[Music] Hello. Hey. [Music] [Music] I am. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Oh, [Music] hey. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Hey hey hey. [Music] Dire. Heat. Heat. N. [Music] Hey, [Music] hey hey. [Music] [Music] [Music] Good afternoon. Welcome to today's citizens forum. Before we start with the regular public comment portion of our meeting today, we'll hear from speakers that have signed up for the public hearing on the sustainable Ohio public energy council electric plan of operation and governance. Um, you'll have two minutes as I call your name. Our first speaker is Larry Falcon. Welcome Larry. Good afternoon, mayor, members of council. Thank you for the opportunity to speak today. I'm Larry Falin, a resident of Pleasant Ridge, and I'm here in support of the proposed agreement between the city and SOP. I have substantial experience both with aggregation programs in general and the city's electric aggregation program in particular. I know that they deliver great value both for the goals of the green Cincinnati plan and economically for the residents of Cincinnati. And so the electric aggregation programs have been a very good thing for us. I'm familiar with SOPEX operations throughout the state of Ohio. I know that they're providing excellent service to a number of communities throughout the state, helping them use more renewable energy and save money on energy. And I've also done substantial research on the possibility of a merkantile electric aggregation program. An aggregation program serving commercial customers. This is an innovative opportunity that the city of Cincinnati and SOP are both very interested in. It offers us the opportunity to give the same benefits to our business community that we already give to our residential community and in so doing make energy in Cincinnati greener, advance the green Cincinnati plan, uh help our business community create jobs, um has a number of benefits for us. And so all around I want to encourage you um and the members of council uh to support the agreement with SOP. Thank you. >> Thank you Josie Morrow. Welcome >> J O I think IE. Are you Josie? >> Yes. >> Great. >> Am I good to start? Whatever. >> Yes. >> Hi council members. Um, I'm asking to slow the process down and make sure that it's fair and transparent surrounding energy. Um, as a UC student, this is my first year on my own, paying my own rent and paying my own energy bills, and I am struggling with the rising energy costs. Um, we deserve a system that actually lowers bills and not one that limits my choices. Right now, moving ahead without a competitive process was locking us into rates that may not be the best for residents. An open market of energy providers gives us leverage. It creates competition which drives down prices and increases accountability. If we rush into a single supplier agreement without real input or an open bidding process, we risk giving away the public's voice and the opportunity to secure better rates for years to come. Council has the responsibility to make sure this is done right, that the people of Cincinnati get a fair deal, and that the decisions about our power bills are made in an open in the open with public oversight and not behind closed doors. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thanks for coming in, Josie. Thank you. >> Uh Allan Rwn AK, I apologize. Alan, are you Alan? >> Welcome. All right. Hello everyone. Uh so I have been following the community solar legislation in both Ohio House and Senate for a little bit now. And I believe it's a really important step for residents who would like more options to go solar. And here in Cincinnati, I would really like to see our providers supporting these efforts. Um, if we are looking at new partnerships, I think it's fair to ask, will these new partners support these policies that are for the people? Um, instead of just talking about sustainable action, I'd like to see real action. Um, and I think community solar would be a great opportunity to help families lower solar costs. uh give them an option to invest in sustainable energy for their homes and in the future hopefully pay less overall. Thank you. >> Thank you, Charlotte Nasser. Welcome. Is Charlotte here? >> Oh, there you are. Um Allan, if there are speakers out there, could you ask them to come in here? >> Hello. So, um, I'm here to talk about fairness of energy providers. I really believe in people and organizations following through on their commitments. The Green Cincinnati plan laid out a vision back in 2023, and I think it's fair to ask what concrete results we've seen so far in our city. When we talk about new partnerships or joining councils, and shouldn't just be about one group positioning themselves to take over where another left off. It should be about real benefits for Cincinnati residents. Our citizens deserve more than promises. They deserve a fair market where providers truly compete to deliver cleaner, more affordable energy and where action ma ma where actions match the commitments made to our community. Thank you. >> Thank you. Uh Rosie Davis, welcome. Hi everyone. After learning about more about the corruption scandal surrounding House Bill 6, I think it's important that our city takes a careful look at who we choose to partner with for energy. Some of Ohio's major energy companies were deeply tied to the scandal. And while settlements have been made, the fact remains that these companies benefited from a system that put profits over people. Cincinnati deserves better than business as usual. And before we enter into new agreements, we should be asking tough questions. Are these providers committed to transparency? Are they investing in clean energy instead of clinging to outdated coal plants? And most importantly, are they putting the interests of our residents ahead of corporate gain? This is something that has personally affected me as a student living in the Clifton area as my energy bills have increased significantly over the past three months. Our community can't afford to overlook these issues when deciding who we trust to power our future. Thank you. >> Thank you. Uh Thomas C. Houston, Tamas. Hello council. I'm speaking as a member of the community of Cincinnati. Um and and given the recent um energy issues um in in Ohio in particular, I have to ask why the city is moving ahead with this supplier and um and why we're making that supplier decision and and we're we're clearly tied to another arrangement and it's it's kind of like right before an election. Can can you hear me now? >> Yeah. >> So, um just given the recent energy issues in Ohio, um why are we making a decision to go with this supplier and we're already engaged in another arrangement and it's like right before the election? Um it just feels rushed, you know. I I believe they're using the term an emergency. Um I I I don't feel like it's the the proper oversight is in in in play and um I don't see the clear benefit um of of moving forward right now without proper oversight. Um the timing just seems unusual. process um doesn't appear to allow for uh meaning meaningful to say the least um community input in my opinion. >> Thank you. >> Thank you India Cook. Welcome. >> Hello. I am here to speak about the raising costs of the energy and how I >> Oh, you can't can you hear me? >> I can hear you fine. You don't need to >> to listen to the crowd. >> I heard you. Okay. I am here. >> Could we pause? Could we pause? Could we start India's time over, please? >> Thank you. >> Go ahead, India. >> Okay. I'm here to speak about the rising cost of the of energy and the confusion that Cincinnati had that's facing. um a lot of our bills that we have received um has been higher and we need in our statements often is confusing and we don't understand why they're high. So before we move forward with considering with um SOP EC EC before any decisions is made it's important that we have to think about this and how it was affect the people that pays the bill every month and will that decision actually help any residents to get any lower rates and more choices that we have or will it limit the options and create more confusion within Cincinnati residents that's paying the bills. um citizens um deserve transparency and fair process um decisions about the um input on any public outside. So we would like to please ensure that before any commitments are made that in everybody in society that pays any energy bills that we are trusted and protected before any decisions is made. >> Thank you. >> Thank you Stefan Prior. I couldn't wait. I couldn't wait for this one. I couldn't wait. Ma Owens, we know this soap is part of your committee. They need to get rid of that. We ain't saving no money. Not at all. Y'all know it. I know it. And the people behind me know it. We paying three different suppliers. How you saving some money? You paying three people. But you only you when you save money, you get rid of them other suppliers. So the soapc that y'all trying to have in here somewhere in one of these rooms in here, that's not cool. We don't need no more uh solar forms that y'all ain't hire no black people to work on these solar forms. None of that. Y'all keep on doing this slick old stuff, man. I didn't know y'all was having this meeting down here. Jeff Crdine M. You could have said this yesterday. We just going to have a meeting about SOPEC, about the energy, but you didn't tell us this and it's sad. You got to be transparency with the people. You running for a seat, girl. Come on now. This is hurting the black community. Not just the black community, the Caucasian white community too also. This ain't cool. So, come on now. Different names y'all coming up with. Mayor Abab, you going along with the program to get along? Come on, man. This ain't cool for the people. So peck. So and we going to peck what y'all be. Ain't that something what y'all doing to the people? Come on y'all. My name is Stefon Prior and I'm running for city council. I can't wait to get one of these seats. Boy. Boy, I eliminate that. The the the aggregation program aka Soapek trying to change the name on us. I can't wait to get one of these seats. One of y'all leaving. My fault. Four of y'all gonna be leaving. I'm coming for y'all seat. I'm coming, baby. I'm coming for one of these seats now. Yes, I am. I got a lot of time, didn't I? Thank y'all. I love you and nothing you can do about it. Thank you for that. Uh, moving now to public comment. Uh, Tony Stillwell, welcome, please. >> Hello. I'm here to to address uh the