VIEWPOINTS
A6 • INDIAN HILL JOURNAL • JANUARY 16, 2014
Editor: Eric Spangler, espangler@communitypress.com, 576-8251
EDITORIALS | LETTERS | COLUMNS | CH@TROOM
OFFICIALS DIRECTORY LOCAL Indian Hill Village Council Village of Indian Hill: 6525 Drake Road. Phone: 561-6500. Web site: www.ihill.org. Mayor Mark Tullis; Vice Mayor Keith Rabenold; council members Molly Barber, Daniel J. Feigelson, Mark Kuenning, Lindsay McLean, and Laura Raines. City Manager Dina Minneci; Assistant City Manager David M. Couch; Chief of Police Chuck Schlie; City Solicitor Donald L. Crain; Clerk-Comptroller Paul C. Riordan; Fire Chief Steven Ashbrock; Public Works/Water Works Superintendent Jason Adkins; Tax Commissioner Constance Eberhart.
Indian Hill Exempted Village Schools Indian Hill Exempted Village Schools Board of Education: 6855 Drake Road. Phone: 272-4500. Web site: www.ih.k12.oh.us. Indian Hill school board meets at 7 p.m. the second Tuesday of the month at Indian Hill High School, 6845 Drake Road. Board members Elizabeth Johnston, Eddie Hooker, Kim Martin Lewis, Erik Lutz and Tim Sharp. Superintendent Mark Miles; Assistant Superintendent Mark Ault; Treasurer and Business Manager Julia J. Toth, 272-4513; Director of Pupil Services Tracy Quattrone; Transportation Supervisor Barbara Leonard; Facilities Director Ken Stegman and Director of Communications Andrea Brady.
FEDERAL
New techniques used for custody As a Hamilton County Domestic Relations judge, I decide custody of children in divorce cases. The standard of decision is “the best interest of the child.” Until reElizabeth cently, the Mattingly only process for deciding COMMUNITY PRESS GUEST contested COLUMNIST custody issues was to order a lengthy parenting report from the Court’s Parenting Services Department. This investigation routinely took two to three months to complete and required the parties’ children to be interviewed. If the divorcing parents did not agree with the recommendations a custody trial was necessary. An unintended consequence of this process was to increase the animosity between the parties.
Under the leadership of Administrative Judge Susan Tolbert in 2011 the court began to require cases with disputed parenting issues to meet with the judge assigned to their case soon after it was filed. I use this meeting to describe the options for deciding custody issues and suggest that the best option for the parties is to make these decisions together. As the mother of four children myself, I tell the litigants that I would much prefer to make decisions about my children and not give up this responsibility to an elected official. I stress the importance of maintaining the children’s continuing relationship with each parent as necessary for their healthy development. These conferences also give me an opportunity to start the process of resolving other issues in the case by ordering a settlement conference, setting deadlines or requiring appraisals of prop-
The Hamilton County Recycling and Solid Waste District wants to remind everyone there are easy ways to reduce your waste and recycle odd items this holiday season.
STATE
Don’t forget about recycling
Remember to recycle items from holiday gatherings in your curbside bin/ cart or community recycling drop-off: » Gift boxes and wrapping paper (not foil). It’s even better to save boxes to
Indian Hill Village Council
Meets at 7:30 p.m. the fourth Monday of the month (unless otherwise announced) in city hall, 6525 Drake Road Road. Call 561-6500.
Board of education – Board meetings are the second Tuesday of the month at 7:30 p.m. at the high school, 6845 Drake Road. Call 272-4500 or visit www.ih.k12.oh.us.
is that it allows the parties to state their concerns, giving them and their attorneys a better appreciation of the other parent’s views. Again, this process presents another opportunity for the parties to settle the parenting issues in the divorce without a contentious custody trial. Early Neutral Evaluation has enjoyed a 60 percent success rate in Marion County, Ohio. While the process is new to Hamilton County it is already showing signs to being very helpful to divorcing parents making difficult decisions in the best interest of their children. I am hopeful that as the first urban county in Ohio to implement Early Neutral Evaluation, we will enjoy similar success and help the children and families of Hamilton County. Elizabeth Mattingly is a judge in Hamilton County Domestic Relations Court.
reuse later. » Christmas cards and envelopes. » Glass bottles and jars, and metal caps from beer bottles. » Paper cards, envelopes, newspaper, advertisements and junk mail. » Aluminum and steel food and drink cans. » Eggnog cartons and juice boxes. For a complete list of acceptable recyclables, visit www.HamiltonCountyRecycles.org.
Let your Christmas tree live on
After the holidays, plan to recycle your Christmas tree and holiday greenery at the Hamilton County Recycling and Solid Waste District’s free yard trimmings drop-off program. Yard trimmings drop-off sites will be open Saturday, Jan. 4, and Saturday, Jan. 11, from noon to 3 p.m. to turn Christmas trees and other yard trimmings into mulch. Remove all decorations, tinsel, ornaments and tree bags from holiday greenery. Locations for the yard trimmings drop-off sites are:
» East: Bzak Landscaping, 3295 Turpin Lane (off Ohio Route 32) in Anderson Township; » West: Kuliga Park, 6717 Bridgetown Road in Green Township; » North: Rumpke Sanitary Landfill, 3800 Struble Road (and Colerain Avenue) in Colerain Township.
Recycle your old electronics
Recycle any unwanted computer equipment or televisions. The Hamilton County Recycling and Solid Waste District’s free computer/TV drop-off program will be open Saturday, Jan. 18, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Colerain High School parking lot located at 8801 Cheviot Road. This program is for Hamilton County residents only; businesses, churches, schools and non-profit organizations are prohibited. For a list of acceptable items, or to find other outlets for electronic waste, visit www.HamiltonCountyRecycles.org.
