MONFORT HEIGHTS - It will be those "abominable" test scores, as one citizen said, on residents' minds during November's school board elections.
Four residents running for two spots on the Northwest Local School Board were at a candidates' forum Tuesday night. More than 50 residents quizzed them on how they might fix the district's poor showing in the most recent state report card. The district passed only 12 of 22 indicators.
Each candidate threw out a different, mostly vague solution.
"We have phenomenal teachers here, but they just need the opportunity to really teach," said candidate Evelyn K. Frishman, who is a nurse.
"Other districts succeed where we're failing," said candidate Susan Loesch-Lekson, a physician. "We need to go see what these other districts are doing right and what we're doing wrong."
"We need to create not just a child with a high intellect, but we need to create good citizens," said candidate Jim Lay, who spent years at the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce. "Not only is school about test scores. It's about character."
"A good community has to take pride and has to get involved in the education of its children," said incumbent Rick Stewart, a local minister.
Cost of levies? Check Web
DOWNTOWN - Hamilton County homeowners can find out exactly how much next month's proposed levies would cost them.
Auditor Dusty Rhodes has posted the information on his Web site, www.hamiltoncountyauditor.org.
Click on "property search," enter your name or address and, after you locate your property, click on "levy info."
Flood victims get advice
FAIRFIELD - When Fairfield City Council candidates met with flood victims Thursday night, they encouraged the families to keep the pressure on city hall for fixing Pleasant Run Creek drainage problems.
"I've sat through years and years of council meetings, and I've seen many groups come and go. So keep it up!" said Third Ward candidate Mitch Rhodus. He has served 12 years on the city parks and recreation board and eight years on the city planning commission.
But the Fairfield Flood Victims 6/14 organization, founded after the June 14-15 flood that did $1.5-million damage to 100 homes, may soon be at a leadership crossroads.
Co-chairwoman Tami Todd, the group's vocal member, may be leaving the organization she helped found - and the city - if a job offer comes through.
Only problem: Idea against law
LIBERTY TWP - Candidates for races in this fast-growing township and neighboring West Chester touted lots of ideas last week in a forum at Lakota East High School.
But some apparently still need to do their homework.
Dan Wagner,one of three candidates challenging incumbent trustee Dave Tacosik, disdains the use of tax increment financing. TIF is a development tool that uses property tax revenues to pay for infrastructure improvements.
The township, he said, shouldn't be using property taxes from business developments to pay for the proposed $20 million to $30 million community recreation center. Instead, that money should go into the general fund for roads and flood relief, he said.
Problem with that: It's against state law.
TIF funds can only be spent on certain projects in the TIF area, and those projects must be approved per state law.
Not against state law is Wagner's idea to let citizens talk at the start of West Chester township meetings. At last week's session, it took nearly three hours to get to public comment.
Suburban Insider is compiled by reporter Jennifer Edwards with contributions this week from Reid Forgrave, Cindi Andrews and John Kiesewetter. E-mail:
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