BY RICHELLE THOMPSON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
LEBANON -- Some city councils incite little controversy. Not Lebanon's. At least, not this year.
City residents are facing the first recall vote in the city's 196-year history. City Manager Richard Hayward's job is on the line, with council members slated to vote June 9 whether to terminate the 10-year employee.
And a $5 million telecommunications project -- initially hailed as progressive and innovative -- has been tabled. Voters are expected to decide the project's future on the November ballot.
Here's how council got to this point -- and where it's expected to be in a few months:
How is council divided?
Seventy-three percent of council's votes since Oct. 28, 1997, have been unanimous. But the figure belies the 4-3 split during the past five months on the two biggest issues: telecommunications and Mr. Hayward's future.
There generally are two factions: Mayor Jim Mills, Michael Coyan, Mary Ann Cole and Mark Flick are considered one voting bloc. Former Mayor Jackson Hedges, Gil Jarrard and Amy Brewer comprise the minority.
What is causing the rift?
Primarily, two issues: whether to fire Mr. Hayward and whether to move forward with a telecommunications project.
As architect of the cable project, Mr. Hayward has hailed the proposal as a means to lower cable bills by as much as 30 percent, or an average of $15 monthly.
In addition, he thinks providing cable to residents is only the first step. Eventually, the technology could allow free long-distance calling to Cincinnati and Dayton, provide easy and fast Internet access, and improve the efficiency of the city's utility company. In August, six of the seven council members voted unanimously to create a cable company. Mr. Flick was elected in November.
Seven months after that unanimous vote, council voted 4-3 to table the project. The majority of council members said they thought voters should decide whether to continue, and legislation to put the issue on the November ballot is slated for a vote Tuesday.
Detractors say they fear the project actually will cost up to $12 million. In addition, different estimates of the project's fiscal outlook have given different numbers. Mr. Flick said that is unacceptable -- and a harbinger of a failed project.
Why is the city manager's job in jeopardy?
Mr. Hayward's ardent support of the cable project may be his downfall. Mr. Flick introduced legislation March 24 to fire the manager. At the next council meeting, members decided to table the motion until June 9. Mr. Flick said the move would give council more time to work out their differences and make an informed decision.
Some residents, angry about the delay, stormed out of the meeting. They think postponing the vote leaves the city in limbo for two more months.
Mr. Flick has said the move to fire Mr. Hayward stems from the city manager's refusal to release certain documents to all members of council. However, others said the disagreements started in 1993, when Mr. Hayward supported a project to establish a city-owned golf course.
At that time, opponents of the golf course formed Lebanon Concerned Citizens. Mr. Flick, Mrs. Cole and Mr. Coyan were active members of the group. Eventually, the city withdrew the golf course project from council's consideration. But the battle scars remained.
Why target Mary Ann Cole for a recall?
Some city residents, headed by Cathy Mick, who formed People for a Brighter Future as a means of breaking up the four-person voting bloc, are angry with council's majority.
The group, hoping to unseat the majority bloc's power, targeted a council member for a recall. They had one option: Mrs. Cole. That's because Ohio law dictates no elected official in the first year of his or her term can be recalled.
How does the recall process work?
People for a Brighter Future had to collect at least 470 signatures, or 15 percent of the total votes in November's election. Volunteers canvassed the city and submitted a petition with 576 signatures to the Warren County Board of Elections.
The board then checked each signature to make sure it was valid. While 99 were dropped because they didn't meet the exact stipulations of the law, the petitions still had enough signatures and were certified April 24.
That meant Lebanon's council was required to set an election 30 to 40 days from the certification date. Council decided April 28 in another 4-3 vote to set the special election May 26, following Memorial Day Weekend.
What happens if Mrs. Cole is recalled?
Voters select her replacement. That person would complete Mrs. Cole's term, which ends in 1999.
