If Cincinnati's mayor and three council members can't agree today on who will be appointed to Todd Portune's seat, he will not resign, Mr. Portune said Wednesday.

        Mr. Portune, who has been elected to the the Hamilton County Commission, said Wednesday that a list of seven candidates has been narrowed to three.

        But a fourth name keeps popping up on some lists — even after an agreement was hammered out Wednesday among council members and Democrat party officials.

        “I was under the impression that the list had been whittled down to three names,” he said. “I left messages for two of those three and spoke to (another).”

        Those three are:

        • Melanie Bates, 47, of North Avondale. She is a member of the Ohio Board of Education and lost against Republican Rebecca Prem Groppe for Hamilton County recorder.

        • Small business owner Dave Crowley, who ran a successful bi-partisan voter drive called Victory 2000.

        • Scott Seidewitz, a 36-year-old East Walnut Hills resident who ran in last year's City Council election.

        The fourth candidate is John Cranley, 26, of Price Hill, who lost to Republican incumbent Congressman Steve Chabot in this month's election.

        Mr. Portune — who is scheduled to resign before 5 p.m. today — has complained repeatedly that party officials have pushed for Mr. Cranley's appointment. He said he wants someone who would support the same issues.

        Mayor Charlie Luken said Wednesday that Mr. Cranley is still on his list, as did Councilwoman Minette Cooper. Mr. Portune has appointed them — along with the two other Democrats on council — to select his successor.

        But he also left open the possibility of changing who makes the appointments, even though he told council members he had no intention of doing so.

        “I don't have to step down until 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 1,” he said. He takes office Jan. 2.

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