Springfield Township Newsletter
July/August 2010
Issue 11
Dear View Place Neighbors,
Since 2006 we have enjoyed seeing the results of saving our residents money with the Township's utilities aggregation programs. Ten years ago, we would never have imagined that local government would have the opportunity to help residents with utility expenses by purchasing our gas and electric as a group - instead of as an individual homeowner. To date, residents and small businesses have saved in excess of $2 million on electric bills from that program's inception in June 2009. The gas program has saved residents over $678,000 since it's inception in 2006. You will be happy to know that we have locked in a rate of 5.70 cents per kWh for all electric consumed during the billing months of February 2011 through January 2012. This rate is 17.2% lower than last year and could save you over $450 per year if Duke Energy's current average rate for generation charges remains unchanged.
We are always looking to find ways to save tax dollars, and to save residents and small businesses money in any way possible. We hope you are enjoying a bit of the savings - as we crank up the air conditioning in this 90 degree weather!
Sincerely,
Your Trustees -
Joseph Honerlaw, Gwen McFarlin and Tom Bryan
Link to learn more about the Township's Aggregation Program
Features
Electric Aggregation
Second Document Shredding Event
Summer Concert Series
Winton Road Streetscape
Master Plan Update
SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP ANNOUNCES
NEW ELECTRIC AGGREGATION PROGRAM RATE AND CLARIFIES INACCURATE OFFER BY DUKE ENERGY RETAIL
Springfield Township officials would like to remind residents and small businesses to look for a notice that has recently been mailed concerning the new rate for the electric aggregation program supplied by Dominion Retail. Members in the program are being offered a very low fixed-rate of 5.70 cents per kWh for all electric consumed during the billing months of February 2011 through January 2012.
This offer is substantially better than a recent offer mailed to residents participating in the Township aggregation program by Duke Retail of 6.39 cents per KWh for the remainder of 2010 and 2011.
"Duke's offer is both misleading and inaccurate," said Township Trustee Joe Honerlaw. "Duke Retail fails to inform residents that the Township's aggregation program will offer a price in 2011 that is nearly 11% lower than the Duke Retail price offer. Therefore, residents who switch to Duke Retail will actually pay more for electric than if they remain in the Township's program," added Mr. Honerlaw.
Township Administrator, Michael Hinnenkamp strongly urges Township residents to call the Township to ensure they understand the complete picture and consequences of switching to Duke Retail's offer before doing so. "We've been working with our aggregation consultant Independent Energy Consultants, Inc. and have been watching the wholesale electric market very closely. We sought bids to continue our electric program now, because energy prices are very attractive. Duke Retail has been invited to participate as a supplier in our program since its inception but has chosen not to participate." Hinnenkamp added, "It is unfortunate that they have chosen to send out a letter promising savings to our residents when the result of switching will actually result in higher cost. Our program has provided an excellent alternative to Duke Energy's electric generation supply charges which currently average 9.43 cents per kWh. Collectively, participants in our program have saved over $2 million in our first year with Dominion Retail," he added.
Richard Zelenko, Dominion Retail Vice President said, "We're pleased to continue to serve the residents of Springfield Township. Current participants should look for an opt-out notice from Dominion Retail that was mailed late last week. These account holders will remain enrolled in the program for another year starting with February 2011 billing, unless they contact Dominion Retail and ask not to be included."
A Second Document Shredding Program Scheduled For Residents of Springfield Township
July 31, 2010 9:00a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
On Saturday, May 22, The Springfield Township Police Department hosted a document shredding event designed to help residents prevent identity theft. An industrial sized mobile shredding truck parked at the Administration complex to destroy personal files. The demand for the program exceeded all expectations! Over ten thousand pounds of documents were shredded during the four-hour event. Unfortunately, many were turned away after the truck was filled to capacity. With the encouragement of residents, The Springfield Township Police Department and Board of Trustees will host a second shredding event on Saturday, July 31. The event will take place in the back lot - closest to the Grove Banquet Hall at 9158 Winton Road. Residents may drive up to have professionals dispose of personal and confidential documents on site. No need to remove binder covers, folders, paper clips, or staples because the industrial shredders will easily cut through them. All shredded documents will be recycled. This service is for residents of the Township only and proof of residency will be required.The shredding will take place from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m., or when the truck is filled to capacity, whichever comes first. Please expect a line, and you are advised to bring a rolling cart or a dolly for heavy boxes.
Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the United States, according to the FBI. Approximately 7 million Americans become victims of identity theft each year. Help protect yourself and your family from identity theft by having your personal and confidential documents safely destroyed.
To protect your identity, it is recommended that you should shred:
Obsolete tax documents
Bank statements including cancelled checks
Credit card statements and credit card receipts and credit card offers
Financial account statements
Insurance documents
Business records
Any documents you want safely destroyed and recycled!
This service is only offered to residents, not businesses.
Public Meeting Announcement:
Wood Boilers
A public meeting will be held by the Springfield Township Board of Trustees on Wednesday, August 18, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. regarding the use of wood boilers on residential property in the Township. The Board will listen to residents with concerns and validations for wood boilers. This hearing is intended to listen to both sides of the debate, prior to consideration of placing any restrictions or bans on these systems. The meeting will take place in the Administration Complex at 9150 Winton Road. (The Allen Paul Room)
Enjoy the Summer with Springfield Township's Summer Concert Series!
Springfield Township's kicked off its free summer concert series in June. Here's more about the upcoming concerts for July and August:
Thursday, July 22
Cincinnati Civic Orchestra
Eleven Decades of Broadway
Pre-show and Dinner at 5:30 p.m (Dinner reservations must be made in advance)
Concert: 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
**Will be held indoors at the Grove Banquet Hall
The Cincinnati Civic Orchestra was founded in 1929 and made its performance debut the following year. The orchestra is one of the oldest all-volunteer groups in the United States and has provided Cincinnati area musicians with the opportunity to make music together for almost eighty years. As part of their charter, they are committed to continuing to provide Cincinnati area residents with FREE public concerts. The concert, being held at the Grove Banquet Hall, will feature the best and most memorable tunes of Broadway! Sure to be a crowd pleaser!
Unique to this event, the Township is offering a dinner, complete with pre-show entertainment by cool jazz musician, Dan Jackson.
View the menu online now.
Register now for dinner.
Thursday, August 5
Ohio Military Band
7:00 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.
Will be held on the back deck of the Senior/Community Center
Food: TBA
The Ohio Military Band is the oldest community band in the Cincinnati. It has been in existence since 1904, with roots tracing back to the 1854! Those attending the show can expect a beautiful variety of musical styles, including marches, classics, show tunes, and more.
All of the community concerts are made possible through the donation of services by the performing group. For more information, call 522-1410 or visit http://www.springfieldtwp.org/concerts.cfm#
Could Springfield Township Have Its Own Community Improvement Foundation?
Would you be interested in serving on a board?
It's an exciting buzz that is positively contagious! It seems residents in Springfield Township have recently been more interested than ever to make a difference in their community! This energized interest has been witnessed in countless small projects around our community that have been coordinated by residents just like you. We have most recently seen park improvements and small beautification projects taking shape. In the month of August, a local church will come together to paint street sign posts and trash cans. Another is working on a clean streams effort to reduce local waterway pollution. It's an amazing thing we are witnessing in our community and it is only the beginning of bigger and better things ahead. With the recent interest, discussions have begun on the creation of a new nonprofit community organization with the goal of raising funds to support community activities and neighborhood revitalization projects. If you would like to share your talents and participate in the creation of a Springfield Township improvement foundation, please send an email with your contact information to residentspeak@springfieldtwp.org.
Space Still Left For Springfield Township Junior Fire Academy!
The Junior Fire Academy camp program still has openings for kids between the ages of 13-17. This exciting program takes place July 26 - 30 (Monday-Thursday) 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. - 7 p.m. on Friday and is geared towards young teens who may have an interest in being a firefighter. Students will participate in hands-on fire safety activities. The program includes suiting up in firefighter's gear, breathing from a SCBA, using auto extrication equipment, fire extinguisher training and basic first aid and CPR. The camp is FREE and open to Springfield Township residents only. This is a unique and rare opportunity that any teen would benefit from!
