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About the 2019 Voter’s Guide
The Voter’s Guide 2019 contains information about the local candidates and issues that will appear on the Nov. 5 ballot for Yellow Springs and Miami Township residents. Candidates for contested office were invited to participate by submitting biographical information and responding to questions from the News. Asterisks (*) denote incumbent candidates.
Polling Locations, times
On election day, Tuesday, Nov. 5, polls open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m. Voters in all Yellow Springs precincts, 440, 441, 442 and 443, as well as voters in Miami Township precinct 456, will vote at
VILLAGE COUNCIL There are three open seats on the fivemember Village Council. Of the five candidates running, four are petition-certified and one is a certified write-in candidate. The top two vote-getters will serve fouryear terms, the other elected candidate will serve for two years. All members serve the village at-large and take their seats on Jan. 1, 2020. Council members receive a $7,200 annual stipend and meet twice per month. Candidates submitted their biographies and responded to four questions from the News. They were allotted 200 words for their biography, and 600 words across four questions: Q1: How will you make our village better? Q2: What specific projects will you champion as a Council member? Q3: Aside from Council meetings, how will you share your thoughts with — and seek input from — a wide variety of residents? Q4: Do you see a problem with Yellow Springs’ increasing popularity as a tourist destination? Why or why not?
LAURA CURLISS
— Public Notice — PUBLIC HEARING PLANNING COMMISSION YELLOW SPRINGS, OHIO Notice is hereby given that Public Hearings will be held on the following: • Conditional Use Application – R-B, Moderate Density Residential District – Mark Davenport and April Li have submitted a conditional use application for a Transient Guest Lodging (TGL) establishment at 131½ West North College Street per Yellow Springs Zoning Ordinance Chapter 1248 Residential Districts, Chapter 1258 Schedule of Uses by District, Chapter 1262 Conditional Use Requirements. Greene County Parcel ID # F19000100090006500 • Conditional Use Application and Site Plan Review – B-2, General Business District –The Yellow Springs Brewer y is requesting re-approval of their application for establishing a space for private events involving tastings of their craft beers, a brewing and storage area at 1475 Xenia Avenue per Yellow Springs Zoning Ordinance Table 1250.02 Schedule of Uses - Business Districts, Table 1258.01 Schedule of Uses by District, Chapter 1262 Conditional Use Requirements, and Chapter 1268 Site Plan Review. GREENE COUNTY PARCEL ID #s – F19000100060009000; F19000100060009100; F19000100060009200 • Conditional Use Application – B-2, General Business District –The Yellow Springs Brewer y is requesting approval of their application for mobile vending at 1475 Xenia Avenue per Yellow Springs Zoning Ordinance Table 1250.02 Schedule of Uses - Business Districts, Table 1258.01 Schedule of Uses by District, Chapter 1262 Conditional Use Requirements. GREENE COUNTY PARCEL ID #s – F19000100060009000; F19000100060009100; F19000100060009200 • Preliminar y Plan Application for PUD – Planned Unit Development (PUD) District. Yellow Springs Home, Inc. has requested a preliminar y plan review for the purpose of constructing a senior apartments building on their property located between East Herman and East Marshall Streets per Yellow Springs Zoning Ordinance Chapter 1248 Residential Districts, Chapter 1254 PUD, Chapter 1258 Schedule of Uses by District, Chapter 1260 General Provisions, Chapter 1264 Off-Street Parking and Loading, Chapter 1266 Signs, Chapter 1268 Site Plan Review and Chapter 1270 Landscaping.Parcel ID # F19000100080030300; F19000100080030200; F19000100080030100; F19000100080030000; F19000100080029900; F19000100080031500; F19000100080031600; F19000100080031700; F19000100080031800; F19000100080031900 PUBLIC HEARINGS WILL BE HELD ON THESE PETITIONS BY THE VILLAGE OF YELLOW SPRINGS PLANNING COMMISSION: DATE: Tuesday, November 12, 2019
TIME: 6 p.m.
