League of Women Voters of Ohio Education Fund
Hamilton County, OH November 8, 2005 Election
	Deborah Neiheisel-DeZarn Answers Questions Candidate for Council Member; City of Cheviot; Ward 4

Questions & Answers

1. What are your Qualifications for Office? (50 word limit)

My professional experience encompasses small, family-owned businesses, the non-profit sector, the private sector and the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. I have developed and supervised budgets, managed fundraising campaigns and events, coordinated customer relations and organized proposals and publications. I welcome the opportunity to direct my talents to benefit the City of Cheviot.

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

Responsible representation requires Council to have solid knowledge of and accountability for the City's financial state of affairs. Working with Council, I would propose the development of a Five-Year Plan to determine the long-range goals of the City and outline the methods to measure progress. The plan would include developing solutions for financial planning, the maintenance of City services, and a Comprehensive Business Plan for the improvement of the business district. Cheviot appears to be slow in its approach to prevent the decline of the business district. There are too many vacant and neglected buildings, overgrown weeds, trash and debris along the streetscape. Again, a Five-Year Plan would provide the strategy to move forward and take action toward the creation of a fiscally sound and progressive community.

3. What steps would you take to ensure that all public facilities are accessible to people with disabilities? (100 words limit)

Cheviot has a .75 mil levy on the November 8 ballot for upkeep of city-owned facilities. This brings to attention how imperative it is that the City review and inspect public buildings for code updates in addition to ensuring accessibility for people with disabilities. It is my hope that the voters of Cheviot would support this levy so that we can save our public buildings for future generations.

4. What specific steps will you take to expand recycling services in your community? (100 words limit)

After the failure of the November 2004 operating levy Cheviot's volunteer recycling program was canceled. Rumpke, Inc. then initiated a new volunteer recycling program that was more cost-effective to the City. I would increase awareness of the program as I believe more people would participate if they were better informed about recycling and how much the City saves in related garbage expenses. Recycling reduces the amount of curbside trash thereby decreasing the number of runs our Garbage Department makes to the landfill. We are a better community for doing a part to reduce waste to the landfill!

5. What steps would you take to provide affordable housing for all residents of your community? (100 words limit)

Cheviot is a wonderful community! Housing in Cheviot is very affordable. Overall, home loan programs are so varied and wide that more people are able to buy rather than rent. Nonetheless, rental properties account for almost 40% of the City's housing. The task for Cheviot is to promote more owner-occupied housing. By strengthening our community as a whole, and creating a fiscally sound and progressive City, we will encourage more owner-occupied housing.