Miami Township Monthly - October 2020

October 2020

Halloween COVID-style

Trick or Treat Saturday, October 31, 6-8 p.m.

Ghosts and goblins will wander the streets in search of tasty treats on October 31. While out and about in your frightfully fun costumes, remember to keep social distancing and safety in mind. The Ohio Department of Health recommends:

Wear a face covering over your nose and mouth (exception: children under 2 years old)
Carry hand sanitizer with you/set up a sanitizer station at your home
Work to remain 6 feet apart
Do not participate if you feel sick
Limit the number of houses you visit
Hold drive thru events in which children stay in their parents’ cars while collecting treats
Hold a virtual event online
Hide treats in your yard or spread them out on a table
Refrain from having children select their own treats from a common container such as a bowl
Wipe off candy wrappers when you arrive home

The health department has many more recommendations for parents/guardians, residents and operators of events/attractions. Click the candy buckets for more:

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

At Your Service - Police and Fire

Miami Valley Fire District unveils new medic

Equipment and design first-of-its-kind in district

MVFD Station 53 from left: Firefighter/EMTs Ryan Garver, Norm Bolling, Lucas Shupert and Lt. Trent Shroyer

New hydraulic cot onboard Medic 53

The Miami Valley Fire District has a new medic unit in service. From the outside, Medic 53 looks like all the others. But, new design features and a particular piece of equipment make it a one-of-a-kind ride for firefighter/EMTs and patients alike.

Medic 53 is the result of a year’s worth of planning among fire district staff. Every detail was considered in its design right down to relocating a side entrance door so that EMTs have more room to better treat patients. The unit itself is a Ford F-550, a souped-up pickup truck chassis of sorts. The F-550 was chosen for its drivability, comfort and low maintenance.

“The design allows us to better care for our patients. The space is more efficient for our EMTs to operate,” Lieutenant Trent Shroyer, MVFD Station 53, said. “The medic also has what’s called a LiquidSpring design that gives everyone onboard a smooth ride.”

Perhaps most impressive on this new unit, is a hydraulic power cot that lifts patients on and off the unit automatically. The fire district was awarded a $40,000 BWC Safety Intervention Grant to purchase it.

“There is zero lifting with this cot. The EMTs can load and unload patients with the press of a button. No more bending over and lifting someone up into the ambulance. It will help us load patients safely and hopefully reduce the risk of injury to our EMTs,” Lt. Shroyer said.

Watch a video demonstration:

Miami Valley Fire District Medic 53 hydraulic cot demonstration

Medic 53 went into service in June 2020. It helps align the Miami Valley Fire District with the industry standard of patient transport vehicles and equipment. The MVFD provides services to both Miami Township and Miamisburg, so Medic 53 sees no boundaries in roads traveled.

“The borders of Miami Township and Miamisburg do not apply. Our firefighter/EMTs go anywhere we’re needed,” Lt. Shroyer said.

The MVFD began operations in 2012 to serve both Miami Township and Miamisburg more efficiently. Firefighter/EMTs respond to roughly 10,000 calls a year. It is governed by a five-member Board of Trustees.

New drone to help MTPD fight crime

Skydio donates drone to first responders

The Miami Township Police Department now has a drone to assist officers when needed. The Skydio company donated the unit to the MTPD as part of its initiative to donate drones to first responders across the country.

Officer Brennaman is the first township officer certified to use the drone. He says it can assist in searches for suspects, missing people, even help investigate car crashes. The drone has already been used in several incidents in the township, including the arrest of a theft suspect. Officer Brennaman demonstrates the Skydio2 in this video:

Miami Township PD drone demonstration Sept 2020

PD receives traffic enforcement grant

The Miami Township Police Department is the recipient of an Ohio Traffic Safety grant from the Ohio Department of Public Safety.

The nearly $50,000 grant award will allow Miami Township police officers to focus more attention on reducing traffic crashes, increasing OVI patrols and participating in national traffic safety campaigns.

The Ohio Traffic Safety grant is federally funded through the National Traffic Safety Administration.

Visit MTPD web page

Officer Pat McCoy retires

Officer Pat McCoy retired from the police department September 25, 2020, with more than 30 years of service to our community. His fellow officers saluted him with a congratulatory luncheon. Chief Stiegelmeyer presented him with a plaque of recognition, a custom-made box to hold his service revolver, and a retiree badge. Congratulations, Officer McCoy! Enjoy your retirement!

At Your Service - News & Events

Leaf Collection 2020

Leaf season if quickly approaching, and our Public Works Department is preparing now.

Township leaf collection begins the week of November 2. Remember to rake your leaves to the edge of the curb, not in the roadway! A more in-depth update next month, but for those who want to read more now, CLICK.

New look at Austin Landing Kroger

Miami Township trustees John Morris and Terry Posey, Jr. were happy to take part in the grand reopening of the Austin Landing Kroger store recently. They presented a special proclamation and helped staff members cut the ribbon.

The store is celebrating renovations to the store including a new produce section and aisle changes.

Thank you, Kroger, and congratulations on seven years of service to our community!

2020 township census 'above and beyond'

We did it, Miami Township! Your response to the 2020 Census beat the final percentage from 2010! According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the township recorded a 75.7% response rate as of Sept. 30, 3% higher than ten years ago. That means we're on track for more federal funding for our community! Way to go!

Meet the Employees

Dan Mayberry - Director of Public Works

What is your background in the field? I came to Miami Township Public Works in 1991 with a background in landscaping having earned an associate degree in mathematics from Sinclair Community College. I began my career in the Parks Department, working for five years in maintenance and then served almost six years as supervisor over the department. In the Road Department, I worked three years in maintenance and then a brief period as road foreman. Over the years, I helped complete many township construction and renovation projects with the Facilities Maintenance Department and spent an entire year working on restorations to the Cottman-Baker Farmhouse back in the early 1990s. I have been the Director of Public Works since 2006.

Your crews have a lot of work to do! How would you describe a typical day? There are five individual departments under Public Works: Roads, Parks, Fleet Maintenance, Facilities Maintenance and Public Works Administration. A typical day for me is primarily supporting the leaders of the five departments. I then have my own schedule of work to complete from budgets to board meetings. I manage an independent contractor for the maintenance of landscaping along Austin Boulevard and the I-75 interchange ramps and continually update all educational information on the public works web pages. Please visit online for a better understanding of how Public Works serves the community!

Leaf pickup begins in November! What do you look forward to this season? The thing I most look forward to this season’s leaf collection is that after it is over, I have only one more season to manage the program. It is no easy task to keep 30,000 residents content while crews collect leaves over a 21 square mile area. This year will definitely be a challenge for the department to work efficiently while trying to adhere to the COVID-19 restrictions.

How do you spend your time outside of work? Outside of work, I work. I like to stay busy. I spend many hours completing home remodeling projects and enjoy maintaining the landscape around my home. I also enjoy staying fit and hiking in nature with my wife, Jeannie. I used to enjoy watching professional sports, but I now find there are much better uses of my time. I have been a member of Southbrook Christian Church for 17 years and enjoy supporting the church as a guest services team member on Sundays.

Tell us about your staff. Public Works employees are very skilled and dedicated professionals. Staff spends many hours away from family throughout the winter months, keeping the streets safe for the community during winter weather events. In the summer months, they are out in the extreme heat working to complete roadway preventive maintenance programs. Financially, Miami Township operates on a very lean budget and property tax revenues for roadway maintenance have declined over the past 10+ years.