Miami Township Monthly
January 2018
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Miami Township rings in the new year with the expectation of economic growth and community prosperity. As you travel our hometown, you see bustling businesses alongside new construction. You see neighbors helping neighbors, and families spending time together in the park. We welcome new trustees, Donald Culp and John Morris, who join Trustee Doug Barry, and we look forward to the official re-opening of Layer Park, the 10
th
anniversary of the Veterans Memorial, a new look for the township website, and the opportunity to tell your stories in this very newsletter.
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Donald Culp
"I am humbled by this opportunity to represent my friends, neighbors and fellow township residents on the Miami Township Board of Trustees. I will strive to promote our community within our region as the most desirable place to live and work. Please join me this year in promoting Miami Township's exciting future by volunteering for a board, committee or community effort of your choice."
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John Morris
"I am very excited to begin my term serving the citizens of Miami Township in 2018. I look forward to working with my fellow trustees, Don Culp and Doug Barry. Together, we will bring transparency and fiscal responsibility to our local government. I look forward to using my leadership experience to build a new strategic vision which all stakeholders will come to fully understand and embrace."
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Thank You for Serving the Township
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Eric Flasher
Eric Flasher was appointed to the board in April 2017 to fill the unexpired term of Robert Matthews.
"I appreciated the opportunity to serve this community and to work with an outstanding staff."
Eric is a founding member of the Miami Township Veterans’ Memorial Committee and is a past president of the Community Foundation of Miami Township. His dedication to volunteerism has earned him Miami Township Citizen of the Quarter and Citizen of the Year awards.
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Andrew Papanek
"It has been my pleasure and honor to serve as your trustee for the past four years. We accomplished a great deal in stabilizing the township government and re-establishing a professional operation.
I sincerely thank my fellow trustees, Doug Barry and Eric Flasher. It was an honor working alongside you for the betterment of Miami Township. Also, to the township directors, assistant directors, police chief and staff, thank you for your hard work and efforts that made our accomplishments easier to achieve."
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A Note from Trustee Douglas Barry:
I would like to thank Andy for his service to Miami Township. He helped get the township back on track and I thank him for his help and friendship.
While Eric has only been in office a few months, he has long served the township in many roles. We appreciate his passion and work.
I want to welcome John and Don, and look forward to serving alongside them. We have a lot of great things happening in the township, along with a few challenges, we must face this next year.
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Rumpke is township's new trash collection service
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Starting in January, Rumpke Waste and Recycling Services is Miami Township's new trash hauler. Residents should already know your pickup day and you should already have your new recycling bin and a trash bin, if you elected to rent one. Miami Township and Rumpke continue to work closely together to be sure that you receive the highest quality service. Information about trash services are always available on our website and on social media. Be sure to
visit our website
and follow us on
Facebook and
Twitter.
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Security upgrades planned for police department
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Construction plans for the Miami Township Police Department and township administration building are the two-year culmination of careful planning and consideration. The funding is being secured through Tax Increment Financing (TIF). The construction project does not affect our citizens’ residential property taxes and does not dip into the general fund.
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Above from left: Chief Ron Hess, Leah O'Malley, Capt. Russ Johnson and Capt. John Magill
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O'Malley named PD Employee of the Year
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Leah O'Malley is the 2017 Miami Township Police Department Employee of the Year. She is an administrative assistant and played key roles in the CALEA accreditation process and helps organize and manage the top-rated National Night Out events. Chief Ron Hess, Capt. Russ Johnson and Capt. John Magill, all praise her hard work, dedication and willingness to help others, including other area police departments. Congratulations, Leah!
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Township bans medical marijuana businesses
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There will be no medical marijuana facilities in Miami Township. The Board of Trustees voted Dec. 12 to approve a Zoning Commission recommendation to ban any cultivation and distribution in the township, citing uncertainty about community impact. The ban does not prevent a citizen from using medical marijuana obtained legally through the state program.
t Link
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Time to trim the trees
You will start to see road crews trimming overhanging branches along township roadways beginning January 3. The work is necessary to protect vehicles from damage caused by low-hanging brush. Large vehicles such as school buses, fire trucks, snow plows, garbage trucks and mail delivery trucks, are most susceptible to being damaged. Crews follow strict guidelines to ensure everyone’s safety:
- Trees are vertically trimmed from the back of the curb edge or right-of-way to a minimum height of 14 feet.
- Shrubs and trees that block motorists’ view at intersections and block directional signage will be trimmed.
- Shrubs and trees that overhang sidewalks leaving less than 8 feet of clearance will be trimmed.
