By Gregory Korte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Minette Cooper (left) exchanges a hug with Patricia Carson at City Hall Wednesday afternoon. Carson's son, Andre Jones, was killed climbing a fence at Woodward High School in 1999. (Glenn Hartong photo)

DOWNTOWN - Next Monday, in front of friends and family, the nine winners in the 2003 Cincinnati City Council election will take the oath of office in a ceremony filled with pomp, circumstance and intolerably long speeches.

Wednesday, on the other hand, belonged to the losers.

City Council said goodbye to four-term Democrat Minette Cooper and one-term Republican Chris Monzel on the last formal session of the 38th City Council.

Cooper could not run for re-election because of term limits. Monzel finished 12th in his re-election bid, 3,730 votes out of the running.

Mayor Charlie Luken said both would be missed.

"Chris Monzel is the kind of guy that if we can get nine of him on City Council, I'd be happy," said the mayor, a Democrat.

Cooper will be best remembered for her attention to youth and health issues - and for her unbridled optimism.

"Every time a young person walks into City Hall, she looks into their bright eyes and feels a little better about the future of their city," Luken said.

Cooper and Monzel mostly thanked their colleagues and their staffs, and spoke of what they accomplished and what they left undone. But this being City Council, their speeches were still political.

"We need to get to a point where a citizen calls City Hall and gets action, not voice mail," said Monzel, who said he's considering a run for either Hamilton County commissioner or, half-jokingly, the Winton Place Community Council.

Cooper, who even Wednesday was taunted by protesters, said citizens need to tone down their criticism of elected officials.

"From where I sat, they all worked hard," she said.

E-mail gkorte@enquirer.com