Want to join a team? Learn a sport?

Want specialized golf instruction for your child or teen? Want to join a sand volleyball league?  Or finally, learn how to play tennis? Montgomery’s staff would like to identify the recreation programs and events that meet the recreation needs of the community but needs help.

In the 2016-2021 Strategic Plan, Goal 2 Strategy 3, the staff is responsible for identifying those sports or leagues which Montgomery residents want to enjoy or learn to play.  The City is currently researching sports instruction and recreational leagues, but need assistance from residents interested in those activities.  With community input, staff plans to make the appropriate recommendations to increase the offerings for recreational instruction and leagues.

Please take a few minutes to provide input on community recreation opportunities by taking a short survey located at montgomeryohio.org/pages/open-town-hall/.  All responses will be tabulated on August 10, 2018.

by Craig Margolis

Smart growth is not just about the proper placement of a building or design of a roadway intersection. The ultimate goal of community development is to provide multiple opportunities to shop, reach out to neighbors, engage with the community, and have fun.

When you hear the term community development, what do you think? Many would think it is the renovation of homes, new office buildings, new restaurants, and maybe even an additional jewelry store. Community building does not just happen; it requires both a conscious and conscientious effort to do something (or even many things) to improve the community or create a vision of what our community can be.  Experts have found a healthy economy means a healthy community and a healthy community means a healthy economy. Residents want to live in a place that provides opportunities and meets their individual needs and interests. Along these lines, we see the continued need for development and re-development in Montgomery.

Montgomery has become known as a small, welcoming community that provides multiple opportunities for its residents to live, dine, and work.

It is crucial for communities to remain attractive places that stimulate new economic opportunities through variations of economic cycles. Cities that are intentional in cultivating and supporting their business community have better economic and social results than those that don’t.

There are several variables of a no growth and no renewal community:

Not being attractive –  We have history, we have neighborhoods, and we have opportunities to shop and eat in unique businesses. And, we have the alluring Heritage District.

An attitude of growth is for other communities – We embrace the possibilities. Once a no-growth reputation is born, developers and business owners will take the path of least resistance. Nothing kills future growth like a bad reputation. We seize the possibilities and work with our businesses.

Asking “What has Montgomery done for me lately?” – The next generation needs a good reason not to leave. Local employment, good schools, ample opportunities for entertainment, and good, affordable, quality housing are all part of the decision-making mix. The Sycamore Community Schools are second to none. The community also offers varied dining and shopping options, and a viable housing market.

Any community not perceived to be providing a high quality of life for its residents and businesses is not likely to survive the long haul.

To help our City grow and our community development efforts progress, please be involved in your community. Consider enrolling in our Montgomery Citizens’ Leadership Academy, participating in a city-wide open house regarding a community development project, attending a City Council meeting, or even sending your Council Member an email (either positive or negative). Remove yourself from your comfort zone and walk your neighborhood, talk to a neighbor or volunteer with an organization or commission. After all, the future of our community is in your hands.

Biking enthusiast and Montgomery City Council member Mike Cappel rode his bike all the way to Montgomery, NY, in September 2017, using many scenic bikeways and trails.

As summer heats up, more cyclists appear on Montgomery roadways, so brush up on the applicable bicycle and motorist laws so everyone stays safe.  Please share the road and be alert.

• Cyclists must obey all roadway traffic laws which includes stopping at stop signs and red lights.
• Whenever possible motorists must allow a 3-foot cushion space when passing a cyclist.
• Cyclists shall operate as close to the right side of the roadway as possible unless the roadway edge is unsafe.
• When making a left turn, cyclists may safely move to the center of the lane to prepare for the left turn.
• Cyclists shall use arm signals indicating a left turn, right turn, and stopping.
• Bicycles must be properly equipped with front (white) and rear (red) lighting visible up to 500 feet.
• Montgomery has no properly marked “Bike Paths” so unless you are 12 years of age or younger you may not ride a bicycle on a sidewalk.
• Cyclists may safely proceed through a red traffic signal once they have stopped if their weight is not sufficient to activate the pavement sensor to change the signal.
• Cyclists must operate in the direction of traffic NOT against traffic.
• Cyclists must yield to pedestrians within a crosswalk.
• Cyclists must yield to emergency vehicles.
• Audible devices on bicycles are strongly suggested but not required by law.
• Bicycle helmets are strongly suggested but not required by law.
• Cyclists may not ride more than two side by side.

Motorists should be extra vigilant during the summer months to pay attention to cyclists, pedestrians, and motorcycles that are sharing the roadways.  Cell phones and other distractions could prove deadly.