gun violence in this city and offer an alternative. Uh my understanding is that the city wants to invest in more drones, which drones can't stop gun violence and only can watch gun violence. So, I'd like to introduce to you uh Jab, Joe Average Boxer. Joy Average Boxer is a reality TV series promoting stop the gun violence. The beauty of the program is that ordinary people they settle their differences inside the ring opposed to taking to the streets where there's fatal consequences and it's televised. So, uh, with Joe Average Boxer, you have celebrity guest, judges, professional fighters, Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield judging these bouts, which should put in the boxer's mind frame, we register them as amateur boxers so they can become professional fighters. Congressman Lansman, he approved of this new concept towards curving the gun violence. JAB reduces gun violence by providing a constructive outlet for frustration and competition. It promotes health and fitness for people of all ages and backgrounds. rebuilds communities by fostering respect, sportsmanship, and mutual understanding. It expires inspires change and at risk individuals before their lives spiral into trouble. The city should consider also uh partnering uh with JAB uh to help curb this gun violence. >> Thank you, sir. Chad Solomon, welcome. I >> thank you. I speak on behalf of my mother, Mary Solomon. She has called Cincinnati her home for more than 50 years, raising her children here, paying her taxes, and investing her life in this city. She is 79 years old, a widow, and a woman who lived through segregation in the South before choosing Cincinnati as her home. In 1991, my father took out a private loan, something my mother only discovered decades later. The lender never disclosed it. Even after his passing, my father in 2015, despite my mother paying off every legitimate bank loan by 2003, last year, after 35 years of stability, that lender foreclosed on my mother, writing her that the day of reckoning has come. She has been denied her homestead protections, leaving her with nothing. Now at 79, she has been forced into bankruptcy and is on the verge of losing everything she built. My mother grew up in Georgia on a land where our family was once enslaved. And to now watch her fight for her home in 2025 is a moral failure of our system. My mother has done everything asked of her. She offers settlements. She seeks fairness. Yet the court denied her proper hearing. What began as a $57,000 loan has exploded to more than $350,000. This isn't justice. This is an exploitation. Her constitutional rights have been stripped. Her right to due process and equal protection have been denied. I asked for counsel to defend a Cincinnati woman who is 79 years old, worked her worked her entire life to take care of her family and because of a loan that was never disclosed to her is now having everything in her life stripped away from her, her dignity, her respect, everything that has been taken from my family because of a loan that she was never informed existed. >> Thank you. I'm I'm so sorry about what your mother's going through. We'll do everything we can to help. Um the woman in the back, her name is Chaka. If you could share your information with her and we'll follow up. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. Uh Sanford Pool, welcome. >> Go again. Cincinnati. Cincinnati. People would have came here and told you this stuff and and you do nothing for them. Huh? you're going to give get his number, but it ain't going to help him. Um, as we can look at this stuff, we got Trump's doing criminal stuff all over the country. The problem is what Cincinnati doing. We're to ask people to stop this taking black and brown people property. You got the inspector line to the people. You're taking their property because they lowhanging fruit. And we tired of that. I've been out here for six years telling you what your building department doing, your law department. Now, like I said, you say you had nothing to do with the housing uh uh housing court or the vacant building stuff. We got the gentleman here. He came up with a new one to help take property from people. We go ahead. Scotty Johnson's brought the building department in the law department and the law department sat here and said we go to the poor neighborhood which is racist and targeted. We write them up. It don't have to be true. We just write them up to get them in the game. And then we tell them to give us the title to their property. This lady done worked all their life. Same stuff. Hand your title over to them where they can make money from the port authority and the receiverhip and all that. and y'all stand there and sit there and get a paycheck every two weeks and benefit and don't do nothing because they black and brown people losing property and and that's what you want. Then we go around here. Scotty said they should they should go to jail. Yeah. The the building department and the law department should be in jail. Then we come on around here. Ma Clarence Thomas go along with anything somebody else come up. You shouldn't go do the same thing. We come on round. Mayor, the housing court. You said you had nothing to do with the housing court. >> Thank you. Our next speaker is Nick Tolbert. >> Don't thank me. Do your job. Stop being Welcome, mayor, city council. Well, I'm back. City did something that was incredible. This happened over six years ago. October the 3, 2018, they passed a resolution to recognize the indigenous people that was here before Columbus. It's all out of here now. These kids know we didn't come over here on slave ships. We didn't. They going to have to do something about the freedom center because it's a misnomer. That's a huge misnomer that we all came over here on slave ships and we did it cuz we was already here. it was easier to get the people that was already here. So, what we're doing, which has taken basically six years since the resolution that this city passed the resolution, we're going to have one of the biggest celebrations that's ever happened. The reason why because years ago, the celebration of the indigenous people was larger than Christmas and New Year's put together. It was that big. It was a real nice celebration. So, I'm going to be partnering with some of y'all as soon as my I get the my team together coming to you once again to bring this to the city because it's going to be combined with a holistic festival which we definitely need that. And I'm talking about that's going to bring a ton of money to the city because they have them out there in on side of Springdale. a holistic festival. Man, I'm talking about it be blocks long trying to get in there because people are sick of dying of the m the uh medicines and the hospitals that we're going to and then we ain't getting we're not living any longer. So, we got to go back to what these people did. Why? Because I wouldn't be here today. I didn't had over 10 heart attacks and two strokes. You see how I'm looking today? Guess what? I'm on one pill. Thank you. Aiko Kamura, welcome. >> Hello. Last week, the Israeli military arrested more than 1,000 Palestinians in Tulkarum as a form of collective punishment against the community. One person testified that he and his neighbors were forced by the military to march across the city. They were kept there sitting on the ground for over 17 hours without food, water, or medicine. As of April 2025, there were nearly 10,000 Palestinians imprisoned in Israeli jails. 3,498 of those political prisoners were held in administrative detention without charge or trial. And the most common charge against Palestinians held in Israeli prisons is throwing rocks, which carries a sentence of up to 20 years. A report from August 2025 by the Commission of Detainees and Exetainees in the Palestinian Prisoner Society details just some of the abuses occurring in the Israeli prisons that our tax dollars help fund. All of the detainees interviewed said they had been threatened or beaten prior to seeing seeing their lawyers, have been told by the prison guards to lie to their lawyers, and tell them they were doing excellently. Detainees testified during their interviews that they had been beaten during detention, had their fingers broken, been totally isolated and deprived of sunlight. guards insult detainees, force them to curse their families, and inflict psychological terror upon them. It has long been documented and reported that Palestinians face physical and sexual abuse under detention. Prisoners have been raped, tortured, and starved to death. Prisoners are barely given enough food to survive on, and it is often inedible. And scabies have become one of the largest health issues facing prisoners as the prison system has allowed it to spread by depriving Palestinians of basic hygiene and medical care. As we speak, over 10,000 people are enduring this with no end in sight while we in the US continue to do nothing about it. We cannot continue to fund these war crimes and human rights violations. Divest now. Thank you. Uh Ronald Doula, welcome. I greet you Scotty and Ab are slave catchers are are slave slave. people felt when they seen black people amongst a crowd of slave catchers. You wrong and you wrong. All of you know about my situation. I mean, I got stomped out, kicked, robbed on Fountain Square right at the Big Brawl. No, the the on on uh uh the day the big brawl and they closed out the investigation in two days and and y'all know it. I'll greet I'll leave you and you with bashimu aluka >> Mr. Chair >> Mr. Johnson please >> Mr. Doula uh my office has been reach attempting to reach >> and if you did >> and right now if you don't mind if you to me. If you didn't, you get it with my old email address or something. Iris reached out to me. Everybody reached out to me. But you, >> for the record, my office attempted to reach out to Mr. Doula. He can go down to 346 right now and talk to Shawn, which we've attempted three different times. Just for the record, uh, council. >> Thank you, Kenny Domingos or Dominguez, I'm sorry. Kenny, welcome. >> Can you hear me? >> Yes. >> All right. It's Kenny Domingos, by the way. >> Sorry about that. >> All good. Um, like I said, my name is Kenny Domingos, and I am a graduate of D. Xavier University. Um, and I'm here today with Bishop Sunny James. Um, and I realized that, uh, this is a place that I should have been at a long time ago. Um, because I believe that it's important to vote as well as to hear the voices of the city. Um but there's no