BH Masthead

 A Publication of Buckeye Hills-HVRDD

Oct.  2011

Be a Fan of BH-HVRDD on Facebook!

 

Ohio's August Unemployment Rates

 

Ohio's unemployment rate was 9.1 percent in August, up slightly from 9.0 percent in July. The U.S. unemployment rate for August remained unchanged from July at 9.1 percent.

 

In the Region:

Athens: 9.6%
Hocking: 9.8%

Meigs: 13.7%

Monroe: 10.7%

Morgan: 12.3%

Noble: 11.8%

Perry: 11.2%

Washington: 8.4%  

Buckeye Hills Executive Committee: Meet the Members   
In each issue we feature a few Executive Committee members so you can get to know them more.

MONROE
 COUNTY: 

 

Curtis 

 

John Curtis:
Private Sector

Business & Commerce

 

John Curtis lives in Sardis and has served as a volunteer leader and member of the Buckeye Hills-Hocking Valley Regional Development District boards and committees for nearly 25 years.

 

In 2008, Curtis was honored with the first-ever Simcox Leadership Award at the semi-annual meeting of Buckeye Hills for his many years of service. This honor recognizes a current or past Buckeye Hills-Hocking Valley Regional Development District Board member, business, community or county leader who exemplifies principles of vision and leadership and commitment to the success of the 8-county region.

 

John has served as a Buckeye Hills leader on the Executive Committee, the Personnel Committee and with the Revolving Loan Fund.

 

John served in The United States Army from 1961-63. He has also been active on the Monroe County Airport Board and as Chairman of the Monroe County Democratic Central Committee. He is retired from the Ormet Corp. and has been married to wife, Kay for 50 years. They have three children and six grandchildren.

 

Always interested in what is best for the Ohio Valley, state and country, John is very active in politics and enjoys interaction with the region's government officials.  Through the years, he has taken an active interest in Buckeye Hills and says he greatly enjoys his involvement and seeing the good things that happen through this organization.

 

John's hobbies include hunting, fishing, and just being with his grandchildren and following their activities as much as possible.  He and his wife, Kay, both love to travel and have been all over the United States, as well as Hawaii and Alaska.

  

 
Pyles
 

John Pyles:

Monroe County Commissioner

  

John Pyles has been a Monroe County Commissioner since 2007 when he also joined the Executive Committee with Buckeye Hills. He served four terms as a Lee Township Trustee in Monroe County.

 

Aside from being a commissioner, John is also a member of many clubs and organizations including the National Wild Turkey Federation, Ohio Township Association, Monroe County Sportsman Club, Masonic Lodge 597, and the United Methodist Church. He is also a member of the United Steelworkers Local 5724 and the Laborer's Union 1149.

 

John is a life-long resident of Monroe County. He lives in Sardis with his family. While not in the office, he enjoys spending quality time with his family and friends watching OSU and Steelers' football, tending to his garden and spending time on the river. He is also an avid hunter and fisherman.

 

AEP Ohio Provides BizNet
Business Resource Network Grant 

 

 BizNetBuckeye Hills-Hocking Valley Regional Development District has been awarded $10,000 from AEP Ohio to continue the efforts of a regional Business Resource Network called BizNet.

Through a grant from The Ohio Department of Development, BizNet partners in a 12-county region have made nearly 150 visits with key employers since the beginning of 2011. The goal was to help identify and assist companies with possible resources.

 

"The AEP grant will enable BizNet to continue its proactive work in the region with companies that have needs or opportunities for growth," said Buckeye Hills Executive Director Misty Casto. "The BizNet partners are working to further strengthen relationships with community business leaders and our region's employers."

 

Buckeye Hills serves Athens, Hocking, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Noble, Perry, and Washington Counties; the grant program will also include Belmont, Guernsey, Jefferson and Muskingum Counties. To learn more, visit www.buckeyehills.org/biznet

 

BizNet ReportBizNet Program Provides Initial Report  

A BizNet report that provides an overview of the Business Retention Program in the 12-county SE Ohio region ending June 2011 is now available at online. The program was funded through an Early Warning grant with The Ohio Dept. of Development. AEP has provided a continuation grant of $10,000 for the BizNet visitation process in the short-term as well.

