SAVE THE DATES!

Safety Village will be held again this year in Swaim Park in two one-week sessions: June 13- June 17 and June 20 -24. Each week offers morning classes from 9:00 a.m. to noon or afternoon classes from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Safety Village registration for Montgomery residents only starts at 8:00 a.m. on April 25 at the Montgomery City Hall or online. Open registration starts May 5, if space permits.

Get outside and do something new!  Learn to Fly Fish with the experts from Orvis with free Fly Fishing 101 and 201 classes.

Perfect for beginners of all ages, the Fly Fishing 101 course includes free lessons on fly casting and outfit rigging with the Orvis experts at their store on 7737 Kenwood Road. Fly Fishing 101 classes are offered on Saturdays from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. on April 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30, May 7, 14, 21 and 28, June 4, 11 and 18.

After completing a 101 class, take your skills to the water to catch your first fish!  Fly Fishing 201 classes are taught by Orvis instructors at Pioneer Park in Montgomery.  This is a fantastic opportunity to learn the sport of fly fishing.  All equipment is provided.  Fly Fishing 201 classes are offered at Pioneer Park on Sundays from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. on May 1, May 15, June 5 and June 26. Classes are free but registration is required. Instructors teach participants how to release all fish safely back into the water.

To register for classes visit Orvis.com/Kenwood and select “Sign up for 2016 Classes”.  Participants under the age of 16 will need an adult supervisor.  For questions and information, call Zach Ellsworth, Orvis instructor at 513-791-2325.

The Montgomery Public Works Department will be providing a spring curbside bulk brush collection of brush and limbs.  The program is scheduled to begin on April 11 and will be conducted over a 5-week period. A home’s pick-up week will be determined by the regular trash collection schedule. Please have brush out at the curb by Sunday evening of the scheduled collection week.

• Monday trash day, brush pick-up week will be the week of April 11
• Tuesday trash day, brush pick-up week will be the week of April 18
• Wednesday trash day, brush pick-up week will be the week of April 25
• Thursday trash day, brush pick-up week will be the week of May 2
• Friday trash day, brush pick-up week will be the week of May 9

Guidelines

• Piles must be placed curbside prior to the start of each week’s collection. Residents are urged to place brush curbside on the Sunday immediately prior to your scheduled collection week as material placed curbside after the chipper crew has passed will not be picked up.
• Brush containing nails, metal, stones or excessive dirt will not be picked up.
• Vines and branches with thorns will not be picked up.
• Limbs must be between 3 feet and 10 feet in length and between 1/2 inch and 8 inches in diameter. Shorter branches, twigs and clippings should be placed in yard waste bags and/or cans to be picked up by Rumpke on your regular waste collection day.
• Brush and limbs must be placed at the edge of the road or along the curb with the “cut” ends of brush toward the street in small piles. Please do not create large stacks or interwoven piles with “cut” ends placed in different directions as this makes the material difficult for crews to separate for collection.
• Brush piles that are tied into bundles or are tangled will not be picked up.
• Stumps, root balls and logs are not to be placed curbside for brush collection, but may be placed out for Rumpke waste collection on your regularly scheduled day. Each item must not weigh more than 60 pounds.

For additional information, please contact City Hall at 891-2424.  The fall brush collection schedule will be published in the September Montgomery Bulletin and will start September 12. Pick-up schedules are also listed in the Montgomery Calendar.

It’s warm(er) again! This means it is also time to remind yourself to apply sunscreen and insect repellent. Mosquitos can transmit several illnesses to humans. Reduce your risk of infection by using insect repellent and wearing protective clothing to prevent mosquito bites. Did you know that swimming pools, water containers and any area where water is stagnant can become potential breeding sites for mosquitos?  Did you know that only the female mosquitos have piercing and bloodsucking abilities?  To learn more about mosquito control and mosquito-borne illnesses, go to the Hamilton County Public Health website.

Brought to you by the WeThrive-Montgomery initiative.

In 2009, Hamilton County Public Health started an initiative called WeThrive that was designed to help the surrounding communities become healthier places to live. During this episode, we will learn more about WeThrive and how it’s being implemented in Montgomery.

• WeThrive! – Hamilton County Public Health
• WeThrive! – City of Montgomery

“Snowy Bison” by Montgomery resident Fred Haaser was declared a winner in the 29th annual Montgomery Photo Contest.

