2024: Preserving Our Past and Preparing Our Future

By Mayor Bill Brown

2024 was jam-packed with accomplishments in the Village of Mariemont. I, along with administrative staff, council members, and Village employees, planned, participated in, and oversaw an extensive list of achievements.

One of those achievements was the relocation of Pease Industries to a vacant property in the Industrial Park that included the award of $100,000 grant from the Hamilton County CDBG Community and Economic Development Assistance Program. Emil Lisznianski of Envision conducted a year’s-long economic review and was instrumental in bringing Pease into the Village. We are excited to welcome Pease Industries to our business community!

Infrastructure

The street rehabilitation of Pocahontas Avenue, Grove Avenue, and Patriot Lane was completed. The Village received $257,000 in reimbursement for the Pocahontas and Grove projects in the form of a SORTA Transportation Infrastructure Fund Grant. The stormwater pipe on Pleasant Street at Dogwood Park underwent replacement, provided by a grant from Hamilton County ARPA.

Pool Improvements

Looking forward to summer and warmer climates, we worked cooperatively with the Pool Commission to raise more than $165,000 for the construction of a new wading pool at our municipal pool. Volunteers worked countless hours on the campaign. The

Village received $2,337 from the Hamilton County Waste Reduction Innovation Grant for the installation of the water bottle filling station at the pool. A pipe was relined in the lap pool drain line, and we also added umbrellas, restored tables, updated the snack shack menu, added ping pong, replaced two pool ladders, spruced up the pool house and renovated the pump room.

Trees

We worked with the Tree Advisory Board in planting 70 new street trees across the Village, and revitalized Patriot Park, including resurfacing the asphalt pad, crowning of trees, and the removal of nuisance underbrush.

Additionally, I and a small group of resident volunteers undertook the reconstruction of the wood pergola at the Concourse, completing the west wing. Reconstruction of the east wing will begin in spring 2025. Further improvements at the Concourse included the cleaning of the stone and removal of invasive trees.

Village Projects

Painting of the Village’s 110 historic streetlights and 165 fire hydrants was finished, and we initiated a project to convert our streetlights to LED with completion estimated to be in 2025. Construction of the Murray Path multi-use trail from the Library to Miami Road was finalized. The project was funded exclusively by private donations and a $229,743 grant from the ODNR Clean Ohio Trails Fund.

Also in 2024, we received grants and commitments of over $1,000,000 for the Dogwood Park Centennial Rehabilitation.

We worked cooperatively with Spinnenweber Builders to re-landscape the island at Wooster Pike and Madisonville Road and on the electrification of the islands on Wooster Pike. The clock on Wooster Pike was restored, thanks to a donation from The National Exemplar. We replaced the Municipal Building’s main door and windows and initiated a project to renovate the Village administrative office. The John Nolen Pavilion roof was repaired and repainted, the basement door at the Bell Tower was replaced, and the Charles Livingood Monument was cleaned and repaired.

Additionally, we worked with the South 80 Committee on the installation of a solar water pump at the South 80 gardens, completed 100 rental property inspections, repaired the walkway at Mary Emery Park, and completed the Village of Mariemont Economic Development Strategy.

Big plans for 2025 are well underway!

April 26, 7-10 p.m.

The Bacon Barn in Blue Ash Look for more info to come at www.1n5.org and in the April Town Crier.