NORWOOD — No more contentious meetings. No more tie-breaking votes. In the name of progress, Republican Mayor Joe Hochbein was pleased to see eight Democrats elected Tuesday to City Council.

        The new 8-1 dynamic trumps the majority hold that Republicans enjoyed for six years and could mean movement on major development matters before the city.

        Included are the city's hopes to develop a 15-acre old General Motors parking lot and the former site of the old American Laundry building.

        “There's been a lot of fighting and division over the last two years and that's stalled the progress of our city,” Mr. Hochbein said. “We have to move beyond arguing here. We have some critical issues and opportunities that, if we don't realize, could be lost to our community forever.”

        New council members “have the ability to pass legislation (and) override my vetoes. They're now in a position to take very strong decisive action.”

        The overwhelming support for Democrats on election night was a message from Norwood voters that they're tired of the status quo and want to see some agreement among their council members, city officials agreed.

        “They've had it,” said Keith Moore, a newly elected Democrat council member.

        However, he expects his fellow Democrats to discuss and debate matters.

        “Council needs to hash things out,” he said. “We don't all agree. We're eight different individuals with eight different world views. There's a lot of benefit to asking questions.”

        Norwood is bordered by the city of Cincinnati on all sides. There are 21,651 residents.

        Before Tuesday, Republicans outnumbered Democrats 5-4. Members would become deadlocked along party lines, requiring a tie-breaking vote by council President Jane Grote, a Republican.

        “I don't think we're going to see the (same) battling between council members. Not that council will agree and rubber stamp whatever the mayor wants done,” said Vicki Garry, the city's law director.

        As co-chairman of Norwood's Democratic Party, City Treasurer Tim Molony can't help but be pleased with the council's new make-up. But he warns that council members can't afford the same disagreements that the former council members engendered.

        Besides moving on development matters, they must concentrate on how the city will spend its $16 million budget next year, he said.

        “You have to make everybody happy,” Mr. Molony said. “They're not going to be putting a toe in the pool. They're going to be jumping right in.”

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