Thursday, February 17, 2000
County signs up public relations support
BY LUCY MAY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Just weeks before a scathing construction audit reported that cost overruns on Paul Brown Stadium could total $45 million or more, Hamilton County invested some money in public relations.
The county commissioners hired Dan Pinger Public Relations at $115 an hour, not to exceed $50,000. The decision came after the county's spokes woman, Kathy Graham, left her job to work as Commissioner Tom Neyer Jr.'s aide.
County officials realized they needed help dealing with communications, Hamilton County Administrator Dave Krings said.
But, Mr. Krings insisted Wednesday, the firm wasn't hired specifically to deal with the news of the cost overruns that county officials knew was coming.
“Pinger was available. I know some of the people from Pinger,” Mr. Krings said. “Am I especially grateful to have them available? Damn right I am.”
During meetings this week, Pinger staff members have provided reporters with packets of information about the project and the overruns and have helped county officials and the project team manage requests for information.
Over the years, the Pinger firm has provided “crisis management services” to many different clients in many types of situations, said Julie Maslov, the firm's vice president and senior counselor.
“It's something we have expertise in,” she said.
But she added that the firm was hired for a much broader purpose — “to fill in the interim communications role and everything that comes with that.”
Commissioner Bob Bedinghaus said that will include helping the county develop a job description for the public relations job that Ms. Graham left.
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