Eby Introduces Mallory Tonight

John Eby, the Westwood Republican who twice ran unsuccessfully for City Council, will be introducing Mayor Mark Mallory tonight at Mallory's State of the City speech.

We caught up with Eby this afternoon as he was getting ready for the 6:30 p.m. event at Playhouse in the Park. He said he's flattered, honored and also a little nervous about getting up in front of 600 people. He also said he's a little nervous about standing next to Mallory - "He's su ch a sharp dresser, and I'm a slob."

Eby was driving in his car when the mayor called him two or three weeks ago to ask him to do the introduction. "It was one of the few times when I had to pull over and say, 'What did you just say?"


The mayor told him he asked him to give the introduction because he'd heard Eby talk during last fall's campaign and that they agree on a lot of things related to consensus-building. The mayor told him he was pleased to hear that Eby, the new president of the Westwood Community Urban Redevelopment Corp., would be staying involved after his loss in November.


"He probably says that to everybody," Eby said, laughing.


He said he wasn't told what to say. He sent his first draft to Mallory's communications director, Jason Barron, and Eby said he and Barron went over a few changes. He quotes Hamilton County Commissioner David Pepper on the subject of officials working together.


"I think Mark's doing a good job," he said. "It'll be complimentary. You know, what an honor."


Eby said he hasn't made up his mind about whether he'll run again next year.