THE PLAIN CITY QUARTERLY
A proud heritage, a promising future.
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The Village of Plain City, in an effort to better inform residents and share community information, is sending you this first of subsequent quarterly newsletters. On behalf of Village Council and Village staff, we hope that you will find these periodic updates valuable and informative. It is a pleasure serving this great community.
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Village of Plain City
POLICE REPLACEMENT
Levy
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It
has been 15 years since the Village of Plain City has asked its residents to assist with the operational costs of running our full-service police department. Through conservative fiscal management, the levy revenue that helps support the police department has not been adjusted since 2005. This upcoming ballot measure will restore the existing police levy to its original millage rate and allow the Village to provide high-quality public safety services that its residents appreciate and expect.
What the levy will do:
¨ Maintain necessary funding for the Police Department.
¨ Increase staffing to better match nationally recognized recommendations.
¨ Maintain funding for employee training and development.
¨ Maintain funding to replace aging and/or inoperable equipment.
¨ Maintain funding to purchase new equipment.
¨ Maintain valuable programs, such as Community Outreach and Community Education.
¨ Increase police presence via cruiser patrol, foot patrol and bike patrol.
What are the levy details?
¨ This is a 5-mill levy assessed to every property in the village and is a direct replacement of the existing 5-mill levy.
¨ This levy was first passed in the 1980’s. It was replaced in 1992 and again in 2005.
¨ This levy is dedicated directly and solely to the Police Department. It is used to pay salaries, purchase uniforms, provide advanced training for our officers as well as other expenses for daily operations.
By The Numbers:
The current 5-mill levy costs the owner of a $100,000 property $106.00 per year.
The replacement 5-mill levy will cost the owner of that same $100,000 property $175.00 per year.
The result is an additional $69.00 per year for a $100,000 property.
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2019 VILLAGE OF PLAIN CITY POLICE STATISTICS
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At the March primary election, Plain City voters will be considering a ballot measure to determine if a charter commission should be formed. As Plain City gains city status (>5,000 residents), which will likely happen as a result of the 2020 census, a reorganization of the municipal government structure is required. The government can either be a statutory government, meaning an established form of government from the State of Ohio (sort of a one-size fits all government), or communities can adopt a Charter which allows the city to tweak / adjust the government to suit individual needs and preferences.
There will be two questions in front of voters on the upcoming ballot. First, "Shall a Commission be Chosen to Frame a Charter.” A "Yes" vote on this issue would be in favor of forming a commission to explore a potential charter while a “No” vote would be a vote to move forward with a pre-established statutory form of government.
The second issue is to elect citizens of the Village to be members of the commission. The election on March 17 does not by itself adopt a Charter; it only provides the opportunity for the Charter Commission to explore and propose a Charter between now and the November 2020 election. Prior to the adoption of the charter, the Commission will hold public meetings that all residents are encouraged to attend to discuss what form the Charter would take and a copy of the potential charter would be circulated to all Village residents. For more information on the charter please contact
PlainCityCharterInfo@gmail.com
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Village swears in two
Council Members
One new and one returning member were recently installed on Village Council. On January 8th, John Rucker was sworn in for his 2nd term as Council Member, and Frank Reed was sworn into office as the Village’s newest Council Member
. With the swearing in of Mr. Reed, Village Council had to say goodbye to former Council Member Kerri Ferguson. We sincerely thank her for 4 1/2 years of service to the Village of Plain City.
Council Report
Council approved an Ordinance to amend their meeting time from 7:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The ordinance will take effect 30 days from February 10.
The council meeting on March 23rd will begin at 6:30 p.m.
Major Capital Projects Planned for 2020
With the passage of the 2020 budget, Village Council will be embarking on another year of significant capital improvements to the Village. Village staff appreciates everyone’s patience during these construction projects and preemptively asks everyone to pardon the mess, as we strive to improve our streets and facilities. 2020 will witness the following capital projects around the community:
- S. Chillicothe Street Water Line Replacement
- Gay Street Reconstruction
- Pedestrian connection between the elementary school and Darby Fields
- New Uptown public parking lot
- Uptown streetscape enhancements
- Traffic signal modernization and upgrades
- Sewer treatment plant expansion
- Side street repaving program
The Village greatly appreciates our residents’ support of these efforts. Village Council continues to develop and implement a multi-year capital improvement plan to systematically replace and upgrade the community’s infrastructure for the years to come.
