Badin vs. Versailles
Law Enforcement Memorial Day
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American Idol 2012 finale
Michael D. Pitman reports about Butler County, Ohio, politics, county government, countywide issues and Butler County people just like you for Cox Ohio Publishing (including the Hamilton JournalNews, Middletown Journal and several weekly papers in Butler County). He wants your suggestions and questions for more news stories. Leave a comment for him here or e-mail Michael at Home > Blogs > Butler County News and Issues > Archives > 2008 > September
September 2008
Dems say Cates lied on resume
UPDATE 2: Sen. Gary Cates just stopped by. He produced an Outstanding Young Americans award, which is indeed very different from a U.S. Jaycees Outstanding Young Men of America award.
Cates was clearly surprised that he indeed had the wrong information on his Web site, and said it may have been there unnoticed for more than a decade. “When they put that on my Senate web site, they must have made an error that says it was the U.S. Jaycees,” he said. “That’s just an innocent mistake there.”
He then turned the issue on the Democrats, namely Jason Phillips, who sent out the press release purportedly from the Ohio Senate Democrats when in fact he’s working for Sen. Jason Wilson’s campaign.
“Why is Jason Phillips acting independently, trying to slander my reputation and he’s doing it under the auspices of the Senate Democrats,” he said. “This campaign has a lot of serious issues and I think this is a pretty lame issue for him to bring up”
UPDATE: Senate Democrats say this press release did not actually come from them. The person who sent it, they said, took a leave of absence to campaign for Sen. Jason Wilson. But, the substance of the claim appears to be true.
Brad Gemeinhart, director of communications and interim executive vice president of U.S. Jayncees, said his organization has never issued an award that fits the description offered by Cates.
Original post:
Press release from Ohio Senate Democrats:
State Senator Gary Cates of Butler County claims to have received awards which he did not receive.
Senator Cates lists on his state senate website that he won the US Jaycees Outstanding Young Men of America Award in 1983 and 1985. The name of this award was changed to the Ten Outstanding Young Americans in 1985 (since they let women join in 1984). Jaycees Outstanding Young Americans award is very prestigious. They only give out 10 a year across the entire nation.
According to the Jaycees website: The Ten Outstanding Young Americans (TOYA) project exists to recognize and honor ten Americans each year who exemplify the best attributes of the nation’s young people, aged 18 through 40. The Ten Outstanding Young Men program was officially adopted in 1938 and has been conducted annually since 1940.
People who have been awarded this before include: President Bill Clinton, Elvis Presley, Senator Daschle, Al Gore, President Kennedy, President Nixon, President Ford, Henry Kissinger, and others. Below is Cates’s website:
http://www.senate.state.oh.us/senators/bios/sd_04.html
However, Cates is not listed in the list of past honorees (a complete list):
http://www.usjaycees.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18&Itemid=51
Cates is running for the 4th Senate District against Kathryn Bridgman.
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Cates says he has the awards:
“The allegations made by Senate D’s are completely false.”
He said he was nominated seemingly at random for the awards, and paid to receive the awards and a directory of others who received the awards. Similar to Who’s Who.
Sheriff backs McCain, doesn’t hold nose
Sheriff Richard K. Jones was among the stream of voters casting their votes today, the first day of early voting for this year’s election.
Two candidates he admitted to backing: himself and Arizona Sen. John McCain.
This, despite taking out a newspaper ad criticizing McCain’s immigration policy when he visited the area and saying he’s not sure he’ll vote for McCain without “holding my nose trying to figure out who I’m going to vote for.” He said he didn’t hold his nose.
“I’ve had a change of thought and opinion,” he said, though he still doesn’t think McCain has a comprehensive immigration policy and needs to form one.
Ribbon cuttings and rallies
Juvenile Justice Center renaming
The Butler County Juvenile Justice Center will be renamed Wednesday, Oct. 8, in honor of deceased Juvenile Judge David Niehaus.
Commission meeting moved for grand opening
To celebrate the opening of the new Princeton Road Administrative Center, the Butler County Board of Commissioners will hold their weekly commission meeting along with an open house and ribbon cutting ceremony at 1802 Princeton Road on Thursday, October 2, 2008. The new center houses the Butler County Board of Elections, the Butler Soil and Water Conservation District and OSU Extension.
The Board of Commissioners and the Board of Elections will hold meetings at 10:00 a.m., the ribbon cutting will take place at 11:00 a.m. and the open house and refreshments will be from 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. In honor of this event, the Board would like to invite the media, local government representatives, and public to attend.
“We expect an unprecedented voter turnout this year due to the presidential election. This new state-of-the-art facility allows the Board of Elections to accommodate the growing demand of voters,” said Butler County Commissioner Gregory Jolivette.
In addition to being able to accommodate a growing number of absentee and walk-in voters, the new center provides a much larger storage area for the county.
“The new center has allowed us to consolidate storage areas for voting machines, which provides a much safer and secure environment. This additional storage will help protect the integrity of the voting process,” said Butler County Commissioner Charles Furmon.
The new Administrative Center also accommodates the growing needs of the Butler Soil and Water Conservation District and OSU Extension. The departments have relocated from a much older and less functional building located adjacent to the new center.
Rally to kick off domestic violence awareness month
On Wednesday, October 1, 2008, the Butler County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council in partnership with Butler County Children Services will host the Speak Out Against Domestic Violence Rally at noon in the lobby of the Government Services Center, 315 High Street, Hamilton, Ohio.
The rally will unveil the Butler County Clothesline Project, a moving display of shirts decorated by domestic violence survivors or their friends and family. Each shirt reflects a survivor’s personal experience. For victims who have been killed, family and friends have decorated shirts in the victim’s honor.
Children Services Director Mike Fox will kick off the rally and introduce two domestic violence survivors, Etta Carver and Amy Wallace. Both women have overcome enormous odds to become active advocates against domestic violence in our community.
Kicking off Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the goal of the rally is to raise public awareness of domestic violence and its impact on every aspect of our community. How does domestic violence affect us?
- One in every 4 women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime.
- Thirty to 60 percent of intimate partner abusers also abuse their children
- Domestic violence is one of three primary reasons children come into foster care.
- An estimated 1.3 million women are victims of physical assault each year by an intimate partner.
- Intimate partner violence costs more than $5.8 billion each year.
- Victims of intimate partner violence lost 8 million days of paid work because of violence—this is the equivalent of 32,000 full-time jobs.
The Butler County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council is supported by our community’s leading organizations including: Butler County Children Services, law enforcement, the Courts, mental health providers as well as other community service providers.
Forget Nov. 4
Voting day for the president of the United States and other important races starts right now. Act now, and you can register and vote the same day.
The Butler County Board of Elections opens today at 8:30 a.m. for early voting. You do not need to state a reason for early voting as in past years, according to board of elections officials.
And until Oct. 6, the deadline to register to vote, you can go into the Board of Elections office in Hamilton and register and vote the same day. Here’s how to get to the office: from State Route 129 (Michael Fox Highway), turn north on Hampshire Drive. Turn left on Princeton Road and the Board of Elections is located at the end of the road on the right, directly in front of the County Care Facility.
But like many other things this contentious election year, this window allowing people to vote and register the same day is controversial and has sparked a GOP lawsuit in the Ohio Supreme Court. Here is a story on that, as well as problems with absentee ballot applications sent out by Sen. John McCain’s campaign.
The Board of Elections has extended its hours for early voting. In addition to regular hours from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday, through Friday, the office will also be open:
- Wednesday, Oct. 1, 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
- Saturday, Oct. 4, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- Monday, Oct. 6, 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Wednesday, Oct. 8, 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
- Saturday, Oct. 11, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, Oct. 15, 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
- Saturday, Oct. 18, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, Oct. 22, 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
- Saturday, Oct. 25, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, Oct. 29, 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
- Saturday, Nov. 1, 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- Monday, Nov. 3, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Go to the Butler County Board of Elections Web site for information on requesting an absentee ballot by mail.
What do you think? Are you early voting this year?
Vote for Joe
Tuesday, Sept. 30 is the last day to vote for Hamilton native Joe Nuxhall to win the Ford C. Frick award from the Baseball Hall of Fame.
County Commissioner Gregory Jolivette is renewing his push to get the Ol’ Left-Hander the top honor for baseball broadcasters. In this story he urges people to, “on the 30th, give 30 seconds to Joe.”
Said he:
“When you get to the office or get home, get online and vote for Joe.”
But you don’t have to wait till Tuesday. You can cast a ballot once per day. Go here to vote now.
Do you think Nuxhall will win it this year after being passed over last year despite setting a new record for online voting?
Reynolds v. Zettler
An unpopular former administration. Candidates from both parties advocating reform and change. No, this isn’t the presidential race — it’s the race for Butler County auditor.
The candidates are Republican Roger Reynolds and Democrat Jack Zettler. Both challenged former auditor Kay Rogers in her 2006 re-election bid and lost.
Reynolds is the incumbent. The Butler County GOP named him to replace Rogers in April after she pleaded guilty to bank fraud and grudgingly resigned.
In this story, we take an exhaustive look at the two candidates.
We start with their resumes, which are similar in that they’re both lifelong county residents and certified public accountants with degrees in accounting from local universities.
Then Zettler goes on the offensive. He likens the job of auditor to one of his pet Dobermans and says Reynolds is neutered when it comes to protecting taxpayer interests from the one-party system that appointed him. Quoth Zettler:
“They put food on his table. He’s not going to bite the hands that feed him.”
Zettler also jumped on a taxpayer-funded, $2,000 training seminar Reynolds attended with his family in Florida. And he raised a specter from races past, accusing the office under Reynolds of manipulating taxable property values just as he accused Rogers of doing, and running the office as a political machine.
Reynolds goes on defense, saying the the Florida trip was invaluable training and that taxpayers didn’t pay for his family’s transportation, only his. He also said accusations of appraisal tampering are serious, but ludicrous, since the appraisals are done by a respected independent firm.
The incumbent then makes his case bolstered by his short but active record, including a quarter-million-dollar-plus refund he gave to local governments last week. Reynolds’ campaign promise:
“To come into county government and reduce spending, reform government and return tax dollars.”
Who has your vote?
isms
Despite all the lofty rhetoric, earnest debate and vital issues at stake in this year’s presidential election, a big part of who wins has already been decided. Some people will vote based on the color of Illinois Sen. Barack Obama’s skin, the gender of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin or Arizona Sen. John McCain’s age.
This, in the year 2008.
Polls hint that prejudices exist, not in overwhelming numbers, but enough to make a difference in a country where the previous two presidential elections were each won by less than 3 percent.
An Associated Press-Yahoo poll this year, for example, found nine percent of respondents rated blacks between somewhat unlikable and extremely unlikable. Another found that 40 percent of white Americans — including one third of white Democrats — hold at least one partly negative view toward blacks, some calling them “lazy” or “violent.”
Twenty-one percent of the respondents in a June CBS News poll said they don’t hope for a women president in their lifetime. When asked whether being black or being a woman was a bigger obstacle in politics, 46 percent said a woman faces more challenges and 32 percent said a black candidate.
In another AP-Yahoo poll, 20 percent of respondents said “too old” was a phrase that described McCain. A September CBS poll found 31 percent of respondents — including 11 percent of Republicans — believed McCain’s age makes the job as president too difficult for him.