better time than now. Um and a lot of Xavier University students um could vote um but they don't. So that is something that me and Bishop are currently working on. I appreciate y'all for having me. >> Thank you. Uh Bishop Sunny James, welcome. >> Getting a little older. I'll sit down. First of all, to God be all the glory. I came here today because uh this is a very sensitive time for all of us and we understand we have challenges. But I want to appreciate those who have supported all of our events and the called into action is now formally stepping out to address gun violence and our crime in our city. But one of the things that we're going to do recognizing that this is also um a very sensitive time around leadership and it's almost to the point where I know many of you are also concerned. So, I say to those of us who feel disenfranchised, my goal is to mobilize 10,000 people who feel like their voices have not been heard, not been listened to, and we're going to have an event called Come Together. You see, folks, it's no longer about blacks and whites or other races. It's no longer just about red versus blue. It should not take a 911 or a tsunami to get us at the table. So, as you hear about our come Together tour, I'm encouraging all of you to do just that. Come together so that we can hear the hearts of each other. But this is not a Yale thing. This is a God thing. And I'm believing people that are listening or watching right now want to mobilize together and I'm leading that way. Email me bishops sjames12gmail.com. >> Thank you Paul Bean. Welcome. >> So commissioner, you say you ain't seen the new life program, right? the package I left here when I first started coming down here with this accident. Right. But it's it's back there behind your walls. Right. Ain't that right? Second of all, I've been coming down here. I got a problem. And you you're not answering none of my questions and you're not giving No. You see how you send the people out the [ __ ] doors? Which one is for me? I paid taxes. I ain't got no warrants. None of that. My hands clean. It's all in God. I went to the same church. Where Scotty go? Where you running for? Same church. He wait to in pain now from this accident. I have seizures from this accident. God knows you. You don't care about none of us. Period. Jack, I done been down here and I'm walking these curves and my enemies is walking with me. Man called me the other day. The man that hit me called me the other day. A day before my birthday and I died probably tomorrow. And I've been coming down here three years with this [ __ ] And you don't know why I'm frustrated. I give you a new life program. And that's what this is. The program is called where you turning your heads. You seeing things and you're not answering to it at all. That's why New Life Program, it has a backup unit where people see you be in your crime. It could be there on time, but you don't want to pull it out cuz you say, "Oh, who is he to bring something like that to us?" >> Thank you. Our next speaker is on Zoom, Mike Uhhorn. Welcome. >> Yes. Hello. Can you hear me? >> Yes. Go ahead, sir. >> Yes. So, the word of the day is potential. Many years ago, the city council passed a law that allows Greater Cincinnati Waterworks to bill people for providing absolutely nothing of value when they have the water turned off at the meter in direct violation of Ohio Revised Code 2913 fraud statute. They build their victims for potentially for the potential to provide water just because Greater Cincinnati Waterworks is ready to provide water and people have access to it by making a phone call. This sets a very dangerous precedent for every company to bill people for the potential to provide something. Now, hypothetically speaking, if I were there in person, I could take a $10 base rate from every person's wallet in this room because I own a business that has the potential to provide something to everyone here today. I'm ready to provide my business services and everyone here has access to them by calling. The city council and greater Cincinnati Waterworks has well established the precedent that companies can charge people for the potential to provide something but not actually providing anything more than potential. So I am so very confident that nobody here today would want me to steal from them just like Greater Cincinnati Waterworks does in violation of Ohio code 2019. I'm also confident that if I did steal $10 from everyone here just because that potential exists, I would be arrested and charged with theft or perhaps I could potentially get away with that fraud or theft just like Greater Cincinnati Waterworks does. There's licensing for the city council where the members could potentially be replaced because they're all participating in a conspiracy to commit fraud with Greater Cincinnati Waterworks. or the city council. The city council could potentially stop greater Cincinnati Waterworks from continuing their fraud that can affect any voter and be reelected. I did begin invoicing the council members in greater Cincinnati Waterworks potential potentially using my business services someday following Greater Cincinnati Waterworks president, but none of them have prov paid the exact same type of invoice that they expect people to pay from Greater Cincinnati Waterworks. Don't be dead beats. do your job of servicing the citizens of Cincinnati and stop the fraud by Greater Cincinnati Waterworks. Thank you. >> Thanks, Mike. Our next speaker is Stefan Prior. Welcome. >> Mike ain't on. Come on, y'all. I get my minutes back. Mayor, >> please continue. Mr. Prior, >> oh man, you wrong. Okay. Anyway, Mayor Atte in January 13, 2023 related tax abatement. This was your proposal for this tax abatement. You say, "Okay, we give you this money, $275,000 settlement." Your proposal was let's let's len the 20-year tax abatement. You you you you extended it tax abatement and your staff uh was assist to the lift homeowners process planning improvement uh interestf free loans and tax abatements and you said on on number four a bianual report of achieving the goal of fair housing. Where the data at? Where the data? We need to see the data about your proposal. This done went away 2023. You gave uh Newman and and uh uh uh what's his name? Uh Tillery, you gave them that money settlement and you played the people on the tax abatement. Man, people done got pushed out their homes off this tax abatement. And the receiverhip, the receiverhip, they come in to take your property, take you to court. What Mr. Stan Poo always say this got to stop. It's serious. And Mark Jeffrey over there, you launched that task force to help property owners with 50 million. You terminated that. So you played the people. You wanted to help the people with their property tax and all of a sudden you terminated it. And guess what? The people property tax has risen in East Price Hill, Mount Arbin, and other lo other neighborhoods. We got liars in suits, man. Liars in suits. We got to stop this, y'all. and y'all trying to run for office again. You know what Trump is say? Y'all fired. >> Going back to uh Zoom, Jaylen Balden, welcome. >> Hello. Can you hear me? >> Yeah, go ahead, Jaylen. >> Hi. So I wanted to talk about overall safety for children. I think in not just America, right, where there are mass shootings, especially at schools almost, well, way too frequently, there's children dying in Gaza there. I mean, we have a history of abusing children all around the world. I think it's something that isn't taken as seriously as much as we would like to take it as we need to sort of put flagging on social medias like Roblox or Snapchat where people can access things that they really can't. I think we need to invest in guns that use fingerprint uh scanning to unlock them such as uh smart guns that are made by bio fire. I think that's what our state needs to invest in. The department of development, the department of public safety, the department of health. I think we need to invest in weapons like that and maybe have that be more mainstream than guns that are easily accessible to children with terrible intentions, to people with terrible intentions that would go up to a school and possibly shoot them. We need to also put safety first in schools, have more cops around, have more um maybe checking, backpack checkings at the start of every school. school. I know they didn't do that when I was in school. My brother, he doesn't do that when he's in school. We need to remind ourselves that the children are the future. We need to keep them safe. We need to do everything in our power that they have to to we need to do everything in our power to keep them safe. I mean, I don't know how else to really say it. I I just don't think it's as much of a priority as I think it it should be. >> Thank you. Thank you. Our next uh speaker is also on Zoom in as Darden. Welcome. >> Can you hear me? >> Yes. >> I'm going to step out of the way again so that you can see the picture that's behind me. Um, you know, domestic violence month is coming up the month of October. And I understand this month in the month of September, uh, one of my domestic violence detectives that was supposed to be helping me, Linda Sers, had a birthday September the 2nd. My abuser, firefighter Dirtton, had a birthday September the 5th. Mayor, I understand I believe you had a birthday this month. And I also had a birthday on September the 17th where I turned 63 years of age. For the last 30 years, I've been advocating not only my for myself, but for firefighters, spouses, or anyone that's going through domestic violence. And it is pathetic that the city of Cincinnati as opposed to helping me forced me out of the city of Cincinnati. I reside in Silver Springs, Maryland because of me reporting domestic violence on my firefighter spouse and being retaliated by Cincinnati police specifically to NA Ward at Linda Cellers, being denied my civil rights. I filed for a legal separation because Dirtton threatened me when y'all forced him to retire that he was going to make me go back homeless. So, I filed for a legal separation in the month of December of 2024. I'm waiting for the administrative judge Flotman because I sent her an email Friday because I'm now in a category. They don't know if I'm in a jurisdiction, if I'm not in a jurisdiction. This case went for eight months. Now there's controversy whether or not I'm in I'm in the jurisdiction. The three white attorneys Dirtton went to the Gabby law firm to get to come against me which they tried to lynch me had