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  August E-News
2018    
   To volunteer, please contact the Administration Office at 531-8675.
#LifeinAmberley

Thanks to the Sarembock's for submitting their "why" in the #LifeinAmberley social media campaign where w e've invited residents to share why they like living here and choose to call Amberley home. 

#LifeinAmberley to the Sarembock family means having a community feel and receiving incredible, friendly police services available when you need it. 

Residents for over 11 years, the Sarembock's were drawn to Amberley for its well-kept homes, neighborly residents, diverse age groups and close proximity to highway access for a short work commute.  They also enjoy the Village's community events where residents can come together.  

Want to be featured? Simply fill out our  #LifeinAmberley  submission form telling us why you like living in Amberley and we'll be in touch! 

Check us out on Facebook or go  http://www.amberleyvillage.org/  and click on Contact Us.  Don't want to go online?  Come to the Ice Cream Social August 19 and visit our #LifeinAmberley photo booth! 

Stories will be shared on our Facebook Page! Tell us your why, meet neighbors and hear more about what makes #LifeinAmberley special!

Back to School Safe Driving
The school buses will back on the roadways this month which reminds everyone to be on alert for an increase in pedestrians and traffic congestion. Slow down! The Amberley Village Police Department says slowing down and not becoming distracted while driving are two of the most important things that drivers can do to help prevent accidents as the roads become busier during the school year.

Drivers can also use this reminder about stopping for school buses to help keep kids safe:

Ohio law requires motorists approaching from either direction of a stopped school bus to stop at least 10 feet from a bus loading or unloading passengers. If a school bus is stopped on a road divided into four or more lanes, only traffic driving in the same direction as the bus must stop.

The Police Department urges motorists to do their part and pay attention while driving, not only during the school year, but at all times while driving a vehicle. Stay safe!
How to Ready Your Recyclables
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
Residents can play an important role in ensuring that what goes into your recycling bin actually becomes recyclable material. Did you know that food remnants and greasy residue left on or inside an item will sideline and render that recyclable contaminated, thus removing it from the recycle stream? Let's take a closer look at what we can do to ensure what goes in our recycle bin doesn't end up in the landfill.
  • Pizza boxes - remove any leftover crusts and stained liners. If one half of the box is greasy, tear off the top for recycling and discard the greasy bottom portion into the trash.
  • Paper cartons (from OJ, milk, broth, etc.) - it helps to rinse them out first.
  • Empty aerosol cans (hair spray) - use up all product inside to empty can and remove the tip.
  • Plastic jugs and bottles - leave lids on, rinse out.
  • Glass bottles and jars - unbroken, label and foil can be left on, remove all liquids and rinse. Wine corks need to be fully removed.
  • Unsoiled paper products, such as newspapers, junk mail, magazine, and paperboard.
  • Aluminum cans and metal cans (including tuna cans) - labels can be left on, rinse and remove any food.
What about plastic bags and yogurt containers?
Please do not put these items in your recycling cart or bin and do not place your recyclables into a plastic bag. Plastic bags can tangle in the equipment at the recycling center. Many local stores have programs where you can return your plastic bags to the store for recycling. Yogurt containers as well as other large mouth containers like margarine are not accepted in the curbside recycling.

What about batteries?
Do not put batteries in the trash
Batteries cause trash fires
All batteries are considered household hazardous waste and should never be placed in the recycle bin or cart. Batteries can cause fires inside of the recycling trucks and the recycling center. Place batteries in a clear, sealable bag and take them to an accepting location using Hamilton County's battery guide.

Still have questions? Call the Hamilton County Recycling Hotline at 946-7766 or visit hamiltoncountyrecycles.org to find out what can be recycled or browse through their directory of re-use outlets to match an item you'd like to recycle with an accepting vendor.
Fire Hydrant Maintenance
Brightly painted fire hydrants are quick to spot for fire personnel when arriving on a fire scene, particularly when there is inclement weather. Repainting the fire hydrants is part of the many ongoing maintenance efforts to care for our community's infrastructure.