Want more? Here is a database of CBS News polls and here are the latest Associate Press-Yahoo polls.
But these aren’t just numbers. These are real people with real opinions. We meet some of them in this story, including 84-year-old Julia Ward of Middletown, who has this to say about why she isn’t voting for (Harvard grad) Obama:
“Black people aren’t smart enough to rule the country. No one should vote for Obama. They just don’t think like the white. I would hate to see (Obama) in office because blacks just aren’t qualified.”
We go a step further in this story, where we talk to experts about the roles racism, sexism and ageism will play in November.
- Gary Hines, local NAACP president, says racism is still prevalent in this country, though not as overt as in the past. He believes Obama will win because many who will vote against him based no race are Republicans anyways.
- Monica Schneider, a political science professor at Miami University who specializes in gender in politics, says a woman leader makes some uncomfortable, especially a woman like Palin with young children at home. She said outright sexism hasn’t been as prevalent this election year as cultural confusion. “We still have a hard time accepting a career woman…I think some of the reaction to her is just the country grappling with this idea of sex roles … what women should do and what they shouldn’t do.”
- Mary Wolff, director of Citizens for Elderly Services Inc., an advocacy group for elderly programs, said whether McCain’s age is a handicap politically depends on the voter. She said stereotypes of older people as stuck in their ways, lacking stamina and forgetful have all surfaced in attacks on the senator. And while some younger people may believe it, she said, “there are more people who identify with a gray-haired person who tend to vote.” Plus, some people equate age with wisdom, which helps.
What do you think? Will this win or lose the election for anyone?
Animal shelter still delayed, and other news nuggets
Another busy day. Here’s the roundup:
The Butler County animal shelter is still dogged with delays, so to speak. Now it’s a permitting hang-up. Read the story here. A couple clarifications, though: the on-target bids for the project were submitted in July, not June, and County Administrator Tim Williams stresses that site preparation is done at the site and undergrounding is progressing. So progress is being made.
On the state level, state Sen. Gary Cates, R-West Chester Twp., and other lawmakers want to revise the Safe Haven law to extend the time a biological mother or father could drop off a child after birth consequence-free from 72 hours to 30 days. Here’s the story on that.
On the local level, 11 elected officials countywide will see no opposition on the November ballot. Here’s a story on that, and here are the 11 people who will by default serve another term:
- Butler County Treasurer Nancy Nix
- County Commissioner Donald Dixon
- Robin Piper for county prosecutor.
- Greg Wilkens for county engineer.
- Dr. Richard Burkhardt for county coroner.
- Andrew Nastoff for common pleas court judge - general division.
- Charles Pater for common pleas court judge - general division.
- Michael Sage for common pleas court judge - general division.
- Ronald R. Craft for common pleas court judge - juvenile division.
- Randy T. Rogers for common pleas court judge - probate division.
- Kevin C. McDonough for Area II county court judge.
Thoughts on any of these issues?
Butler County roundup
It’s turning out to be a pretty busy day. I’ll bullet:
- Butler County Children Services is announcing the result of an overnight operation where they and the sheriff’s department checked on compliance with restraining orders. Read that here.
- Residents showed up in droves to a town hall meeting in Middletown to hear Butler County Deputy Auditor Mike Tilton explain the recently complete - and very unpopular - property value re-appraisal. Here’s that story with upcoming meeting dates.
- Butler County Treasurer Nancy Nix is warning of a phone scam. Here is the press release:
Butler County Treasurer Nancy Nix is alerting local residents to a phone scam in which the caller gives false information in an attempt to retrieve private account and identity information.
The phone scam includes a call, usually from a number that comes up all “zeroes” on caller identification. The caller informs homeowners that their taxes are past due but the homeowner can avoid higher fees or interest charges if they pay immediately over the phone. The caller’s real purpose, however, is an attempt to retrieve private account information that will be used for detrimental purposes against the homeowner.
“Butler County residents need to be aware of this dangerous scam,” said Treasurer Nix. “Our office has nothing to do with these calls. Homeowners should never give private information over the phone. If there is any question about property taxes, residents should feel free to contact our office by phone or to check their information on our web site.”
“The Treasurer’s Office is working with the Butler County Sheriff’s Department on this matter,” said Treasurer Nix. “Any details about the scam caller the homeowner can give us or the Sheriff’s office will be beneficial to investigation efforts. If the homeowner receives any helpful information, they should contact our office or Sheriff Jones’ office immediately. The message is clear. Be careful of any private information you give to anyone. Check with our office as to the validity of any call.”
Residents can contact the Sheriff’s Office at 785-1000 or the Treasurer’s Office at 887-3181. Homeowners can check on their property tax status by visiting the Treasurer’s web site at www.butlercountytreasurer.org
Goodbye Greber
Those of you who frequently visit this blog will have noticed that somewhere along the way another face popped up on the right side of the page, and that face is now gone.
The face belonged to reporter Dave Greber. He now covers the fastest growing part of our county, West Chester Twp., for our newspapers. And he has his own blog. No more sharing. See it here.
Greber joined me in covering Butler County after the Kay Rogers indictment-resignation and Derek Conklin resignation-investigation. He helped with several subsequent investigations. He’s an excellent reporter.
But worry not, dear readers, I have every intention of scrutinizing the actions of our county officials just as much as when he was here — I’ll just be doing it by myself.
Auditor’s office says appraisal was close
In response to George Kiniyalocts’ story below — one of many who believe the recently completed tax re-appraisal of property values is skewed too high — the Butler County Auditor’s office took another look at Kiniyalocts’ house at 1507 Woodlawn Avenue.
They said Kiniyalocts bought the house from a bank, which is why the value is so low, and the $21,000 home across the steet — currently owned by David Schiavone — was also a bank sale.
These weren’t taken into account, according to Deputy Auditor Mike Tilton, because they weren’t reflective of the actual home values. Kiniyalocts’ property sold in 2000 for $56,500 and Schiavone’s property sold in 2005 for $70,500.
“We do consider bank sales that are within a reasonable price of the former value of the property,” Tilton said.
But, Tilton said, there may be properties that are more comparable than the $83,000 home a mile away that his office used. They encouraged Kiniyalocts to come in for a review and likely have his taxable value lowered.
I should point out that Kiniyalocts didn’t accuse the auditor’s office of playing politics by giving Schiavone a break — the fact the city councilman was the owner was something I added because I thought it was interesting — he simply thought the property’s appraised value of $65,150 is far more than he could sell it for.
Propery appraisals - one homeowner’s story
George Kiniyalocts owns properties across Middletown that he says were improperly appraised in Butler County Auditor Roger Reynolds’ recently complete property value re-appraisal.
A home in a low income Woodlawn Avenue neighborhood he bought in 2005 for $28,000 was appraised for $65,150, for example. Kiniyalocts said there’s no way he could sell it for that.
The increase was partially because it was compared to a home in the nicer Arlington Avenue neighborhood that Middletown City Councilman David Schiavone sold in October 2007 for $83,000.
The home wasn’t compared to a home across the street that sold for $21,000 this year. But Reynolds says state law won’t allow him to take into account 2008 sales, or bank or sheriff sales for that matter.
This flawed formula hurts low income homeowners most of all, Kiniyalocts worried.
“The houses that got hurt the most are the cheapest ones of all,” he said. “They’re people probably having to work two jobs just to keep the house, and here they are their taxes are going up when they should be coming down.”
And while Kiniyalocts will fight to lower his properties’ appraised values — and likely win, since Reynolds announced he’ll give leeway to those who protest — he said many don’t have the resources to fight.
“Not only are they (low-income residents) least likely to complain and least likely to afford it, but they’re also probably the most trusting in the county for doing it right the first time and not putting the job of the appropriate appraisal back on the shoulders of the homeowners.”
My interview with Gov. Strickland
Better late than never, I guess.
I finally got the exclusive interview with Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland that I teased last week. As for your suggested questions, I did ask one about job growth, though not specifically the same question that was offered in the previous post because it would’ve taken the entire interview.
I’ve posted an unedited audio recording of the interview below. Click on Strickland.mp3 below and it should launch in a Quicktime player.
Questions included
- Is Sen. Barack Obama expecting to win conservative areas like Butler County, or merely winnow down Sen. McCain’s lead to make up the difference in other parts of the state?
- President Bush’s 2004 Republican turnout in Butler County was roughly equal to the local Democratic turnout for you in 2006 plus Kerry’s turnout in 2004. What could Obama do or say to win over independents or get more Ohio Democrats to show up on election day?
- How would an Obama presidency do any more for job growth in Ohio than a McCain presidency?
- You are the son of a steelworker, ordained minister and liked by the National Rifle Association. Sarah Palin has often touted her husband’s steelworker union membership, is very religious and is an NRA member? How can Obama carry these demographics that may have voted for you but relate more to Gov. Palin?
,
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Here is the story that came out of the interview. It was limited to Sen. Barack Obama’s presidential bid (but I did get in a question about windstorm damage and the fact the governor never visited Butler County).
Here is a release from Sen. John McCain’s campaign that sort of responds to Strickland’s charges with his comments made in Strongsville, Ohio:
John McCain: “I know that a lot of eyes have been on Wall Street and Washington for the past week as we all process the credit crisis that has hit our economy in such a devastating fashion. But I want the people in Ohio here to know that I’ve not forgotten the economy on Main Street. Not Wall Street, not Washington D.C., but Main Street is the focus of our attention, our efforts.
“And I am going to put in place the priorities and policies that will create jobs in Ohio. And one important way that we’re going to create jobs here is with the development of additional nuclear power plants and through investments in clean coal technology. We will invest as much as $2 billion a year to develop clean coal technology. America sits on the world’s largest coal reserves, and we have to use it and clean coal technology is the best way. Not only will investment in our energy infrastructure create millions of new jobs across the country, it will help lead our nation toward the absolutely vital goal of energy independence.
“My opponent is against the expansion of nuclear power. His running mate here in Ohio recently said that they weren’t supporting clean coal either. And the fact is that their billions of dollars in higher taxes would kill jobs here in Ohio. That’s not what Ohio needs and that’s not what America needs. My economic focus throughout this campaign has always been pro-growth policies that will create jobs. I share that focus with Pat Sink and the Operating Engineers Local 18, which represents thousands of workers here in Ohio. I am honored and happy to accept their endorsement. Thank you.”
Sheriff never tried to contact radio station
While Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones claims he couldn’t get word out about a Level 3 emergency last week because the only local AM station was playing canned music, the radio station says he never tried to contact them.
The Level 3 emergency made it illegal for people to be on the road for anything other than an emergency after a windstorm Sunday, Sept. 14, knocked out power countywide.
Here is an e-mail I received from WMOH:
Hello Josh,
I just read your article from the weekend about the power outage last weekend. I would like to clarify some comments made the Butler County Sheriff about the “only local radio station” and our response last Sunday. First, we lost power between 1:00 and 1:30 that afternoon here at the station. Before the Sheriff realized that there was an emergency, we had already lost power. Secondly, I know he told the County Commissioners last week we were playing “canned music” and your article says pre-recorded programs. We actually had just started airing our first game of an NFL doubleheader. We have not played “canned” music since the early 1990’s and without electric power we could not go on the air. As far as local stations go, WPFB-AM, also in Butler County, was off the air due to power outage.
