher.

Education: I earned a bachelor’s degree from Ohio University in 1999 in Economic and Political Science, and a master’s in theological studies from Harvard University in 2004.

Experience: I’m the son of teachers, and a former classroom teacher myself. I’ve worked on Capitol Hill and in the Governor’s Office in Columbus. I’ve led several successful ballot measures, including the Cincinnati Preschool Promise, which guarantees quality preschool for our city’s 3 and 4 year olds. I run my own firm focused on child and education advocacy and I currently serve on Cincinnati City Council.

Endorsements: I have received the endorsements of Hamilton County Democratic Party, IBEW Local 212, AFSCME Local 8, Miami Group Sierra Club, Sheetmetal Workers Local 24, AFL-CIO, Laborers Local 240, UFCW Local 75, Ohio Environmental Council, and as a Moms Demand Action- Gun Sense Candidate.

Affliations: I am a Democrat and a firm believer that government must serve everyone, with a particular focus on those most marginalized.

Political Philosophy: Since being on Council, I’ve focused intently on issues that impact the day-to-day lives of those I serve.

This has taken form in comprehensive reforms (e.g. eviction prevention, election integrity, justice and policing, and equitable, growth-centered development); fighting for funding for our youth (e.g. youth jobs and pedestrian safety); helping to support families (e.g. domestic violence prevention and establishing the Children and Families Cabinet), and making our economy work for everyone.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: If elected, what will be your top 3 priorities? (250 character limit) A: Improve core city services, housing stability, childcare for all.

Q: What reforms should the city of Cincinnati make to change its approach to policing, if any? (500 characters) A: We should expand our focus on community policing. People know their community and their specific needs better than anyone else. I proposed efforts to lift up community-driven safety plans and the reestablishment of the Safe and Clean

Fund. This will give the community a stronger voice and real power, along with funding for things like street lights, better signage, security cameras, blight and litter removal, etc.

Q: How can we improve relationships between the police and communities of color? (500 characters) A: We must fully fund the Citizen Complaint Authority, and I fought successfully this year to give the CCA what they need to do their work. This will help to strengthen community-police relations and trust in policing. We also need to further empower the Manager’s Advisory Group (or the MAG). This and the CCA are at the heart of the Collaborative Agreement and must be prioritized.

Q: What areas would you prioritize in the public safety budget? (500 characters) A: Police and fire, with a real appreciation for the capital needs of our fire department.

We must also invest in improvements to our emergency call center. Beyond public safety, the city must go further in its investments in public services by increasing the number of sanitation crews and strengthening our investments in street paving.

John Maher

Party: N Campaign Website: http://www.maherforcincinnati.com Occupation: Project Manager, Construction Operations Education: School of Creative and Performing Arts Hughes High School University of Cincinnati Experience: A construction project leader Community Development & Engagement Relationship Management Strategic Development Teambuilding lead Organizational Leader Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: If elected, what will be your top 3 priorities? (250 character limit) A: Get the recreation center that was promised to the Villages of Roll Hill, back on track. Create a navigator program to streamline the process of starting a business in Cincinnati, from start to finish.

Tackle our food desert problem.

Q: What reforms should the city of Cincinnati make to change its approach to policing, if any? (500 characters) A: This is going to take an intentional and forward thinking approach of the community coming together to make the needed improvements. First, I would commit to facilitating conversations with the community leaders and police leadership to define our goals, strategies, needed resources, and next steps. This has to be a collective effort to address together.

Q: How can we improve relationships between the police and communities of color? (500 characters) A: We can improve relationships by building meaningful and impactful relationships within communities of color by committing to facilitating conversations with the community leaders, community members, police leadership and neighborhood police officers to define our goals, strategies, needed resources, and next steps. This has to be a collective effort to be address together.

Q: What areas would you prioritize in the public safety budget? (500 characters) A: Better training for Cincinnati Police Department in de-escalation and culturally responsive practices Mental health access for officers and citizens Continued and adequate funding for CCA Increased and intentional social work presence in crisis responses

Peterson W. Mingo

Party: N Occupation: Pastor and Teacher Education: Associate Degree in Social Science, B.A. Degree in theology Experience: Founder Evanston Youth Athletic Program, Founder Evanston Bulldogs, Founder Evanston Anti-Gang, and Drug Program, Founder Peace Bowl Youth Football Classic. Program manager Cincinnati Initiative To Reduce Violence, Mentor, and Counselor for 35 yrs. Pastoring 30 yrs.. Coach Youth Football 37 yrs. Street Outreach Coordinator for CHRC. CincinnatiDayton District Overseer, Full Gospel Church Fellowship Endorsements: Mayor John Cranley, Former Mayor Dwight Tillery, Bishop Steven Scott President Baptist Ministers Conference, SCLC, Affliations: Vice President Southern Christian Leadership Confernce (SCLC) Political Philosophy: Don’t do whats expected. Do whats right.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: If elected, what will be your top 3 priorities? (250 character limit) A: Violence, Affordable housing, jobs, Q: What reforms should the city of Cincinnati make to change its approach to policing, if any? (500 characters) A: At the present they are doing an outstanding job.. I was a member of the original ACLU Collaborative Agreement team. The policing now is a100 percent improvement over the19 years ago.

Q: How can we improve relationships between the police and communities of color? (500 characters) A: Continue in the direction they are heading. More promoting of qualified officers of color, and more sensibility training.

Q: What areas would you prioritize in the public safety budget? (500 characters) A: The hiring of more Police Officers, and more street advocates doing outreach.

Assisting with healthcare, education, medical, and housing.

Phillip O’Neal

Party: N Campaign Website: http://votephilliponeal.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ VotePhillipONeal/ Twitter: twitter.com/VotePhilONeal Occupation: Athletic Director at Cincinnati Public Schools, First Lieutenant in Ohio Army National Guard, Deacon and Board Member at Rockdale Baptist Church, Media & Communications Lead and Board Member of Minority Athletic Director Association (MADA).

Education: Walnut Hills High School, University of Cincinnati, Basic Training (Army), Officer Candidate School (Army)

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CITY COUNCIL Phillip O’Neal continued

Experience: Serve in many aspects; Athletic Director, Veteran, Deacon, Husband and Father. Take that servant leadership down to city hall. More than ever we need a servant leader who will support your ideas, fight for the needs of the community and earn your trust.

Endorsements: Hamilton County Democratic Party, AFSCME, FOP, Sentinels, Women Against Violence.

Affliations: Veterans Caucus, Activities Beyond the Classroom Political Philosophy: We need to get back to the basics. Basics of integrity, honesty, and trust. The city needs more servant leadership, putting you - the people of Cincinnati - first.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: If elected, what will be your top 3 priorities? (250 character limit) A: Affordable housing, opportunities for employment, sustainable growth and enhanced educational opportunities, maintaining a viable health department. Also I believe in a stronger relationship with city planning, neighborhoods and academia.

Q: What reforms should the city of Cincinnati make to change its approach to policing, if any? (500 characters) A: Find ways to create and sustain employment, sustain mental health and drug addiction services (full support of drug court). I am not in favor of defunding the police but support providing resources for better community training.

Q: How can we improve relationships between the police and communities of color? (500 characters) A: Police main job is to protect and serve.

You should feel a sense of comfort when they’re around. Let’s think of creative ways for the community to feel comfortable and build relationships; visit local schools more (DARE program), partner with local businesses in the community, walk the streets more to connect on a personal level with the community.

Q: What areas would you prioritize in the public safety budget? (500 characters) A: Actually, the public safety is becoming more of a public health issue, not only affecting the city, but county. Besides installing better traffic lights, roundabouts, etc., it appears that there is now a need for a countywide commission to address the issue.

Meeka D. Owens

Party: N Campaign Website: http://www.votemeeka.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/votemeeka Twitter: twitter.com/meekaowens1 Occupation: I am the Social Responsibility Officer at the Hamilton County Courthouse.

Education: I recieved my Bachelors Degree from Miami University, and then my Masters Degree at Xavier University. I was educated here in Cincinnati. I went to public schools, like Kilgour & Schroder, and went to Purcell Marion for High School.

Experience: Before getting involved in politics, I ran my own consulting company.

In 2016, I was an organizer for the Ohio Democratic Party and Hillary for America based out of Walnut Hills, and in 2018 I organized in my spare time in OH-01.

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After the election in 2016, I joined the historic administration of Aftab Pureval at the Courthouse, and at the start of the pandemic, I began working as a contract tracer for the county. In 2020, I co-founded the Greater Cincinnati Voter Collaborative.

Endorsements: The Hamilton County Democratic Party; the Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund; Laborers Local 265; Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 392; AFSCME; IAFF Local 48; Matriots; Hamilton County Clerk of Courts Aftab Pureval; Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey; State Representative Brigid Kelly; State Representative Sedrick Denson; State Representative Cathy Ingram; State Senator Cecil Thomas; Former Mayor Mark Mallory Affliations: Hamilton County Democratic Party Political Philosophy: I believe in everyday Americans having a chance to live a prosperous life. I believe in dignity of work, and the right to a living wage. As a single black mother who has applied for housing with CMHA, who has seen her friends struggle for equal opportunity, and who has struggled herself for fairness, I could not not be a Democrat. The party’s commitment to women’s rights, LGBTQ+ equality, living wages, equal access to justice, and access to Democracy are all issues near and dear to my heart.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: If elected, what will be your top 3 priorities? (250 character limit) A: 1) Work to solve the affordable housing crisis collaboratively. 2) Promoting Healthy Neighborhoods by guaranteeing basic needs being met. 3) Economic development that is equitable, including assistance for small businesses.

Q: What reforms should the city of Cincinnati make to change its approach to policing, if any? (500 characters) A: We must reimagine what policing can look like in our communities. We need a 21st century policing model. As President Barack Obama showed us, we need to create a guardian mindset, not a warrior mindset, where officers of the law feel as though they are present in our communities to protect, not to fight. We must ensure that all communities are represented by community advocates, police, and liaisons that look like them, and understand their lived experiences.

Q: How can we improve relationships between the police and communities of color? (500 characters) A: We need to refresh the collaborative agreement to match the needs of the 2020’s. We need to prioritize officers not only living in the communities they are protecting, but also being from our neighborhoods. Our police force demographically represent our 52 neighborhoods, but they should understand the experiences of everyday people in our city.

Q: What areas would you prioritize in the public safety budget? (500 characters) A: Addressing crime is proactive, so to truly address crime, we must create healthy neighborhoods, and that is a public safety effort. In the public safety budget,I would prioritize ensuring trained mental health professionals respond to Mental Health crises - not armed officers.We should be investing in our youth, and youth diversion programs, and working with CPS to improve graduation and retention. We cannot allow boredom to plague our neighborhoods, and must invest in our city to see it thrive.

Victoria Parks

Party: N Campaign Website: http://voteparks.com Facebook: http://facebook.com/Victoria4Cincy Twitter: twitter.com/victoria4cincy Occupation: Fmr. County Commissioner, Chief of Staff to Todd Portune, Development Director at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and Women’s Crisis Center, Community Outreach Director for Congressman Steve Driehaus.

Education: Air Force Veteran, Associate Degree in Computer Programming, Aiken High School Alumni Experience: As County Commissioner, I authored the resolution declaring racism a public health crisis, distributed CARES Act funding, got the homeless off the streets, and created the Office of Family Voices.

As Chief of Staff to County Commissioner Todd Portune, I worked with him to reform the foster care system and invest in infrastructure across our region.

Endorsements: Hamilton County Democratic Party AFL-CIO Laborers Local 265 Cincinnati Women’s Political Caucus UFCW Local 75 Greater Cincinnati Building Trades Ohio Environmental Council Moms Demand Action - Gun Sense Candidate IBEW Local 212 Sheet Metal Workers Matriots PAC State Sen. Cecil Thomas State Reps: Ingram, Kelly, Denson, Miranda County Treasurer Jill Schiller County Commissioner Denise Driehaus Numerous other local elected officials Affliations: I am an endorsed Democrat and have been a Democrat all my life.

Political Philosophy: I learned from my friend and mentor, Todd Portune, that the role of local government is to better our society by making people’s day-to-day lives easier. Transportation to work and leisure, finding a new job or a better job, and finding safe and affordable housing should be made more accessible and less of a personal burden through the role of government. This is how I viewed my role at the county, and this is how I will continue to view my role at the city.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: If elected, what will be your top 3 priorities? (250 character limit) A: 1) Create Safe, Equitable Communities through police reform and reducing gun violence. 2) Build Back our Neighborhoods by investing in people. 3) Restore Faith in City Hall through ethics reform, working with the County, and serving with integrity.

Q: What reforms should the city of Cincinnati make to change its approach to policing, if any? (500 characters) A: Just as I implemented as County Commissioner, the City ought to enact the Active Bystander in Law Enforcement program which requires and trains Police officers to be responsible for stopping violence and malfeasance that they witness in their department by actively intervening.

This is a first step towards a more ethical and community-focused police force.

Q: How can we improve relationships between the police and communities of color? (500 characters) A: I have personally experienced racial prejudice from Police officers, and every time I wonder ‘what if they viewed me as their mother or neighbor?’ These experiences make me believe in the power of community policing. If police officers know the members of the community they are serving, if they are given active bystander training to break the blue wall of silence, and if we train them to be guardians of democracy rather than warriors, then real change can come to our city and our police force.

Q: What areas would you prioritize in the public safety budget? (500 characters) A: I think we must view public safety as more than just our Police, Fire, and EMS first responders. Yes, it is important to keep those services funded at a level that will keep our city safe, but we must also view public safety through a broader lens. We must create affordable housing opportunities so that people have housing security. We need to invest in pedestrian safety and walkable communities. We need to fight addiction and youth violence at a personal level, not just through incarceration.

Te’Airea R. Powell

Party: N Campaign Website: http://www.PowellForCincy.com Facebook: http://facebook.com/ TeaireaPowellForCityCouncil Twitter: twitter.com/TeaireaPowell Occupation: Senior Consultant for Omnicare, Partnering owner of T&D’s Party Room Education: Graduate of Walnut Hills High School c/o 2006 Experience: Trustee, East Westwood Improvement Association Affliations: East Westwood Improvement Association

WHY SHOULD YOU VOTE? Your Vote Can Be Powerful!

Lyndon Johnson once said that the vote is, “…the most powerful instrument known to man.” But to be powerful, it has to be used by the people… Elected officials may or may not listen to our concerns but they value our vote. Voting gives you the credibility to make your concerns a top priority for legislators.

But if voting does not matter to you, then you certainly won’t matter to politicians.

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CITY COUNCIL Te’Airea R. Powell continued

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: If elected, what will be your top 3 priorities? (250 character limit) A: 1) Develop and pass a tenants bill of rights 2) Locate funding to bring back youth work programs like CCY 3) Address and develop a plan to combat the uptick in gun violence by meeting with community leaders and police Q: What reforms should the city of Cincinnati make to change its approach to policing, if any? (500 characters) A: The city of Cincinnati needs to be proactive in diversifying its police department. Early this week CPD committed to having 30% women on the workforce by 2030 which is a great start.

We also need to see a plan to hire more people of color to the force. In addition I believe that an increase of social workers within the police department could have a positive impact.

Q: How can we improve relationships between the police and communities of color? (500 characters) A: We can improve the relationships between the police and communities of color by encouraging foot and bike patrols as these are personable and allows those in the community to positively interact with officers (ie. salutations). We see this type of personable patrolling in neighborhoods like OTR, Hyde Park etc. Keeping officers in a specific neighborhood for a period of time helps as well as it builds the trust factor. It’s hard to do that when officers are moved about so frequently.

Q: What areas would you prioritize in the public safety budget? (500 characters) A: Pedestrian safety would be one of my top priorities in the public safety budget as our city has a serious need for street calming which includes but is not limited to speed bumps, bump outs and crosswalks.

There are many streets in Cincinnati that have heavy foot traffic but no sidewalks (ie.

Gilsey in Price Hill) so I would try to use this budget for the creation of sidewalks in certain areas as well.

Logan Simmering

Party: N Campaign Website: http://simmeringforcincinnati.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lpcs43c Twitter: twitter.com/lpcs43c Occupation: Journeyman Rodman Education: BA. History and Political Science Warren Wilson College Experience: Local activism Endorsements: Hamilton County, Ohio, and United States Green Parties Ironworkers Local 44 IBEW Local 212 Cincinnati Building Trades Council Civil Diplomacy Center of North and East Syria Affliations: Democratic Socialists of America Ironworkers Local 44 Political Philosophy: Libertarian Socialist/ Democratic Confederalist Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: If elected, what will be your top 3 priorities? (250 character limit) A: Empowering Community Councils and establishing a system of participatory budgeting. Tackling the housing affordability crisis by both encouraging the building

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of additional units, and dealing with the problem of profit motivated ownership Q: What reforms should the city of Cincinnati make to change its approach to policing, if any? (500 characters) A: Control over policing policy and procedures should be vested into democratic citizens committees representing groups of neighborhoods.

The ability to craft the city budget, including for police, should be also be delegated to citizens The majority of calls should be met with appropriate social service resources, rather than armed enforcers Q: How can we improve relationships between the police and communities of color? (500 characters) A: By giving communities control of police at a policy and budgetary level, and making sure police focus on solving crimes more than harassing people.