While there are laws to protect cyclists on Montgomery roadways, cyclists should be extra cautious for the inattentive motorists that may not see them.

The City of Montgomery is known for being a quiet bedroom suburb of Cincinnati. One of the ways that the City maintains this image is through legislation that encourages responsible pet ownership. Dogs are the primary focus of complaints received by the Montgomery Police Department, therefore, most of the laws governing animals are centered on canines.

The Montgomery Code of Ordinances Section 90.01 states that no owner of a dog shall allow a dog to roam at large on streets or parks within the corporate limits. This law is complemented by Section 90.04, also known as the dog leash law. It states that dogs must be leashed so they won’t attack, annoy, bite or worry any invitee entering the property.

Another requirement of being a dog owner is Section 90.11, removing feces. This is a common complaint that the Police Department receives. When walking your four-legged friend, please pick up their gifts, so that others do not have to deal with it.

Section 90.2 addresses dogs that bark excessively and holds the owner accountable to maintain the public peace within the neighborhood. This does not mean that dogs are not allowed to bark. It simply addresses those pets that disturb the entire neighborhood. A dog barking in the afternoon is often overlooked by good neighbors; however, a dog barking at 3:00 a.m. can test anyone’s patience.

If a dog bites someone or causes alarm in your neighborhood, then you should contact the Montgomery Police Department immediately. The department will investigate the situation and obtain all necessary vaccination records to ensure public health compliance. The responding officer can also cite the owner for Section 90.03, harboring vicious animals, and the dog could be removed by animal control for observation. These measures are generally reserved for extreme cases where owners are unwilling to take responsible steps to protect the community.

Shhhh…..we have a noise ordinance. Summer is in full swing and many neighbors are hosting parties, grilling out and enjoying the outdoors. The City has enacted a noise ordinance to ensure that the right to party does not infringe on anyone else’s right to peace and quiet. Section 132.14 states that noise heard from greater than 100 feet away or on adjacent property is prohibited. There are also noise restricted hours between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. So, please fight the urge to mow your grass at midnight.

All violations referenced in this article, except harboring a vicious animal, are a minor misdemeanor violation on their first offense and incur a fine of up to $150. Each subsequent offense is a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.

The City of Montgomery encourages all residents and visitors to enjoy the community with their furry friends. Please be respectful of others when engaging in activities. The Montgomery Police Department wishes everyone a great summer filled with life, love, and laughter. Please contact the Montgomery Police Department if you have any questions about the aforementioned topics at 513-985-1600. Stay Safe!

Sept. 30 is the deadline for accepting applications for The Montgomery Citizens’ Leadership Academy (MCLA) 2019 class. A tentative class schedule for 2019 is found here. Limited to just 25 participants per year, MCLA is designed to build connections within the community between citizens, businesses and their local government. The Academy alumni are now over 290 strong and looking for a few more residents to get involved.

2019 MCLA Class Schedule

Past graduates have said, “A resident is a geographic term defining where a household is located. Being a citizen is a verb.” and “I suddenly came to the startling realization that the THEY in government is ME! The hands-on learning environment of this unique citizens’ academy allows for the strengths, talents, and gifts within the class to be connected with opportunities and needs within the community, building networks that add positively to the “social fabric” that makes for a great community; a vibrant Montgomery.

Studies reveal that healthy communities are built on connections between residents combined with the presence of highly-engaged citizens.  The nationally recognized Montgomery Citizens’ Leadership Academy is designed to help move residents into the role of involved citizens.

Anyone interested in being a part of “The Coolest Community Experience You’ll Ever Have”, can submit an MCLA application today. Call Ray Kingsbury, director of citizen engagement, at 513-792-8359 with any questions.

MCLA Class of 2019 Application

Get to know 24 other great neighbors, your local government staff, area businesses and the local schools as partners. Don’t wait to count yourself among the informed in the community.  Register for MCLA 2019!

The contractor for the 2018 Street Resurfacing Project, John R. Jurgensen Company, reports that they will begin milling asphalt pavement on several City streets starting tomorrow, July 26.

• Hightower Court on Thursday, July 26
• Indianwoods and Wellerwoods subdivision streets on Friday, July 27
• Weller Road from Montgomery Road to Bridgewater Lane on Saturday, July 28
• Cooper Road from the Blue Ash corporate line to Village Green Drive on Saturday, July 28

Alternating two-way traffic will be maintained, but drivers should expect traffic delays.  For more information about this project, go to this link.

