-- Betsy Sinn
Nov. 27, 2007
Nov. 27, 2007
Monday, December 10, 2007
Beat Reporting: Covering Oxford's City Council
While covering the Oxford City Council I had a multitude of sources to communicate with for articles. Even if I didn't have a story do that particular week I'd chat with some of my main sources on a weekly basis to see if anything new was happening. My main sources included: City Council members, the interim and then the new city manager, the city planner, MU students serving on the Student/Community Relations Committee, and other local government officials who were pertinent to a specific story. The few students that I talked to were much more willing to get in contact with me than all of the City Council members which really surprised me. I figured that the local elected officials would be eager to get their voice out there and put a positive spin on what they're trying to do. I know that the council members are busy and have other jobs, but several of them snubbed when I tried to set up individual one on one time with them. Maybe they were less willing to talk with me since I'm still a student and I wasn't planning on publishing my stories. One of the main local bodies that citizens look to for news on their city is the City Council. Oxford's council is very involved in the community and there was always a newsworthy event or debate which made generating story ideas easy. The deadlines that were set for the six stories were pretty conducive with the events/issues on which I wrote my stories. Throughout the semester I grew as a journalist and my reporting and writing improved.
City Ordinances Affect Students Living Off Campus
BY: BETSY SINN
September 11, 2007
Miami University students returning to Oxford this school year have had to adhere to a few new ordinances, as well as the new punishments, regarding outdoor furniture, litter and noise violations.
The outdoor furniture restriction, City Ordinance 2951, was passed this past April after lengthy talks between the Oxford City Council, the Student/Community Relations Committee and concerned students. The ordinance states that students who are first-time violators of the outdoor furniture restriction or the litter ordinance will receive a $250 fine and will be charged with a fourth-degree misdemeanor. Subsequent offenses of the litter and outdoor furniture restrictions will result in the guilty party receiving a third degree misdemeanor. Furthermore, the Oxford Police Department (OPD) will hand out citations to residents who create unnecessary amounts of noise.
“I picked up all of the trash that was in our yard after the party on our way uptown and put it on our porch, thinking that it was off of our property but we still got a violation,” said Julie Frank, a senior at Miami.
Oxford City Council Member Doug Ross, a major proponent for the outdoor furniture ordinance, said that students have been “half-assed” in their attempts to abide to the new ordinances. However, Ross said that he thinks the OPD has been doing “fairly well” in regards to enforcing the new rules so far this school year.
“I had an awful morning the day of my birthday when I woke up to police banging on my front door and giving my house a citation for litter. When we went to court the judge laughed and said that these new ordinances are ridiculous” said Jenny Kline a senior at Miami, “and I agree.”
According to the OPD’s records, police have issued 11 litter violations and three outdoor furniture violations since Aug. 20. An officer for the OPD said that the discrepancy in the records of the violations is that some officers are giving litter violations to residents who have beer pong tables in the front yard instead of the outdoor furniture violation, even though the punishment is the same for both. Because some officers are handing out the wrong violations to residents it makes it hard to say exactly how many beer pong table and furniture violations there have been.
Katie Rause, a student delegate on the Student/Community Relations Committee, works with other committee members and City Council to help improve student-resident relations.
“We had many discussions which included perspectives from Oxford residents, the Oxford City Council, university staff, and students about the ordinance. I felt the committee was very diplomatic and heard all sides that came to voice their concerns,” said Rause.
Even though some students disagree with the new rules Rause said “…the committee was very receptive to student wants and needs.”
“We actually compromised and agreed on a position we could all support and sent our recommendations to City Council. These efforts played an important role in getting the ordinance changed from a total ban on drinking games to an outdoor furniture ordinance,” said Rause.
However, Frank disagrees.
“It’s unfair that because I left a few cans and cups on my front porch, now we have a misdemeanor on our record. The police should just issue us fines. It’s so ridiculous,” said Frank.
Ross still stands by his position.
“Parties are not the problem, out of control parties, and parties that end up with a drunken ass, vomiting loudly in the early morning in the yard of a family so that the children wake up are a problem. Parties that end up with people having sexual intercourse in front of a home with children are a problem,” said Ross.
September 11, 2007
Miami University students returning to Oxford this school year have had to adhere to a few new ordinances, as well as the new punishments, regarding outdoor furniture, litter and noise violations.
The outdoor furniture restriction, City Ordinance 2951, was passed this past April after lengthy talks between the Oxford City Council, the Student/Community Relations Committee and concerned students. The ordinance states that students who are first-time violators of the outdoor furniture restriction or the litter ordinance will receive a $250 fine and will be charged with a fourth-degree misdemeanor. Subsequent offenses of the litter and outdoor furniture restrictions will result in the guilty party receiving a third degree misdemeanor. Furthermore, the Oxford Police Department (OPD) will hand out citations to residents who create unnecessary amounts of noise.
“I picked up all of the trash that was in our yard after the party on our way uptown and put it on our porch, thinking that it was off of our property but we still got a violation,” said Julie Frank, a senior at Miami.
Oxford City Council Member Doug Ross, a major proponent for the outdoor furniture ordinance, said that students have been “half-assed” in their attempts to abide to the new ordinances. However, Ross said that he thinks the OPD has been doing “fairly well” in regards to enforcing the new rules so far this school year.
“I had an awful morning the day of my birthday when I woke up to police banging on my front door and giving my house a citation for litter. When we went to court the judge laughed and said that these new ordinances are ridiculous” said Jenny Kline a senior at Miami, “and I agree.”
