CINCINNATI — Aftab Pureval promised a “new chapter in the city’s history” when he was sworn in as Cincinnati’s 70th mayor in January. On Tuesday, he’ll provide an update on that pledge during his first State of the City address.
What You Need To Know
- The State of the City address is Tuesday night at 5:30 p.m.
- It’s Mayor Aftab Pureval’s first address since taking office in January
- The event is open to the public, but it was also be available on CitiCable and online
The roughly hour long speech will take place in the rotunda at Union Terminal on Western Avenue. Pureval’s remarks will outline accomplishments made over the more than 10 months he’s been in office and what residents can expect to see in the near future.
The speech starts at 5:30 p.m. The event is open to the public on a first come, first served basis. It will also stream live on CitiCable and the City of Cincinnati website.
Those planning to attend can RSVP online.
“(My and City Council’s) overwhelming mandate (from voters) was to chart a new future for our city,” Pureval said in April ahead of his first 100 days in office.
The graphic for the 2022 State of the City address. (Image courtesy of the office of Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval)
Typically, these types of speeches center on public safety and the economic well-being of the city. It’s also an opportunity for the mayor to highlight pet projects or new campaigns.
Pureval plans to roll out several new initiatives residents can expect in the months ahead, according to his office.
During his brief time in office, the outgoing 40-year-old has ventured across Cincinnati, popping up in schools, businesses and nonprofits in many of the city’s 52 neighborhoods.
Pureval told Spectrum News in April that holding “one or two” press conferences a week was part of his plan to be “completely transparent and accessible” to the media and public. His number of public engagements slowed over the past few months after his wife, Whitney, gave birth to the couple’s second child, Rami.
Pureval has made some bold policy choices, usually in lockstep with a mostly supportive City Council.
A focal point of Pureval’s administration has been equity, both in terms of business development and housing. The city has committed millions toward affordable housing over the past year.
Equity is also a focus of the update to the Green Cincinnati Plan, which began earlier this year. The plan, which is still in development, will serve as the city’s guidebook for tackling climate action.
“Right out of the gate, we rolled up our sleeves and focused on getting things done,” he said in April. “Without drama, without headlines, this council and our administration have worked together to make amazing progress on behalf of Cincinnatians.”
The mayor and City Council have benefited this term from an unexpected $11 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. The funds helped jumpstart several projects, including pedestrian safety measures and buying new emergency vehicles for the Cincinnati Fire Department.
Cincinnati also benefited from Congress passing the Bipartisanship Infrastructure Law, which could be key to helping with several transportation-related projects. The range from electric vehicle infrastructure to bike and pedestrian safety initiatives.
The states of Ohio and Kentucky are also banking on the $1.2 trillion federal program providing critical funding for the long-awaited Brent Spence Bridge project.
Last week, the city joined officials from the Ohio Department of Transportation to announce a plan to reclaim downtown land as part of the project. The goal is to create better access to Queensgate and West End from downtown, Pureval said.
The Western Hills Viaduct replacement project got a major boost in September with a $127 million federal grant. And a new plan with Hamilton County calls for the capping of Fort Washington Way to better connect downtown to the riverfront.
Since taking office, Pureval has seen an exodus of several high-ranking members of the city team, including the city solicitor, police chief and health commissioner.
Last December, still days before assuming office as mayor, Pureval announced his decision to bring in John Curp to serve as interim city manager. Eight months and a national search later, Pureval named Sheryl Long — a longtime assistant city manager — his preferred candidate for the job. Curp left the city and received more than $435,000 in severance.
Long and the city are currently looking for a new police chief. Former Chief Eliot Isaac announced in June 2021 that he planned to retire early in 2022.
Pureval said at the time that the search process “began immediately” after he took office. That included hiring the consulting firm CPS HR to help with recruiting and vetting candidates.
There are 13 candidates vying for the job, including three current CPD officers, based on information obtained by the Cincinnati Enquirer, a Spectrum News partner. Among the candidates is longtime Assistant Chief Teresa Theetge who’s served as interim chief since February.
A final decision may happen in December, per the Enquirer report.
The mayor — who doesn’t have a formal role in the chief’s hiring — promised a “professional, effective process that prioritizes community engagement will result in the best possible leader for our police department.”