We would have certainly broken into programming and went wall-to-wall coverage had we had power. All of our programming contracts have clauses that allow us to interrupt programming for local emergencies. We have before and will continue to do so in the future.
To address the Sheriffs dismay about the inability to get the information out about the Level 3 emergency, the Sheriffs Department has our News Director Steve Vaughn’s cell phone number, and not one call was made or message was left for him. We were in fact, already trying to figure out the power situation long before the 4pm revelation made by the Sheriff. Unfortunately, we were like the 1.2 million other Duke Energy customers who were without power.
Pipeline of conflict
Butler County residents are invited to a meeting Wednesday, Sept. 24, to discuss the proposed Rockies Express natural gas pipeline across the county with the Ohio EPA.
Rocky Express Pipeline, LLC, plans to build a 1,678-mile pipeline from Colorado to Ohio with the capacity to deliver 1.8 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day to customers in the upper Midwest and Eastern United States. The proposal includes the construction of a 39-mile stretch of pipeline through Butler and Warren Counties. Before moving forward, the company must secure a water quality certification from the Ohio EPA.
The proposed pipeline is very controversial and some say only made possible by company ties to the Bush administration.
Here’s the meeting details:
Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 6:30 p.m. at Edgewood High School, 5005 Oxford State Road in Trenton.
And here’s state Sen. Gary Cates, R-West Chester Twp., on the meeting:
“This project could have a major impact on our communities and our area’s natural resources, so it is important that all local residents have the opportunity to share their thoughts and concerns on the issue. I look forward to hearing the opinions of my constituents and will work to monitor the situation going forward.”
Here is the rest of a comprehensive piece our own Tom Beyerlein did on the pipeline, including claims that local residents’ concerns were being ignored.
What do you think? Do critics of the pipeline have valid points? Or is the need for the pipeline too great to be hampered by individual concerns? Do the safety and environmental concerns trump any need?
Updates on two Democratic candidates
With all the windstorm craziness, two small developments in local races have almost gone overlooked.
Here is a press release we received from Tony Klimek, who is challenging Bill Coley for the 55th state house district:
Tony Klimek, candidate for the Ohio House, 55 District, has been endorsed by the Ohio Association of Professional Fire Fighters. The OAPFF is an organization of more than 10,000 members throughout Ohio and has members that serve the 55th District in Middletown, Monroe, Liberty Township and West Chester Township. The endorsement from the OAPFF thanked Mr. Klimek for his “…leadership on matters of public safety.”
Tony Klimek, a Democrat from West Chester Township has made his commitment and active community involvement a major theme of his campaign. This endorsement demonstrates community support for his candidacy and his commitment to the community.
“I am continually impressed by our Fire Fighter’s professionalism and dedication to service. They put their lives on the line for our citizens everyday,” Klimek said. “I am honored to be endorsed by the Ohio Association of Professional Fire Fighters and will work with them and other organizations to ensure that Ohio continues to provide quality public safety services for our citizens.”
Tony Klimek is a professional engineer and president of Terraine, an environmental and technology company. He and his wife Jan live in West Chester with their four children. More information about Mr. Klimek is available at www.friendsoftonyklimek.com.
…and…
A meet-and-greet event for Judge Glenda A. Smith, candidate for Butler County Area Court judge, will be conducted from 6-7 p.m. Thurs., Sept. 25. The event is open to the public and will be at the home of Dave and Georgia Gardner, 6278 Old Mill Court, Fairfield Twp. Another meet-and-greet is set for 6-7 p.m. at the home of Kevin and Keiya Myles, 2699 Stone Mill Way, Fairfield Twp.
Smith currently presides over the Butler County Area III Court in West Chester Twp. For more information about the meet-and-greet events go online to www.glendasmithforjudge.com or call (513) 382-7913.
Auditor Reynolds giving back more than a quarter million dollars
Butler County Auditor Roger Reynolds says he’s giving $256,300 in fees for handling levy funds back to the agencies and governments who need the money.
Reynolds announced Monday, Sept. 22, that more than $1 million in cuts he has enacted since taking over the office 150 days ago has allowed the refund. This includes renegotiating contracts and cutting 10 employees through attrition.
This created the first surplus in fees in 10 years, Reynolds said. “I believe our performance over the past 150 days will assure the public that we are on the right track and attentive to the needs of the citizens.”
The Butler County GOP appointed Reynolds to the office in April because former auditor Kay Rogers resigned after pleading guilty to bank fraud. Reynolds must now fend off Democratic challenger Jack Zettler.
Reynolds said there was a projected budget deficit at the office when he took over.
The refund will be divided among the governments and agencies who levy the taxes. $175,803 will be split among area schools; $25,112 among public safety agencies; $43,828 among special services such as Children Services, Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities and senior services; and $11,557 among local cities, villages and townships.
Said Reynolds:
“I would like to challenge the recipients of these funds to spend the money wisely. The taxpayers pay enough and it’s our jobs as elected officials to improve efficiencies and reduce the tax burden on the citizens of Butler County.”
After the storm - Cont’d
In this story that ran Sunday, Sept. 21, we take you moment-by-moment through the early hours of the Sunday, Sept. 14, storm that toppled trees and knocked out power countywide.
It includes these revelations, among others:
- The county Emergency Operations Center was never activated because the computer servers didn’t work.
- Five of Hamilton’s six fire stations didn’t have backup generators.
- Neither the county nor the Middletown fuel stations had backup generators.
- Tornado sirens never activated.
- Sheriff Richard K. Jones had no way of informing the public that it was illegal to be on the roads at one point.
- Cell phones and radios don’t work in the Emergency Operations Center.
It also includes some criticism of Emergency Management Director William Turner’s performance by both Jones and County Commissioner Donald Dixon. While some accuse Turner of doing too little to prepare for and respond to the storm, Turner apparently was never asked for assistance by any local fire or police department.
But, says Dixon:
“When a disaster hits, I don’t think you should have to be asked if you’re responsible for those services.”
Counters Dennis Conrad, EMA board chair:
“They (Turner’s critics) are trying to make a political point I believe, rather than worry about the issue of helping the public.”
Conrad does not want the sheriff taking over the EMA. And even some that are concerned about emergency response, such as County Commissioner Gregory Jolivette, are also worried about handing over the EMA as an emergency response.
This story touches on some of the same themes, plus how close the county’s water department came to shutting down and this thought: what if it had rained, what if this were a blizzard?
I live this quote by County Administrator Tim Williams:
“We’re lucky we had good weather, despite the wind.”
What do you think needs to be done to prepare for the next emergency, potentially this winter?
Home damaged? Get a tax break
As residents have howled over a recently completed tax reappraisal of property values across Butler County, it looks like Mother Nature has something to say as well.
Butler County Auditor Roger Reynolds said Thursday that residents can request a re-appraisal of their home if it was damaged in Sunday’s windstorm. Extensive damage to the home or property can lower a homes assessed value, which would lower the homeowner’s taxes.
So what qualifies? “Pretty much anything that affects the value of your property,” Reynolds said. Here’s the details:
Before any consideration of value can be determined for future tax bills, a form — officially called a DTE Form 26 — must be completed, notarized and returned to the Butler County Auditor’s Office, 130 High Street, Hamilton, Ohio 45011. Applicable residents could receive up to a 50 percent reduction on their January tax bill, Reynolds said.
Read the story for more. Will you be applying for a new appraisal?
Children services cuts to forestall levy
Butler County Children Services and county commissioners met today (though I never saw the meeting advertised) to plan deep cuts at the agency in the hopes of pushing back a new levy indefinitely.
They’re looking at $3.56 million in cuts, including $2.35 in personnel cuts and $660,000 savings from agency director Michael Fox’s controversial family preservation efforts.
Here is the story, and here is the summary that Fox handed county commissioners today (click on the top right corner to enlarge it):
Part of the plan is to shift roughly $900,000 in costs to Butler County Job and Family Services through merging the two agencies’ finance departments.
JFS Director Bruce Jewett says his agency can cover this, but in a separate proposal, is requesting $900,000 from the recently discovered surplus in the county’s senior services levy to help pay for adult protective services.
What do you think of these proposals?
Governor requests emergency assistance
Gov. Ted Strickland has requested federal assistance after the remnants of Hurricane Ike ripped across Butler County Sunday, Sept. 14, pretty much screwing everything up.
Things are looking up in Butler County, but we’re still one of the worst areas of Duke Energy’s service area, along with Hamilton and Clermont counties.
Disagreement continues about Butler County Emergency Management Director William Turner’s response to the storm. Here’s what Dennis Conrad — chairman of the EMA board, Reily Twp. trustee and assistant fire chief in Reily Twp. — said:
“They’re trying to make a political point I believe rather than worry about the issue of helping the public. It seems like every time an issue comes up, Sheriff Jones wants to take over the county like Hitler or something.”
What do you think about local government’s response to the storm? Any praise? Complaints?
Here’s the full text of Strickland’s request, which seems to be for $7 million:
Dear Mr. President:
Under the provisions of Section 501 (a) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 5121-5206 (Stafford Act), and implemented by 44 CFR § 206.35, I request that you declare an emergency for the entire State of Ohio as a result of category one hurricane force winds over a sustained period of time throughout the entire state.
High winds, which were the remnants of Hurricane Ike, impacted the State of Ohio Sunday, September 14, 2008 with residual continuing effects. Massive power outages and incident-related debris continue to impact all 88 counties within the state. At the peak outage, an estimated 2 million residential and business customers were without power throughout the State and full power restoration is not expected until next week. Seven people have died as a result of the storm, five killed by falling trees and associated debris, one electrocution and one drowning.
In response to the situation, I have taken appropriate action under state law and directed the execution of the State Emergency Plan on September 14, 2008 in accordance with Section 501 (a) of the Stafford Act. Under my authority, a state of emergency was declared for all 88 Counties on September 15, 2008.
Pursuant to 44 CFR § 206.35, I have determined that this incident is of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the State and affected local governments, and that supplementary federal assistance is necessary to save lives, protect property, public health, and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a disaster. I am specifically requesting a statewide emergency declaration for all 88 counties for Category B, Emergency Protective Measures, that is necessary to save lives, protect public health and safety and prevent damage to public and private property.
A preliminary estimate of the type and amount of emergency assistance needed under the Stafford Act is tabulated in Enclosure A. As we continue to assess impacts of emergency protective measures statewide, we are also assessing widespread debris statewide associated with this wind event. A subsequent request for Category A, Debris Removal, may be submitted based on the outcome of damage assessments.
KEY STATE RESPONSE ACTIVITES
The following State Agencies and organizations responded to the Ohio Emergency Operations Center and the impacted areas following the power outage: the Ohio Department of Administrative Services, Ohio Department of Aging, Ohio Department of Agriculture, American Red Cross, Ohio Community Service Council, Ohio Emergency Management Agency, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, State Fire Marshal, Ohio Department of Health, Ohio Department of Insurance, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, Ohio Department of Mental Health, Ohio Department of Public Safety, Ohio National Guard, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ohio Homeland Security, Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Ohio Department of Transportation and Ohio Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters. Representatives from these entities are present in the State Emergency Operations Center and are surveying their county counterparts to determine the impacts and possible resources needed.
