NORTHWEST PRESS
Your Community Press newspaper serving Colerain Township, Green Township, Groesbeck, Monfort Heights, Pleasant Run, Seven Hills, White Oak
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2015
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BECAUSE COMMUNITY MATTERS
Colerain considers levy for roads and recreation Jennie Key jkey@communitypress.com
Voters may get the chance to determine the fate of their roads, parks and senior center at the primary in March if the Colerain Township Board of Trustees follow through on discussions to put a 2-mill continuing levy on the ballot. If approved, the levy would generate about $2 million annually, and would cost the owner of a $100,000 home about $70 annually. The board voted unanimously to take the first step, approving a resolution that says the levy is necessary. Thatgoes to the Hamilton County Auditor to be certified, and no decision has been made to put the levy on the ballot yet. Trustees plan to talk about
putting the levy on the March 16 primary at the board’s Dec. 8 meeting. At the Nov. 10 meeting, trustees started the conversation. Colerain Township administrator Jim Rowan told trustees that last summer’s focus group of nearly 75 people supported a combination levy. “There were a number of decisions made that evening, some of which included recommendations to close our parks, which I don’t think is anything that we want to do if we are going to be a best-in-class community,” he said. “Close our community center and take away those services from our seniors. Lease it out to other groups so it won’t be available for our seniors. There were discussions about a road levy, a park levy and a senior levy and
ultimately at the end of the night, when the votes were cast, the recommendation was seek a combination levy so that we can solve the challenges that we have with our community center, our parks and our roads.” Rowan said the township lost a dedicated funding source for its roads when the levy failed in 2001. Since that time, road repairs have been paid for using general fund money. That has been cut by the state several times since 2011, leaving the township hard pressed to pay for road repairs, or operation of the parks and senior center. Trustee Jeff Ritter said township residents should not be surprised if the board asks for a levy following the failure of a Joint Economic Development Zone last year that would have gener-
ated income from a payroll tax from nonresidents working in businesses along Colerain Avenue. “We told people last year that the JEDZ was the vehicle to avoid a tax levy,” Ritter said. “I respect their decision, they turned it down. We warned people at the time that this was the only avenue left.” Colerain Township resident Rich McVay criticized a levy, saying the township residents don’t need to have a levy to take care of the senior center and parks fund. He says it’s a slush fund, and he says taxes are too high because incomes in the township are too low. He complained that there was no plan. Rowan says the township has a plan, and it’s admittedly reactive, since there is no funding
source. responded to residents who said the township had no plan, saying if he brings a recommendation to the board in December to move ahead with the levy, that recommendation will outline a plan. “I don’t know that we are going to lay out every road in that plan but I will tell you if that 2-mill levy passes, and it generates $2 million, the plan is going to have $1.5 million of that going for roads.” Rowan said the plan would include the criteria and methodology that would be used to decide which roads get top priority when the funds are available. He said if the township had passed a continuing levy in the past, road funding would still be in place. Since 2001, the only road resurSee LEVY, Page 2A
Hope, help meet at food pantries By Jennie Key & Kelly McBride jkey@communitypress.com kmcbride@communitypress.com
While the holidays seem to raise awareness for the public of the needs of local food pantries, volunteers at pantries in our communities have seen first hand that the needs of the community’s hungry are strong year-round. Community members can help: volunteers are always needed and donations are always welcome. Pantries can always use canned vegetables, fruit, protein such as meat , fish, beans, and peanut butter. Also in demand are cereal and pastas. Personal items such as toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, bar soap, laundry or dish products are also always welcome donations. Volunteers can assist in many different capacities depending on the pantry. They can do anything from stocking shelves, bagging groceries, and shopping with clients, to paperwork and more.
Serve Our Neighbors Ministries Walt and Carol Watson are getting ready for Thanksgiving. A pallet of stuffing. Cartons of canned veggies and yams. Gallons of gravy. They won’t be cooking it, but they will be giving it all away, as the directors of the Serve Our Neighbor emergency food pantry that serves families and children within the Northwest Local School District. The ministry is housed at Groesbeck United Methodist Church, 8871 Colerain Ave. and serves families in the Northwest Local School District. Local schools, public and private, as well as churches donate food items each year and Carol says that’s what what made Thanksgiving meals possible for about 200 families last year. And when all that remains from Thanksgiving is leftovers, the ministry only has a few weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas to restock those pantry shelves for the next round. Watson said last year’s partnership with Meijer’s Simply
THANKS TO PAULETTA CROWLEY
Welch Elementary Principal Jemel Weathers and students with items collected for a local food pantry
Give program was a lifesaver. The campaign encourages customers to buy $10 Meijer food pantry gift cards, which are converted into Meijer food-only gift cards. SON is using those cards now to provide Thanksgiving and Christmas meals for local families in need. If you want to provide a meal, pack a bag with three cans of corn, green beans, peas or carrots, three cans of fruit, one box instant stuffing, one box instant mashed potatoes, one can cranberry sauce, three cans of soup or beef stew, two boxes of macaroni and cheese, one box brownie mix, one jar or pack of turkey gravy and a can of sweet potatoes. Carol says cash donations
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that help buy gift cards to provide meat or poultry are always welcome. Volunteers, who sort donations, stock pantry shelves and help assemble holiday meal packages, are always welcome, too. SON will also help Christmas be bright for area youngsters, thanks to a partnership with Nate’s Toy Box. In 2006, Colerain Township residents Gary and Pam Schroeder’s son Nate died in a car accident, and Nate’s Toy Box was established in their son’s memory. The program provides toys to needy children. The partnership with Nate’s Toy Box means the ministry can distribute food for families and
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gifts for Christmas. Last year, Nate’s Toy Box collected more than 1,500 toys and gift cards and served 190 families and more than 650 children. Carol said the Northwest Local School District refers families for Christmas assistance. Families should contact their local school counselor if they are looking for help. If you want to donate to Nate’s Toy Box, please give unwrapped toys valued at no more than $25 for boys or girls up to age 12. Gift cards to Target or Wal-Mart – no more than $25 – can be donated for teens. No stuffed animals, please. Toys See PANTRIES, Page 2A
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