Given current controversy about the city’s inability to use the railway trust proceeds in a timely way, questions are resurfacing about the sale of the CSR. So, I will be using this folder to post CSR-related documents. Beginning with an FAQ that the Board of Trustees published in February 2023.
CSR Board FAQs 2.6.23_compressed
2132 T TTB city council 12.14.22
90-2022 TTB Ordinance 12.14.22
For over 20 years, the city kept its share of the property tax assessments “rolled back” from the 6.1 mills maximum established by the city charter.
I am just beginning to populate this folder with fraud reports about other jurisdictions. The thinking is that those frauds occurring in other U.S. cities could also be happening in Cincinnati. So, let’s keep track of some of the fraud schemes out there that have been perpetrated on state and local governments and government subsidiaries to help increase fraud awareness.
As the well known quote goes, when asked why he robs banks, Willie Sutton is reported to have said, “Because that’s where the money is.”
That is now the situation we are in at all levels of government. “That is where the money is.”
The inital post in this folder is a June 2025 compilation by the Cato Institute of 15 local government corruption cases. The article includes a good chart listing the 15 cases. Other cases will be added periodically.
NYCHA bribery crackdown ends with convictions of all 70 workers charged – Gothamist
Local Government Corruption_ 15 Case Studies _ Cato at Liberty Blog
“He Claimed 5000 Meals a Day. Now He’s Guilty of Fraud” (Minneapolis) (9.20.25)
Feds ask Mississippi to repay $101 million in misspent welfare money – Mississippi Today
SF corruption scandal_ Prison time handed to restaurateur for bribes
Former Oakland mayor Sheng Thao indicted on bribery charges _ Oakland _ The Guardian
South Texas town’s bribery scandal lands official in prison
VENDOR TRANSACTION HISTORY
CONTRACTS
11.6.25 Iris-Roley-contract third amendment
Current: Iris_Roley_PSC_101_35X051_Second_Amendment_-_FINAL (May 1, 2024 through April 2027)
5.4.23 Iris Roley contract for 2 year period May 2023 through April 2025 PSC_101_35X051_-_FINAL
2.15.22 Acting City Manager Memo re Iris Roley contract 2.15.22
INVOICES
The city’s contracts with Iris Roley LLC required “detailed timekeeping” and “activity logs” submitted monthly.
The records provided in response to my records requests included 34 invoices covering parts of 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 and the Gov’t Sq. Initiative for 2024 totalling $297,386
Govt Square Initiative Invoices for 2024
These documents include a copy of the original complaint filed against the city in the U.S. Distruct Court for Southern Ohio; the settlement agreement; and the proposed ordinance approving the $8.1 million payout for the settlement. The proposed ordinance will be voted upon at the city council meeting on December 10, 2025.
Cincinnati Riot Lawsuit_ Original Complaint
Cincinnati Riot Lawsuit Settlement Agreement
Cincinnati Riot Settlement_Ordinance
As the examination of an official’s public disclosure reports seems relevant, they will be posted here. Information about how to obtain disclosure reports directly from the Ohio Commission on Ethics can be found at: https://ethics.ohio.gov/fds/index.html
Mayor Pureval
https://drive.google.com/file/d/13_pHCFlOsW6mGV1AhlguYjJSGx2AtQv5/view?usp=sharing
The Administrative Regulations of the City of Cincinnati establish the internal operating policies, procedures, and standards that guide municipal governance. Despite their significance, these
regulations have not been broadly accessible to the public in a unified format. This Watchdog Edition consolidates all Administrative Regulations provided by the City in response to a public records request fulfilled on November 20, 2025. Its purpose is to offer a clear, searchable reference that enhances transparency, supports public understanding, and assists anyone seeking insight into the City’s administrative framework. As additional regulations are released or amended, future editions may be prepared to reflect updates. This publication is provided as a public service by The Cincinnati Oversight Project.
Navigation Note:
This is the first public release of the complete Administrative Regulations of the City of Cincinnati. In a future update, we plan to add bookmarks and other internal navigation tools to make the document easier to move through. For now, this Watchdog Edition provides the full set of regulations, organized, indexed, and optimized for public access
There have been a couple of good reports that the city’s Internal Audit Manager has issued. One of the early podcasts is about the city’s internal audit function for the city where I talk about the overall operation from what I could see, including a discussion of the reports.
When I come across audit reports of interest, they will be posted here.
REDI Cincinnati Contract Compliance Audit (1)
Vehicle Purchase and Replacement Audit (1)
Lead Service Line Replacement Program Audit
This folder will collect information about the laws, rules, and regulations for making requests for public records in Ohio and Cincinnati. The collection will begin with the Ohio Attorney General’s 2025 Manual on Ohio Sunshine Laws.
As I noted in a recent Facebook post, I will need to make a public records request for Cincinnati’s Administrative Regulation No. 32, “Public Records Request,” and will include the regulation in this folder, if/when I obtain a copy.