According to the OPD’s records, police have issued 11 litter violations and three outdoor furniture violations since Aug. 20. An officer for the OPD said that the discrepancy in the records of the violations is that some officers are giving litter violations to residents who have beer pong tables in the front yard instead of the outdoor furniture violation, even though the punishment is the same for both. Because some officers are handing out the wrong violations to residents it makes it hard to say exactly how many beer pong table and furniture violations there have been.
Katie Rause, a student delegate on the Student/Community Relations Committee, works with other committee members and City Council to help improve student-resident relations.
“We had many discussions which included perspectives from Oxford residents, the Oxford City Council, university staff, and students about the ordinance. I felt the committee was very diplomatic and heard all sides that came to voice their concerns,” said Rause.
Even though some students disagree with the new rules Rause said “…the committee was very receptive to student wants and needs.”
“We actually compromised and agreed on a position we could all support and sent our recommendations to City Council. These efforts played an important role in getting the ordinance changed from a total ban on drinking games to an outdoor furniture ordinance,” said Rause.
However, Frank disagrees.
“It’s unfair that because I left a few cans and cups on my front porch, now we have a misdemeanor on our record. The police should just issue us fines. It’s so ridiculous,” said Frank.
Ross still stands by his position.
“Parties are not the problem, out of control parties, and parties that end up with a drunken ass, vomiting loudly in the early morning in the yard of a family so that the children wake up are a problem. Parties that end up with people having sexual intercourse in front of a home with children are a problem,” said Ross.
Oxford and ACP Looking for Ways to Improve Uptown
BY: BETSY SINN
September 26, 2007
On Wednesday Oxford kicked off an effort to update the city’s Comprehensive Plan, introducing the community to the Development Project Team and Steering Committee.
The city hired ACP Visioning and Planning of Columbus to guide the revision. According to its Web site, the firm’s “methodology - linking public participation and strategic implementation - is based on nearly 20 years of expertise in community visioning.” ACP uses public involvement to develop plans, and garner support to implement them.
“The purpose of these meetings and this process is to look and see where Oxford is going as far as development and see if that’s the direction where the committee and community members want Oxford to be going. Then, we can make some deliberate decisions about what actions we want to take,” said Jamie Greene, a founding principal of ACP.
ACP is aiding the Steering Committee and Project team in organizing a plan that will guide development in Oxford for the next 10 to 20 years. The plan will guide City Council and Zoning Commission as they evaluate the location, quality, and scope of proposed public and private developments.
“We have all of these ideas about where we think Oxford is going as far as population and development, but it will be interesting once the study is done to see where we actually are realistically. I’m looking forward to the information and seeing the facts that Jamie and Aaron put together for us,” said Prue Dana, vice-mayor and Steering Committee member.
ACP will assess different development elements in Oxford in revising the 10 year Comprehensive Plan. Among them are housing, economics, land use, governance, urban design, utilities, implementations, Miami University and community issues, natural resources and community facilities and services.
“We give these issues a lot of lip service but we have got to start doing something about them now,” said Paul Brady, Steering Committee member and Planning Commission chair.
“The plan will then be implemented over time through many distinct decisions including rezoning, subdivision of land, location and construction of public improvements,” said Aaron Domini, the ACP planner assigned to Oxford.
Oxford’s plan update is divided up into five different phases and is expected to last 13 months.
“This isn’t necessarily a brand new plan. It’s essentially an update from the plans that ACP helped Oxford within the past,” said Kathy Dale, Oxford’s city planner.
“We have to have these updates every 10 years to discuss existing conditions, integrate new technology, replace outdated information and address new planning issues,” said Dale.
Dale and the Steering Committee are currently looking for volunteers to act as facilitators at community update meetings in November.
A potential facilitator can’t be an appointed or elected official, must hold a neutral position while conducting meetings and can volunteer based on their availability. The facilitators would have to go to one of two mandatory training sessions at 5 p.m. Oct. 25 or 8 a.m. Oct. 26. Interested volunteers should contact Kathy Dale at kdale@cityofoxford.org by Oct. 12.
“You don’t have to have experience facilitating meetings to help out. We are really just looking for somebody who is neutral and can keep community members at the meetings on task and on time,” said Dale.
Developing an updated plan requires community involvement, officials stressed.
“The process of planning and implementing will be ineffective if we don’t have community members telling us what they want to see. If they don’t tell us what they want then, they won’t be happy in the end when they don’t get it. This process relies heavily on public input,” said Greene.
Miami students interning for the city are helping recruit volunteers.
“I’m working on getting students involved as facilitators for the Community Update Meetings. I will also be working on improving public awareness to make sure the community knows all about the plan and the meetings to make sure that those who are interested will be able to attend,” said Taylor Graves, a City of Oxford public relations intern and senior mass communications major at Miami.
“Next week I’m going to be getting in touch with the philanthropic chairs of the various sororities and fraternities to see if they could get Greek members involved,” Graves said.
A small group of community members is helping to publicize the upcoming November meetings. They have organized a mass mailing and have placed advertising in all the major Cincinnati TV stations and radio stations, WMUB, and “The Oxford Press,” as well as distributed flyers to area businesses.
“There might be a bit of an overlap in our publicity efforts, but if that gets one more person to come and give their opinion at the meetings then we’ve done our job. We want to make sure everyone in Oxford is aware of our efforts to further develop the city and encourage them to join in on the process,” said Dale.
