VERY FRIENDLY DOG SITED AROUND DEANVIEW, KEATS, AND BEACHTREE

A very friendly dog is wandering around the neighborhood and looking for his home.  He is a mix lab/shep/collie with a temperament of lab. He has bushy tail like a collie and built like a skinny shepherd. He is slightly larger than your average Lab. He is charming and will fetch his own stick to play with you.  He was last seen heading down Bruce Hills.  Please come get your dog!

Update: The doggy found "temporary" shelter at the Duffy's at the end of Deanview Drive but they have two dogs right now.  So please come get your dog!

Springfield Township Art & Wine Classes!!

FOLLOW THE LINK HERE TO SIGN UP! EVERYONE IS WELCOME TO ATTEND!

HATS OFF TO SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT!

In case your wondering why,  just let me say that it's the little things they do  and going above and beyond their scope of responsibilities that make living in View Place a very desirable place to live! Please call the Service Department to say thanks for all they do! 513- 522-1410 ...

Upcoming Springfield Township Meeting!

Springfield Township Shares Plans For the Future and Tax Budget - July 23, 2014

The Springfield Township Board of Trustees will conduct the annual tax budget public hearing, as required by state law, on Wednesday, July 23, 2014 at 5:30 p.m. in the Allen Paul Community Room, 9150 Winton Road. The tax budget hearing will be followed with a presentation and discussion of longer range issues, challenges and opportunities facing the Township, as well as preliminary five-year plan recommendations.

The presentation will highlight the Township’s response to past challenges and provide insight into key future decisions that will need to be made. Additionally, options and recommendations to the meet remaining future challenges will be presented and discussed.

Township Trustees invite residents, business owners and guests to attend the tax budget hearing and presentation, then provide input to the Board. Trustee Gwen McFarlin encourages residents to be informed, “Springfield Township is well known in Hamilton County as a leader of innovation and planning. Attending a meeting is just one way residents can learn more about the progress happening in Springfield Township. One of our major initiatives is to increase the frequency of our communications and to provide a number of ways we can better connect with the residents we serve.”

To receive regular community communications, residents are encouraged to register or update their existing Springfield Township e-news account by clicking on the “Notify Me” button on the Township’s website, www.springfieldtwp.org. There, individuals can add new subscription features to receive news they wish to receive from Springfield Township and may add their cell phone number for text messaging.

For more information on the tax budget public hearing, the 5-year plan presentation or for assistance in registering for e-news, please call 513-522-1410.

MISSING VBS SIGNS!!

Hello Neighbors!

There are a bunch of signs now missing that were  promoting the church's VBS the last week of July.  If you know anything about the signs or why they were removed, please contact the pastor at 761-4748.  

There are a lot of homes for sale in our neighborhood right now and it's important that we continue promoting View Place  neighborhood as family friendly.   Seeing the signs promoting the movie nights and VBS sponsored by the the church  provided a nice touch. 

Please contact Pastor David Bryan if you have any questions at 761-4748.

Enjoy this beautiful weather and check in with Springfield Township about upcoming concerts and  fun activities by going to their webpage at www.springfieldtwp.org ...

Donna on Deanview

Written Testimony about JEDZ ....

Written testimony of Joseph Honerlaw, Springfield Township Trustee before the
House State and Local Government Committee