Township zones scheduled to be trimmed this year include the Singing Hills plat, Spring Valley plat and various rural roads. Call the Road Department at (937) 866-4661 with any questions.
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Dog tags for sale until Jan. 31
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State law requires that dogs be licensed. Dog tags are now available for purchase through Jan. 31. For your convenience, the Miami Township Government Center is an official purchasing site. Our office is open Monday-Friday, from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Tags are $20 for neutered dogs and $24 for unaltered dogs. Dogs must wear their tag at all times.
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Community Spotlight
Dayton Metro Library - Miami Twp. Branch
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(Photo from left: Library staff members Teresa Dues, Anne Jansen, Library Branch Manager Cheryl Wirtley and Debbie Carter)
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The renovated Miami Township branch of the Dayton Metro Library opened in November 2015. Meet Branch Manager Cheryl Wirtley, who talks about all that the library has to share with our community:
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I have a master’s degree in Library Science and have been a librarian for 30 years, 20 of those at the Dayton Metro Library. I became branch manager at Miami Township in 2007. I specialize in helping people find enjoyable fiction books to read.
What’s new and exciting at the branch, especially during the slow winter months?
There is so much to do this winter:
- Family Fun Night will be on Monday, Jan. 22, at 7 p.m. Families can build a blanket fort, so BYOB - Bring Your Own Blanket.
- Sewing classes presented by the Ohio State Extension will be held throughout February. In addition, the sewing machines will be available for anyone to use during the day.
- The Fandomfest Teen Lock-In is set for Sat., Feb. 17, at 7 p.m. Teens from across the county can play games, make crafts, watch anime, eat lots of food, and take part in a scavenger hunt after the library is closed! A parental permission slip is required.
- On Wed., March 7, at 10:45 a.m., local children’s literature expert, Dr. Patricia Hart, will share her knowledge in the use of picture books to boost vocabulary skills and enhance school and learning readiness.
- If you like to play Candy Land, come and play with our life sized Candy Land game on Tues., March 20 at 7 p.m.
- Bram Stoker Award winner, and local author, Tim Waggoner, will present an interactive fiction writing workshop on Sat., March 24, 1:30-3:30 p.m. Learn how to outline a plot and develop the characters.
Discover other programs we offer for adults, teens and children at
www.daytonmetrolibrary.org
. Registration is required for most programs. Call
937-463-2665 for more information or registration.
What makes the library such an important resource for the township?
The library is a community center which welcomes all people. Numerous activities and experiences are available. We also offer meeting and study spaces, comfortable tables and chairs for work or personal use, various books and materials to borrow, and 100% free Wi-Fi.
How has the township contributed to the branch's success?
The township was instrumental in the Miami Township branch renovation and expansion. Their cooperation, support, and feedback through community meetings and the construction process was invaluable. The Board of Trustees and township administrators attended all of our events and provided opportunities for us to share information with the community.
Any funny work stories to share?
One of my staff received a call from a patron in San Diego. She was on vacation and needed assistance with downloading the eBooks she had borrowed from the library’s digital services. The call was 38 minutes long, but we got her books for her!
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Staff Spotlight
A Hollywood Connection
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Publicity poster for "Battle Hymn"
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Col. Dean Hess Monument at Jeju Island, S. Korea
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Name: Ronald Hess
Title: Acting Administrator & Police Chief
Years of township service: 4.5
Families are weaved together by common threads. For Acting Administrator and Police Chief Ron Hess and his family, the ties that bind are in their service to others. His two brothers served in the United States Army and are veterans of the Vietnam War. Chief Hess is a 40-year veteran of law enforcement, having spent nearly five years as township chief of police, and currently acting as administrator. But, there is also a thread of wartime heroism abnd Hollywood glitz and glamour in the Hess family tree.
Chief Hess is the son of U.S. Air Force Colonel Dean E. Hess, a highly decorated World War II and Korean War veteran. Following World War II, the late fighter pilot and minister returned to the pulpit and graduate school, but in July 1948, he was recalled to active duty and was stationed in Japan when the Korean War began. He was immediately sent to Korea as the commanding officer of “Bout One,” an operation to train Korean fighter pilots and prepare them for battle. By June 1951 when he left Korea, he had flown 250 combat missions. During his time in Korea, he began an unofficial program for giving food and shelter to the orphan children and helped arrange their evacuation from war torn Korea in December 1950 when the communist forces were overtaking South Korea. The operation became known as Operation Kiddy Car Airlift.