The publicity team is also meeting with senior and junior government classes at Talawanda High School to encourage those students to become involved. The Steering Committee is interested in what all Oxford residents, young and old, want to see change with future development in Oxford.
“I’m personally really interested in looking at Oxford’s growing Latino and Asian communities. It would be great if we could find ways to diversify our community even further,” said Bill Brewer, a Steering Committee member.
The next Community Update Meetings will be at 9 a.m. Nov. 12 at the Knolls of Oxford and 7 p.m. Nov. 12 at Talawanda Middle School. Onsite babysitting will be available.
September 26, 2007
On Wednesday Oxford kicked off an effort to update the city’s Comprehensive Plan, introducing the community to the Development Project Team and Steering Committee.
The city hired ACP Visioning and Planning of Columbus to guide the revision. According to its Web site, the firm’s “methodology - linking public participation and strategic implementation - is based on nearly 20 years of expertise in community visioning.” ACP uses public involvement to develop plans, and garner support to implement them.
“The purpose of these meetings and this process is to look and see where Oxford is going as far as development and see if that’s the direction where the committee and community members want Oxford to be going. Then, we can make some deliberate decisions about what actions we want to take,” said Jamie Greene, a founding principal of ACP.
ACP is aiding the Steering Committee and Project team in organizing a plan that will guide development in Oxford for the next 10 to 20 years. The plan will guide City Council and Zoning Commission as they evaluate the location, quality, and scope of proposed public and private developments.
“We have all of these ideas about where we think Oxford is going as far as population and development, but it will be interesting once the study is done to see where we actually are realistically. I’m looking forward to the information and seeing the facts that Jamie and Aaron put together for us,” said Prue Dana, vice-mayor and Steering Committee member.
ACP will assess different development elements in Oxford in revising the 10 year Comprehensive Plan. Among them are housing, economics, land use, governance, urban design, utilities, implementations, Miami University and community issues, natural resources and community facilities and services.
“We give these issues a lot of lip service but we have got to start doing something about them now,” said Paul Brady, Steering Committee member and Planning Commission chair.
“The plan will then be implemented over time through many distinct decisions including rezoning, subdivision of land, location and construction of public improvements,” said Aaron Domini, the ACP planner assigned to Oxford.
Oxford’s plan update is divided up into five different phases and is expected to last 13 months.
“This isn’t necessarily a brand new plan. It’s essentially an update from the plans that ACP helped Oxford within the past,” said Kathy Dale, Oxford’s city planner.
“We have to have these updates every 10 years to discuss existing conditions, integrate new technology, replace outdated information and address new planning issues,” said Dale.
Dale and the Steering Committee are currently looking for volunteers to act as facilitators at community update meetings in November.
A potential facilitator can’t be an appointed or elected official, must hold a neutral position while conducting meetings and can volunteer based on their availability. The facilitators would have to go to one of two mandatory training sessions at 5 p.m. Oct. 25 or 8 a.m. Oct. 26. Interested volunteers should contact Kathy Dale at kdale@cityofoxford.org by Oct. 12.
“You don’t have to have experience facilitating meetings to help out. We are really just looking for somebody who is neutral and can keep community members at the meetings on task and on time,” said Dale.
Developing an updated plan requires community involvement, officials stressed.
“The process of planning and implementing will be ineffective if we don’t have community members telling us what they want to see. If they don’t tell us what they want then, they won’t be happy in the end when they don’t get it. This process relies heavily on public input,” said Greene.
Miami students interning for the city are helping recruit volunteers.
“I’m working on getting students involved as facilitators for the Community Update Meetings. I will also be working on improving public awareness to make sure the community knows all about the plan and the meetings to make sure that those who are interested will be able to attend,” said Taylor Graves, a City of Oxford public relations intern and senior mass communications major at Miami.
“Next week I’m going to be getting in touch with the philanthropic chairs of the various sororities and fraternities to see if they could get Greek members involved,” Graves said.
A small group of community members is helping to publicize the upcoming November meetings. They have organized a mass mailing and have placed advertising in all the major Cincinnati TV stations and radio stations, WMUB, and “The Oxford Press,” as well as distributed flyers to area businesses.
“There might be a bit of an overlap in our publicity efforts, but if that gets one more person to come and give their opinion at the meetings then we’ve done our job. We want to make sure everyone in Oxford is aware of our efforts to further develop the city and encourage them to join in on the process,” said Dale.
The publicity team is also meeting with senior and junior government classes at Talawanda High School to encourage those students to become involved. The Steering Committee is interested in what all Oxford residents, young and old, want to see change with future development in Oxford.
“I’m personally really interested in looking at Oxford’s growing Latino and Asian communities. It would be great if we could find ways to diversify our community even further,” said Bill Brewer, a Steering Committee member.
The next Community Update Meetings will be at 9 a.m. Nov. 12 at the Knolls of Oxford and 7 p.m. Nov. 12 at Talawanda Middle School. Onsite babysitting will be available.
City Council Appoints New City Manager
BY: BETSY SINN
October 3, 2007
Oxford City Council last night appointed Douglas Elliott Jr. as Oxford’s new city manager.
From 2006 to 2007, Elliott worked as assistant to the city manager in Painesville, Ohio. He also served as city manager in Somersworth, N. H., from 1990 to 2004.
The city has been looking for a replacement since former city manager, Jane Howington, resigned in June. Howington left her position in Oxford for an assistant city manager position in Dayton. Service Director Michael Dreisbach filled the position of interim city manager after Howington left.