done wrote five bogus motions against me. I'm representing myself in the name of Jesus because I'm afraid to get an attorney to put anybody else life in danger like my life is in danger. You an attorney. >> Thank you. Our next speaker is Trent Carter. Welcome. Just better press this button. Uh, good afternoon, mayor, and uh, members of the council. Um, I would like to recognize the significance of the motions that are going to come before you later um made in this uh collective bargaining agreement. An agreement that we all uh signed. But first, I'm uh Trent Carter. I'm a second vice president for Cincinnati Local 48, the birthplace of professional firefighting. Um let's see. It's uh sad sad that we had to come to this uh this day um to get this stuff uh on the on the docket. Uh we we've been working with uh risk management and then uh not really having too much uh success. It's no uh it's not a surprise in the room that firefighters that are uh impacted by cancer. We had a uh bill Ohio made a bill um for at least 10 years that we have uh the city of Cincinnati has not honored. Uh we have uh our brothers and sister firefighters that are dying. Uh we had six this year. Uh I like to speak on the process of uh when you uh get diagnosed with your cancer. We don't go through uh EHS because that's timeconuming. and the risk management uh will wait their 30 days and then send us to court of which they don't have to. You guys knowing that uh we're self-insured. Uh so we typically do everything on our own. Uh we have uh members that have won in an industrial commission and then we're civically or civily sued by the city of Cincinnati. And uh that's my time right here. So thank you. >> You can keep going, sir. Oh, now it's your time. I apologize. Thank you very much for coming in and thanks for all your hard work. >> Arnetta Bake Baker, welcome. I can stand up. Good afternoon. I am Arnetta Baker. I live in the North Ryan Heights area. And I'm the great aunt of the latest victim that was killed down there. This young man was only 16. He had his whole life ahead of him. He didn't run the streets. He didn't run sell drugs or anything like that. He went to school. He want to play with his friends when he get out of school and stuff. But this was a senseless killing. And I would like to know what is our council going to help us with because we need more police seen down here with these kids. I understand we got a curfew but I got two that runs the street and my daughter has reached out for help to get them off the street at night after curfew hours. What are we going to do about these kids? This little boy didn't deserve none of this. He just seen a fight after school. He didn't have no part in that. And I know it's all on tape. Somebody need to review these tapes and catch the person that done it because this family is hurting to have a 16-year-old life snatched from him. We can't keep doing this. Can't keep burying these kids. We ain't going to have no future. But God giving us the hope and the strength to get these babies off the street that's doing what they doing. And we got to start putting the blame on the parents because they know what they bringing in their houses. They know what their kids out here doing, but they allow it. I got seven grandkids that I see every day and I check them book bags every day. >> Thank you, Arnetta. I'm >> I know I speak for all of council. I'm so very sorry for your loss. >> Um the impact to your family is devastating and it takes a lot of courage to come here and and tell us your story. So, we're we're very grateful. We want to do everything we can to support your family, but also to prevent this kind of violence affecting more families in Cincinnati. Could you share your information with Noah Nixon? He's at the door >> and we'll do everything we can to support you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Our next speaker is Kevin Corey. Welcome, Kevin. >> Thank you, sir. Um, thank you, honorable mayor, honorable vice mayor, uh, council members, residents, city officials. Thank you for letting me speak. You know, um, someone called me recently and, uh, they said, "Hey, the Wesley Chapel Mission Center is really, um, working magic down there in Over the Rine." And my reply was that um, we don't want to work magic because anything that disappear will reappear. What we want to do is continue to be the resource that I was blessed to put down there to be to not only lead Wesley Chapel, but now it's it's no longer just a after school program. We're like a social services. Everybody come to the Wesley Chapel Mission Center for everything because they know that number one, we're we're going to respond. We're going to respond. And the reason why I came on here with with sister Baker and that's what we call each other over the rhyme. You know, brother Baker, sister Baker, you can know each other for an hour, for a minute, but that's the kind of relationship that we have. And when that happened, um, Council Member Albi, thank you for for reaching out to me. Council member uh Jan Kernney, thank you for reaching out to me. Um, what that when that happened, we just step up like we always do. I mean, as a result, we're going to have the repass at one of our buildings. They said they try to go to the church. They charging them. I said, "No, you come here and it's free. You don't pay for anything. That's just what we do." Not only that, we have two repasses going on there. We recently had somebody get married in our buildings. It's all a resource that's free. And when I come here and or when I put a request in for budgeting that we need for a program for our kids, it's not just for our kids, it's for the community members as well. So, please consider that and please let's talk to soon and thank you very much. God bless you mayor. >> Thank you, sir. Uh and thank you for all of your extraordinary work. Uh after the tragic shooting, um I spent some time with uh the students at St. Francis earlier this week. uh and they had uh nothing but praise for uh the afterchool programs that you all provide. I'd love to love to learn more about how the city can support your efforts. Uh Chaka is behind you. If you could share your information with her and we'll follow up. >> Thank you. >> That um ends this portion of our citizens forum. >> Mayor, >> yes. Uh Miss Owens, please. >> Thank you. Yeah, just some comments post uh public hearing today. uh just acknowledging that yes uh energy costs are certainly rising in this country, demand is increasing uh and it's because of the change in climate and so uh the the purpose of aggregation is to be able to advocate uh bulk pricing and try to reduce that as best as possible which is why our investments in renewable energy are so important and so I hope there's the same level of energy uh to to do that. Um, but I say all that to say that, you know, I have no problem in my committee to bring SOPC or any other supplier uh to to have these conversations of how we do achieve our goals. And ultimately, as a nation, I hope we move in the direction of becoming less energy dependent because it is an equity issue about our residents and what they pay and the cost of housing. Energy is included in that. Uh, so again, I am uh more than willing to to do those things in committee. >> Thank you. Other comments from council? Okay, that concludes this portion of the uh public comment. Um it's now 2:23 and we will uh immediately begin today's business portion of Cincinnati City Council and the clerk will please call the role. >> Council member Johnson >> here. >> Vice Mayor Kernney >> here. >> Council member Nolan >> here. >> Council member Owens >> here. >> Council member Parks >> here. >> Council member Walsh >> here. Council member Albby here. >> Council member Karding >> here. Council member Jeff >> here. Please stand. >> Please stand for a moment of silence. And now the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. The minutes from the previous meeting will be approved and filed without objection. Hearing none, they'll be approved and filed. We have two uh resolutions before we start the uh business items. We'll start with item four and now recognize Council Member Walsh for the presentation of a resolution recognizing the Lincoln Wear Walking Club. Mr. Walsh. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh if the Lincoln Wear Walking Club wants to come join me up here, we know who you guys are. You're in bright pink shirts. Guys, you really can't hide on us. We got the resolution right here. I know usually it's you, Lincoln, but we're going to give it to Sharon because she's the real powerhouse here. >> Uh well, thanks for coming to join us today, guys. Uh this is a monumental moment. So for those who are not familiar with Lincolnware walking club uh starting in June every year uh they're join they go out to Winon Woods and they have a walk every morning on Saturday the first Saturday of well not first Saturday every Saturday starting at what time do you kick off? 8:30. Um you got to get there 15 minutes early if you want to walk with Lincoln though. He's going to be like huffling down the the street. Uh goes till the end of September when they have a brunch which is this Saturday. I forget where ex where is it this year. >> D So, Daniel Beard Boy Scouts, this weekend we're going to be presenting this resolution again at 10 a.m. if you would like to join us. Um, also we are celebrating 25 years now, which is uh, right? 