LOCATION: Council Chambers, 2nd floor, Br yan Center, 100 Dayton St, Yellow Springs, OH 45387 This notice provides you and ever y other interested party the opportunity to appear or have input at the hearing. You may come in person or have someone appear on your behalf. You may express your views in writing by providing a copy to the Clerk of Council for inclusion in the record of the hearing. The applications, as prepared by the petitioners, may be examined at the office of the Village Manager on the 2nd floor of the Br yan Community Center, 100 Dayton Street, Yellow Springs, Ohio 45387. Questions regarding the applications, zoning code or procedures may be directed to the Zoning Administrator Denise Swinger, phone 767-1702 or by email to dswinger@vil.yellowsprings.oh.us. Denise Swinger, Planning & Zoning Administrator
Yellow Springs is my chosen home. Professionally, I’ve been a teacher, a municipal administrator (10 years), and, for 26 years, an attor ney. From 2012–2013, I served as the Village Manager of Yellow Springs. I volunteer to preser ve green space, promote trails/active transportation, improve the local justice system and support local music. For two years starting in 2012, I searched for housing in Yellow Springs, finding limited availability and (relatively) high prices for southwest Ohio. I share the experience of many people struggling to find “just the right place” they can afford. But housing costs are not the only costs affecting affordability. People tell me they are concerned about utility costs, local government spending and taxation. If elected, my primary purpose will be to ensure that the “basics” of local government work — providing leadership, legislation and financial oversight to enable our departments and services to operate in a costeffective manner. This sounds simple, but is constantly challenging … just think of our infrastructure needs, budget concerns, or the efforts to provide visioning/guidance for policing. In my free time, I walk my dog, hike in the Glen, practice yoga, play ukulele, enjoy YS events, garden and spend time with family. I ask for your vote on Nov. 5. Q1: I’d love to see one of those “word bubble” graphics based upon citizen answers to that question! Every person makes village life “better” in their own way. As a Council person, I will focus on what local government can do to make people’s lives easier. Q2: Here’s a partial list: 1. Prioritize infrastructure improvements; 2. Prioritize budget review, adjustments, examine upcoming municipal levy request. I will look at ways to save money. “Saving money” is rarely discussed, in my experience, even if high quality service is delivered; 3. Start a discussion on strengthening “checks and balances” in our government, making it more responsive to the electorate; 4. Move forward on Vernay property clean-up (we learned more about that on Oct. 24); 5. Implement clean water plans – e.g., source water protection plan; improve stormwater, reduce I&I in sanitary system (and stop sanitary overflows – SSO’s) (see #1 above) 6. Preserve more greenspace, improve parks; 7. Continue with streets/pedestrian improvements — curb ramps, sidewalk, trails, Safe Routes to School, connectivity;
YELLOW SPRINGS NEWS
VoTer’s Guide
Antioch University Midwest, located at 900 Dayton St. at the corner of East Enon Road. Voters in Miami Township’s precinct 455 will vote at the Cedar Lane Event Center, located at 200 Parkview Lane in Cedarville. Check your voting location online at greene.ohioboe.com/apps/pollfinder.aspx.
Early voting
In-person early voting for the Nov. 5 general election continues at the Greene County Board of Elections at 551 Ledbetter Road in Xenia, Thursday, Oct. 31, and Friday, Nov. 1, 8 a.m.–7p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 2, 8 a.m.–4 p.m.; Sunday, Nov. 3, 1–5 p.m.; Monday, Nov. 4, 8 a.m.–2 p.m. For information on absentee voting, contact the Greene County Board of Elections
8. Continue with implementing policecommunity improvements, training for officers, implement recommendations of the Justice System Task Force and the vision for policing; 9. Determine what local government can do to reduce mass incarceration and the impact of minor crimes on citizens, particularly young people and low-income persons; 10. Review land use/zoning changes based upon the assumption that housing values of existing property should be maintained, including single family residential, while creating new housing stock (particularly apartments and condominium for moderate-income persons, and perhaps encourage families with school-age children); 11. Maintain village character, maybe start with a discussion about population growth in light of Ohio’s municipal threshold between Village and City; 12. Focus on affordability — all aspects — including housing, utility costs and taxes; 13. Focus on getting the CDC up and running and economic development in general. Part of affordability is having good-paying jobs here locally. Q3: My preference is to meet people faceto-face or talk on the telephone. Facebook is almost useless for anything other than identifying issues because civil discourse is too difficult to maintain. I’d like to have office hours once a week at the Bryan Center. I will attend meetings of other groups to listen and learn. In a small town, casual meetings provide important opportunities for listening. One tool to increase communication and the effective functioning of local government is Council Committees. Departmentbased Committees meet once a month with the VM, department supervisor, and public to discuss policy, projects, budget compliance and future needs. Committees are an organized way to address “issues” as they arise. In Committee, new legislation and policies are developed, and budgets are regularly reviewed. Committees provide a way for citizens to have input early in the process. Q4: The Village government, working cooperatively with other organizations, can ameliorate some of the negative effects of tourism/events. I’ve heard some great suggestions during this campaign. It wouldn’t be difficult to gather information to work on these impacts. Historically, Yellow Springs has been a tourist destination as well as a desirable place to live. From the time that a hotel was built in the Glen until now, YS is a place people find attractive. “Find Yourself Here” is not just a slogan. The downtown thrives all year ’round due, in part, to events. All residents benefit from restaurants/coffee shops, retail and other businesses in a still intact downtown. Many mayors of Ohio small towns would love to have our thriving business center. I appreciate the business mix we have and we need tourism to keep these businesses “in business.”