“I have served the city as service director for almost 10 years now. Over time, my role with the city has grown substantially to also include oversight of the Engineering Division, Park Maintenance, Division, and Environmental Affairs,” said Dreisbach.
City Council’s efforts to find a new city manager were facilitated by Mercer Group Inc., a management consulting firm. The firm specializes in consulting for local, state and federal governments, transit authorities, private-sector clients, utilities and healthcare providers.
The Mercer Group advertised for the position and reviewed the resumes of applicants. After reviewing resumes, City Council invited two to visit Oxford.
Elliott and Mark Jackson, the city administrator for Story City, Iowa, came to Oxford in late September to interview with the city and meet community members at open forums.
Vice-Mayor Prue Dana said she was impressed by what both candidates had to say and how they handled themselves.
While both applicants had similar past experiences in government, City Council thought Elliott would do a better job in a small college town atmosphere like Oxford.
Elliott has experience working in a college town. During his employment with the city of Painesville, he worked with Lake Erie College.
Elliott will take over as city manager Nov. 12.
Dreisbach will continue as interim city manager until Elliott arrives.
“I will miss the direct interaction with the City Council the most. As a department head, by design I am somewhat insulated from Council by the city manager. I was happy to serve during the interim period. Working for Oxford has been the best job in my career, and I will always do whatever is needed when asked to serve,” said Dreisbach.
Dana thanked Mercer Group for its search for suitable candidates.
“The search was very thorough and satisfactory. We had a chance to meet with the two finalists and talk about what their thoughts and feelings were towards the city of Oxford,” said Dana.
“I would advise Doug [Elliott] to get acclimated as quickly as possible and keep the Council as fully informed on issues as possible,” said Dreisbach.
“It seems that when there is sometimes dissatisfaction with a party, it may often be attributed to a lack of good communication between the two parties,” said Dreisbach.
October 3, 2007
Oxford City Council last night appointed Douglas Elliott Jr. as Oxford’s new city manager.
From 2006 to 2007, Elliott worked as assistant to the city manager in Painesville, Ohio. He also served as city manager in Somersworth, N. H., from 1990 to 2004.
The city has been looking for a replacement since former city manager, Jane Howington, resigned in June. Howington left her position in Oxford for an assistant city manager position in Dayton. Service Director Michael Dreisbach filled the position of interim city manager after Howington left.
“I have served the city as service director for almost 10 years now. Over time, my role with the city has grown substantially to also include oversight of the Engineering Division, Park Maintenance, Division, and Environmental Affairs,” said Dreisbach.
City Council’s efforts to find a new city manager were facilitated by Mercer Group Inc., a management consulting firm. The firm specializes in consulting for local, state and federal governments, transit authorities, private-sector clients, utilities and healthcare providers.
The Mercer Group advertised for the position and reviewed the resumes of applicants. After reviewing resumes, City Council invited two to visit Oxford.
Elliott and Mark Jackson, the city administrator for Story City, Iowa, came to Oxford in late September to interview with the city and meet community members at open forums.
Vice-Mayor Prue Dana said she was impressed by what both candidates had to say and how they handled themselves.
While both applicants had similar past experiences in government, City Council thought Elliott would do a better job in a small college town atmosphere like Oxford.
Elliott has experience working in a college town. During his employment with the city of Painesville, he worked with Lake Erie College.
Elliott will take over as city manager Nov. 12.
Dreisbach will continue as interim city manager until Elliott arrives.
“I will miss the direct interaction with the City Council the most. As a department head, by design I am somewhat insulated from Council by the city manager. I was happy to serve during the interim period. Working for Oxford has been the best job in my career, and I will always do whatever is needed when asked to serve,” said Dreisbach.
Dana thanked Mercer Group for its search for suitable candidates.
“The search was very thorough and satisfactory. We had a chance to meet with the two finalists and talk about what their thoughts and feelings were towards the city of Oxford,” said Dana.
“I would advise Doug [Elliott] to get acclimated as quickly as possible and keep the Council as fully informed on issues as possible,” said Dreisbach.
“It seems that when there is sometimes dissatisfaction with a party, it may often be attributed to a lack of good communication between the two parties,” said Dreisbach.
LWV and WMUB Hold Public Forum
BY: BETSY SINN
October 25, 2007
Oxford will welcome three new members to its City Council and name a new mayor after the Nov. 6 election. Three of the four candidates vying for those spots presented their ideas Wednesday in a forum hosted by the League of Women Voters (LWV).
“The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan political organization encouraging the informed and active participation of citizens in government. We strive for public participation and political responsibility,” said Sandra Engel, president of the LWV of Oxford.
Mayor Jerome Conley, and council members Alan Kyger and Dave Prows have decided not to run for re-election on Oxford’s City Council.
The four candidates running for the three full-time vacancies on council include: Kate Currie, Betty Quantz, Greig J. Rutherford and Richard Keebler who was absent from the forum.
The three candidates who were present at the forum were introduced to the public and after talking briefly about their qualifications answered questions from audience members.
Oxford City Council members are paid a salary of $3,200 and serve four-year terms in office.
City Council members are obligated to enact legislation and oversee the city manager, approve public expenditures, acquire profits from bond issues and tax levies and choose a mayor out of the seven members to lead the city in two-year increments.
