Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission
Takes Bold Action to Combat Racism
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On October 1, 2020, the Board of Directors for the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission unanimously passed a resolution ensuring equity, diversity, and inclusion in all MVRPC staff, committee, and Board of Directors actions.
This action is immensely significant because the MVRPC Board of Directors represents nearly 80 local communities and public entities in the Miami Valley Region.
It confirms that collectively, the Miami Valley denounces all forms of discrimination and racism and will work together to increase equity, diversity, and inclusion in all communities.
The process to pass a regional resolution of this magnitude was as important as the vote itself. It sparked conversations within dozens of our member communities about how they might reflect their own commitments to their residents, with many issuing their own statements or passing their own similar resolutions.
This powerful statement by our Board of Directors affirms that as a Region, we will proactively plan for ways to address inequity because increasing disparity adversely impacts peoples’ quality of life now and for future generations.
The action taken by the MVRPC Board of Directors is the latest in a series of efforts by MVRPC to accurately capture research, harness data and place a focus on equity in the Miami Valley. Adoption of the resolution further supports the agency’s work in this area. It confirms that the MVRPC Board of Directors is highly supportive of MVRPC, the Miami Valley, and our partners in this work.
The MVRPC staff will proudly work with our Board and all Miami Valley communities, businesses, and organizations to assist each and every one with designing the custom approaches to assist with reaching their equity, diversity and inclusion goals.
The affirmation that racism and discrimination must be eliminated from our Region offers a unified declaration of the challenge we must take on together and within our own organizations, neighborhoods, schools, and broader communities.
Our work is just beginning.
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MVRPC & Executive Director Win Diversity Awards |
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The Dayton Business Journal recently announced the winners for the 2020 Diversity in Business Awards. The awards honor the remarkable work of inclusive organizations and individuals in the Dayton region, recognizing their efforts to promote social justice, equality and diversity.
MVRPC was recognized as the Outstanding Diversity Champion Organization (1-99 Employees) and Executive Director, Brian O. Martin, AICP was recognized as an Individual Outstanding Diversity Champion. MVRPC and staff are extremely honored to be recognized for their work in social justice, equality and diversity in the Miami Valley Region. We look forward to continuing our work and making a difference.
Members and partners of MVRPC were honored as well. Congratulations to LJB, Inc. - Outstanding Diversity Organization (100-499 Employees): Five Rivers MetroParks: Outstanding Diversity Champion (100-499 Employees): Sinclair Community College - Outstanding Diversity Champion ( 500+ Employees): Premier Health – Outstanding Diversity Organization (500+ Employees) .
The awards will be presented during a virtual event on October 15th from 1:00 -2:15 p.m. and we encourage you to join us for the presentation. During the event, MVRPC Executive Director Brian O. Martin will also participate on a panel discussion about the importance of diversity in organizations. Registration is free and is now open online.
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MVRPC Named 2020 Weather Ready Nation Ambassador of Excellence |
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The National Weather Service (NWS) recently announced that MVRPC was named a 2020 Weather-Ready Nation (WRN) Ambassador of Excellence for our efforts to communicate critical information about weather awareness and preparedness in partnership with the NWS Wilmington branch. NWS named 72 Ambassadors of Excellence across the nation and only 2 in Ohio (MVRPC and Athens County, Ohio - Community Collaborative Rain Hail and Snow Network).
“Ambassadors of Excellence” represent a select number of WRN Ambassador organizations that have made significant contributions to building a Weather-Ready Nation. By serving as change agents and leaders in their communities, Ambassadors of Excellence:
- Inspire others to take action and become ready, responsive, and resilient
- Create innovative ways to engage their community, their workforce, and/or their social network
- Form unique collaborations with NOAA and/or other ambassador organizations to achieve goals they alone could not meet
- Embrace building “a Weather-Ready Nation for All” by addressing vulnerable populations’ needs.
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www.MiamiValleyRoads.org has Latest Details on Major Construction Underway on I-75 at Edwin C. Moses Boulevard |
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MVRPC, in collaboration with ODOT, maintains the www.MiamiValleyRoads.org website to provide all of the latest updates on major highway construction projects, bridge replacements and road construction detours throughout the Region. It also provides user-friendly access to route planning tools, commute solutions and other ideas to reduce congestion and prevent air pollution.
You can rely on www.MiamiValleyRoads.org to be the go-to source for full details and the most recent updates on these projects, including great ways that you can adjust your commute to save time, money and stress. There will be a regional media campaign promoting this resource in the coming weeks.
Operations for a dual bridge repair on Interstate 75 are underway. The project involves repairing the I-75 bridges over Edwin C. Moses Boulevard and Carillon Boulevard near the Great Miami River in Dayton. Bridge work includes replacing bridge decks and removing the continuous U-turn lane from the Edwin C. Moses Boulevard interchange.
The Ruhlin Company was awarded the contract for approximately $18.8 million in July, and the project is scheduled to be completed in fall of 2022.
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Interstate 75 Northbound Traffic Pattern Shift/Lane Restrictions:
- Expect a traffic pattern shift on I-75 northbound between Albany Street and State Route 741 (Springboro Pike) through Thursday, October 15, 2021.