Register online now.
Winton Road
Steetscape Soon To Get Finishing Touches!
As part of the Winton Road construction project, decorative light poles and fencing enhancements over Cross County Highway were planned to provide a welcoming "sense of place" in the community, specifically to the main shopping district in Springfield Township. Businesses and residents alike have been anticipating the completion of this project.
What Has Been Done:
The bases and electric connections for the light poles were put in place during the construction period last fall. The actual installation of the light poles has been slightly delayed due to a lengthy grant process that Township Trustees researched and applied for. Their hard work and wait payed off! Springfield Township was awarded the grant which will pay for more than 80% of the cost for the decorative elements in the streetscape plan.
What is Next and What is the Timeline:
Conditions of the state grant require that the project be managed by the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and was subject to their bidding process. The streetscape project was bid in mid-June and later awarded to the lowest bidder. The accepted bid came in significantly less than the original estimate. The contractor has set the streetscape schedule and plans to have all projects completed this fall.
Road closure announcements from Hamilton County Engineers Office
SHADYBROOK DR (68 Block) ROAD CLOSURE JUST WEST OF VINE (SR 4)
Springfield Township received notice of a road closure for construction. The following press release is being passed on:
William W. Brayshaw, the Hamilton County Engineer, announced the closing of Shadybrook Drive, just west of Vine Street (SR 4) in Springfield Township. Work being performed by Langenheim & Thomson is a bridge replacement and is anticipated to last until August 20, 2010 (weather permitting).
Problems/questions should be directed to either Dave Langenheim with Langenheim & Thomson at 272-0022 or to Tom Brayshaw with the Hamilton County Engineer at 946-8419. For information on other Hamilton County projects, please visit www.hamilton-co.org/engineer
Neighborhood Master Plan - A Consultant Has Been Hired!
The Neighborhood Master Plan is at the halfway point of completion. Four out of the scheduled seven resident-based steering committee meetings have been held to develop strategies for improvement. These meetings have resulted in plans for steps to financial stability, marketing and improved communications, community services, and ways for dealing with specific issues in law enforcement. The upcoming meetings will focus on neighborhood stability and infrastructure. The Township has hired the urban design firm KKG to assist in the analysis of market conditions and in the development of specific neighborhood land use and redevelopment plans. The final plan will be unveiled to the public at the State of the Township address in February, 2011.
Going on Vacation? Call The Springfield Township Police Department
Did you know that the Springfield Township Police Department offers a service whereby you can call them to check on your house while your gone on vacation? Call 729-1300, give them the dates you will be gone and an officer will check on your home while you are away. Its a great service that many residents take advantage of - but many more may not be aware of!
Theft From Unlocked Vehicles
There has been an increase in media coverage lately regarding thefts from unlocked vehicles in the Tri-State area. Most of these news articles have involved communities surrounding the City of Cincinnati. Unfortunately, Springfield Township is not immune to this activity and the Police Department has seen an increase in these types of thefts in all areas of the Township. Most of these thefts are avoidable because they are crimes of opportunity. Our officers are working daily to not only solve the thefts that have already occurred, but also to prevent future thefts from occurring. As summer gets into full swing, we would like residents to keep the following things in mind when leaving their vehicles unattended in parking lots or driveways.
1) Always lock your car doors and make sure that windows and sunroofs are closed.
As stated before, most of these crimes are crimes of opportunity. Thieves will target a car with the doors unlocked or the windows down before they will take the chance of breaking a window or using other means of force to get into a car that might alert people to their activity.
2) Keep valuables and electronic devices out of site, including related power cords.
If a thief is walking down the street or through a parking lot and can see items of value in your vehicle, in their mind, the risk of having someone hear them break a window is worth the reward of getting an expensive MP3 player or a GPS unit. Thieves will also break into a car if they see the power cords for items such as GPS devices or phone chargers. They will break into the car in hopes that the actual units are still in the vehicle. Make sure that you take expensive equipment out of your car if you are parking it outside overnight or if you are going to leave your car unattended for some time. At a minimum, hide the equipment and cords out of sight in the vehicle if you can't put them somewhere else. Also be aware of loose change, wallets, or purses that are in plain sight.