In 1957, Col. Hess published his story in a book entitled “Battle Hymn,” which was made into a movie starring Rock Hudson. The royalties from both the book and movie were used to construct a new orphanage near Seoul, South Korea. A monument now stands in his honor on the Korean island of Jeju. Chief Hess credits his father with his passion to serve his community and to do so with compassion for his fellow man. His father has always been his role model. Colonel Hess’ flight helmet and other artifacts are on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
Chief Hess has many accomplishments of note during his service to the township. The police department’s National Night Out festivities are among the best in the nation, and the department has earned accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies under his leadership. The department’s CALEA accreditation recognizes its high standards in policies and procedures that protect the community and officers.
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Watch a short video about Col. Dean Hess:
provided by Up in the Air Pictures via YouTube
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Play ball at Miami View
Work crews are busy renovating the baseball diamonds at Miami View Park on Munger Rd. A new sand mix is already on the infield and new turf will be laid down. The backstops will be spruced up and wood borders added. More than 40 trees are also being cut down, the victims of the Emerald Ash Borer.
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New trees at Zengel and Waldruhe
New trees were planted at Zengel and Waldruhe parks in recent weeks. Re-forestation efforts added 10 new trees at Zengel Park, 2176 Vienna Parkway, and 16 new trees at Waldruhe Park, 10000 Springboro Pike, just in time for your arrival this spring.
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Sip & Shop benefits Reeder Park
Renovations to Reeder Park in the Villages of Miami are about $500 closer to realization. Neighbors held a holiday Sip & Shop in December. Organizer Nicole D’Amico invited several vendors to set up in her home for the event. Each vendor donated a portion of their sales that night to the Reeder Park Fund. Vendors who participated were Pure Haven, Usborne Books, Wildtree, SimplyFun, Keep, Inc., Thirty One, and LuLaRoe. The Carvasos Food Truck was also there and sold out! The fund is a grassroots effort to pay for park renovations, including new playground equipment. The fund is set up through
The Dayton Foundation.
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Cox Arboretum tree tower
rises again
Cox Arboretum MetroPark's Tree Tower is reaching for the sky once again. Construction on a new tower began Nov. 20, 2017, and by mid-December, it was already taller than the trees nearby.
The original 65-foot tower was closed last fall after damage caused by a fungal disease was discovered.
Five Rivers MetroParks says the reconstructed tower is being made with new logs and braces, and some original parts will be re-installed. A re-opening date is dependent on winter weather conditions.
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Township residents
can begin making park reservations Jan. 1 through our administrative offices. Here's how:
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Annual meeting for JEDD boards
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Officer Bill Jones (center) graduates from
Supervisor Training and Education Program (STEP)
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Shop with a Hero at Meijer
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Reception of appreciation for outgoing trustees Andrew Papanek (left) and Eric Flasher
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Reception of appreciation for outgoing trustees. From left: Andrew Papanek, Trustee Doug Barry, Eric Flasher and Fiscal Officer Aaron Newell
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Here ducky, ducky, ducky at Miami View Park
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Zander gets some play time in at the Miami Twp. branch library
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Shop with a Hero at Meijer
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Shop with a Hero at Meijer
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Reception of appreciation for outgoing trustees Andrew Papanek and Eric Flasher (above)
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Police department presents BOGG Ministries with money raised during No Shave November
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Energy-Saving Cold Weather Tips
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From our friends at Dayton, Power and Light
: Cold weather outside doesn’t have to mean you can’t stay comfortable inside. Here are some energy-saving tips that don’t cost a lot, but will make a big difference at home:
- Set your thermostat back at least eight degrees each day when you are at work or sleeping. If you can turn it down even more, you’ll save more.
- Change or clean your furnace air filters at least once a month. Dust and dirt make your unit work harder.
- When you use your fireplace, turn down the temperature in other rooms to keep warm air from those rooms – and your money – from going right up the chimney.
- Keep your fireplace damper closed when you aren’t using the fireplace.
- Open curtains during the day to let the warm sun inside.
- Set ceiling fans to turn clockwise and run them on low speed to circulate warm air.
- Remove window air conditioners and seal windows with caulk and weather stripping.
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- Township administrative offices are closed Monday, Jan. 1, 2018, on New Year's Day.
- Township administrative offices are closed Monday, Jan. 15, 2018, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
- Please note that the start times for the Zoning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals meetings have changed to 6 p.m. in 2018. The Zoning Appeals Board meets on the first Monday each month while the Zoning Commission meets on the third Tuesday each month.
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