The post Entire community unites for celebrations appeared first on City of Montgomery, Ohio.

A “Minion Christmas”, created by Grace and Ava Mirande, caught the eye of the Festival of Trees judge and won the Best in the Village prize for the Festival of Trees contest.  Not only did a “Minion Christmas” win the Best in the Village prize but this eye-catching, original tree won the popular vote at the Ohio National Financial Services location as well.

In addition to Best in the Village prize, the tree with the highest votes from each of the four locations each won a prize and these prize winners included:

• Universalist Church, “’Twas the Night Before Christmas” created by the Rinehart and Johnson cousins;
• Bethesda North Hospital, “Frosty the Snowman” created by Pauline Cook;
• Twin Lakes Senior Living Community, “Things You Shouldn’t Wait to Say” created by Colleen Kuderer; and
• Ohio National Financial Services, “Minion Christmas” created by Grace and Ava Mirande.

Winners were selected by attendees who placed votes for their favorite tree at the City of Montgomery’s annual Holiday in the Village event. A total of twelve trees submitted by different businesses and community members were on display.

Thanks to the following for their entries.

• Pauline Cook, “Frosty the Snowman”
• Julie Schweiger, “Silver and Gold”
• Colleen Kuderer, “Things You Shouldn’t Wait to Say”
• Katrina Prescott, “Kawaii Not?”
• Grace and Ava Mirande, “Minion Christmas”
• Pamela and Melanie McLaughlin, “A Frozen Christmas”
• Tonya Sult of First Watch Restaurant-Harper’s Point , “Holly Jolly Breakfast”
• Jill Wetenkamp of Twin Lakes Senior Living Community, “Under Construction”
• Emily Davis of the Ohio National Wellness Team, “Catch the Holiday Bug”
• Rinehart/Johnson cousins, “ ’Twas the Night Before Christmas”
• Girl Scout Troop #48471, “The Giving Tree”
• Rosie Stephens of the Hospice of Cincinnati Support Team, “Hospice of Cincinnati Support Team”

 

“Minion Christmas” tree entry by Grace and Ava Mirange won the Best of the Village award.

A Frozen Christmas by Pamela and Melanie McLaughlin

Silver and Gold by Julie Schweiger

Frosty the Snowman by Pauline Cook

The post “Minion Christmas” captures Best in the Village Award appeared first on City of Montgomery, Ohio.

Update: 12/10/2015, 1:10 p.m.

The investigation of the December 9 incident on Monte Drive has concluded. Claims of an aggravated burglary have been unsubstantiated. The Montgomery Police Department will not file criminal charges in this matter as the incident was falsely reported and did not occur. The City of Montgomery and the Montgomery Police Department will maintain their vigilance in protecting the safety and security of all homes, businesses and residents of the City of Montgomery. Thank you to the residents and business professionals for their patience and assistance as the Police Department conducted their investigation and who are reminded to please report any activity that seems unusual or out of place, around your home, business or neighborhood. Call 9-1-1 if you have an emergency situation or the Montgomery Police Non-Emergency line at 513-985-1600.

Yesterday, on December 9, there was a law enforcement response to a complaint of an aggravated burglary on Monte Drive.

As is normally the case with police investigations, there are a number of rumors floating around social media and other communications media. The City of Montgomery’s normal practice in investigations is to allow the events to unfold, complete the investigation and provide an update to the community when appropriate. In this case, however, it appears that communications activity has probably been heightened due to recent events that have taken place internationally, nationally and even locally. The Montgomery Police Department continues its follow-up into yesterday’s events on Monte Drive and there are currently no indications that this event is connected to any other law enforcement activity from any other previous investigation locally or outside the area. The Police Department will continue its investigation and protect the sensitivity of the information until such time that it is appropriate to release facts or specific details which impact public safety. The safety and security of our residents remains a priority and we are taking steps to bring this matter to a conclusion.

It is important for all residents and business owners to report suspicious activity in and around their neighborhoods and businesses. Public safety is everyone’s responsibility and we encourage everyone to be actively engaged in reporting activity that seems suspicious.

The post On-going Police Department Investigation on Monte Drive  appeared first on City of Montgomery, Ohio.