3) Be aware of expensive stereo equipment visible in your car
The Township Police has arrested individuals in the past who have indicated that they broke into specific cars and stole the stereo equipment inside because they knew that it was there. They knew that the equipment was in the car because they saw or heard the owner of the car driving it with the stereo turned up loud. If you have expensive equipment in the car, remove the stereo faceplate and keep it out of sight or inside the house. Keep in mind that Springfield Township, like most communities, has a loud noise ordinance which restricts loud noise that is audible from a vehicle by more than fifty feet away.
4) Report suspicious activity in your neighborhood to the police right away
In last month, our officers have arrested individuals in three separate incidents where people were breaking into cars at night. In one of those cases, a person called our department to let us know that there were suspicious persons on the street late at night. The caller thought that the kids might be going through unlocked cars. Officers patrolled the area and located two kids who were subsequently arrested for breaking into a car and taking stereo equipment from it. Had the officers not received the call, the suspicious kids may have never been arrested for the theft and the owner may still be trying to recover the property.
Many people feel that the activity that they have witnessed is not important enough to call the police about or that it is too late at night to bother the police so they will call in the morning. Often times, had the call been made when the activity was witnessed, there would have been a good chance of stopping the criminal activity and making an arrest. Don't hesitate to call if you see something that does not look right.
Keeping these simple things in mind will not guarantee that you will not become a victim of a theft. It will, however, make thieves think twice about victimizing you. If you have any concerns, please feel free to contact the Springfield Township Police Department at 729-1300.
Join Us!
Springfield Township is on Facebook, Twitter and You Tube!
(Click on any link to join that group)
Personal History Writing Workshop Offered at the Springfield Township Senior/Community Center
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/Community Center is launching a new writing program designed to help you discover new ways to look at your life experiences and 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/Community Center from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, August 4th, 11th, 18th & 25th. Cost for the series is $40 for Springfield Township residents and $50 for non-residents. Participants will need a 3-ring binder and pen for each class.
Register Now!
Registrations may be taken online, over the phone at 513-522-1154 513-522-1154 or by e-mail to tschneider@springfieldtwp.org. Please note that a 4% fee applies to online credit card payments by PayPal.
Community Garage Sale Recap
Springfield Township hosted its second annual Community Garage Sale on June 5. The event attracted over 1,200 shoppers! Upon completion of the event, one and a half semi-trucks full of donations were collected for Goodwill. All in all, it was a great event!
Watch the NEW "Talking With Springfield Township" Episode on Waycross
Waycross Airs "Talking With Springfield Township"
Watch it online now
Featuring:
An overview of Township projects from Administrator, Mike Hinnenkamp:
Aggregation programs saving residents money
Winton Road streetscape progress
Project efficiency to save money
Master Plan Update
· Marilyn Pappas and Lt. Kevin Richards from the Township Fire Department go over the warning signs for a heart attack and demonstrate the effectiveness in the technology carried on the ambulances.
Quick Links
Community Calendar & News Board
Neighborhood Master Plan
View Trustee Meetings online
Visit Us on You Tube
On Facebook
Receive Tweets on Twitter
Township Directory
Census 2010
Community Concert Schedule
Waycross Community Media
Renting the Grove Banquet Hall
Phone Numbers
Springfield Township Administration Offices
522-1410
Springfield Township Police
729-1300
Fire Station 79
(Winton Road)
521-7578
Fire Station 75
(Burlington Road ) 851-3030
Service Department (Roads)
522-1410
Senior/Community Center 522-1154
The Grove Banquet Hall (Rentals)
522-1154
Property Maintenance Complaint
522-1410
nuisancecomplaints
@springfieldtwp.org
Hamilton County Roads: 946-8900
Hamilton County Board of Elections
632-7000
Upcoming Community Events
See event details and more events here
July 13
Trustee Meeting at 5:30 p.m.
July 22
Dinner & Concert with the Cincinnati Civic Orchestra
Make Dinner Reservations!