Q: What areas would you prioritize in the public safety budget? (500 characters) A: Personally, Mental health and conflict deescalation services, community conflict arbitration systems, housing and employment services, and detective work to respond to violent crimes and increase case clearance, but ideally I’d like to devolve these sorts of decisions to the citizenry itself, or at least lean heavily on their input when crafting budgets

Stacey Smith

Party: N Campaign Website: http://staceysmithccc.wordpress.com Facebook: http://facebook.com/staceysmithccc Twitter: twitter.com/staceysmithccc Occupation: Full-time: Clinical Services Provider at a local non-profit. Part-time: Licensed Professional Counselor at a local private practice.

Education: Winton Woods High School, 2010 Bachelors of Arts in Psychology, Cincinnati Christian University, 2014 Masters of Arts in Counseling, Cincinnati Christian University, 2017 Experience: I have provided award-winning work in my full-time therapist position while working for a local non-profit. In previous jobs and in my education I have always strived for and held leadership positions, and through these experiences I have learned to effectively manage teams of people and budgets with efficiency, humility, care, stewardship, grace, and wisdom.

Endorsements: None as of 8/31/2021.

Political Philosophy: Public servants, no matter what party, are servants first. We must lead our constituents with the utmost respect and put their needs and concerns first. My sole focus will be to make our city a more functional, inclusive, and a healthier, happier, and safer place for people to live, work, and play. I want Cincinnati to be a shining example for other cities that demonstrates how to holistically care for its people.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: If elected, what will be your top 3 priorities? (250 character limit) A: #1 Establishing Mobile Crisis and Assistance Teams (MCATS) to respond to mental health emergencies. #2 Fund & build two fully wheelchair-accessible playgrounds in areas where they are needed. #3 Allocate funding to social &

basic services.

Q: What reforms should the city of Cincinnati make to change its approach to policing, if any? (500 characters) A: Utilize implicit bias training & IDENTIFICATION within our police department. Work cooperatively to ensure citizen complaints are handled quickly, fairly, and appropriately. Improve function between communities and their neighborhood liaison officers. Prioritize hiring officers who live within city limits.

Q: How can we improve relationships between the police and communities of color? (500 characters) A: I have a unique plan to help facilitate city-sponsored events during which community members and police officers can come together to have meaningful and restorative conversations. The divide that has been created needs to heal and this will not happen if there are not constructive conversations and the us-vs-them mentality on both sides is stripped away. Also, stop citing a hugely disproportionate number of POC for marijuana use.

Q: What areas would you prioritize in the public safety budget? (500 characters) A: After a brief pilot period (using grant money), allocate funding from the safety budget to staff additional social workers within Cincinnati Police Department and fund Mobile Crisis & Assistance Teams that will work both cooperatively with, but also independently from, the Cincinnati Police Department. Our police department responds to roughly 7,000-8,000 calls per year involving a “mentally impaired” individual. Prioritizing this will reduce the need for officers to respond to such emergencies.

Betsy Sundermann

Party: N Campaign Website: http://betsysundermann.com Facebook: http://www.facebook. com/Betsy-Sundermann-forCincinnati-109193797566319 Twitter: twitter.com/voteSundermann Occupation: Cincinnati City Councilmember, lawyer Education: BA: DePauw University, JD: University of Cincinnati College of Law Experience: I have served as a social worker for the Hamilton County Public Defenders Officer, an Assistant Hamilton County Prosecutor, and a Hamilton County Probate Court magistrate. I now have a private law practice and focus on mental health law.

Endorsements: Hamilton County Republican Party, Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 69, Cincinnati Fire Fighters Union Local 48 Affliations: Leadership Cincinnati, Class 44; Cincinnati Academy of Leadership for Lawyers, Class 13; former board member of Price Hill Will.

Political Philosophy: Elected officials must always do what is best for citizens, not what is best for themselves.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: If elected, what will be your top 3 priorities? (250 character limit) A: I plan on prioritizing the same issues I’ve been working on since I joined Council: supporting police and fire to reduce crime and violence, providing basic services for

citizens, and making our city a competitive place for jobs and economic growth.

Q: What reforms should the city of Cincinnati make to change its approach to policing, if any? (500 characters) A: Cincinnati has been a model of collaborative policing over the past 20 years. We should continue that legacy, which can be best accomplished by making sure that we have a fully-staffed and fullysupported police department so they can do the job they need to do: keep our kids and our streets safe.

Q: How can we improve relationships between the police and communities of color? (500 characters) A: Community engagement is critical in establishing a personal connection between the police department and the people they serve. The Cincinnati Police Department has done an excellent job of making themselves visible in our community and should continue to do so to build and maintain trust and relationships with citizens.

Q: What areas would you prioritize in the public safety budget? (500 characters) A: We must fully fund police and fire recruit classes. An under-staffed force does not serve the people of Cincinnati and leads to increased response times, more violence, and less safety.

Jim Tarbell

Party: N Campaign Website: http://votetarbell.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/VoteTarbell Twitter: twitter.com/TarbellTweets Occupation: Entrepreneur Education: I attended St. Xavier and Withrow High School, University of Cincinnati and Lowell Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts Experience: Cincinnati City Council 1998 to 2007 Endorsements: Cincinnati Charter Committee Affliations: Cincinnati Preservation Association Advisory Board. Mt. Auburn Community Council.

Political Philosophy: I am a charter candidate and I endorse its platform, including the need to elect strong civic leaders as policy makers that then turn that policy over to professional administrators for implementation.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: If elected, what will be your top 3 priorities? (250 character limit) A: Assuming those elected act with integrity, my top three priorities are public safety, a balanced budget, and basic services.

Getting our budget in order will allow us to address other issues such as affordable housing.

Q: What reforms should the city of Cincinnati make to change its approach to policing, if any? (500 characters) A: Some changes are needed and the best place to start would be reinstatement of the Safety Director. History has shown that the presence of the Safety Director has resulted in better communication between city administration and the political arm of the city. In fact, it has been better for everyone.

This is a big picture approach. I would also build the relationship between social service agencies and the police department.

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CITY COUNCIL Jim Tarbell continued

Q: How can we improve relationships between the police and communities of color? (500 characters) A: One thing we can do to improve relationships is to give incentives for police personnel to live in the city so they get to know the people they are policing. In addition, we need ongoing communication between police and neighborhood community councils to determine issues and the best way to address them.

Historically, the city had a human relations commission. We should study the evolution of that to see if that provides answers.

Q: What areas would you prioritize in the public safety budget? (500 characters) A: 1) Funding the Citizens Complaint Authority 2) Hire trained mental health and addiction professionals to work with the police 3) Reinstate the Safety Director to allow for a more effective relationship between the City and police administration.

John J. Williams

Party: N Campaign Website: http://johnjwilliamsforcincinnati.com Facebook: http://JohnJWilliamsfor CincinnatiCityCouncil Twitter: twitter.com/JohnJWiliams Occupation: Associate General Council First Group America Education: JD SUNY Buffalo Law School BA SUNY Purchase College Experience: Former President of the Cincinnati Bar Assoc. and the Black Lawyers Assoc. of Cincinnati/Past president of ProKids and Pro Seniors /former board member Camp Joy and Beech Acres/ current board member Spring Grove Cemetery Endorsements: Charter Committee Political Philosophy: Moderate Democrat

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: If elected, what will be your top 3 priorities? (250 character limit) A: Housing (affordability, ownership, tax incentives) Listening to and working for all neighborhoods Race issues including but not limited to animosity between CPD & minority communities and integrating the high % of segregated neighborhoods.

Q: What reforms should the city of Cincinnati make to change its approach to policing, if any? (500 characters) A: Most of the reforms are already imbedded within the Collaborative Agreement. The CPD and the administration need to be held to a sustained, high standard of accountability regarding adhering to the reforms agreed upon throughout the CA .The essence of problem solving is an intentional commitment to include the community to help identify and resolve issues facing that particular community with the goal of eliminating certain crimes that plague the community.

Q: How can we improve relationships between the police and communities of color? (500 characters) A: We have to get to a place where the police and the community know each other as people first and not as them vs us. I believe walking patrols in neighborhoods that include community leaders and cops would improve relationships. I think that we should explore creative avenues that allow for non-confrontational interactions between community and police because trust and respect will grow out of those interactions.

Regular town hall meetings would also help develop relations and understanding.

Q: What areas would you prioritize in the public safety budget? (500 characters) A: Generally I would prioritize items/ programs that decrease the threat of violent crime. Increased opportunities for the community to engage with police and fire in order to create partnerships that address issues of distrust and lack of respect.

Enhance recruitment to the degree that overtime is dealt with in a more fiscally sound manner. Facility upkeep and/or replacement of equipment and more mental health training are also important.

WHAT ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE FOR VOTERS WITH DISABILITIES? State and federal law require election officials to provide the following types of assistance: • Curb-side voting – Voters who have mobility difficulties can request curb-side voting. A pair of poll workers will bring a paper ballot out to your car, so you can vote without having to go inside the polling location.

• Assistance inside the polls – Who can help: - Voters are entitled to assistance from a person of their choice.

• But assistance is NOT permitted from the voter’s employer, the employer’s agent, the voter’s union representative, or a candidate who is on your ballot – because the law prohibits these individuals influencing your vote.

- Voters can also receive assistance from two poll workers (one from each party).

• Accessible voting machines - Every polling location is required to have a special accessible voting machine with options for audio ballots, Braille touch pads, large print/zoom features, and height and tilt adjustments on the screens. When you arrive at your polling location, please let the poll workers know you prefer to use the ADA accessible voting machine.

• Absentee voting – All voters in Ohio are eligible to vote by mail-in absentee ballot. You will need to submit an absentee ballot request form to your county Board of Elections before the deadline, and they will mail you an absentee ballot so you can vote from home.

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SCHOOL BOARD CINCINNATI CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT - BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBER (CHOOSE 3 CANDIDATES)

Description: 4 year term.

Salary: $125 per meeting.

RESPONSIBILITIES: 7 seats, staggered.

Elected on a non-partisan ballot by voters within the Cincinnati School District. The board is a policy making body, but exercises only those powers delegated to it by state law. It chooses its own officers.

3 to be Elected. 4 Year Term.

Pamela Bowers

Party: N Campaign Website: http:// bowersfortheboard.com Facebook: http://@Bowers for School Board Occupation: Administrator, Mental Health Counselor and Substance Abuse Counselor Education: Fisk University, Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology; Tennessee State University, Master of Science Degree Experience: I am a graduate of Mt. Healthy High School. I resided in Nashville, TN for six years where I obtained both my Bachelor and Master Degrees. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor in the State of Ohio. Previously, I taught at the collegiate level for 8 years. I am employed by Central Clinic Behavioral Health where I have supported children and families for nearly 20 years. I currently serve as the Director of School-Based Mental Health Services.

Endorsements: Cincinnati Women’s Political Caucus, AFSCME-Ohio, Cincinnati AFL-CIO Labor Council, Laborer’s Union-Local 265, Cincinnati Federation of Teachers/Cincinnati Federation of Office Professionals -Local 1520, and The Matriots Affliations: Sigma Omega Chapter, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Political Philosophy: I believe in making good decisions for children and advocating for those who may feel they are not heard.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: What are the greatest challenges facing Cincinnati Public Schools? (500 character limit) A: One of the greatest challenges for Cincinnati Public Schools is maintaining in-person learning. As our data indicates, our students have had much learning loss that can only be remedied via inperson learning. Another challenge for our district right is the nationwide launch of a permanent Superintendent. Maintaining as much stability on the Board right now is crucial to this process. Additionally, restoring our Xtra Bus Service to our high school student ensures safer transportation.

Q: What will you do to enhance engagement between the school district and families? (500 character limit) A: One of the 5 measures in the District’s Strategic Plan is improving Community Engagement. The Pandemic has challenged our system like nothing we have experienced before, displaying our cracks and increasing our holes around communication and engagement. I am committed to being more transparent, responsive and inclusive of our families

and community. To begin with, the Board will offer opportunities for families and the community to provide feedback during the nationwide Superintendent search.

Q: How will you ensure transportation needs are met for all students? (500 character limit) A: Collaboration with our transportation systems are key to ensuring the transportation needs are met for all students. The Board decided years ago to purchase Metro Bus Cards for all high school students to prevent barriers to attendance. Nevertheless, my position is to restore Metro Xtra Services. In the absence of that, I am requesting that the City of Cincinnati increase School Zone flashers, add new reduced speed limit signage, as well as improve lighting around the high schools for safety.

Q: What is the role of the School Resource Officers (SRO) in the schools? And how does the district’s Anti-Racism policy influence that role? (500 character limit) A: The role of an SRO is to provide a safe learning environment for students and educators, provide resources to educators regarding school safety, crisis planning and to address criminal activity within the schools. Implementation of the AntiRacism Policy, which “focuses on ensuring consistency in student discipline with the goal of reducing racial discipline and reducing the severity of corrective action by race” will decrease direct SRO interactions with all our students in general.

Brandon Craig

Party: N Campaign Website: http://www.craig4board.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/craig4office Twitter: twitter.com/Craig4O Occupation: Assistant Director in the Office of Equal Opportunity & Access at the University of Cincinnati Education: Graduate of Walnut Hills High School c/o 2000 Bachelor of Arts, Economics c/o 2006 University of Cincinnati Juris Doctor c/o 2009 University of Cincinnati College of Law Experience: 9 years of Civil Rights Experience both at the UC and, previously at Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Greater Cincinnati. President of the UC Law Alumni Association. One of the founding student teachers with the Law & Leadership Institute. Participated in the Street Law Program during law school. I am an alum of the Cincinnati Museum Center youth program.

Endorsements: Hamilton County Democratic Party, Laborers Local 265, Ironworkers Local 44, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown, Friends of Sentinels, AFL-CIO, and the Cincinnati Federation of Teachers Affliations: President of the UC Law Alumni Association, Cincinnati Museum Center Youth Program Alum, and past participation with the Red Cross Young Professionals.

Political Philosophy: I am a solutions focused strong Democrat. I believe we can accomplish so much more of our Progressive goals through compromise and cooperation, but only if we are all honest and sincere in our desire to make a difference.

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SCHOOL BOARD Brandon Craig continued

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: What are the greatest challenges facing Cincinnati Public Schools? (500 character limit) A: Lack of funds is the greatest challenge facing the district. Whether it is the fact that more than 80% of students come from economically disadvantaged homes, lack of funding for the district, or the disparity in the allocation of the limited funding among, our students, teachers and staff are left to do more with less. As a board, we are charged with both managing the resources present and exploring ways to increase the support for our district. If we are successful, are students succeed.

Q: What will you do to enhance engagement between the school district and families? (500 character limit) A: As a board member, we must work with the Superintendent to improve access for parents, students, and employees. We must bridge the need for knowledge by improving the website to make it more user friendly.

Additionally, we can provide families with more information about programming at schools and make the application processes clearer. Finally, we can provide follow up responses to questions raised during board meeting. It is when we work with our families that the district gets stronger.

Q: How will you ensure transportation needs are met for all students? (500 character limit) A: Transportation is a vital need for most CPS students. While the current situation is not ideal, we must take every step possible to ensure our students have a safe path to school. That may require us to re-examine our relationship with the Metro bus system.

Additionally, we have relocate resources in our schools so students aren’t forced to make 2 & 3 hour daily trips to get a good education. Transportation is not just about safety. It is about access to a quality education.

Q: What is the role of the School Resource Officers (SRO) in the schools? And how does the district’s Anti-Racism policy influence that role? (500 character limit) A: SROs has been in schools since the 1950s. The principle role for SROs remains the same, to coordinate the safety of our schools and build a positive relationship with our students. However, in some schools around the country the SRO has been used for purposes that don’t align with those goals. In CPS, we must adhere to the proper role and allow our SROs to remain out of the discipline process. More can be done to build that relationship, but there is a role for SROs in the district.

Political Philosophy: I am committed to take the politics out of public education and focus solely on what is best for our children.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: What are the greatest challenges facing Cincinnati Public Schools? (500 character limit) A: 1. Advocating for better policies based on stakeholder feedback and current data.

2. Increasing diversity hiring across the board and increase diversity training. We must supply our students with role models which reflect our community and country. 3.

Increase equitable funding for all schools ensuring that all students have textbooks to take home. Textbooks provide content, practice, and serve as a communication tool with parents Q: What will you do to enhance engagement between the school district and families? (500 character limit) A: I feel we must rebuild the trust with our CPS families. We must not be afraid to speak openly about difficult issues such as the Western Hills HS hazing incident or our must recent Metro transportation issue. I will welcome parental input and encourage them to come forward and talk with me about difficulties they are experiencing.

All stakeholders need to feel comfortable stepping forward and sharing their concerns Q: How will you ensure transportation needs are met for all students? (500 character limit) A: We need to go back to the drawing board with METRO and begin talks to solve our current shortage. We must be open to understanding the problems METRO is facing and help them or take it upon ourselves to look for alternative transportation means like many other districts throughout the country: Lyft, Uber, private providers Q: What is the role of the School Resource Officers (SRO) in the schools? And how does the district’s Anti-Racism policy influence that role? (500 character limit) A: The School Resource Officer is to work hand in hand with the building principal to meet the needs of that building. They are to support the teachers and administration and build bridges with staff and students.

