Residents call for open records reforms and stormwater protections during public comment

Two residents used the public-comment period to press city leaders on transparency and flood-related infrastructure.

Todd Zinsser, who identified himself as being from West Price Hill, presented a 12-point list of recommendations he described as his “budget communication.” He asked the city to "reform the process for public record request to foster a culture biased in favor of disclosure," and to "establish a goal to build the most robust and effective oversight program of any city in The United States." Among other items, Zinsser urged that the city proactively publish financial-disclosure reports, the list of legislative agents and their registration documents, the mayor and city manager’s business calendars and visitor logs, and to create expert panels to advise on data use and on making budget and financial records more accessible.

Another commenter, introduced as Sam Bedcher, urged the council to prioritize stormwater planning and to require contractors to demonstrate stormwater controls for bank stabilization projects. Bedcher warned that recent heavy rain had exposed vulnerabilities and said homeowners along the Mill Creek deserved "sewer backup flow preventers in our homes so we don't have **** in our homes," a request he said many residents share. (The profanity was stated in the meeting and is omitted here.)

Neither public commenter prompted a formal council response or a recorded committee action during the meeting; their remarks were entered into the public record during the committee’s public-comment period.