Lemmie gives herself an 'A', but flunks City Council

When WLW talk show host Bill Cunningham asked former City Manager Valerie Lemmie to assign a letter grade for her three-and-a-half years in office, she gave herself an "A."

When asked to grade Vice Mayor Alicia Reece, defeated in Tuesday's mayoral primary, Lemmie pointedly declined: "I think the voters gave her grade on Tuesday. I have nothing to add to that."

The rest of Cunningham's 20-minute interview with Lemmie on Thursday afternoon gave the city's former CEO every opportunity to exact her revenge on the City Council members that she felt mistreated her during her rocky tenure at City Hall.

It wasn't all bad. Lemmie had high praise for the compassion and temperament of Democratic Councilman David Crowley, and singled out Republican Chris Monzel as a decent guy as well. Mayor Charlie Luken, she said, was absolutely dedicated to improving the city. And she complimented the competence of Police Chief Thomas H. Streicher Jr. and Fire Chief Robert Wright.

Then Cunningham pressed Lemmie for quick takes on some other City Hall figures, and this is what she said:

Christopher Smitherman: "His idea of racial reconciliation was different than most people's in Cincinnati."

Former Luken press secretary (and Cunningham crony) Brendon Cull: "Brendon was the mayor's staff person and a political junkie."

LaShawn Pettus-Brown, the so-called "developer" convicted of defrauding city taxpayers of more than $180,000: "I actually never got to meet him." ("Thank God," Cunningham replied.)

Councilman John Cranley: "He was fun to work with."

Councilwoman Laketa Cole: (Pause) "Let me think about it."

Former Assistant City Manager Rashad Young: "Extremely talented."

Former Councilman -- now Hamilton County Commissioner -- Pat DeWine: "Very challenging, and very, very difficult to work with."