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Plain City now has an App!
Find important Village information easily at a single source on your phone! Just go to your App store and search for:
Village of Plain City, Police & Government
. The App is
FREE
and will keep you updated about Village events, weather, meetings, and other important happenings!
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As part of an ongoing effort to improve communications, the Village now has a monthly online calendar accessible through the App and the Village Website!
On the Village
App
,
simply click on the home page icon that looks like
i
You will be able to find Village Special Events and happenings, Village Council and Committee meetings and other important information. We are striving to increase communication and hope this is another helpful way to find out what’s going on in your community!
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Office of the Zoning Inspector
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The Zoning Inspector's duties include Issuance of Zoning Permits, Certificate of Zoning Compliance, Collection of fees, Making and keeping of records, Inspection of building or land for code violations, Enforcement of the property maintenance code and Maintaining Zoning Map.
- If you are erecting, moving, adding to, altering, demolishing or changing use of any land, building or structure you probably need a zoning permit.
- Not everything needs a zoning permit. If you are re-roofing, replacing a door or window without changing dimensions or remodeling where no walls or floors are added, changed, or removed you don’t need a permit.
- If you need a building permit, the Village of West Jefferson has been contracted to issue permits and conduct inspections for the Village.
- Remember it is always a good idea to contact Zoning Inspector Matt Lewis before doing any work on your property.
- If you receive a Zoning Code Violation notice don’t panic. This notice is not a fine, ticket or court order. The notice is to remind you that you have some Zoning Code Violations on your property that need addressed. The Zoning Inspector is here to help. Please call to discuss the notice and to see what you need to do to remedy the problem.
If you have any questions please email
Matt Lewis
or call 614-873-3527 ext. 105. I look forward to serving you and the community of Plain City.
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There is a lot going on in Plain City this Spring & Summer, so check it out!
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Upcoming Events: April - May
April 1 Campground Opens
April 4 VFW Easter Egg Hunt 12 noon sharp Pastime Park
May 2 PCABA Parade 10 a.m. Pastime Park
May 9 Village Household Hazardous Waste Collection 12 noon - 6 p.m.
800 Village Blvd (
Parking lot next to NAPA Auto Parts
)
May 23 Pool Opens! 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.
May 24 Bluegrass & BBQ 4 p.m. - 9 p.m. Pastime Park
May 31 Music in the Park 7 p.m. Pastime Park
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We’re Hiring at the Aquatic Center!
We are looking for energetic, positive people to work at the Pool this summer. We need Lifeguards, Front Office staff, Concessions staff and Assistant Managers. Staff must be 15 years of age by May 23, and Assistant Managers must be 18 years of age and be a Certified Lifeguard or have previous Aquatics management experience.
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Swim Team
The Sharks Youth Recreational Swim Team returns for their 4
th
summer swim season! We were 130 strong last year, and believe we will grow even more this year. We will have a maximum registration of 150 swimmers this year. There will be a meeting for any interested new swimmers’ parents on
March 19 at 7pm
at the Pleasant Township Fire Department community room at 650 West Main Street. You do not need to be a resident of Plain City to be on the swim team. Meets are held in Plain City, Dublin and Marysville. Please see the flyer for additional information. Swim Strong Sharks!
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Day Camp returns to Pastime Park!
Camp Laff A Lot is back by popular demand! Your kiddos will have not only have a blast, they will be engaged in fun activities from 9am-2pm at Camp Laff-A-Lot! Extended care available until 4pm.
Click
here
for printable flyer.
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New Playground at Pastime Park
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We are excited to announce that Pastime Park has new playground equipment! It’s been a long time coming, and we are thrilled to be able to offer new swings and play areas for kiddos segmented by age: One area for littles, 2-5 yrs old, and the larger area for 5-12 yrs old. Enjoy all that Pastime Park has to offer and we hope you spend time outside enjoying the new equipment!
