After the second of two public hearings at the Duke Energy Convention Center about Cincinnati's budget — due when the city's fiscal year ends June 30 — broke down and led to an hours-long protest last week, City Council rescheduled a third public comment session for Monday (June 22) at 1 p.m.
The public will be able to give comment during the Budget & Finance Committee meeting at City Hall (801 Plum St., Downtown) and the city has issued some guidelines for those who wish to participate.
Important information regarding the public participation protocol for the upcoming meeting of the Budget & Finance Committee on Monday. pic.twitter.com/zIgJpK5xL1
— City of Cincinnati (@CityOfCincy) June 22, 2020
Those who wish to speak can do so via Zoom or in person, but you must register for a two-minute time slot. According to the city, "The first 40 minutes of every hour (20 speakers) will be dedicated to in-person comments, followed by 20 minutes (10 speakers) of Zoom participants."
You'll get your time slot when you register and you are expected to be at City Hall (if you are speaking in person) 10 minutes prior to your scheduled time.
Zoom registration ended at 10 a.m. June 22 for the Budget & Finance Committee meeting on June 22, but you can still sign up to speak during the Citizen Forum of Cincinnati City Council at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 24. That registration cut-off is 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 23.
Register at this link: cincinnati-oh.gov/council/public-speakers-registration/cincinnati-city-council-speakers-registration-form.
If you are speaking in person, you will be required to exit after you talk due to COVID-19 social distancing protocols.
If you have any questions, contact the Office of the Clerk of Council at 513-352-3246 or [email protected].
Many who have spoken at previous hearings have advocated for defunding — either in part or entirely — the Cincinnati Police Department. Significantly reducing the $152.6 million — or 36 percent of the city's operating budget — allocated to the police in outgoing City Manager Patrick Duhaney's proposed budget would be complicated, however, especially given that much of the budget is personnel costs governed by the city's contract with the Fraternal Order of Police. That contract doesn't expire until next year.
For those interested in reviewing that contract and others, council member Jan-Michele Kearney has posted a link.
Update on FOP and other city contracts: They’re already accessible now at https://t.co/UNdSIky0hc but per requests at public comment session on Thurs., City Manager Duhaney is also putting them in an easier to access spot.
— Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney (@KearneyForCincy) June 20, 2020
