Seven Republicans, three Charterites and two Democrats want to claim the one "open" seat on Cincinnati City Council - the one belonging to term-limited Democrat Minette Cooper.

But if Cooper herself has anything to say about it, an independent could be sitting in her seat come December.

In a rooftop press conference in Over-the-Rhine last week, former county commission candidate Marilyn Hyland kicked off her campaign. Her platform: building a riverfront amusement park and ending corporate welfare.

Cooper showed up to give an endorsement, saying Hyland had a wealth of experience and would listen to diverse voices.

"I'm not saying people shouldn't vote for the Democrats," Cooper said. "Luckily, there's room on the ballot to vote for Marilyn, too."

The Democrats, who are running a shortened slate of seven candidates for nine seats, un-endorsed Hyland because of a history of personal and campaign-related financial troubles.

The day before she announced, a municipal court judge issued a default judgment in favor of Capital One Bank for $834. Two weeks ago, another judge awarded her plumber $266. In March, there was another judgment from a $3,916 credit card.

And there are four complaints to the Ohio Elections Commission, resulting most recently in a $400 fine for giving an incomplete accounting of campaign finances.

Hyland said that as a small business owner (she runs a marketing consulting firm) she's been a victim of the economy. As for the elections commission fine, she said, the check was in the mail.

Sure enough, it arrived Monday, said commission director Phil Richter.

"She has at least been responsive and has come into compliance," Richter said. "Having said that, not that many people are back before us this many times with this many problems."

The commission has issued judgments against Hyland four times, for filing incomplete campaign finance statements in 1998, 2000, 2001 and 2002.

Richter said the commission was preparing to send out a fifth complaint, for ignoring requests by the Board of Elections for additional information from her 2002 annual report.

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Campaign trail: Also announcing a run for City Council is a former drug dealer and council aide who has accused Councilman John Cranley of racial discrimination.

Larry J. Frazier, 52, of Avondale, served 11 months of an 18-month sentence in 1986 for preparing drugs for shipment. He once testified in a civil case that he didn't remember what he did for a living between 1986 and 1992.

Asked about his work history Monday while circulating his petition, Frazier hung up on a reporter.

"Jesus Christ was a convicted felon," he said. "It doesn't have anything to do with leadership."

Frazier, who also worked for Councilmen Todd Portune and David Crowley, complained to the Ohio Civil Rights Commission after Cranley replaced him with Elliot Ruther, a white chum from St. Xavier High School.

Cranley denies any discrimination. A hearing is scheduled for November.

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E-mail gkorte@enquirer.com