Meet Aftab Pureval's Cincinnati city manager candidates

Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval has whittled his list of possible city manager candidates to two people and it turns out they have a lot in common.

Both work for the city right now. Both are Miami University graduates. Both live in Clifton.

They both wanted to be astronauts as children.

They both even wanted to be astronauts, that is until they answered the call of city service.

One is Interim City Manager John Curp, who was the city solicitor − the city's top lawyer −under Pureval's mentor, former Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory. The other is Assistant City Manager Sheryl Long, who has been in the job for two years; shepreviously served as administrator of North College Hill.

Pureval has worked with both since he took office in January. But while the job of city manager is a big one − running a city of 17 departments and 6,000 workers − the city manager is largely a behind-the-scenes role. Citizens rarely see the manager, except during a crisis or when answering questions at council meetings.

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Ahead of Pureval's pick, The Enquirer set out to get to know Curp and Long a little bit better.

Cincinnati City Council members are vetting the candidates in one-on-one interviews now with the expectation they will give Pureval feedback in the coming days. Then Pureval, possibly as soon as this week, will put forward his choice for council's final approval.

The manager's first big task will be hiring a police chief to replace retired Chief Eliot Isaac. CIty Manager Paula Boggs Muething left in January. She was paid $265,130 a year, but Pureval will negotiate the new manager's contract and does not have to follow any specific guidelines.

Council has the final say on who is hired and how much the manager will be paid. The decision could come as soon as a special meeting on Aug. 29.

John Curp

Curp was born and raised in Dayton, Ohio. He aspired to be an astronaut, and every rocket and space shuttle launch was must-see TV in the Curp household. He grew up reading two newspapers a day, sparking his interest in government. He went to Miami University, where he majored in finance, and then to Indiana University School of Law, believing both would be a good foundation for government work.

His first job out of college was at the Taft law firm in Columbus, where he went on to be a partner. He applied and got the job of Cincinnati solicitor in 2008, which he held for six years. He left in 2014 for the law firm Blank Rome when Mayor John Cranley was elected and brought in his own team.

Since then, Curp has had job offers from other big city governments, but said after losing his wife to breast cancer in 2014, staying rooted in Cincinnati was important for his children. He has since remarried. Pureval hired Curp as interim manager in February while Pureval searched for a permanent manager.

Q: Can you tell me about a story from your career where you did something that you felt was rewarding?

A: I am most proud of my work to establish the Cincinnati Law Department as a top-flight legal institution. We were able to attract talent from the best law schools and major firms and create the most diverse legal institution of its size.

Q: What makes you the most qualified candidate?

A: I have an established reputation in the neighborhoods, in local, state and federal governments, and in the business community. I have worked with community-based agencies, and they understand my commitment to bring change and improve the quality of life for everyone in Cincinnati. I also have practical experience of understanding the charter, the proper role of the city manager, and how all of the departments operate. This experience and my relationships will allow city government to convey a clear internal and external message to get things done.

Q: What qualities do you want to see in the next police chief?

A: Cincinnati’s next police chief will be an individual who understands our community’s commitment to the letter and spirit of the Collaborative Agreement as it has evolved to its current form. That person must be intelligent, innovative and experienced in community-based problem-solving. The ability to earn respect and relate to our police officers and the community is essential.

Q: If you took a day off and could do anything, what would you do?

A: I would start my day with a run at dawn where I connect as many city parks as possible. The riverfront is my favorite and, on an ambitious day, a finish in Eden Park is the goal. Next, would be an afternoon Cincinnati Reds game with a beer and hot dog. Baseball in Cincinnati always brings me back to the special trips to the stadium with my family and the nostalgia of the Big Red Machine. The evening would be a jazz concert in Washington Park where you always see and meet interesting people. The ultimate end is a late dinner at one of our amazing restaurants. My wife and I love to walk in without reservations and try to grab a seat at the bar where you always get to share food and drink with someone new or a chatty bartender.

Q: What city department needs bolstering?

A: As city manager, I believe that our goal of providing best-in-class service requires us to break the mindset that we are 20 different agencies with siloed objectives. I have made it a priority to connect our leaders and think about how we contribute to a shared mission. The city government’s greatest weakness is communicating with our stakeholders. My priority is for the city government to do a better job listening and then to provide feedback by telling the story of our results.

• Age: 52

• Education: Miami University, Farmer School of Business, Indiana University School of Law

• Family: Married to Liza Brackman Curp; five children, ages 10 to 19.

• Neighborhood: Clifton

Sheryl Long

Long was born in West Price Hill and moved to Forest Park when she was 5 years old. She was raised by her grandparents. She said she saw firsthand the struggles of her neighbors. She wanted to be an astronaut, inspired by the movie "Space Camp." She was the first person in her family to attend college and went to Miami University, where she majored in Black World studies. "In both my personal experience and education, I came to understand that the vast inequities experienced by the African American community were largely systemic and I knew my life’s work was to be a part of the solution," she said.

Long started her career in sales and property management and then in 2013 joined the city of North College Hill as communications director. She was the city administrator there from 2016 to 2019 before joining the city of Cincinnati as an assistant city manager.

Q: Can you tell me about a story from your career where you did something you felt was rewarding?

A: Without question, my involvement in leading the 911 reforms that followed the Kyle Plush tragedy. As a mother, I was particularly dedicated to ensuring that no family in Cincinnati would ever have to suffer this unimaginable loss. These reforms include faster response times, increased staffing levels, and more rigorous quality control and training; our work at the Emergency Communications Center is never done but we have made vast improvements.

Q: What makes you the most qualified applicant?

A: I have developed expertise in budgeting, management, and other core functions of local government and most importantly developed a solutions-oriented approach to policy implementation and execution. I am the past president of the Ohio City Managers Association, and as the first black woman in that role, I was able to provide a perspective to my colleagues that is based on my own experience living in and working in an African American community. I understand the issues our residents face on a daily basis in a deeply personal way, as well as from the perspective of a professional city administrator and that drives me toward diverse and equitable solutions to the challenges we face as a community.

Q: What qualities do you want to see in the next police chief?

A: Cincinnati has been a model for policing for over a decade. I want the next chief to be someone who can further elevate our approach to policing, with a dedication to the safety of every member of our community. In particular, we need a chief who is passionate about keeping our community safe, feels responsible to all of our citizens to provide them with excellent service, and is committed to commanding a police force that engenders trust and respect.

Q: What city department needs bolstering?

A: Our public services department and the emergency communications/911 center, without a question, both require our employees to perform incredibly difficult and stressful jobs. These issues are compounded by lower wages (and) understaffing, which creates pressure on the existing workforce, and the mental and emotional toll these jobs take on our employees. I have managed these departments and know firsthand that morale issues are ever-present, and the city’s executive leadership must stay vigilant in ensuring that we do everything we can to extend the employee life cycle; this occurs by hearing what our employees needs and making every effort to provide those resources.

Q: If you took a day off and could do anything, what would you do?

I would love to go skydiving (something she has never done before).

Age: 42

Education: Masters of arts degree in marketing, Southern New Hampshire University; bachelor of arts degree in Black World Studies, Miami University

Family: Married to Albert Lester Long Jr. She has a stepdaughter, 22; two sons, ages 16 and 18, and a pug named Mr. P.

Neighborhood: Clifton

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati city manager candidates: John Curp and Sheryl Long