BY TOM O'NEILL
The Cincinnati Enquirer
LOVELAND -- City council members who supported a resolution calling for immediate impeachment proceedings against President Clinton call it the right thing to do.
Detractors call it grandstanding with no valid place in local politics.
Soon, the public is expected to officially add its voice to the debate.
Council's meeting Tuesday was moved up to 7 p.m., from 8 p.m., to facilitate what might be an extended open forum on council's recent resolution.
The resolution fueled strong feelings locally on both sides and caught the attention of wire services and other national media. Conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh mentioned it on his afternoon call-in show.
The resolution, which council approved Sept. 22 on a 5-0 vote with two abstentions, called for impeachment proceedings and expressed displeasure over the president's affair with Monica Lewinsky.
"I feel it's important to get the country moving and get this resolved," Mayor Lee Skierkiewicz said Tuesday.
The resolution was amended by Councilwoman Paulette Leeper to say it is done on behalf of city council and not by Loveland as a whole.
"There are people who are upset," Councilwoman Donna Lajcak said Tuesday. "It's not for us to make decisions on it. We need to speak with our own congressmen on this. We have so many of our own issues here, there's no reason to get involved with this."
The five supporters on council were: Mr. Skierkiewicz, Brad Greenberg, Rob Weisgerber, David Bair and Ms. Leeper. Councilwomen Lajcak and Mary Newman abstained.
Mr. Greenberg, the resolution's sponsor, said it was possibly the first such local resolution in the United States.
If you go
What: Loveland City Council meeting
Where: 120 W. Loveland Ave.
When: 7 p.m. Tuesday
Information: 683-0150
