City of Bellbrook Community Report Au gust 2012 Vo lume XVII I , I ssu e 2

A Pub licat ion of the C ity o f Be l lbrook

66th Bellbrook Lions Club Festival

Lions Festival Schedule of Events

Neighbors Helping Neighbors August 16th – 18th, 2012

Come join the Bellbrook community as it celebrates the 66th Bellbrook Lions Club Festival in downtown Bellbrook on August 16th – 18th. The theme of this year’s festival is “Neighbors Helping Neighbors.” As always, there will be numerous activities for everyone. The festival is a family-friendly atmosphere and everyone is invited to come out and join the fun!

For more information, visit the Bellbrook Lions Club website at www.bellbrooklions.org.

Bellbrook Sugarcreek Family Resource Center The Family Resource Center would like to thank community members and leaders for their continual support of the Center and those in need in the community. The Hunger Awareness Walk held June 9th was a great success thanks to the citizens who participated, sponsors, and the support received from the City of Bellbrook Police and Fire departments on the day of the event. This event was held for awareness of this growing issue, as well as providing resources to two local food pantries in Bellbrook and Xenia.

Due to the increasing need for food assistance in the community, the Center has taken a Stand Against Hunger in 2012. On September 14th, the Center would like to invite everyone to stand together and show support against hunger by wearing a Take a Stand Against Hunger t-shirt or wear orange. There will be a candlelight ceremony in Bellbrook at 6:00 pm on September 13th showing community support to combat hunger (location to be determined). A donation container for nonperishable food items will be available that day. Please contact Susan Lopez at the Family Resource Center, (937) 848-3810 for details.

With your help, the center can continue to make a difference for the community and its citizens.

Logo designed by a Bellbrook High School student.

The Bellbrook Lions Club Festival will be held at the old Sugarcreek Elementary School in downtown Bellbrook on August 16th, 17th and 18th. All proceeds from the festival return to the community in the form of local projects, scholarships, or other donations the Lions Club makes throughout the year. There will be games for all ages, amusement rides, a dinner tent, and food. This is a great opportunity for community members to reconnect just before the start of school. The festival is considered a "homecoming" as it allows longtime residents, those who have moved away, and new residents to connect in a family environment and support of local service projects.

Come to the Festival!

Thursday, August 16th Pork Chop Dinner Served ............................................... 6:00 PM Close ............................................................................. 11:00 PM

Friday, August 17th Fish Dinner Served .......................................................... 6:00 PM Close ............................................................................. 11:00 PM

Saturday, August 18th Parade ............................................................................. 4:00 PM Car Show .................................................... Afternoon & Evening BBQ Chicken Dinner........................................................ 5:30 PM Raffle Drawing .............................................................. 11:30 PM Close ............................................................................. 11:30 PM

The parade on Saturday will be followed by the first performance of the Bellbrook High School marching band for the upcoming school year. The amusement rides will be available all three nights with an armband special on Thursday night to allow continuous riding for the evening. Full dinners are available each evening with other meal items available at Lions trailers. The annual raffle will be a cash prize of $10,000, so buy your tickets from a Lion for your chance at this prize. If you have not attended the Lions Festival in years, please consider coming this year to support the Bellbrook Lions Club.

Community News

Bellbrook Sugarcreek Park District The Park District has a full schedule of events for the fall! Join them for their fitness classes like Zumba, Line Dancing, Yoga, and Karate. Preschoolers can explore the Little Sugar Creek during “Peek at the Creek.” Other programs include monthly family movie nights, a hunter safety course,

archiving materials, or any of the myriad of things that happen in a modern museum, then you need to look into this program. The docent training program will be starting in August. If you are thinking of a way to give back to the community, the museum is a great place to start! Call Dwight Bartlett at (937) 475-6659 for details.

The annual Chamber Golf Outing will be held Thursday, August 16th, at Sugar Valley Golf Club at 1:00 pm. For more information on the Golf Outing or other Chamber events, visit their website at www.bellbrooksugarcreekchamber.com.

The Chamber also has Community Directories and other information available in the office located at 64 West Franklin Street, or call them at (937) 848-4930.

a teen bonfire, knitting, a night hike, star gazing, and the annual “Halloween in the Park” on October 20th. For more park and program information, please contact the Park District at (937) 848-3535 or visit them at www.bellbrooksugarcreekparks.org.