JIM JOHNSON I grew up in Yellow Springs in the 1960s and ’70s and returned to my hometown in 2012 to help take care of my parents, Carl and Susan Johnson, and work for the reopened Antioch College. My parents were partners in the Erbaugh and Johnson Drug Store (Town Drugs, now Benzer Pharmacy) for 30 years and my family has lived in the same house on Dayton Street for 52 years. After graduating from Yellow Springs High School, I earned a Political Science degree at Miami University in 1982. I worked on Mike DeWine’s first campaign for Congress during the summer and fall of 1982 and served as his District Representative in Springfield before going to law school in 1984. After graduating from Case Western Reserve University with a JD in 1987, I began a 25-year career in higher
440 AUM
441 442
at 562-6170 or visit www.co.greene.oh.us/ BOE.
Tue NOV
Voter ID required
Ohio law requires all voters to announce their full name and current address and provide proof of identity. Acceptable ID includes an unexpired driver’s license or state-issued identification card with current or former address, as long as the voter’s current residential address is printed in the official list of registered voters for that precinct; a military ID; a copy of a current utility bill; a bank statement; a government check or other government document showing the voter’s name and current address. Voter registration notification is not an acceptable form of identification.
education administration (focus on fundraising). I believe in serving my community and giving back to my hometown. Also, I believe local government service is the purest form of representative democracy. I am running for Yellow Springs Village Council because I love my hometown. I want to serve as your representative on Village Council and, if elected, I will work hard on your behalf. Q1: I can best serve the village as a Council member by being an open and available representative who listens to the comments and feedback from village residents on the issues facing our community. I would use the information shared by my fellow residents, along with studied research, investigation and analysis to inform my positions on the policy decisions facing the next Village Council. Also, I would use my education, training and work experience to help foster economic and community development that encourages an increase in business entrepreneurship and good local jobs, good housing and long-term home ownership and population diversity and managed growth. I would work toward communitybased policing practices by encouraging our police officers to live and work in the village through a special stipend to cover the increased cost of living here. Q2: I would work to establish a community-wide broadband network to encourage economic growth, education and training opportunities, community interaction and collaboration, and artistic and social expression. I would work to build our local capacity for the production of electric energy through solar technology. Also, I would investigate the possibility of local electric battery storage facilities. I would work with Antioch College and other regional institutions of higher education to build on the village’s existing reputation as a place to start and grow a business that incubates at colleges and universities. I believe we should work to keep our current agri-business companies in the village and encourage others to consider doing business here. I would offer a $5,000 stipend to police officers who live in the village. I would make sure we have a public restroom on the south side of the downtown business district, not just the north side. Q3: I will have set office hours each week, like Mayor Pam, in the Bryan Center and downtown. I will hold “listening chats” around the village, like I have been during the fall campaign, when there are issues facing Village Council and our community. The Village government website would have my personal phone number posted for everyone to see and use. And, I will attend important community events and functions to stay current and involved in community activities. Q4: As long as we can provide adequate parking, public safety, guest services and restroom facilities for our guests, I do not have concerns about the increased popularity of Yellow Springs as a tourist destination. Its good for our local businesses and adds to the tax revenue base. We should be proud that people enjoy our reputation as a place to enjoy, relax, commune with nature, dine and shop because they also experience our openness and kindness to all.
LISA KREEGER* I first fell in love with Yellow Springs as a student of the Antioch University Ph.D. in Leadership and Change program that brought me here each summer. I moved to Yellow Springs in 2008 and have been an active community member ser ving the Yellow Springs Community Foundation (2015 to 2019), as coordinator of the Yellow Springs Village Mediation program (2009– 10), and the Yellow Springs Kids Playhouse board (2010–12). It has been an honor to serve as a Village Council member for the last two years. I’ve spent the majority of my career doing
ALL PRECINCTS (except 455) vote in the Multipurpose Room
at Antioch University Midwest (AUM). Parking is accessible via entrance on Enon Road.