“I’ve always gravitated back to Oxford. I came back to live in the historic mile square and raise my family. I want to strive to make this an ever more family-friendly city,” said Currie.
Currie was the former owner and operator of Hirdie-Girdie Gallery in Sanibel Island, Fla., and Cates Bakeshop in Madeira, Ohio. She received a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from Miami University in 1993. She is currently working as an artist and has no prior political experience.
“Most importantly I’d like to see the university become more integrated with the city and be able to have more faculty living here by providing more affordable housing,” said Currie.
Betty Quantz is a high school English teacher at Hamilton High School. Quantz is a former Oxford City Council member and mayor and currently serves on the Student Community Relations Commission, Charter Review Commission and the Comprehensive Plan Review Commission.
“We must have a shared vision to get things done. It shouldn’t just be the vision of Betty Quantz, but the shared vision of the community and voters in Oxford. I want to help the citizens get what they want, but we need the public to participate to help us mold this shared vision,” said Quantz.
Oxford is in a transition phase with the turnover in the city council and the Comprehensive Plan Update, according to Quantz. She would like to improve on the safety of U.S. Highway 27 and make positive developmental changes after the comprehensive plan has been thoroughly reviewed.
Richard Keebler is a lifelong resident of Oxford, a U.S. Air Force veteran and graduate of Cornell University. Keebler served as the Oxford Assistant Fire Chief for 30 years, and director of business services for Miami for 28 years. He was a member of the Oxford Lions Club for 35 years and currently serves on the Oxford Board of Zoning Appeals.
According to the LWV voter information guide, Keebler supports the Charter Amendment. If approved the amendment would allow buildings within the business district uptown to subdivide and have more than three dwellings or apartments per lot. Voters will vote on the measure Nov. 6.
“Zoning rules must still restrict overall building size and look to promote and maintain the character of the uptown area. Eliminating the three dwelling unit restriction uptown helps ensure continued renewal in our uptown without opening up other areas of the mile square,” Keebler was quoted as saying in the voter information guide.
Quantz is the only candidate who does not endorse the amendment.
“I cannot support this amendment which moves the number of apartments allowed per building (density) from Charter to Zoning Code, where density can easily be changed by future City Councils,” Quantz said in the LWV guide.
Greig J. Rutherford received a bachelor’s and graduate degree from Miami in environmental design and architecture. Rutherford has 25 years of architectural experience in and around the Oxford area and is a member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
“A critical thing we need to do is support the diversity of housing and encourage owner-occupied housing within the city and especially within the mile square,” said Rutherford.
If elected, Rutherford would like to make modifications to Oxford’s zoning laws and encourage public and private business partnerships to create new jobs in the area.
“Being an architect I think I will bring a unique understanding to the development of the city especially in response to the comprehensive plan,” said Rutherford.
He further went on to say, “The plan will have a huge impact on the city. We have an old model of zoning that segregates business, industry and housing. We need to mix it up and…this will improve our security and lower energy consumption.”
Currie and Quantz agreed that Oxford needs to be more energy conscious and efficient.
According to Quantz, the city is already looking into having a new water well closer to the center of Oxford. Currently, water is pumped four miles into the city from a well outside of Oxford. If a new well was placed within Oxford, the city would no longer have to waste the energy needed to pump the water into the area.
The candidates who attended the forum would like to see safety improvements on U.S. 27 South. Currie, Rutherford and Quantz are all proponents of putting in more sidewalks, bike lanes and street and traffic lights along the highway.
For more information visit the Butler County Board of Elections and the League of Women Voters websites both have helpful information on voter information, candidates, election updates, frequently asked questions and a complete list of polling places for the different precincts to cast their vote on Election Day.
Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 6.
October 25, 2007
Oxford will welcome three new members to its City Council and name a new mayor after the Nov. 6 election. Three of the four candidates vying for those spots presented their ideas Wednesday in a forum hosted by the League of Women Voters (LWV).
“The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan political organization encouraging the informed and active participation of citizens in government. We strive for public participation and political responsibility,” said Sandra Engel, president of the LWV of Oxford.
Mayor Jerome Conley, and council members Alan Kyger and Dave Prows have decided not to run for re-election on Oxford’s City Council.
The four candidates running for the three full-time vacancies on council include: Kate Currie, Betty Quantz, Greig J. Rutherford and Richard Keebler who was absent from the forum.
The three candidates who were present at the forum were introduced to the public and after talking briefly about their qualifications answered questions from audience members.
Oxford City Council members are paid a salary of $3,200 and serve four-year terms in office.
City Council members are obligated to enact legislation and oversee the city manager, approve public expenditures, acquire profits from bond issues and tax levies and choose a mayor out of the seven members to lead the city in two-year increments.
“I’ve always gravitated back to Oxford. I came back to live in the historic mile square and raise my family. I want to strive to make this an ever more family-friendly city,” said Currie.
Currie was the former owner and operator of Hirdie-Girdie Gallery in Sanibel Island, Fla., and Cates Bakeshop in Madeira, Ohio. She received a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from Miami University in 1993. She is currently working as an artist and has no prior political experience.
“Most importantly I’d like to see the university become more integrated with the city and be able to have more faculty living here by providing more affordable housing,” said Currie.
Betty Quantz is a high school English teacher at Hamilton High School. Quantz is a former Oxford City Council member and mayor and currently serves on the Student Community Relations Commission, Charter Review Commission and the Comprehensive Plan Review Commission.