The Anti-Racism policy will be at the heart of everyone who functions within CPS buildings. The SRO and all others will work collectively to yearly assess any systemic racism discovered and will work hard to develop more inclusive means of communication and functioning

Kareem Moffett

Gary Favors

Party: N Occupation: Special Education Teacher with Cincinnati Public School Education: * Northern Kentucky University Masters of Arts in Teaching *Xavier University Masters of Education in Administration Experience: 24 years of teaching throughout CPS Affliations: Educator Writers Associations Mercy Hospital Black Physicians Northern Kentucky University - Courageous Conversations.

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Party: N Campaign Website: http://www. drkareem4education.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ drk4edu Twitter: twitter.com/DrKareem4edu Occupation: I teach Math (Quantitative Reasoning) at Cincinnati State. I’ve taught remedial Math at Cincinnati State as well.

I’m also an educational consultant providing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion training for schools, businesses and community orgs.

Education: From the University of Cincinnati: ~AAS in Chemical Engineering Tech ~BS in Natural Sciences (focus in Chemistry) ~MA in Remedial Education in Higher Education ~PhD in Education w/ dissertation of Educating Urban African

American students Experience: Parent of three CPS Withrow High School graduates. Former Withrow PTO Co-President and elected LSDMC Chair of Withrow High School serving multiple terms. Lead LSDMC through two Principal searches. Appointed to the CPS Strategic Planning Committee (StEP) working w/ Community partners. Former Chair of NAACP Edu Comm. Former teacher w/ GEARUP co-teaching Math/ Science in three CPS Schools. Former UC Academic Advisor. Researcher using oral history & action research methodologies.

Current Math teacher Endorsements: ~Hamilton County Democratic Party ~Mom’s Against Gun Violence ~AFSCME ~Canary Candidate of US Senator Sherrod Brown Affliations: ~Cincinnati NAACP Education committee member ~Cincinnati Urban League ~Youth Lead Alliance: Hear Us Now (nonprofit founder) ~School Board School Alumni ~CPS Strategic Planning Committee member Political Philosophy: I believe in fighting for the civil liberties of all peoples, especially minorities and women. I support an economy for working class citizens.

I stand up for equity in wages and basic civil rights which includes an equitable education. I’ve directly benefited from union representation in my career that stood with me, protecting my equitable pay rights as a minority woman. I believe that EVERY voice matters and should be heard.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: What are the greatest challenges facing Cincinnati Public Schools? (500 character limit) A: Equitable education, Increase stakeholder awareness and engagement, Rebuilding with Innovation and Fiscal transparency. There isn’t one solution for all our students and schools; Online board meetings have increased attendance & we need to continue with intentionality to engage our community to hear every stakeholder- student, parent, teacher, staff and community member; We must support creative and innovative programming for the educational growth and social-emotional learning of our students.

Q: What will you do to enhance engagement between the school district and families? (500 character limit) A: Listening is a critical component to engagement. My goal is to listen to and validate the concerns of our shareholders, including students, parents, teachers, staff, admin and community members.

We must listen to and center the voices of the marginalized in our decisionmaking process and policy writing. I’ll be intentionally listening to the community and not depending on them to come to the board. I would like to establish a routine of attending community council, PTO, LSDMC mtgs to engage.

Q: How will you ensure transportation needs are met for all students? (500 character limit)

A: Having safe, reliable and adequate transportation to/from school for our students is non-negotiable. A survey to each student and parent (separately) assessing their transportation experiences, needs and desires should be included in our decisions.

Ideally, the community needs, awareness and expectations should be assessed as well. I will work with the Superintendent & Bd to support safe, reliable transportation that fulfills the expressed needs of our district and keeps students at the center.

Q: What is the role of the School Resource Officers (SRO) in the schools? And how does the district’s Anti-Racism policy influence that role? (500 character limit) A: The role by definition is to be a law enforcer, mentor/counselor, and educator.

They are to ensure the safety, security and welfare of all in the school. The AntiRacism policy states, that school staff will collect, report and review data on all disciplinary actions regularly with the goal of reducing discipline disparities and reducing severity of corrective actions by race.

Disproportionate discipline of Af. Am youth

by SRO’s should be identified & resolved in accordance with this policy.

Mike Moroski

Party: N Campaign Website: http://www.mikemoroski.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mikemoroski/ Twitter: twitter.com/mike_moroski Occupation: https://www.facebook.com/ mikemoroski/ Education: Policy and Partnership Manager, Cradle Cincinnati Experience: Classroom Teacher, 10 years Assistant Principal, 2 years (terminated for my support of marriage equality) Executive Director of UpSpring (working to ensure children experiencing homelessness had what they need to succeed in school) Policy and Partnership Manager (working on social determinant policy that benefits Black pregnant women and reduces disparities in infant death) Endorsements: Hamilton County Democratic Party AFL-CIO AFSCME LiUNA Building Trades Students for Gun Legislation Moms Demand Gun Sense Candidate Affliations: Member, Council of the Great City Schools Member, Ohio School Boards Association Member, NAACP Political Philosophy: Politics works best when it is a two-way street. I believe in transparent government that works on behalf of people. My bosses are in the community, not in a bureaucracy. My job is to help manage change, not the public.

For information on the organization of Hamilton County government and who provides what services see KNOW HAMILTON COUNTY, an online publication of the League of Women Voters. https://my.lwv.org/ohio/cincinnati-area/ studies/our-work-know-hamilton-county

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SCHOOL BOARD Mike Moroski continued Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: What are the greatest challenges facing Cincinnati Public Schools? (500 character limit) A: Our greatest challenge right now is rebuilding trust in the community. Last year was very Trumatic for everyone, and this year has gotten off to a traumatic start with with the busing fiasco with Metro. We need to reassure the community that we are here for them and their children, and we need to do so while keeping our eye on the pandemic and providing a safe and healthy environment in which children can learn.

Q: What will you do to enhance engagement between the school district and families? (500 character limit) A: I will continue to champion an open door policy at the district as I have for the past four years. I will also continue to champion having the community, teachers, and staff at the table at the beginning of every decisionmaking process, and not just at the end when we send out a survey.

Q: How will you ensure transportation needs are met for all students? (500 character limit) A: I will continue to fight to get our Xtra routes back. We need to ensure that our children are getting to school safely and on time so that they can learn. If, for some reason, the routes cannot come back, then we need to find that out sooner than later so we can begin working on a solution.

Q: What is the role of the School Resource Officers (SRO) in the schools? And how does the district’s Anti-Racism policy influence that role? (500 character limit) A: The school resource officers are intended to provide a safe environment for children. I have seen concerning data from the ACLU that seems to indicate our Black students are disproportionately targeted by them. I have asked repeatedly for evidence to the contrary, and have not seen it. I will continue to push the district to reevaluate this program. Being that I assigned and shouldered the anti-racism policy through the process as policy chair for the district, I feel SROs may be at odds with it

Mary Wineberg

Party: N Campaign Website: http://www.votewineberg.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ MaryWinebergCPS Twitter: twitter.com/wineberg400 Occupation: Teacher in the Cincinnati Public School District Education: I graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a Bachelor of Science in Education, and a Masters of Arts from Mount Saint Joseph University. I also have my Reading Endorsement Certificate.

Experience: I am an experienced speaker and educator who has worked with diverse groups and students all around the world as it relates to gaining knowledge and excelling academically. I am an Olympic Gold Medalist, who has inspired individuals to seek out their potential and strive to become good citizens through my expertise and providing education. As a passionate community member/public figure for our youth, I strive to show my love for being a product of public schools.

Endorsements: Democratic Party,

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Cincinnati Federation of Teachers/ CFOP, AFL-CIO, AFSCME, Cincinnati Women’s Political Caucus, Sherrod Brown- Canary Candidate, Plumbers, Pipefitters & Mechanical Equipment, IUOE Local 20, Friends of the Sentinels, Sheet Metal Workers Local #24, LiUNA Affliations: Democratic Party Political Philosophy: That every American should be given the right to vote, fairness, equality, job wages , education and the ability to pursue dreams.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q: What are the greatest challenges facing Cincinnati Public Schools? (500 character limit) A: The greatest challenges facing CPS is transportation, communication, and the effects COVID-19 has had on students’ academics. As we know, CPS and SORTA have not been able to reach an agreement regarding transportation -causing for safety/ reliability concerns among families/students.

We must make sure that all learning is rigorous and provide our students with the clear means to excel as they are striving for a world class education. Families seek to regain any trust lost due to the pandemic.

Q: What will you do to enhance engagement between the school district and families? (500 character limit) A: I will continue to push for virtual options for the board meetings to ensure parental involvement and equitable opportunities. I want to further communicate that all adults help in making family engagement possible and a success.I want all to understand that it takes a community, family and school to ensure that productive engagement is occurring. I also want to be transparent on what’s going on with CPS schools district policies, decisions and making sure that communication is key.

Q: How will you ensure transportation needs are met for all students? (500 character limit) A: I, along with my colleagues will need to take accountability for being responsible for our children’s right to an education and providing a safe means of transportation to and from school. I would look to ensure that the board and necessary parties come up with a solidified plan to renegotiate talks with SORTA to achieve a beneficial middle ground. I would look to expand our needs and our student’s needs to other entities who can fulfill this obligation and look at data/start times and revisit.

Q: What is the role of the School Resource Officers (SRO) in the schools? And how does the district’s Anti-Racism policy influence that role? (500 character limit) A: The number one role is to have a collaborative effort alongside administration of the schools ensuring safety. Duties include enforcing traffic laws during school hours, attending after school activities to ensure safety and aiding in building a rapport with students and staff. SRO’s serve as counselors, officers and educators to the students they work with and ensure safety for each day. 2256, allows for equal protection, desegregation and civil rights of its citizens and with the SRO.

HAMILTON COUNTY BALLOT ISSUES 1 PROPOSED TAX LEVY (RENEWAL AND INCREASE) HAMILTON COUNTY

A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

A renewal of two and seventy-seven hundredths (2.77) mills and an increase of one and seventy-four hundredths (1.74) mills to constitute a tax for the benefit of Hamilton County, for the purpose of supplementing the general fund to provide support for children services and the care and placement of children at a rate not exceeding four and fifty-one hundredths (4.51) mills for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to forty-five and one tenths cents ($0.451) for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for five (5) years, commencing in 2021, first due in calendar year 2022.

FOR THE TAX LEVY | AGAINST THE TAX LEVY

LEAGUE EXPLANATION: This proposed five-year levy for 4.51 mills to support Children’s Services in Hamilton County combines two previously passed levies, both of which expire at the end of 2021.

In 2016 voters renewed for five years the original Children’s Services Levy at a flat millage rate that had not increased since 1996. A new additional three-year Supplemental Levy was approved at 1.98 mills by voters in 2018. These are the two levies which are being combined in this proposed tax levy. If approved, the owner of a $100,000 home would pay around $109 a year, about the same as is currently being paid. The levy would generate about $78 million to support Children’s Services. The Board of County Commissioners placed this levy on the ballot after a review by the Tax Levy Review Committee.

WHAT THE LEVY WILL DO: This proposed levy will provide approximately $80 million annually for Federal and State mandated services to children through Hamilton County Children’s Services, a division of Hamilton County Job and Family Services. Children’s Services is the local organization legally responsible for taking reports of child abuse, neglect and dependency. A key service is operation of 241- KIDS, Hamilton County’s 24-hour telephone line for reporting suspected abuse. Following investigation of these reports, the agency involves families in making decisions affecting their children with support of community partners and provides services to help support families including emergency housing and parenting training and referrals to other community partners for services such as mental health counseling or substance abuse treatment.

Children who cannot be safe in their homes are placed in temporary care with relatives, foster parents or institutional settings. The agency may seek protective, temporary or permanent custody of children through Juvenile Court and promotes recruitment of foster and adoptive families. Children are prepared for adoption and arrangements are made for post-adoption services to

For additional information on Clermont County candidates, issues and elections please contact League of Women Voters of Clermont County at www.lwvclermont.com or P.O. Box 733, Milford, OH 45150 or email: LWVCLERMONT@GMAIL.COM For information on Butler County candidates, issues and elections please contact League of Women Voters of Oxford at www.oxford.oh.lwvnet.org or P.O. Box 504, Oxford, OH 45056.

families. Training in independent living skills is provided for older teens.

In addition, the levy will also finance the County’s state-mandated funding for the Bureau of Children with Medical Handicaps, a tax-supported healthcare program in the Ohio Department of Health. It serves children with special health care needs and their families. Eligibility for the program is based on percentage of Federal poverty guidelines. By law (ORC 3701.024), the state can draw 0.1 mills of a county’s real estate taxes to pay for treatment services provided to children residing in Hamilton County.

BACKGROUND: In 2020, one child of every ten children in Hamilton County was helped by Children’s Services. The 241-KIDS call line received 47,955 calls, which is one call every nine minutes.

Ohio law requires the county to provide services to children and families who are affected by abuse, neglect, or dependency.

The Children’s Services Levy was first established in 1986 by a 1.42 mills levy with subsequent approvals by voters for consecutive five-year periods. If the funds needed to meet these obligations are not provided by the Children’s Services Levy, they must come from the County’s General Fund. The local funds generated by the Children’s Services Levy are matched with state and federal dollars.

TAX LEVY REVIEW COMMITTEE: The funding provided by the Children’s Services levy has been held level for many years. The Tax Levy Review Committee recommended a straight five-year levy renewal, but asked to perform the midterm evaluation in year two when it can better understand the impact of the heroin epidemic and state funding changes. The need for services is continuing to increase and there is concern that state funding will be decreased further.

ARGUMENTS FOR THE LEVY: •The levy provides needed funding to investigate child abuse and support families and children. These services have been significantly reduced in the last several years with staff reductions and increased workloads that threaten t he quality of services.

• The levy is a renewal with no increase due to the fact that it is combining previous levies. The levy funding is used to match federal and state dollars and pays for children’s services the County is mandated to provide. If the levy funding was not available, the services would need to be paid out of the County General Fund.

• Ohio state government ranks last nationwide for subsidizing child welfare budgets, accounting for only 9% of the funding in 2020.

• Over the past five years, federal funding has decreased, accounting for 21% of the funding needed for 2020.

• 70% of Hamilton County’s child welfare funding comes from the county.

ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE LEVY: • The County needs to balance the need for services and the tax burden. Property owners cannot afford the levy cost of approximately $109 a year per $100,000 property.

• The levy fund balance is too high and should be used in part to lower the tax millage rate to support Children’s Services.

• The county should lobby the state to increase its funding support so that the county tax millage rate could be lower.

WWW.LWVCINCINNATI.ORG

HAMILTON COUNTY BALLOT ISSUES 2 PROPOSED TAX LEVY (RENEWAL) CITY OF CHEVIOT

A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

A renewal of a tax for the benefit of the City of Cheviot, for the purpose of current expenses at a rate not exceeding three (3) mills for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to thirty cents ($0.30) for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for five (5) years, commencing in 2021, first due in calendar year 2022.

FOR THE TAX LEVY | AGAINST THE TAX LEVY

3 PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENT ORDINANCE 347-2021 (BY PETITION) CITY OF CINCINNATI

A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

Shall the Charter of the City of Cincinnati be amended to require approval by Council before litigation on behalf of the City of Cincinnati or any of its officials can be filed; to establish the compensation for members of Council to the amount equal to the median family income for the City of Cincinnati and adjust that compensation annually; to require candidates for Mayor and Council to be residents of the City of Cincinnati for at least one year prior to assuming office; to eliminate the use of successor designation by members of the Council and to provide that if a member of council dies, resigns, or is removed, then the person who received the highest number of votes for election to council at the most recent municipal election but who was not declared elected to council at such election and who is not otherwise already serving or has served as a member of council since the most recent municipal election shall be the successor to hold the office for the remainder of the unexpired term of that member of council. To require the Mayor to assign legislative proposals to the appropriate committee no later than thirty days after being filed with the Clerk and to require the Mayor to put legislative proposals on the Council agenda no later than thirty days after they are reported out of Committee; to provide that the Mayor and members of Council are personally liable for violations of state law regarding open meetings or public records where the violation was to avoid or circumvent those laws or was purposeful, knowing, in bad faith, or in a wanton or reckless manner; and to provide for the removal of the Mayor as provided by state law and other processes, by amending existing Sections 3, 4, 4a, and 4b of Article II, “Legislative Power,” and amending Section 2 of Article III, “Mayor,” and enacting new Section 11 of Article IV, “Executive and Administrative Service,” and new Section 2c of Article IX, “Nominations and Elections.”

YES | NO

WHAT THE AMENDMENT WOULD DO: This charter amendment proposes a number of changes to the City of Cincinnati Charter to: • require approval of Council to begin litigation; • change the way City Council salaries are determined; • require a one-year city residency to run or serve as Mayor or member of Council; • eliminate the Council successor designation system for filling Council vacancies; • provide that a vacancy would be filled by the person who received the next highest number of votes at the most recent Council election;

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• require that the Mayor assign legislation to a committee and advance legislation to the full Council agenda each within a period of 30 days; • provide individual liability for the Mayor and Council members for certain violations of open meeting or public record laws; • provide for the recall of the Mayor.

This amendment is presented as a package of proposals. Voters will not be able to pick and choose which elements they support or oppose. They will have to vote “yes” or “no” on the whole package.

This proposed Charter amendment was placed on the ballot by City Council as required by law in response to the collection of a sufficient number of valid signatures on an initiative petition.