Traffic Safety Officer James Martin holds the AAA Traffic Safety Gold Award given for outstanding traffic safety practices.

The City of Montgomery was recently honored at the 2015 AAA Traffic Safety Awards ceremony with the Gold Award. Montgomery was among 16 jurisdictions and police departments in greater Cincinnati that were honored.  The agencies were selected for their exemplary programs that address issues from impaired and distracted driving to teen and senior driver safety.  The awards were presented by Tom Wiedemann, President and COO of AAA, during a special December ceremony at the Metropolitan Club in Covington, Kentucky. Honorees are selected through an application process for the awards that are given out annually in categories based on levels of traffic safety excellence.

“We are proud to honor our law enforcement partners for risking their lives to protect citizens and make our communities safer,” said Wiedemann.  “With drugged driving and other threats to traffic safety, the efforts of these outstanding award recipients deserve special recognition.”

“Throughout 2015, the City of Montgomery implemented multiple education programs, such as Sycamore High School Safety Demonstrations, and Safety Village for pre-school age children,” explained City Manager Wayne Davis. “The Montgomery Police Department is a member agency of the Hamilton County OVI Task Force, which demonstrates the department’s enforcement in traffic safety efforts. Additionally, AAA also took into consideration Montgomery’s emergency response efforts with the safety personnel attending the Alert Conference and Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy Driving School. Multiple City departments, such as the Fire Department and Public Works Department, collaborate in order to increase traffic safety in the community.”

The application was submitted by Traffic Safety Officer James Martin, and was accepted by Police Chief Don Simpson at the annual banquet. The Gold Award is given for outstanding traffic safety practices. AAA takes into consideration traffic safety programs, presentations, roadway improvements, and trends in traffic statistics to show accomplishments in meeting traffic safety goals. This year’s award was based on efforts in the year 2015.

Montgomery works closely with Hamilton County Safe Communities, TriHealth, Children’s Hospital, AAA, Hamilton County Engineer, Ohio Department of Transportation, the Hamilton County Coroner and local law enforcement to increase traffic safety for Montgomery’s residents, business members and visitors.

AAA Traffic Safety Awards were presented in four categories – Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze.

The weekly unlimited yard waste pick up will continue through December 26. Yard waste pick up will continue once again on January 2 when it will be collected along with holiday greenery for the first three Saturdays in January.  Christmas trees, wreaths and swags can be placed at the curb along with yard waste.  Residents will not be required to have a yard waste sticker attached to them. Please place all waste at the curb on Friday evening prior to the Saturday pick up.

Rumpke will pick it up on one of the following three Saturday dates:

• Saturday, January 2
• Saturday, January 9
• Saturday, January 16

Each item must be completely free of all plastic, flocking, tinsel and decorations. All yard waste must be placed in bags in the event of snow, due to freezing.

As a reminder, regular yard waste collection will resume the first week in March.

Joining us today is Jackie Lang and Ann Sexton from the Montgomery Woman’s Club. Organized in 1952, the Montgomery Woman’s Club remains dedicated to community service and the promotion of cultural and environmental endeavors within the local area. Julie and Sarah also stop by to provide an update about upcoming events such as Improv at The Uni, mobile app camp, photo contest and new fitness classes for 2016.

• Montgomery Woman’s Club – montgomerywomansclub.org
• Improv at The Uni – www.montgomeryohio.org/event/improv-at-the-uni/
• Fitness Programs – www.montgomeryohio.org/pages/fitness-programs/
• Youth Camps – www.montgomeryohio.org/pages/youth-camps/
• Yard waste and holiday greenery pick up – www.montgomeryohio.org/yard-waste-continues-and-holiday-greenery-pick-up-begins/
• City Calendar – www.montgomeryohio.org/events/

For its 29th annual photography contest, the Montgomery Arts Commission has selected Cincinnati Art Museum’s Brian Sholis as one of two judges for the event.

Mr. Sholis, Curator of Photography for the museum, has worked as a curator, writer, and editor for more than ten years, both independently and at such organizations as Artforum and Aperture Foundation, and has organized exhibitions and public programs in Paris, Miami, and New York. His writing on photography and contemporary art has appeared in catalogues published by the Museum of Modern Art, the New Museum, the Whitney Museum, the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, and the Moderna Museet. Mr. Sholis received his B.A. from Boston University and an M.A. in American History from the City University of New York’s Graduate Center. He has taught at the Pratt Institute, Parsons the New School for Design, New York University, and Lehman College, and has been a visiting critic at more than dozen other universities and art schools. A second judge will be selected soon.