- Three lanes of I-75 northbound will shift to the right of the Interstate.
- On Wednesday, October 7, 2020 through Thursday, October 15, 2021 traffic on I-75 southbound is scheduled to shift onto I-75 northbound from Stewart Street and then shift back at S.R. 741 (Springboro Pike) in Moraine.
- I-75 will also experience multiple lane closures, in each direction, between Albany Street and S.R. 741 through Thursday, October 15, 2021.
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Interstate 75 Ramp Closure:
- The Edwin C. Moses Boulevard entrance ramp to I-75 southbound will close on Wednesday, October 7, 2020 through Thursday, October 15, 2021 from 9:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
- The Contractor will be working on the I-75 southbound bridge over Edwin C. Moses Boulevard and the bridge over the Great Miami River.
- Detour is Edwin C. Moses Boulevard to Dryden Road to I-75 southbound
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MVRPC Welcomes New Associate Members |
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MVRPC would like to welcome new members; The Dayton Foundation, Central State University and Centerville-Washington Park District.
The Dayton Foundation:
Mr. Michael Parks, Delegate and Ms. Barbra Stonerock, Alternate
The Dayton Foundation, the region's largest community foundation, has been helping you help others locally and around the world since 1921.
We provide unmatched services, resources, support and counsel to help individuals achieve their charitable giving goals; we assist other nonprofits by funding important initiatives and offering our expertise to help them operate more effectively; and we are helping build a better community by identifying important issues and bringing together the people and organizations who can solve them.
Whether you are an individual, financial advisor, nonprofit organization or someone wanting to make a difference, The Dayton Foundation can help you help others.
Central State University:
Dr. Morakinyu A.O. Kuti, Delegate and Ms. Susan Wachtel, Alternate
Established at Tawawa Springs, Ohio in 1856, Central State University is affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church and is one of the oldest Black-administered institutions of higher education in the nation.
Today, as an 1890 Land-Grant Institution, Central State University is expanding Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Agriculture (STEM-Ag) academic programming, research and education; developing partnerships within Ohio’s agricultural industry; enhancing facilities; and engaging the local communities, all for the future growth and sustainability of the University.
Central State University embraces change; but one thing that has not changed is its continuing commitment to providing an excellent, affordable education to residents of Ohio and beyond.
Centerville-Washington Park District:
Mr. Arnie Biondo, Delegate and Mr. Nick Meyer, Alternate
Founded in 1959 as the Washington Township Park District, the Centerville-Washington Park District now operates eight community parks, nine nature parks and 34 neighborhood parks encompassing 1,030 acres in Centerville and Washington Township. Each of the 51 parks has varying amenities. You will find a spray-ground, a dog park, a skate park and an archery range; top-notch sports fields; hiking trails and nature preserves; and more, all within the boundaries of one suburban Ohio community of 56,000 people. Thanks to the foresight of the Park District’s founders, there is a park to explore within walking distance of every home in the community.
Congratulations to CWPD for being named a finalist for the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) Gold Medal Award.
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Greater Region Mobility Initiative & Plan Update |
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The Greater Region Mobility Initiative (GRMI) is an effort led by the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission (MVRPC) in cooperation with the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) Office of Transit. The purpose of the GRMI is to improve coordination among transit providers in Champaign, Clark, Darke, Greene, Miami, Montgomery, Preble and Shelby counties. The goal of the GRMI is to expand and enhance transit services within the participating counties and throughout the Region.
MVRPC acts as the Regional Coordinating Agency (RCA) on behalf of ODOT for the GRMI and provides service and support to all counties and providers participating in the Greater Region Mobility Initiative. MVRPC was one of two agencies in Ohio selected to pilot this new regional approach to transit coordination. ODOT will take lessons learned from the implementation of the pilot project MVRPC is leading and apply them as they add additional regions within the state to the effort.
In early 2020, the MVRPC team initiated a revision of The Greater Region Transportation Coordination Plan in collaboration with ODOT and the Mobility Managers representing the participating counties. There was a need to ensure that the interests and needs of providers in all rural, suburban and urban areas of all eight counties were well represented within the plan and a need to clarify the funding structure and leadership roles of all involved in executing the actions described in the plan. Over the course of six months, a series of stakeholder meetings were held to examine, revise and reaffirm the components of the plan. In September, resolutions in support of the revised plan were passed by Champaign, Clark, Darke, Preble and Shelby counties. In November, the MVRPC Board will be asked to consider adoption of the plan on behalf of the MPO counties (Greene, Miami and Montgomery). Moving forward, the plan will guide regional collaboration, service improvements and maximization of resources within and among all participating counties.
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The 2020 Census is entering its final stages. The latest official word from the Census Bureau is that the Secretary of Commerce has announced a target date of October 5, 2020 to conclude 2020 Census self-response and field data collection operations. The Census Bureau has continued to make progress on their goal of counting everyone once, only once, and in the right place.