EXPLANATION & BACKGROUND: Council Approval for Litigation (Article II. Section 3.): The proposed amendment would require an affirmative vote of a majority of the members of Council to authorize the commencement of any litigation on behalf of the City of Cincinnati or any of its officials. Currently the City Charter is silent on the question of Council needing to vote to authorize the commencement of any litigation. The Solicitor’s office under the City Manager makes these decisions. Sometimes Council is asked to approve certain settlements arising from litigation.

Council Salaries (Article II. Section 4.): The proposed amendment would change the way Council salaries are determined.

Annual compensation for Council members would be an amount equal to the median family income for the city of Cincinnati as reported in the American Community Survey 1-Year Report as published by the U. S. Census Bureau. The annual salary would not increase or decrease during any given year but could increase or decrease from one calendar year to the next. Currently compensation for Council members is set at ¾ of the annual compensation payable to the Hamilton County Commissioners (since 1976). A charter amendment passed in 2005 requires any increase in council salary to be ratified by a 2/3 vote of council and takes effect for the next council. Council members now earn about $65,000 a year.

Under the proposed amendment the salary would decrease to about $46,000.

The Mayor’s salary also would decrease if this amendment passes because the Mayor’s salary is currently 2X that of a Council member and no change is proposed in the wording regarding the Mayor’s salary (Article III. Section 1.). The current Mayor’s salary is about $130,000 and would decrease to about $92,000 should the amendment pass.

One-Year City Residency for Mayor and Members of Council (Article II. New Section 4a.): The proposed amendment would require anyone serving as Mayor or member of Council to be a resident of the City of Cincinnati for at least one year prior to assuming office, either through election or appointment. Mayor and Council members would also have to continue to be residents of the City while serving in office, otherwise they would have to forfeit their office. This is similar to state Legislature rules. The Charter currently does not have a residency requirement for office holders.

Elimination of Council Successor Designation for Filling Vacancies (Article II. Current Section 4b.): The proposed amendment would eliminate the use of successor designation certificates to fill Council vacancies. Currently Council members file a successor designation

DEFINITIONS OF BALLOT TERMS TAX LEVY: Taxes that are assessed to homeowners and businesses based on their property values. These monies are used to fund government functions, as well as special programs or activities determined to be of significant benefit to the citizens. Tax levies may be placed on the ballot for public vote by a government entity (County Commissioners, City Council, Township Trustees) or taxing authority (School Board, Vocational District, Park Board, Library Board).

RENEWAL LEVY: A Renewal Levy is the CONTINUANCE OF AN EXISTING LEVY with the collection rate at the same dollar amount as when the levy was originally approved.

REPLACEMENT LEVY: A replacement levy is a NEW LEVY FOR THE SAME PURPOSE AS THE EXISTING LEVY but with a different collection rate than the levy it replaces. The collection rate uses the assessed value of the property at the time of the replacement.

COE: Current Operating Expenses CPT: Continued Period of Time MILL: The property tax is measured in mills; a mill is one tenth of a cent. This translates to $1 for each $1,000 taxable value of the property.

MARKET VALUE: The market value of property is determined by the County Auditor. The valuation considers regional and neighborhood economic conditions, building improvements and land value. By state law, there is a full reassessment to each parcel every six years, followed by a computerized update three years later. The last full reappraisal in Hamilton County was in 2017.

ASSESSED VALUE: Assessed Value is 35% of the Market Value of a property. In Ohio, property taxes are determined by the Assessed Value.

TAX RATE (mills): The Full Tax Rate is the total millage for the year, most of which is approved by voters in the taxing district. The Effective Tax Rate is the annual total millage reduced by state mandated reductions such as the rollback and the homestead exemption. This is stated in mills, not dollars. certificate naming one or more fellow members of Council to select their replacement should they not be able to finish their term for any reason (death, resignation, or removal). If there is no valid certificate or if the certified members of Council fail to fill the vacancy within a certain period of time, Council can fill the vacancy by a majority vote of Council. If Council fails to fill the vacancy within the prescribed time, the Mayor can appoint the replacement without requiring the consent of Council.

New Method to Fill Council Vacancies (Article II. New Section 4b.): The proposed amendment outlines a new method to fill vacancies on Council. If a member of Council dies, resigns, or is removed, then the next highest election finisher at the most recent municipal (Council) election would be first in line for the appointment to hold the office for the remainder of the unexpired term. If this person can’t accept the position then the next highest finisher is asked, and so on, until a successor assumes the office as a member of Council. The person designated as the successor would certify in writing to the clerk of Council that he or she satisfies all requirements to hold the office of member of Council and that he or she accepts the position. If no person is available to assume the Council seat this amendment lacks for an ultimate backup appointment power to fill the vacant Council seat.

Eliminate the so-called “pocket veto” by Mayor (Article III. Section 2.): The proposed amendment would require the Mayor

to assign legislation to the appropriate committee within 30 days of being filed with the clerk of Council. The Mayor also would have 30 days after legislation is reported out of committee to place the item on the Council agenda for consideration at the next meeting of Council. Currently the Mayor assigns all legislative proposals to a Council committee for consideration. Council votes items out of committee and then the Mayor sets the agenda for Council meetings. There is no requirement currently in the charter for the Mayor to always advance items to the full Council. Theoretically, the Mayor could choose to hold a legislative item and never put the item on the Council agenda, effectively killing it – the so-called “pocket veto.”

Doing away with the “pocket veto” was a recommendation of the Charter Review Task Force (July 2015). It was argued that a specific time frame is needed in the charter for the advancement of legislation as the Mayor is no longer subject to the Rules of Council, as the Mayor was before the 2001 charter changes.

Provide individual liability for Mayor and Council members for certain violations (Article IV. New Section 11.): The proposed amendment would provide that the Mayor and members of Council are personally liable for violations of state law related to open meetings or public records where the violation was to avoid the laws or was purposeful, knowing, in bad faith, etc. The Mayor or member of Council would be liable to the city for any judgment in, or amount negotiated in settlement of, any civil action

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HAMILTON COUNTY BALLOT ISSUES ISSUE 3 CONTINUED

or appeal, together with any attorney fees and expenses by the city in defending a civil action related to the above.

Currently the city is liable for such costs and attorney fees through the ongoing work of the City Solicitor. The Solicitor serves the Mayor and members of Council (also officers and boards of the city) as legal counsel and attorney while also representing the city in all proceedings in court (Article IV. Section 5.).

Provide for the Recall of the Mayor (Article IX. New Section 2c.): The proposed amendment provides that the Mayor may be removed (recalled) from office before completion of his or her term and provides that the process and procedure for such removal would be the provisions found in state law for removal of any elective officer of a municipal corporation.

Sec. 705.92 of the Ohio Revised Code provides a procedure for the removal of an elective office by recall: 1) A petition has to be signed by qualified voters equal to at least 15% of the total votes cast in the last municipal election. The petition contains a statement of the grounds for removal of the Mayor.

2) A Mayor can’t be recalled until serving at least one year in office. This prevents a losing candidate from immediately seeking the removal of the winning candidate.

3) If the Mayor doesn’t resign within 5 days after petitions are declared sufficient, a recall election is held at the next primary or general election.

4) At the same election as the recall, candidates are on the ballot who seek to fill the vacancy and voters choose the candidate they want to fill the vacancy. If the recall succeeds, the candidate receiving the plurality of votes is elected to replace the recalled Mayor.

Currently the City of Cincinnati charter does not provide for the recall of the Mayor.

Cincinnati is the only major city in Ohio without a recall provision in its charter.

ARGUMENTS FOR THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT: • Council members who don’t need their city pay to live on may be less likely to have inappropriate dealings with developers or be corrupted by those who have business with the city.

• Lowering Council salaries will bring the job of Council member back to being part-time. This will attract candidates who will focus their efforts on higher-level policy decisions rather than meddling in day-today operations of the city best left to the City Manager and the professionals in the administration.

• There should be a city residency requirement to run and serve as Mayor and on Council. Residency can indicate that a person is invested in the city and has awareness about the issues facing it.

• There should be a time limit for the Mayor to assign and advance legislation to Council (eliminating the so-called “pocket veto.”). The Mayor shouldn’t be able to block legislation from Council consideration.

Council needs to be able to control its legislative agenda in order to properly function as the legislative body of the city.

• Council members should not be able to choose their replacements through successor designees on Council. A new process is needed that is more transparent and fair.

• City taxpayers should not bear the financial burden for legal fees for the Mayor or Council members who knowingly violate state laws related to open meeting or public record laws. This provision might serve to

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greatly discourage this type of behavior in the future.

• Cincinnati should have a recall provision in its charter now that the Mayor is directly elected for a 4-year term (instead of the previous 2-year term) of office separate from Council. All the major cities in Ohio have recall provisions specifically outlined in their charters and particular for their circumstances.

ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT: • This amendment proposes too many unrelated changes to the Charter. Voters have to approve or disapprove of the whole package of proposals, whether they like them all or not. Some of these proposals should come back to the ballot as separate charter amendments for voter approval.

• The reduction of Council salaries may discourage potential candidates who consider a Council office as a full-time position. Reducing Council salaries could result in less diversity on City Council, discouraging citizens with lower incomes and some minorities from launching campaigns for and serving on City Council.

• Council approving all litigation seems like an overreach of Council’s powers and responsibilities and undermines the role of the City Manager. It also appears to be an administratively burdensome process that would be difficult to implement.

• The proposed method to fill Council vacancies probably would result in a vacancy being filled by a member of a different party and could change the makeup of Council from what the voters intended.

• A Mayoral recall provision in the charter should include more details so voters know what the process is rather than simply referencing state law. Cincinnati needs a recall provision tailored to our local situation that is specifically approved by voters.

• A recall process should be narrowly crafted so that it is used only in rare instances of serious misconduct by the Mayor, not to simply overturn the results of the last election. As proposed, the Mayor could be recalled for any reason, not just for serious charges or behavior.

• Currently the Mayor is elected with a majority of votes since there are only two candidates on the general election ballot following the May Primary election. The kind of replacement election provided for in the state recall process could lead to a candidate becoming Mayor with much less support than 50% depending on how many candidates appear on the ballot. This could significantly undermine the wishes of voters. It also seems to unfairly burden the incumbent Mayor to hold on to an office secured by receiving over 50% of the vote, rather than putting more burden on those who want to replace the Mayor.

• Conducting the replacement election at the same time as the recall election is a cumbersome process and does not allow enough time for voters to be deliberate in their choice of a replacement Mayor, should the recall be successful. If two elections are to be held to remove the Mayor and choose the replacement, they should be separate elections with some time intervening.

4 SPECIAL ELECTION BY PETITION LOCAL OPTION ELECTION ON SUNDAY SALE OF LIQUOR CINCINNATI 14-C

A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

Shall the sale of wine and mixed beverages be permitted for sale on Sunday between

A SINGLE VOTE IS IMPACTFUL The simple numbers show how you can take the power of the vote back.

How important is a single vote?

If 100 people are eligible to vote and each person registers AND votes, then 51 votes decide the election.

If only 60 people of the 100 eligible to vote register AND ALL 60 vote, just 31 votes win the election.

If only 60 people register of the 100 eligible to vote, but only half (30) of them vote … then it takes just 16 votes to win the election.

Because many people did not vote, a small group of active voters — just 16 people — controlled the outcome for all 100 of the people.

When you choose NOT to vote, you give more clout to every vote that is recorded. the hours of ten a.m. and midnight by Kantam, L.L.C., dba Andy’s BP, an applicant for a D-6 liquor permit, who is engaged in the business of operating a carry-out/ grocery store at 6135 Montgomery Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45213 in this precinct?

YES | NO

5 PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENT CITY OF MILFORD

A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

Proposed amendments approved by the charter committee and city council.

Shall the proposed charter amendments, as reported by the charter revision commission of the City of Milford be adopted?

YES | NO

6 PROPOSED TAX LEVY (ADDITIONAL) CITY OF MILFORD

A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

An additional tax for the benefit of the City of Milford, counties of Clermont and Hamilton, for the purpose of providing, improving, and maintaining parks and recreational amenities and facilities at a rate not exceeding 3 mills for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to $0.30 for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for 5 years, commencing in 2022, first due in calendar year 2023.

FOR THE TAX LEVY | AGAINST THE TAX LEVY

7 PROPOSED TAX LEVY (REPLACEMENT AND INCREASE) CITY OF NORTH COLLEGE HILL

A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

A replacement of 3.2 mills of an existing levy and an increase of 8.8 mills, to constitute a tax for the benefit of the City of North College Hill for the purpose of providing for and maintaining fire apparatus, ambulances and other emergency vehicles, equipment, facilities, supplies, personnel and related costs and expenses including pension contributions or otherwise providing for paramedic, fire suppression and other emergency services operated by a fire department at a rate not exceeding twelve (12) mills for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to one dollar and twenty cents ($1.20) for each one hundred dollars in valuation for five (5) years, commencing in 2021, first due in calendar year 2022.

FOR THE TAX LEVY | AGAINST THE TAX LEVY

8 PROPOSED TAX LEVY (RENEWAL) CITY OF NORWOOD

A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

A renewal of a tax for the benefit of the City of Norwood, for the purpose of current operating expenses at a rate not exceeding eight (8) mills for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to eighty cents ($0.80) for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for five (5) years, commencing in 2022, first due in calendar year 2023.

FOR THE TAX LEVY | AGAINST THE TAX LEVY

9 SPECIAL ELECTION BY PETITION LOCAL OPTION ELECTION ON SUNDAY SALE OF LIQUOR READING 1-A

A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

Shall the sale of wine and mixed beverages be permitted for sale on Sunday between the hours of ten a.m. and midnight by Rudra, L.L.C., dba Reading BP, an applicant for a D-6 liquor permit, who is engaged in the business of operating a carry-out/grocery store at 8400 Reading Road, Unit B, Reading, Ohio 45237 in this precinct?

YES | NO

10 PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENTS CITY OF SPRINGDALE

A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

This proposed amendment would eliminate the elected position of Clerk of Council/Finance Director and all references to this position in the City of Springdale Charter and create the appointed position of Clerk of Council. This change would not take effect until December 1, 2023, upon the expiration of the term of office for the current Clerk of Council/Finance Director.

Shall the proposed amended charter as recommended by the City of Springdale Charter Revision Committee and the City Council be adopted?

YES | NO

11 PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENTS CITY OF SPRINGDALE

A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

This proposed amendment would make the following administrative revisions within the City of Springdale Charter: A. Include some grammatical changes to the wording used in Article III Section (A) and Article III Section (G)(6).

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B. Article II Section (C)(1). Clarify that members of council are non-partisan.

C. Article II Section (D)(1). Allow for Council to meet in executive session related to matters it declares by ordinance to require confidentiality or involving potential litigation.

D. Article II Section (D)(3)(g). Allow for ordinances to be published in a newspaper of general circulation or on the City’s website.

E. Article II Section (E)(2). Require an initiative or referendum petition to contain the signatures of not less than fifteen percent (15%) of the total number of electors who voted in the preceding gubernatorial election.

F. Article VI Section (A)(2). Eliminate the requirement that an urban redevelopment plan must be approved by the City’s Planning Commission.

G. Article V Section (D). Require a recall petition to contain the signatures of not less than fifteen percent (15%) of the total number of electors who voted in the preceding gubernatorial election. If the elective officer to be recalled is a member of council elected from a district, then the fifteen percent (15%) needed for the petition shall only be compromised of voters from that district.

H. Article VI Section (E). Make clear that the City shall have a local Board of Health.

I. Article VII Section (F). Allow for advertising and bidding on public contracts in the City to be advertised in a newspaper of general circulation or on the City’s website.

Shall the proposed amended charter as recommended by the City of Springdale Charter Revision Committee and the City Council be adopted?

by virtual means, such as electronic, teleconference, web, or video conference, during a declared state of emergency or when otherwise prudent to not conduct an in-person meeting.

- Section 3.09. Delete unnecessary verbiage and provide consistency in terminology throughout the Charter.

- Section 4.07. Clarify that should the City Manager be removed by Council pursuant to a public hearing to consider such removal, City Council’s decision is not appealable; provide consistency in terminology throughout the Charter.

- Section 11.08. Addition of a new Section entitled “Meetings of Boards, Committees, and Commissions Through Virtual Means” which allows City boards, committees, and commissions to conduct public meetings by virtual means, such as electronic, teleconference, web, or video conference, during a declared state of emergency or when otherwise prudent to not conduct an in-person meeting.

Shall the proposed amended charter as reported by the Charter Review Commission for the City of Wyoming be adopted?

YES | NO

13 PROPOSED TAX LEVY (RENEWAL) VILLAGE OF ADDYSTON

A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

A renewal of a tax for the benefit of the Village of Addyston, for the purpose of improving, maintaining, and operating sewage disposal facilities at a rate not exceeding five-tenths (0.5) mill for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to five cents ($0.05) for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for five (5) years, commencing in 2021, first due in calendar year 2022.

YES | NO

FOR THE TAX LEVY | AGAINST THE TAX LEVY

12 PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENTS CITY OF WYOMING

14 PROPOSED TAX LEVY (RENEWAL) VILLAGE OF ADDYSTON

A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

The Charter Review Commission for the City of Wyoming recommends the following changes: - Section 3.02. Replacement of gender specific pronouns with gender neutral references.