July 23, 24 & 26
St Bartholomew's Festival
July 31
Springfield Township Resident Document Shredding Program (FREE!)
August 5
Free Community Concert -
Ohio Military Band
August 10
Trustee Meeting 5:30 p.m.
August 18
Public meeting on wood boilers
Submitted Announcements
The Winton Woods School District is looking for host
families for the Global Youth Leadership Camp. The camp dates are from July 12-23rd, 8:45-3:30 at the Winton Woods Intermediate School. The students will need their own bed (not their own room), transportation to and from the camp, and a packed lunch. They have medical insurance and their own spending money. PLEASE consider opening your home to one or more of the Chinese students....you won't regret it! Contact Mimi Khayo, at khayo.mimi@wintonwoods.org for more info.
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Volleyball coach needed: Hamilton County Math and Science Academy is looking for an experienced volleyball coach to coach 7TH and 8TH grade girls. Please forward resume to 2675 Civic Center Drive, Cincinnati , Ohio 45231 or send an email tmoore5691@yahoo.com
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Dr. Alan Robertson, who has been Interim Superintendent of the Finneytown Local School District for six months, was named superintendent.
Finneytown faculty and staff learned of his appointment at the annual faculty-staff end of year district meeting on Monday, June 7. The board met at a specially called Board of Education meeting on June 2 and offered the position to Dr. Robertson. He was given a two-year contract upon his formal appointment on June 21, 2010 at the Board of Education meeting.
Introducing Dr. Robertson to the staff, Finneytown Board of Education vice president Laura Horn said that while the board was sad to see the former superintendent leave, "We felt confident that Dr. Alan Robertson would step up to the plate and assist us to the end of the school year."
She added that although the board had to fill a vacant board seat, pass a levy and then find a superintendent, "Alan was there every step of the way during the past six months. This speaks volumes of his dedication and commitment to Finneytown schools, the teachers and the community."
Robertson received a standing ovation as he took the stage to shake hands with Mrs. Horn.
Dr. Robertson thanked the board and the staff then addressed the crowd, "Our community - not just the parents of the students, but the community - cares about our schools. We still have to be under the guise of fiscal responsibility. The community has invested in us and we have an expectation to make sure that the parents and non-parents know what we're doing. We're good but we're going to get better, because that's what the community expects of us."
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Waycross Community Media is offering area boy scouts the opportunity to earn up to three merit badges this summer - Cinematography, Photography, and Communications.
Each badge will require attendance at three sessions over three days. The schedule is as follows:
Cinematography: August 17, 18, 19 from 9 AM 10:15 AM
Photography: August 17, 18, 19 from 10:30 AM to 11:45 AM
Communications: August 17, 18, 19 from 12 PM - 1:15 PM
To register, visit http://www.waycross.tv/scouts. For more information, contact Heather Wiltse at 825-2429 or heatherw@waycross.org.
Ohio Missing Children Clearinghouse 2009 Annual Report, now available online
View the 2009 Report here
In 2009, more than 20,000 missing child reports were filed by parents or guardians in Ohio; more than 700 of those were for children under the age of 12. While 97% of the children were eventually recovered safely, thousands of parents were forced to face their worst nightmare.
The Ohio Missing Children Clearinghouse has worked with parents and schools for almost 20 years to keep kids safe. The Ohio Attorney General's office operates the Clearinghouse, which compiles data on missing children, acts as a liaison with law enforcement and partners with the Ohio Department of Education and the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services to train and provide educational materials to teachers, parents, children and law enforcement. Additionally, the clearinghouse issues Missing Child Alerts and Missing Adult Alerts, coordinates with law enforcement in the issuance of AMBER Alerts and works to raise awareness of the problems surrounding runaway children, human trafficking, kidnapping and missing adults.
The Ohio Attorney General's Office has also produced the Kids Safety Passport, a useful tool for parents to record their child's personal identification information including fingerprints and social networking site login and password information. It is available at no cost from the office by calling the Attorney General's Help Center at (800) 282-0515 (800) 282-0515 . The Kids Safety Passport can also be found online .(Click on underscore)
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