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Library programs praised; small-business owner urges transparency on redevelopment plans
Summary
At a Sharonville City Council meeting, the library manager thanked the city for summer reading turnout and reminded families about free homework help; a local small-business owner later made an extended public comment alleging the city did not inform small businesses about redevelopment plans and said she had been denied notice about a proposal deadline.
The Sharonville Branch Library’s manager, Stephanie Lemick, thanked the council and residents for support of summer programming and reminded families the library offers free homework help Monday through Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. “We target grades K to 8,” Lemick said, noting countywide summer-reading totals and inviting families to use homework help services.
Later in the public-comment period an area small-business owner and resident who gave an address at 10650 Rockendale Drive delivered an extended statement alleging a lack of transparency around redevelopment in the downtown loop. The resident said she invested months preparing a proposal for a site she called the “Cliff” building and was surprised to learn — after inquiring — that the city had already negotiated with other parties and, she said, her landlord told her the city had purchased the building and would not allow her business to remain.
“If my city workers had been honest and upfront with this knowledge… I would have happily bowed out and put my efforts in another location,” the resident said, later asking, “Why won’t you tell us?” She described difficulty finding a new location and warned that planned apartment development could worsen parking and displace long-standing small businesses.
The presiding officer acknowledged the resident’s concerns, said answers would be forthcoming and encouraged anyone who wanted a longer statement to submit a request to the clerk for additional time at a future meeting. The council did not respond at length during the public comment period, and no formal action on the claims was taken that evening.
What’s next: the presiding officer said staff will provide follow-up information; residents were told they can request more time on future agendas.