Good afternoon Chairman Blair and Honorable Members of the House State and local Government Committee. My name is Joe Honerlaw and as Mr. Hinnenkamp mentioned, I am a Township Trustee for Springfield Township, Hamilton County, Ohio. I have held this office since 1996. Springfield Township is, for the most part, “built-out.” There are very few commercial or industrial uses in the Township and little land on which to develop such uses in the future. Therefore aggressive redevelopment and economic tools are critical to sustaining our community. Approximately, 30% of all of the land in Springfield Township is used for purposes which are exempt from paying property taxes (e.g. schools, churches, Winton Woods). As a
result, the vast majority of Township services are supported by the remaining 70% of the Township property owners – primarily residents – who pay one of the highest property tax rates in the County and State. lthough nearly 75% of each Township resident’s property tax bill is not Township taxes, the burden of these high taxes remains the same. The Township has worked hard to manage our own affairs and in recent years have
adopted and implemented economic development plans to revitalize our housing stock and redevelop our business corridors. However, recent actions by the State Legislature, including the consideration of HB 289 are making the completion of our plans and our very survival more and more unattainable. In 2011, the State Legislature dealt the Township a devastating blow by enacting sweeping changes to Ohio law which liminated a majority of the Township’s State funding sources. These legislative changes completely decimated all of the Township’s financial planning and its 5-Year Budget projections. By these changes, and over only a 2-year period of time, the State Legislature eliminated the estate tax, the tangible personnel property tax, the public utility tax, and reduced the Township’s share of Local Government Fund revenue by over 60%. Starting in 2013, these reductions will amount to a loss of nearly $2.5 Million dollars to Springfield Township each year. More than $2 Million of the reduction in revenues is in the Township’s General Fund and depletes that fund by more than half of its total annual revenue. If the JEDD/JEDZ option is eliminated from the tools available to the Township, Springfield Township residents and businesses will see a dramatic difference in the Township where they live and work and which they helped to create. The financial gap is simply too large for it to be otherwise. The Township has already cut $1.7 million dollars in expenditures. A further $2.5 Million dollar cut each year simply cannot be achieved without very real and very drastic reductions in personnel and services. And, there will be no other entity to “pick up the slack.” The Township will be unable to meet
many of the statutorily-required duties that impact all departments and services to the community, including debt obligations. Long term, property values and the quality of life in the Township will be diminished. School districts will be negatively impacted. Greater demands will be placed on the county and state governments to provide services which they do not currently provide, with fewer and fewer tax revenues coming in to pay for them. Springfield Township has managed to be successful because of our ability to cooperate with our neighbors, share services, and our ability to effectively manage our resources to provide high quality services to our residents. A further reduction to our already severely limited existing revenue raising tools will
undo many of the successful challenges we have met as a community and further damage our ability to meet the demands of the future head on. The Township has moved forward with steps to create a JEDZ in 2014 to provide some of the critical revenue we will need to remain sustainable. I strongly urge you to oppose moving this bill forward and keep the JEDD/JEDZ legislation as it is and as it has been for many, many years. Thank you very much for your time and attention today. Mr. Hinnenkamp and I are happy to answer any questions you may have.

ST. X LOUDSPEAKERS 3-4 DAYS A WEEK!

Call Jeff Dean at 244-1364 days and 761-6277 evenings/weekends if St.X's loudspeakers are bothering you. Some of our neighbors called to complain about the loudspeakers for the lacrosse games 3 or 4 days a week.  One neighbor called to  turn the microphone down and they didn't respond! 

JEDZ INFORMATION & UPCOMING MEETING

Click on  JEDZ for more information before you head to the polls.  If you have additional questions, please join us at the Finneytown Civic Association Meeting on Monday at 7 pm at the Grove.

Looking for an Easter Egg Hunt this weekend?

Everyone is invited to the Easter Egg Hunt at Faith Lutheran Church in Finneytown (8265 Winton Rd). It will be held at 1 PM on Saturday, April 19th. There will be an Easter Egg Hunt and other treats for toddlers through 6th grade, plus skits by the youth group. Then on Easter morning we have a Contemporary Worship Service at 7 AM, a free breakfast at 8 AM, Sunday School at 9 AM, and a traditional Worship at 10:15 AM. Please join us! All are welcome!

Why do we need to approve JEDZ?

