BY LISA DONOVAN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The city of Cincinnati is poised to reimburse the families of slain officers Daniel Pope and Ronald Jeter for about $20,000 in funeral and related expenses.
A majority of city council members said Monday they are prepared to vote for a measure that would not only pay for the funerals, but also travel expenses.
Council has been under pressure to act since Linda Pope, Officer Pope's widow, complained last week that city officials had not delivered on a promise to pay the funeral and travel expenses of family members who came to Cincinnati for the services.
Mrs. Pope could not be reached for comment Monday night. But she said last week that she didn't need the money, but simply wanted city officials to keep their promise. She said she would donate any money she received to the Shriners Burns Institute.
After an hour of debate during council's Law and Public Safety Committee meeting Monday afternoon, two plans emerged. But only one appears to have support to pass.
That plan, sponsored by Councilmen Phil Heimlich, Todd Portune and Charlie Winburn, calls for paying Mrs. Pope and Brenda Collier, mother of Spc. Jeter, travel and funeral expenses. Council members Minette Cooper and Dwight Tillery said they would support the measure.
Councilwoman Jeanette Cissell said she supported the measure in principle but would have to study it further.
Another proposal by Councilmen Tyrone Yates and James Tarbell would pay Mrs. Pope and Ms. Collier only for travel expenses related to the funeral, which would cost about $5,000.
Mr. Yates said he recalls a discussion with city administrators after the slayings in which they decided to pay for the families' transportation. Mayor Roxanne Qualls said she would support this plan.
The plans could be voted on as early as Wednesday.
As discussion began in committee Monday, a city administration report was made public on a proposal Mr. Heimlich made in August to reimburse the Pope and Jeter families for travel and funeral expenses.
The report reiterated City Manager John Shirey's previous statement that the city has, under the letter of the law, compensated the families.
"The city's practice is to provide benefits as determined through the collective bargaining process . . . " said the report. The families received an initial lump sum of about $200,000, including $20,000 from the city, as well as $3,500 from the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation. The families are entitled to initial annual survivor benefits of about $69,000.
But Ms. Cissell said that if Mrs. Pope was given a promise, council should keep it.