Since 1988, this competition has recognized excellence in amateur photography by artists of all ages and experience levels, from beginner to advanced. Entries will be judged in one of two categories: adult and student (those currently attending high school and below). Photographers can submit up to three photos for consideration. They must be properly mounted and matted (see entry form for details on presentation.) Each artist will have at least one photograph displayed in the final exhibit. Up to 20 cash prizes of $100 will be awarded.

Photo courtesy of Mick Burke, 2011 Best of Show winner

The entry form will be coming soon. Artists will be able to submit their photographs at City Hall between February 29 and March 11, between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

Winners will be announced at an awards program on Sunday, March 20, 2016 at the Universalist Church in Montgomery, located at the corner of Montgomery and Remington Roads. Doors will open at 1:00 p.m.; the judges will present the winners at 2:00 p.m.

For those who would like a sneak preview of the show, a free, informal reception with snacks and live music will be held on Saturday, March 19 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. The public is welcome to attend.

Call 891-2424 for more information.

Grand Prize Winner, created by Lilly Hurrell – Age 8

Approximately 123 wildly creative and artistic entries were received in the City’s annual winter coloring contest and were displayed at the Holiday in the Village event. Some of the entries were adorned with glitter, cotton, greenery and bows. Thank you to all the kids who entered the contest!

Mayor Chris Dobrozsi, Santa and our generous sponsor, I.C.I, awarded the prizes to all of the winners at the tree lighting ceremony during the Holiday in the Village event. Lilly Hurrell was selected as the grand prize winner. Lilly flipped the switch to light the Christmas tree and the streetscape along Montgomery Road. After the ceremony, winners rode with Santa in a horse drawn carriage to the North Pole Workshop at Universalist Church. It was a great night to share the spirit of the holiday season together in Montgomery.

*Lilly Hurrell was also named the Grand Prize Winner

2016 Budget Approved by City Council

At its December Business Meeting, Montgomery City Council approved the City’s 2016 Operating and Capital Budget with Four Year Forecast and the 2015-2019 Capital Improvement Program. The process of the 2016 City Budget began back in June with department heads and City administration before being formally reviewed with City Council during an in-depth meeting on October 6.

By performing this process annually, the City is able to recognize trends with revenues and expenditures while creating a financial plan for the City’s future. It also provides a framework consistent with the City’s vision and values and provides resources to support the City’s goal of continuing to be a high performing organization.

In the 2016 budget, staff is proposing a continuation budget from 2015 maintaining the same level of personnel. Total City budget revenues for 2016 are forecasted at $19,333,843, compared to the revised forecast of $18,060,601 for 2015, a difference of $1,273,242 or 7.0%. Most of the increase is attributable to the $1.3 million in grants anticipated for traffic signal upgrades and sidewalk improvements. Total City expenditures are projected at $20,555,700, which is a decrease of $1,209,425 under the revised forecast of 2015 expenditures of $21,765,125, which is partially a result of paying off the $2.8 million in short-term notes combined with increases in personnel costs and benefits. A full copy of the 2016 Budget in Brief can be viewed on the City’s website.

City Council Member Mike Cappel

Michael (Mike) Cappel is honored to join the current City Council to serve the residents of Montgomery. He and his wife, Anne, have been residents of Montgomery for nearly 20 years. Mr. Cappel is a lifelong resident of greater Cincinnati growing up in Kenwood, holds degrees in environmental science, natural science and history from the University of Cincinnati (UC) where he currently studies communications. Mr. Cappel’s professional experience includes four years in water quality testing at the Greater Cincinnati Water Works, as well as 27 years in the Metropolitan Sewer District’s Regulatory Compliance and Safety Division, where he currently serves as an interim treatment supervisor.  He also taught environmental classes at UC’s Blue Ash campus, and served 15 years in the U.S. Army Reserve and Ohio National Guard.  His personal interests include his family, cooking, energy-efficiency and early 20th century history.

