Dear ,
As your elected officials, we are always looking for ways to improve our community. Springfield Township, like almost every other community in the nation, has experienced a decline in home values. Declining home values in today's market present a tough challenge for every community, but we are tackling the issue head on.
The July E-News issue outlined the rental inspection program that we have taken steps to implement in the Township.. Your positive responses to the program were overwhelming. Your thoughtful comments have been helpful to us as trustees as we make final decisions concerning the specifics of this new program.
This newsletter features another opportunity for you to give us your thoughts and ideas. Read ahead to learn more about meetings scheduled to discuss the future of your neighborhood's Master Plan. We intend to hold meetings with the residents in each neighborhood of the township in order to identify those issues and concerns which they believe are most important in their community. With this information, we intend to create a Neighborhood Master Plan which will address each neighborhood's issues and opportunities on a case by case basis.
This issue will also introduce an innovative "Sold on Springfield Township" event designed to invigorate our housing market. Adding to that, we also just completed a new marketing video, created by the Cincinnati Enquirer at no cost that touts the many reasons to live in the Springfield Township.
You can make a difference. Please attend your scheduled neighborhood meeting and even bring your neighbors with you. The best way to sell the Township is for all of us to make our properties as attractive as possible. Get your own yard prepped and ready for our "Sold on Springfield Township" event on September 20th. We hope to draw many new homebuyers into the area and we want them to see what a great community we have here. For the internet savvy, feel free to share the new Springfield Township video with your social networking groups.
We will continue to work hard for all the residents of Springfield Township. Please feel free to call or send your comments via e-mail. We value your thoughts and ideas.
Sincerely,
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What Would Make A Difference
in YOUR Neighborhood?
Master Planning Starts With Meeting You
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Over the past few issues of the Springfield Township e-news, we have discussed gathering resident feedback and creating a customize neighborhood-by-neighborhood master plan. Starting August 31st and running throughout October, your Township Trustees and staff will host a series of meetings that are neighborhood specific, as a way to begin the process of creating this master plan. So, what is this "Neighborhood Master Plan? " Springfield Township is a unique, diverse community that is comprised of many different neighborhoods, each with their unique character, attributes and needs. In addition, the Township includes one school district that is entirely within the Township and portions of six others. With a total of 39,755 residents and about 16,000 households, we recognize that an overall Master Plan for the entire Township may fail to address the individual and specific needs of a particular neighborhood. Therefore, we are creating a Master Plan process that embraces the Township for what it is - a community of neighborhoods. You care about your neighborhood, what it looks like and what it could be. It's where you call home. Creating many individually customized, but unified neighborhood and district plans, will allow us to better ensure our Township's sustainability and create a path for a bright future. The Meetings: Your neighborhood meeting has been scheduled. Please click here to find your neighborhood meeting date, time and location. Online, you may even choose to receive an e-mail reminder notice. Each meeting will last approximately two hours and will be held at a
location nearby. Starting at 7:00 p.m., each neighborhood meeting will
begin with a presentation of your current neighborhood conditions: land
use, economic conditions, housing conditions, rental statistics, crime
rate, fire response time, road infrastructure, and neighborhood
attributes. This will provide residents with statistical information as
it relates to where they live. The second half of the meeting will be
designed to gather specific suggestions from residents. This segment is
to be used as an idea brainstorm from residents - things to make your
neighborhood better, stronger, sustainable and prosperous. Your ideas
will be written down for consideration. In larger neighborhoods, a
moderator may be used to insure everyone's suggestions are heard and
recorded. Your ideas will not be disputed or debated. Your Trustees,
members of the police, fire and administration departments will be on
hand at the conclusion of the meeting to address individual questions
or concerns .
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Sold On Springfield Township
A One-Day Open House Fair to Promote Homeownership
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 Local businesses have stepped up to help in the first ever,
township-wide, community open house! The event, scheduled for Sunday,
September 20, 2009, will showcase the many homes for sale in the
community to potential home buyers. Business such as North Side Bank,
Bridge Creek Condos by Drees Homes, Sibcy Cline, Finneytown Skyline Chili, Finneytown Donatos and The Goody
Shop have donated financial and product donations to support the
effort. The event will be advertised on Cincinnati.com, Q102, with the
Cincinnati Area Board of Realtors and through coordinated news
releases. The goal is to have at least 80% of the homes for sale in
Springfield Township, to host open house anytime between the hours of
12:00 noon - 4:00 p.m.The one-day open house fair, entitled "Sold on
Springfield Township" will invite home buyers to the Springfield
Township Administration Complex, anytime between 12:00 - 2:00p.m.