The following information is furnished on the nature and amount of state and local resources that have been or will be used to alleviate the conditions of this emergency:
Emergency Support Function #1: Transportation
The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) crews have worked 24 hours a day since the event began on Sunday afternoon clearing debris from state and local roadways. At the height of this event, there were more than 46 roads maintained by ODOT that were closed or restricted due to wind storm damage. Officials estimate hundreds of locally maintained (county, municipal, township) roads have been impacted by debris. Power outages and physical damage to traffic lights continue to seriously impact the safety of citizens, emergency responders and repair crews. Peak outage of traffic signals under the jurisdiction of ODOT was over 490, more than one-third of signals controlled by ODOT. statewide traffic signal outages were in the tens of thousands. As power is slowly being restored those signals not damaged are becoming functional.
Emergency Support Function #2: Communications
There continues to be widespread usage of Ohio’s 800-megahertz statewide communication system, the Multi-Agency Radio Communications System (MARCS), by agencies and local departments that are experiencing power outages. Additionally, 50 MARCS sites are on generator power and 8 have experienced T-1 problems and are non-functional. Loss of electricity statewide has hampered state, local and non-profits’ abilities to effectively communicate with the public, requiring alternate communication methods to dispel rumors and communicate emergency public information.
Emergency Support Function #3: Engineering and Public Works
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports numerous public water systems are on backup power or facing operational challenges. Additionally, one system lost both primary and secondary power and has issued a precautionary advisory. Water sampling is on-going to verify the safety of the water for that system.
Based on the loss of power to critical systems, multiple jurisdictions are providing bottled water to their citizens and ice to support critical needs.
Systems in southwest and central Ohio are dealing with issues of extended term operations on secondary power and/or obtaining water supplied from other systems. They are coordinating with the Dayton and Columbus offices which are monitoring the on-going challenges. EPA received a report that the public water supply in Twin City (Tuscarawas County) is without power and has no backup supply. A generator has been identified with transportation underway and delivery anticipated in several days. Once delivered, there will be additional significant costs incurred for the fuel that will need to be trucked in and provided to support the use of the generator. EPA staff will continue to conduct outreach to public water systems.
The EPA received numerous reports of sewage overflows and bypasses from the loss of power. The need for backup power is a recent requirement for system design; therefore, older facilities without backup or those who rely on alternate power service may also be impacted based on the extensive outage area. As outages continue, local officials are voicing concern about the length and amount of sewage overflows and bypasses.
Staff continues to survey sewage treatment facilities, assessing problems with loss of power to plants and pump stations.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) is also reporting extensive power outages in 12 State Parks which resulted in the closure of the park facilities due to the loss of fire suppression systems in the buildings. The non-life threatening evacuation of visitors in these parks is being delayed due to debris-related issues and impacted roadways.
Emergency Support Function #4: Firefighting
There have been increases of fires as a result of using alternate sources of light or power. To date, all fire needs have been met by local fire departments. The Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of State Fire Marshal is reporting damage to the roof of its main building as a result of high winds.
Emergency Support Function #5: Emergency Management
The Ohio Emergency Management Agency (EMA) activated the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) September 14th and continues to monitor response activities. Ohio EMA staff has provided support to the County Emergency Management Directors and is coordinating local Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA) surveys in impacted areas. Currently, Ohio EMA has received a total of 31 missions for the following types of support: generators, cell tower power restoration, debris removal and clean up, fuel support, ice, mass care shelters, and potable water haulers and containers.
Schools all across the state continue to be closed as a result of the extended outages. Major school systems in Columbus, Cincinnati and Dayton have been closed since Monday, creating concern among officials about the impact on Ohio’s school children.
Emergency Support Function #6: Mass Care
The Ohio Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) in Clark County has activated volunteers to help with damage assessment and is providing tetanus boosters for injuries. In Champaign County, the MRC has contacted volunteers to be on alert in case the EMA opens a shelter for special needs. Approximately fifteen medical special needs patients on oxygen have lost power and if it is not restored by September 17, they will need to be sheltered. Franklin County MRC has reported activation with ARC shelters. In Greene County the MRC has been contacted by the EMA Director about supporting an ARC shelter at Xenia - Edison with one licensed practical nurse and one registered nurse per shift.
The American Red Cross (ARC) has opened the Greene County Xenia - Edison shelter. Following is additional information regarding shelters that are open or plan to open. Decisions to open will be dependent upon shelter surveys and the need due to long-term power outages.
Hamilton County: 4 shelters
Montgomery County: 2 shelters
Knox County: 2 shelters
Licking County: 1 shelter
Fairfield County: 1 shelter
Franklin County: 1 shelter
The Salvation Army, in conjunction with Ohio Volunteers Active in Disasters (OH VOAD) is overseeing the feeding and care of eighty-five seniors in a Salvation Army high rise residence in Cincinnati. Also, the Salvation Army has established a canteen and is working with the Area Office on Aging/Meals on Wheels program. In Coshocton County, a facility is ready to be opened for sheltering and showers.
The OH VOAD is conducting a survey to determine the need of food pantries throughout the state to determine if there are sufficient food supplies and any shortages projected within the next five days. This information is essential to obtain food for local food pantries, especially those in blacked out areas. Food distribution may become a critical issue in the next few days.
The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) will replace food stamps for those customers already receiving food stamps that were without power for over four hours and have a need for replacement food. Also, ODJFS has experienced wind damage to one facility located at 4020 East Fifth Avenue in Columbus (Franklin County). Damage does not pose an immediate threat to staff. Additionally, 9 ODJFS offices throughout the state are closed due to the lack of electricity. As of this morning ODJFS has been experiencing network connectivity and telephone outages in eighteen counties.
The Ohio Department of Insurance (ODI) is providing public service announcements to consumers regarding the process for documenting any damage and calling their insurance agents to begin the claims process. Also, consumers being are advised to be cautious of scams. ODI has contacted insurance companies to begin to gather information about the impact to insured losses. However, due to the extensive requests from Texas and other states impacted by Hurricane Ike, information will probably be delayed.
Emergency Support Function #7: Resources Support.
The Ohio Department of Administrative Services (DAS) has received numerous requests for generators that have subsequently been provided. Additionally, there have also been requests for water containers, water transport and fuel.
Emergency Support Function #8: Public Health
The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Environmental Health division has provided assistance to six counties and two city health departments.
Emergency Support Function #9: Search and Rescue
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) completed recovery operations for a boater reported missing at the Lake Milton State Park.
Emergency Support Function #10: Hazardous Materials
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responding to several reports of leaking pole-mounted electrical transformers, and one report of a residential fuel storage tank spill due to fallen trees and wind.
Emergency Support Function #11: Agriculture
The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) is working with local health departments assisting grocery stores to determine what food may need to be discarded. Forty (40) of one hundred sixty (160) poultry facilities have been inspected and have generators in operation. Inspectors continue to the check status of remaining facilities.
The Division of Meat Inspection is reporting a number of establishments scattered throughout Central, Southwest, West Central (Dayton, Springfield), and East Central (Tuscarawas) without power. A number of meat inspection establishments are using backup generators with several looking for backup generators. Several establishments are closed in East Central (Strasburg Meats, Strasburg, Tilton’s, Newcomerstown). A concern at this time is the loss of power and the impact to perishable products unless establishments can find portable refrigeration or find an establishment that has refrigerators to hold products.
ODA will be working with Farm Service Agency and Ohio State Univeristy Extension Service for crop and agribusiness damage reports based on reports of significant crop damage.
Emergency Support Function #12: Energy
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) reports peak statewide power outages at over 2 million customers, which is historic for Ohio. 1.45 million customers remained without power on Tuesday, September 16, 2008.
American Electric Power of Ohio (AEP)
There are scattered outages throughout the state impacting a total of 447,520 customers. This represents 34% of customers served by AEP. Assessment is on-going with initial reports indicating full restoration estimated within seven (7) days.
Dayton Power and Electric (DP&L)
The utility is still receiving outage reports with over 150,000 reported out of service, as of September 15th. All 24 counties in the DP&L service area have reported damages and power outages. There are over 50 large transmission poles down. To date, there is no final total on number of distribution poles that have been knocked down. Additional crews are reporting from Indiana to support local efforts. Restoration is expected to continue into the weekend.
Duke Power
There are over 6,600 outages reported that are affecting approximately 469,987 customers. Currently there are 175 circuit lockouts across Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky which are preventing restoration of power. A total of 700 workers will be in the field today restoring service, assessing damage and clearing trees. Additional crews will be arriving tonight from North and South Carolina and contractors recalled from the Gulf Coast. A Duke Energy helicopter will fly lines throughout the area today to help assess the damage. Current estimated restoration time for all customers without power is Saturday, September 20, 2008.
First Energy
FirstEnergy has requested mutual aide assistance from partner power companies and contractors. FirstEnergy is moving personnel internally from unaffected areas to assist with restoration efforts. Additional crews are being brought in from Michigan, New Jersey and Pennsylvania to support FirstEnergy crews. The timetable for total restoration to all customers is unknown at this time. Approximately 277,202 customers are without power.
Rural Electric Co-Operatives (Co-Ops)
The Rural Electric Cooperatives are continuing to perform damage assessment. Estimated time for restoration of power to customers is within the next two or three days to the end of the week. The Co-Ops have requested additional support crews from Michigan and Illinois. Approximately 39,000 customers are without power.
Although the situation continues to improve, all utilities are estimating 100% restoration will not occur until the end of the weekend.
Emergency Support Function #13: Law Enforcement
The Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) has reported road closures but no serious incidents have occurred.
The Ohio Homeland Security (OHS) Office of Infrastructure Protection reported a company, JCI Jones, in Barberton, Ohio (Summit County) that repackages chemical chlorine for use at municipal water treatment facilities and wastewater treatment facilities had been without power since the wind storm. JCI Jones had several chlorine deliveries scheduled in the next two days to municipal water facilities throughout Ohio. The Business Continuity Coordinator for First Energy was notified that the Company was without power, and repair crews are reportedly on scene at JCI Jones. If the deliveries are not made, several communities could be without potable water.
Emergency Support Function #14: Recovery and Mitigation
Ohio EMA staff has been in contact with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and has requested technical assistance regarding SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program for businesses that may have uninsured financial loss due to extended power outages.
Emergency Support Function #15: Emergency Public Information and External Affairs
The Joint Information Center is providing public safety advisories, conducting interviews and assisting with media inquiries. The Governor, Director of Public Safety and the Executive Director of Ohio EMA toured impacted areas in Dayton and Cincinnati Tuesday, September 16, 2008.
IMPACT TO THE STATE
The financial impact on Ohio is severe. Ohio’s economy is already suffering and the state government has implemented $1.2 billion in spending reductions since the enactment of the biennial budget in June of 2008. The State has funded financial assistance for state-declared events this year which total over $1.4 million. The current event has resulted in additional costs to the state, including lost revenues due to the closure of 12 state parks. Additionally state and local governments have committed more than $5.5 million for the non-federal share of the most recent FEMA Public Assistance (PA) Program activations as well as multiple millions of dollars for previous presidentially declared disasters which have impacted the State over the past five years.
The information provided in this letter is based on preliminary assessments of the impact to the 88 counties within the State. Based on the impact from the extended power outages, the State may also seek assistance from the U.S. Small Business Administration to assist the business community with financial recovery.