- Section 3.07. Allow City Council to conduct regular or special council meetings

AFTER YOU VOTE...

Voting is not the final step but a starting point for taking an active part in government. Hold your elected officials accountable by asking questions, attending meetings and speaking out about the issues important to you and your family. We don’t have to go to Washington, DC. We can be heard from here. And remember this-“One of the penalties of refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors” – Plato

A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

A renewal of a tax for the benefit of the Village of Addyston, for the purpose of improving, maintaining, and operating the water supply system at a rate not exceeding one (1) mill for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to ten cents ($0.10) for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for five (5) years, commencing in 2021, first due in calendar year 2022.

FOR THE TAX LEVY | AGAINST THE TAX LEVY

15 PROPOSED TAX LEVY (RENEWAL) VILLAGE OF CLEVES A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

A renewal of a tax for the benefit of the Village of Cleves, for the purpose of current operating expenses at a rate not exceeding six (6) mills for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to sixty cents ($0.60) for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for five (5) years, commencing in 2021, first due in calendar year 2022.

FOR THE TAX LEVY | AGAINST THE TAX LEVY

16 PROPOSED TAX LEVY (RENEWAL) VILLAGE OF FAIRFAX A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

A renewal of a tax for the benefit of the Village of Fairfax, for the purpose of current operating expenses at a rate not exceeding ninety-six hundredths (0.96) mill for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to nine and six-tenths cents

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($0.096) for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for five (5) years, commencing in 2021, first due in calendar year 2022.

FOR THE TAX LEVY | AGAINST THE TAX LEVY

17 PROPOSED TAX LEVY (RENEWAL) VILLAGE OF GOLF MANOR

A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

A renewal of a tax for the benefit of the Village of Golf Manor, for the purpose of current operating expenses at a rate not exceeding two (2) mills for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to twenty cents ($0.20) for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for five (5) years, commencing in 2021, first due in calendar year 2022.

FOR THE TAX LEVY | AGAINST THE TAX LEVY

18 PROPOSED TAX LEVY (RENEWAL) VILLAGE OF GREENHILLS A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

A renewal of a tax for the benefit of the Village of Greenhills, for the purpose of current operating expenses at a rate not exceeding three and twenty-eight hundredths (3.28) mills for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to thirty-two and eight-tenths cents ($0.328) for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for five (5) years, commencing in 2021, first due in calendar year 2022.

FOR THE TAX LEVY | AGAINST THE TAX LEVY

19 PROPOSED TAX LEVY (RENEWAL) VILLAGE OF LOCKLAND A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

A renewal of a tax for the benefit of the Village of Lockland, for the purpose of providing fire department equipment and operating expenses at a rate not exceeding four (4) mills for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to forty cents ($0.40) for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for five (5) years, commencing in 2021, first due in calendar year 2022.

FOR THE TAX LEVY | AGAINST THE TAX LEVY

20 PROPOSED TAX LEVY (RENEWAL) VILLAGE OF MARIEMONT

A renewal of a tax for the benefit of the Village of Terrace Park, for the purpose of current operating expenses at a rate not exceeding five and fifty-eight hundredths (5.58) mills for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to fifty-five and eight-tenths cents ($0.558) for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for five (5) years, commencing in 2021, first due in calendar year 2022.

FOR THE TAX LEVY | AGAINST THE TAX LEVY

23 PROPOSED TAX LEVY (REPLACEMENT AND DECREASE) TOWNSHIP OF COLUMBIA UNINCORPORATED AREA

A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

A replacement of a portion of an existing levy, being a reduction of one and six-tenths (1.6) mills, to constitute a tax for the benefit of Columbia Township, for the purpose of collection and disposal of garbage or refuse, including yard waste, and collection of recycling materials at a rate not exceeding three and five-tenths (3.5) mills for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to thirty-five cents ($0.35) for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for three (3) years, commencing in 2021, first due in calendar year 2022.

FOR THE TAX LEVY | AGAINST THE TAX LEVY

24 PROPOSED TAX LEVY (RENEWAL) TOWNSHIP OF MIAMI A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

A renewal of a tax for the benefit of Miami Township, for the purpose of current operating expenses at a rate not exceeding forty-six hundredths (0.46) mill for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to four and six-tenths cents ($0.046) for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for five (5) years, commencing in 2021, first due in calendar year 2022.

FOR THE TAX LEVY | AGAINST THE TAX LEVY

25 PROPOSED TAX LEVY (ADDITIONAL) DEER PARK COMMUNITY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

A renewal of a tax for the benefit of the Village of Mariemont, for the purpose of permanent improvements at a rate not exceeding three (3) mills for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to thirty cents ($0.30) for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for five (5) years, commencing in 2021, first due in calendar year 2022.

A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

An additional tax for the benefit of the Deer Park Community City School District, for the purpose of current expenses at a rate not exceeding six and ninety-nine hundredths (6.99) mills for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to sixty-nine and nine-tenths cents ($0.699) for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for a continuing period of time, commencing in 2021, first due in calendar year 2022.

FOR THE TAX LEVY | AGAINST THE TAX LEVY

FOR THE TAX LEVY | AGAINST THE TAX LEVY

21 PROPOSED TAX LEVY (REPLACEMENT) VILLAGE OF NORTH BEND

26 PROPOSED BOND ISSUE AND TAX LEVY (ADDITIONAL) MADEIRA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

A replacement of a tax for the benefit of the Village of North Bend, for the purpose of current operating expenses at a rate not exceeding five (5) mills for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to fifty cents ($0.50) for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for five (5) years, commencing in 2021, first due in calendar year 2022.

FOR THE TAX LEVY | AGAINST THE TAX LEVY

22 PROPOSED TAX LEVY (RENEWAL) VILLAGE OF TERRACE PARK

A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

Shall the Madeira City School District be authorized to do the following: 1.) Issue bonds for the purpose of new construction, improvements, renovations and additions to school facilities, and providing equipment, furnishings, and site improvements therefor, in the principal amount of seven million five hundred thousand dollars ($7,500,000), to be repaid annually over a maximum period of twenty-seven (27) years, and levy a property tax outside the ten-mill limitation, estimated by the county auditor to average over the bond repayment

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period one (1) mill for each one dollar of tax valuation, which amounts to ten cents ($0.10) for each one hundred dollars of tax valuation, to pay the annual debt charges on the bonds, and to pay debt charges on any notes issued in anticipation of those bonds?

2.) Levy an additional property tax to pay current operating expenses at a rate not exceeding five and two-tenths (5.2) mills for each one dollar of tax valuation, which amounts to fifty-two cents ($0.52) for each one hundred dollars of tax valuation, for a continuing period of time?

FOR THE BOND ISSUE AND LEVY | AGAINST THE BOND ISSUE AND LEVY

27 PROPOSED BOND ISSUE MILFORD EXEMPTED VILLAGE SCHOOL DISTRICT A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

Shall bonds be issued by the Milford Exempted Village School District, Counties of Clermont and Hamilton, for the purpose of new construction, improvements, renovations, and additions to school facilities, and providing equipment, furnishings, and site development and improvements, and all necessary appurtenances therefor, and capitalized interest in the principal amount of $55,900,000, to be repaid annually over a maximum period of 30 years, and an annual levy of property taxes be made outside of the ten-mill limitation, estimated by the county auditor to average over the repayment period of the bond issue 2.47 mills for each one dollar of tax valuation, which amounts to $0.247 for each one hundred dollars of tax valuation, commencing in 2021, first due in calendar year 2022, to pay the annual debt charges on the bonds, and to pay debt charges on any notes issued in anticipation of those bonds?

FOR THE BOND ISSUE | AGAINST THE BOND ISSUE

28 PROPOSED TAX LEVY (ADDITIONAL) WINTON WOODS CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

Shall a levy be imposed by the Winton Woods City School District for the purpose of providing for the emergency requirements of the school district, in the sum of three million dollars ($3,000,000) per year, and a levy of taxes to be made outside of the ten-mill limitation estimated by the county auditor to average five and fifty-six hundredths (5.56) mills for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to fifty-five and six-tenths cents ($0.556) for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for a period of five (5) years, commencing in 2021, first due in calendar year 2022?

FOR THE TAX LEVY | AGAINST THE TAX LEVY

29 PROPOSED TAX LEVY (ADDITIONAL) GREAT PARKS OF HAMILTON COUNTY A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

An additional tax for the benefit of the Great Parks of Hamilton County for the purposes of acquisition, conservation, and protection of natural resources and park land; operation and administration of park facilities, and programs; improvements to park infrastructure, facilities and natural resources; development, maintenance, and provision of outdoor recreation and nature education facilities, trails, programs, and services in current and future parks and nature preserves owned, leased, or operated by Great Parks of Hamilton County; and for such other parks and recreational purposes at a rate not exceeding ninety-five hundredths (0.95) mill for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to nine and one-half cents ($0.095) for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for ten (10) years, commencing in 2021, first due in calendar year 2022.

FOR THE TAX LEVY | AGAINST THE TAX LEVY

LEAGUE EXPLANATION: Issue 29 is a proposed additional tax levy of .95 mill for a period of 10 years for Great Parks of Hamilton County (GPHC).

It will cost the owner of a $100,000 home about $33.25 per year. If approved, it would be the first millage increase for Great

Voting with Disability or Confinement

Persons who cannot vote at a polling location on Election Day or in person at the board office due to personal illness, physical disability, infirmity or confinement may receive and return a ballot by mail or in person through two boards of election employees. This includes voters confined to a nursing home or jail.

Voting from the Hospital

Applications for persons who are hospitalized or whose minor child is hospitalized due to an accident or unforeseeable medical emergency occurring after 12:00pm noon on the Saturday before Election Day, will be accepted until 3 pm on Election Day.

Questions?

Contact Candice Kloepfer | 513-632-7069.

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Parks in 33 years. The levy would provide for 1) the acquisition and conservation of natural resources and park land; 2) operation and administration of park facilities and programs; 3) Improvements to park infrastructure, facilities, and natural resources; 4) development, maintenance, and provision of outdoor recreation and nature education facilities, trails, programs, and services in current and future parks and nature preserves; 5) and for such other parks and recreational purposes as permitted by law.

The levy was placed on the ballot by GPHC for a term of 10 years with collection beginning in 2022. The Hamilton County auditor estimates that the levy will generate $21.1 million per year on top of the $19.1 million generated by the 1 mill levy currently in place.

WHAT WOULD THE LEVY DO? This levy would cost the owner of a $100,000 home about $33.25 a year. If passed, it would fund 76% of the park district’s critical infrastructure needs including: natural resource management and restoration projects; building improvements: dam, bridge, and pavement maintenance; utility infrastructure; playground improvements for accessibility and safety; and recreational facilities such as disc golf and fitness trail improvements.

It will also fund 56% of new projects from the focus areas of the Park and Facility Master Plans including: revitalization of harbors at Winton Woods, Sharon Woods and Miami Whitewater Forest; regional trails that connect Winton Woods to Glenwood Gardens; final phases of the Columbia Connector, and Blueway trail systems on the Little Miami Scenic River, Great Miami River and Whitewater River. It would also fund additional natural surface trail development in numerous parks across the county. Additional information can be found on the Great Parks of Hamilton County Levy website.

BACKGROUND: Great Parks of Hamilton County (GHPC), formerly known as Hamilton County Park

District, was founded in 1930 to preserve and protect natural resources and to provide outdoor recreation and education in order to enhance the quality of life for present and future generations. Great Parks manages 22 parks and nature preserves spanning 17,700 acres across Hamilton County. In 2020, Great Parks estimated 5.1 million visits to the parks.

Great Parks is a political subdivision of the State of Ohio. It is governed by a five member Board of Park Commissioners who volunteer their service and are appointed by the Judge of the Hamilton County Probate Court. GPHC operates parks such as Winton Woods, Sharon Woods, Miami Whitewater Forest, Woodland Mound, and Shawnee Lookout, to name a few.

Additionally, GPHC uses park levy funds to assist in operating parks owned by the City of Cincinnati including Otto Armleder Memorial Park and Fernbank Park. Other current projects in the city include the Nature Center at the Summit in Roselawn and extension of the Little Miami Scenic Trail through the Beechmont Connector.

Future trail projects in the city include taking over operations of the Lunken Trail, operating the Oasis Trail, and the development of a new park after acquiring the Werk Road property in Westwood, which will be the 22nd park in their stewardship when completed.

In 2020, operational expenses were $34 million. Taxes from voted millage were 53% of the total operating revenue in 2020, which makes GPHC the lowest tax-reliant park district of the five largest metropolitan park districts in Ohio. The remaining revenue is generated from earned revenue, grants and other non-tax sources. Earned revenue includes user fees generated from recreational activities such as golf, camping, boating and events as well as the annual motor vehicle permit. For Hamilton County residents the Motor Vehicle Permit is $10 annually/$5 daily. For other visitors, the Motor Vehicle Permit is $16 annually/$8 daily. Otto Armleder Memorial Park and Fernbank Park are cooperative ventures with the City of Cincinnati; a Motor Vehicle

POLL WORKERS NEEDED Poll workers are needed in Hamilton County on Election Day. Qualifications: be a registered and active voter, a U.S. citizen, be able to speak, read, and write fluently in English, and comfortable using electronic technology.

You cannot be a candidate for any office to be voted on the ballot or a convicted felon.

Poll worker training is required. Must be available to work on Election day from 5:30am-8:30pm and the Monday night set up from 7:00-9:00pm. To become a poll worker, you can apply online at votehamiltoncountyohio.gov/ become-poll-worker/register.

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HAMILTON COUNTY BALLOT ISSUES ISSUE 29 CONTINUED Permit is not required.

Additionally, Great Parks Forever, the philanthropic partner of GPHC, has committed to a $50 million capital campaign that will support new projects from the Park and Facility Master Plans.

The current 1 mill GPHC levy was renewed by voters in November 2016, extending the levy passed in 2002 until 2026. Prior to passage of the renewal, GPHC made a number of adjustments to increase earned income and reduce costs. In 2020, GPHC reduced its operating budget by $4.7 million to account for revenue loss from the pandemic, despite seeing an increase in visitation by 18% that year and an increase in trail counts by 62% over 2019.

Great Parks has received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association of the US and Canada for 12 consecutive years. Additionally, GPHC has engaged members of the business community, user groups, and other stakeholders totaling over 5,000 people participating in community engagement over the past four years.

GPHC engaged the University of Cincinnati Economics Center to analyze the impact Great Parks had to the Hamilton County economy during the 2020 year.

According to this report, the economic impact generated by GPHC was $107.2 million, up from $91.9 million in 2015. The study also found that for each $1 of tax funding GPHC received, $4.66 of economic activity was generated. This figure is up from $4.22 in 2015. A link to the Executive Summary of the report can be found here: https://res.cloudinary.com/govimg/image/ upload/v1626205098/5a5f7a6b41a5361e f1395dbc/Great-Parks-economic-impactReport.pdf Reports, including the list of capital projects, can be viewed at: http://www. greatparks.org/administration/documents ARGUMENTS FOR THE TAX LEVY: • Many of the park facilities and amenities like roads, bridges, shelters, trails, water,

sewer, and other utilities, that were built for past generations of park users now need funding to refresh or rebuild. Park are like small cities, with infrastructure necessary to facilitate their use.

• The importance of parks to the wellbeing of Hamilton County residents has been unprecedented. Great Parks has remained open throughout the pandemic to serve as a getaway and a place to focus on physical and mental wellness.

• Demands for parks have increased, as have the number of parks and acreage of park land. During this time tax millage has remained static.

• Parks preserve critical wildlife habitats and preserve woodlands, prairies, wetlands and riverbanks that might otherwise be lost to housing and commercial development.

• GPHC has engaged citizens, the business community, and other stakeholder groups to determine what they value from their parks in a Comprehensive Master Plan, and very specifically in the robust Park and Facility Master Plans. GPHC concludes that the public wants to see more of what the parks have to offer.

ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE TAX LEVY: • The levy will increase property taxes for Hamilton County residents. The owner of a $100,000 home will pay an additional $33.25 for a total of $68 annually for GPHC. • GPHC should make more use of fees instead of asking for a property tax increase.

• Citizens of the City of Cincinnati and other Hamilton County cities, villages, and townships also pay for parks within their own jurisdictions.

• Some residents question the value of conservation versus recreational uses for public land. GPHC should preserve and care for the parklands they have rather than acquiring more.

• Parks in the outskirts of the county may not be accessible to low-income innercity residents who depend on public transit.

THEY REPRESENT US: TRU The League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area encourages everyone to stay engaged in our community by keeping in touch with your elected officials. Our members make a commitment to our community as we volunteer our time to research, edit and publish, in the spring of each year, They Represent Us (TRU): A Public Officials Guide for Hamilton County, Ohio.

Online it can be found at https://my.lwv.org/ohio/cincinnati-area/studies/tru-they-represent-us Or you can call 513-281-8683 for printed copies.

How are your elected representatives representing YOU? Here you can find your representatives, how to contact them, bills they’ve introduced, committees they serve on, and political contributions they’ve received. Enter your full address below to get started. https://www.commoncause.org/find-your-representative/ 22

EXTENDED INFORMATION AVAILABLE ONLINE The League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area has extended election information available on www.vote411.org

From VOTE411, you can get your own personal ballot, polling place location, general guidance on how to choose a candidate, links to news articles and additional candidate information including biographies, endorsements and more Q & A’s. Visit VOTE411 today!

