LOVELAND HERALD
Your Community Press newspaper serving Loveland, Miami Township, Symmes Township
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2012
75¢
BECAUSE COMMUNITY MATTERS
2013 Miami Township budget will hold line on spending
Trustees keep bottom line at $19M By John Seney jseney@communitypress.com
MIAMI TWP. — The trustees are considering a 2013 operating budget that holds the line on spending at $19.2 million, the same as in 2012. Administrator Larry Fronk
said the conservative budget was needed because of declining revenue. The township is facing a decline in revenue because of the elimination of the Ohio estate tax and lower property tax collections since the Clermont County Auditor devalued real property, he said. Revenues for the township are expected to total $17.8 million in 2013, Fronk said.
The revenue shortfall will be made up by transfers to the police and fire departments from the safety reserve fund, which is expected to total Wolff about $9 million at the end of 2012, he said. “Given this new era of decreasing revenue, each depart-
ment has presented a conservative budget with a goal of providing efficient, quality service at the lowest possible cost while maintaining adequate reserves for future years,” Fronk said. The trustees discussed the proposed budget Dec. 10. They are expected to approve the budget at the 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 18, regular meeting at the Miami Township Civic Center, 6101Meijer Drive.
The operating budget does not include $2 million set aside for capital improvements in 2013. Fronk said the capital improvement budget includes carry-over purchases from 2012 which, for a variety of reasons, were delayed for a year, and money set aside for future projects. A new item in the capital improvements budget was $78,300 See BUDGET, Page A2
Winter Art Show brings feeling of
CHRISTMAS Annual event paints holiday picture By Chuck Gibson loveland@communitypress.com
It looked a lot like Christmas in the Loveland Art Studios on Main Dec. 8. There were Christmas decorations everywhere you looked. From Christmas trees to mistletoe, the artists created a festive holiday atmosphere for all who came for the winter art exhibit. “This is a pretty big crowd,” said Shawn Custis, who previously served as president of the LAC and opened the Studios on Main eight years ago. “We had a little over 400 people come through for Halloween this year. This is pretty close to that. It’s a good crowd.” Christmas cookies, appetizers, beverages, and other snacks decorated in holiday style helped set the mood. It wasn’t cold and snowy outside, but Christmas was in the air inside with the Bobby Sharp Trio entertaining the crowd of about 200 to 300 people with jazz style Christmas classics. “’Let it Snow’ is a good one,” said Bob Roetker, who played guitar, with Bobby Sharp on drums and Jack Doll on keyboard. “We did ‘White Christmas’ and ‘Have yourself a Mer-
The jazz guitar of Bob Roetker brought a special upbeat jazz sound to Christmas classics like "White Christmas" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."
Kim Robinson and Ginny Reynolds enjoyed listening to the Bobby Sharp Trio while Shawn Custis poured them a beverage during the Winter Art show at Studios on Main Dec. 8 CHUCK GIBSON/FOR THE COMMUNITY PRESS
CHUCK GIBSON/FOR THE COMMUNITY PRESS
Artist-decorated Christmas trees were sold during the Winter Art Show Dec. 8 - proceeds from the sales were donated to CancerFree Kids in Loveland. CHUK GIBSON/FOR THE COMMUNITY PRESS
Bobby Sharp drummed up some jazz style Christmas classics to entertain visitors during the Winter Art Show. CHUCK GIBSON/FOR THE COMMUNITY PRESS
ry Little Christmas.’ This is my first time playing this event, but Bobby said this is the best crowd he’s ever seen here. It is well attended.” Along with food, music and
artwork of all kinds, visitors had the opportunity to meet and talk
with the artists in their studios. Penny Carr enjoyed the evening
of art and holiday cheer. She was most struck by the variety of art and artists all in one place. “It’s such a treat to be able to talk to them, find out what their philosophy is; what they’re doing with their art,” Carr said. “I just love coming here. We’re so lucky to have this in Loveland.” Howard R. Wunker Jr. won a first place blue ribbon for his painting titled “Moon Dance.” Elaine Stoker’s “The Gathering at Myrtle Beach” earned her a See WINTER, Page A2
Ground settling creates dip on 275, requires repairs By Leah Fightmaster lfightmaster@communitypress.com
Drivers who frequently travel west on I-275 in Sycamore Township might notice a section that has gotten more level in the last few weeks.
NIGHT LIGHTS B1 Miami Township lights up for holidays
Joe Bassil, administrator in the Ohio Department of Transportation’s highway management division, said a dip in the road near the Weil Road overpass at the 51-mile marker that some drivers noticed was a result of an underground pipe.
A stretch of dry weather last year caused dirt surrounding the 10-foot-wide pipe, which is about 60 feet below the highway, to shrink and settle, creating the dip in the road, Bassil said. He added that about two weeks ago, workers injected a
MAYAN ANGEL Malia Smolenski from Loveland will immerse herself in Mayan culture. See Schools, A5
Styrofoam-like material into the ground surrounding the pipe, which expands when released, to fill voids and push land back to its original positions. “We noticed the dip last year,” he said. “It kept increas-
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ing in size, so we knew we had to do something.” However, the settling and subsequent repair left that section of the highway somewhat rough, which could be fixed by additional work on the pipe in the spring, Bassil said. Vol. 94 No. 41 © 2012 The Community Press ALL RIGHTS RESERVED