Council convened in Council Chamber at 6:00 p.m., Mayor Mallory Presiding. Present were Councilmembers Berding, Cranley, Crowley, Ghiz, Monzel, Tarbell and Thomas (7)

Also in attendance were Asst. City Manager Scott Stiles Solicitor J. Rita McNeil and Clerk of Council Melissa Autry

Council observed a moment of silent prayer and recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

There being no objection, Minutes of the previous session Council were ordered Filed.

Items on the Council Calendar and items presented by-leave were disposed of as follows:

APPOINTMENT, 03/19/2007, submitted by Mayor Mark Mallory, recommending the re-appointment of Mark Vander Laan to the Southern Railway Board of Trustees, said term to expire March 30, 2012.

REAPPOINTMENT, dated 3/19/2007 submitted by Mayor Mallory, pursuant to the authority granted by Article 13, Section 4 of the Charter of the City of Cincinnati. I hereby re-appoint Jill Meyer the Cincinnati Elections Commission with said term to expire on March 30, 2010. Ms. Meyer will serve as the designated representative for the Republican Party.

REAPPOINTMENT, dated 3/19/2007 submitted by Mayor Mallory, pursuant to the authority granted by Article 13, Section 4 of the Charter of the City of Cincinnati, I hereby re-appoint Jon Allison to the Cincinnati Elections Commission with said term to expire on March 30, 2010. Mr. Allison will serve as a non-affiliated member of the Commission.

RESOLUTION, dated 03/13/2007, submitted by Mayor Mark Mallory, expressing the Mayor and City Council's highest priorities for the federal fiscal year 2008 and requesting that the United States Congress consider these items as part of the fiscal year 2008 federal appropriations process.

ORDINANCE, dated 03/16/2007, submitted by Vice-Mayor Tarbell, from J. Rita McNeil, City Solicitor, notwithstanding the provisions of Chapter 1425, Parking and Loading Regulations, of the Cincinnati Zoning Code authorizing the Director of Buildings and Inspections to require no additional parking for the renovation of the "Old Clifton School" at 3711 Clifton Avenue and the former McDonald Mansion Carriage House located at 3645 Clifton Avenue (collectively the "Property") in the Clifton neighborhood.

ORDINANCE, dated 03/16/2007, submitted by Vice-Mayor Tarbell, from J. Rita McNeil, notwithstanding the provisions of Section 1403-05, Land Use Regulations -- Single-family Districts, of the Cincinnati Zoning Code authorizing the Director of Buildings and Inspections to: a)issue building permits for the renovation of the "Old Clifton School" at 3711 Clifton Avenue and the former McDonald Mansion Carriage House at 3645 Clifton Avenue (collectively the "Property") in the Clifton neighborhood, and b) issue a certificate of occupancy for the use of the Property for a Cultural Institution, which certificate of occupancy will expire upon the transfer of the Property or if the use of the Property as a cultural institution is abandoned.

COMMUNICATION, dated 02/02/2007, submitted by Councilmember Berding, from Jeanette Fisher, 1421 Herschel Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45208, concerning the deer population in the city and arrow shot policy of the city.

COMMUNICATION, dated 02/19/2007, submitted by Councilmember Berding, from Edward Wells, 1776 Larch Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45224, regarding residential renewal via values express in the international property maintenance code.

COMMUNICATION, dated 03/12/2007, submitted by Councilmember Cole, from Stefanie Sunderland, Board Member, Northside Community Council, P.O. Box 23324, Cincinnati, Ohio 45223, regarding Ashtree Drive Road and Infra-structure improvements.

MOTION, dated 03/13/2007, submitted by Councilmember Cole, that the administration develop a policy that will reduce the number of applications for notwithstanding ordinances related to the zoning code; and that this policy should include that a request for a notwithstanding ordinance be used only as a last resort, as opposed to a first option. Notwithstanding ordinances should not be considered unless all other avenues have been exhausted. (STATEMENT ATTACHED)

MOTION, dated 03/07/2007, submitted by Councilmember Cranley, that the proposed lease with Queensgate for the City land formerly owned by Hilltop Concrete Company be rejected; and that this land be designated for greenspace and recreation; and that the City begin planning to convert this land into a park (understanding that some of this land will be needed for remodeling the Waldvogel viaduct); and that the City report back to City Council in 6 months on how the City might secure and operate a bike/running trail from the Hilltop property down the Western Riverfront to the Conrail site and beyond. (STATEMENT ATTACHED)

COMMUNICATION, dated 02/19/2007, submitted by Councilmember Ghiz, from Richard B. Tranter, Esq., Dinsmore & Shohl, LLP, 255 E. 5th Street, Suite 1900, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 regarding curbs and resurfacing and storm water on Tweed Ave. from Glenshire extending to Linwood.