443
VOTERS IN MIAMI TOWNSHIP’S PRECINCT 455 vote at the Cedar
Lane Event Center, located at 200 Parkview Lane in Cedarville.
work that prepared me to be your council person. For over 20 years I’ve helped individuals, teams and organizations to collaborate more effectively. My Ph.D. in leadership and change from Antioch University helped to further groom my skills as a thoughtful servant leader. My MBA and track record as a consultant lend business savvy as evidenced by my ability to create collaborations and move projects beyond “just talk” to implementation. Q1: Change is a process that requires focus and collaboration. I’ve learned that the community and the Council are in a partnership. You count on me to listen to you and be fully informed. I count on you to join me and engage in generating ideas and solutions. I dedicate my time and energies to make our village better by focusing on infrastructure planning, fiscal responsibility and economic development. These are the three most critical issues that are the responsibility of your Council. Q2: My focus as your Councilperson has been and will remain on infrastructure planning, fiscal responsibility and economic development. As a Council member I will continue to champion needed infrastructure investments supported by accurate budgeting and forecasting practices. We must attend to the aging infrastructure while proactively identifying and investing in future needs, including such projects as an additional electric circuit and a fiber network. I would hope to continue my involvement as one of the elected officials on the Yellow Springs Community Development Corporation (YSCDC). Our newly forming YSCDC, a nonprofit organization, is a collaboration between the Village, Township, School Board, Chamber, Community Foundation and Antioch College with the goal of advancing the economic, community, commercial and civic development in the Village of Yellow Springs to grow and strengthen the tax base. My background as a coalition builder is very important to these sorts of projects and working together, in concert, is a necessity. I will also continue to focus on our Village justice system. Our justice system is a crucial part of our infrastructure, just as is our water and electrical service. Specifically, I support the formation of a Citizen Community Advisory Committee. In 2018, the Council established a goal to establish a model Village justice system that supports a just, safe and welcoming community across race, age, economic status, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, ability and religion. The development of a Community Advisory Committee surfaced as a priority for citizens and the Justice System Task Force. Citizen advisory boards are unique to communities of our size. However, this should not prevent our Council from taking steps to establish processes that promote citizen input. Proposed purposes are to surface insights into community concerns about local policing that may be missed or silenced, aggregate data about community concerns that lead to recommendations to the YS Village Council, Village Manager, Chief of Police (e.g. process, training, community outreach) and that support our understanding of community policing expectations and norms, and continuously improve the degree of trust between the community, Village government, and the YSPD. Q3: My campaign promise is listen — engage — advance. Those first two words directly express the value that I place on seeking your input. I will continue to maintain an open door for conversations with you. Additionally, I will be asking if you are interested in receiving emails from me that identify issues coming up before Council. I will be placing notices in the YS News so that you can reach me if you are interested in receiving these communications. Q4: Tourism is critical to the vibrancy of our downtown. Living in Yellow Springs is made better by Tom’s Market, the Little Art Theatre, Unfinished Creations (to name a few), and our many wonderful shops and restaurants. Tourism is our version of open borders and an economically important way that we enact the value of a welcoming community. Sure, the crowds may be an occasional inconvenience. Still, I only smile with pride on those busy Saturdays when our village is full of vibrant life and music.