The State is seeking an emergency disaster declaration for FEMA’s Public Assistance Program, Category B, Emergency Protective Measures statewide. A financial hardship does exist for recovery from this widespread historical disaster without supplemental federal disaster assistance.
I certify that for this emergency, the State and local governments will assume all applicable non-Federal share of costs required by the Stafford Act.
I am requesting direct Federal assistance for work and services to save lives and protect property. Due to the high demand for generators caused by the impact of Hurricane Ike and Gustav in the Gulf Coast region, there is a severe lack of available generators which are essential for restoration of power at critical facilities such as water treatment facilities, institutionalized populations, shelter centers and emergency service providers.
I have designated Nancy J. Dragani as the State Coordinating Officer for this request. She will work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency in damage assessments and may provide further information or justification on my behalf.
Sincerely,
Ted Strickland
Governor
Enclosure ENCLOSURE A TO EMERGENCY REQUEST
(Estimated Requirements)
Total: $7,000,000
After the storm
Anyone who has been reading our print edition this week and looking at our Web site has experienced drastically different news coverage.
Here’s why: Cox Publishing’s printer in Springboro was knocked out by Sunday’s windstorm, so our Dayton, Springfield, Hamilton and Middletown newspaper were all forced to combine into one paper that is being printed in Columbus for just this week.
I wanted to make sure nothing was lost in the shuffle, so here’s some tidbits that either didn’t make it into the paper, or had an abbreviated version in print:
- First off, Sheriff Richard K. Jones and County Commissioner Donald Dixon issued this harsh appraisal of Butler County Emergency Management Director William Turner’s response to the storm. They called it “woeful” and “adequate at best.”
Why? Well, as the story says, emergency responders were tripping over each other to gas up their vehicles in the storm’s early hours and no one ever asked anything of the state. In short, regional response, which is Turner’s job, fell short.
There was some mischief. This story outlines shoplifting and even dumpster divers trying to sell spoiled food door to door. Quoth Sheriff Jones: “That food is not good.” This one gives the details of as many as 3,000 walnut-wielding Miami University students protesting having to go to the classes they pay thousands of dollars to attend.
But there was also heroism and humor. My favorite line about Melissa Murphy, a registered nurse in Middletown responding to the calamity:
While driving from Carlisle to Middletown after caring for a critically-ill patient, Murphy said the winds were so strong that a blue portable toilet slid by her in the right lane.
- And here is a catch-all story we were updating as news broke yesterday. It includes places to take a shower and services available for the needy.
So tell us about your experience? Did you learn anything from this storm?
Gone with the wind
You’ll notice very few posts today, as we are diligently updating our Web site with the latest developments from a wind storm that knocked out power to most of Butler County Sunday, Sept. 14.
If you’re reading this, you have power. When did it come back on? Any harrowing stories?
A horse tale
Being the political season, we get numerous calls about candidates for various offices and why they’re unfit to be elected. Sometimes this leads to an investigation. Often, they don’t pan out. This is one of those stories.
First, it started with a tip. In this case, someone referred me to this conservative blog that hints that Jack Zettler, Democratic candidate for Butler County auditor, may be cheating on his taxes.
The blog correctly asserts that Zettler’s 32-acre farm in Hamilton has an agricultural tax exemption though it’s mostly a wooded lot. This, and some innuendo.
So I put in a request for all public records pertaining to the valuation of Zettler’s property. Those records are below.
What I learned: former auditor Kay Rogers had questioned Zettler on the use of his property. An investigation ensued that included an estimate of how much Zettler’s exemption saved him in property taxes.
But Rogers dropped the case when Zettler said in October that there are horses on the property who use the area as pasture. He breeds these horses for money.
So I call Roger Reynolds, who took over as auditor when Rogers resigned amid scandal. He had no intention of by picking up Rogers’ investigation, saying he had his hands fill with the ongoing property value appraisal. Said he:
“I have heard a little bit of what you’re talking about but my focus has been the re-evaluation and at this point. That is going to be my focus.”
When pressed:
“I’ve heard the inquiries. I’m not interested. I don’t have the time to get into it.” “I’m working on the re-evaluation. That’s the focus of not only myself but everyone in my office.”
So he didn’t want to get his hands dirty. I then called Larry Gearhardt, director of Local Affairs at the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation. He’s an expert on agricultural exemptions. He said the exemption is harder to determine with equestrian activities than with crops. People have horses for fun; they don’t grow corn as a hobby.
But here’s the essence:
“If the land is devoted to a commercial agricultural use, than it can qualify for the (agricultural) program. People buy and sell horses all the time but that’s not necessarily enough to make it commercial.”
So is Zettler a professional or an amateur? I asked him.
He said he has one stud on the property and three mares. The stud is a prize-winner that he hires professionals to train and show for him. Said he:
“If this stud horse does what we want it to do, I’ll make more money off this stud horse than I ever would practicing law.”
He said the horses go into the woods to stay out of the sun and graze on hot days when unshaded grass dies. “If I had that cleared I’d only be able to feed them part of the time.”
This is why Rogers dropped it, he said. “She realized that she was going to look like a fool if she raised it because it was a proper use.”
And seeing as no one contested Zettler’s valuation, that’s where we left it as well.
Local lawmaker to up mileage reimbursements for court witnesses
COLUMBUS — State Sen. Gary Cates, R-Butler County, introduced legislation Friday, Sept. 12, that would increase the mileage reimbursement for witnesses subpoenaed to testify in county court to up to 50.5 cents per mile.
The bill would allow county commissions to set the rates in each county. The current rate of 10 cents per mile was set in 1976. The proposed limit of 50.5 cents per mile mirrors that given to state employees.
“While it is clear that Ohio’s mileage reimbursement law needs to be reformed, we did not want to place an unmanageable financial burden on Ohio’s county governments,” Cates said.
He said Butler County Prosecutor Robin Piper was instrumental in urging the legislation.
Trenton foster abuse claim unsubstantiated
The alleged abuse of a 1-year-old by her foster parents in a Trenton foster home was found to be unsubstantiated, according to Butler County Children Services.
The investigation started in May after a Children Services worker noticed bruises on the child. It concluded in June. The findings were released this week.
“There was no indication of abuse and it was an accident involving a toy,” said Children Services Director Michael Fox.
Though the case sparked a discussion of whether children are safer in foster homes or with their natural parents, it was not an unusual case.
Of the 32 total allegations of abuse or neglect in foster placement this year, 24 were unsubstantiated 3 were substantiated, 1 was indicated — just short of substantiated — and 4 are pending. This is all according to Butler County Children Services.
Most allegations and all of the substantiated ones are against network homes, which are more institutional settings than traditional family foster homes.
Any thoughts?
Sheriff sued by challenger for defamation
Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones is being sued in U.S. court by his Democratic challenger.
In a suit filed Tuesday, Sept. 9, in U.S. District Court, Dale Richter alleges that Jones and Richter’s brother, Robert, conspired against him to damage his political campaign and career as a Springboro police officer.
In September 2007, Richter was arrested on domestic violence charges after a dispute with his brother over harvesting at the family farm in Butler County.
Richter claims in the suit that the dispute was mischaracterized by both his brother and the sheriff to damage his 2008 run for the office. Neither, for example, communicated to the county prosecutor’s office that sheriff deputies responded to the dispute and found Robert to be the aggressive party, suggesting Richter’s wife get a restraining order against him, the suit alleges.
“Thus Sheriff Jones and Robert used the public payroll and the coercive offices of the Butler County Sheriff and Prosecutor to try to eliminate Jones’ political opposition,” the lawsuit says.
The charges against Richter were thrown out in Area II Court. But Richter claims the damage was already done and seeks an undisclosed amount in damages. Specific charges against Jones and Robert Richter include violation of civil rights, conspiracy, abuse of process, malicious prosecution, defamation and assault.
Here’s the court filing (click in the top right corner to enlarge it):
Any questions for Gov. Strickland?
UPDATE: The governor stood me up. His office called and said I got bumped. I’ll let you know if/when they reschedule the interview.
I’ll be interviewing Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland tomorrow afternoon about Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign in Ohio. What do you think I should ask him?
I have 15 minutes, which may give me enough time to ask one of your questions. But there are criteria (from the governor’s office): “As agreed, the Governor is being made available to discuss the presidential campaign: such as the state of the race, the campaign moving forward, what he will do to help secure an Obama victory and what Senator Obama must do.”
I hope to post an audio recording of the interview tomorrow afternoon. I’ll keep you updated. So, got any questions?
The future of VOA Park
The first phase of Butler County’s largest park project is expected to cost roughly $10.6 million and include facilities for soccer, sand volleyball, basketball and a playground.
See a detailed map of the future Voice of America Park in West Chester Twp. here.
Mostly, it’ll include soccer. Phase I includes 19 soccer and multi-purpose fields. Nine of those fields might include new turf, officials said.
Butler County MetroParks Director Jon Granville said the park’s business model relies on hosting regional tournaments and soccer is a major draw.
Granville said the first phase has a high price tag because it includes many of the water, electrical and other infrastructure improvements needed for later phases.
The master planning firm McGill Smith Punshon is still putting together cost estimates for those later phases, but they will include a ropes course, baseball diamonds, concession stands, shelters, natural habitat, thousands of parking spaces and miles of hiking trails.
Other popular amenities including the dog park and fishing lake are slated to stay.
The plan was created with input from a 17-member user group.
As for when any of this is built, “a lot of this will be driven by when the funds are available private or public,” Granville said.
After recently refinancing one of its properties, MetroParks only has $1.8 million in its reserves, according to board President Edward Dwyer. He said the agency is planning a major capital campaign to raise the difference.
Since Phase I is so much to bite off, Dwyer wants to break it down into smaller pieces. “What we want to do is isolate what are the monetary hurdles we have in front of us,” he said.
MetroParks will likely start with the infrastructure improvements outlines in Phase I while the subsequent phases are being designed. The agency has already started grading an amphitheater there and expanding the lake.
“The other challenge we have is to make sure its usable throughout,” Dwyer said, stressing that they will try to work around the increasing number of people using the 400-plus-acre park in West Chester Twp.
Animal shelter update
Zoning for the Butler County Animal Shelter is approved, site preparation is done and the facility will be complete within 360 days.
This is what Butler County commissioners told Hamilton resident Doris Leugers when she asked them why it wasn’t done nearly two years after voters approved a levy to build it.
County Administrator Tim Williams said the $3.4 million project could be done in five or six months, weather permitting, but will be done in less than a year.
Commission President Charles Furmon said that the delays came from three redesigns needed to keep the building under budget. “We were not happy with that situation, but were forced to deal with it,” he said.
“We’re all animal lovers,” he said. “It’s deplorable conditions (at the current shelter in Trenton) and we want to have that happen as quickly as possible.”
What do you think? Are you satisfied the project is finally moving forward?
Write this down: (513) 887-3154
Here is the story I wrote about the first in a series of town hall meetings to discuss Butler County Auditor Roger Reynold’s re-appraisal of property county-wide.
Call (513) 887-3154 and schedule a session to look at how your property was appraised, because many people who contest the appraisal will see their taxable values drop, Reynolds said. This is because property owners can take 2008’s lower values into consideration, while Reynolds can only look at 2006 and 2007, he said. It’s all in the article above.