It has been an exciting spring at the museum. The exhibit of Hats and Accessories was very well received. The museum had more than 200 people visit the exhibit during the Sugar Maple Festival alone. The next exhibit, beginning in August, will feature Depression glass and similar-style early 20th century glassware. Be sure to mark your calendar for a Saturday afternoon visit to this interesting

August 2012 City of Bellbrook Community Report

Bellbrook Historical Museum

Bellbrook Sugarcreek Area Chamber of Commerce

Winters Bellbrook Community Library

Bellbrook Garden Club

and varied grouping of collectables.

In anticipation of an expanded program of activities at the museum, the trustee board is looking for individuals interested in participating in the new docent training program. Docents are the people who make a museum work. If you have an interest in guiding tours, doing research, photography, graphics, working with kids,

The Club hopes you are enjoying the beautiful flowers and plants at the library, museum and the plantings downtown. They continue to weed, groom and water throughout the summer.

This spring the Club helped Girl Scout Troop #30947 earn their Flower Badge by hosting a seed planting event in March. In May, club member Dr. Sabina Sulgrove presented Talk with a Botanist in the beautiful Museum gardens where they learned the

The Bellbrook Garden Club thanks the community for supporting the 11th Annual Plant Sale. Profits are used to provide high school scholarships, scholarships for Bellbrook Middle School students to attend Camp Kern as part of the science program, nature programs through Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Park District, as well as several other junior programs with local scout troops. With the interest and support of the community, we are able to continue funding these projects.

As you start getting into the “Back to School” state of mind, remember that the Library has many resources for the student in your house.

♦ Books! (physical and e- style) ♦ The borrowing agreement with libraries and universities all over the state which

effectively extends the collection by millions of items. ♦ Online research databases, some designed just for kids. ♦ Librarians who are always happy to help you find what you need!

For more information go to www.greenelibrary.info or call (937) 352-4004. Discover, Learn, Grow at YOUR library.

parts of the flower.

The Club always welcomes new members, male or female. The criteria is that you have an interest in plants, are civic minded, and enjoy other like-minded people. You can visit their website at www.bellbrookgardenclub.org or contact Club president Krista Miller at www.bellbrookgardenclub@gmail.com for more information.

City of Bellbrook Community Report August 2012

City Council Updates

City News

Ryder Court/Washington Mill Road Stormwater Project In July, Council approved the execution of a contract with Earth and Pipe Contracting for the completion of this project. The total project cost is $182,000 and 84% or $153,000 will be paid for by an Ohio Public Works Commission grant. The project is expected to be completed in August.

Stormwater, Erosion Control and Sediment Abatement Code This code section was recently updated by City Council. The purpose of this code is as follows: “To protect the land and water resources of the City of Bellbrook by establishing standards to achieve a level of soil erosion and stormwater control that will minimize and abate degradation of land and water resources and damage to public and private property resulting from earth disturbing activities.” The full text of the update can be found on the City’s web site.

remember that property owners are responsible for routine and non-routine maintenance, such as grass mowing, shrub trimming, house painting and care of the interior and exterior premises. When the owner does not act responsibly and does not maintain a home and/or premises, this adversely affects individual property values and negatively affects the entire neighborhood, as well as the greater community. In extreme situations, city staff temporarily provides mowing services, the securing of abandoned structures and general stabilization of foreclosed private property. In cases of owner-occupied properties that are in a deteriorated condition, city staff attempts to educate the owner regarding proper maintenance and upkeep, refers the owner to other community agencies for assistance or works with the owner to restore the property. You can help by partnering with and helping your neighbors, by doing so, you will ensure that your neighborhoods remain well maintained and desirable for many years to come.

Signs Over the past 20+ years, the US Supreme Court and the Ohio State Supreme Court have ruled on the constitutionality of signs, drawing a distinction between commercial and non-commercial messages contained on the signs. As a result, the Bellbrook sign ordinance also reflects these changes to federal and state law. The Bellbrook sign code classifies signs into two broad categories: permanent versus temporary and commercial versus non-commercial. Temporary ground signs with commercial messages are allowed to be displayed in

Municipal and Zoning Code Highlights Bellbrook’s residential districts for a maximum of thirty days per calendar year and should be no larger than twelve square feet total sign area nor taller than four feet in height. Temporary signs with non-commercial messages in a residential district are allowed for an unlimited period of time. Any temporary ground sign in a residential district does not require a zoning permit prior to display. Political signs (non-commercial messages) are allowed in residential districts with the stipulation that these signs will be removed within ten days of the conclusion of an election. One real estate sale sign (commercial messages) per street frontage is allowed to be displayed at any time. Additional sign regulations for all zoning districts may be found at www.cityofbellbrook.org, go to the Zoning page, select Article #18, and scroll to Section 18.20A, Permitted Signs.