On Sept. 15, from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m., the Environmental Advisory Commission is sponsoring a One Stop Drop for Responsible Recycling event at the Public Works facility, 7315 Cornell Road.

This event gives families an easy way to get rid of items that may have been sitting around the house and taking up space.

This event is free and makes it convenient for families to dispose of various unwanted items.

The 2017 City of Montgomery Annual Report is posted here on the City website.  This report was done in a web-based format again this year, the same format used since the 2012 Annual Report, and will continue to be prepared in this format.  The web-based report has many interactive features including interactive charts, making it a much more engaging tool for web visitors.

Those who would prefer a paper copy of the report may call the Montgomery City Hall at (513) 891-2424 to request a copy.

Click here for 2017 Annual Report

It’s that time of year again! The 2018-2019 school year will begin on August 15. With summer nearing an end, the Montgomery Police Department asks drivers to slow down and allow extra time during the daily commute with the increased school transportation and pedestrian traffic that will be in the neighborhoods and around the schools.

Here are some precautions and reminders:

• School bus laws require drivers to stop and wait for a stopped school bus loading or unloading from either direction and also wait until the bus moves again or the red flashing light is off, so as to protect school children boarding.
• Drivers are NOT required to stop for a school bus on any highway with four or more lanes (turn lanes included) when traveling in the opposite direction.
• Watch for children entering the street from behind buses or running to catch the bus.
• Slow down and especially be alert in the residential neighborhoods and school zones.
• Come to a full stop and check both ways at stop signs and red lights.
• Take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians, and on curbs.
• Drive slowly when approaching children walking or on bicycles.
• Watch the speed when entering school zones – 20mph is the limit.
• Drivers must stop for pedestrians in a crosswalk. Pedestrians shall not suddenly leave a curb and walk into the path of a vehicle which is so close as to constitute an immediate hazard.

The Montgomery Police Department frequently receives comments and concerns from citizens regarding the speeds of vehicular traffic in the neighborhoods. Drivers should always be aware of speed while commuting.  Drivers are also reminded to put away cell phones and focus on driving.

The Montgomery Car Show rolls in on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018 at the Montgomery Square Plaza, 9999 Montgomery Road.  The Car Show will also feature food, beer, live music from Blair Carman and the Belleview Boys, plus a raffle and awards.

Car registration will take place from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., with the show running from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Awards begin at 6:30 p.m. Cost to enter is $10. Dash plaques will be given to the first 100 participants to arrive.  For more information, call 513-891-2424.

Sponsored by:

The Public Works Department has issued an update on the Street Resurfacing schedule.  All of the streets have been milled, and currently, the contractor is performing manhole and water valve adjustments, full depth pavement repair, and pavement joint repair.  The contractor has scheduled Cooper Road to have its course pavement installed this Saturday, August 11.

The Indianwoods and Wellerwoods subdivisions, along with Hightower Court, are scheduled to have the SAMI (Stress Absorbing Membrane Interlayer) applied the week of August 20 and will have its surface course pavement installed the week of August 27.  Weller Road will receive its surface course once the subdivisions are complete. This schedule may shift due to weather.

For additional questions regarding the Street Resurfacing program, please contact Gary Heitkamp, public works director, at 513-792-8321 or email gheitkamp@ci.montgomery.oh.us.

The previous article on the street resurfacing program is found here.

Bargain-hunters and those who enjoy finding a curbside deal are invited to the City of Montgomery’s Community-Wide Garage Sale set for Saturday, Sept. 8 from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.

Sponsored by the Environmental Advisory Commission, this grassroots public awareness campaign promotes reuse, repair and resale opportunities in the City of Montgomery. Registration is open for those households who are interested in participating.

Households can sign up on the City website below or by calling 513-891-2424.  There is no fee to participate.

If you are human, leave this field blank.

First Name

Last Name

Street Address

Email Address

Phone Number

Short description of items to sell

Dropdown Option 1

Registration for the August First Aid and CPR Training exceeded capacity, so the Montgomery Fire Department is offering an additional American Heart Association HeartSaver First Aid/CPR certification class on Saturday, Sept. 15, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.  There is a nominal fee of $20 to cover the cost of materials.

The following American Heart Association HeartSaver First Aid/CPR certification class is scheduled for Nov. 10.

For more information or to sign up, please call 513-985-1633.

