Hamilton County Commission

County & City still at odds over hiring practice

Tana Weingartner — Wed, 15 May 2013 17:25:05 +0000

Hamilton County Commissioners still aren't happy with the City of Cincinnati's responsible bidder program for Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) construction projects.

The board is drafting replacement language and, to show he means business, commissioner Chris Monzel is considering a restraining order forcing the city not to award any MSD contracts until the issue is resolved.

The key issue is a clause requiring companies bidding for sewer work to have certified apprenticeship programs with graduates.

County and city sparring over hiring language for sewer work

Tana Weingartner — Mon, 13 May 2013 19:57:14 +0000

Hamilton County Commissioners want Cincinnati to change some language in the city's hiring policies for companies bidding on Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) construction projects.

The city wants all construction firms to have apprenticeship programs.

Groups like the Greater Cincinnati Building Construction Trades Council like the plan. However, some companies say it's not feasible for several reasons, including that apprentice programs for some specialized trades simply don't exist.

Sheriff and Prosecutor offices lead expenses as county budget tracking higher than projections

Tana Weingartner — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 17:59:36 +0000

Hamilton County Commissioners say they're not overly concerned about the county budget situation but they want to watch it closely to make sure there are no unexpected surprises.

Nine of the county's 29 general fund departments are tracking over budget. The two largest are the Sheriff's and Prosecutor's offices.

Hamilton County tracking over budget

Tana Weingartner — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 07:43:00 +0000

Hamilton County Commissioners are set to review the 2013 budget Monday.

A quarter of the way through the year, administrators say the county is projecting over budget.

General fund expenditures are projected to be $5.3 million over. In a memo to commissioners, Budget Director John Bruggen attributes the overage to several departments - primarily the Sheriff and Prosecutor's offices - projecting well over budget.

New effort aims to reduce infant death rates

Tana Weingartner — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 15:08:01 +0000

Hamilton County is preparing to launch a county-wide Collaborative on Infant Mortality Rate Reduction.

Participants include: Hamilton County, City of Cincinnati, Hamilton County Public Health, Children's Hospital Medical Center, UC Health, The Christ Hospital, TriHealth, Inc., and Mercy Health Partners of Southwest Ohio.

"It is a significant collaborative of the major healthcare systems in the region all coming together under one umbrella," says Commissioner Todd Portune.

Hamilton County's infant mortality rate well exceeds the national average.