Michelle Balz is the assistant solid waste manager for the Hamilton County Recycling and Solid Waste District.
CH@TROOM Last week’s question
“Damn fools!!!”
Commissioners – meet at 9:30 a.m. every Wednesday in Room 605 of the County Administration Building, 138 E. Court St., downtown. Call 946-4400. Educational service center governing board – meets on the third Wednesday of the month at 11083 Hamilton Ave. Call 742-2200. Regional planning commission – meets at 12:30 p.m. the first Thursday of the month at the County Administration Building, eighth floor, 138 E. Court St., downtown. Call 946-4500.
Indian Hill Schools
Reduce waste in the first place
What do you think of Cincinnati City Council giving the go ahead to resume the streetcar construction?
Hamilton County
erty in dispute, for example. As a result of this early judicial intervention, families have been able to complete the often wrenching process of divorce in a manner that is less destructive to the ongoing relationship between the parties and their children. In addition, late this year, the court initiated a pilot project called Early Neutral Evaluation. This alternative dispute resolution process is also implemented early in the divorce process. Divorcing parties come with their attorneys to a session before a team of neutral evaluators to state their position on how they believe parenting should be arranged post-divorce. After input from their attorneys, the evaluators, who are an experienced magistrates and social workers, advise the parties how they believe their custody issues will likely be decided by the assigned judge The benefit of this process
Trim your holiday waste through recycling efforts
An extra 25 million Michelle tons of waste is produced Balz between Thanksgiving COMMUNITY PRESS and New Year’s. Easy GUEST COLUMNIST ways everyone can help reduce holiday waste this season are to bring your own reusable bags when shopping, reuse gift boxes, plan meals wisely to minimize food waste, and purchase rechargeable batteries.
WHEN THEY MEET
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U.S. Rep. Steve Chabot (1st District) 2371 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-2216 Fax: (202) 225-3012 Website: chabot.house.gov Hours: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Cincinnati office: 441 Vine St., Suite 3003, Cincinnati, OH 45202 Phone: (513) 684-2723 Fax: (513) 421-8722 U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown Cincinnati – 425 Walnut St., room 2310, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202-3915; phone 684-1021, fax 684-1029. E-mail: senator@brown.senate.gov Web site: www.brown.senate.gov U.S. Sen. Rob Portman Phone: 202-224-3353 Fax: 202-224-9558 Cincinnati office: 36 E. Seventh St. Room 2615, Cincinnati, OH 45202 Phone: 513-684-3265 State Rep. Connie Pillich In Columbus: House of Representatives, 77 S. High St., 11th Floor, Columbus, Ohio, 43266-0603; phone 614-466-8120; fax 614-644-9494. E-mail: district28@ohr.state.oh.us State Rep. Ron Maag In Columbus: House of Representatives, 77 S. High St., 10th Floor, Columbus, Ohio, 43215-6111; phone 614-644-6023; fax 614-719-3589. E-mail: district35@ohr.state.oh.us
INDIAN HILL
J.G.
“I think it’s a typical example of bait and switch. You tell the voters one thing to get elected and then turn around and do the exact opposite. The new mayor should be ashamed of himself for ignoring the wishes of the voters who want this project stopped.” C.H.
“Stupid! Just like the stadiums were. “After all they are politicians who are only in it for themselves. They cannot pay the retired firemen and policemen so let’s go into debt a little more. I have been to cities with streetcars and they are a gimmick.” J.S.D.
“Great idea for Cincinnati streetcar construction and that
INDIAN HILL
JOURNAL
A publication of
Mayor Cranley was big enough to get his mind changed. “The streetcar should mean hundreds of jobs (construction and for operation), growth, and less smog in the city – all good for the area and southwest Ohio’s environmental and economic future.” TRog
“Restores my faith in common sense. “True this street car is but the start of a proper public transport light rail infrastructure, but a journey of a 1,000 miles begins with a single step. ‘Nuf said.” D.R.
“Cincinnati needs to get with it and continue to move forward on the streetcar construction. We need to move forward on transportation for a change, instead of constantly being stagnant (traffic jams anyone?), or moving backwards by the proverbial 10 years. “Now that downtown has been inundated by young professionals who live in and actu-
ally like our downtown, the rest of Cincinnati needs to get out of their rabbit holes and get moving. “You cannot expect Cincinnati to be a world-class city without world-class transportation, and that includes light rail from the suburbs to downtown. “The streetcar is just a first step that can send Cincinnati into a bright future instead of lagging behind.” J.B.
“What a farce! November’s election results were wholly based upon the anti-trolley stance of Mayor Cranley and six of the nine council members. “However, within less than a month from taking office, three new members who had promised voters they would stop it, changed sides. At least Cranley kept his promise, but he could not veto the ordinance due to the two-thirds majority who approved the trolley’s resumption. “Cincinnati voters must be shaking their heads in disbe-
394 Wards Corner Road Loveland, Ohio 45140 phone: 248-8600 email: indianhill@communitypress.com web site: www.communitypress.com
NEXT QUESTION Do you think school officials made the right decision recently by canceling classes because of cold temperature? Why or why not? Every week we ask readers a question they can reply to via e-mail. Send your answers to espangler@communitypress.com with Chatroom in the subject line by 5 p.m. on Thursday.
lief. No doubt Roxanne Qualls is also stunned since she lost her bid for mayor because of her stance on the trolley. Unbelievable!” R.V.
“I still do not see the purpose of this street car with traffic congestion relief or general public transportation in this city. “Still a waste of money like the Bridge to Nowhere in Alaska! I won’t ride this thing anytime soon.”
Indian Hill Journal Editor Eric Spangler espangler@communitypress.com, 576-8251 Office hours: 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday See page A2 for additional contact information.
O.H.R.