Guess What City Council Debated Tonight

Update: There were several comments on the original blog that purported to be from Scott Gehring.

They weren't, according to Gehring. They have been deleted.


Arts funding. I know, you're shocked.

For 45 minutes, members talked about Vice Mayor Jim Tarbell and his arts committee's recommendations for grant recipients from the city's capital arts fund. The proposal before council called for giving $6,000 to the American Institute of Architects Cincinnati, $25,000 to the American Sign Museum, $10,000 to Ballet Tech Cincinnati, $50,000 to the Clifton Arts Center, $2,500 to CinStages Web Site, $5,000 to Keep Cincinnati Beautiful, $25,000 to the Madisonville Community Arts Center, $1,500 to the Queen City Concert Band and $6,000 to the New Stage Collective.

This is a different pot of money than the other arts capital funding debate over whether to spend $3.8 million for four major cultural buildings in the city (Cincinnati History Museum, Music Hall, Underground Railroad Freedom Center and Cincinnati Art Museum) plus create a $600,000 fund for smaller arts groups that would also pay for festivals and parades like the Taste of Cincinnati.

The former plan was on for passage by council tonight, which made a perfect chance for those who oppose Tarbell's $3.8 million plan (that would be Councilmen Chris Bortz and Jeff Berding and Councilwoman Laketa Cole and Leslie Ghiz) to grill him about this pot of money, too. Basically, Tarbell, as chairman of council's arts committee, chooses the winners. The four didn't approve.

Some pretty harsh words flowed.

Ghiz and Cole both said they're disgusted. Ghiz tried to get the measure referred back to the arts committee for more discussion, but she and her three colleagues were out-voted.

Still, the debate continued.

John Cranley chimed in with: "Let's cut to the chase. We have several members of council who are angry at Mr. Tarbell." To suggest the process for applying for arts grants was flawed or wrong "is absurd. Nothing is being done secretly."

Ghiz said Cranley's "halo is blinding me over here" and "that you're able to spin anything to make yourself look fabulous."

Mayor Mark Mallory cut her off, stopping the proceedings for a few minutes - to let the high school students who were watching the process go home. He got a few laughs when he said they'd gotten a good look at the legislative process.

After council resumed, David Crowley said he'd never before heard any complaints about the arts grant process. He said it was "unpleasant and unfair attacking the integrity of the vice mayor."

Cole said it's her right to ask questions and she shouldn't be accused of attacking her colleagues for doing so.

In the end, all the agencies in tonight's package got their money. None of them got it unanimously, though. Chris Monzel separated out four - the sign museum, Ballet Tech, Clifton and Madisonville arts centers. Everyone but Ghiz voted for them. The money for the other five passed with six of the nine supporting. Ghiz, Berding and Monzel voted against them.

Then, Berding, Cranley and Mallory made plans to go out to dinner together.