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LWV League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area Education Fund

Smart Voter
Hamilton County, OH November 6, 2007 Election
Candidates Answer Questions on the Issues
Member Council; Village of Evendale


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.


1. What are your qualifications for office? (50 word limit)

Answer from Carolyn Smiley-Robertson:

- Evendale Council Member 2003 - present
- Evendale resident for 23 years
- Past member - Recreation Commission and Charter Review
Committee
- Retired District Manager - AT&T where I managed up to 75
professionals and multi-million dollar budgets
- Former Council Member and Vice Mayor of Woodlawn
- Trained mediator

Answer from Christian J. Schaefer:

With the exception of 2003, I have been involved with Evendale Government for the last 28 years as a Planning Commission Member, Councilmember, and Solicitor. I know that open governments are best, listening is sometimes better than talking, and that details of legislation and business decisions are essential to success.


2. What plans do you have to address your top three priorities? (100 word limit)

Answer from Christian J. Schaefer:

Over the last four years I have supported creation of the Gorman Farm Foundation, the Cultural Arts Commission, establishing walking trails and buying land for a second shelterhouse. The Council committee on which I serve has welcomed citizen input and promptly posted minutes of the meeting. I have always based development decisions on maintaining a balance between the Residential and Business areas. If re-elected I will pledge to continue the same pattern of decisions which led Business Week to name Evendale as One of the Top 25 Suburbs in the United States.

Answer from Carolyn Smiley-Robertson:

In 2006 Evendale was selected as a Top 25 Suburb in the nation. I believe Evendale received this honor because Evendale provides outstanding services to residents and businesses while providing opportunities where businesses can prosper. I supported these economic opportunities and will continue to seek specific business opportunities for Evendale and continue partnering with existing developers to complete current projects. In addition, we must continue to improve our services and/or provide new ones, e.g. cultural arts. I would also continue advertising Evendale's distinction as a Top 25 suburb so that prospective businesses and potential residents will want to locate here.


3. State three actions that you recommend to promote regional cooperation, and explain how you would implement each action? (150 word limit)

Answer from Carolyn Smiley-Robertson:

In 2004 I initiated Evendale's membership in the Hamilton County Regional Planning Partnership. I will continue supporting this membership as it provides a common focused approach to planning issues affecting Hamilton County. I also think it is important to be a good neighbor to surrounding communities. Supporting events such as "Neighbor to Neighbor" encourages the people of Evendale and nearby communities to gather together in fellowship, which can form a base for future cooperative efforts. Finally, I also serve on the Superintendent's Advisory Committee of the Princeton City School District. Along with representatives from the various communities that comprise the Princeton District, we can work together to achieve excellence in education for all students.

Answer from Christian J. Schaefer:

My goals for regionalism are (1) to support mutual aid agreements with surrounding communities; (2) join federal emergency planning agreements; and, (3) to be wary agreements promoted by Cincinnati.

Evendale has enacted mutual aid agreements with surrounding communities. Most involve fire and police protection. Mutual aid given and received balance on an annual basis with most surrounding communities. These work well and I will continue to promote them.

Evendale has passed all required Federal Emergency Management legislation. I will continue to support these efforts.

Whether it be the Metropolitan Sewer District, Cincinnati Water Works, or Flood Control on the Millcreek, Cincinnati has often used regionalism to transfer costs to suburban communities or to take advantage of federal funding of remedies to regional problems and then argue that the same benefits should not be implemented in suburban communities. I will be wary of any regional arrangements promoted by Cincinnati.


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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Created: December 19, 2007 17:42 PST
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