That's So Cincinnati: Primary preview, Betsy Sundermann on the West Side, working with City Council colleagues

Cincinnati's heavily populated West Side finally has a representative on Cincinnati City Council, and Betsy Sundermann has a message for Westwood and the Price Hill neighborhoods: 

"I'm listening to you," the Republican said on The Enquirer's That's So Cincinnati podcast this week. 

Sundermann was appointed to council last week to replace Amy Murray, who left for a job in the Trump administration. She's the first West Side resident to hold a seat on council since 2009, when then-West Price Hill resident Greg Harris was on council. 

East Price Hill's Sundermann has already started to take an in-depth look to see how City Hall treats the West Side. She has asked the administration to provide data on citywide economic development projects to see if the West Side is getting its fair share of funding.

"Every time I talk to community councils, they always say, 'No one's listening to us at City Hall. They only listen to the East Side and Downtown,' " Sundermann said. "Now I can go and say, 'I'm listening to you! Tell me all of your problems.' "

Sundermann also talked about helping to restore civility on a council that's been plagued by infighting and scandal. 

"I don't have any preconceived notions about anyone," Sundermann said. "I'm not going into this hating anyone. Everyone's telling me what I should think about people, but I'm going to make my own decisions."

She added: "I'm going to try my best to get along with people. That doesn't mean that I'm going to vote for what they want me to vote for. But I'm going to be respectful and I will calmly negotiate things with people are who willing to do that with me."

Find out more about Sundermann by listening to her in-depth chat for free on That's So Cincinnati. Click the Audioboom link at the top to listen here or go to Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify and other listening platforms.