Friday, October 26 from 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Ages 10-14 (register by October 19: signed waiver required)

Participants will meet at 9:00 a.m. and return at 5:00 p.m. to the Swaim Park small shelter, located at the upper level parking lot on Cooper Road at 7650 Cooper Road. Participants will travel by bus to Paintball Country located in Hamilton. Kids can experience the thrill of paintball with team paintball games in the morning from 10:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m., break for a pizza lunch followed by more paintball. There will also be a variety of other activities at Paintball Country, if time allows.

Cost: $56 per child (includes paintball equipment, fun activities, pizza lunch & snack) (Min 15/Max 40) For more informaiton, please call City Hall at 513-891-2424 or email Recreation Specialist Sarah Fink at sfink@montgomeryohio.org. For more information, please click the parents letter below.

• Parents Letter - Paintball 2018

Click this link for registration

The Montgomery Public Works Department will again be providing a fall curbside bulk brush collection of brush and limbs. The fall program is scheduled to begin on Monday, Sept. 10 and will be conducted over a five-week period.  The brush pick-up week is determined by the regular trash collection schedule.

Please have brush out at the curb no later than 8:00 a.m. Monday morning of the week according to the following schedule.

For more information on the brush pick-up program, please click on this link or below.

City Brush Pick Up Information

2018 Fall Brush Pick Up

To encourage children to get out and explore Montgomery’s parks, the Montgomery Park Explorer Program is designed for children, ages 2 to 12. The program includes two workbooks, one for ages 2 to 5 and the other workbook for ages 6 to 12. Throughout these workbooks, parents will find a variety of activities that will engage children in learning about local Montgomery parks in a fun and active way.

To assist in finding the locations of all the parks, a map of the City, as well as the physical address to each location, is included. Workbooks are available at the links below.

Participants can turn in the completed workbooks anytime, Monday through Friday, from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Montgomery City Hall, 10101 Montgomery Road. A member of the City recreation team will review the workbook and will call the recipient when their certificate and patch is ready.

Completed workbooks will be given back to the child to keep with their certificate and patch. Patches and certificates will be awarded and details of this will be communicated to the participants during the follow-up.

Call Recreation Specialist Sarah Fink at 513-792-8317 or email sfink@ci.Montgomery.oh.us for more information.

By Mike Cappel

Most of us have different views on the role that government plays in our lives and, more importantly, the role that government should play in our lives.  The role that government can play in society is continually defined and redefined by the courts, sometimes with one decision reversing a previous decision.  However, for the most part, we agree that government should provide services we cannot reasonably or economically provide for ourselves, such as an orderly society or safe streets.  But these critical services and infrastructure come at significant cost.

Until I was elected I never really understood government financing and often wondered why the “government” doesn’t just manage our tax dollars the way we manage our home budget.  Fortunately, the City of Montgomery is the first government budget I understand. It is clearly presented with conservative income and expense projections and a five-year outlook.  The capital and operating budget books provide transparency and clearly show the direction the City intends to take.  The five-year forecast allows the City to plan for things as mundane as the expiration of a trash collection contract and big-ticket items such as the public infrastructure necessary for economic development projects like the Vintage Club North and Gateway Redevelopment Area.

Beginning in July, Montgomery employees entered into the “Budget Zone.”  Everyone has been frantically working to ensure that the upcoming budget aligns with the 2015-2021 Strategic Plan.  Supporting this process is legislation to clean up last year’s budget, moving money from one account to another because expenses were lower than expected, or grants arrived to cover an expense, etc. As required by State law, Council has approved the tax budget, which goes to other government agencies so that the City can continue to collect taxes necessary for the high level of service that Montgomery provides.  And let’s not forget that our 2017 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report is finalized and available for public inspection at City Hall.

As Montgomery continues to work through the budget, there will be public meetings.  In early September, Council will review the budget with staff, where each department will explain their financial projections. In October, City Council will begin adopting the ordinances to put the budget in place.  And finally, by the end of the year, the budget will be approved.  The drawn-out budget process is intended to ensure that the budget is transparent and that Montgomery citizens have multiple opportunities to share their views.

Clean out closets, garages, and basements this September.  With the Community-wide Garage Sale (Sept. 8) and the One Stop Drop for Responsible Recycling event (Sept. 15), there are opportunities to sell or donate many of these items.

What can you do with these items if you are unable to participate in these events?  One option is to utilize the City’s curbside textile recycling program offered by Simple Recycling.  This program, offered every week, was started in December of 2017 and, as of the end of June, donated collections totaled 18,000 pounds of textiles and small household items.

To learn about this program and what items are accepted, click the button below or visit Simple Recycling at simplerecycling.com.

Click Here To Learn More