A memo by district Superintendent Alton Frailey to school board members dated Friday says retired University of Cincinnati President Joseph Steger named the seven people, who are from universities, companies and a nonprofit group. Steger said members of the Cincinnati Business Committee appointed the group, but the chairman of that group denies that.

Frailey and Mayor Charlie Luken jointly created the task force and named Steger to head it after the district acknowledged nearly $22 million in cost overruns in the 2003-04 budget.

Steger said he considers the list to be a proposal.

"I was a little surprised," Steger said of the list. He said the group, which includes people such as Cincinnati State Technical and Community College President Ron Wright and retired Kroger Co. chairman Joseph Pichler, likely will serve as an oversight board.

Steger said he plans to appoint another group of people with expertise in finance and staffing to serve on subcommittees. They will do the bulk of the work, he said.

Phillip Cox, president and chief executive officer of Cox Financial Corp. and Cincinnati Business Committee chairman, said CBC members made suggestions but didn't appoint anyone.

"I don't know how we get credit or are blamed for so many things," Cox said. "This is (Steger's) committee."

Though the business committee opposes a levy renewal on the ballot for Cincinnati Public Schools, Cox said the committee supports the task force.

Steger said he plans to appoint subcommittee members within a month and then will schedule the first meeting.

Other task force members are: Lynn Good, vice president and controller for Cinergy Corp.; Yvonne Gray, executive vice president and chief operating officer for the United Way of Greater Cincinnati; Michael Graham, president of Xavier University; Dale McGirr, senior vice president for planning, finance and community development at the University of Cincinnati; and Ken B. Robinson, vice president at Procter & Gamble Co.

E-mail jmrozowski@enquirer.com