With a degree of modesty only politicians and rock stars can hope to achieve, Hamilton County Commissioner John Dowlin says he is breaking his promise to retire in 2004 because he's needed.

"People keep using the same words: I'm the voice of reason," he said.

Guess we can infer what that makes his two fellow commissioners - Republican Phil Heimlich and Democrat Todd Portune.

Dowlin, 73, filed last week to run for re-election to a fourth four-year term as commissioner. Cincinnati boycott proponent Kabaka Oba has filed to run for the seat as a Democrat, and Cincinnati Councilman John Cranley is also considering a run on the Democratic side.

Other Republicans are staying away from the race so far, instead lining up for a shot at Portune, also up for re-election.

Dowlin, a former mayor of Sharonville, discounted the rumor that the party wants him to step aside in favor of Cincinnati Councilman Pat DeWine: "I asked Mike Barrett, and he said it's not true."

Barrett, chairman of the county Republican Party, confirmed that the party supports Dowlin 100 percent.

But at least one Republican thinks it's time for new blood.

"It's time for him to retire," said Chris Finney, an anti-tax activist who serves on the county's Tax Levy Review Committee. "He's out of ideas. He's ossified."

Dowlin said if he's re-elected, he'll serve the full four years instead of stepping down early so the party can appoint his replacement.

It's a promise.

Cindi Andrews

FAIRFIELD: Fairfield officials are basking in more attention for their Village Green city center development this week, with a national magazine story and a booth at the National League of Cities' 80th annual convention in Nashville.

The city will showcase its new Village Green park, amphitheater, library, community arts center and shopping center.

"We'll provide some ideas for other people, so they don't have to reinvent the wheel," city manager Arthur Pizzano says.

"Fairfield Village Green: A New Downtown for a Sustainable City" appears in the December edition of Public Management magazine.

John Kiesewetter

LOVELAND: Council members went through the motions last week to elect a mayor and vice mayor among them.

But the table was already set before the meeting started.

Brad Greenberg's nameplate was at the head of the council table in a place traditionally reserved for the mayor, and Joe Schickel's tag was placed beside it in the vice mayor's seat.

Heather Russell, Greenberg's former colleague at the Hamilton County prosecutor's office who has since become a judge, also was there - with a written speech gushing about Greenberg's service to the community and their longtime family ties.

Sheila McLaughlin

Around the suburbs is compiled by Enquirer reporters.