There is now a person in the Cincinnati city manager's office to advocate for the elderly and disabled.
Jonathan Lawniczak started earlier this month. He addressed a city council committee meeting Tuesday.
"I see this job as three pronged," Lawniczak said. "Basically bringing the views and the needs of the community into city government. Taking what the city has done, is doing and plans to do, back out to the community. And acting as the point person within the city government on aging and accessibility issues."
He said his main job right now is listening. He is meeting with residents and city department heads.
Lawniczak will make recommendations to city officials for actions, procedures and programs which protect the rights, quality of life and well-being of the elderly and disabled populations.
City manager Harry Black also addressed the committee about the hire.
"We expect that this will help to make Cincinnati a better city, a greater city, and it begins to have us to focus in a more structured way on the overall well-being of every aspect of our city," Black said.
City Council passed a package of legislation focused on elderly and disabled populations earlier this year. Part of that plan was to hire a point person to focus on these issues.
The city manager was able to add the position to his office without spending additional money.
Before launching his own consulting business in Cincinnati, Lawniczak served as executive director and other executive leadership positions in Washington, D.C. Those included: National Association of State Treasurers; Hispanic Scholarship Fund Institute; Coalition for Health Services Research; National Association of Insurance Commissioners; and the National Council of Senior Citizens. He also work as an aide for several U.S. Representatives.