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YELLOW SPRINGS NEWS
MARIANNE MACQUEEN* I moved to Yellow Springs in 1972. Over the past 47 years I worked in several local businesses and directed three local nonprofits. I retired as the director of Yellow Springs Home, Inc. in 2012. I have served on a number of local, regional and state boards, including the Community Children’s Center, Friends Care Community, Greene County Fair Housing, BW Greenway Community Land Trust and the Ohio Conflict Management Network. I am an avid cyclist and enjoy helping care for my young granddaughter. I have served on Village Council for the past six years and am currently Council vice president. I led the effort to get our police department out of the drug task force and have worked on several additional projects since then to better align our policing practices with community values. With the Environmental Commission team, I collaborated with Tecumseh Land Trust to create and preser ve the Glass Farm wetlands and prairie. As liaison to the Energy Board, I helped negotiate the agreement for the solar field on the Glass Farm. I co-led the Housing Needs Assessment process and continue to work with the Village Manager’s Housing Advisory Board. Q1: We each make our village better by contributing in our own unique ways. The more our community encourages everyone’s participation, the better it is. I try to do that. Q2: There are a number of current and potential Village Council projects that are exciting to me and that I want to be involved in. If re-elected I will particularly commit to: 1) Increased Housing Options — I am currently championing the development of a housing plan for the Village and a housing development plan for the Glass Farm. Having encouraged the development of the solar farm on the western edge of the Glass Farm and the conservation area on the eastern side, I am especially excited to help develop a concept plan for housing on the remaining 20+ acres. The creation of a new stock of rental units and moderately priced homes will be a major step toward meeting our housing and affordability needs. 2) Vernay Cleanup and Repurposing — I am committed to working with the EPA and re-establishing a working relationship with Vernay Laboratories. We are now on the cusp of a huge opportunity — to get the actual cleanup process started. This will provide protection to villagers and to our water supply. In addition, we have a potential opportunity to repurpose the property so that it contributes to the community. This could be a fitting legacy for Vernay and Yellow Springs. 3) Deliberative Democracy — I will continue to work for better communication within Village government between Council, staff and commissions. I will also work to increase effective communication between Council and the community. There is, not infrequently, a disconnect between discussions at the Council table and conversations that happen in the community. The current mode of social media posts is not effective in furthering rigorous deliberation and debate. We can do better than this. I have been talking with our Village manager and have begun reaching out to community members for ideas. Q3: My primary focus will be seeking new processes or enhancing existing ones to enable better communication between Council and the community. I am considering creating an email group in which to share where I stand on Council issues with interested villagers and get their feedback. I am always open to, and appreciate, hearing from citizens, whether it is in the happenstance meetings in Tom’s or via email or phone. Q4: Yellow Springs has always attracted visitors. Tourists are attracted because
of the many amenities that we have and which we get to enjoy as well. Our neighboring communities would probably be happy to have the tourist problem we have. There are costs and there are benefits to tourism. We can’t push back the clock and I don’t think we want to let go of the benefits. Therefore we need to identify the problems and how to ameliorate them. The costs as I see them are: increased car and downtown foot traffic; increased Village service costs for police and maintenance, and a diminished sense of community. We can continue to find ways to cover the financial costs, such as the lodging tax the Village government has already instituted. Further developing the Activity Transportation Plan could help with some of the traffic issues. Let’s encourage new ways of coming together as a community and continue to support community events — such as the Community Thanksgiving, Porchfest, and the New Year’s Eve ball drop.
DEAN ‘DINO’ PALLOTTA (WRITE-IN CANDIDATE)
I grew up in Independence, Ohio, just outside of Cleveland. I went to West Virginia University and while playing football I graduated with a degree in political science and a minor in business. I moved to Columbus to attend law school for a year and met Sheila [Dunphy]. We were married in 1991 and I began my career in sales. In 1998, we had an opportunity to open a business in Yellow Springs and Dino’s Cappuccinos was born. We have now been in business for over 21 years and moved to Yellow Springs in 2012. I have been a member of the following: Community Resources, which assisted in returning the CBE land back to the Village in hopes of attracting business (Cresco) to the land; the Economic Sustainability Commission, which conducted open houses to educate residents about Cresco, their business vision and the tax revenue they would generate for the Village; a member of the Utility Dispute Resolution Board; the Search Committee for our new Village manager. I am now an alternate member of the Planning Commission and a member of the steering committee for the Comprehensive Land Use Plan. Q1, Q2: The new Comprehensive Land Use Plan will better position and guide the Village into the future. Once developed, it’ll be the blueprint for which we will address major issues with respect to affordability, business, infrastructure, sustainability, housing, seniors and nonprofits. Currently, as things stand, we are not affordable. This is the prime issue. Just because you purchase an affordable house doesn’t make living in the village affordable (taxes & utilities). How do we get there? Raising property taxes to increase the