Property Conditions Individual property rights are an important democratic freedom to safeguard and protect. However, it is important to

General Fund Levy Renewal Council recently authorized the placement of a renewal levy on the November 6th ballot. As a renewal, this levy request will not cost taxpayers any additional money. The current levy expires at the end of 2012 and generates approximately $200,000 per year. The levy is used to fund general operating expenses and capital purchases.

Abandoned Properties Registration In August, City Council will hold a public hearing on a proposed ordinance requiring vacant properties to be registered with the City. This registration will help City officials enforce the property maintenance code.

Property Maintenance Code City Council has had several discussions about a proposed update to the property maintenance code. An ordinance updating the code will be introduced at the August 13th Council meeting with a public hearing to follow at a future meeting.

Annual Wage Increase Following Council approval in July, most City employees received a 1% wage increase effective August 1st. This wage increase was included in the 2012 budget.

Dispatch Operations Over the first six months of the year, City Council and staff conducted a thorough review of the dispatch services provided by the City. The primary focus of the discussions was the future of the City’s dispatch operation. After gathering the data and factoring other issues, City Council decided to delay any final decision on the issue.

August 2012 City of Bellbrook Community Report

Recently, the City of Bellbrook conducted a survey of its residents. With the help of the University of Dayton’s Master of Public Administration class, the survey was prepared, distributed and tabulated. Over 3,000 surveys were mailed to residents. A total of 618 surveys were completed and returned for a response rate over 20%.

The results of the survey provide valuable insight to the City. 96% of respondents stated that they were either very satisfied or satisfied with the services currently provided by the City of Bellbrook. In addition, 80% rated the management of tax dollars by the City of Bellbrook as either excellent or good.

The survey also detailed areas of concern. Only 25% of respondents were very satisfied with code enforcement services provided by the City. Also, only 39% were very satisfied with the general appearance of the community.

Community Survey Results

Respondents also provided additional comments, concerns and suggestions for the City. Here are a few samples:

“This is a great place to live: keep up the good work.”

“It has been a pleasure living in Bellbrook for 45 years; the City has been good to me.”

“I believe peoples’ properties could look better if we had better property code enforcement. Encourage Community Pride!”

“Bellbrook property taxes are too high.”

The complete results of the survey can be found on the city’s website at www.cityofbellbrook.org .

How Satisfied Are You With the Services Currently Provided?

Very Satisfied orSatisfied

Neither Satisfiednor Dissatisified

Dissatisfied orVeryDissatisified

How Would You Rate the Management of Tax Dollars?

Excellent

Good

Fair

Poor

Very Poor

Helpful Resident Information on City’s Website The City of Bellbrook provides helpful information to residents on the city’s website and various mailings and brochures. On the website, you can go to the Resident section and find information on moving to the city, getting settled in, and exploring the community.

If you are a new resident, relatively new, or have never gone to the city’s website, make sure you take a moment to explore the site. If you cannot find what you are looking for, please contact the city and we will be more than happy to help you.

Take a moment and visit the city’s website at www.cityofbellbrook.org.

The Works

City of Bellbrook Community Report August 2012

Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Campaign The Bellbrook Police Department has been participating in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign to raise awareness of the consequences of drunk driving. The Police Department has been on the lookout for impaired drivers to help keep our city streets safe.

Police Safety Tips ♦ One of the more numerous thefts in the City of Bellbrook is car theft. Make sure to

lock your car. ♦ Lock the windows and doors to your house if you are not present. If you have a

security system, make sure it is on and working properly. ♦ If you are working in your front yard, make sure the back doors to your house are

locked and vice-versa. Always keep your garage door closed, especially when you are working in your yard.

♦ If you are going out-of-town, make arrangements with a relative or neighbor to pick up your papers and mail or have the newspaper stopped and your mail held at

the post office. Let close neighbors know when you are going to be away. Therefore, if they see anything suspicious, they can call the police. Contact the Police Department to be placed on our Vacation House Check list.