25 years, which is the longest black le walking club in the nation, right? We believe that's the case, right? So, that's why we were celebrating them today here guys. So, um, I'm just going to get this started with recognizing the Lincoln Wear Walking Club and expressing the appreciation of the mayor and council of the city of Cincinnati for their community engagement in and progress towards health in our communities for the last 25 years. Whereas for 25 years, the Lincolnware walking club has provided and continues to provide an open and free space for community members to gather and engage in healthy habits. And the Lincolnware walking club has facilitated neighborhood engagement throughout the city. And the Lincoln Wear Walking Club has created spaces for connection leading to countless friendships, companionships, and even a few marriages. Uh, we're going to talk about that one later, Sharon. We haven't You're not helping me out very well here. Um, the Lincoln Wear Walking Club has engaged thousands of residents of the Cincinnati region to walk in our city and explore city of events, including the Cincinnati Black Walk of Fame and the Black Family Reunion. So now therefore, be it resolved by the council of the city of Cincinnati, state of Ohio, that the mayor and council hereby recognize the Lincoln Wear Walking Club for their commitment to community engagement and progress toward health in our communities for the last 25 years. Congratulations, Lincoln and Sharon. >> No round of no round of applause. Okay. Oh, we're not done yet, guys. We're >> Yeah. No, Lincoln, you've gotten so many of these. You know how this goes. So, um, guys, really excited to have you. I'm not going to give you the chance to speak. I'm going to let Sharon speak because again, she's the real powerhouse. Um, and then we're going to let council talk here. So, Sharon, is there anything you'd like to say? Well, I want to thank each and every one of you. We are free uh organization open to everyone in the city from children all the way up and we have had marriages and friendship and thousands and thousands of people have come through the walking club. And this is our 25th anniversary. And sometimes Lick and I get a little tired. We're not no young chicks anymore, young people, couples. So, it's hard on us, but we continue to do it because it's great for the community. >> Well, I just want to say thanks to you, Seth, and council, and good luck to everybody in this upcoming election. But, uh, yeah, we've been around 25 years, and we just want to get people healthy. That's the main purpose of the walking club is to get people out and exercise and stay healthy because health is a big problem in the community and that's what we try to do just get people out and make them stay healthy. >> Thank you guys. They also have a a shirt in every different color out there. So we'll turn it over to you Mr. Mayor. >> Comments from council vice mayor. >> Mayor and then Mr. Johnson. >> Okay. So you know somebody has to say it. Unbelievable. 25 years. I can't believe it's been that long. You know, I really appreciate you sharing you and all all of you because I mean and usually there are several hundred people walking with you. I mean, you know, there's a small group here today and we appreciate you coming. But that walking club has grown and grown and I love it because it's a sense of community which is so important. um people have have that place to go on Saturday morning and you're emphasizing health and so you know in case anybody doesn't know we've talked about this a lot but Lincoln went and Sharon you did part of this too but Lincoln did the entire 107 mile walk with my husband from Cincinnati to Columbus and made it the entire way and so that was pretty amazing but knowing that you've been doing this for 25 years is really not surprising but it's just you're you're really a gift to the community your show, your your radio show, your television show, and and all you do. It really brings us together, gets the information out there, lots of points of view, and you know, we just love you. So, thank you so much. And Sharon, you too, and all the members of the walking club. Thank you so much, >> Mr. Johnson and Mr. Nolan. >> Okay. Uh, somebody has to say it. Okay. Enough is enough. Uh, 25 years of walking. Yes, I will salute you. Sharon, thank you very much. Uh, Lincoln Key. What else do we name? We got a name a street named after me. Nothing else. Is there anything else? Is there anything else? Okay, enough is enough. You know, you know, we've been rocking a lot of years. You gave me my starting radio a couple of years ago, but uh, congratulations, but no more. There's nothing else to give you. What else are we going to give him? Nothing else. Thank you, Mayor. >> Thank you, Mr. Nolan. Lincoln, somehow you managed to find a job where you just get to sit and talk for a living. Um, which is fantastic. For a lot of other folks that sit behind a desk or or are hard at work, um, you've provided an opportunity to get some exercise and not just get exercised, but to get out and have some of those conversations, to put the cell phones down and to talk to folks. So, I appreciate you doing that, especially for 25 years. Miss >> Miss Owens and then Miss Elby. >> Yes. Thank you. Congratulations on 25 years. Um certainly this is a labor of love. Uh when we were out there a couple weeks ago, Miss Sharon, I was asking you the history of how you all got here and you know, you've been doing it on your own. You're not a nonprofit organization, but it's your commitment to not only health, but building community. And we certainly need more spaces like that in our country right now and in our city. So, thank you for providing hope to people all over. >> Miss Albby, then Mr. Jeff, >> this is fun. This is so exciting. Congratulations. Um, having so many of my colleagues speak before me. They kind of took the words right out of my mouth. But I did want to take a moment to emphasize the the emotional well-being and health in this and the community that you created. Um, to council members Owen's point, you know, this is a tough time for our country. It's so easy for all of us to be divided, to be stuck looking at our phones, doom scrolling, and the fact that you've created this safe space out in nature and you get all the benefits of being out in the endorphins, but also having that real human connection uh and finding humanity in each other and building that community. It's just so special in a time like this. So, thank you for creating that space. Thank you for fostering that community. And congratulations, >> Mr. Jeff. >> Yeah, you go pretty much last and everybody says everything you were going to say, but that's okay. Uh did I hear you were going to take public comment on your walking club now? Is that uh we'll give it to two minutes each. Uh but just to reinforce I it you know every time I come out and walk with you guys it is that sense of community. It's not It's sure it's about walking and it's about health, but it's about connecting. And I do think this day and age, so many people are looking for that connection and having the predictability of the walking club every week, someplace to go. It is a real uh respit for people and so thank you for everything you do. Further comments? Seeing none, congratulations everyone on this well-deserved honor. Roll call on passage of the resolution, please. >> Council member Johnson, >> yes. >> Vice Mayor Karnney, >> yes. Yes. Council member Nolan. >> Yes. >> Council member Owens. >> Yes. >> Council member Parks. >> Yes. >> Council member Walsh. >> Yes. >> Council member Albby. >> Yes. >> Council member Crane. >> Yes. >> Council member Jeff. >> Yes. >> It passes. >> Congratulations. [Applause] >> Moving to item five. We'll now recognize also Council Member Walsh for the presentation of a resolution recognizing Frank Bo III. Mr. Walsh. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I'm going to invite up Pete and Karen Wood. And as uh they're on their way up here, um for those of you familiar, Mr. Wood uh created the WBN fireworks. And so that's actually my first memory here in Cincinnati. Um yeah, 15 16 I don't know how long it's been since I moved down here. Um so this has a special place in my heart. And here is your resolution today. So recognizing Frank Wood III and expressing the appreciation of the mayor and council for his leadership, innovations and commitment to using the platform to his platform to positively impact Cincinnati through his media innovations and the creation of the Riverfest fireworks celebration. So whereas Frank was a pioneering force in Cincinnati broadcasting who transformed FM radio and entertained countless Cincinnatians through his work at WBN and Frank is recognized as an innovator of FM radio who returned to Cincinnati to build WBN from the ground up establishely in the station 102.7 from a small house on Constant Constantine Avenue in Price Hill. Then sorry I pronounced that one wrong there. um then transforming it into a cornerstone of Cincinnati culture. And under Frank's leadership, WEBBN became nationally recognized for its daring, offbeat, and creative programming, including his creation of a fool's day parade and brute force cybernetics, where fictional products and stunts such as tree frog beer and negative calorie cookies turned advertising into an art form. And in 1977, to mark the 10-year anniversary of WBN, Frank created the now iconic fireworks display over the Ohio River known as Riverfest, which has since grown into one of the largest annual community celebrations in the Midwest and which uh continues to draw hundreds of thousands of people to the Cincinnati Riverfront each Labor Day weekend. And in 2014, Frank's larger than-l life personality, wit, and imagination earned him the honor of being Cincinnati's first and to date only commissioner of fund as a testament to his joy and creativity he brought to the city. So now there be therefore be it resolved by the council of the city of Cincinnati, state of Ohio, that the mayor and council hereby recognize Frank for his leadership, innovations, and commitment to using his platform to positively impact Cincinnati through his media innovations and the creation of the Riverfest Riverfront uh Riverfration. Thank you both for being here today. Um, I'm gonna turn the microphone over. Uh, would you like to talk, Pete? First, big up to my friends in the CFD. Uh, and, uh, Councilman Johnson, I used to work with your brother at Hughes High School. It's a good man, Jeff. Um, so, uh, thank you everybody. Um, my dad loved this city very much, >> Mr. Mayor. Well, first of all, congratulations. [Applause] Of course, the folks responsible for the biggest fireworks display in the world would know the firefighters, so that that makes a lot of sense. Um, comments from council, Mr. Johnson. >> Thank you. Uh, congratulations. Um, I guess as the mayor just said, you you you put on an event that is second to none and it's beyond I entertaining is not even the word to describe what happens on that Sunday after that Sunday afternoon here in the city of Cincinnati. So, congratulations and thank you for what you do. Thank you, uh, Vice Mayor and then Miss Albby. >> Thank you so much. I was going to say your just growing up in Cincinnati, um, you know, your dad was was a household name and everybody listened to WBN. I mean, it was like the like the coolest station, right? It always had like funny things and I mean, it was just hilarious. And so, we really really appreciate uh your family's contribution to this city for making us the great city