tax revenue stream is not an option. Our utilities are high due to the lack of funding for our enterprise funds, for each, for over 20 years. Our infrastructure is in need of repairs and updates. We need a blend of business and residential development. This is why Cresco and DMS are a great first step to developing new tax revenue dollars for the Village. They generate large property taxes, payroll taxes and all the utility revenues to the Village. Also of major importance is living here and working here. This increases our Village’s payroll tax dollars. If you live here but work outside of the Village, we see a smaller percentage of those dollars. These are significant real tax dollars from two new large businesses. If we can expand businesses that meet our core values, we could generate a larger tax revenue stream. These monies would undoubtedly aid affordability for all of us along with helping af fordable housing and nonprofits. Currently, the Village has earmarked $30,000 this year and next year to just one nonprofit. All our nonprofits are equal and important. Funding just one is a concern. If the Village is going to fund one they should fund them all as a standard practice. Q3: I would like to set up and implement regular office hours to meet with residents or groups to discuss issues face to face. In my opinion, this is a more effective way to communicate in hopes of getting things accomplished. If you come with a problem then also come with a possible solution. By doing so, we can work together to resolve the problem. Experience has shown, meeting face to face allows for two-way conversations. Tones, intonations and emotions are better understood and communicated, which leads to a clearer understanding
OCTOBER 31, 2019
of the concerns and works towards more positive outcomes. Q4: In my opinion, I do not see the increased popularity of Yellow Springs as a problem. It’s good for the local businesses. We employ more people, have ability to increase our sales which in turn generates tax revenue for the Village. I will admit that we do get overcrowded at times on the weekends, but for most of us that is when we do a majority of our business. However, I would like to see additional visitor parking with the ability to put solar parking meters around those restricted areas. This additional revenue stream will go right to Village funds and add to our bottom line. If more people are coming, why shouldn’t we take advantage of this opportunity, as opposed to allowing free parking. The Glen Helen parking fee is a perfect example.
BALLOT ISSUES ISSUE 13: Village Charter amendments Yellow Springs voters are being asked to consider amendments to two sections of the Village of Yellow Springs Charter. The proposed changes appear together on the ballot for a single “yes/no” vote. The amendments to one section of the charter involve extending voting rights in Yellow Springs elections to two new groups of voters: Village residents aged 16 and 17, and noncitizen residents. A resident is someone who has lived in Yellow Springs for 30 days. Non-citizens could include legal permanent residents, as well as undocumented individuals residing in the village. The text of this proposed charter change reads as follows: “All residents of the Village of Yellow Springs who are 16 years of age and older shall be electors and are eligible to vote for Yellow Springs local issues and elected officials pursuant to the home rule power and granted by this Charter.” As legal electors, younger people and noncitizens would be eligible to run for Yellow Springs elected offices. The proposed expansion of voting rights would apply only to local elections involving Village issues and officials. It would not pertain to Yellow Springs Exempted Village School District or Miami Township elections. A separate amendment to a second section of the Village Charter would extend
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the term of the Yellow Springs mayor from two years to four. If passed, these charter changes would go into effect Jan. 1, 2020, and would pertain to the next round of Village elections in 2021.
ISSUE 9: Greene County Parks and Trails renewal levy Voters in Greene County are being asked to renew a five-year, 0.9-mill property tax levy that will raise approximately $3.6 million annually for the operation, management and maintenance of county parks and trails. If approved, the levy will cost homeowners in the county an estimated $30.30 per $100,000 of appraised home value each year. Appraised home values are substantially lower than market values. As a renewal levy, Issue 9 will extend the existing parks and trails tax for another five years, beginning in 2020. It will not increase property taxes above their current level. Greene County Parks and Trails owns and manages 27 parks and preser ves comprising just over 3,000 acres across Greene County, as well as maintaining 62 miles of bike trails, including the Little Miami Scenic Trail that runs through Yellow Springs. While there are no county parks within Yellow Springs boundaries, the parks district has contributed funding to support several Village greenspace initiatives. The previous parks and trails levy, passed by county voters in 2015, replaced county appropriations and declining state funds as the main revenue source for the parks district’s budget. The 2015 levy has resulted in significant infrastructure improvements and new public programming, according to parks district leaders.
OTHER ISSUES Candidates for the following local and county offices are running unopposed: Y E L L O W S P R I N G S M AY O R : Pam Conine* M I A M I T O W N S H I P T R U S T E E : Chris Mucher* M I A M I T O W N S H I P F I S C A L O F F I C E R : Margaret Silliman* Y E L L O W S P R I N G S S C H O O L B O A R D : Sylvia Ellison* and TJ Turner* X E N I A M U N I C I PA L C O U RT J U D G E : Ron Lewis
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On November 3: 9:15–10:15: Build your own theology (BYOT). Small group discussion of all religions. No judging or participation expected. Curiosity is required. 10:15–11:45: Yearly organizational meeting. Congregation only.
Principle #4: A free and responsible search for truth and meaning.
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