Voters in Hamilton County's suburban cities have given themselves a face-lift.

        New faces and old faces alike are offering new ideas dealing with economic and commercial development, maintaining infrastructure, keeping taxes low, and flood control.

        In Norwood, the largest city among them (population 21,651), Democrats won eight of nine council seats Tuesday.

        The only Republicans elected Tuesday were Cassandra Brown and Jane M. Grote, 49, who won her fifth term as president of council, according to unofficial returns. Ms. Grote may vote only when there is a tie.

        The election crushes a Repulican majority that had controlled council for the past six years.

        It is likely to result in friction between council and Republican Mayor Joe Hochbein at a time when the city envisioned more new development near Carthage, Ross and Montgomery roads.

        Ms. Grote's focus is keeping council together so that major projects such as the 15-acre old General Motors parking lot and the site of the old American Laundry building can be developed.

        “This is the last big piece of undeveloped land,” she said.

        In Wyoming, 16-year Mayor David Savage is focusing on infrastructure.

        “We have streets out here that are 150 years old, so we are constantly patching and upgrading,” he said. “We built a new water plant, but we still have some old pipes in the ground.”

        Mr. Savage, 64, was the top vote-getter among 10 candidates Tuesday, with 1,523 votes. Seven seats were up for grabs. He has been in City Hall 22 years and realizes that this city of 8,161 is competing with surrounding suburban cities.

        “We don't have a lot of money because we are a bedroom community, 95 percent residential.”

        In Reading, unopposed president of council Albert C Elmlinger Jr. will have a Republican mandate to promote commercial and residential development. Seven Republicans and one Democrat will make up City Council the next two years. Their biggest issue is prioritizing Reading Road projects and controlling flooding.

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