Some people are still unsure what their new appraisal is, though, because notices went out late. Auditor’s office officials say they’re all in the mail. If you don’t get one by the end of the week, call (513) 887-3154.
Some people have the opposite problem, they received two notices. Auditor’s office officials say numerous extra notices were both printed out and mailed, and the printer will reimburse the county for the several thousand dollar mistake.
But the auditor’s office doesn’t know how many extras went out. If you received too many, call — you guessed it — (513) 887-3154.
Boehner, Chabot updates
What have Butler County’s U.S. Reps been up to these days? We’ve received a couple press releases to that effect. Here’s the one from House Minority Leader and West Chester Twp. native U.S. Rep. John Boehner:
WASHINGTON, D.C. - As House Democrats continue to take a nationwide public pounding for blocking a vote on “all of the above” energy reforms the American people want, Congressman John Boehner (R-West Chester) delivered remarks on the House floor welcoming them back to work from their August recess. House Republicans remained on the floor of the House during the five-week break demanding that Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) call the House back into session and allow a vote on Republicans’ “all of the above” energy bill, the American Energy Act (H.R. 6566). House Republicans will continue to insist on a vote on behalf of the American people.
The press release came with a link to a video of Boehner’s welcome back speech to House Democrats, and this transcript:
“Mr. Speaker, let me say welcome to my Democrat colleagues, welcome back to the House. You all left here without a vote on the ‘American Energy Act,’ and as I look at this week’s schedule, looks like we’re going to take another week of vacation because there’s not much on the schedule. While you all were out, I and my Republican colleagues were here each and every day with the lights dimmed, the microphones off, no one in the chair, the cameras off, talking to the visitors who were coming through the Capitol about our plan to produce all of the above.
“You know, the American people are tired of high gas prices, small businesses are having a difficult time with high energy prices. We’ve got school districts around America trying to figure out how they’re going to operate their buses this fall with the price of gasoline and diesel where it is and yet Congress has failed to act. And what we’ve been proposing for the last three months is a bill that would do all of the above. We need to have more conservation in America and we need to have the incentives to produce more conservation. We need renewables. My colleague from Washington who was just here, I’m in full support of all of these renewables, but many of them are not going to be ready next year, the year after or for that matter, some of them not for 10 or 20 years.
“So in the meantime we have to find a way to produce more energy now. That means using coal in a clean way, whether it’s coal to gas, coal to liquid, we can use coal and we’re the Saudi Arabia of the world when it comes to coal and there’s no reason for us not to use it an environmentally-sensitive way. We also need nuclear energy, the cleanest form of energy that - today, it’s a 15-year process to get a nuclear permit and to go through all the steps it costs billions of dollars and maybe at the end of 15 years you’ll get a permit to actually operate. But even if we do all of that, we have not done all we can do to maximize our energy security and maximize the amount of energy we can produce and take a big step toward energy independence. That’s why producing more American-made oil and gas in an environmentally sensitive way has to be part of this bill.
“Now, this bill’s been out there. It does all of the above and I think the American people are demanding that we do all of the above. The Speaker before she became the Speaker promised this would be the most open and accountable congress in history. In that light, I’ve respectfully asked the Speaker when will she give the American people a vote on the ‘American Energy Act’ (H.R. 6566)? Our plan to do all of the above. Will it be on the floor this week? There’s rumors floating around that we could have an energy bill this week. Nobody’s seen one yet. It hasn’t been scheduled, but these rumors are out there and if we are going to have a vote on a little bit of the above or some of the above that the majority might produce, why not give a large group of Members in this House who want to do all of the above just a chance to have a debate and vote on our competing proposal.
“So that’s what we are looking for. We want a fair and open debate. We want a chance to have a vote. Anything less than that frankly is unacceptable and the Republicans in this House will continue to force the Democrat majority to allow a vote on doing all of the above because it’s what the American people want, it’s what they sent us here to do, and we are not going to leave until it gets done. I yield back.”
Now for U.S. Rep. Steve Chabot. His office issued this release:
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Steve Chabot (R-Cincinnati) expressed concerns about the proposed agreement by DHL to eliminate its North American express air cargo operations during a House Judiciary Committee hearing today on competition in the package delivery industry. Chabot, a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, took a lead roll in pressing Chairman Conyers to hold a hearing on the subject.
“I am very concerned about the impact this proposed agreement will have on the employees of DHL and their families,” Chabot stated. “The possible loss of up to 10,000 jobs and more than $250 million in salaries will also cause significant long term harm to the state and local economies.”
The committee heard testimony from a number of lawmakers and industry leaders concerned about the impact such an agreement would have on area jobs and the state’s economy. Ohio Senators George Voinovich and Sherrod Brown, along with Congressman Mike Turner, who’s 3rd Congressional District encompasses Wilmington Air Park, testified before the Judiciary Committee regarding the local effects of the proposed deal. Additional witnesses included Wilmington Mayor David Raizk, Captain John Prater, the President of the Airline Pilots Association International, and John Mullen the CEO of DHL Express.
In Lebanon today
Sorry I haven’t posted anything today, but I’ve spent most of my day either in Lebanon covering Sen. John McCain’s and Gov. Sarah Palin’s visit or responding to their respective campaigns’ spin statements.
Here is the resulting story on the rally. The enthusiasm was palpable, though mostly for Palin. One man held two signs. One said “America respects McCain.” The other said, “America loves Palin.”
Here is the Democratic party’s response (I don’t have a link because it’s not on the Web yet):
HAMILTON — The Republican presidential ticket’s rousing rhetoric delivered to cheering supporters in Lebanon Tuesday, Sept. 9, was chocked full of half-truths, according to their rival’s presidential campaign.
Democratic candidate Barack Obama’s campaign issued a slew of statements during and after Sen. John McCain’s and Gov. Sarah Palin’s address in Lebanon.
The biggest charge has to do with Palin’s now-familiar claim that helped stop one of the most infamous earmarks in recent history.
“I told congress ‘Thanks but no thanks’ for that Bridge to Nowhere up in Alaska,” she said Tuesday. “If our state wanted a bridge, we would build it ourselves.”
The Obama camp counters that she supported the bridge before she opposed, and never gave back the money.
“On the same day that dozens of news organizations have exposed Governor Palin’s phony Bridge to Nowhere claim as a ‘naked lie,’ she and John McCain continue to repeat the claim in their stump speeches,” said Obama campaign spokesman Tommy Vietor. “Maybe tomorrow she’ll tell us she sold it on eBay.”
When asked, the campaign didn’t refute charges that Obama has allocated nearly $1 billion in federal earmarks — nearly $1 million a day. But they said Palin received $750 million in earmarks in her 645 days as governor of Alaska — more than $1 million per day.
Sen. Barack Obama was in Dayton today, so our affiliate paper the Dayton Daily News has a story on that here.
Here is a story on the crowd’s reaction to McCain and Palin. The crowd included state Sen. Gary Cates and Scott Owens, chairman of McCain’s Butler County campaign. Owens said the turnout — estimated at 10,000 — was amazing. “I can only imagine how many people will come if they (McCain and Palin) come to Butler County sometime before election day,” he said.
Owens also said he met Palin briefly at the Hilton in Cincinnati where she and the senator stayed last night. “She is so personable,” he said. He told her, “thank you for energizing the base.”
Obama had supporters in Lebanon too. About 10 of them. Here is a story about that.
Considering all this, Lebanon Mayor Amy Brewer — a Republican, working mother and BIG Palin fan — said she thinks Warren County will deliver for the Republican party.
What about Butler County?
Butler County to remember fallen emergency responders
Press release from the Butler County Emergency Management Agency:
In keeping with a commitment made on September 11, 2001 to “Never Forget”, the Butler County Fire Chiefs Association will hold a remembrance on Thursday September 11, 2008. This remembrance will be held in Hamilton, Ohio at the Fallen Firefighter/EMT Memorial on Monument Avenue. This observance will begin at 7:00 pm, and last about 30 minutes. There will be comments from individuals from various emergency organizations, a Fire Department Bell Ceremony, and prayers offered for all the victims of September 11, 2001. We would like to invite all Police, Fire, and EMS members, Veterans, Members of the Armed Forces, and Citizens to join with us in this seventh observance of this tragic event in the history of our country.
‘The year that Butler Countians’ eyes were opened’?
I don’t normally post links to editorials because I try very hard to not let my opinions creep into my coverage of local news. But I’m curious what you think about this editorial in our newspaper Sunday because it touches a lot on what I’ve been writing about lately.
The gist:
As we have shown in story after story this year, our current form of county government needs fixing; 2008 may well be remembered as the year that Butler Countians’ eyes were opened wide to the patronage, salary irregularities, favoritism and inefficiencies that plague our local government.
The editorial focused on a package of stories I recently wrote on the appraisers hired by Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones to do property appraisals and how much they contribute to the sheriff’s political campaign.
What our editorial board says (it is important to stress that I do not write the editorials and often have no idea what our op-ed staff’s view on any issue is):
Sheriff Jones has the opportunity to distinguish himself from that crowd and to show the rest of the state how it ought to be done: advertise and bid out the jobs. Jones considers himself an unconventional politician and prides himself on his independence and the clout he has amassed in his 3½ years in office. We challenge him to demonstrate that independence by ending a practice that appears to be more of the political patronage that plagues our county.
It also touched on a proposal to overhaul county government that has been tried in other parts of the state and proposed here.
I was wondering what you think. Do you agree with the editorial, or think it’s off-base?
Zettler attacks on property appraisal
Jack Zettler, candidate for Butler County auditor, released this press release this morning about incumbent Auditor Roger Reynolds’ recently completed property value re-appraisal:
HARD TO SEE CHANGE AT THE AUDITOR’S OFFICE
Home values going up; spending on perks continuing.
I, like most of you reading this article, was astounded to read that our recently appointed county auditor Roger Reynolds was going to raise the values of our homes by almost 6%. We all know the value of property in Butler County is on the decrease. According to the MLS data, the average price of real estate has dropped by an amount almost equal to the amount of Roger’s increase.
Surely our county auditor knows that values are decreasing. According to the auditor’s website Roger personally purchased a home for $447,500 in April 2008 which sold for $591,500 in 2007. That is a decrease of more than 20%. So why do the rest of us deserve an increase?
The former Auditor Rogers (who increased many homes of middle class families by as much as 27% while giving little or no increases and even decreases in many affluent neighborhoods) blamed her property valuations on the state. It was all the fault of the Taft Administration. Will we now hear from Roger that it’s all the fault of the Strickland Administration? It would not surprise me!
Unfortunately, the auditor has to live with one simple fact:
IT IS THE DUTY OF THE AUDITOR TO FAIRLY VALUE YOUR PROPERTY FOR TAX PURPOSES
So, the question remains why the increase in values? Maybe part of the answer lies in the auditor’s comments in the September 3, 2008 Journal News article where the auditor discussed how the “county tweaked the formula” and the need “to keep the government coffers full.”
If I were county auditor and pressured by the local politicians to unfairly raise home values for tax purposes in a declining market, I simply would not comply. It’s not right to punish the taxpayers of Butler County because Butler County officials are unable to cease their pattern of uncontrolled spending.
