News

Cincinnati Council is again debating the police department's program where off-duty officers provide security for business and organizations in the city. The issue is who should pay for the administration costs of the program.

Council's Budget and Finance Committee heard this week the off-duty detail program costs the city about $676,000 a year.

City Budget Director Lea Eriksen said that translates to about $3.28 per hour.

Eriksen also said officials weighed the benefits off-duty officers have for public safety in the city.

John Cranley, the 38-year-old Democrat elected to four terms on Cincinnati City Council from 2001 through 2007, has become the first announced candidate for Cincinnati mayor in the 2013 election.

The present mayor, Mark Mallory, can't run again because of the city's term limits law, which limits the mayor to two four-year terms.

Now that the election is over, you may have some old campaign signs laying around.

Instead of tossing them out and allowing them to land in a landfill, you have an opportunity tonight to recycle them in a way that will help the homeless of Cincinnati.

A group called Re:Signed to Help is collecting political yard signs and plans to "re-purpose" them - converting them into water-resistant blankets that will be donated to the City Gospel Mission and be distributed to the homeless.

Cincinnati Council's Budget and Finance Committee Tuesday approved a pay raise and a one-time bonus for City Manager Milton Dohoney, Jr.

The committee passed the measure 6-2 and the full Council will vote on the issue Thursday. 

The proposal, distributed to Council Members minutes before the meeting started, would increase his annual salary to $255,000.  Right now Dohoney is paid $232,081.51.

The proposed ordinance would also include a one-time payment of $34,892.17.