Twenty local amateur photographers were recognized for artistic excellence at EXPOSURE:Montgomery, the City’s 29th Annual Photography Competition, on Sunday, March 20. The competition was judged by Brian Sholis, curator of photography at the Cincinnati Art Museum, and Liz Dufour, a photo editor and photographer for the Cincinnati Enquirer. A total of 267 photographs were entered into the competition which included adult entries from the greater Cincinnati area and student entries representing ten schools. Each award recipient, listed below, received a professional critique of his/her winning photograph and a $100 award prize.

Many of the winning entries will be on exhibit through April 4 at The Christ Hospital Outpatient Center at 11140 Montgomery Road.

The public was given the opportunity to see the photos prior to the awards event at an informal reception on March 19 at the Universalist Church. Kevin Fox provided music, and Kroger, Scrumbles and Saxby’s in Montgomery contributed refreshments to the event.

Two People’s Choice Awards were presented this year to one adult and one student winner. Each winner received a $25 gift card to Dodd Camera. Shannon O’Connor, “Under Warwick” won the People’s Choice award in the adult category and Brianna Dooley, “Untitled” won in the student category.

“The members of the Arts Commission always look forward to viewing the amazing photographs entered in this competition, and this year was no exception,” Arts Commission Chair Nancy Nolan said. “We are blessed to have so many talented artists in our community, and are extremely pleased to give the artists additional exposure with the Sneak Preview and the winners’ exhibit at The Christ Hospital Outpatient Center.”

2016 Photography Competition Winners

1. Are you a resident of and/or domiciled to the City of Montgomery?
2. Did you have any taxable income in 2015? This includes, but not limited to, W-2 wages, rental income, business income and gambling winnings.
3. Have you previously filed a City tax return and not been placed in retired status?
4. Are you self-employed and performed work in the City limits?
5. Are you a business doing work in Montgomery?
6. Are you a business located in Montgomery?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions for tax year 2015, you need to file an income tax return with the City of Montgomery.

The City has MANDATORY income tax filing for all ages and income levels. The City does give credit for taxes paid to other municipalities, up to 1% of taxed wages; however, you still must file, even if you do not owe any tax.

For assistance completing your tax return, please bring your W-2 form(s), the front page of your Federal 1040 form and any supporting federal schedules with you. The tax office will prepare your local return without cost and no appointment is necessary. For your convenience, there is a locked container at the front desk of City Hall for an easy and safe drop-off of your forms and information. Afterhours, there is a drop-off slot in the front door at City Hall.

The tax office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The filing deadline to submit 2015 tax returns is Monday, April 18, 2016, rather than the traditional April 15 date. As the deadline approaches, the tax office will be providing extended hours for the convenience of residents, using the following schedule:

• April 9, 9:00 a.m. – noon
• April 11-15, 7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
• April 18, 7:30 a.m. -6:00 p.m.

For any questions, call 891-2424 and ask for the tax office, or visit the City website link for the tax office. Additional Montgomery tax forms or federal extension request forms are also available on this webpage.

By: Craig Margolis

Where people live, work and play; how they travel and commute and the quality of these experiences depends in large part upon something few people ever think about – land use planning. The City of Montgomery devotes many hours of staff and volunteer time every month attempting to keep land development in order.

The Community Development Department of the City, which includes the planning function, works with residents, business owners and developers to ensure that all new construction, exterior renovations and additions meet the guidelines specified in the Montgomery Zoning Code. This service of City staff frequently involves sometimes controversial matters, including the regulation of commercial signage. Maintaining the right balance between advertising the location of a business and a cluttered landscape is not always easily achieved.

In addition to staff, there is a large group of volunteers on both the Planning Commission and the Landmarks Commission. The Planning Commission is a citizen volunteer agency with its origin in the earliest days of modern land-use planning, and was first created and employed by the City of Cincinnati. The Commission reviews and approves various office, commercial and institutional projects, ensuring that developments are compatible with the surrounding areas and uses as well as in compliance with the City’s Code. The Planning Commission makes recommendations to the City Council concerning the City’s zoning ordinances, regulations and guidelines. The Commission has the authority to recommend amendments to the Zoning Code, specific zoning districts for the City and a comprehensive plan for the development of the community.

Several years ago, a prior City Council had the foresight to create the Landmarks Commission to preserve the historic charm of Montgomery. This was a reaction to the demolition of the Presbyterian Manse, which is now Montgomery Cyclery. The Commission reviews applications for new construction, additions, exterior modifications and signage in the Heritage District as well as the Old Montgomery Gateway District. The Commission is also active in the development of design guidelines for the Heritage District and the Commission often makes recommendations to the Planning Commission and City Council regarding development projects and other matters of legislation that may affect the City’s Landmarks and Heritage District. The Commission provides advice on historic preservation matters and coordinates historic preservation programs in the City in order to educate the community and foster awareness and pride in the City’s heritage.