Mr. Cappel has been an active member of the community and has volunteered at All Saints Church and served as a volunteer/official with the Blue Ash YMCA Swim Team.  In addition to these community activities, Mr. Cappel served on the Environmental Advisory Commission since 2010 and was Chair of the Commission from 2010-2015.

While on the Environmental Advisory Commission, Mr. Cappel spearheaded the creation of several educational workshops including ones on Solar Energy, Composting, and the electric car charging station on Shelly Lane. Mr. Cappel also supported the Adopt-A-Spot program, the annual Shredding Event and One Stop Drop for Responsible Recycling as a volunteer.

Mr. Cappel made the decision to run for City Council in 2012, but waited until this year to campaign. He believes that government should focus on providing the public goods that individuals cannot reasonably provide for themselves such as safe streets, an orderly community and infrastructure to meet the level of service required by the community and for which they are willing to pay.

The Montgomery Police Department joined the Hamilton County Heroin Coalition to address heroin and opiate abuse in our community. Drug overdoses now exceed automobile accidents as the leading cause of death in the nation.  Opiate abuse does not know boundaries or income levels and affects every single community in Hamilton County.  The Coalition was formed to address this growing problem by combining resources and developing a consistent investigative response to heroin-involved situations.  Efforts will focus on controlling the supply of heroin coming into Hamilton County, educating youth and families on the dangers of heroin, and expanding the treatment available for detox and recovery.  Coalition partners include Interact for Health, Hamilton County Public Health, Hamilton County Mental Health & Recovery Services Board, and the Hamilton County Association of Chiefs of Police.  If you or anyone you know needs help with heroin or opiate addiction, please understand that there are resources available to help deal with this national epidemic.  Only when communities and families come together can we effectively deal with this problem and the Hamilton County Heroin Coalition addresses this need.  To contact a Coalition Prevention Expert call 513-751-8000 or visit injecthope.com.

By Chris Dobrozsi

We are now into the New Year, 2016 with a few months of ice and snow ahead of us. Have you ever noticed the high quality job done by our Public Works staff in keeping our roadways free and clear of these elements? I know I have, and I can assure you that I never take for granted the high quality job that they perform.

Throughout the winter season, and the entire year for that matter, as you utilize our streets, please do so safely and take the time to thank those who do such a great job of clearing our roadways during these winter weather events.

In Montgomery, we are fortunate to have a great staff in place to maintain our roadways and other infrastructure, through routine maintenance, and around-the-clock winter operations ensuring that our emergency service vehicles, school buses, visitors, residents and work commuters are able to safely and efficiently proceed to, or arrive at, their destinations. Quite often this is done while we are asleep, safe and protected from the elements. Our Public Works staff, as well as our Police and Fire Departments, do not have the ability to avoid the elements because their duty to the community is to provide rapid response around the clock, regardless of weather, traffic or other conditions. Clearly this sense of duty takes very special individuals, which is what we have in these departments, as well as other departments within the City of Montgomery.

Aside from stopping to say “thanks”, which so many of our citizens already do, please remember your duty when on the City’s roadways. A very simple way to contribute is to abide by the City’s “Move Over” Ordinance, which requires motorists to move over or exercise caution when approaching a vehicle that is displaying flashing lights. While this is obvious to most of us, there are some motorists who fail to adhere to this most basic driving law. The duties of our public service workers, police officers and firefighters are already quite difficult, and at times, stressful. By doing our part we can contribute to their ability to do their job in serving all of us and ensure their safety so that they can arrive home safely each and every evening to their families.

As we begin the New Year, let’s express our gratitude to our professional public servants and the work they do to keep us safe and a vibrant, healthy community. Let us do this by being mindful of our important responsibilities as motorists and users of our community’s infrastructure.

Be Well!

Our Apologies,

Rumpke Waste Collection Services did not correctly service the unlimited yard waste contract this past Saturday and as a result only Christmas trees were collected and orange stickers were left informing residents that additional stickers would need to be purchased for yard waste. The information Rumpke provided was inaccurate and the City apologizes for any inconvenience. Additional stickers are NOT required for any yard waste or Christmas tree collection. Rumpke is aware of the missed collection and has informed its drivers of the correct procedures. In addition, because of Rumpke’s error, the City of Montgomery will be issued a credited for these missed services.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact City Hall at 891-2424.