 

The report provides top-line details entered from the visits into the Executive Pulse database system adopted. Further details may be available in the future as additional reports are developed. The BizNet Partners who conducted the visits and are working to keep the program moving forward include:

  • Athens Economic Development Council
  • Belmont County Department of Development / Community Improvement Corp.
  • Progress Alliance
  • Cambridge-Guernsey County Community Improvement Corporation
  • Jefferson County Progress Alliance
  • Logan-Hocking Chamber of Commerce
  • Meigs County Office of Economic Development
  • Monroe County Commissioners
  • Morgan County Development Office
  • OSU Extension-Noble County
  • Perry County Commissioners/Chamber of Commerce
  • Small Business Development Center (SBDC) - Marietta
  • Small Business Development Center (SBDC) - Athens
  • Southeastern Ohio Port Authority and Marietta Chamber
  • Zanesville-Muskingum Port Authority

facebook

Visit BizNet on Facebook for Updates!

Be sure to "Like" BizNet on Facebook!

JobsOhio Update for Appalachian Region
 
Appalachian Partnership for Economic Growth (APEG) Forming

 

JobsOhio MapThe Ohio Appalachian Business Council emerged from the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio's ICAN! Corporate Partnership, a network of businesses committed to supporting the Foundation and the region by creating educational opportunities through philanthropy.

 

Recognizing this newly developing organization, the Ohio Department of Development (ODOD) invited the OABC to apply for Third Frontier Commission funding to become the southeast JobsOhio regional partner. One organization in each of the six JobsOhio regions across the state was invited to respond to ODOD's request for proposals.

 

The emergence of the OABC to team with the region's strong business assistance and technology commercialization partners represents a new day in the history of the region. The OABC is a private sector partnership with a deep understanding of needs and assets related to job creation in Appalachian Ohio.

 

Designed to serve the 32 counties of Appalachian Ohio with a broader mission than that of JobsOhio, the Ohio Appalachian Business Council is in the process of forming a subsidiary LLC called the Appalachian Partnership for Economic Growth (APEG) to serve as the JobsOhio Network partner for the southeast 25-county JobsOhio region. Because significant economic development assets exist within the region to advance APEG's mission, APEG will work to reflect and incorporate the existing economic development landscape, using its existing structures and partnerships to the greatest degree possible.

 

The creation of APEG will provide the opportunity to work together to shape the organization over the first year of the grant while developing a strategic economic development plan that builds on the region's assets to create wealth and jobs. To lay this groundwork, the OABC, with the Foundation's support, therefore launched an initial partnership process during the brief period of time available for proposal development calling upon the region's local development districts, local economic development professionals, and economic development service providers to offer input and feedback to shape the proposal as well as next steps in the process. Please feel free to share your thoughts by emailing [email protected].

Auditor AwardBuckeye Hills-HVRDD Receives Auditor of State Award

 

The Fiscal Year 2010 financial audit of Buckeye Hills-Hocking Valley Regional Development District (BH-HVRDD) by the Auditor of State Dave Yost's office has returned a clean audit report. Buckeye Hills' excellent record keeping has earned it the Auditor of State Award.

 

The award is presented to local governments and school districts upon the completion of a financial audit. Entities that receive the award must meet a variety of criteria for a "clean" audit report.

 

"We were very pleased to learn of the Buckeye Hills Auditor of State Award," said Executive Board PresidentRon Moore of Morgan County. "It is a continuing reassurance to community leaders and to the residents across the district's eight-county region that public dollars are being used in a cost-effective and fiscally prudent manner."

 

Buckeye Hills operates the Area Agency on Aging providing programs to the elderly, provides small businesses with loans for expansion and supports communities with accessing funding for infrastructure, health care and more.

