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The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area and asked of all candidates for this office.
See below for questions on
Qualifications,
Addressing priorities,
Regionalism
Click on a name for candidate information. See also more information about this contest.
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1. What are your qualifications for office? (50 word limit)
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Answer from Todd A. Steinbrink:
For the past four years, I've been a member of Montgomery City Council. I've chaired the Planning and Zoning committee, served on Finance and Public Works committees, and I'm a student of the budget. Further, I've participated in the analysis and policy decisions for critical zoning, development and park issues.
Answer from Vicki E. Hirsch:
- Current Sycamore School Board Member
- Montgomery Landmarks Commission Member, Chair
- Current Montgomery's Board of Zoning Appeals
- Veteran teacher at Montgomery Elementary School (over word count)
Answer from Gerri Harbison:
As an involved Montgomery resident since 1985, a Council member since 1999 and Mayor since 2005, I've been active as a school and community volunteer. Serving in leadership roles on Montgomery's Bicentennial Committee, Sister Cities Commission, as Chair of the July Fourth Festival and Bastille Day celebrations.
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2. What plans do you have to address your top three priorities? (100 word limit)
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Answer from Todd A. Steinbrink:
I will continue to support the implementation of prudent funding and reserve policies designed to reinforce the solid financial foundation for our city. This will allow future councils to implement its Strategic Plans and explore new opportunities each five years when Plans are updated. By setting achievable departmental goals and regularly measuring their progress, I believe in encouraging the continual development of our city's management and staff. These two efforts will insure the our ability to establish priorities for refurbishing our aging infrastructure, enhancing our current park system, and meeting the recreational and service needs of our residents.
Answer from Vicki E. Hirsch:
1. I am committed to fiscal responsibility
2. Our citizens like to voice their opinions and this can be a good thing. They also vote. Many communities have residents that don't vote and don't care. So I treasure these folks that make us sit up and listen. On the other hand, we have seven council members who have been duly elected by the majority of our voters and charged with the responsibility to represent them. All must be treated in a climate of respect. This is the way our system works...(over word count)
Answer from Gerri Harbison:
To maintain an excellent quality of life through high quality, responsive city services to remain competitive with neighboring communities. We must ensure our City is not only surviving in our region but thriving. Understanding the importance of communication between a city and its citizens, I am willing to give of my time and expertise to represent the needs of our entire community. I believe in strategic planning to establish a roadmap for the city to achieve its long term vision. This requires an "eye towards the future", and a commitment to long range planning and budgetary management.
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3. State three actions that you recommend to promote regional cooperation, and explain how you would implement each action? (150 word limit)
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Answer from Todd A. Steinbrink:
Remaining "competitive" with the newer, outer ring of suburbs requires increased cooperation and commitment to reinforcing the quality aspects of living closer among our neighbors. Montgomery currently belongs to the regional "inner" suburb group that explores options for consolidating services, sharing expenses and/or coordinating projects in multiple jurisdictions. Remaining committed to these conversations will help stimulate solutions to the challenges of aging and increasingly expensive infrastructure, and promote efforts to address increasing traffic volumes. Similarly, as energy and waste management issues continue to consume more of our budgets, exploring cooperative and regional solutions for lower priced, economically viable alternatives shared over greater areas should become a greater focus. Lastly, a somewhat unique combination for Montgomery, Blue Ash and Symmes Township, is the continued cooperation with, and support for the local schools that are a key factor in many residents' decision to locate in our respective communities.
Answer from Gerri Harbison:
1. Many of the issues that face cities today are complex and require a multi-jurisdictional approach to address. Examples include traffic and storm water management that are often impossible for jurisdictions to address individually. I would work cooperatively with neighboring jurisdictions on creative problem solving to address these issues and identify solutions that can be achieved by working together, rather than separately, to achieve results.
2. Quality communications are critical to our region's success in service delivery as well as addressing our challenges. To ensure quality, two-way communication, I would continue to be involved in such activities as the First Suburbs Consortium as well as coalitions such as those that exist between our city and the Sycamore Schools that have proven so successful.
3. Encourage the City's continued participation in partnerships already existing in our region addressing critical issues like homeland security and specialized police services that provide quality services to our communities.
Responses to questions asked of each candidate
are reproduced as submitted to the League.
Candidates' statements are presented as submitted. Word limits apply for each question. Direct references to opponents are not permitted.
The order of the candidates is random and changes daily. Candidates who did not respond are not listed on this page.
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League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area Education Fund