In my opinion, the auditor should have spent more time understanding the realities of Butler County’s depressed real estate market. However, according to the Butler County Commissioner’s website (Resolution No. 08-05-0711), our newly appointed auditor, with less than two months in office, chose to attend a seminar in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at a cost to Butler County taxpayers of $2,000.00. Is Florida the best place to learn Ohio Law? The time Roger spent in Fort Lauderdale should have be spent in Butler County working for the taxpayers by decreasing their home tax valuations.
When all is said and done will Roger ever have the ability to protect the interest of the county taxpayers when those who placed him in power want to keep their coffers full?
Does Palin close the passion gap in southwest Ohio?
Here is another article, this one from the Associate Press, asking whether conservative voters that John McCain is counting for in crucial southwest Ohio are enthused enough about him. It’s a good read. An excerpt:
Butler, Warren and Clermont counties were rock solid in 2004 for President Bush, voting for him by more than 2-to-1 and delivering a 130,000-plus margin in the swing state where Bush clinched re-election by fewer than 119,000 votes.
But there are fissures in the GOP base here, with the election two months away and polls indicating Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama are in a tight race in a state that no Republican has reached the White House without winning.
Some voters remain skeptical about McCain’s conservative credentials, and he faces what a political analyst calls “an enthusiasm gap.” Evangelical Christian political activists in the past have felt he hasn’t taken strong enough positions on issues such as gay marriage and abortion, and some were alarmed when he suggested he would consider a running mate supportive of abortion rights, even though he isn’t.
You will undoubtedly notice the article is a little out of date. Many GOPers argue that the choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin for vice presidential nominee has closed that passion gap, especially considering her strong pro-life stance.
What do you think?
Take this survey
A regional planning effort is seeking your input on what should be the main priorities in developing Butler, Warren, Hamilton and Clermont counties as as a region.
Butler County residents are encouraged to take a survey available on the Citizens for Civic Renewal Web site, http://citizenscivicrenewal.org, to help prioritize regional planning efforts.
This follows a series of town hall meetings, where residents gave input on how communities in this area should work together.
The aim is to assemble a regional plan by the end of this year to coordinate state and federal funding requests, focusing on five areas: educational excellence, competitive economy, effective governance, livable communities and urban renaissance.
Butler County GOP blasts Strickland appointments
Butler County Republican Party Chairman Tom Ellis just released this blistering press release about Gov. Ted Strickland’s appointment of two Democrats to fill two local judgeships:
Let the Voters Decide - Not Politics as Usual
(Hamilton, OH) The Butler County Republican Party concedes that no one should be too surprised that the Democratic governor chose Democrats to fill the two open judicial positions in Butler County, but “the process has now been tainted by politics,” says Butler GOP Chairman Tom Ellis.
Two judicial openings in Butler County occurred in the last few weeks when longtime Juvenile Judge David Niehaus passed away and Area Court Judge Robert Hendrickson resigned his position to run for Appeals Court. Both of these judges were endorsed by the Republican Party and elected by the voters of Butler County.
Democratic Governor Strickland promised to change the political selection process when he was elected in 2006. He has created a task force to vet and consider all interested and qualified judicial candidates. In the case of the local Butler County openings, both the two Democrat endorsed candidates and Republican endorsed candidates applied for the position. All were recommended by the Task Force, but the governor chose the Democrats in both cases. One of the Democrats, Glenda Smith, is the former Chair of the Butler County Democratic Party and active on the Governor’s campaign.
The governor could have allowed qualified interim judges to stay on the bench through the election and allowed the voters to make the decision without outside influence. “The governor has politicized the election process, but we are confident that the conservative voters of Butler County will see through this and elect our conservative team of Tim Evans for Juvenile Court and Dan Haughey for Area Court. Both are highly qualified and both will keep the same conservative, common sense approach of their two predecessors,” said Ellis.
Here in Butler County, our citizens are going to send the Governor a strong message in November; keep your liberal politics in Columbus, and let us select our own judges.”
Governor fills two local judge seats
Press release from Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland:
Columbus, Ohio - Governor Ted Strickland today announced the appointment of Glenda Smith to the Butler County Municipal Court Area III and the appointment of Kathleen Romans to the Butler County Common Pleas Court, Juvenile Division.
“In her years as a public servant and attorney, Glenda has exemplified hard work, legal expertise, and commitment to her community; she also brings a diversity of experience to the bench that will make her an outstanding judge,” Strickland said.
Smith, 47, of Fairfield Township, fills a seat on the Butler County Municipal Court that was vacated due to the resignation of Judge Robert Hendrickson on August 15th.
Smith will begin September 6, 2008.
Smith has maintained a private practice in Fairfield Township since 2001 and has presided as a hearing examiner for the Bureau of Motor Vehicles since 2007. She represented law enforcement officers as a deputy attorney general in Indiana from 1992-1993, and protected the interest of vulnerable citizens as a guardian ad litem in the Hamilton County Public Defender’s Office from 1999-2001. She has also taught a variety of law-related courses as an adjunct professor at both Cincinnati State and Columbus State. Smith received her bachelor’s degree from the Indiana University in 1989, and both her master’s and legal degree from Indiana University in 1992.
“I am humbled by Governor Strickland’s appointment and assure that I will serve the court and community with high standards,” Smith said.
Kathleen Romans, 59, of Middletown, fills a seat on the Butler County Common Pleas Court, Juvenile Division that was vacated due to the death of Judge David Niehaus on August 1st.
“Kathleen has served Butler County for more than two decades as a respected attorney dedicated to protecting Butler County families and children,” Strickland said. “Kathleen is ready to assume the great responsibilities of a juvenile judge from day one.”
Romans will begin September 6, 2008.
Romans was appointed by the late Judge Niehaus as magistrate of the Butler County Juvenile Court in 2003, and continues her service in that court. Romans has also maintained a private general law practice sine 1983. Prior to becoming a juvenile magistrate, Romans was a supervising assistant prosecuting attorney in Butler County Juvenile Court for over eighteen years (1983-2001).
Among her community activities, Romans served on the Middletown Regional Hospital Foundation Board from 1994-2003 and chaired the Ohio Children’s Trust Fund Board of Butler County from 1994-1998. She is active in the legal community as both an attorney and magistrate, dedicating much time to working on issues of domestic violence, child assault and abuse of children.
Romans received her bachelor’s degree from Miami University in 1973 and her law degree from Dayton Law School in 1983.
“As a long term resident of Butler County, I am deeply honored by this appointment and I look forward to continuing my service to my community in this role,” Smith said.
A high resolution photo of Smith is available at the following link: http://www.governor.ohio.gov/News/Photos/GlendaSmith/tabid/826/Default.aspx
A high resolution photo of Romans is available at the following link: http://www.governor.ohio.gov/News/Photos/KathleenRomans/tabid/825/Default.aspx
MLS: Property values down
While property value assessments are going up 5.95 percent on average countywide, home sale prices dropped an average 5.4 percent countywide, according to the Multiple Listing Service of Greater Cincinnati.
More specifically, the value of the average home in Hamilton dropped 1.9 percent to $113,986 in Hamilton and went down a staggering 18.1 percent in Middletown to $83,716. The average home value did go up in West Chester Twp. 7.2 percent, leaving it at $257,913.
For a full breakdown, click on the thumbnail on the right to enlarge it.
So why the difference?
Several reasons. The MLS numbers, for example, take into account HUD homes, sheriff’s auctions and foreclosures, which bring down average values considerably.
But regardless of the “countywide average” County Auditor Roger Reynolds insists his appraisals are a conservative estimate of actual values. He said when he checked appraisals against homes for sale, the appraisals always came in below the asking price.
How has your home’s value fared in recent years?
Only one person files write-in bid
Eric Wilson, of Cincinnati, is running for office this November, though his name won’t be on any ballots.
Wilson was the only locally to file a write-in candidacy by the Sept. 3 deadline. He is challenging U.S. Rep. Steve Chabot, whose 1st Congressional District includes a small part of southwest Butler County.
Wilson appears to have run at least once for Cincinnati City Council, according to a quick Google search.
Piper pipes up on plan to revamp indigent defense
At the urging of Butler County Prosecutor Robin Piper, county commissioners agreed today, Sept. 4, to form a committee to oversee a proposed overhaul of the county’s indigent defense system.
Piper told commissioners he felt left out of the process since common pleas judges submitted a controversial plan a month ago that called for two defense attorneys to be assigned to each of the seven judges.
This would save the county $182,428 and cut down on “inefficiency, incompetence and unscrupulous attorneys,” according to Judge Keith Spaeth.
But Piper worried there would be a “rippling effect” in his office, with two part-time defense attorneys assigned to cases he has one prosecutor working on. And he expressed doubt that a counter-proposal being developed by defense attorneys will save the county as much as it could.
Piper said the system isn’t broken, though it could stand to be more efficient.
“I see really good lawyers taking court appointments and I don’t’ know why we’re going to change that,” he said.
Commissioners agreed that a committee should be formed, and directed County Administrator Tim Williams to work with court administrators to form one.
“I don’t know how you could lose with having a panel like that,” said Commission President Charles Furmon.
Here’s what Ohio Public Defender Tim Young thinks of the plan.
What do you think?
Now that’s wish fulfillment - sick leave issue dropped
UPDATE: Here is more on this issue.
At shortly after 9 o’clock this morning, business reporter Jessica Heffner was in a meeting with local business leaders who were discussing how to defeat a ballot issue mandating employer-provided sick leave.
At the same time, I was sitting in a Butler County commission meeting where commissioners were agreeing a letter should be sent to the state urging Gov. Ted Strickland to oppose the ballot issue.
Commissioner Gregory Jolivette: “As one of the border counties in Ohio, we stand the most to lose with economic development if this passes.” “It would be easy for them (businesses) to move to Kentucky or Indiana, and we would be the ones losing jobs.”
Commissioner Donald Dixon: “Ohio can’t stand to have this issue passed.” “This is a real important issue when it comes to the economic growth and stability in the state of Ohio.”
Meanwhile, in Columbus, Strickland announced the issue is dead:
Members of Ohioans for Healthy Families, an advocacy group that supported the sick-day mandate, said they have agreed with a request by Gov. Ted Strickland to keep the issue off the November ballot and avoid a negative and divisive campaign fight.
Strickland opposed the issue, saying it would hurt the state’s economy.
“It became clear that a shrill and vitriolic ballot campaign marred by misinformation and disinformation would be impossible to avoid,” said Becky Williams, president of the Service Employees International Union District 1199, which spoke for the advocacy group at a news conference Thursday.
What do you think? How were you going to vote on this issue?
State: Property values going up
The post below will differ slightly from the one that went up earlier. Here’s why: when I asked repeatedly what percentage change in property values were found in this year’s re-appraisal, Auditor Roger Reynolds told me no such number exists. The state said that number is a 5.95 percent increase in values, not the non-quantifiable decrease Reynolds announced.
HAMILTON — Notices going out this week from the Butler County Auditor’s Office will reflect an average 5.95 percent increase in appraised property values countywide, according to a property value reappraisal approved by the state last week.
Butler County Auditor Roger Reynolds said the specific increases and decreases in value differ substantially in different parts of the county. Middletown saw the slowest growth while Oxford saw the highest, he said.
The appraisals were determined by looking at home sales and 2006 and 2007 — but not 2005, when the housing bubble was still inflating — Reynolds said.