“We must have a shared vision to get things done. It shouldn’t just be the vision of Betty Quantz, but the shared vision of the community and voters in Oxford. I want to help the citizens get what they want, but we need the public to participate to help us mold this shared vision,” said Quantz.
Oxford is in a transition phase with the turnover in the city council and the Comprehensive Plan Update, according to Quantz. She would like to improve on the safety of U.S. Highway 27 and make positive developmental changes after the comprehensive plan has been thoroughly reviewed.
Richard Keebler is a lifelong resident of Oxford, a U.S. Air Force veteran and graduate of Cornell University. Keebler served as the Oxford Assistant Fire Chief for 30 years, and director of business services for Miami for 28 years. He was a member of the Oxford Lions Club for 35 years and currently serves on the Oxford Board of Zoning Appeals.
According to the LWV voter information guide, Keebler supports the Charter Amendment. If approved the amendment would allow buildings within the business district uptown to subdivide and have more than three dwellings or apartments per lot. Voters will vote on the measure Nov. 6.
“Zoning rules must still restrict overall building size and look to promote and maintain the character of the uptown area. Eliminating the three dwelling unit restriction uptown helps ensure continued renewal in our uptown without opening up other areas of the mile square,” Keebler was quoted as saying in the voter information guide.
Quantz is the only candidate who does not endorse the amendment.
“I cannot support this amendment which moves the number of apartments allowed per building (density) from Charter to Zoning Code, where density can easily be changed by future City Councils,” Quantz said in the LWV guide.
Greig J. Rutherford received a bachelor’s and graduate degree from Miami in environmental design and architecture. Rutherford has 25 years of architectural experience in and around the Oxford area and is a member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
“A critical thing we need to do is support the diversity of housing and encourage owner-occupied housing within the city and especially within the mile square,” said Rutherford.
If elected, Rutherford would like to make modifications to Oxford’s zoning laws and encourage public and private business partnerships to create new jobs in the area.
“Being an architect I think I will bring a unique understanding to the development of the city especially in response to the comprehensive plan,” said Rutherford.
He further went on to say, “The plan will have a huge impact on the city. We have an old model of zoning that segregates business, industry and housing. We need to mix it up and…this will improve our security and lower energy consumption.”
Currie and Quantz agreed that Oxford needs to be more energy conscious and efficient.
According to Quantz, the city is already looking into having a new water well closer to the center of Oxford. Currently, water is pumped four miles into the city from a well outside of Oxford. If a new well was placed within Oxford, the city would no longer have to waste the energy needed to pump the water into the area.
The candidates who attended the forum would like to see safety improvements on U.S. 27 South. Currie, Rutherford and Quantz are all proponents of putting in more sidewalks, bike lanes and street and traffic lights along the highway.
For more information visit the Butler County Board of Elections and the League of Women Voters websites both have helpful information on voter information, candidates, election updates, frequently asked questions and a complete list of polling places for the different precincts to cast their vote on Election Day.
Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 6.
Three members elected to City Council; Issue 20 Passes
BY: BETSY SINN
November 8, 2007
After many town hall forums and voter information nights, the votes have been cast and three Oxford residents have been elected to join the City Council starting Nov. 29.
Richard Keebler received the most votes by winning 30 percent. Kate Currie drew 26 percent and Greig Rutherford finished with 24 percent of the vote Tuesday. The trio will join the remaining four members currently serving the Council.
Keebler, Currie and Rutherford join current Council members Alysia Fischer, Prue Dana, Kenneth Bogard and Doug Ross.
Rutherford is employed by the architecture firm Robert Treadon and Associates, Keebler served as Miami University’s director of business services for 28 years before retiring in 2000 and Currie formerly owned and operated the Hirdie-Girdie Gallery in Sanibel Island, Fla.
“The new councilors bring a wide range of viewpoints to Council. I hope they can recognize that the more smoothly we can work together, even when we disagree, the better it is for all our citizens,” Council Member Alysia Fischer said.
Betty Quantz, former City Council member and mayor of Oxford, was the only Council candidate not elected. She received almost 20 percent of the vote.
Newly elected Council member Currie has several issues she wants to focus on during her four-year term.
“I think one of the most important things I’d like to see is the university becoming more integrated into the city. I’d like to have more faculty live here by providing more affordable housing and also make the existing housing developments in Oxford nicer to encourage higher paid faculty to move back into the area,” Currie said.
Oxford resident Kathleen Zien, a regular at Council meetings, expressed concern for a possible conflict of interest for Rutherford, the executive architect for Robert Treadon and Associates, while he serves on Council.
Zien said she believes Rutherford should not be involved with issues related to the Historic and Architectural Preservation Commission (HAPC) and the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) because of the possible interest his employer has in the issues.
Rutherford’s need to recuse himself will devalue his effectiveness as a Council member, Zien said.
However, Rutherford disagreed.
“As a design professional I bring a unique perspective to this Council. My being an architect and the firm I work for will have no influence on the way I vote. Many members in the past have worked for the university and haven’t necessarily not voted on a decision that would affect Miami just because they work there,” Rutherford said.
After Keebler, Currie and Rutherford begin their new terms on Nov. 29, the Council, as a whole, will have a meeting to allow the new members to become acclimated and organized.
“The meeting will happen within five days after the new members start their term and we will go into Executive Session, which is not open to the public, to discuss who will be mayor and vice-mayor,” Council Member Fischer said.
The Oxford City Charter doesn’t state any particular manner in which the mayor and vice-mayor are to be chosen, except they must be selected from Council and by Council within five days of the start of a new term.