The Montgomery Community Development Department is responsible for on-site enforcement of the City’s property maintenance and zoning codes. Staff does this by reviewing plans and monitoring new developments to ensure that they are consistent with plans approved by the Planning Commission and Landmarks Commission via the City’s regulations. This department also works with the volunteer Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA). The BZA is the body designated by City Council to hear variances and appeals. The BZA is an administrative board that is quasi-judicial in nature and therefore operates more like a court than a legislative body and uses many standards and procedures similar to those associated with the courts. The BZA exists because it is almost impossible for a set of regulations affecting the development of land to be universally applied as zoning standards apply to thousands of parcels of land. The BZA provides an appellate process whereby property owners with unique conditions related to their land use can seek relief from the strict requirements of the zoning legislation.

The next time you drive through the City or wander the historic streets of Montgomery, you can take pride your City is hard at work preserving the past, maintaining the present and developing a vision for the future.

Help Add a Little Beauty to the City on Beautification Day, Saturday, May 14, 2016

Local residents can become part of a volunteer team effort. Plan to grab your gardening gloves and a trowel and join us for a morning of flower planting in Montgomery’s medians and parks on Saturday, May 14, 2016, from 9:00 to 11:00 a. m. Join with the Beautification and Tree Commission and your friends, family members, church groups, youth groups, scout groups, school clubs, civic organizations, businesses or neighborhood associations to help plant the thousands of flowers that will grace these areas.

Volunteers will meet at 9:00 a. m. in the City Hall parking lot, 10101 Montgomery Road, for registration, supplies (a limited number of gloves and trowels will be available) and flower bed assignments. Wear comfortable gardening attire. Bring a shovel to dig in and see what can happen with lots of help.

For further information or to sign up, contact DeAnna Gross, at 792-8329 or dgross@ci.montgomery.oh.us.

Montgomery’s Beautification and Tree Commission will sponsor its 21st annual Spring Plant Swap on April 30 from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. in the City Hall parking lot. The event is free and open to the public.

The plant swap provides an excellent opportunity for avid gardeners to find homes for their divided perennials while being enticed by new garden varieties. Commission members recommend that attendees label their “swaps” by providing the plant’s name and its sun or shade preference. Those wishing to take plants home should bring bags or other containers for transporting.

Guests will also have an opportunity to get a sneak preview of the annuals that were selected for the City’s 260 hanging baskets that will be planted by volunteers on April 5 to enhance Montgomery’s Heritage District streetscape later this spring.

City Arborist Terry Willenbrink leads a group of community members on an Arbor Day park tour.

The City of Montgomery will commemorate Arbor Day with an informative commentary and walk through Dulle Park, hosted by the City Arborist Terry Willenbrink. The free walk through beautiful Dulle Park is planned for Friday, April 29.

Participants will begin the walk and talk at 9:00 a. m. at Dulle Park, 10530 Deerfield Road. From there the class will make its way throughout the park discussing anything and everything about trees and shrubs.

“Arbor Day is an excellent time and opportunity to take stock of the trees on your property while also considering other tree species for your property that are excellent for our climate” said Mr. Willenbrink, who has over 30 years of experience with the City of Montgomery in landscape design, trees and beautification.

The City of Montgomery has earned the status of Tree City USA for 20 years, meeting the standards established by the Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the USDA Forestry Service and the National Association of State Foresters.

Call City Arborist Terry Willenbrink at 792-8320 for more information.

Twin Lakes rendering of new construction

At their meeting on Monday, March 7, the Planning Commission approved the Final Development Plans for two new projects anticipated to start construction this spring. The first is an addition to Twin Lakes Senior Living Community at 9840 Montgomery Road.  Twin Lakes will be expanding the main campus with the addition of 45 independent living apartments and a new club-like dining venue, which will be located adjacent to a new auditorium/community room.  A retail component along Montgomery Road will be added as a second phase, which could include a restaurant/retail component along the Montgomery Road entrance to the Twin Lakes campus.  Final approval for the building design and signage plan for the retail building will be required by the Planning Commission.  Twin Lakes is hopeful that construction on the main campus expansion will begin in May or June 2016 and be completed by fall 2017.

Planning Commission also approved the Final Development Site Plan for a new 29 lot single family residential subdivision on the former Montgomery Swim and Tennis Club site off Orchard Club Drive. The new subdivision, Orchard Trail, will feature high-end, empty nester type housing with a pocket park and a walking trail.  The project is being developed by Camden Homes and they anticipate work on the demolition of the existing structures and site preparation to begin in April.

