CTM members voted on Monday, Nov 6, 2023 to elect new Trustees, decide on a ballot initiative, and consider bylaws changes. The results are below:





The public is welcome to attend. Public input on CTM agenda items will be heard after Trustee discussion is complete. Community members wishing to address the Board on an agenda item should sign up to speak at least 24 hours before start of the meeting by completing this Google form or with an email request directed to the president at contactctm@cliftoncommunity.org. Individual input on agenda items will last no more than two minutes.
Community members may speak on non-agenda issues during the public questions and concerns period at the end of the meeting. Individuals with statements are asked to sign in before the start of the meeting. Such statements should last not more than two minutes and are invited during the public questions and concerns period. Email your request to speak (specify the topic), or to request an agenda item at the next meeting to contactctm@cliftoncommunity.org.
Join in-person: Clifton Recreation Center, 320 McAlpin Avenue
Join Remotely: https://meet.google.com/tao-fyqq-sxn
Start Time | Topic | Topic Lead |
6 – 7 p.m. | CTM Trustees Election (in-person only) | CTM Members Vote |
7:01 p.m. | Welcome – Announcement Trustees – Roll Call | Pres. Checco, Sec. Gee |
7:02 | Approval of October minutes | Sec. Gee |
7:03 | Treasurer Report/Bi-Annual Review | Treas. Noonan |
7:05 | Introduction of ballot initiative – open vote | VP Lienhart |
Ballot initiative vote open from 7:07 to 7:22 p.m. | ||
7:07 | Police report | Officer Dent |
7:22 | Announce end of voting on ballot initiative | |
7:22 | Introduction of proposed bylaw amendments | VP Lienhart |
Vote on bylaws from 7:25 to 8 p.m. | ||
7:25 | Fire house report | |
7:35 | Clifton Recreation Center report | Director Fitzpatrick |
7:45 | Clifton Branch Library report | Director Strauss DeGrout |
7:55 | Chronicle report | Trustee Checco |
8:00 | Announce end of vote on bylaws | |
8:00 | Clifton Area Neighborhood Schools (CANS) reports | Julia Bonfield |
8:05 | Clifton Cultural Arts Center updates | Leslie Mooney, Mark McKillip |
8:20 | Other committee updates/reports | Various trustees |
8:35 | Community questions and concerns | |
8:40 | Meeting Announcements – Locations TBD – 11/13/2023 – First Board Orientation – 11/20/2023 – Second Board Orientation – 12/11/2023 – Third Board Orientation Next Board Meeting – 12/4/2023 – Clifton Recreation Center/Hybrid | Pres. Checco |
8:50 | Adjournment | Pres. Checco |
Voting Considerations & Procedures: Our confusing bylaws concerning elections and votes, coupled with an interest to provide electronic options, and potential conflicts between bylaws and City of Cincinnati Ordinance 220-1989, have led CTM Executive Committee to create this outline.
On Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, members of Clifton Town Meeting (CTM) will be asked to vote for new five trustees, on a special petition measure determining eligibility and on 14 proposed bylaws amendments. Due to different requirements for each set of questions, there are different procedures and different timing for each vote.
Five candidates are running for five open seats on the CTM Board of Trustees. All candidates are eligible for three-year terms. Learn more about each candidate here.
This election will take place in-person ONLY from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 6, 2023, at the Clifton Recreation Center, 320 McAlpin Avenue. You must be a current member of CTM to vote for trustees. Join CTM or renew your membership in advance online by Nov. 3 or in-person Nov. 6 at the CRC at 6 p.m.
Per Article IV, Section 10 of CTM’s present Bylaws, as required by City Ordinance 220-1989, a group of five CTM members can ask for a special vote to determine whether non-resident CTM members (i.e. property or business owners who do not live in Clifton) will be eligible to vote on CTM issues or hold office as a CTM trustee. As a result of petitions received on Oct. 2, 2023, CTM will hold a vote on the below ballot question during the annual CTM membership meeting at 7 p.m. on Nov. 6, 2023.
Ballot Question: “Shall CTM Members that are not neighborhood residents (such as non-resident business owners and property owners) be eligible to vote or hold office in CTM?”
Currently, non-resident business and property owners are allowed to vote on CTM issues but are not allowed to hold office as a CTM trustee. If a majority of residents vote “Yes” on this question, nonresidents will be allowed to vote and, if CTM’s bylaws also change in a subsequent vote, will be allowed to hold office on CTM. If a majority of residents vote “No” on this question, nonresidents will NOT be allowed to vote nor will they be allowed to hold office.
Non-resident business owners or property owners are not eligible to vote in this special vote. This vote must take place within the board meeting, starting at 7 p.m., on November 6, 2023. You must attend the meeting to vote either in person or under GoogleMeet Poll ballot (see below “GoogleMeet Poll Voting”).
In September 2023, the CTM Board of Trustees voted 8-3 to take 14 proposed bylaws amendments to CTM’s full membership for consideration. The CTM Board of Trustees did not endorse or otherwise take a position on the proposals.
The amendments were proposed by CTM’s Governance Committee during the September board meeting. The committee recommended adoption and said the proposed amendments would simplify, clarify, add flexibility to the bylaws while also requiring board members’ active participation and bringing consistency with Ohio revised code.
In the October meeting, a former Governance Committee chairperson submitted to the record an alternative perspective, recommending against adoption. He said the proposed amendments would shift power to a less representative group of people and away from residents and reduce transparency, accountability and engagement.
Each proposed amendment will be voted on separately. For each one to pass, two-thirds of the membership must approve.
This vote must take place within the board meeting on Nov. 6, 2023. You must attend the meeting to vote either in person or under GoogleMeet Poll ballot (see below “GoogleMeet Poll Voting”).
