District plan for council drafted

The chairman of Cincinnati's Electoral Reform Commission has drafted a charter amendment that would elect council members by districts after City Council refused to allow an ordinance to even be drafted for a vote. The move by Chairman Donald J. Mooney Jr. means that City Council will likely have to go on record with its opposition to the district plan. Only Councilman Pat DeWine said he supports letting voters decide the issue on the Nov. 2 ballot. At a Law & Public Safety Committee meeting Tuesday, council members also debated a related "executive mayor" plan that would eliminate the city's 79-year-old city manager form of government. City Council is expected to vote June 30 on specific ballot language.

Princeton official back in the game

Aaron Mackey, Princeton Schools' associate superintendent, is back in the race for the superintendent's job. Mackey, who was one of two finalists for the position, withdrew May 27 because he thought his candidacy had polarized the school board. "After a week of deliberating and soul-searching, I asked the board of education to retract my withdrawal and reconsider me as a candidate for the position of superintendent," Mackey said in a statement. David Macali, superintendent of the Ashland City School District, is the other finalist to replace Don Darby, who is retiring.

Firefighters ask to keep day off

The Cincinnati firefighters union is lobbying the city to keep its one-time Friday holiday honoring President Ronald Reagan. Under the city's administrative code, city employees automatically get a holiday anytime federal employees do - as when President George W. Bush signed an executive order declaring Friday a national holiday for Reagan's funeral. But Mayor Charlie Luken, saying the city can't afford the estimated $525,000 cost of police and fire overtime, is expected to introduce an ordinance today rescinding the holiday. In a letter to Luken on Tuesday, firefighters union President Joseph J. Arnold said the firefighters' contract provides only compensatory time for the holiday, giving the city greater flexibility in paying for it.

Superintendent takes health break

Alton Frailey, superintendent of Cincinnati Public Schools, is home resting this week after doctors discovered blood clots in his right leg. Frailey was hospitalized from May 29 to June 1 after discovering swelling in his leg. Frailey returned to work the day he was released, but suffered swelling again last week. Doctors on Monday told him to take the week off to rest. Frailey said doctors told him the clots should clear with use of blood-thinning medication.