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR THE RESIDENTS  AND BUSINESSES OF SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP  On May 6th, you will be asked to make  a very important decision at the election polls, one that will significantly impact your community and how it can serve you.   Over the past few years, and with great consequence, the Ohio State Legislature eliminated certain taxes and voted to keep a higher percentage of your tax dollars that had previously been returned to the Township and used to provide your services. As a result, Springfield Township’s General Fund operating revenues have been cut by 53%.  Because we anticipated some of these budget cuts (but not all), the Springfield Township Board of Trustees reduced operational expenditures by 35%. However, it’s not enough. Despite these actions to reduce General Fund expenditures by more than one-third, we are still faced with the decision of either pursuing a way to replace revenue or making further reductions in expenditures by approximately $1 million dollars.   The Board believes that further expenditure and service reductions will cause irreparable damage to the Township and negatively affect property values and the quality of life for Township residents and business owners.  Increasing revenues, on the other hand, will allow us to move forward with the implementation of the Township’s Comprehensive Neighborhood Master Plan. This plan expands economic development opportunities for our community through the revitalization of our neighborhoods, preservation of important resident services, and funding of vital infrastructure projects. The result of implementing the Comprehensive Neighborhood Master Plan will be an improved economic situation for the community. In other words, businesses and residents alike, will ultimately benefit. So, how do we replace the necessary revenues? As a Township, we are limited by State law to only two choices. We can propose a property tax increase or a Joint Economic Development Zone/District (JEDZ/JEDD).   We understand the current tax burden of Springfield Township property owners and do not want to propose additional property taxes for General Fund needs at this time. Also, because of the pressing need to improve economic conditions in the Township, creating a Joint Economic Development Zone (JEDZ) offers the most direct route toward economic development. Please take some time to read the enclosed information and learn about this critical decision that will shape your community for years to come.  Then, please be sure to vote on May 6th.  Additional information is available on the Township website atwww.springfieldtwp.org or call 522-1410 to have your questions answered. Sincerely, Your Springfield Township Board of Trustees Mark Berning                                      Joseph Honerlaw                          Gwen McFarlin     _____________________________________________________ WHAT IS SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP’S PROPOSED JOINT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ZONE (JEDZ)? Utilizing existing state law, the Township is proposing to partner with the City of Mt. Healthy to create a joint economic development zone (JEDZ).  The designated zone includes properties in Springfield Township where businesses are located and/or individuals work, excluding home-based businesses. The JEDZ will enable the collection of a 1.5% payroll/earnings tax on businesses and individuals who work in the zone.  As required by law, the City of Mt. Healthy must collect the tax and allocate the revenue between the Township and the City based on the percentage outlined in the agreement. The City of Mt. Healthy provided the Township with the most advantageous partnership agreement and gives Springfield Township the best option for future long-term collaborations aimed at reducing costs and dependency on property taxes. _____________________________________________________ WHY IS THE JEDZ BEING PROPOSED? • The Township’s General Fund operating revenue has been reduced by 53% due to actions taken by the Ohio State Legislature. • While the Township has reduced General Fund operational expenditures by 35%, the need to replace revenues by approximately $1 million still remains in order to prevent further budget cuts that could negatively affect property values and the quality of life for Township residents and business owners. • The JEDZ will allow the Township to implement the critical improvement strategies outlined in the Comprehensive Neighborhood Master Plan, which means expanding economic development opportunities, revitalizing our neighborhoods, preserving important resident services, and funding  infrastructure projects. • Understanding the current tax burden of Springfield Township property owners, Trustees do not want to propose additional property taxes for General Fund needs at this time. • Many employees travel into Springfield Township each day and use and benefit from services that property owners in the Township pay for.  Additionally, nearly 30% of the property in the Township is owned by a non-profit entity, which is tax-exempt and pays no property tax, but these entities also benefit from and use Township services.  For these reasons, the Board of Trustees feels that the JEDZ is the most fair and equitable way to replace the necessary revenue to enable the Township to move forward with vital economic development efforts and maintain important resident services.   _____________________________________________________ WHAT HAPPENS IF THE JEDZ IS NOT APPROVED BY VOTERS ON MAY 6th? • If no alternative methods of funding are identified, the Springfield Township Board of Trustees will have to consider increasing resident property taxes or making significant budget cuts. • The lack of funding will reduce the Township’s ability to implement important economic development strategies and will require significant cuts to the services that assist the Township in recruiting new businesses, development projects, and homeowners. • Budget cuts may include a reduction in snow removal, road repair, nuisance property enforcement, as well as the closing of the Senior & Community Arts Center and several Township parks. _____________________________________________________  Further information can be found atwww.springfieldtwp.org/jedz Please call 513-522-1410 for questions.

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ATTENTION WALKERS OR RUNNER!

Finneytown Boosters is holding  their 2nd Annual Wildcat 5k run  on April 5th.

Visit https://register.runningtime.net to register early!

Coyote Sightings!

Hello Neighbors!

A couple of nights this week Kevin, Sandy, & I have heard coyotes howling in the woods behind our house. Has anyone else heard or seen coyotes in the neighborhood? Anyone with small children or pets should be careful!

SUPPORT FINNEYTOWN PTA BY BUYING FLOWER/VEGETABLE VOUCHERS & SAVE!