“At this point we are also likely to discuss which members will sit on which boards and commissions. We then come out and make this information public,” Fischer said.
In other City Council news, the City Charter Amendment (Issue 20), also passed with nearly 60 percent of the vote Tuesday. City Council candidates Keebler and Currie supported the amendment.
The new legislation will eliminate the three-dwelling unit restriction enforced on buildings located within Oxford’s Mile Square.
While still having to abide by current city building codes in the city charter Oxford will now allow buildings located within the Mile Square to have more than three individual residential apartments within one building.
The next City Council meeting will be Nov. 20.
November 8, 2007
After many town hall forums and voter information nights, the votes have been cast and three Oxford residents have been elected to join the City Council starting Nov. 29.
Richard Keebler received the most votes by winning 30 percent. Kate Currie drew 26 percent and Greig Rutherford finished with 24 percent of the vote Tuesday. The trio will join the remaining four members currently serving the Council.
Keebler, Currie and Rutherford join current Council members Alysia Fischer, Prue Dana, Kenneth Bogard and Doug Ross.
Rutherford is employed by the architecture firm Robert Treadon and Associates, Keebler served as Miami University’s director of business services for 28 years before retiring in 2000 and Currie formerly owned and operated the Hirdie-Girdie Gallery in Sanibel Island, Fla.
“The new councilors bring a wide range of viewpoints to Council. I hope they can recognize that the more smoothly we can work together, even when we disagree, the better it is for all our citizens,” Council Member Alysia Fischer said.
Betty Quantz, former City Council member and mayor of Oxford, was the only Council candidate not elected. She received almost 20 percent of the vote.
Newly elected Council member Currie has several issues she wants to focus on during her four-year term.
“I think one of the most important things I’d like to see is the university becoming more integrated into the city. I’d like to have more faculty live here by providing more affordable housing and also make the existing housing developments in Oxford nicer to encourage higher paid faculty to move back into the area,” Currie said.
Oxford resident Kathleen Zien, a regular at Council meetings, expressed concern for a possible conflict of interest for Rutherford, the executive architect for Robert Treadon and Associates, while he serves on Council.
Zien said she believes Rutherford should not be involved with issues related to the Historic and Architectural Preservation Commission (HAPC) and the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) because of the possible interest his employer has in the issues.
Rutherford’s need to recuse himself will devalue his effectiveness as a Council member, Zien said.
However, Rutherford disagreed.
“As a design professional I bring a unique perspective to this Council. My being an architect and the firm I work for will have no influence on the way I vote. Many members in the past have worked for the university and haven’t necessarily not voted on a decision that would affect Miami just because they work there,” Rutherford said.
After Keebler, Currie and Rutherford begin their new terms on Nov. 29, the Council, as a whole, will have a meeting to allow the new members to become acclimated and organized.
“The meeting will happen within five days after the new members start their term and we will go into Executive Session, which is not open to the public, to discuss who will be mayor and vice-mayor,” Council Member Fischer said.
The Oxford City Charter doesn’t state any particular manner in which the mayor and vice-mayor are to be chosen, except they must be selected from Council and by Council within five days of the start of a new term.
“At this point we are also likely to discuss which members will sit on which boards and commissions. We then come out and make this information public,” Fischer said.
In other City Council news, the City Charter Amendment (Issue 20), also passed with nearly 60 percent of the vote Tuesday. City Council candidates Keebler and Currie supported the amendment.
The new legislation will eliminate the three-dwelling unit restriction enforced on buildings located within Oxford’s Mile Square.
While still having to abide by current city building codes in the city charter Oxford will now allow buildings located within the Mile Square to have more than three individual residential apartments within one building.
The next City Council meeting will be Nov. 20.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
New City Manager Begins Work in Municipal Hall
BY: BETSY SINN
November 19, 2007
Newly appointed Oxford City Manager Doug Elliott started work Monday, as he met with City Council, city department heads and community leaders to discuss the future of Oxford.
Elliott applied for the position after hearing about it through Mercer Group Inc., the management consulting firm Oxford hired to recruit city manager applicants.
Elliott filled the position vacated by Jane Howington, who resigned in June to become an assistant city manager in Dayton. Oxford Service Director Mike Dreisbach, who served as interim city manager after Howington’s departure, met with Elliott during the interviewing process and was convinced he was the right applicant for the job.
City Councilmember Doug Ross said Elliott’s experience and calm attitude made him stand out against his competitors.
Elliott grew up in Eaton, Ohio, a few miles north of Oxford and is very familiar with the area. He is currently living in Eaton with his brother until him and his wife move to Oxford after the holiday season.
“I’ve always been impressed with the town and the knowledge of Miami University. I like managing smaller cities like Oxford because it provides me with the opportunity to be more hands-on as a city manager,” Elliott said.
Elliott worked in a college town previous to accepting the job in Oxford. As assistant city manager in Painesville, Ohio, a job he held from 2006 to 2007, Elliott worked closely with Lake Erie College. However, Elliott admits Lake Erie College didn’t have as big of a presence in Painesville as Miami University does in Oxford.
Miami President David Hodge met with Elliott last week to discuss the city’s partnership with the university.
“It’s important that I stay in close contact with President Hodge and university staff because our destinies are intertwined in a way. We both need to pursue our similar interests and work together on community projects,” Elliott said.
Councilmember Ross encourages Elliott to have a “thick skin” in dealing with any issues or problems that might arise now that he’s started the job.