 

The Buckeye Hills fiscal department is directed by Douglas Dye. He has been with the organization since 1998. Dye earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Kent State University and a Bachelor of Arts degree (Major in Accounting) from Marietta College. The department staff also includes Denise Keyes, Fiscal Manager; and Fiscal Assistants Debbie Parsons and Brenda Wolfe.

AAA8 

bp

Join Us for the Annual
Choices Expo: Nov.9!   
8 a.m. - 2 p.m. Comfort Inn, Marietta 
Promoting personal choice and independence for
older adults and people with disabilities.

 

Every month another 12,000 Ohioans turn age 60 yet less than 37 percent of these adults feel they know enough about long-term care to make informed decisions. Promoting personal choice and independence for older adults and people with disabilities, the annual Choices Expo will be hosted at the Marietta Comfort Inn on Weds., Nov. 9 from 8 a.m - 2 p.m.

 

Caregivers, senior citizens and people with disabilities from across the region can find details about long-term care options and much more. Information on healthy lifestyles, caregiver services, screenings to determine basic health needs, and details on retirement planning as well as free food and entertainment are part of the event. Contact Mindy Cayton at the Area Agency on Aging 8 at 1-800-331-2644 or visit www.areaagency8.org for details.

 

This year, the Choices Expo event is organized by The SE Ohio Aging & Disability Resource Network (ADRN), and will be expanded to include resources for seniors, those under 60 with disabilities and caregivers. 

  

Teams are signed up for the new Chair Volleyball Tournament at this year's event - sponsored by Scenic Hills Senior Center. Even if you don't have a chair volleyball team you still have time to organize one and practice! 

 

Early bird sponsorship and exhibitor deadlines are Oct. 21!  Call Mindy Cayton at 1-800-331-2644 ext.266 or 740-376-7645 for a brochure. Details also available at www.areaagency8.org

 

The event Title Sponsor again this year is Results Radio.

Media Sponsor: The Marietta Times

Gold Sponsors: Fosterbridge Home Care, Ohio Valley Home Health, & Marietta Memorial Hospital

Bronze Sponsor: Comfort Keepers

  

calendarMedicare Open Enrollment Is October 15 - December 7

(Article from AoA)


 

Your health needs change from year to year. And, your health plan may change the benefits and costs each year too. Open Enrollment is the one time of year when all people with Medicare can see what new benefits Medicare has to offer and make changes to their coverage.

 

There's never been a better time to check out Medicare coverage. There are new benefits available for all people with Medicare - whether you choose Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage plan - including lower prescription costs, wellness visits and preventive care. Take advantage of Open Enrollment and you may be able to save money, get better coverage, or both.

 

What is the benefit of having an earlier enrollment period?

Starting this year, Open Enrollment starts earlier - on October 15th - and lasts longer (seven full weeks) to give you enough time to review and make changes to your coverage. But, also starting in 2011, you will need to make your final selection for next year's Medicare coverage by December 7th. This change ensures Medicare has enough time to process your choice, so your coverage can begin without interruption on January 1.

 

It's worth it to take the time to review and compare, but you don't have to do it alone. If you typically use the December holidays to discuss health care options with family or friends, plan now to move that conversation earlier. And remember that Medicare is available to help.

To compare your current coverage with all of the options available in your area, and to enroll in a new plan if you decide to make a change, please go to http://www.medicare.gov/find-a-plan

 

Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) 24-hours a day/7 days a week to find out more about your coverage options. Review the Medicare & You 2012 Handbook. It is typically mailed to people with Medicare in September.

 

Get one-on-one help from your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). Contact information for your SHIP office is available at http://www.medicare.gov/contacts.

Contact Us
Buckeye Hills is organized as a voluntary organization of local government political subdivisions to foster cooperative efforts in regional planning, and implementing of regional plans and programs. Share your success stories and let us assist with your development needs. 
Misty Casto - Executive Director: 740-376-1034
Rick Hindman - Assistant Executive Director & AAA8 Director: 740-376-1029
Melissa Zoller - Development Director: 740-376-1027
Doug Dye - Fiscal Director: 740-376-1031
Gwynn Stewart- Communications Director: 740-376-1030