Again, we apologize for the error.

Sponsored by the Montgomery Arts Commission and the City of Montgomery

Neville Duffield’s entry, “Granddad’s Love” 2014 Best of Show – adult category

The Montgomery Photo Competition was initiated in 1988 to recognize photographic excellence within the Greater Cincinnati area. All photographers, from beginners to serious amateurs are invited to enter. We are looking for photographs that display technical brilliance, originality, and a unique point of view. There will be up to 20 cash prizes of $100!

Entries are judged by professional photographers. Up to 10 winners are selected in the students category (currently attending High School or below) and up to 10 winners are selected in the adults category. Entry form will be coming soon!

Drop off your photos between February 29 and March 11 at Montgomery City Hall, 7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Join us for the Reception & Awards Presentation on Sunday, March 20. It will be open to the public and held at Universalist Church, Corner of Montgomery & Remington Roads.
1:00 pm – Reception
2:00 pm – Awards Presentation
3:00 pm – Exhibit Closes

Call 891-2424 for more information.

The Montgomery Fire Department was recently evaluated by the Insurance Services Office (ISO) and rated on how well they are prepared to respond and handle fires. ISO confirmed the prior Public Protections Classification of a Class 2 rating for the Montgomery Fire Department first awarded five years ago.

ISO uses a scale of one to ten for their rating system, one being the best and ten resulting in higher insurance premium costs. This ISO rating for the Montgomery Fire Department equals better insurance rates for Montgomery residents and businesses.

ISO rates 48,754 fire departments across the country. In 2015, 132 department were rated Class 1 and only 1,060 departments were rated as Class 2.

Communities use the information provided by ISO to evaluate their fire protection services. Because these evaluations are done across the country, the program is able to provide an objective standard that helps fire departments in planning and budgeting for equipment, training and staffing.  Communities with a better Public Protection Classification (PPC) score allow residents and businesses to secure lower fire insurance premiums.

ISO evaluates and reviews:

• fire alarm and communication systems,
• telephone lines, staffing and dispatching systems,
• the department’s equipment, staffing, training and distribution of fire companies,
• the condition and maintenance of hydrants, and
• the amount of available water compared with the amount needed to suppress fires.

ISO also evaluates property and casualty risk information for insurance companies. This information is used to determine appropriate fire insurance premiums for commercial and residential properties.

ISO collects data which communities use to manage and mitigate risk, including:

• public fire protection,
• flood risk, and
• the adoption and enforcement of building codes.

Online reservations of Montgomery park shelters will open on March 1. You may also reserve park shelters in person at City Hall, but we do not take any park shelter reservations over the phone. Park shelter reservations are available through October 31 and may only be made for the current season. The one exception to this rule is if you are reserving a lodge a year in advance and wish to reserve a park shelter along with your lodge reservation. You may do so at no additional cost.

Park shelter reservations are only available to Montgomery residents, businesses and employees of Montgomery businesses. Nonresidents may still use the shelters on a first-come, first-served basis as long as there is no reservation. A list of reservations is posted weekly at each park shelter.

For further information, please call Montgomery City Hall at 891-2424. Online reservations may be made at montgomeryohio.org.

There is still time to register for the School’s Out Enrichment Day!

President’s Day, Monday, February 15 from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at Terwilliger Lodge in Dulle Park. The class will be taught by iDaP academy instructors. The cost is $95 per child and includes a pizza lunch from Donato’s.

With the theme of classic games and Minecraft, your child will be inspired to choose an application from the iDaP academy template menu to modify and play on their mobile device!

Register here, or for more information, please contact Sarah Fink, Recreation Specialist, at 792-8317.

By Ken Suer

While we have a primarily residential community, it is hard to overstate the importance of Montgomery Road as a transportation artery and commercial corridor. It has been and will continue to be at the heart of City progress.

In 1795, six families of settlers arrived in this area from Montgomery, New York. They came down the Ohio River to the Little Miami River and then up Sycamore Creek to where it meets the present Montgomery Road near Bethesda North Hospital. They decided to establish a community at the junction of Indian trails at the corner of Cooper Road and Montgomery Road.