Plug Hug Fire Hydrant Paint Remover
Plug Hug Fire Hydrant Paint Remover
With new The Plug Hug in its first season of use, the Village's Maintenance-Fire Department has a streamlined approach and is able to make fire hydrants "paint ready" in two minutes. The old way of repainting hydrants involved an extensive amount of time to prepare the hydrants which included manual wire brushing, scrapping or sandblasting prior to the application of the paint and time consuming clean-up. The new removal system attaches to a bobcat and through a series of wire brushes rotating at various angles, the hydrant is stripped of its paint in two minutes.

The Village has 405 hydrants and conducts ongoing and regular maintenance of this infrastructure component. This summer, the Fire Department completed restoration and painting of 158 fire hydrants which included those along Galbraith, Ridge and Section Roads. During that work residents may have noticed that some were grey in color for a few days which was the primer step prior to being restored with a coat of vibrant, bright yellow paint. The restoration program will take approximately three summers to complete which will ensure all hydrants throughout the Village have been properly maintained and restored as we continue to focus on maintaining our infrastructure.

A total of 32 new fire hydrants will be purchased by the Village to be installed by Cincinnati Water Works (GCWW) as a part of the water main replacement project occurring in 2019 on Arborcrest Drive, Arborcrest Court, Longmeadow Lane, North and South Whitetree Circle and Lamarque Drive from Longmeadow to Whitetree. Working collaboratively with GCWW affords the Village an opportunity to cost-share the installation expense of the new hydrants.

The hydrant maintenance will conclude this summer with the final phase being the application of blue reflective bands onto the hydrants to provide the highest level of visibility.
Inspections for Inside Gas Meters
During the months of August and September, Duke Energy, will be utilizing Southern Cross, Inc. to perform inspections of residences and businesses with inside gas meters.   On average, the inspection will take 10 minutes and be conducted on the gas piping from the building wall to the outlet of the gas meter.  Southern Cross, Inc. will be contacting those residents and businesses whose house or building needs an inspection.
 
Residents and businesses can expect to see Southern Cross Inc. completing this work, not Duke Energy technicians and vehicles.  Southern Cross Inc. technicians can be readily identifiable by:  
  • Wearing a visible Southern Cross Inc. picture ID on the outside of the uniform,
  • Wearing a visible Duke Energy picture ID on the outside of the uniform,
  • Having a contact phone number for the customer to call for verification of the Duke Energy Ohio inspection, and
  • Driving a Southern Cross Inc. or personal vehicle with a Southern Cross Inc. logo.
For more information about these inspections, visit https://www.duke-energy.com/home/natural-gas/inside-piping-inspection.
Natural Gas Aggregation Renewing

With the Village's natural gas aggregation program concluding with the October 2018 billing, a renewal process will take place to continue the existing variable rate program. The current contract with IGS will be extended with an agreement to continue the month-to-month variable rate for a two-year period with the ability to lock in the rate if favorable.
 
Residents will be notified of the gas rate by the Village and IGS is required to give residents the choice of opting out of the gas aggregation program. The opt-out letter to residents is anticipated to arrive around August 24 and the opt-out period will end September 14. Residents will be notified and unless you are with an alternative gas supplier, you will become part of the Village gas aggregation program and will begin saving money.
 
Residents that are enrolled with another supplier will not receive the opt-out letter but can join the Village's aggregation program by calling IGS after September 14 and after cancellation of any existing contract with their supplier.
Contact for Natural Gas Aggregation:                                                               
IGS Energy                                                                
P.O. Box 9060                                                           
Dublin, OH 43017                                                     
1-800-280-4474 (8 am - 8 pm weekdays)              
Reminder - Tax Return Extensions Due October 15
If you filed an extension for your 2017 Amberley Village Tax return you have until October 15, 2018 to file your return.   If you did not file an extension please send your return soon to avoid additional late filing penalties.