Orchard Trail subdivision will feature high-end, empty nester-type housing with a pocket park and a walking trail.

For information on either of these projects, contact Tracy Roblero, community development director, at troblero@ci.montgomery.oh.us or 792-8312.

In response to customer feedback and to reflect the high standards of our community, Swaim Lodge recently received some much needed improvements. The lodge is one of the City’s facilities available to rent by residents and non-residents and is very popular as it is located within Swaim Park on the corner of Cooper and Zig Zag Roads. The appeal of the gazebo and park facilities make this rental very attractive to people throughout the surrounding communities.

In an effort to make these improvements, City staff conducted a thorough review of the lodge rental policies of the City. A rate comparison was conducted to benchmark how Montgomery compares to our neighboring communities with similar facilities, based on these findings, the following changes will be made to Swaim Lodge rates effective April 1, 2016:

Safety Village volunteers assist kids with safety activities. Call DeAnna Gross at 792-8329 to volunteer.

The City of Montgomery will conduct Safety Village this summer for children ages 5 and 6. Safety Village is a one-week, summer safety camp where children learn about various aspects of child safety.

Safety Village is designed to help children make wise decisions in potentially dangerous situations, as well as how to handle emergencies they may encounter. Students learn basic pedestrian and traffic safety rules, personal safety, animal, water, school bus and fire safety. Safety Village will be held at Swaim Park in two one-week sessions. The first session is scheduled from June 13 to 17. The second session will be presented from June 20 to 24. Each week offers morning classes from 9:00 a.m. to noon or afternoon classes from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. The Montgomery Police and Fire Departments coordinate and direct the safety program. Children will be instructed by a Montgomery Police Officer and a certified teacher, with assistance from junior high school, high school and college students. Safety specialists will visit the classes and teach about their respective areas of expertise.

Children who reside in the City of Montgomery may attend free of charge. Children of nonresidents may also attend for a fee of $25 each. Payment is due upon registration, with checks made payable to the City of Montgomery. Registration for Montgomery residents begins April 25 at 8:00 a.m. Open registration begins on May 2, as space permits. Registration can be made online here Registrations will also be accepted at the Montgomery City Hall. Mail-in registrations cannot be accepted for this program. In order to allow more children to get through the program, only first-time participants will be allowed to sign up.

Spring Property Maintenance Tips to Keep Your Home and Yard Looking Its Best

Spring is finally in the air and it is the perfect time to get outdoors and identify areas of the house and yard that need attention after the long winter. Here are a few spring maintenance tips to maintain the structural integrity of your home, preserve property values and improve the quality of life in the community.

• Check for loose, blocked or leaky gutters and make sure downspouts are clear of debris. Improper drainage can lead to water problems in the basement.
• From the ground, check roof shingles to see if any were lost or damaged during the winter. Flashing around plumbing vents, skylights and chimneys also need to be checked. Damage should be repaired by a qualified roofing company.
• Inspect concrete for signs of cracks or movement. Cracks can be filled with concrete crack filler or silicone caulk before sealing the concrete.
• Check all wood surfaces for peeling, flaking or chipped paint. Scraping and re-painting the area will protect the wood for damaging exposure to the elements.
• Remove any dead trees and/or shrubs and trim shrubs that are against the house.
• Check all accessory buildings/structures for damage and make repairs as necessary.
• Check the wood trim around windows, doors, railings and decks and make repairs now before the spring rains do more damage to the exposed wood.
• Low areas in the yard or next to the foundation should be filled with compacted soil. Spring rains can cause yard flooding, which can lead to foundation flooding and damage.

For more information regarding property maintenance tips or the City’s property maintenance code, contact Melissa Hays,zoning and code compliance officer, at 792-8347.

It’s tax time, which is a perfect time to plan for the destruction of outdated and unneeded records. The City of Montgomery’s Environmental Advisory Commission and Royal Document Destruction will be hosting a FREE community document-shredding event on Saturday, May 21 at the Montgomery Public Works Facility, located at 7315 Cornell Road from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

To view the IRS guidelines for disposal of tax records go to www.irs.gov.

To serve everyone efficiently, there will be a maximum of 3 boxes (copy paper size or similar) per person in line. Those wishing to shred documents must be present. Volunteers will be available to assist.

Typical paper products to shred include:

• phone records
• books
• receipts
• files
• file folders
• checks
• medical claims
• bank statements
• old credit cards
• invoices
• papers with your personal information.

