DeWine is da boss -- for a week

With the departure of Phil Heimlich and with Hamilton County's Board of Commissioners not having an organizational meeting until Jan. 8, the leadership of the board falls to its lone Republican -- Pat DeWine.

Heimlich was president of the board but lost that with his defeat. Because DeWine was the vice president of the board, he became its president -- even though the three-man board now has a Democratic majority.

But because the official orgazational meeting for the board isn't until Monday, a new president won't be named until then. (It's expected to be Todd Portune, the most senior commissioner and a Democrat.)

That means the leadership of the board falls to the current vice president, DeWine.

Ironically, DeWine presided today over the meeting that saw Pepper officially become a commissioner.

The board's titles mostly are honorary.

The board's president presides over meetings but his votes count for no more than either of the other two commissioners. A majority of votes wins the issue.