By 1816, there was a “state road” leading from the Cincinnati court house up through Warren County. It became a toll road by 1824 linking Cincinnati and Columbus. The village of Montgomery grew slowly through the 1800’s with a small commercial district around Montgomery and Cooper Roads.

The Montgomery Post Office was established in 1812 and was housed in several stores on Montgomery Road over the years. (door-to-door delivery of mail started in 1957). The Universalist Church at the corner of Montgomery and Remington Roads (current site of our Live-at-the-Uni concerts), was built in 1837. Among Hopewell Cemetery gravesites are five veterans from the Revolutionary War. The first telephone in town for public use was located in Parrott’s general store at the southwest corner of Montgomery and Cooper Roads in 1887.

By 1924, city water and electricity had come to the community and Montgomery Road had been resurfaced to concrete. Montgomery Drive-In opened in 1939. In 1940, our population was 425 — today it is over 10,000. 1949 brought the first zoning code and a business district was established. Our nationally known Montgomery Inn started up in 1951.

The growth of the City has gone hand-in-hand with the development of Montgomery Road. By 1960 there were six gas stations plus a number of car dealerships in business. In 1966, Montgomery Square Shopping Center opened.

The construction of I-71, I-275 and Ronald Reagan Cross County Highway in the 1960s helped fuel growth of the Montgomery Road corridor. A 1976 historic preservation ordinance helped to preserve original landmark buildings in the downtown area. Bethesda North Hospital, (our largest employer), opened in 1970.

Today, development projects are giving Montgomery Road a new look. On the north end, the multi-million dollar The Christ Hospital Outpatient Center recently opened. More construction is slated for adjoining acreage. In the middle of town, Twin Lakes is planning a fifty-two million dollar expansion. The biggest project of all will be the Gateway Redevelopment Area site at the southern end of the City where Ronald Reagan Cross County Highway intersects Montgomery Road.

For some two hundred and twenty years, Montgomery Road has shaped the fortunes of the city. In looking ahead, self-driving cars have now logged more than two million miles on public roads. Before long they will no doubt be traveling “the Road”. Certainly a far cry from the Indian trail of 1795!

The City of Montgomery is expanding the previous community engagement grant program into the new Service to the Community Grant program. This new grant program will be open to all not-for-profit organizations

Local community groups make sandwiches for a local shelter on Connect Montgomery’s Making A Difference Day

who have ideas and the skills necessary to execute creative community projects that benefit and engage the citizens of the City of Montgomery.

Service to the community is defined as providing a beneficial service, project or event that engages or improves the quality of life of Montgomery residents.

This grant is an opportunity for local service organizations to partner with the City of Montgomery for the benefit of the community.

Service organizations are invited to attend a pre-application meeting on Tuesday, March 1, 2016 at 5:30 p.m. at the Montgomery City Hall to learn more about the grant program and the expected timeline to award a maximum of $2,500 to any one applicant. To review the grant application, check out this link.

Applications are due by 4:00 p.m. on Friday, April 1, 2016.

Please contact Faith Lynch, communications and engagement coordinator, at 792-8358 or flynch@ci.montgomery.oh.us with any questions.

Kim Chelf from the Hamilton County Health Department designates the City of Montgomery as a WeThrive community.

The City of Montgomery was recently recognized as a WeThrive! Community by Hamilton County Public Health. The WeThrive! Initiative began in 2009 as a county-wide initiative to make healthy living easier. Hamilton County Public Health (HCPH) engaged schools, businesses, churches, elected officials and residents to address chronic disease by increasing access to healthy foods and physical activity opportunities, while decreasing exposure to secondhand smoke. This collaboration resulted in numerous policy and environmental changes that will have lasting impact in our communities.

When approached by HCPH, the City quickly saw the value of becoming part of the Initiative, and at the end of 2014 City Council passed a Resolution in support of the collaborative effort. City staff assembled teams of staff members, City Council members, community residents and business representatives to identify pathways, or focus categories, that would serve and benefit the community. The pathways chosen were Chronic Disease and Emergency Preparedness. The respective teams have worked to establish two-year action plans for each pathway that will provide education to the public and lead to healthier lifestyles.

For information on WeThrive! and Montgomery’s efforts, please click this link.