GoogleMeet Poll Voting
Per CTM’s present bylaws, electronic voting will happen at the same time as in-person voting only for the eligibility and bylaws votes. Individuals attending the meeting remotely will be given the ability to vote using a GoogleMeet Poll link. People will also have the opportunity to vote in-person at Clifton Recreation Center, 320 McAlpin Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45220.
All voting must be done by CTM Members in good standing. For in-person voting, individuals that are not CTM Members can purchase a membership just before voting.
Electronic voting (GoogleMeet Poll) will only be counted for members in good standing as of Nov. 3, 2023. Join or renew your membership to CTM online by Nov. 3.
Because membership will have to be verified, CTM does not expect results of the votes on eligibility or bylaws during the meeting.
The public is welcome to attend. Public input on CTM agenda items will be heard after Trustee discussion is complete. Community members wishing to address the Board on an agenda item should sign up to speak at least 24 hours before start of the meeting by completing this Google form or with an email request directed to the president at contactctm@cliftoncommunity.org. Individual input on agenda items will last no more than two minutes.
Community members may speak on non-agenda issues during the public questions and concerns period at the end of the meeting. Individuals with statements are asked to sign in before the start of the meeting. Such statements should last not more than two minutes and are invited during the public questions and concerns period. Email your request to speak (specify the topic), or to request an agenda item at the next meeting to contactctm@cliftoncommunity.org.
Join in-person: Clifton Recreation Center, 320 McAlpin Avenue
Join remotely: Via Google Meets
Start Time | Topic | Topic Lead |
7 p.m. | Welcome | Pres. Checco |
7:01 | Roll call & approval of minutes | Sec. Gee |
7:03 | Treasurer Report | Treas. Noonan |
7:05 | Police Report | Officer Dent |
7:20 | Clifton Recreation Center Report | Coordinator Fitzpatrick |
7:25 | Clifton Library Report | Manager Strauss-De Groote |
7:35 | Outdoor Food Pantry – Clifton Area Neighborhood School Community Learning Center | Julia Bonfield |
7:45 | Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Plan | Liz Peak |
8:00 | Announcements | Various |
8:05 | CTM Committee Roll Call | CTM Trustees |
8:15 | Liaison Roll Call | CTM Trustees |
8:25 | Community Questions/Concerns | Pres. Checco |
8:35 | Adjournment | Pres. Checco |
Due to the ongoing public health situation, CTM will continue to hold its meetings via video and telephone conference. To join the videoconference click on the following link – https://meet.google.com/whg-tgjk-cui. To join via phone, dial (505) 585-5460 and use the following PIN – 673 452 758#.
The agenda is as follows:
Time | Topic |
7:00 / 1 min | Welcome to the Google Meet electronic meeting, advice for participation |
7:01 / 1 min | Approve prior month’s meeting minutes from September |
7:02 / 10 min | Captain Gregoire /Officer Shawn Dent |
7:12 / 10 min | Greater Cincinnati Water Works – special guest |
7: 22 / 5 min | Treasurer’s Report and Finance Committee Update |
7:27 / 8 min | Beautification Committee – Fall Clean Up October 9, 9 am – noon+; plants giveaway |
7: 35 / 2 min | Arts and Culture Committee Update |
7:37 / 10 min | Nominating Committee Report – slate of candidates all in by (date ?) |
7:47 / 15 min | Governance Committee – committee members announced, delivery of suggested changes to the bylaws to be sent to Board members by Oct 22, per 45-day notification rule |
8:02 / 5 min | Housing and Zoning Committee |
8:07 / 10 min | Holidays on Ludlow support – Patrick Borders, project manager. CBA plans for Nov 27 (Small Business Saturday) Lamposts decoration; Holiday Tree project with John Carnavale – decoration with community generated ornaments (Nov 26), Lighting evening of Nov 27 with Ludlow shops open, carriage rides and live music on the Plaza |
8:17 / 10 min | Clifton Avenue Bike Lane – report from Sept 30 special meeting of City Council’s Neighborhoods Committee at Clifton Rec Center with Jan Michele Kearney |
8:27 / 10 min | Clifton Chronicle delivery problems update; send electronic copies via Mail Chimp to check on real readership count; Call for Content Creation and Advertisers has been sent. Nominees will deliver their bios for publication by Oct 24 (advertisers deadline) |
8:37 / 5 min | Membership Committee – 48 email addresses that are bouncing. Solutions? |
8: 42 / 5 min | Clifton Recreation Center Updates – Carpool Cinema Oct 2 and 9. Trunk or Treat Sat Oct 23, 5-7 pm in parking lot; any person or group wishing to sponsor a trunk, please contact Tiffany |
8:47 / 5 min | Neighborhood Activation Fund – status of allocations and our program planning |
8:52 / 3 min | Trustee, Committee and Liaisons Announcements |
8: 55 / 5 min | Community Questions/Concerns |
9:00 | Adjournment |
Clifton Town Meeting TrusteesThank you very much,Emailing your issue to contactctm@cliftoncommunity.org is another effective way to have your issue or opinion considered by your trustees. To request an agenda item for the next meeting please email your topic to contactctm@cliftoncommunity.org
Please note that public input on agenda items of pressing community concern will be heard after trustee discussion. Community members should sign up to speak on an agenda item before the start of the meeting. Not all agenda items will have time reserved for public input. Individual input on agenda items will be no more than two minutes. Community members are able to speak on non-agenda issues during the public questions and concerns agenda item. Individuals with statements are asked to sign in before the start of the meeting. Statements will be no more than three minutes during the questions and concerns agenda item.