There, guests will register for the event and receive a schedule of
open houses, a free gift bag filled with coupons and gifts from our
local businesses, and a free admission pass to evening activities at
Winton Woods Parky's Farm. Registered guests will also receive a
certificate entitling them to $250 off closing costs with participating
Springfield Township banks! (North Side Bank, US Bank, WesBanco, and Spring Valley Bank. - Additional participating banks may be
announced.) Township officials will be on hand to answer questions
about living in the community and Sibcy Cline agents will be available
if anyone would like a guided tour of homes. Projects, Events &
Communications Coordinator Kimberlee Flamm states, "We have a lot of
great homes available in the Township. From first time home buyers, to
empty nesters - Springfield Township has a with the perfect fit." This
event is designed to be a fun and engaging experience for home buyers.
For every participating open house they visit, participants will
receive a door prize ticket. To tie in one of the Township's biggest
assets, a wrap-up event will be hosted at Winton Woods Parky's Farm. After a
day of house hunting, home buyers will enjoy a relaxing evening at
Parky's with a complementary dinner provided by Donatos, and free
hayrides until 6:00p.m. Door prizes will be drawn from the returned Open House door prize tickets. It is our fullest expectation that prospective
residents will have a great time and a welcoming, positive experience
in Springfield Township. To learn more about "Sold on Springfield
Township" click here. If you are a business member who would like to
provide items for the gift bag, would like to sponsor the event, or
if you wish to register your home with an open house, call 522-1410. |
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Help Your Community - Recycle
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-Hamilton County Department of Environmental Services  Going Green To Help Your Community: Did you know that by dropping off your recycleable materials in the bins located at the Senior and Civic Centers actually helps your community! Springfield Township receives a donation from the Hamilton County Solid Waste District based on a percentage of the total tons recycled to those units. The donation can be used to purchase new, environmentally friendly products for the community. This year the Senior Center will benefit with much needed, eco-friendly carpeting in one of its most utilized rooms. So, with every plastic bottle you place in the bin, you have helped the community you live it! Recycle Tips: As a general rule of thumb, you can recycle: All paper (anything you can tear, except paper that has been in contact with food- like pizza boxes and paper plates)Metal Cans Plastic bottles and jugs (look for a mouth smaller than the rest of the container)Glass bottles and jars Going Green at Work: Just because your job is white collar doesn't mean it can't be green, too. If you're a business owner or employee looking to start recycling, the Hamilton County Solid Waste Management District (District) is there to help. The District features Recycling at Work, a free program specifically designed to provide local businesses with all of the resources and support they need to launch an office recycling program. The benefits of starting an office recycling program are enormous. Reducing the amount of waste your business throws away can lower the number of garbage pickups you pay for or reduce the size of the waste container your business requires, saving you money. Recycling also conserves natural resources because it makes it possible to create products from used paper, plastic, or metals instead of using raw materials. This reduces pollution, conserves landfill space, and decreases the need for mining, logging, and drilling for natural resources. Finally, recycling boosts the local economy, creating an economic impact of 169,000 jobs and $6 billion in annual wages just in the state of Ohio. As part of the Recycling at Work program, the District works with you and a recycling hauler to develop the best recycling plan for your business. Once the recycling plan is created, your business then receives free desk-side recycling containers, a recycling kick-off event, and employee education on what and how to recycle. Because the District's mission is to provide you with all of the tools, knowledge, and assistance you need to run a successful recycling program, all of these services are offered free of charge to Hamilton County businesses. With all of the perks associated with the Recycling at Work Program, your company has a lot to gain from going green. To start your office recycling initiative through the Recycling at Work Program, contact Michelle Balz, program coordinator, at michelle.balz@hamilton-co.org or 946-7789. For more information about the Recycling at Work Program, visit www.hamiltoncountyrecycles.org. |
The 2010 Census
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The 2010 Census is a count of everyone living in the United States and is mandated by the U.S. Constitution. Census data are used to distribute congressional seats to states, to distribute more than $300 billion in federal funds to local, state and tribal governments each year and to make decisions about what community services to provide. The 2010 Census questionnaire will be one of the shortest in history, consisting of 10 questions and taking about 10 minutes to complete. Strict laws protect the confidentiality of respondents and the information they provide. On July 8, 2009, The U.S. Census Bureau opened a data processing center in Jeffersonville, Ind., which will process 58 million 2010 Census forms completed by households in 10 states. The new facility will be at the Census Bureau's National Processing Center (NPC) and will employ approximately 1,350 people.