MAKE DEMOCRACY WORK! When you give to the League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area (LWVCA) Education Fund, you make democracy work for our community. With your help, we can continue to offer this trusted resource free to the public. Support the League today with your tax-deductible gift!

Donations can be made via PayPal, debit, or credit card at http:// www.lwvcincinnati.org/donate.html or via check by completing the form below and mailing it with your check to: LWVCA, 103 William Howard Taft Rd, Cincinnati, 45219 □ Yes! I would like to support the LWVCA’s Voter Education efforts with a gift of □ $25 □$50 □$100 □ Other _____ Make checks payable to: LWVCA Education Fund Name: ___________________________________________ Address: ________________________________________ City: _________________ State: _____ Zip: ___________ Email: ________________________________ Thank you for your generosity to support increasing civic participation in our community!

GIVING PROGRAMS LWVCA Education Fund is a member of several donation programs and we invite you to connect to them as another way to help democracy work in our community.

Kroger Community Rewards Program You can connect your Kroger Plus Card to LWVCA Education Fund and help raise funds for our organization. You can register your Kroger Plus Card online at krogercommunityrewards.com and enter the League’s nonprofit organization code 80874. The Kroger Service Desk at any location will also be happy to assist you.

Amazon Smile Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of certain eligible AmazonSmile purchases to the charitable organization of your choice, including LWVCA Education Fund. Amazon Smile has the same products and same prices as Amazon.com. To support LWVCA Education Fund, visit smile.amazon.com and search for “League of Women Voters Cincinnati.”

GoodSearch GoodSearch is a search engine that works with over 100,000 organizations — ranging from national non-profits to local schools and community groups.

The site will make a donation to your chosen cause, like LWVCA Education Fund, when you complete an action on GoodSearch. Looking up research for your upcoming unit meeting? Use GoodSearch and help support our mission at the same time. Go to https://www.goodsearch.com/register and get started. GoodSearch also uses Goodshop, which gives a percentage of your purchases with participating retailers and donates it to the Ed Fund.

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VOTER CHECKLIST

HAMILTON COUNTY MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE – DISTRICT 2 Vote for not more than 1

 Bertha Garcìa Helmick  Donte Johnson  Elizabeth A. Tye

CINCINNATI MAYOR Vote for not more than 1  David Mann  Aftab Pureval

CINCINNATI MEMBER OF COUNCIL Vote for 9 candidates         

Jalen Alford Thomas Brinkman Jr. Jaime M. Castle LaKeisha N. Cook Jeff M. Cramerding Michelle Dillingham Kevin Flynn Jackie Frondorf Bill Frost

Council candidates continued                          

Brian Garry Steven P. Goodin Galen G. Gordon Kurt L. Grossman Reggie Harris Robert Harris II K.A. Heard Jr. Evan C. Holt Nick Jabin Mark Jeffreys Scotty Johnson Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney Liz Keating Andrew Kennedy Greg Landsman John Maher Peterson W. Mingo Phillip O’Neal Meeka D. Owens Victoria Parks Te’Airea R. Powell Logan Simmering Stacey Smith Betsy Sundermann Jim Tarbell John J. Williams

CINCINNATI CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT – BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBER

YOUR LOCAL ISSUES

______________________________ __________________________

_________________________ ___________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________

Vote for 3 candidates  Pamela Bowers  Brandon Craig  Gary Favors  Kareem Moffett  Mike Moroski  Mary Wineberg

______________________________ __________________________

_________________________ ___________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________

HAMILTON COUNTY ISSUES

A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

Issue 1: Proposed Tax Levy (Renewal and Increase) Hamilton County

______________________________ __________________________

 For the Tax Levy  Against the Tax Levy Issue 29: Proposed Tax Levy (Additional) Great Parks of Hamilton County  For the Tax Levy  Against the Tax Levy

WRITE-IN CANDIDATES This Voter Guide identifies write-in candidates by placing (Write-in) next to their name.You can also get a write-in list from your Precinct Election Official (PEO).

To vote for a write-in candidate, completely darken the box to the left of the blank line and write in the candidate’s name as it appears on the write-in list.

Ask your PEO for help if you have questions.

_________________________ ___________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________

5 THINGS TO KNOW 1. Go to the right polling place.

Polling locations can change.

Check vote411.com to find yours.

2. Bring I.D.

Check page 2 of this guide for acceptable forms of I.D.

3. Get a ballot.

Ask a poll worker for a provisional ballot if you’re registered to vote but not on the list.

4. Get help.

Poll workers are there to answer any questions you may have.

5. Stay and vote.

Even if the line is long, don’t leave without voting.

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OCTOBER 13-26, 2021

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OCTOBER 13-26, 2021

ELVIS COSTELLO & THE IMPOSTERS YOUR FRIDGE CALLED. IT'S EMPTY.

"HELLO AGAIN"

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16 THE ANDREW J BRADY ICON MUSIC CENTER Elvis Costello & The Imposters will hit the road once more this October, after more than a year without concerts, in a show entitled “Hello Again.” Hear songs from the pages of his formidable songbook and see the first stage performances of songs from the future, as the band time-travels in all directions.

ORDER TITO SANTANA BEFORE IT'S GONE.

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OCTOBER 13-26, 2021

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ARTS & CULTURE

Partygoers on Clau’s last night.

P H O T O : A N D R E W VA N S I C K L E

Club Clau Parties On Photography exhibit Return to the Velvet Ropes revisits the infamy, celebrity and excess of Over-the-Rhine’s iconic early-2000s nightclub

BY M AC K E N Z I E M A N L E Y

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incinnatians who remember Club Clau, an early-2000s nightlife hot spot that brought celebrities and socialites to Over-the-Rhine, can revisit that excitement through the FotoFocus exhibition Return to the Velvet Ropes at The Annex Gallery in Pendleton.

Running through Oct. 30, the show

features 60 black-and-white photographs (along with some color photography) snapped by Clau’s art director Andrew VanSickle, who took over 1,800 photos during the club’s 18-month run.

The images, captured with a Kodak disposable camera, take inspiration from Pop Art master Andy Warhol’s iconic

Studio 54 photography.

“It gave me the flash power I needed to quickly capture anything I witnessed,” an artist statement from VanSickle says.

“I had access to every inch of the club. I enjoyed being voyeuristic. I knew that 20 years later the images would have cultural value. That time has come.”

Considering Y2K’s recent resurgence in fashion and pop culture, the exhibition is timely. In one photo, a disheveled Edward Furlong (who played John Connor in 1991’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day) flips off the camera, the bottom of his wide-legged jeans soaked. Several photos feature shots of packed dancefloors, bottles and glasses raised in the air. A 20-something,

flannel-wearing Justin Timberlake dances through the club in another image.

As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, the photos spark nostalgia for a starkly different time, despite being shot only two decades ago. This speaks to the exhibition’s tagline, “Before social media; before social distancing.”

Clau, an acronym meaning “Change Lies Ahead of Us,” was coined by club co-owner Scott Sheridan. And change certainly came.

When Club Clau opened in 2003, Over-the-Rhine had not yet undergone the extensive redevelopment it would

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Steve-O from Jackass with Clau founder Scott Sheridan

Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey at Clau

P H O T O : A N D R E W VA N S I C K L E

P H O T O : A N D R E W VA N S I C K L E

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see in the decade to come. The civil unrest of 2001, provoked by the Cincinnati Police killing of unarmed Black resident Timothy Thomas, still defined public perception of the neighborhood.

The Hip and the Hype, a 2008 documentary about Club Clau, states that the founders bought the club for a third of what it would have gone for today.

Open just eight hours per week on Fridays and Saturdays, Clau’s weekends were high impact.

Club Clau also was one of the first venues to hire an art director to curate original artwork throughout the space, much of which was purchased by partygoers and celebrities alike. VanSickle, who once lived with Andy Warhol’s family in Pennsylvania as well as at outsider artist Howard Finster’s Paradise Garden, connected with Sheridan and club manager Josh Heuser by attending their parties. When the pair saw his art collection and his own Pop Art creations, they invited him to become art director for a club he had not yet seen.

“I saw it as a ticket to ride. I didn’t know where the ride was going, but it was definitely a ticket to ride,” VanSickle tells CityBeat.

One of Clau’s most recognizable artists was Cincinnati’s own Paul Lewis, who did portraits of the era’s biggest Rap stars, from Mary J. Blige to Jay-Z. “(Lewis) was selling paintings outside Short Vine in front of the Perkins diner for, like, 25 bucks,” VanSickle says. “I remember seeing him selling them on Saturday morning. I went to Perkins, had pancakes and watched him just hawk his stuff. I went out there and said, ‘You and I need to talk. I think I’m going

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to make you famous.’”

Lewis’ paintings would go on to hang at Club Clau in front of 12 champagne tables.

Three of Lewis’ works — which feature Biggie Smalls, 50 Cent and Aaliyah — are displayed at The Annex Gallery, alongside a Warholian collage by VanSickle. A mesh of graffiti, the Superman logo, photos from Clau and pop culture juggernauts like Paris Hilton all make it a dreamscape of low-brow iconography.

Return to the Velvet Ropes serves as a conglomeration of Clau’s ideology, a coming together of people, place and booze. In The Hip and the Hype, Sheridan says he approaches all of his projects collaboratively. Everything was meant to add to the club’s overall allure, from its core members to the art to the tabloid fodder — including celebrity guests like adult film star Jenna Jameson — to the crowd, who VanSickle says happened to be crazily, sexually or scantily dressed.

“The first two weeks (of Clau) were extremely, surprisingly, kind of slow,” says VanSickle, adding that they hadn’t yet found club kids — young promoters from various colleges across the TriState. “By week three, it started to take off. And then it really started to take off.”

“It was about 12 weeks later that The Cincinnati Enquirer put the girls in the pink wigs on the newspaper’s top fold, writing, ‘CLUB CLAU TAKES HOLD OF CITY,’” he adds. “And then it started to rage; the money started coming in.”

By 2004, Condé Nast Traveler named Club Clau among the top 30 new bar scenes around the world.

“It was New York, L.A., Mexico City, Barbados, London and this unknown

OCTOBER 13-26, 2021

slab of concrete in a place called Over-the-Rhine all of a sudden, out of nowhere, is rewarded,” VanSickle says. Condé Nast Traveler said Club Clau was unusual for the Midwest in its pretensions, mentioning the lack of signage, sparse hours, attractive crowd and models who posed within mirrored boxes.

An absurdist streak ran through the heart of Clau, which is obvious in the exhibit’s displayed photos. They’re rife with costumed clubbers, including Adam Buchanan, one of Clau’s most recognizable patrons, dressed as Mopey Dopey the Dog, Clau’s unofficial mascot. Another features Steve-O of Jackass fame smiling wildly next to club co-owner Sheridan, who is dressed like an astronaut.

One of the handful of color photos in the exhibit captures about a dozen people in a club party bus with special guests from New York City’s club scene, James St. James and Cluck Cluck the Chicken.

There also were silly but enforced rules such as robots drink for free.

If anyone showed up at Club Clau dressed as a robot, reps would yank them from the infamously long line and grant them immediate entry.

“When you have a few rules that make no sense but you enforce them, that made Club Clau a lot of fun for people, I think,” says VanSickle. “Where, now, in Cincinnati can we go — and I’m sure it’ll happen again — to have fun this way?”

VanSickle adds that a lot of cool young people were able to spread their wings at Club Clau, including the founders and staff. In line with the

slogan “Change Lies Ahead of Us,” the club closed its doors on New Year’s Day in 2005, after only 18-months. It wasn’t for lack of business, though.

“We here at Clau, we wanna go out on top,” Sheridan quipped in the The Hip and the Hype. “It’s been a long run, it’s been fun, but basically we want to end it while it’s at its top. We came in with a bang, we’re going to go out with a bang.”

Sheridan would go on to partner with fellow Cincinnatian Andrew Listermann’s Riveting Entertainment in Los Angeles. Heuser founded AGAR — the masterminds behind light/art festival BLINK Cincinnati — and is owner of OTR’s Ghost Baby and The Transept. Promoter Joey McFarland became a film producer with McFarland Entertainment, which backed Academy Award-nominated film The Wolf of Wall Street.

As for VanSickle, he has spent the past six years developing the statue of hometown boxing champion Ezzard Charles in Laurel Park, which is set to debut in spring 2022.

The success of Club Clau and what came after all goes back to the collaborative spirit found in JeanMichel Basquiat and Warhol, says VanSickle. “That’s truly what this is, the collaboration of bringing people together.”

Return to the Velvet Ropes runs through Oct. 30 at The Annex Gallery, 310 Pendleton St., Pendleton. For more information, visit annexgallery.org.

CULTURE

Magic Shop Hierophany & Hedge Is a Slice of Arcana and Alchemy in Covington

BY S E A N M . P E T E RS

Hierophany & Hedge is Covington’s new magic shop. Opened in May, this place doesn’t hawk gags and goofs for local birthday-party magicians, but instead is a shop where the secrets of ancient ritual can be unearthed from obscure tomes, where components for protective talismans are found — a place where magic isn’t only real, but essential.

Owned and operated by the mononymous Coil and Augur — two intentionally mysterious and impeccably dressed shopkeepers who look to be plucked straight from Victorian aristocracy — browsing the wares at Hierophany & Hedge is an overall transportive experience. Walk inside and it seems you’ve tripped over time itself only to have undone the past 150 years of fashion and technology, replacing it with immaculate antique woodwork, jars of curious powders, gemlike stones glittering in the warm sunlight, a wall of handcrafted wands made from woods sourced across the world... Is this really in Kentucky, or are we in 19th-century London?

“The ideal way that we would like someone to discover the shop is that they (are) walking down the street and it’s raining and they discover a little alcove here. And, as they’re standing in the alcove, they look through the window, and they see that this is here, and they can’t quite believe that it’s here,” says Augur, whose gaze captivates like a charm of binding, fortified by his precisely tailored gentleman’s suit and bespoke accoutrement.

“And they wonder if they don’t come through the door right now whether it might not be here on a return visit.”

Coil, dressed elegantly in green that accents her intelligent eyes, gives a tour of the shop, which uses every available inch of space to display the various wares they offer.

“Our wands cabinet tends to be a focal point,” Coil says. “We have wandmakers from all over the English- and Frenchspeaking world. Sourcing from the artisans who make our wands was one of the most joyful parts of preparing to open.”

Coil says shoppers who may not know what they would even do with a magic wand tend to walk out with one.

“We encourage a very hands-on experience, so people will come and we will put wands in their hands so they can meet and handle each of the wands they feel drawn to and take something home that really does feel right to them, right in their hand,” she says. “We want to make sure that the personal experience of choosing a magical implement, or something that you’re just going to put over your mantelpiece, or make a part of your cosplay, is as personalized as possible.”

That hands-on experience doesn’t have to stop with their wand selection as you move to their eclectic tarot card offerings. There, you can see

Hierophany & Hedge P H OTO : H A I L E Y B O L L I N G E R

how the cards feel in your hand, as there are sample decks open for the curious shopper. Sometimes you just want a deck of cards that feels right to shuffle. Alongside the cards are writing materials, leatherbound journals, quills, ink, nibs, even traditionally produced parchment for those extra fancy magical declarations.

Candles and incense of many sorts are on display, giving the room a mystically righteous aroma. Want to see a meteorite fragment? They have those as well, along with a plethora of stylish jewelry for any occasion. Stones and crystals of many sorts are available.

There’s an adorable collection of plush “familiars” (animal companions, like a witch’s black cat or Jon Snow’s direwolf ) if you want something cuddly at your next seance and custom-made Ouija-style boards. An impressive wall of jarred goods lines another wall, with items as simple as dried rosemary to the strangely legal-to-trade powderized woolly mammoth tusk … not something you’d likely find at Whole Foods.

Along the back is an assortment of books: fiction, guidebooks, academic musings on magic. A bit of reading for any sort.

Hierophany & Hedge’s business hours vary from week to week, so be sure to visit their website to find out when their doors open next. Though their given names remain a secret, Coil and Augur are incredibly passionate about their curated collection of magical reagents and ephemera.

They opened this store to share the joy magical-thinking brings, so ask plenty of questions while you shop: They’re happy to chat for a spell.

Hierophany & Hedge, 19 W. Pike St., Covington, hierophanyandhedge.com.

Shop owners Augur (left) and Coil P H OTO : H A I L E Y B O L L I N G E R

The shop offers everything from tarot cards and handmade wands to herbs and crystals.

P H OTO : H A I L E Y B O L L I N G E R

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FILM

Thrills on Wheels Mobile Cinema Brings Family-Friendly Halloween Shorts to Neighborhoods Across Cincinnati

BY N ATA L I E C L A R E

Since the start of the pandemic, the team behind Cincinnati’s Cindependent Film Festival has found ways to keep the spirit of independent films alive, even in the midst of pivots and postponements that have become a sobering reality for the arts and entertainment industry. For example, they launched “Cindependent and Chill” this year as a digital service that delivers new indie films every month to subscribers. Last year, they created Reels on Wheels, a screening series in which they present family-friendly short films from a mobile trailer at outdoor community spaces around Cincinnati.