MOTION, dated 03/14/2007, submitted by Councilmember Thomas, that the City Administration study the proposed Columbus Ohio Scrap Metal Ordinance (Enquirer/AP 3/5/07) and report back on the feasibility of preparing a similar Ordinance for the City of Cincinnati. (STATEMENT ATTACHED)

ORDINANCE (EMERGENCY) submitted by Milton Dohoney, Jr., City Manager, on 3/21/2007, amending Ordinance No. 296-2004 and Ordinance No. 103-2006, related to the Police Department's Records Management System/Computer Aided Dispatch Replacement (RMS/CAD) project, for the purpose of directing the necessary grant funding to the appropriate City fund location, in order to continue to enable the Police Department to fund the Records Management System/Computer Aided Dispatch Replacement (RMS/CAD) project, which is intended to enhance police communication functions.

ORDINANCE (EMERGENCY) submitted by Milton Dohoney, Jr., City Manager, 03/21/2007, authorizing the City Administration to sign the preliminary legislation prepared by the Director of the Ohio Department of Transportation ("ODOT"), a copy of which is attached herewith, concerning the Colerain Avenue street improvement project, which is included in the Department of Transportation and Engineering's Colerain Corridor Transportation System Management plan, between Virginia Avenue and Leeper Street, which would include upgrading Colerain Avenue by improving the horizontal geometry, widening to standard land widths, installing new street lighting, and removing on street parking between Virginia Avenue and Leeper Street.

ORDINANCE submitted by Milton Dohoney, Jr., City Manager, on 3/21/2007, authorizing the transfer of $841,590 within various General Fund operating accounts for the purpose of realigning the accounts to implement a City Council mandated reduction of $1,500,000 for the 2007 Approved Budget.

ORDINANCE (EMERGENCY) submitted by Milton Dohoney, Jr., City Manager, on 3/21/2007, authorizing the City Manager to apply for and accept a grant from the State of Ohio's Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund for up to $3,000,000 for the purpose of providing funds to be used for clean up of environmental contamination, demolition of buildings, and other eligible uses at the MetroWest Commerce Park site in Lower Price Hill.

ORDINANCE (EMERGENCY) submitted by Milton Dohoney, Jr., City Manager, on 3/21/2007, authorizing the City Manager to enter into a Contract For Sale of City Property For Redevelopment with MetroWest I, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company, for real property located within the MetroWest light industrial site bounded generally by Gest Street, Evans Street and the Baltimore and Ohio (CSX) Railroad tracks in Lower Price Hill to remediate and redevelop into a light industrial/commercial park, which real property is no longer needed for any municipal purpose. (APPROVED BY CITY PLANNING COMMISSION ON 01/19/2007)

ORDINANCE (EMERGENCY) submitted by Milton Dohoney, Jr., City Manager, on 3/21/2007, to make an appropriation for the current expenses and other expenditures of the City of Cincinnati from Income Tax-Transit Fund 759 for SORTA operations for the period beginning April 1, 2007 and ending June 30, 2007.

REPORT, dated 3/21/2007, submitted by Milton Dohoney, Jr., City Manager, regarding the Department of Finance reports for the month ended February 28, 2007. (REPORT ON FILE IN CLERK'S OFFICE)

REPORT, dated 3/21/2007, submitted by Milton Dohoney, Jr., City Manager, on a motion,(AMENDED) dated 2/22/2007 submitted by Councilmembers Crowley, Thomas, Cranley, and Vice Mayor Tarbell, that the St. Patrick's Day Parade, the Opening Day Parade and the Heart Mini Marathon pay invoiced amount from 2006 plus 15 percent. We Further Move that the associated costs not to exceed $20,000, will come from the Arts and Culture Capital Fund and the administration will work closely with Council to identify the source of the remainder of funds (an estimated $20,000). We Further Move that the City administration report to Council on the actual administrative cost of the following events: St. Patrick's Day Parade, the Opening Day Parade and the Mini Heart Marathon these events include the Black Family Reunion, Riverfest, Oktoberfest Zinzinnati, Taste of Cincinnati, Juneteenth and the Ault Park 4th of July Fireworks. We Further Move that if contracts have not been signed that the events use Cincinnati Police & Fire Services. (SEE DOCUMENT #200700205 FOR ADOPTED MOTION)

ORDINANCE authorizing the City Manager to close the Collins Avenue steps to pedestrian access for a period of five years to measure their impact on public safety.(CITY PLANNING COMMISSION DISAPPROVED THIS ITEM ON 2/2/2007)

COMMUNICATION, dated 03/14/2007, submitted by the Clerk of Council, from Jacqueline Panioto, Clerk, Board of County Commissioners, Hamilton County, Ohio, regarding an adopted resolution by the Board of County Commissioners appointing a member to the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority. (Roxanne Qualls)

STATEMENT, dated 02/12/2007, submitted by the Clerk of Council, formally filing a copy of the Financial Disclosure Statement for J. Rita McNeil, City Solicitor.

REPORT, dated 3/20/2007, submitted by Milton Dohoney, Jr., City Manager, regarding NBDSF funding requests.

REPORT, dated 03/21/07, submitted by Councilmember Cole, from Milton Dohoney, Jr., City Manager, presenting the Updated Implementation of the Leed Ordinance #274-2006.