The Jeffersonville Data Processing Center is one of three sites nationwide where completed 2010 Census forms will be processed as they are mailed back by households starting next March.
The NPC is hiring staff for 2010 Census operations, including clerks and statistical clerks/data transcribers. Job descriptions and applications are available now at http://www.usajobs.gov. The NPC employment level at peak census processing will be approximately 5,000 people.
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Paramedics
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Congratulations to Joe Placke and Dan Goforth for becoming State of Ohio certificated paramedics in July. Joe and Dan had to endure 11 months of classroom lectures, hospital clinicals and ambulance ride time just to be able to qualify to participate in the state exam. According to Chief Leininger, "the paramedic program is approximately 1,000 hours of training and is extremely difficult." Joe is a part-time firefighter for Springfield Township, for Mt. Healthy and Blue Ash Fire Departments. Dan is a part-time firefighter for Springfield Township, West Chester Township and Woodlawn fire departments. Congratulations!
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A New Marketing Campaign For Springfield Township
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"A community of neighborhoods, a great place to call home." This is the message Springfield Township is putting out with a new video that can be seen on our website, on Cincinnati.com, on the Waycross - Channel 23, Facebook and even on You Tube. Cincinnati Enquirer Media produced the seventy-second spot that touts the main reasons residents say they live in Springfield Township. Convenience, recreation, tree lined streets, diverse cultures, academics and safety are among the attributes shared. Take a look!
*A special thank you to residents and Enquirer staff members Stacy Doose and Glen Hartong for making this video possible.
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Picture Perfect Classes at Springfield Township Community Center
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 Just in time for the upcoming holiday season, the Springfield Township Senior/Community Center will be hosting two photography classes this fall to help you get the most out of your treasured photo memories.
Point and Shoot, But Better will take place on Saturday, September 12 & 19 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. This two-part class is designed for all age groups who want to make better photographs with their pocket cameras, including using your zoom and flash, sports and action shooting and creating great family photos. It doesn't matter how big or small your camera is, it's how you use it! This class is for both the digital and film devotees. Cost for the two, 1½ hour sessions is $30 for Springfield Township residents and $40 for non-residents. Class size is limited to the first 30 registrants, with a minimum of 15 needed to conduct the class.
Your Digital SLR: The Next Level will be held on Thursday, September 24 and October 1, 8 and 15 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. This four-part class is designed for teens and adults using their own digital SLR camera or for those looking to purchase a new one. You'll learn about the digital SLR camera and its settings, using the "manual" modes, proper use of the flash, composition tricks and more. Cost for the four, 2 hour classes is $75 for Springfield Township residents and $85 for non-residents. Class size is limited to the first 30 registrants, with a minimum of 10 needed to conduct the class.
Both classes will be taught by Springfield Township resident Malinda Hartong. In addition to her experience in portrait and studio photography, Malinda has freelanced for various publications for over 10 years and now serves as the Cincinnati Enquirer's daytime breaking news photographer and videographer.
Complete information and registration forms can be found at both the Springfield Township Administration building and Senior/Community or online at www.springfieldtwp.org.
To register by mail, download & send completed form along with a check or money order (payable to Springfield Township) to Springfield Twp. Photo Workshop, 9150 Winton Road, Cincinnati, OH 45231.
Reservations can be made via phone or by e-mail using Visa, Master Card or Discover. Credit card orders will incur a 3% handling fee. To make a reservation by phone, contact Kim Flamm at 522-1410 or Thom Schneider at 522-1154. E-mail reservation requests can be made to tschneider@springfieldtwp.org.