This October, Reels on Wheels returns as Thrills on Wheels. Four outdoor screening events will take place throughout the month in Madisonville, Over-the-Rhine and Camp Washington. The series will feature family-friendly, independent short films that celebrate the Halloween season. Cindependent says the films are suitable for ages 6 and up.

“It’s going to offer our unique programming and outdoor cinema experience but be more in tune with the season. Modern campfire ghost story family fun. It’s also going to be a great way to enjoy the weather and our particularly unique cinema experience,” Reels on Wheels Program Manager Chris Potoka tells CityBeat.

Audiences can expect light concessions, movie theater popcorn and socially distanced, picnic-style seating. It’s “BYOC,” meaning “bring your own chair,” and pets are welcome.

Film blocks will be shown at 7 p.m. and 8 p.m.

“Reels on Wheels launched as a response to the pandemic and has been able to grow and continue on since then, which seems an odd success story,” says Potoka, likening the mobile cinema to a traveling pop-up carnival.

He adds that the reception from the community is always great and he enjoys seeing guests “go from curious and confused to completely onboard and excited within seconds of seeing the trailer.”

Cindependent Executive Director Allyson West says she’s looking forward to the seasonal aspect of Thrills on Wheels.

“We get people coming out in costumes and it’s so fun,” she says. “The weather is just so beautiful in October, it makes it so worthwhile to sit outside, have a drink, have hot cocoa. The cinema gets all decked out with spiders and spider webs, and the lights on top of the marquee turn orange. The experience is wrapped up in that.”

West, a passionate advocate for the independent filmmaking industry, says Cindependent — as an organization — has been able to meet this bizarre moment in time because of their team’s nimble size and community roots. “ “There’s a spontaneity to what we can

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Thrill on Wheels movie trailer P H OTO : P ROV I D E D B I R D A N D RO S E P H OTO G R A P H Y

do. There’s a lot of community-building to what we do. And there’s so much innovation,” she says. “Because we’re flexible, because we’re small, we can pivot. I’m looking at doing an outdoor film festival for 2022 — because our organization is so small, we really can’t bank on what might happen if we get canceled.”

At its core, Cindependent’s mission is to strengthen the local independent filmmaking structure while also educating the community about the media form and stimulating the Cincinnati economy. Its annual Cindependent Film Festival (which was canceled last year due to the pandemic) brings together those efforts through indie film screenings, industry networking events, topic-based discussions, workshops and other efforts to solidify independent film as an integral part of the region’s arts and culture scene.

Cindependent isn’t alone in that mission. They work closely with the Esquire Theatre in Clifton to create and host events. Julianne Reisenfeld, vice president of operations for Esquire’s Theatre Management Corporation, says their relationship is “very symbiotic.”

“Cindependent’s mission is to create a home for independent filmmaking in Cincinnati, and the Esquire Theatre prides itself on providing a place for Cincinnati moviegoers to view independent films and those films that might not otherwise find an audience,” says Reisenfeld.

The Esquire is currently working with Cindependent to host “single-fest” screening events that feature more complex and mature films.

West says, “We get hundreds and hundreds of films a year, and at this point, we can really focus on what’s the

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Thrills on Wheels presents family-friendly, spooky cinema in the great outdoors.

P H OTO : P ROV I D E D B I R D A N D RO S E P H OTO G R A P H Y

best, most innovative, most cuttingedge storytelling there is.”

Through events like Reels on Wheels and re-imagined film fests at the Esquire, Cindependent and their collaborators in the community — including the Black Cincinnati Cinema Collective (B3C) and Women in Film (WIF) Cincinnati — appear to be redefining the moviegoing experience in the Queen City and keeping the spotlight on independent filmmaking.

See for yourself with Thrills on Wheels. Remaining screenings take place Oct. 29 at Bramble Park in Madisonville, Oct. 23 at Grant Park in Over-the-Rhine and Oct. 30 at CampSITE Sculpture Park in Camp Washington.

For more about Thrills on Wheels or Cindependent, visit cindependentfilmfest.org.

VISUAL ART

Local Painter Cedric Michael Cox Offers Vibrant Positivity in New Exhibit at Baker Hunt Art and Cultural Center

BY K AT I E G R I F F IT H

A month-long exhibition at Baker Hunt Art and Cultural Center in Covington reveals never-before-seen paintings

by Cedric Michael Cox, including one of his largest canvas works to date.

Mindful Joy debuted Oct. 1 to a sold-out crowd in an event that blended music, art and a message of positivity.

“Mindful Joy is a name of one of the paintings that’s actually in the exhibition,” Cox tells CityBeat. “And it’s kind of like the mindset of where I’m at with my artwork and I really wanted to convey an idea of positive energy through art.”

Among the 17 paintings Cox created for this exhibit, “Celestial Balance” was unveiled in the newly renovated Baker Hunt Ballroom. It lives on a grand, 6-foot-by-10-foot canvas, Cox says, and is his favorite of the bunch. The painting is balanced but not symmetrical, swirls of color take the eye through a maze of pointed and round shapes that give way to an almost three-dimensional effect on the negative space.

“It’s very vibrant,” he says of the work.

“It has kind of a tannish, milky play between purple and yellow and these very primary colors dancing throughout it in these geometric forms that relate to dance, human anatomy and musical and architectural forms.”

Any series of paintings created in the same period of time with a curated and themed showing in mind are going to be related, Cox says. While Cox’s signature Cubist, semi-Abstract style is a distinct feature throughout, viewers can expect a refreshing take on this new work. A regal sentiment permeates through the mixture of large and small installments, relating his ability to portray color and shapes through fluid movement to the overarching message of peacefulness and vibrant positivity.

Cox wanted to make this exhibit more than just a standard gallery showing, he says. He felt like making it a “happening,” which is why he carefully chose musician Preston Bell Charles III to complement opening night.

“The layers of information, the sophistication of the sound,” Cox says. “The mixtures of different genres. That’s what I feel when I look at my work. I feel like there’s more than just one vibe that could be pulled when you’re looking at my work. That’s how I feel when I’m listening to (Charles’) work.”

Charles is a local musician and violin teacher who creates elegant loops of intricate sound to form a cohesive blend of Classical tone and modern attitude. He is featured in various local events and is a creative music director for Cincinnati THRIVE’s Hip Hop Orchestra.

Charles will also perform during upcoming events throughout the month. On Oct. 17, patrons can reserve a spot for Brunch with the Artist, where guests are treated to food and drink and can converse with Cox about the exhibit and his body of work. The closing event

on Oct. 29 is slated for music and mingling once more with Charles and Cox. Additional viewing times — without Cox present — are slated throughout the month.

“I’m hoping we have a great turnout and people enjoy the work,” Cox says. “I think as an artist it’s important for you to stand outside of yourself as a voyeur or an onlooker to really challenge yourself and objectively judge yourself and how you can do better.”

Cox was hand-picked by Baker Hunt as the second artist to grace the gallery and make art exhibits a mainstay at the art and cultural center’s renewed space.

The historic Scudder House Building, where the ballroom and Cox’s exhibit is located, debuted renovations in early 2021. The building is a big piece of the 3-acre property, which also includes The Mansion, The Studio and The Auditorium.

“We recently renovated the Scudder Building,” says Hunter Fleury, Baker Hunt program and education director.

“The space itself is completely brand new and it just lent itself really well to displaying work and it’s a passion of mine. So one of our employees here was familiar with Cox’s work and lived around the corner from where some of his work is displayed in Bellevue and just fell in love with it and we did, too.

So we started putting together a wish list of who we’d like to see display work here and he was at the top of our list.”

Baker Hunt aims to make art available to all, according to its website. The staff provides professional instruction in every type of art from cooking to painting. Fleury, who describes Cox’s work as “breathtaking,” is looking forward to the way Mindful Joy and future exhibits can impact and inspire his students.

“We have students come into the space to draw or look at the work and admire the work (and) if possible, have conversations with Cedric,” Fleury says.

“And it was similar with the prior show, bringing students through just to see what a master’s work would look like.”

Cox hopes all viewers can walk away from Mindful Joy with an appreciation for the arts and engage in their own creative spirit.

“A society is only as good as the art they create,” he says.

Cedric Michael Cox P H O T O : P R O V I D E D BY B A K E R H U N T A R T A N D C U LT U R A L C E N T E R

Baker Hunt Art and Cultural Center, 620 Greenup St., Covington.

Get more information about Mindful Joy and reserve space for the brunch and closing reception at bakerhunt.org.

“Mindful Joy” by Cedric Michael Cox P H O T O : P R O V I D E D BY B A K E R H U N T A R T A N D C U LT U R A L C E N T E R

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FOOD & DRINK

Spirit-free cocktails at HomeMakers Bar P H OTO : K A R A D R I S C O L L

Ready for Sober October?

These five Cincinnati bars are serving up serious non-alcoholic sips

BY K A R A D R I S C O L L

Y

ou’ve heard of Dry January, but what about Sober October? Thousands of people across the world are quitting alcohol for the month to give their bodies a break before the holiday season starts — and bars and restaurants in Cincinnati are prepared.

Sober October started seven years ago as a fundraising campaign for Macmillan Cancer Support, a U.K.based cancer charity. The campaign’s primary goal is raising money, but the

month also emphasizes the importance of reflecting on your relationship with alcohol.

Much like Dry January, the Sober October movement has caught on around America. Reducing the amount of alcohol you consume, even for a month, can have a positive impact on your health, says wellness website Healthline. Cutting out alcohol can decrease your risk for cardiovascular issues and cancer (the CDC says

long-term, excessive alcohol consumption contributes to cancer of the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, voice box, liver, colon and rectum); give your liver a chance to recoup; improve your sleep habits; and even help you lose weight.

If you’re ready to give it a shot (no pun intended), there are plenty of places in the Queen City to get nonalcoholic beers and cocktails that won’t feel like a sacrifice. While MadTree is developing a nonalcoholic beer option and newly opened Somerset has plenty of fancy mocktail options, there is no shortage of other places to try for a sober Saturday or Sunday.

Here are five local spots to saddle up to the bar and get something special that won’t leave your head hurting in the morning.

HomeMakers Bar

menu, HomeMakers Bar will be your Sober October sanctuary.

You can order a pint of Athletic Brewing’s Free Wave Hazy IPA ($6) or a glass of non-alcoholic Sparkling Riesling ($11) from Germany’s respected Riesling producer, Leitz.

This fruity, bubbly delight could easily become your go-to drink even after Sober October.

But the Bartender Choice Spirit-free Cocktail ($6) is what HomeMakers does best. “(A mocktail) is one of our favorite things to make,” says Julia Petiprin, CEO and director of operations for HomeMakers. “It’s more of a challenge.

You have to be crafty.”

Perfect for fall, the Candy Corn mocktail resembles one of Halloween’s most iconic candies. Don’t let the name fool you — there’s nothing sickeningly

With a spirit-free section built into its

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The Mocktail Mule at Jane’s at Findlay Market P H OTO : K A R A D R I S C O L L

FROM PAGE 47

sweet about this non-alcoholic option.

Using Athletic Brewing’s Hazy IPA as a base, this delicious concoction features cinnamon demerara, pineapple, lemon, egg white and Angostura bitters. You can also try the Espresso But Better, a cold brew mocktail with ginger, demerara and cream. 39 E. 13th St., Over-the-Rhine, homemakersbar.com.

Jane’s at Findlay Market With live music and the bustle of busy shoppers creating the ideal weekend atmosphere, Jane’s at Findlay Market is your next go-to outdoor bar to grab a mocktail this month. Try Jane’s Mocktail Mule, which features hints of ginger, honey and lime. For $8, it’s topped off with Queen City Hemp Lemon Lavender CBD Seltzer and a splash of soda water. Ask the friendly bartenders to whip up something special, and they’ll slide over a oneof-a-kind passion fruit seltzer with strawberry, mint, grapefruit, lime juice and brown sugar. 1801 Race St., Overthe-Rhine, findlaymarket.org/janes.

BrewDog BrewDog is the master of non-alcoholic beers. The brewery has six different non-alcoholic beer options, including the popular Hazy AF non-alcoholic IPA. You can order a pint or try a flight of them at BrewDog Cincinnati in

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Pendleton. For those who are really on a health kick, you can pair your drink with one of BrewDog’s vegan and plantbased food options like the Beyond Meat Burger or Sweet Potato Burger.

316 Reading Road, Pendleton, brewdog.com.

Overlook Lodge Overlook Lodge in Pleasant Ridge offers signature mocktails and a rotating list of non-alcoholic beers on their menu. Choose from a variety of sweet options including the Pantry Tea, a housemade apple berry sweet tea, or the Lucid Lemonade, with fresh lemon juice, mint simple and sparkling water.

You can also try the Frostbite, a house limeade with grape soda. Prices vary.

6083 Montgomery Road, Pleasant Ridge, thatshiningbar.com.

Nation Kitchen & Bar If you’re looking for a breezy thirst quencher to pair with an awardwinning burger, Nation Kitchen & Bar slings up a non-alcoholic option from Paulaner Brauerei München. For $7, the Paulaner Weizen-Radler combines “the great taste of Paulaner Hefe-Weizen with natural effervescent lemonade in a non-alcoholic alternative for a refreshingly fruity yet malty taste,” reads the brewery description. You’ll taste notes of lime, orange and lemon. 1200 Broadway St., Pendleton; 3435 Epworth Ave.,

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Candy Corn mocktail at HomeMakers Bar P H OTO : K A R A D R I S C O L L

Westwood, nationkitchenandbar.com.

Non-alcoholic beers and cocktails might not be the right fit for individuals struggling with alcohol dependence or addiction. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration can help. SAMHSA’s National Helpline

is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-ayear treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders. SAMHSA’s National Helpline: 1-800-662HELP (4357).

DRINK

Hotel Covington Celebrates 5 Years with Release of Signature Cocktail Recipe Book

BY K AT I E G R I F F IT H

A mug of Liquid Knowledge at Coppin’s Restaurant & Bar in Hotel Covington is comprised of a lot more than just ginger, lime and bourbon. The mug itself, designed and created by Rookwood Pottery, represents a network of local collaboration that Hotel Covington works hard to maintain. One sip of the signature cocktail refreshes the palate, honors the history of the building and, as of September, celebrates five years of business for the hotel and restaurant.

“The most important, influential cocktail we have is Liquid Knowledge,” says Coppin’s Food and Beverage Director Megan Dillon. “It’s been here since day one, it will always be on the menu. John Coppin won big on the long-shot horse named Knowledge, which is the whole reason for this building standing here right now and essentially why we are in it. It’s important to give a nod to where it all began.”

The bar and restaurant is named after Coppin, who won a 100-to-1 bet on a horse named Knowledge 115 years ago; $33,000 later, Coppin purchased the empty lot on Madison Avenue and set out to construct Kentucky’s first modern skyscraper, Dillon says. Coppin’s Department Store opened in 1910 and served the neighborhood for almost eight decades. In 2016, the seven-story building was re-established as the boutique hotel it is today.

Coppin’s bar staff wanted to commemorate the anniversary in a way that revered its dedicated team while giving something back to patrons. Dillon, Culinary Bar Specialist Karen Puttmann and Food and Beverage Manager James Beddie didn’t need much time to consider how it could be done. The idea of an exclusive cocktail book was instantly conceived and roughly three months later, Cheers to Five Years — written by Puttmann and compiled by Dillon — was complete.

“For me, this book is for the young woman who called the bar from Denver two years ago and asked me for a recipe for a drink she had here,” Puttmann says. “It’s for the guest who is sitting in front of us asking, ‘What is in that bright green syrup you just added to that cocktail?’ And also, this is for us.

This is for our team, a gift to ourselves and everybody who has ever enjoyed a cocktail here.”

Cheers to Five Years features 30 cocktails artfully inventoried among sprinkles of mixology basics. Careful instructions are listed so even a novice could build a drink, while elegant depictions of the hotel and vibrant cocktails complement the information.

Photography was completed by local Amy Elisabeth Spasoff.

Coppin’s reimagines its selective drink menu seasonally through a collaborative research and development process. The entire bar staff comes together with ideas, picks their favorites and perfects the recipes down to every last ice cube and garnish. After five

Hotel Covington is celebrating its fifth anniversary.

P H OTO : H A I L E Y B O L L I N G E R

years of business and eight to nine cocktails per quarterly menu, Puttmann wrestled with nearly 200 options for the book. There was a finesse in the selection process, she says, to include different types of drinks while recalling specific recipes because of their unique names, popularity, dazzling presentation and, of course, taste.

“A cocktail is only as good as the way it’s presented to you,” Puttmann says.

And for Coppin’s, the presentation is all encompassing. It is driven by ratios, stirs and shakes and steered by a showstopping appearance. But it begins by luring a customer with innovative names, like the unfortunately everlasting Open the Roebling!, which mirrors the Roebling Bridge’s hue and boasts a berry-flavored, bourbon-based profile while begging whoever’s responsible for the closure of Covington’s beloved connection to Cincinnati to figure it out.

Puttmann says The Crack Sabbath is the most ambitious cocktail of the bunch (you need a torch to make it) and it just so happens to be her creation. She delights in concocting craft, one-of-a-kind syrups to inspire new recipes. A porter peppercorn molasses syrup daringly flavors The Crack Sabbath, which is then distinguished by an interactive, crystal sugar lid to garnish.

