LEBANON — City Council hopefuls pulled their punches in last week's candidate forum, but newspaper ads Wednesday took a couple of bare-knuckles shots on their behalf.

        John McComb, who ran unsuccessfully for City Council in 1999, paid for a quarter-page ad in a local weekly that targets three incumbents — Mark Flick, Jane Davenport and Mayor James Mills. They “voted to spend over $300,000 of your tax dollars” on the house at 27 N. Mechanic St., the ad says.

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        However, $100,000 of the $230,000 purchase price was paid by the nonprofit Lebanon Conservancy Foundation on Oct. 23.

        Legal fees were $56,000, according to the city's legal department, not $70,000, as the ad contends, for a total cost to city taxpayers of $186,000.

        Further, Mrs. Davenport abstained from the final vote to buy the building — possibly the oldest in Lebanon — although she had cast votes earlier supporting the effort.

        Mr. McComb had no comment Wednesday on the ad's accuracy.

        In the same ad, the Lebanon businessman also endorsed incumbent Amy Brewer and challengers Norm Dreyer and James Norris.

        Another quarter-page ad Wednesday, paid for by David Newman, urges voters to keep Mr. Flick, Mr. Mills and Mrs. Davenport.

        It outlines a “recipe for trouble in Lebanon” that includes attacking the city manager's credibility and using Turtlecreek and Lebanon City Schools officials to get land deannexed.

        The accusations appear directed at Mrs. Brewer, who has voted several times to fire City Manager James Patrick — most recently after a Warren County grand jury indicted him this summer on felony charges of helping two former officials commit theft in office.

        The ad also recommends votes against Mr. Norris, Mr. Dreyer and Main Street resident Gary Casimir.

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