Friday, June 25, 1999
Council's evaluation of Shirey in recess till Monday
BY ANNE MICHAUD
The Cincinnati Enquirer
After two hours in a closed-door meeting Thursday, Cincinnati City Council adjourned a performance review of the city manager until Monday morning.
Members gave vague reasons for the adjournment, leading to speculation that a group wishing to oust John Shirey was not achieving a majority.
“I won't speculate on any of that,” Mr. Shirey said. “It kind of turned out to be a non-event. I was told one of the members left and they decided not to continue.”
Councilman Phil Heimlich left early for an appointment, but Councilman Tyrone Yates called that “the technical reason” for the adjournment.
Mr. Yates said he may not attend the Monday meeting because “people already know I want to retain the manager. They're just wasting my time.”
The manager has been under fire over downtown development. Recently, Mayor Roxanne Qualls and Mr. Heimlich called for the formation of a separate development commission.
“He is not getting the job done,” the mayor said earlier this month, to which Mr. Shirey replied, publicly, that council can fire him if it is unhappy. He defends his record on downtown.
Thursday, Mayor Qualls announced, “We're in the midst of a very substantive discussion. So much in the city is under review. We'll see you Monday morning.”
The city manager oversees the day-to-day operation of Cincinnati. Mr. Shirey has held the job since 1993.
Councilman Todd Portune said the adjournment was unfortunate.
“It will only lead to more public speculation, which is neither healthy for the relationship between the council and the manager or for the city,” he said.
Mr. Shirey takes credit for the construction of a department store — Lazarus — downtown, which is rare for any American city, and for Tiffany & Co. opening next door. Fort Washington Way, long a gulf between downtown and the riverfront, is being reconfigured to connect the two. And $1 billion in investment is under way on the riverfront.
Critics say he fumbled a vision for the riverfront between the sports stadiums, that he is a hindrance to expanding the Albert B. Sabin Convention Center, and that he allowed a deal to fall through to locate a Nordstrom department store at Fifth and Race.
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