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Holiday Rentals
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The days of summer are slowly beginning to wane. Before you know it, old man winter will be knocking on your door and the holidays will be in full swing! And of course, what would the holidays be without all those family get-togethers and celebrations? Springfield Township can help you plan a great holiday event by renting a party room for your family reunion or office gathering.
We have rooms available with the capacity for 40 to 126 guests and with a price that won't turn you into Ebenezer Scrooge! Catering packages with beer and wine service are also available through Cincinnati Catering.
Have a larger group event? Why not The Grove Banquet Hall with a capacity of up to 350 guests and a dance floor! Packages for the Grove include everything you need for a wonderful holiday event.
And what's the best thing about renting your party space in Springfield Township, besides not having to clean-up your house before AND after the party? All rental income goes towards maintaining and continuing the activities of the Senior and Community Center for you and your neighbors!
Book now for the best dates and times. Contact Senior/Community Services Director Thom Schneider at 522-1154 or at rentals@springfieldtwp.org
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Leave a Legacy
Personal History Writing Workshop
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Your life experiences could fill a book! Love and loss, hard work and fun, choices and challenges, heroes and villains, mistakes and lessons - your life has all of these elements. It is an amazing story, and you are the best one to tell it!
The Springfield Township Senior Center will help seniors discover new ways to look at their life experiences and fun-filled ways to share and preserve them for future generations through a Personal History Writing Workshop. This four-week workshop conducted by Mary Ann Mayers, owner of Extraordinary Lives, will help you chronicle several stories and build the momentum to continue saving and sharing stories with family and friends.
The Personal History Writing Workshop will be held at the Senior Center on Tuesdays from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. on August 18 & 25 and September 1 & 8. Cost for the series is $20 for senior center members and $30 for non-members. Those that choose to purchase a senior center membership at sign-up will have the additional non-membership fee waved. Participants will need a 3-ring binder and pen for each class.
Registrations will be taken up to the first day of the workshop series. Register at the Springfield Township Senior and Community Center or by calling 522-1154. Credit card payments will be accepted with a 3% surcharge. Normal operating hours are Tuesday through Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Friday 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
For more information, call 522-1154 or email tschneider@springfieldtwp.org.
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Neighborhood Meeting Dates
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August 31
Valleydale, Edgemont, Caldwell Areas
September 2
Seven Hills AreasSeptember 21
West College Hill & Golf Way Areas September 28
Neighborhood & Surrounding areas of Hollydale
Lexington Heights, Glencoe & Wellspring AreaOctober 5
"Hamilton Southwest" - Skyline Acres, Ranchill, Adams Ridge, Heudaphol, Miles areas
October 7
"Hamilton Northeast"
Covered Bridge, New Burlington, Ridgevale
Golf View Areas
October 14
"Winton Northwest"
North & South of West McKelvey, Sarbrook, Lakeside area
October 19
Pleasant Run Farms
October 21
"Winton North East" Long Lane, Millbrook, Windcrest Acres, Meadows of Wright
Farms, Bonham, Lochcrest, Lakeshore
October 26
Finneytown
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Senior Center Open House
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The Springfield Township Senior Center would like to invite residents to an Open House on Friday, September 25th from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Senior Citizens activities take place in the Township Senior/Community Center, 9158 Winton Road, located behind the Administration/Fire Department Complex.
A variety of hands-on activities are being planned to give residents a taste of what the Senior Center has to offer. A special membership rate will be available for those wishing to join the Center during their visit.
A complete list of activities will be found in next months E-Newsletter - be sure to check it out! Those wishing more information can contact Senior/Community Services Director Thom Schneider at 522-1154 or at tschneider@springfieldtwp.org.
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Paving the Way This Summer!
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(before)
(after)
A State Capital Improvement Program grant paved the way for a few new roads in Springfield Township this summer. The grant allowed the Township to stretch its dollars, providing four newly paved streets in the neighborhood of Seven Hills. The grant, totaling $383,000 provided a 50% match for the full expense of the project.
These streets were among the worst in the Township, with over 25 years of wear and tear. They suffered severe cracking, potholes and extensive curb damage.
The project took eight weeks to complete and employed multiple private contractors and laborers through Adleta Construction.
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Did You Know?
According to the new Community Health Review released by Hamilton County Public Health
There were 397 Births in Springfield Township in 2007. Of those, 198 were girls and 199 were boys!
View the full report in the green bar of the Township's homepage.
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