Infused with Buffalo Trace Bourbon, an assortment of bitters and a few other ingredients, the drink is then smoked in a snifter with oak wood chips. The sugar lid traps the smoke and the guest cracks the lid to let the smoke slowly pour from the glass.

The book also offers a Coppin’s twist on standards like Coppin’s Old Fashioned or the flamboyantly bright pink take on a margarita called Perseverance.

It’s important for each menu and for the book to appeal to the masses while

“scratching innovative itches,” Puttmann says, and what’s offered is always a representation of the passion and talent of the people behind the bar.

Cheers to Five Years will be available for purchase at Hotel Covington and Roebling Point Books and Coffee in mid-tolate October. The team also has assembled an anniversary package for $120 that includes the book, a set of Hotel Covington etched and branded glassware and New Riff Distilling bourbon barrel pick exclusive to Hotel Covington. In addition, guests can look forward to a Braxton Brewing Company The Crack Sabbath cocktail beer to be aged in P H O T O : A M Y E L I S A B E T H S PA S O F F the New Riff barrel and offered as an opportunity to create a tailored experiadditional, celebratory drink on tap ence for each guest.” while supplies last.

As far as the next five years go, Hotel Hotel Covington General Manager Covington is about to get a lot bigJustin Ham says some important ger — by 53 rooms, to be exact. Ham milestones have been surpassed in says since the purchase of the adjacent the five years of operation, including building, Hotel Covington North is Cheers to Five Years. He looks forward underway with 12-15 months of conto achieving more accolades such as struction remaining and plenty of new, Trip Advisor’s 2021 Travelers’ Choice luxurious plans to be announced. And Awards, which ranks the hotel among if you ask Dillon or Puttmann, another the 25 best hotels in America. recipe book isn’t off the table, either.

“There’s an art to what we do,” Ham says “We are all here for one reason — Hotel Covington is located at 638 that’s to take care of our guests, and Madison Ave., Covington. More info: we provide that autonomy for our staff hotelcovington.com. to be able to feel like they can take the

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MUSIC

Kendall Bruns P H OTO : M E L I S SA F I E L D S

Happy Trailsongs to You, from Kendall Bruns The freshly returned Cincinnati resident’s new album is his quirky and sincere tribute to America’s National Parks

BY B R I A N BA K E R

E

ven a cursory glance at Kendall Bruns’ creative accomplishments over the past two decades will inspire an internet search for the

definition of “polymath.” For the record, it’s “an individual whose knowledge spans a substantial number of subjects, and is known to draw on complex

bodies of knowledge to solve specific problems.” For the same record, Bruns is the poster child for that description.

Consider Bruns’ impressive bullet points. He graduated from the Art Academy of Cincinnati with a BFA, majoring in sculpture; he was a member of several local bands including And How and Royal Holland; and he was a co-founder of Koala Fires. Additionally, he and Wonky Tonk entered a jingle competition for Safe Auto Insurance and made the top 12 of contenders, plus he founded the U.S. Pizza Museum in Chicago during his 11-year residence.

And that’s a brief outline.

Bruns’ most recent project combines two of his longstanding loves: songwriting and the National Park Service. A songwriter and home recordist since

his teenage years, Bruns set the lofty goal of visiting all of America’s national parks; many early trips inspired him to write songs. Oddly enough, it took him until 2013 to recognize the pattern in some of his writing, which has finally coalesced with the imminent release of his first solo album, Trailsongs: Volume 1, a 10-song set with each track inspired by a different national park.

“I was in Petrified Forest, I was alone, making reference demos on my iPhone, and I was thinking, ‘I should do a project where I write songs inspired by national parks,’” Bruns tells CityBeat. “I was like, ‘This is a project I can do myself.’ I realized that I had written songs when I was 16, 17, 18, that were inspired by trips to Smoky Mountain

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THE COOKING SCHOOL

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Where Performances Become Legend

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SOUND ADVICE Kevin Gates

Wednesday, Oct. 13, and Thursday, Oct. 14 • Bogart’s Kevin Gates is nothing if not enigmatic — a confessional emcee whose oeuvre extends far beyond the recording studio.

Over the past decade, the Louisiana artist has made an art form out of spectacle, weaving near-hysterical webs of raw emotion and contradiction that sound as indebted to Blues as they do Southern Trap. He’s both a crooner and a dialed-in storyteller — a student of ’90s Hip Hop who’s comfortable belting out pitch-perfect renditions of Green Day tunes in interviews and fusing these influences together on a song.

Before Emo Rap became a bona fide genre in the late 2010s, Gates developed something of a prototype on singles like 2013’s “4:30 A.M.,” recalling traumatic memories of violence and addiction over a gloomy piano-laden instrumental. Despite the grave source material, his lyrical edge rarely takes precedence over his sense of melody — or humor, for that matter, when he takes an unexpected jab at his “asshole” high school track coach for a quick laugh.

This stream-of-conscious approach to songwriting sounds jarring and chaotic on paper, like a Tony Soprano therapy session, but Gates’ sincerity sells it.

Though Gates hit his commercial peak in 2016 with his double platinumselling album Islah, his recent work is some of his strongest, detailing his self-improvement and conversion to Islam after a nine-month stint in prison for a gun charge he received four years prior. Though he’s something of an elder statesman in a scene that seems to get younger by the year, his passionate delivery and confessional lyricism hold up alongside the new generation of artists he’s inspired, like NBA YoungBoy and Rod Wave. He’ll be joined on tour by YouTuber-turned-rapper DDG and Oklahoma upstart Gang51e June, whose Country-adjacent Trap ballads touch on heartbreak, spirituality and social inequality.

Doors for both nights open at 7 p.m.

Bogart’s requires proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test for entry.

(Jude Noel)

Mannequin Pussy

Thursday, October 21 • Woodward Theater Mannequin Pussy’s Marisa Dabice is a whirlwind of a frontwoman, raging one minute and whispering the next. It then comes as no surprise that the Philadelphia-based band’s latest release, an EP called Perfect, is yet another rollercoaster ride of emotions, five songs in 14 minutes that — like MP’s most recent full-length record, 2019’s Patience — nevertheless feels like an epic journey.

The band, which also includes drummer Kaleen Reading and bassist Colins Rey Regisford, is as versatile as ever, convincingly moving from the Hardcore

Kevin Gates P H O T O : AT L A N T I C R E C O R D S

roar of “Perfect” to atmospheric slowburner “Darling” to the quiet/loud dynamics of “Control,” which is yet another fierce first-person Dabice tale, this time about realizing what she can and can’t control in her life.

“To Lose You” sounds like the middle ground between Hole’s Live Though This and Celebrity Skin, raw emotions delivered in a sleek Rock & Roll package. Most curious of all is “Pigs Is Pigs,” a rager about police misconduct — it cites the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor — and the way it messes with the minds of Black Americans like Regisford who, for the first time ever, handles lead vocals.

Perfect came together rapidly last

Mannequin Pussy P H O T O : E P I TA P H

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Our most popular show returns this holiday season!

DEC 1 – 30, 2021

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

CINDERELLA book by Joseph McDonough lyrics by David Kisor music by Fitz Patton

SEASON PRESENTING SPONSOR

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www.ensemblecincinnati.org

Bob Mould P H OTO : A L I C I A J. RO S E

summer, the result of a pandemic that put a halt to MP’s typically robust touring schedule.

“I learned that we can write quickly,” Dabice said earlier this year in an interview with Atwood Magazine. “I realized that our intuition is really strong with the way that we write and communicate with each other. We created our own language, how to discuss music, and how to create things, and going into a studio space where we quickly made something together was really beautiful. I have a lot of confidence in our ability just as artists and songwriters, and people who still have a lot that we want to say. We want to push it further and further.”

Doors are at 7 p.m. Woodward Theater requires proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test. (Jason Gargano)

Bob Mould

Friday, October 22 • Memorial Hall Bob Mould’s latest album, Blue Hearts, kicks off with a song called “Heart on Sleeve,” which opens with this pointed lyrical observation: “The Left Coast is covered in ash and flames/Keep denying the winds of climate change/The Deep South sinking into the sea/But you don’t believe me.”

Mould, of course, has never been known for his subtlety. The 60-year-old singer, songwriter and guitarist has been raging about what moves him for four decades now — first with the iconic 1980s Indie Rock trio Hüsker Dü and then, minus a brief two-record run in the early 1990s with Sugar, as a

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solo artist who has released a string of consistently stellar albums.

But something is a little different this time: Blue Hearts seems especially urgent and confrontational, the product of a man who had to cancel a tour and put his life and livelihood on hold last spring due to a pandemic. As a gay man who lived through the AIDS crisis in the 1980s, Mould sees parallels between former presidents Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump and their enablers.

“We have a charismatic, telegenic, say-anything leader being propped up by evangelicals,” Mould said when Blue Hearts was released last fall. “These fuckers tried to kill me once. They didn’t do it. They scared me. I didn’t do enough. Guess what? I’m back, and we’re back here again. And I’m not going to sit quietly this time and worry about alienating anyone.”

Cue “American Crisis,” a no-holdsbarred take on our current state backed by music as blistering as anything from Hüsker Dü’s Hardcore days. Mould’s voice cracks with emotion as he sings, “I never thought I’d see this bullshit again/To come of age in the ’80s was bad enough/We were marginalized and demonized/I watched a lot of my generation die/Welcome back to American crisis.”

This tour is being billed as Mould in “solo electric” mode, which means audiences will experience his voice and guitar, intimate and unfiltered.

Showtime is 8 p.m. Memorial Hall requires masks as well as proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test. (JG)

FROM PAGE 51

National Park, but I just hadn’t put that frame around it of, ‘This is a thing I’m doing.’ I also love high-concept stuff. I love that Sufjan Stevens did a 50-state thing, even though he never really did it.”

As an Air Force brat, Bruns moved frequently as a child. After his father left the service, the family moved to Cincinnati where both his parents had grown up. Bruns graduated from the Art Academy in 2000 and made a name for himself in the local music and art scenes (CityBeat’s Steve Ramos covered one of Bruns’ art projects, a Bigfoot sculpture he had constructed on a local roadside, back in 2001). A decade later, he relocated to Chicago, got a job at a start-up company called Freosk, and worked on the industrial design of a vending machine that dispenses free packaged consumer products; those are currently in every Sam’s Club and 1,000 grocery stores nationwide.

During his time in Chicago, Bruns spent weekends working on his national park songs project and used vacation time to hit parks he hadn’t yet visited. As of press time, he’s nearly halfway to his ultimate goal, but he makes it clear that his obsession with national parks won’t cease once he notches the last one.

“It’s not about checking off a list,” Bruns says. “This isn’t about visiting 63 parks and writing 63 songs and being done. I’ll go to parks that I’ve already been to and write another song. It’s about having something to keep coming back to and thinking about in different ways over my life.”

Even as Bruns continued to write and home record his park-inspired soundtrack, he didn’t have a clear vision of where the songs would eventually land. He found an outlet to perform the material at farmer’s markets around the Chicago area as a duo with a female songwriter he’d befriended, with each doing some original songs along with a few covers. Bruns loved the audiences (“I made more money than I did playing shows, and sometimes people would give me a box of mushrooms or cherry tomatoes,” he says with a laugh) and the experience toned his performance muscles, but it wasn’t moving the needle on the material. He even created a podcast in which he posted demos and documented his progress, but there was a glaring omission in all of it.

“I thought it would be a good way to have something to deliver, get immediate feedback and share as I go,” he says.

“I started to feel like I had all this stuff and nothing was done.”

Real progress began when a friend introduced Bruns to a couple who coincidentally did a podcast on national parks and were about to launch a second that they were calling Hello Ranger.

They asked Bruns if he would be interested in providing the theme and incidental music, and he eagerly accepted the assignment. When he finished the music, he contacted Candyland Studio owner/producer Mike Montgomery, whom he’d met through Koala Fires/

Royal Holland bandmate Matt Mooney, to inquire about mastering his creation. Montgomery was supportive but unable to do the work because of his schedule, so Bruns did some YouTube research and completed it himself.

“I realized I was probably overkilling how much I was worrying about this,” he says. “But I made these things, I taught myself how to play harmonica, and these were all little things that pushed me forward. I remember getting these done and I was like, ‘This turned out really good. Why am I not finishing these songs that I’ve been working on for years?’”

The podcast music became the catalyst for finishing the songs that have become the first volume of Trailsongs.

Bruns had mixed all of the songs that he had recorded at his apartment in Chicago, and to his ear they sounded pretty good, but on a whim he decided to send a track to Montgomery to see what he could do with it. A recent trip to Mammoth Caves had yielded a new song called “Life in the Dark,” and Bruns was astonished by the increased depth and tone that Montgomery added to the track, which led him to revisit all of his recordings in preparation for mixing and mastering.

“I don’t know how old some of the pieces of these songs were, but I went back and redid things and cleaned up things,” says Bruns. “Every song got some kind of new thing.”

Bruns had already asked Mooney if he’d be interested in contributing guitar to some of his songs, which he did on the Yosemite-inspired “Tutokanula” and the Cuyahoga Valley-inspired “Ice Bar.” Bruns had added some synth-cello sounds to a couple of tracks, and Montgomery offered to put him touch with Lori Goldston, perhaps best known for her cello work on Nirvana’s Unplugged session and the subsequent tour.

Goldston’s work on “Valley of Death” (Death Valley) and “Bluer Than Blue” (Crater Lake) is captivating.

With Bruns’ return to Cincinnati this summer, the release of Trailsongs became a tricky proposition. He’d been househunting for awhile, and his move in July undermined his original intention of releasing the album on Aug. 26, the birthday of the National Park Service.

But now that he’s settled in, Trailsongs is ready to take a bow.

“There was just too much going on,” Bruns says. “There were all these concerns: How do you release a record right now? What is playing live like right now? And I ran out of time. But I thought, well, at least I can announce that it’s coming out. And now it’s all happening.”

For more on Kendall Bruns and to listen to Trailsongs: Volume 1, visit kendallbruns.bandcamp.com.

OCTOBER 13-26, 2021

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C I T Y B E AT. C O M

55

JUST STOP

PUZZLE

BY B R EN DA N EM M E T T Q UIG LE Y

ACROSS

1. Moog knobs

6. Christie’s opening

9. Reese’s Pieces Pancakes franchise 13. Thanksgiving dinner guest, maybe 14. Programmer’s job 15. Shin-hiding skirt 16. 2014 Ava DuVernay historical drama 17. It’s got all the answers 18. Like a mystery man 19. Device that lets you safely shrink pictures?

22. What a dump!

23. “My bad,” in texts 24. Singer Yearwood with a cooking show 27. Org. with an Air Quality Report 28. “Hungry Like The ___” 30. Element #50 31. Program for women in labor?

35. Department 36. Bird with an S-curved neck 37. Go wrong 38. Wistia rival

59. “Talk L8R” 60. Loch Ness fisherman 61. Speechify 62. Fail to follow 63. It sometimes goes against the grain 64. Exclaimed surprise and delight

DOWN 1. Othello pieces 2. Doing nothing 3. Bronze or steel 4. Genie’s home 5. Kiss passionately 6. Sci-fi villains that live in a cube

40. Young smoked herring?

8. Drake’s “Thank Me Later,” e.g.

42. ___ Marie (WWE Raw star)

9. China name 10. Evidence of paying at the door

L AST PUZ ZLE’S ANSWERS:

5 $ $

( % $ 1

% $ $

8 % ( 5

* / 8 ( 5

+ , 1 ' ,

% $ * 7 2 ' ( = = 7 5 , 5 , * 2 $ ( 2 1 = = 6 7 2 2 8 7 7 7 $ ( 5 .

5 $ 5 5 $ = = 2 $ 1 $ 9 < / 8 ) 8 = , $ / , 7 = 1 $ 6

25. One getting a new employee badge 26. Qualifying phrase with a “/” 27. Squeezes (out) 28. ___ Parker (glasses company)

32. “You got me”

34. Settings symbol

48. Shaking problem

14. Manhattan sch.

35. Erase, as a drive

21. Shepherd’s cry

7 : , 6 7 ( ' 7 ( $

0 2 2 6 (

= ( 6 7 <

1 2 7 ,

$ 6 6 1

: , / '

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you around town 41. Gorilla in video games 43. Dandy dude 46. Live-in help 47. Polo goal?

48. Black Canary’s alter ego ___ Lance

50. Class that covers congress

12. Lock screen number

55. Forest deity

6 3 $ 5 ( 5 & , = % $ 6 5

/ ) ( $ ( 5 6 3 0 $ + ( 5 ( ' 5 * 3 ( 6 % 5 ( $ 0 $ 1 8 ' ' - 8 6 2

31. With 44-Across, big name in vodka

47. Final moment

20. Supreme Leader’s land

3 $ 7 ( 1

$ 3 3 7

49. Government bond

33. Outmatched opponent

51. Periodical for hillbilly dads?

+ < 3 +

29. Grand Ole’ stage

11. Can opener brand

45. Aegean island

7. “Dat’s cool”

44. See 31-Down

58. China name

57. Iowa State city

39. Things eschewed for casual Friday

43. Raging anger

38. Fiery curry choice 40. Card that’ll get

52. Song accompanied with popular hand gestures 53. “Buddy! I want some Fancy Feast!”

54. One in 100 55. Company that does arrangements 56. Polished off