“You get criticized sometimes when working in this type of position and you have to be able to accept that those criticisms aren’t always directed at you personally,” Elliott said.
“As city manager you have to make independent decisions and realize that not everyone is going to be happy. I don’t know the key to success, but I do know the key to failure and that is to try and please everyone,” Elliott said.
Elliott has several projects on his agenda for his first year in Oxford. A major one is an update of Oxford’s Comprehensive Plan, which he has had experience with in the past. He updated two plans when he served as city manager in Somersworth, N. H., from 1990 to 2004 and on one in Painesville.
“We kicked off the updated plan process here in Oxford by forming a steering committee and holding public forums to get feedback from community members. Now, I think we all need to think about a plan for the future development of Oxford and its land uses,” Elliott said.
Elliott proposes drawing more niche businesses to the historic mile square in Oxford, hoping it will aid the city in developing economically.
“The local economy is like the body and we need new cells or new businesses to keep the body alive. We need more new businesses to keep Oxford’s economy thriving,” Elliott said.
Another capital project at the top of Elliott’s agenda is the Municipal Facilities Plan. The Oxford Police Department wants larger and better-equipped facilities and City Hall needs more space for staff. The current Municipal Building at 101 East High Street no longer has enough room.
Elliott will also face decisions about Oxford’s city pool. In coming months community leaders are discussing whether to build a new pool or repair the existing one, located at 6035 Fairfield Road.
“Oxford also needs street and sidewalk improvements and I would also like to see citizens and neighborhoods maintaining their properties and keeping them free of litter,” Elliott said.
As he begins work in Oxford, Elliott remains involved in an ongoing project in Painesville.
“We had a major flood mitigation project where we were able to secure $8 million in federal and state funds to demolish an area of 80 condos that were destroyed in floods last year,” he said. “Currently, we are in the implementation stage of the project and I would like to see this project through to its completion.”
November 19, 2007
Newly appointed Oxford City Manager Doug Elliott started work Monday, as he met with City Council, city department heads and community leaders to discuss the future of Oxford.
Elliott applied for the position after hearing about it through Mercer Group Inc., the management consulting firm Oxford hired to recruit city manager applicants.
Elliott filled the position vacated by Jane Howington, who resigned in June to become an assistant city manager in Dayton. Oxford Service Director Mike Dreisbach, who served as interim city manager after Howington’s departure, met with Elliott during the interviewing process and was convinced he was the right applicant for the job.
City Councilmember Doug Ross said Elliott’s experience and calm attitude made him stand out against his competitors.
Elliott grew up in Eaton, Ohio, a few miles north of Oxford and is very familiar with the area. He is currently living in Eaton with his brother until him and his wife move to Oxford after the holiday season.
“I’ve always been impressed with the town and the knowledge of Miami University. I like managing smaller cities like Oxford because it provides me with the opportunity to be more hands-on as a city manager,” Elliott said.
Elliott worked in a college town previous to accepting the job in Oxford. As assistant city manager in Painesville, Ohio, a job he held from 2006 to 2007, Elliott worked closely with Lake Erie College. However, Elliott admits Lake Erie College didn’t have as big of a presence in Painesville as Miami University does in Oxford.
Miami President David Hodge met with Elliott last week to discuss the city’s partnership with the university.
“It’s important that I stay in close contact with President Hodge and university staff because our destinies are intertwined in a way. We both need to pursue our similar interests and work together on community projects,” Elliott said.
Councilmember Ross encourages Elliott to have a “thick skin” in dealing with any issues or problems that might arise now that he’s started the job.
“You get criticized sometimes when working in this type of position and you have to be able to accept that those criticisms aren’t always directed at you personally,” Elliott said.
“As city manager you have to make independent decisions and realize that not everyone is going to be happy. I don’t know the key to success, but I do know the key to failure and that is to try and please everyone,” Elliott said.
Elliott has several projects on his agenda for his first year in Oxford. A major one is an update of Oxford’s Comprehensive Plan, which he has had experience with in the past. He updated two plans when he served as city manager in Somersworth, N. H., from 1990 to 2004 and on one in Painesville.
“We kicked off the updated plan process here in Oxford by forming a steering committee and holding public forums to get feedback from community members. Now, I think we all need to think about a plan for the future development of Oxford and its land uses,” Elliott said.
Elliott proposes drawing more niche businesses to the historic mile square in Oxford, hoping it will aid the city in developing economically.
“The local economy is like the body and we need new cells or new businesses to keep the body alive. We need more new businesses to keep Oxford’s economy thriving,” Elliott said.
Another capital project at the top of Elliott’s agenda is the Municipal Facilities Plan. The Oxford Police Department wants larger and better-equipped facilities and City Hall needs more space for staff. The current Municipal Building at 101 East High Street no longer has enough room.
Elliott will also face decisions about Oxford’s city pool. In coming months community leaders are discussing whether to build a new pool or repair the existing one, located at 6035 Fairfield Road.
“Oxford also needs street and sidewalk improvements and I would also like to see citizens and neighborhoods maintaining their properties and keeping them free of litter,” Elliott said.
As he begins work in Oxford, Elliott remains involved in an ongoing project in Painesville.
“We had a major flood mitigation project where we were able to secure $8 million in federal and state funds to demolish an area of 80 condos that were destroyed in floods last year,” he said. “Currently, we are in the implementation stage of the project and I would like to see this project through to its completion.”
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