This is the last major adjustment to property values since 2005, and reflects a substantially slowed housing market, officials said.
“These are much smaller increases than we have observed in the past,” said Shelley Wilson, head of the Ohio Department of Taxation’s Equalization Division, adding that double-digit increases were recently the norm.
But increased property values don’t necessarily equate to a corresponding tax hike, Reynolds said; commercial growth is helping to shoulder the tax burden.
“Although we’re seeing just like everyone else (in Ohio) a reduction in residential values, our tax burden is being offset by a commercial growth to our tax base,” Reynolds said. “That gives a relief to our taxpayers.”
Reynolds doesn’t believe there will be a stampede of objections to the appraisals, though some people have voiced concerns that their appraised home values are going up while sale values have gone down.
Property owners can object to the county’s numbers at informal review schedule across the county. Dates and locations will be listed in the notice going out this week.
“I don’t know that what Butler County is seeing is different from smiliarly situated counties, said Ohio Department of Taxation Spokesman John Kohlstrand.
He said housing markets in rural counties are faring better than urban ones. Clermont County is looking at a 7.19 percent increase, he said, and Green County is estimating a 7.78 percent increase. Montgomery County is facing a .24 percent increase.
Reynolds: Property taxes going down
HAMILTON — Butler County Auditor Roger Reynolds announced today, Sept. 3, that the average local homeowner will soon see his or her property taxes decrease.
Appraised property values are down countywide, Reynolds said, following a countywide re-appraisal conducted every three years and approved by the state this week.
This is a departure from previous estimates that property values may go up an average 6 to 9 percent countywide.
The county tweaked the formula this year to get this decrease, looking at 2006 and 2007 numbers but ignoring 2005, when the housing bubble was still inflating.
Reynolds said commercial growth is offsetting this housing decline to keep government coffers full. If that weren’t the case, tax millages would go up as home values declined.
“Although we’re seeing just like everyone else (in Ohio) a reduction in residential values, our tax burden is being offset by a commercial growth to our tax base,” Reynolds said. “That gives a relief to our taxpayers.”
The amount of home value decreases vary dramatically from area to area and house to house. In general, Middletown is seeing the largest home value and decline and Oxford is seeing the least decline.
Reynolds is scheduling town hall meetings across the county to explain the numbers to homeowners. Here is the schedule of those:
All meetings are 7-9 p.m., except for Middletown meetings, which are 6-8 p.m.
Monday, September 8, 2008
- Ross High School - Auditorium
- 3601 Hamilton Cleves Road
- Ross, OH
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
- Liberty Twp Administration Building
- 6400 Princeton Road
- Liberty Twp, OH 45011
Monday, September 22, 2008
- Hamilton Freshman School - Auditorium
- 2260 NW Washington Blvd.
- Hamilton, OH 45013
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Middletown Senior Center
- Conference Room
- 3907 Central Avenue
- Middletown, OH 45042
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
- Fairfield Community Arts Center - Community Room
- 411 Wessel Drive
- Fairfield, OH 45014
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
- West Chester Twp Hall - Township Hall
- 9113 Cincinnati Dayton Rd.
- West Chester, OH 45069
Thursday, October 2, 2008
- Lebanon Citizens National Bank - Oxford
- 30 Park Place
- Oxford, OH 45056
Post card from St. Paul/Minneapolis
Here’s another Butler Countian at the Republican National Convention. From the Cleveland Plain-Dealer:
Today’s postcard is from Colleen O’Kane of Urbana, a junior at the University of Dayton. O’Kane, 20, is as an intern for the John McCain campaign in Butler County and is among the 173 Ohio delegates to the convention in St. Paul-Minneapolis. She was asked about the pregnancy of Sarah Palin’s daughter.
“I think it a situation that people can relate to. It’s something that our generation has dealt with. I admire the way the Palin family is handling the situation with tremendous grace, considering the pressure they have been put in. ”
O’Kane said she was proud the “Ohio delegation raised $20,000 Sunday for the Red Cross” for hurricane victims and “proud that they understand McCain’s motto: putting the country before our party.”
Additional details on today’s topics
First, on the Republican National Convention. If you want all the juicy details with an Ohio perspective, we have several reporters blogging from Minneapolis. I highly recommend it. And here is a link to our all-things-convention page.
And on the spat between the Ohio secretary of state and legislative leaders I mentioned in the last blog, here’s a rumor I just stumbled across: Ohio House Speaker Jon Husted, R-Kettering, may be after the secretary of state’s job.
Any thoughts?
Absentee apps going out, but at what cost?
It has never been easier to apply for an absentee ballot to vote in Butler County. It has also never been as expensive or contentious for state leaders.
The Butler County Board of Elections will mail out applications for absentee ballots to the county’s roughly 245,000 registered voters. They will accompany the standard reminders of when and where to vote and will come with pre-paid postage.
How much this will cost the Board of Elections is dependent on how many voters return the application, which is hard to estimate, McGary said, because this is the first presidential election in which Ohio voters can vote by absentee ballot for any or no reason.
“As far as absentee voting goes this year, I think the numbers could reach in Butler County alone 50,000,” McGary said. Butler County is moving ahead with the mailing on the promise from state leaders they will be reimbursed.
This promise followed a contentious back-and-forth last week between Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, and Senate President Bill Harris and House Speaker Jon Husted. Read that story here.
Local GOPers at national convention
It appears from the comments below that there is a lot of interest in this year’s presidential race. No surprise there.
Four local residents will get front-row seats to this year’s Republican National Convention. They include James Crane, Vietnam veteran and retired hotel manager. From a story that ran Monday on Crane:
The lives of James Crane and John McCain first intersected in November 1970.
Crane, now a retired hotel manager in Fairfield, was a radio operator on the USS Ranger. McCain, now an Arizona Senator, was a prisoner of war after his Navy fighter was shot down over Hanoi in 1967.
Crane was part of a covert mission to free McCain and other North Vietnamese prisoners. McCain was routinely beaten; he had already refused release if others weren’t let go as well, and rescue would have been a salvation.
Though the mission unfolded flawlessly, the North Vietnamese were tipped off and moved the prisoners before U.S. forces arrived. It would be nearly three years before McCain would walk free.
Now, 38 years later, Republicans will gather in Minneapolis this week and name McCain their presidential nominee.
Crane will be there as an alternate delegate from Butler County. He said what he looks for in a candidate is “character,” and believes McCain’s years in Vietnam shaped him to be a better leader.
“I have a tremendous amount of respect for him…knowing what they (POWs) went through and seeing what he’d done with his life and his career, there’s an awful lot of respect there,” Crane said.
As he watches McCain take the nomination Thursday, Sept. 4, Crane will recall with pride what he — and all others in America’s Armed Forces — did for his country. And he’ll remember that day in 1970.
“I feel that there was a bond between us, even though I was a little bitty cog in the effort to rescue him,” Crane said. “I was part of that.”
The other three area delegates are former Liberty Twp. Trustee Margaret Conditt, retired teacher and Butler County Republican Party Chairwoman Jewel Baker and, of course, House Minority Leader John Boehner. Here’s their plans for the convention:
Each of the four people from Butler County in Minneapolis this week for the Republican National Convention are representing a constituency. Some bound by geography, and other by ideology.
U.S. Rep. John Boehner, R-West Chester Twp., will have both the largest job and constituency as the House Republican leader.
“My job at the convention is simple: to help our Republican team by promoting our reform agenda,” Boehner said. “And my goal is simple: to highlight howwe’ll fix a broken Washington.”
Boehner will speak Tuesday night, Sept. 2. His fellow speakers will include former presidential hopefuls Rudolph Giulliani, Mike Huckabee and Fred Thompson. The theme will be reform.
“I’ll be spending a lot of time in particular talking about energy reform and the need for an ‘all of the above’ strategy to help lower gas prices and liberate America from its dangerous dependence on foreign oil,” Boehner said.
Other delegates from Butler County are former Liberty Twp. Trustee Margaret Conditt, and retired teacher and Butler County Republican Party Chairwoman Jewel Baker. Retired hotel manager James Crane of Fairfield will attend the convention as an alternate.
Conditt said she’s looking forward to Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin accepting the vice presidential nomination Wednesday, Sept. 3. Conditt is active in the local chapter of Catholics for McCain, and was elated to see McCain pick a pro-life candidate.
“With this new vice presidential nominee, I’m anxious to learn about her at this convention,” Conditt said. “We’re all going to be energized about this.”
All of the delegates were chosen by the party. Crane believes he was picked because of his military experience and activism in local military groups such as the American Legion and Disabled American Veterans.
“I don’t want to go up there and go partying. I’m looking at it as a business trip,” Crane said. “I look forward to meeting a lot of different people and having frank discussions with people and giving my two cents.”
His opinion: The times call for a strong military leader. “If we don’t have our national security, gas prices aren’t going to matter,” he said “If things get tough, who do you want to be president?”
Baker said she’s been politically active since she was 10-years-old, and is looking forward to her first Republican convention.
“I’m just interested in talking with other delegates from other states that’s going, and I’m interested in seeing…what they think their states will do (in November),” she said.
What’s her state going to do? Ohio is split, Baker believes. “We’re going to have to really work hard,” she said. “But we’ve done it before, and we can do it.”
Boehner has been to a few of these, but thinks this year’s convention will be unique in its emphasis on reform.
“We have a bold new platform that will really speak to the desires of Americans who are tired of paying too much for gas, who want real health care reforms…and who want to be sure we give terrorists plotting new attacks no place to hide,” he said.
And in my tradition of putting it all on the blog, here is the unedited statement I received from Boehner’s office:
“Our convention will bring all Republicans together in support of two real reformers and the only candidates ready to lead: John McCain and Sarah Palin. And I believe it will unite all Americans who know Washington is broken and want someone to fix it. Both McCain and Palin have a track record of fighting wasteful spending and promoting real energy reforms, and you’re going to hear a lot about both of those issues in the coming days. Our convention will also feature a number of great speakers who really represent the very best of the Republican Party - speakers who share a belief in freedom and security, and who are committed to leading a movement for reform in every city council and state house, in Congress, and yes, the White House.
“My job at the convention is simple: to help our Republican team by promoting our reform agenda. And my goal is simple: to highlight how we’ll fix a broken Washington. I’ll be spending a lot of time in particular talking about energy reform and the need for an ‘All of the Above’ strategy to help lower gas prices and liberate America from its dangerous dependence on foreign oil. In fact, Republicans have been on the floor of Congress every day for the last four weeks since Speaker Pelosi adjourned for a five week break. We’ve been there demanding a vote on the American Energy Act. And even during our convention, there will be Republicans back in Washington keeping up the fight. Energy reform is a critical and serious issue for families and small businesses in Ohio and across the country, and I’m going to do everything I can to force Speaker Pelosi to bring our bill to a vote.
“One of the big differences between this convention and previous ones is our emphasis on reform. We have a bold new platform that will really speak to the desires of Americans who are tired of paying too much for gas; who want real health care reforms that put patients and doctors back in charge, not Washington bureaucrats; and who want to be sure we give terrorists plotting new attacks no place to hide. We’re serious about facing our challenges head on, and we have the right leaders in Senator McCain and Governor Palin to help lead the way.”
