The city of Cincinnati has a new city solicitor, Paula Boggs Muething, and a new trade and development director, Oscar Bedolla, city manager Harry Black announced Monday.
Boggs Muething is currently general counsel and vice president of community development revitalization at the Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority. Before that, she served as a senior assistant city solicitor.
Bedolla has worked in the private sector on large development projects.
Black told WVXU Monday that 12 persons applied for the solicitor's position and three were interviewed. Boggs Muething, he said, was the clear choice.
"Paula, based on her previous experience with he city and her current experience was just a great combination of knowledge and experience,'' Black said. "She knows the city, which is very important in a job like this."
Boggs Muething called it a "great opportunity to be part of the momentum that is propelling this city forward."
"The things gets to work on are some of the most exciting, cutting edge issues in the law,'' she told WVXU.
Boggs Muething received her law degree from the University of Cincinnati. She has also worked as a lawyer at the Cincinnati firm of Keating, Muething & Klekamp.
Terry Nestor has been the city's interim solicitor since John Curp was let go in January.
Bedolla will have the title of director of trade and development. He comes to Cincinnati from KPMG's Advisory Practice in New York, where he specialized in public-private partnerships and project finance.
He took over today from interim development director Jeff McElravy.
Black said he had known Bedolla for several years, but had never worked with him.
"But I've tracked him and I was always impressed with him,'' Black said.
Bedolla, Black said, has "great academic credentials, great professional credentials and he's bringing a very fresh viewpoint and attitude to Cincinnati."
Black said he is not certain if he advertised the position or not. "I knew he was the one I wanted,'' Black said.
Among other projects, Bedolla has worked on the Chicago Riverwalk Project, municipal parking deals in Baltimore and Washington, D.C., and the re-development of Denver Union Station.
He told WVXU that he didn't know much about the city of Cincinnati, but did his homework after Black reached out to him about the job.
"The key to my success will be building strong relationships, understanding what's going on currently and how we can build on that,'' Bedolla said.
