Wednesday, February 02, 2000
County to make private decision official
BY DAN KLEPAL
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Hamilton County commissioners will vote in public today to approve a $2 million decision they made in private Monday.
Without public discussion, Commissioners Bob Bedinghaus and Tom Neyer announced Monday that the board intends to give Cincinnati taxpayer money that will be used to help lay a foundation to someday support a covering over Fort Washington Way.
Hamilton County Commissioner John Dowlin said Tuesday that the matter was discussed in a closed-door “executive session” meeting Monday.
Executive sessions are allowed for limited purposes, such as property acquisition, personnel matters and litigation.
Mr. Dowlin said the discussion originally focused on the county buying a piece of property along the riverfront in exchange for the money, which the city could then use for Fort Washington Way.
But then city officials rejected the deal.
“We were told that the city wanted to take that off the table completely, and some people said, "Why don't we just make a contribution?'” said Mr. Dowlin, who will vote against the expenditure today. “I wanted no part of it.”
Mr. Bedinghaus believes talking about the issue in executive session does not violate Ohio statutes because the three commissioners will vote on the matter at an open meeting today.
“Commissioners have discussions all the time about things,” Mr. Bedinghaus said. “Two commissioners had a discussion and the intention was to support this.
“We will have a very public meeting tomorrow, and at that meeting we'll take public comment.”
But what good will the public comment do if the decision has already been made?
“That's a very good point,” Mr. Dowlin said.
The Open Meetings Act requires public bodies to “take official action and conduct deliberations upon official business in open meetings.”
It was the county's $2 million promise, coupled with a $2 million commitment from area business leaders, that helped swing a majority of city council members in favor of the project.
Although there were no contracts signed guaranteeing the county's share, Cincinnati Mayor Charlie Luken said that Mr. Bedinghaus had “assured him” the county would chip in.
After the press conference, city council held a special meeting to discuss the issue.
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