Smith-Johnston

        Cincinnati City Manager John Shirey named a new director Monday to head the Office of Municipal Investigation, three weeks after the acting director accused him of blocking a probe into possible wrongdoing by city employees.

        Although the post has been vacant for almost 14 months, Mr. Shirey said that his public conflict with Acting Director Kimberlee Gray played no part in his decision.

        He also said the investigation will continue into why city employees continued giving taxpayer money to a West End development group despite evidence of mismanagement.

        “We had a vacancy for too long,” Mr. Shirey said. “It needs to be a permanent position.”

        His choice to lead the agency is Glenda Smith-Johnston, a lawyer now working for the Hamilton County Public Defender's Office.

        In a press conference Monday, Ms. Smith-Johnston said her main goal is to improve police-community relations. But when asked about her plans to accomplish that goal, she said, “no comment.”

        “It seems like I've been working 10 years to get to this point,” Ms. Smith-Johnston said. “OMI is a testament to the moral fiber of this community.”

        OMI is an independent body charged with investigating allegations of misconduct by city employees, the bulk of which are against police officers. OMI's handling of those complaints will likely be the focus of a review by the U.S. Department of Justice, which is investigating the city's police department. Ms. Smith-Johnston made no mention of the Justice probe.

        As director, Ms. Smith-Johnston will make about $85,000 a year. She formerly worked with the Indiana Attorney General's office, where she represented state police officers and corrections officers. She has a master's in public affairs and a law degree, both from Indiana University.

        ""Glenda comes to us without any involvement of current affairs,” Mr. Shirey said. “She has total objectivity.”

        But Councilman Phil Heimlich, who pushed for an investigation of Genesis Redevelopment Inc., questions the timing of the appointment.

        “I find the timing suspicious, considering that Ms. Gray was looking into questions about what Shirey knew about payments to Genesis board members and their families,” he said.

        In a public meeting three weeks ago, Ms. Gray said Mr. Shirey had blocked her efforts to subpoena a former employee who said council members encouraged him and his supervisors to approve payments to Genesis. Mr. Shirey accused Ms. Gray of insubordination.

        On Monday, he acknowledged that Ms. Gray had applied to be the permanent OMI director. But he said he told her months ago that she wouldn't get the job.

        He said Ms. Gray will return to being an investigator, the position she held in April 2000, before she took over as acting director.

        Ms. Gray, who did not attend the press conference, was unwilling to comment on Monday.

Tax slump stalls 'The Banks'
Driver pleads guilty in boy's death
Saks called crucial to downtown
School-funding fight back in high court
CPS joins effort to oppose funding plan
Group lobbies for Medicare reform
Juneteenth celebrated with oral history project
Museum room honors slave who learned to read
Shirey picks OMI leader
Train derailment closes Cowan Lake
Valued art work surfaces
7 arrested for OxyContin, heroin
Donations of fans, cooling units soughts
Where to donate fans, etc.
Intent disputed in murder trial
Kentucky Digest
Lebanon building rules to be tested
Local Digest
Private colleges state case
Congrats
Falcons find Daniel Boone perch
More units added for homeless vets