SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT B1
Your Community Press newspaper serving Indian Hill E-mail: indianhill@communitypress.com T h u r s d a y, S e p t e m b e r 1 7 , 2 0 0 9
Volume 11 Number 15 © 2009 The Community Press ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Home on the Rangers
It’s been a long time coming, but the Indian Hill Rangers are finally moving into their newlyrenovated home. The Indian Hill administration building, which is also the ranger station, has been under construction throughout the year in order to update the facilities. SEE LIFE, B1
Group plays for our troops
Kathy Griffith knows the agony of having a loved one stationed in a war zone, but she considers herself lucky as her oldest son came home unharmed after two tours of duty in Iraq. Griffith is organizing her own fundraiser in Sycamore Township, a co-ed softball and sand volleyball tournament at Bechtold Park, to raise money for Homes for Our Troops. SEE STORY, A2
Cyber hyper
Indian Hills Schools will offer a series of CyberStudio classes throughout the fall and winter. “These classes are great places to go to have technology questions answered,” said Arline Pique, director of technology for the district. SEE STORY, A8 For the Postmaster
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Taxes may go up without vote Indian Hill school board considers ‘moving’ 1.25 mills By Forrest Sellers
fsellers@communitypress.com
The Indian Hill school board is considering moving 1.25 mills of inside millage to fund permanent improvements. The board set a hearing for 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10, in the high school multi-purpose room, 6865 Drake Road, to discuss converting the inside millage. Board member Ted Jaroszewicz, who is chair of the finance committee, said the consideration to move 1.25-mills was made
Millage discussion
What: Indian Hill Exempted Village School District will hold a hearing to discuss moving 1.25-mills for the purpose of funding permanent improvements. When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10. Where: Indian Hill High School Multi-Purpose Room, 6865 Drake Road. because of the “high likelihood that real estate valuations will decrease” and because of changes in state funding for schools.
A decision to move millage means the school tax portion of the property tax will increase. The owner of a $500,000 home will pay an additional $218.75 per year, according to the district. Several school districts have converted millage for capital improvements, including the Goshen and West Clermont local school districts. The Clermont Northeastern Local School District is considering it. Treasurer Brian Switzer with the Clermont Northeastern Local
School District said the inside millage option was provided by the legislature as a means for school districts to raise funds for capital improvements without a vote by the public. Capital improvements would include the purchase of textbooks, buses, technology and computers and improvements and repairs to the school buildings. “We’re taking this step because we think that it is important for us to both manage our revenue as well as our costs,” said Jaroszewicz.
Mothers group celebrating 20 years By Rob Dowdy rdowdy@communitypress.com
The Indian Hill Mothers Group has been going strong for 20 years, and members of the group see no reason to slow down now. The group’s humble beginnings were as a baby-sitting co-op, but it’s quickly expanded to the social and fundraising group it is today. Erin Starkey, president of the mothers group, said while the membership, which totals about 100 village moms, isn’t formally celebrating its big anniversary, the two-decade run of the mothers club was the focus of the group’s entry into the July 4 parade in Indian Hill. The Indian Hill Mothers Group meets several times a month. Members are invited to attend speaker functions, regular outings and local tours. Starkey said the organization also hosts family gatherings, like the Halloween party, breakfast with Santa Claus and a “last day of school” party.
PROVIDED
Indian Hill Mothers Group members Lynn Robinson, Jenny Heekin, Lynnette Wyler and Jessica Folke take a break from the festivities during the group’s “last day of school” party this summer. The group hosts a number of events throughout the year for members and their families. While the group’s membership is for village mothers only, Starkey said some exceptions are occasionally made. “We do let the husbands join the fun,” she said. Amy Quible, who’s been a member for 14 years, said she joined as a way to meet new peo-
Need more?
To learn more about the Indian Hill Mothers Group, call Erin Starkey at 561-8570. ple and take part in the various outings and scheduled events dur-
ing each year. “I really enjoy it, they don’t kick you out ... and I like the events,” she said. As for Quible’s favorite event, she said its the “chocolate meeting” in August, which celebrates the end of swimsuit season with a chocolate tasting.
Gone with the wind? Not quite yet By Rob Dowdy rdowdy@communitypress.com
Last September, a wind storm swept through the Greater Cincinnati area, leaving residents and local governments without electricity amid scattered tree debris. Approximately one year later, Indian Hill Public Works is still picking up downed trees from the village’s horse trails, which span 150 miles. Indian Hill Public Works Superintendent John Davis said while right-of-ways and the parks were cleaned up in the days and weeks
after the storm, about 40 percent of the horse trails still contain tree debris that workers are cleaning up, between their typical projects during the summer months. “Eventually, we’ll get it all cleaned up,” he said. The trails are basically wooded areas, making it difficult and timeconsuming for village workers to sort through and remove the debris blocking the trails. Davis said workers are removing the downed trees as time allows. Davis said the village was eligible for and received a reimbursement of $266,121 from FEMA to
ROB DOWDY/STAFF
A couple of the trees at Steffan Field fell during the wind storm last September. Public Works Superintendent John Davis said the village is still cleaning up from the storm, though the work is needed on the village’s horse trails. help defray the cost associated with clean-up. However, that figure was only
75 percent of the total cost to the village, and was accurate as of Dec. 31, 2008.
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