RIGHT CLICK ON PICTURE TO PRINT ON YOUR COMPUTER OR GO ONLINE TO:
WWW.FINNEYTOWNPTA.ORG CLICK ON "SECONDARY PTA" TO DOWNLOAD FORM.

Dinner and Show News!

Finneytown High School will explore uncharted territory this winter when it presents the student version of LES MISÉRABLES. Director Shawn Maus "dreamed a dream" years ago that students would someday mount a full-scale production of LES MISÉRABLES. That dream will be realized on January 30 through February 1, 2014. This powerful tale is a story of hope, redemption, and love. Epic, grand and uplifting, LES MISÉRABLES packs an emotional wallop that has thrilled audiences all over the world.

Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for senior citizens and $8 for students.

FMPA invites you to enjoy unlimited spaghetti dinner by LaRosa’s, desserts donated by your neighbors, and entertainment by Finneytown’s finest musicians. On Friday, January 31st from 5-7PM, the Multipurpose Room is transformed into an Italian restaurant and nightclub. Take it easy, feed the family cheaply, and get a great parking place for the Finneytown High School theatre production of LES MISÉRABLES, which follows at the William Swartzel Performing Arts Center. Between bites and while you enjoy the music, browse the Bid-and-Buy tables! You can pick up some great deals while supporting the work of FMPA.

For more information click here.

To Order tickets for the dinner on line click here.

Get your tickets for the FHS Theater Performance HERE

NEXTDOOR FINNEYTOWN

  The private social network for Finneytown

Welcome to Nextdoor Finneytown, the private website for Finneytown residents. Great neighborhoods are built through the support of residents like you! 

Soon you'll start getting updates from your neighbors at viewplacenews@yahoo.com. 

In the meantime, here are three easy ways to get started:

	Meet your neighbors Browse the directory of Finneytown residents to get to know your neighbors. If you haven't already, upload a photo to your profile to help others get to know you.
	Get help from your neighbors Looking for a dogsitter? Selling something? Need a great house painter? Your neighbors can be a great resource - just ask.
	Invite your neighbors Having all your neighbors on Nextdoor Finneytown helps build a stronger neighborhood with better communication. Invite more to join.
	Download Nextdoor Mobile Stay connected to your neighborhood no matter where you are. Download it for free for iPhone or Android.

Thanks for being an important part of building a stronger Finneytown community!

Please contact us with any suggestions...

Message from Gracepoint Church

Dear View Place Neighbors,


Just stopping by to say an official 'Happy New Year' to everyone.  As some of you may know, my wife our two boys and I came to Finneytown & the view place community several months ago this year to assume the new pastoral role at Grace Point Church here in the view place community.  in the short time that we have been here we have so enjoyed meeting so many of you as we are getting adjusted.  I want to thank Joe Gorman and the other members of the civic association for be-friending me.  

We were so excited to be a small part of helping families in our community during this holiday season, and now that things are a bit more in order, we are preparing to launch some great community programs in 2014!

We pray the best for all in this New Year

David Bryan

Pastor, Grace Point Church, 

7630 View Place Dr.

Cincinnati, Ohio 45224

513.761.4748

Time to Renew your FCA Membership

FINNEYTOWN CIVIC

ASSOCIATION

www.fcaontheweb.org

PO 317696 Cincinnati, OH 45231

December 16, 2013

Dear FCA members,

It is time to renew your membership in the Finneytown Civic Association for 2014. Your continued support is crucial to the success of the FCA. We have worked hard to bring issues forward, such as property maintenance, housing values, schools, safety, roads, support of businesses through our Cash Mob project, and, working with the Springfield Township government. We do this through public meetings, our web site (fcaontheweb.org), and, our long-running Meet-the-Candidate’s Night.

 

The more members we have, the stronger the impact we have on our community. The FCA encourages you to get involved on a committee or as a trustee. Your input is important to the future of Finneytown.

 

The membership dues ($10/person) have not changed for many years. Please consider an annual family membership for only $20.

 

Your support enables the Association to carry out our mission of “Working to Keep Finneytown a Great Place to Live”.

 

Also, consider supporting to the Steve Elliott Community Service Scholarship, which annually recognizes the community service of two graduating seniors from Finneytown High School.

