PRESS
The Brown County Press Sunday, December 9, 2012 • Volume 40 No. 18 Serving Brown County, Ohio since 1973
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THE BROWN COUNTY
Aberdeen in water talks with BCRWA BY Wayne Gates The Brown County Press The Village of Aberdeen is telling the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency that it will correct deficiencies in the village water system by turning it over to Brown County Rural Water. The Ohio EPA told the village in a letter on Oct. 29 that it has two “significant deficiencies” in its water supply system. Those deficiencies listed were that the village only had one working well and lacked proper backflow protection. If left uncorrected, the village could face up to $50,000 dollars a day in fines.
The maximum penalty is $25,000 per day for each violation. The village had until Nov. 28 to correct the deficiencies or furnish a plan on how to deal with them. A response letter dated Nov. 27 and signed by Village Administrator Keith O’Dell states “The Village is currently in negotiations with the Brown Water Company to take over the management and operation of the village’s water system.” The response letter from O’Dell to the Ohio EPA closes by stating “The Village of Aberdeen has determined it is in the best interest of the residents of the village to enter into an agreement with
the Brown County Water Company to transfer all of the village water customers over to Brown County Water along with all rights and responsibilities that entails. Any assistance the Ohio Environmental Agency can provide to facilitate this transfer would be appreciated.” Stan Purdy, Attorney for the Brown County Rural Water Association, confirmed by telephone that such negotiations were underway. “We are exploring possibilities on how to furnish Aberdeen with water”, said Purdy. The village voted Nov. 8 to hire the law firm Peck, Shaffer and Williams to CONTINUED ON PAGE 10
Wayne Gates/THE BROWN COUNTY PRESS
Aberdeen has hired a law firm to draw up a management agreement with the Brown County Rural Water Association to take over and run the village water system.
Lunsford to resign, retire and be re-appointed mayor BY Martha B. Jacob The Brown County Press The mayor of the Village of Mt. Orab, Bruce Lunsford, will be submitting his resignation to the members of village council, in upcoming days, effective December 26, 2012. But the village will only be absent a mayor for one day. A public hearing was held December 4 at 8 p.m. at the Mt. Orab Municipal building to allow interested persons to voice their opinions on the resignation. No one from the community attended the brief meeting Tuesday night. According to Lunsford his decision to retire on December 26 was made so that he could be re-instated
FILE PHOTO
Mt. Orab Mayor Bruce Lunsford
as mayor, following his retirement. Lunsford explained that his decision was prompted by a new law regarding the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) which will take effect on
January 7, 2013. The changes will effect thousands of PERS employees. The Ohio General Assembly recently passed pension legislation which, they say, will help PERS maintain the fund’s financial strength and its ability to provide pensions with no increase in taxpayer contributions. The Assembly felt the changes were warranted because of longer life spans, changing demographics and equity among members. According to Substitute SB 343, the current plan payments for PERS includes the following seven options: • Plan A - 50% automatCONTINUED ON PAGE 10
Sardinia man wins five million dollars in lottery A resident of Sardinia, Ohio won a $5 million top prize on an Ohio Lottery instant game. Marion R. Clifton won $250,000 a year for the next 20 years after scratching Super Millions. The Super Millions top
prize ticket has an annuity or cash prize option. Clifton chose the annuity. After mandatory federal and state taxes totaling 29 percent are withheld, Clifton receives a check for $177,500 yearly for the next 20 years.
Clifton purchased the top prize winning ticket from the Kroger Co, 210 Sterling Run Blvd in Mt. Orab, Ohio. The Kroger Co receives a $10,000 agent bonus for selling a top prize winning ticket.
Martha B. Jacob/THE BROWN COUNTY PRESS
More than 40 Western Brown School District residents took part in the December 3 Western Brown Community Group meeting in hopes of inducting 100 people from the district who will help pass another levy.
