By Cindi Andrews
The Cincinnati Enquirer

An initiative that would dissolve the village of North Bend is among the issues that voters in Hamilton County could decide Nov. 4.

Petitions for the North Bend issue - along with those for 23 other issues and hundreds of candidates - met Thursday's filing deadline for the fall election. The list is unofficial until the Hamilton County Board of Elections checks whether the paperwork is in order.

Cleves, next door to North Bend, survived a dissolution vote several years ago, but this would be the first time North Bend voters considered such a move. Developers are behind the initiative, said Councilman Jim Rolfes, who is challenging Shirley Smith for mayor.

Two school districts are seeking more money: Mount Healthy a 6.95-mill levy that voters turned down in May, and Mariemont, a 5.5-mill levy.

The villages of Fairfax and Addyston are each asking voters to approve 0.5 percent income-tax increases. The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden is seeking a 0.4-mill levy renewal from county taxpayers.

Among candidate filings:

• In Loveland, where zoning issues have pitted citizens against leaders, the mayor and two other incumbents can expect a heated contest in a race in which three council seats are up for election. Paul E. Elliott, Katherine "Katie" Showler and Todd Osborne are challenging Mayor Donna Lajcak, Vice Mayor Dave Bednar and Councilwoman Peggy Goodwin.

• In Forest Park, the City Council race could be a family affair. Incumbent Clara Pugh and her son, Nathan Pugh, are two of the four people who have filed for three council seats. Nathan Pugh was recently appointed to fill a vacancy.

• In Reading, three candidates filed for mayor. Republican Robert Bemmes, Democrat James Pfennig and independent James L. Perdue Jr. are seeking to replace retiring Mayor Earl Schmidt, a Democrat.

• At Cincinnati Public Schools, three incumbents - Rick Williams, Florence Newell and John Gilligan - are seeking re-election. Challengers are Alan S. Coleman, Derry L. Hooks II, Robert Killins Jr. and Roy L. McGrath.

• In the Indian Hill school district, eight have filed for two seats: Kathryn Al-Lamadani, Molly R. Barber, Jagdish K. Bhati, Lawre Finn-Bonekemper, Elizabeth Johnson, Helen K. Koselka, John D. McClure and Tim Sharp.

E-mail candrews@enquirer.com