The Community is invited to a Playground Ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday, March 20th at 2:00 p.m.
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Get Involved in Your Community -
Volunteer!
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We need you! The Plain City Parks & Recreation Committee is looking for enthusiastic folks who want to help their community! Volunteers will do everything from plant flowers at the park to watch over bounce houses at the 4th of July or help organize the Fall Festival. Whatever you can do to help is most appreciated! See the list of volunteer opportunities below and e-mail Linda Granger at
lgranger@plain-city.com
if you would like to become a community helper!!
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Pastime Park Partners Volunteers:
Gardening Gan
g
:
Do you like gardening and making your community a more beautiful place to live? Then volunteer to help out at the park! We are looking for folks who like to play in the dirt and enjoy planting flowers, weeding, etc… We are hoping to bring some of the planting beds back to life for both pollinators and park goers alike! All skill levels welcome and a complimentary Gardening t-shirt included when you join “the gang”!
4
th
of July Helpers
:
We need folks to assist at Bounce houses on July 4
th
. No experience necessary, and you earn a free t-shirt and the admiration of your community! Who could resist that?
Fall Festival Workers
:
Are you a Fall Freak?! Can’t get enough of pumpkin spice, colorful leaves and ghoulish gourds? Well, then you are a great fit to volunteer to help with the Pastime Park Pumpkin Fest on October 17! Hayrides, Chili, Giant pumpkins, crafts, pumpkin patch and so much more! We hope to create an annual fall event in Plain City that the whole family can enjoy!
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PLEDGE TO SHAPE YOUR COMMUNITY
UNITED STATES CENSUS
2020
#SHAPEYOURFUTURE
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Census 2020 counts everyone in the USA every 10 years. This count IMPACTS federal funding in our community!
Invitations will be mailed Mid-March.
Respond by phone , at home or at one of these convenient locations:
For more information.
Plain City Library
305 W Main St.
Plain City, OH
M-Th 10a-9p
F-Sa 10a-6p
Union County Office
232 N. Main St., Ste. G
Marysville, OH
M-F 8a—4:30p
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YOUR PUBLIC WORKS:
WHAT YOU DON'T SEE
Even in the colder part of the year, the Village Public Works staff stays busy serving the community. Although residents see our crews on the roads when winter weather events occur, we stay busy even when you can't see us. Behind the scenes, staff continues to:
- Respond to and repair water main breaks
- Patch potholes
- Deliver recycling bins
- Pick up roadkill
- Upkeep park facilities
- Service & maintain office facilities HVAC, plumbing and electric
- Continuing education to keep our BWC costs down
- Service & maintain equipment
- Coordination of special events
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Our Public Works Department receiving a "Freedom Coin" for assisting our Beavercreek neighbors in their tornado disaster recovery efforts. During Memorial Day weekend, tornadoes hit the Dayton region. Plain City, along with many other communities around the state, volunteered time and equipment to lend a helping hand to other jurisdictions impacted by those storms. Our crews assisted in clean-up and recovery operations in both the City of Clayton and the City of Beavercreek. When natural disasters hit our municipal neighbors, mutual aid is at the ready!
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Permission provided 2020.02.22: Cwiek,Sarah, Miller: “Flushable” wipes making a mess of our sewer systems: Ma 21, 2018
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To flush, or not to flush?
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Don’t flush that wet wipe! Flushing the wrong stuff down your toilet can lead to expensive repairs to your plumbing and the Village's sewer system and treatment plant. Wastewater experts will tell you that unless it is toilet paper, you shouldn’t flush it down.
Items not to flush:
Wet Wipes
Feminine hygiene products
Grease
Food waste
Medication
Chemicals
Wastewater experts also say it’s an everyday habit that needs to be addressed. It causes blockages that can possibly back-up in your basement. It’s the same for your septic tank pumper.
This is something you don’t want to hit your wallet. It’s something we don’t want to hit our pocketbook either. It is an expensive and messy fix.
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