Western Brown residents vow to get emergency improvement levy back on ballot in May BY Martha B. Jacob The Brown County Press With the defeat of the recent six-year emergency operating levy for residents of the Western Brown School District, there are those in the district who hope to get the levy back on the ballot. The Western Brown Community Group met for the second time since the defeat of the levy, on Monday evening, December 3 at the Mt. Orab Middle School. Led by Teresa Wallace, the wife of an employee of the district, more than 40 people attended the meeting, all anxious to help get it back on the levy. “Most of us here tonight were very surprised when
that levy failed here at Western Brown,” Wallace told the crowd. “Our purpose for forming this group is to get at least 100 signatures of people who will volunteer to help us get the issue back on the levy and get it passed. “Western Brown is a great school. It has great teachers. Our objective is to see that it stays that way.” Wallace reminded the group that at a November 9 meeting, Western Brown Superintendent Christopher Burrows said that he would not request another levy to the school board unless he had between 75 and 100 commitments from community members who will work on a campaign to get the levy passed. Burrows said that most
of the work on the failed levy was done by faculty members and administrators and he did not feel that there was much of an outreach from the community. “So we’re trying to, hopefully, work both sides,” Wallace said. “They will have an administrators group and we want to develop this community group and work together on it. Once we know we can get it back on the ballot, we will get organized and do what ever it takes to get it passed. We need to form committees, chair people, finance committees, marketing, etc.” Wallace explained that the next school board meeting at Western Brown was scheduled for December 10 CONTINUED ON PAGE 10
“This year was the first year we tried the ‘Tour of Churches,’ and we are really going to build that event up. The history and beauty of some of our churches in Georgetown is simply unbelievable. We felt like it was very fitting that our American Veterans were Grand Marshall’s for the parade. We had 19 of them leading the parade.” She continued, “Our live nativity scene seemed to be a big hit too. It brought home the real meaning of Christmas which is something we really wanted to do.”
Myers said following the parade, Mrs. Claus read stories to the children, while huge lines of children waited patiently to sit in Santa’s lap and talk to him. “As usual, the soup supper and the nutty bar sale offered at the Methodist Church was very well attended,” she added. “I understand they started selling nutty bars went on sale at noon and by 1 p.m. they were sold out, more than 700 nutty bars were sold.” Myers said the parade had 66 entries and there CONTINUED ON PAGE 23
B R O A D S H E E T O D D
BY Wayne Gates The Brown County Press
threat that ended up cancelling the August 6 village
Former Aberdeen village council member Robert Hutchison has pleaded guilty to Disorderly Conduct for making an internet
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Classifieds...........20, 21 Court News................18 Death Notices...........6,7 Education ..............9, 17 Legals ..........................5 Opinion ........................4 Social ...........................8 Sports ...................15-16 219 South High St. Mt. Orab, OH 45154
Martha Jacob/ THE BROWN COUNTY PRESS
Robert Hutchison
council meeting. Hutchinson was fined $100.00 and assessed court costs of $130.00 on Nov. 27. Chief Deputy John Schadle of the Brown County Sheriff’s Office said that Hutchinson told him when confronted on Sept. 5 that “I knew it was wrong, but I just trying to stir the pot.” The threat was posted August 4 from the home of Hutchinson’s son in Boone County, Kentucky. It has since been removed from the Topix website, but it was provided to the Press by Village Council Member Billie Eitel. Spelling errors in the post have not been corrected. CONTINUED ON PAGE 10
BY Martha B. Jacob The Brown County Press The 2012 Georgetown Christmas Parade has come and gone leaving wonderful memories in the minds of hundreds of children and adults who watched each of the entries stroll by on December 1. Carol Myers, president of the Georgetown Christmas Association, Inc., commented that this year’s parade was probably the best they’ve ever had. “We are all very happy about the success of this year’s parade,” Myers said.
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Hutchison pleads to lesser charge for internet threat Largest crowd ever enjoyed the Georgetown parade