that we are. Thank you so much, >> Miss Albby. >> Uh, thank you for this. I'm, you know, growing up in Cincinnati as well. I feel like I have so many formative memories of the the the Labor Day fireworks. I mean, my dad, God bless him, I was always trying to figure out how to get the best view. So, we tried many different tactics from like definitely trespassing on someone's property and being so close that like ash from the fireworks was landing on us to trying to cross the bridge just in time for them to shut off traffic so we could get on top of our car to watch from the bridge. I mean, we tried every tactic possible to get a view. And so, thank you. Thank you for those memories with my my dad and my family and, you know, running all walking and hiking all around to try to get the view and just having that experience and then giving me something. Go out into the world and brag about Cincinnati. Um, I can't tell you how many friends and people in college and beyond where I'd be like, "You got to come to Cincinnati. You got to see our fireworks. We do it the best. No one does it better." Um, so thank you. Thank you for making my childhood so special, >> Mr. Dolan. I I just want to add, you know, how how cool it is that one of the the best events that we have in Cincinnati is free. It's free to everyone. And when you're down there watching the fireworks, people come from miles away and it's a true celebration of community. Um, and it's been like that, you know, since I can remember as a child. So, thank you to your to your family and your father for everything he's done. >> Further comments, Mr. Ky. >> Yeah, I just wanted to point I WBN was innovative in so many ways. I mean, I think it was the first FM station in Cincinnati and I think one of the first FM stations across the country that really took root as, you know, an FM concept competing against uh WSAI and Dusty Roads and and those uh AM stations. Um I also want to shout out the Fool's Day parade that was mentioned in the proclamation. My colleagues and I were at a parade a few weeks ago and we had the opportunity to do some uh simal cast on social media and I said unabashedly that was stolen from the fool's day parade when WBN staged a faux parade on April 1st every day and was a great event. So thank you. >> Thank you. Uh sadly um Frank Bowood III is no longer with us. Uh this is a a welldeserved uh posumous uh honor and as a result I'll call for a roll call on passage of the resolution by a rising vote please. It passes. Congratulations. Moving to our agenda. Items 1 through three are as indicated. Items four and five have been dealt with. Items 6 through 22 are as indicated. Our next two items are motions um from myself with the unanimous support of council providing support and direction to the administration on resolving labor issues in our fire department. Item 23 is a motion to create a new leave code to support employees with prior occupational cancer diagnosis. And item 24 moves that the administration find a settlement to the lawsuit and appeal process between the city and the Cincinnati Fire Union Local 48's labor manage management agreement. We will have the opportunity for discussion and a vote on these two items individually. But for both items, I'd like to start by emphasizing that we are here, everyone on this dis because we understand and we are steadfast in making sure that the folks on the ground, our firefighters, keeping Cincinnati safe each and every day are properly taken care of by our city and that we as a city have the health and strength to provide the basic services residents depend on every day. That's why it is critical that we find a compromise to bring these issues to a close. And that compromise will require both parties coming to the table and making concessions. It is paramount that we as a council are fully invested in reaching a resolution and exploring the options that can keep our city whole during a challenging financial moment and that can ensure we're doing right by our fire employees who risk so much day in and day out to provide the safety that too many take for granted. Our fire and EMS crews take on an enormous sacrifice in their service to our city. Everything great that happens in Cincinnati, all of the growth and prosperity we see happens because these city employees are helping make it possible. And so it is my hope and I believe our collective expectation as a city that we can find a win-win that gets everyone to come together on these on these items. We'll begin with item 23. It's a motion from myself, the vice mayor, council member Owens, Jeff, Albby Walsh Nolan Parks Johnson and Creing that the city and the union agree to to create a new leave code that specifically applies to follow-up appointments related to an employes's prior occupational cancer diagnosis. I believe uh this is in budget and finance. Mr. Kramering, would you like to uh start comments on this item? Uh I I would just you know as a public sector labor lawyer there's processes in place that are you know important and sacred in this country country and the right to collective bargain the right to collective uhly bargain is important. Uh as the mayor said our city employees are critically important. They're what that make the city run and public safety is our number one priority. So, uh, disputes arise in the field of collective bargaining, um, as was the case, but it's critically important that we resolve these in everyone's best interest and move forward. >> Thank you. Further comments, >> Mr. Chair, >> Vice Mayor, then Miss Owens. So, first of all, I just want to I think I want to thank you, mayor, um for for really pushing this. Our our uh city manager, Cheryl Long and Council Member Scotty Johnson, um who worked and and council member Seth Walsh um all of who really worked hard to make sure that this happened. you know, our firefighters have one of the highest rates of cancer and the um Palumbo Act, it's it's a state act, says that it's presumed to be uh workrelated, which it is. And so, uh it's really important that we take care of the men and women who take care of us, who risk their lives for us. And when we found out that the reason that um firefighters had to take sick leave in order to get treatment was there was a coding problem. So the mayor and the council members, city managers said, "Let's get that coding problem fixed." I mean, this just a technical thing that had to be fixed. And so we're really thankful for that. Uh, also, which we've been talking about for a while, the whole prevention part of this, the the screenings that have to happen at zero cost to our firefighters is so important. Prevention is key um to to cure. It's key to health. And so, having those early screenings is is really so imperative. And so, I just want our firefighters to know that that we appreciate you. You deserve all of this and more. And um, you know, and thank you. Thank you for being patient with us while all of this gets worked out. But uh we are very grateful that this has been worked out and that we can move forward and give you the respect and the dignity that you so deserve. So thank you for your service. >> Thank you, Miss Owens. >> Thank you. Um I just want to say thank you to both uh the administration and uh the union for coming staying at the table. Uh I am elated that because of the negotiations, the administration is confident that we've gone above and beyond in comparison to other cities. And so I think that just further underscores the way that we value our first responders, our heroes that keep us safe every day. So thank you. >> Thank you for the comments, Mr. Walsh. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um I'm glad that we're moving forward on this policy and I hope that it will have a positive impact for our firefighters. Uh I do want to raise up my concerns from Monday where uh putting myself in the shoes of an individual who maybe have just found out that I had cancer. Um part of what was revealed was, you know, naturally our first because of state law, we reject um the the claims that come in. And it alarms me that, you know, if I'm somebody who's experiencing cancer and the trauma and the fear of what that means, um and then the city rejects me, I I would feel a certain level of uh loss of trust in those who I'm working with. And and I hope as we continue to move forward, we remember that we make policy decisions, but these policy decisions have very real life consequences. And some of them are out of our hands. They're state law related. But as much as we can as a council, as a mayor, and as administration, put people first and remember that they are going through uh some of the hardest, most difficult parts of their lives when they're experiencing and needing these policies to go into effect. Uh I just think the better we're going to do as a city. And so I'm glad we're putting this into effect. I hope we continue to try to find these areas that we can do better on um and try to find ways to be more empathetic toward our employees. >> Thank you. Further comments, Mr. Jeff? >> Yeah, just to reinforce uh I appreciate both sides coming. This is about reaching resolution uh on both and I think the point of the emotional impact of somebody who thinks they have cancer and then 30 days because of the state requirement the city has to reject it. Uh that can be pretty devastating. So I would hate the bureaucracy of that, the process that the state requires for that to be uh the the the reason and you know appreciate um both sides coming to the table on this. And then also on the issue of pay just um in the in the principle of fairness and the principle of making sure we take care of those um who are who are sacrificing for us. Um so thank you to all sides for for coming to the table and um hopefully reaching some resolution on this. >> Thank you Mr. Nolan, >> I I just want to add thanks for the engagement uh all around. I know the folks that are that are here today have have come to a lot of us up here um and and had a very respectful conversation about what the concerns are and provided us the information that that we need uh to better educate our decisions and I would say the same for the administration uh giving us the information we need to bring us to this point. Thank you. >> Thank you. Any further comments on item 23? Seeing none. Roll call on adoption of the motion, please. >> Council member Johnson, >> yes. >> Vice Kernney, >> yes. >> Council member Nolan, >> yes. >> Council member Owens, >> yes. >> Council member