Please remove paper from notebooks and binders. Paper clips and staples do not have to be removed.

Materials will be shredded onsite, and a certification of destruction will be available upon request. 100% of the paper is recycled!

Starting in 2016, the City of Montgomery Fire Department started offering an enhanced home safety check program to help Montgomery seniors wishing to stay in their homes longer and remain in a safe environment. During this episode, Assistant Chief Ben Shapiro of the Montgomery Fire Department will share more about the updated program.

• EMS SignPost
• Senior Services
• WeThrive! – City of Montgomery

Montgomery Police Sergeant Greg Vonden Benken graduated from the 263rd session of the FBI National Academy on Friday, March 18, 2016.

City of Montgomery Police Sergeant Greg Vonden Benken along with two hundred and thirty other law enforcement officers graduated from the FBI National Academy Program at Quantico, Virginia, on Friday, March 18, 2016. The 263^rd Session of the National Academy consisted of men and women from 47 states.  Included in the class are members of law enforcement agencies from the District of Columbia, 27 international countries, four military organizations and five federal civilian organizations.

Internationally known for its academic excellence, the National Academy Program, held at the FBI Academy, offers ten weeks of advanced communication, leadership, and fitness training for selected officers having proven records as professionals within their agencies. On average, these officers have 19 years of law enforcement experience and usually return to their agencies to serve in executive-level positions.

FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe was the principal speaker at the ceremony.

Training for the program is provided by the FBI Academy instructional staff, special agents, and other staff members holding advanced degrees, many of whom are recognized internationally in their fields of expertise.

Since 1972, National Academy students have been able to earn undergraduate and graduate credits from the University of Virginia due to the accreditation by the university of the many courses offered.

“Sergeant Greg Vonden Benken exemplifies the qualities of a superior leader in the law enforcement profession,” explained Montgomery Police Chief Don Simpson.  “The City of Montgomery is proud of Sergeant Vonden Benken and his accomplishment in graduating from the very prestigious FBI National Academy. We are equally proud to count Greg as a colleague.”

Sergeant Vonden Benken joins City of Montgomery Police Chief Don Simpson and Assistant Chief John Crowell as alumni of the FBI National Academy.

Congratulations Montgomery residents! In 2015, we recycled 1,143.95 tons of metal, glass, plastic and paper. Residents saved resources, conserved energy, and reduced pollution by recycling.

The recycling efforts in Montgomery:

• Conserved enough energy to power every home in Montgomery for 16 days.
• Reduced more air pollution than if every household in Montgomery rode their bicycle to work for 12 weeks.
• Saved 9,543 trees from being harvested.

Recycling reduces pollution so the air we breathe is cleaner; conserves natural resources so we will have them to use in the future; and decreases the energy needed to make new products. Recycling also boosts our local economy by creating 169,000 jobs (4.3% of all jobs) just in the State of Ohio.On average, each household in Montgomery recycled 633 pounds in 2015. That’s 26.68% of all the waste we generate. If you would like to see even more material recycled in 2016, check out the list below to make sure to recycle all of these materials. Want to start recycling? Montgomery makes it easy! Call 891-2424 to request your recycling visit city hall buring business hours to pick up a cart today.Good work, Montgomery, our recycling efforts made a big difference!

Recyclable Materials

• Plastic bottles and jugs (lids are OK if left on empty bottle)
• Aluminum and steel cans
• Empty aerosol cans (remove and dispose of lids and tips)
• Glass bottles and jars (remove and recycle lids separately)
• Paperboard (cereal boxes, etc.)
• Junk mail and envelopes
• Magazines, catalogs, and phone books
• Newspapers
• Cardboard
• Office Paper
• Brown grocery bags
• Clean pizza boxes
• Paper cartons

Have a question about recycling? Call Hamilton County’s Recycling Hotline at 946-7766, visit HamiltonCountyRecycles.org, or ask a question on Facebook (facebook.com/HamiltonCountyRecycling) or Twitter (twitter.com/HamCoRecycling).

The City of Montgomery was awarded funding through the Ohio Kentucky Regional Council of Governments (OKI) Board of Directors in an amount of $497,760 of Federal Transportation Alternative (TA) funds to construct a concrete sidewalk on the east side of Montgomery Road from Weller Road to the main entrance of Bethesda Hospital.  This amount represents 80% of the total construction costs, which will also include a pedestrian bridge across Sycamore Creek, for the project which is currently programmed to be constructed during the Ohio Department of Transportation’s (ODOT) 2017 fiscal year.

For additional information on this or other projects please contact Brian Riblet, Public Works Director at 792-8319.