 

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact us:

·         Nancy McGuire (Membership Chairperson) at 521-2145

·         Rhoda and Dick Meyer (Treasurer) at 522-0547

 

Membership Form:

Name(s):__________________________________________________________­­­­­­_­­­­

Address:____________________________________________________________

Phone:_________________ E-mail:______________________________________

We will be sending the newsletter via email unless instructed otherwise.

 

Dues:  $10/Person   $20/family per calendar year                                $_________

Contribution: Steve Elliott Student Community Service Award         $_________

Total:       (Please make checks to the Finneytown Civic Association)  $_________

 

Mail to: FCA Membership, P.O. Box 317696, Cincinnati, Ohio 45231

 

Consider joining a Committee or serving as a Board Member:

Land Use and Zoning____           Membership____            Township Liaison____

Newsletter____                           Business Liaison____       Technology____

Officer or Trustee____                Schools ____                    Social____

 

President Joseph Gorman can be reached at jgorman@fuse.net or (513) 325-5202.

Joseph T. Gorman, Community Organizer,
Camp Washington Community Board, Inc.

(513) 542-1637; (513) 325-5202 cell
www.camp-washington.org 

Neighborhood News

Beverly Dean, daughter of Jeff and Lyn Dean on View Place Dr., graduated from Alaska Pacific University on December 14th, 2013. She earned a bachelors in education. Jeff and Lyn just returned from Anchorage where they attended the graduation and had all kinds of other fun!


Jake Garrett, son of Katie and Aaron Garrett, is our new Hilltop News Carrier.  Hilltop News is an invaluable means to stay connected to the community. Following in the footsteps of previous neighborhood carriers, he would appreciate your support and  call Hilltop to subscribe to the newspaper. As you know, it's challenging doing the collection around the neighborhood.  Some kids in other neighborhoods have shorter walks, sidewalks, and densely populated routes.  So when our View Place kids take on this responsibility to collect, show your support by saying hello and being patient.

Volunteers Needed for Flower Boxes with Decorations

Dear Neighbors,

The flower boxes around the neighborhood have been maintained by a handful of neighbors.  During the holiday season, I am requesting that a volunteer step up to maintain a flower box near their intersection and do the following during the holidays.  Currently, we need 10 volunteers to maintain the boxes for the holidays.

1) Carefully remove and roll up the ribbon neatly to recycle for next year.  The ribbons are expensive to replace, but they are durable and will last if care is used in storing.     

2)  Remove the "greenery" and decorative bulbs and put in a container until after Thanksgiving. 

3) The weekend following Thanksgiving, take the contents out of your container to decorate the boxes. 

4)  If you have any questions, contact Viewplacenews@yahoo.com or 821-5714. 

I-75 Lane Closures...

Interstate 75 lane closures scheduled

Hamilton County (Monday, Dec. 9, 2013) – Bridge work will require the following lane closures on southbound Interstate 75, just north of Galbraith Road, the week of Dec. 16.

Monday, Dec. 16: Left lane closed at 8 p.m. with a second lane closure at 11 p.m.; both lanes open to traffic by 5 a.m. Tuesday.

Tuesday, Dec. 17:  Right lane closed at 8 p.m. with a second lane closure at 11 p.m.; both lanes open to traffic by 5 a.m. Wednesday.

Wednesday, Dec. 18:  Right lane closed at 8 p.m. with a second lane closure at 11 p.m.; both lanes open to traffic by 5 a.m. Thursday.

Thursday, Dec. 19:  Right lane closed at 8 p.m. with a second lane closure at 11 p.m.; both lanes open to traffic by 5 a.m. Friday.

Arrow boards and/or signs will be in place to alert motorists of the upcoming lane closure.

To help ensure the safety of the construction workers as well as the traveling public, motorists should remain alert, reduce their speed and watch for stopped traffic while passing through the work zone.

Ohio’s highways are essential to keeping and creating new jobs.  With a mission to provide easy movement of people and goods from place to place, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is responsible for maintaining one of the largest transportation networks in the nation.  Guided by ethical principles and accountability, ODOT works to improve safety, enhance travel and advance economic development.  As a $2.8 billion enterprise, the department wisely invests in its core services of snow and ice removal, annual construction program and highway maintenance operations.

###

For more information contact:
Sharon Smigielski, Public Information Officer, at (513) 933-6511

Liz Lyons, Public Information Specialist, at (513) 933-6534

or email D08.PIO@dot.state.oh.us