Parks, >> yes. >> Council member Walsh, >> yes. >> Council member Albby, >> yes. >> Council member Crarmerding, >> yes. >> Council member Jeff, >> yes. >> Thank you. Item 24 is a motion from myself, the vice mayor, council members Walsh Albby Johnson Parks Cranaring Jeff, Nolan, and Owens that the city administration settled the lawsuit and subsequent appeal surrounding the labor management agreement between the city of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Firefighters Union Local 48. Uh, Mr. Kramering, this is in your uh committee. Would you like to lead us off? >> I I don't know that I have have much to add. I mean, these are are two uh related issues. There's clearly a clause in the collective bargain agreement. Uh it's very important that we uh we move forward uh in the best interest of our firefighters, our city employees, and our citizens. >> Thank you. Uh the city manager asked to uh be recognized um to make a comment uh without objection. City manager Long. >> Thank you, Mayor. Council member Walsh Walsh asked a question earlier this week at committee asking for me to explain the steps that led to our current appeals. So I would like to address that request. Please >> to start. It's critical to the financial future of the city that we control expense growth. Otherwise, we're faced with the reality of cutting services to balance our budget instead of enhancing existing services. As city manager, I must weigh employee compensation decisions with the needs of other employees as well as our responsibility to deliver services to the public. This means all fiscal dis decisions including contract negotiations are not made in a vacuum. The first contract we did was FIRE. After a fair and robust negotiation, we agreed with FIRE on 543 across the board raises over the next three years, plus additional benefits targeted to meet our firefighters needs. Our firefighters put their lives on the line to help others and should be well compensated for that risk. And under these contract terms, CFD has the second best paid members amongst our peer Ohio cities, only behind Columbus. The second contract we did was police. We agreed a 543 acrosstheboard raises over the next three years to maintain consistency across both contracts. That is where the similarities end. As we know, the Cincinnati Police Department has been facing serious challenges recruiting and retaining members and both council and the public have been asking for more police visibility. To address these specific challenges, the FOP and city agreed to create the new police officer 2 grade, which includes higher pay for eligible officers that have been with the city for more than 5 years. The simple goal of the new grade is to bolster our number of police officers through retention and attraction. I believe that this is a goal that we all share since we have not been able to achieve the budgeted compliment of officers for CPD for many years. Our fire department is a different story. CFD is at his budget compliment and has no struggle with recruiting or retaining members. Their operational needs are different and those needs are at the heart of CFD's tailored compensation packets discussed during contract negotiation that focus heavily on cancer screening, preventative treatment, and ongoing care. Fire's me too clause applies to across the board payraises. Both unions receive 543 across the board payraises. It's the administration's opinion that me too should not apply. The addition of a police officer to grade in the FOP contract was not an across the board raise and was needed to get officers on the street. Fire exercised their right to grieve the issue and we we in turn received an arbitration decision that the administration feels is unclear and so we have challenged the unclear decision in court. We are already looking at a serious projected operating budget deficit for next year and the administration determined the best business decision was to appeal. That is how we got here. We do understand that council is encouraging the administration to work collaboratively with the fire union to resolve this situation which we will do and in accordance with our proven track record of good faith negot ne negotiations. I appreciate and hear the direction from mayor and council today and we too want to reach a compromise because we think that it is necessary. If council has any further questions regarding the litigation decisions making, we can we will be happy to discuss those in in executive session. Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Long. Further comments from council, >> Miss Albby. >> Yeah, thank you. Uh thank you. I want to just thank everyone on all sides for the time and energy, right? I know these are long days, a lot of hours put into this. So, um thank you to to you all. Thank you to the administration, everyone. Um, I think my my colleagues articulated well and just wanting to find resolution here that puts you all's health and safety first um while balancing, you know, the needs of our entire community. So, I'm grateful to have uh both parties engaged here and thank you mayor for and everyone else involved putting this motion forward so we can reach a positive resolution. >> Thank you for the comments. Seeing none, I want to uh personally thank local 48 uh representatives for being here. Uh thank you so much for not just your advocacy from a labor labor perspective, but of course uh your public service to the community. Uh it's not lost on us how much you sacrifice um for the entire city and we are extraordinarily grateful. These two motions uh represent um our commitment to finding a solution to these issues. uh and I will work directly with all of you um in order to make sure that that happens. So, thank you so much for being here. Roll call on adoption of the motion, please. >> Council member Johnson, >> yes. >> Vice Mayor Kernney, >> yes. >> Council member Nolan, >> yes. >> Council member Owens, >> yes. >> Council member Parks, >> yes. >> Council member Walsh, >> yes. >> Council member Albby, >> yes. >> Council member Kane, >> yes. >> Council member Jeff, >> yes. >> Item 25, first reading, please. Emergency ordinance authorizing the payment of $43860 from clerk of council general fund non-personnel operating budget account to Cincinnati Copers Incorporated. >> Roll call and suspension. >> Council member Johnson, >> yes. >> Vice Mayor Kernney, >> yes. >> Council member Nolan, >> yes. >> Council member Owens, >> yes. >> Council member Parks, >> yes. >> Council member Walsh, >> yes. >> Council member Albby, >> yes. >> Council member Crane, >> yes. >> Council member Jeff, >> yes. Mr. Mr. Kermiting. >> This is a payment from the non-personnel uh budget from the clerk's office for copying services. >> Further comments. Roll call and passage, please. >> Council member Johnson, >> yes. >> Vice Mayor Kernney? >> Yes. >> Council member Nolan? >> Yes. >> Council member Owens? Yes. >> Council member Parks? >> Yes. >> Council member Walsh? >> Yes. >> Council member Albby? >> Yes. >> Council member Kane? >> Yes. >> Council member Jeff? >> Yes. Roll call on emergency. >> Council member Johnson? >> Yes. >> Vice Mayor Kernney? >> Yes. >> Council member Nolan? >> Yes. >> Council member Owens? >> Yes. >> Council member Parks? Yes. Council member Walsh. >> Yes. >> Council member Albby. Council member Crane. >> Yes. >> Council member Jeff. >> Yes. >> Item 26, first reading, please. >> Emergency ordinance authorizes city manager to execute a development agreement with Atrium Tower 1 LP and AA atrium 2 LP pertaining to the redevelopment of an existing building into approximately 200 residential rental units on property located at 2011 East Fourth Street. >> Roll call and suspension. >> Council member Johnson. Yes. >> Vice Mayor Kernney. >> Yes. >> Council member Nolan. >> Yes. >> Council member Owens. Yes. >> Council member Parks. Yes. Yes. Council member Walsh. >> Yes. >> Council member Albby. >> Yes. >> Council member Karing. >> Yes. >> Council member Jeff. >> Yes. >> Mr. Kramering. >> Yeah. Mayor, another huge development agreement. I mean, these uh fortunately for the city of Cincinnati, these these have have come fairly frequently. And I fear that sometimes we're taking them for granted. I mean, if this was happening other cities, uh these conversions would be huge news. Uh but we we continue to proceed. These conversions are helping with our housing crisis. They're creating a a vital and healthy downtown. And this one is atrium 1. 200 new units in a in a a investment of $102 million. So a huge project for downtown. >> Thank you, Mr. Walsh. >> Yeah, just to build off that, um part of the development group here is the model group that just completed the Merkantile uh project downtown. They are experiencing good lease ups on that and it's just a fantastic uh preservation, restoration. So, I'm very excited to see HM2 come online and HM1 and this is a very creative way to make projects happen. >> Mr. Jeff and Mr. Nolan. >> Yeah, I made the point on Monday, but if you add up this plus Karu Tower, Merkantile, Macy's, it's over, 1100 units of conversion from office to residential downtown, which is really quite remarkable. I know we still lead the nation uh or second in the nation whatever it is on uh office to residential conversion but 1100 new units downtown uh is really changing the face. It's uh I mean we call it the central business district but it is really downtown and it is a place now for uh more and more people to to live. So excited for that growth and the continued growth as we do the downtown uh development plan which has not been done since 1985 which uh the administration will uh start here shortly on what does the future of the downtown uh look like uh beyond what we've already um accomplished collectively with these conversions. >> Mr. Nolan and Miss Alvie. >> Yeah, I would, as I mentioned on Monday, just want to acknowledge this is this is a great step in the direction of addressing our housing crisis. Um, and also want to call out that um, while we we do need to push for development of housing across all 52 of our neighborhoods, um, what we what we see here are investors and lenders willing to put money on the table to add housing downtown. I know there's concerns about public safety and we we have been working to address those, but the demand for people who want to live in our urban core is high. Um, I'm excited to hear that and I'm excited to hear that we have new units coming online to address that need and that demand. >> Thank you, Miss