Hamilton County Board of County Commissioners Todd Portune Patrick Thompson President ofthe Board Room 603 Administrator Phone (513) 946-4401 ‘County Administration Building Phone (513) 946-4420 ax (513) 946-4446 138 East Court Street Fax (513) 946-4444 CCineinnati, Ohio 45202 David Pepper Jacqueline Panioto President TDDITTY: (513) 946-4719 Cletk ofthe Boad Phone (513) 946-4409 ‘www hamiltoncountyohio.gov Phone (513) 946-4414 Fax (513) 946-4407 Pax (513) 946-4444 Pat DeWine Phone (513) 946.4405 Pax (513) 946-4408 January 22, 2008 ‘Tom Hill, President/Founder International Association of Character Cities 520 West Main Street Oklahoma City, OK 73102 Dear Mr. Hill: On or about August 22, 2006, I along with Hamilton County Commissioner Pat DeWine received a copy of the attached correspondence from L. L. (Don) Veinot, Jr., President of the Midwest Christian Outreach, Inc. I do not write as a follow-up to the specific question raised in Mr. Veinot’s correspondence. Instead, I write to you because subsequent actions that I have led as President of the Board that reformed our County Job & Family Services Department require that I write to you. In Hamilton County, Ohio all county operations and affiliates must assess their contractual relationship with any entity that is or has been under such a review, faced such a charge or has ever been the subject of any kind of inquiry or investigation for issues of child abuse and neglect. Ihave been advised that there is a connection between the [ACC Program and the 49 Character Principles and the mission and ministry activities of evangelist Bill Gothard. It has further been alleged that Gothard ministries have been the subject of official reviews and investigations about child abuse and neglect in other areas of the country. Given the strong outreach and official connection and implementation of the [ACC Program with various public institutions in Cincinnati and Hamilton County Ohio including, without limitation, the Cincinnati Public Schools and the Cincinnati Police Division, I am asking that you reply and either affirm or refute such a connection and allegations. I will then be able to better determine whether there is any reason to continue to look into the matter on our local level.Mr. Tom Hill January 22, 2008 Page 2 I write this letter painfully inasmuch as I was a Member of the Cincinnati City Couneil who voted in favor of bringing the Character Cities program into our community. At the time the Sponsor of the legislation was former Cincinnati Councilman Phil Heimlich. Councilman Heimlich did not raise these issues and also did not disclose any connections he had with Gothard; nor with the Character Cities Program or IAC. It distresses me that such allegations exist and hope you may shed some light on the matter. Accordingly, I respectfully request that you reply within two weeks from the date of this letter. ‘Thank you for your attention to this matter and for your anticipated assistance and cooperation.