Village of Batavia spends $5,800 a month on PR firm to improve image, sway unhappy residents

Village of Batavia spends $5,800 a month on PR firm to improve image, sway unhappy residents

The mayor of Batavia hired a public relations firm to win over unhappy residents, boost development and stop efforts to dissolve the village where nearly 2,000 residents live in Clermont County.Mayor C. Scott Runck signed a contract with OKeeffe Public Relations on March 10, at a monthly cost of $5,800 for up to 35 hours of work, including social media strategy and pitching positive stories. That works out to an annual cost of $69,600 in a commu…