In order to track their progress, the Census Bureau provides daily updates on the number of households that have been counted either through self-response or by a Census taker. The latest figures for enumeration show that 99.2% of households in Ohio have been counted. To see the latest figures for Ohio, please visit: https://2020census.gov/en/response-rates/nrfu.html
Following the enumeration phase, counts will be processed by the Census Bureau to provide apportionment and redistricting data.
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MVRPC Promotes Rideshare Week October 5 - 9, 2020 |
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Each year, MVRPC’s Rideshare program celebrates National Rideshare Week with social media posts promoting sustainable transportation options such as carpooling, vanpooling, biking or taking transit. Even in these uncertain times, it is important to continue to promote commute solutions in the Region. Follow MVRPC’s Facebook and Twitter pages or #RideshareWeek for daily posts about ways to improve your commute.
MVRPC sponsors the local RIDESHARE Program which is available for FREE to anyone who lives, works, or attends college in Clinton, Darke, Greene, Miami, Montgomery or Preble Counties. MVRPC’s RIDESHARE Program is a partner of, Gohio Commute, a statewide commute solutions resource with ride matching for carpoolers, transit options, bike routes and safety precautions for commuters to consider.
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Spotlight on Member Resources |
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A New Suite of Online Public Engagement Tools Now Available |
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MVRPC is pleased to announce that a new suite of online tools that supplement public engagement and facilitate public input gathering efforts for community planning projects are now available to our member communities.
With many of our communities’ on-going planning projects suddenly put on hold in late March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, MVRPC staff began to explore new approaches and tools. This immediate investigation was to ensure we find innovative approaches in addressing the challenges of fostering meaningful public participation by leveraging our technical capacity.
Current online tools range in capabilities from conducting online polling or surveying to supplementing traditional workshop style exercises with gathering locational input to integrating tools and information into a one-stop public engagement web application. Some of these tools have already been launched as part of the City of Miamisburg CARES Neighborhood Planning project and the Greene County Perspectives 2040, Future Land Use Plan Update project.
Each tool would need customization to fit your project needs.
If you have a planning project that would benefit with online public engagement tools, please contact Martin Kim, Director of Community and Regional Planning at mkim@mvrpc.org . |
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We are a Resilient Region, and the MVRPC 2019 Annual Report celebrates the ways that we came together as a Region in the face of unprecedented challenges. MVRPC Member organizations and community partners recently received the report in the mail and it is also available on our website.
The report highlights the ways that MVRPC's team of talented planners, engineers, program managers and administrators worked side-by-side with dedicated public servants in communities across the Region to make transportation, community planning and sustainability projects and programs a reality.
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Grants and Funding Resources |
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On a monthly basis, MVRPC highlights several funding opportunities on our website that could benefit our member communities. We include a description, contact information and program links. We have also listed other valuable resources for finding funding opportunities.
This month we are featuring information on:
- HUD FY20 Healthy Homes and Weatherization Cooperation Demonstration Program–Deadline: November 9, 2020
- Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF Ohio)– Deadline: November 16, 2020.
Here are the latest grant funding opportunities specifically regarding COVID-19:
- COVID-19 Emergency School Nutrition Funding– Deadline: none listed
- CARES Act - Coronavirus Relief Fund - Public Libraries – Deadline: November 16, 2020
- CARES Act - Montgomery County Coronavirus Relief Fund – Healthcare Institutions– Deadline: none listed
- CARES Act - Montgomery County Coronavirus Relief Fund – Daycare Institutions – Deadline: none listed
- CARES Act – Montgomery County Coronavirus Relief Fund – Agricultural Businesses – Deadline: none listed
- CARES Act – CARES Grant for Greene County Small Businesses – Deadline: October 30, 2020
If you need assistance with your grant pursuit or further research, please contact Kathryn Youra Polk, Senior Planner, at 937.223.6323 or kyoura.polk@mvrpc.org.
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Upcoming Meetings and Events |
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Most meetings are being cancelled or shifted to teleconference. Please check the agency calendar on mvrpc.org or contact Teresa to find out the status of your meeting. All upcoming TAC and Board meetings will be on Zoom. |
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Oct. 8th - 9:30 a.m. - Miami Valley Disaster Recovery Impacted Jurisdictions
Oct.15th - 9:30 a.m. - Technical Advisory Committee
Oct. 20th - 12:00 p.m. - Long Range Transportation Update
Oct. 21st - 5:00 p.m. - Long Range Transportation Update
Oct. 23rd - 10:00 a.m. - Regional Bikeways Committee Meeting
Oct. 27th - 2:30 p.m. - Equity Leadership Team Meeting
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MVRPC emails are produced through Constant Contact. We have negotiated a significantly reduced group rate for all of our MVRPC members and partners to join Constant Contact making it easy for you to offer your own customized, professional communication to your communities. You will save considerably more than you could joining the platform on your own, and even if you are already using Constant Contact you can apply our discount to save even more. Best of all, the MVRPC communication team is here to help you get started! Visit our unique Constant Contact link or contact Stacy Schweikhart, MVRPC Director of Strategy and Engagement to learn more sschweikhart@mvrpc.org. |
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