Albby. >> This is exciting. I think the the fact that we continue to lead when it comes to these conversions and that people continue to want to live in our city is super exciting and we should all up here administration council mayor um, and residents included should all be thrilled uh, to have that and to know that people want to be part of our community. I I'll say it again. I want more neighbors. I believe in this city. I'm so grateful for all the amazing people who live here, all the amazing assets we have as a city, from major sports teams to an amazing arts scene. And this is just, you know, one more way we get to welcome people to the amazing city of Cincinnati. And that does not happen without strong leadership with vision of what Cincinnati can and will be in the future. So, thank you to all my colleagues and to mayor and the administration for for this vision and helping us execute. Thank you. Thank you, Vice Mayor. Well, >> so much has been said. Um, this is this is wonderful and I just want to add so that people know this is mixed income and I'm really thankful to the developers for knowing that everybody needs a chance to live and thrive downtown. So, thank you for that. >> Thank you. Uh, further comments? Seeing none, roll call on passage of item 26, please. >> Council member Johnson, >> yes. >> Vice Mayor Kernney, >> yes. >> Council member Nolan, >> yes. Council member Owens, >> yes. >> Council member Parks, >> yes. >> Council member Walsh, >> yes. >> Council member Albby, yes. Council member Kane, >> yes. >> Council member Jeff, >> yes. Roll call on emergency. >> Council member Johnson, >> yes. >> Vice Mayor Kernney, yes. >> Council member Nolan, yes. >> Council member Owens, yes. >> Council member Parks, >> yes. >> Council member Walsh, yes. >> Council member Albby, yes. Council member McMine, >> yes. >> Council member Jeff, >> yes. >> Item 27, first reading, please. >> Emergency ordinance establishing new capital improvement program account fleet replacements obsolete. Roll call and suspension. Council member Johnson, yes. Vice Mayor Kernney, yes. >> Council member Nolan, yes. Council member Owens, yes. >> Council member Parks, yes. >> Council member Walsh. Yes. Council member Albby. Yes. >> Council member Kramerang. >> Yes. >> Council member Jeff. >> Yes. >> Mr. Kramering. >> Yes. Mayor, every so often the city divest obsolete fleet. Uh happens periodically. This time our sale proceeds totaled $49,000. So I don't know exactly what we sold, but it wasn't much. Further comments? Seeing none, roll call on passage, please. >> Council member Johnson, >> yes. >> Vice Mayor Kernney, >> yes. >> Council member Nolan, >> yes. >> Council member Owens, >> yes. >> Council member Parks, >> yes. >> Council member Walsh, >> yes. >> Council member Albby, yes. >> Council member Kane, >> yes. >> Council member Jeff, >> yes. Roll call emergency. >> Council member Johnson. >> Vice Mayor Kernney? >> Yes. >> Council member Nolan? >> Yes. >> Council member Owens? >> Yes. >> Council member Parks? >> Yes. >> Council member Walsh? >> Yes. >> Council member Albby? Yes. >> Council member Kine? >> Yes. Yes, Council Member Jeff. >> Yes. That concludes the business portion of our agenda. City Manager Long, do you have any announcements? >> I do. Sorry, I'm not prepared though. >> Okay. Um, the 2025 City of Cincinnati Community Shares Giving Campaign ended last Friday. Community Shares of Greater Cincinnati is our region's social justice incubator, providing the only local charitable umbrella for social economic justice organizations, environmental causes, and animal welfare agencies. Because of the generous pledges of individual employees and a fundraisers from other departments, city employees raised more than $37,000. It's the second best city campaign in community shares 27-year history of partner with city employees, second only to the 40,000 raised in 2006 and pushing us past the 770,000 raised since inception by s city employees for local charities through community shares. The fundraising event coordinated by my office was a best and show city cutest pet contest because we love our pets. So, city employees with 16 departments, police parks HR health BNI law MSD water DCED fleet wreck DOT CMO, ETS, risk management, and purchasing participated. I would like to reveal that the best in show winner is Finch, a senior pity adopted by a DOT employee after being found in an abandoned building in Walnut Hills, severely emanciated and missing an eye. I know how that feels cuz my pug is now blind. The proceeds of this contest will be directed to Cincinnati Animal Cares. Thank you. >> Further announcements, Mr. No. Uh, uh, we'll go. Actually, Mr. Jeff, do you have any announcements? I was going to call on you first. I was going to, Vice Mayor, then Miss Albby, then Mr. Nolan. >> Okay. Well, I want I think all of you have met um our clerk of council designate Anthony J. Coington. This was his official first week um in training. He started on Monday. And so I'm just really excited that he's here. You know, I've I know we talked about this in committee, but first of all, I have to thank our rockstar committee that chose him. Uh, starting with our clerk of council, Melissa Autri, our city solicitor, Emily Smart Warner, our director of human resources, Leticia Hazelle, uh, President Pro Tim Parks, Council Member Scotty Johnson, Council Member Jeff Kramering, and I'm not forgetting the mayor's chief of staff, Caza Famro. Thank you so much to all of you. 122 applications. It just shows people want to work in in city hall. So that's that's a real plus. Um Miss Hazel and her staff got us through all of those applications and um whittleled it down. We had three full days of interviews. Lots of really really good candidates. The interviews went very well. Uh but in the end we chose the one who really rose to the top and that's Anthony J. Coington. So, I just um encourage everybody in city hall to welcome him, get to know him. Um we're really excited that he's here and uh as we're going to miss Miss Autri who's been been here for 31 years. She's doing a great job of training and so he will be training with us until her last day, which is October 31st. And then, uh with council's permission, he will take over as clerk of counsel. So, um, we won't have him come and speak today because I didn't ask in advance, but, uh, Mr. Cington, please stand and just be recognized and welcome to the team. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Albby. >> Uh, thank you. I wanted to take a moment to recognize that the National Day of Remembrance for Murdered Victims is observed annually on September 25th. This day was established by the US Congress in 2007 to honor victims of homicide in their surviving families, recognizing the impact of such crimes on communities and advocating for support, services, and violence prevention. Uh this week, our victim assistance liaison team has organized a handful of uh events for our survivors here in Cincinnati. Um yesterday I was able to join them out on Reading Road as we gathered to share people sharing about their family members they've lost and to you know take a picture and chant never forgotten um which is um the motto of this group. So, thank you to the the team for organizing this. And I know for for us as a city, we are so invested in not only preventing um violence um but also s supporting the families after um something tragic has happened. Um we heard in public comment that the comments about the 16-year-old who was shot in OTR last week and I want to thank uh the administration and our partners. uh the Marrison Center um activated and we had trauma-informed care workers go out there and meet with kids. Um Lieutenant Colonel Hammer went down to be with them. And so we are continuing to refine our process um to respond when these incidents happen. And I'm just grateful for the partnership from the administration, our acty team. Um and I just wanted to take a moment to lift up and um remember those we've lost. >> Thank you, Mr. Nolan. Thank you, Mayor. Um our our city faces a number of challenging issues and today I think we we have a great opportunity uh to address a challenging issue that has plagued many of us and that is potholes. Uh today is the day. It's demo day for our pave the way innovation lab. Uh we are meeting at 5:00 pm at the 1819 uh innovation lab uh up on reading road with the University of Cincinnati. I have heard some incredible ideas about how to better address potholes, but I don't want to steal their thunder. So, you need to come to Demo Day and check it out. Um, you know, the part of the country we live in, we have this vicious freeze thaw cycle that leads to a lot more potholes than they see in other parts of the country. Um, there are better ways to identify and address these potholes and I look forward to hearing more about it and hope you'll join me. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Johnson. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh, thank you. Uh, let me say this to my colleagues, the administration, and you, mayor. Thank you for all of the real work that's being done in trying to prevent violence and gun violence. But I'm not going to be shy about the hypocrisy that comes from the state and the federal legislators that want to do days of remembrance, but don't want to do anything about controlling guns in this country. There are far too many guns accessible in this country and we can do all the remembrance in the world that we want to never can never forget and all of those different things. But the hypocrisy of talking about you care and you won't move off your douff at all to do anything about controlling the influx of guns in this nation. We're obsessed with them. I don't understand the obsession. I carried one for 33 years and saw horrendous things as our firefighters have seen horrendous things that are done with the reckless owning and the accessibility to guns. So we can do all the remembrances and all the salutes and never forgets, but until our state and federal people get off their douffs and get serious about really what's happening in this nation when it comes to guns. It's just it's just all rhetoric to be quite honest. But I salute this city and I salute this council, this mayor and this administration for really trying to do something. But we were stopped at the state level and once again here we go again with the rhetoric of caring about each other. Thank you, mayor. Thank you. Any further announcements? Seeing none, meeting adjourned. Thank you.