♦ If a person is at your door soliciting business, you have the right to ask for an original copy of a solicitor’s permit issued by the City of Bellbrook Police Department. Solicitor’s permits are issued for every individual who will be going door to door. The permit includes a background check conducted by the Police Department.

♦ If you are ever unsure of someone on your property or in your neighborhood, please call the Bellbrook Police Department who will investigate the situation.

For more helpful tips to keep you, your family and neighborhoods safe, go to the Police Tips page on the city’s website at www.cityofbellbrook.org.

Highlight: Maple Street Improvements The Bellbrook Service Department has been busy with streets and water. During the summer, the department uses the warm, dry weather to work on streets and stormwater drainage issues. This summer, the department has been working to correct drainage problems on Maple Street in the downtown area. With the improvements, residents in the area will see improved drainage during heavy rains.

Street Resurfacing Each year, the city budgets for a selection of streets to be resurfaced. The streets on the list this year include: High Street, North West Street, South West Street, South Lakeman Drive, West South Street, West Maple Street and West Walnut Street. The list also includes a number of alleys in the downtown area.

Hydrant Flushing: Week of October 8th The Service Department will be flushing hydrants the week of October 8th. Flushing is done each year to inspect the hydrants and water system for proper service.

Pictured below: expansion of West Maple Street.

The Policeman’s Badge

Electronic Utility Bills City residents now have an easy way to sign up for email utility bills. For those of you who would like your utility bill emailed to you, you can now register through the city’s website at www.cityofbellbrook.org.

The Fire Escape

retiring Engine 21 in anticipation of placing it into service.

Despite the busy summer months, Bellbrook Fire Department members have also been participating in training sessions to learn how to operate the various controls and the fire pump. The new engine was placed in service on July 2nd and a formal dedication of the engine took place on July 17th.

The members of the Bellbrook Fire Department would like to thank the residents and City Council for supporting their efforts by providing a state-of-the-art fire fighting engine. The Bellbrook Fire Department will continue to provide the unparalleled service that our community has grown to expect. The department’s operations will undoubtedly be enhanced by the addition of this new engine.

August 2012 City of Bellbrook Community Report

Fire Engine 22 Debut Recently, the Bellbrook Fire Department took delivery of its new Engine 22. This pumper manufactured by the Kovatch Mobile Equipment Corp. in Nesquehoning, PA, will replace the department’s 22-year-old Engine 21, which served the City for many years, responding to several major fires during its service. Engine 21 was also the first piece of fire apparatus purchased by the newly formed City of Bellbrook Fire Department following the split of services with Sugarcreek Township in 1988.

The delivery of this engine marks the culmination of over a year’s worth of time and effort by a dedicated engine specification committee. Lt. Anthony Bizzarro chaired the committee to develop a specification that would mirror our new Engine 22 along with delivering a functional and cost-effective piece of fire apparatus. They researched other engines in the region and looked to incorporate the latest technology while still maintaining simplicity of operation. The result is a new engine that meets or exceeds the current safety standards set by the National Fire Protection Association.

The new engine will be assigned to Fire Station 22 and will respond to fire and EMS emergencies with our “in house” crews. Members of the department have already worked to mount and outfit the rig with a variety of required equipment from our

Open House The Bellbrook Fire Department would like to take this opportunity to invite the entire community to join us at our annual Bellbrook Fire Department Open House on Tuesday, October 9th, from 6:00 to 9:00 PM.

This collaborative event will be held at Bellbrook Fire Station #2, 4254 West Franklin Street. The whole family is encouraged to visit your fire department and view the various fire, emergency medical displays and safety presentations.

This is a great opportunity for you to meet the fire department members who find it rewarding to voluntarily serve our community. Those residents interested in being part of our exciting fire and emergency medical service team can obtain application information at the event.

Waste, Recycling & Yard Waste Disposal Waste Collection Holidays Please note that trash collection will be delayed one day due to the Labor Day and Thanksgiving holidays. Trash collection will take place on Saturday, September 8th and Saturday, November 24th for those weeks.

City Recycling Program The City has a bi-weekly recycling program. Special items such as hazardous waste, electronics, metal appliances and scrap metal are recycled by Greene County Environmental Services who can be contacted at (937) 562-5925. For more information on the recycling program, call the Utilities Office at (937) 848-4638.

Bulk Pick-up Large items may be picked up by Allied Waste on Fridays. However, you must call ahead and schedule a pick-up with Allied Waste at (937) 268-8110.

Yard Waste The City does not have a leaf or yard waste collection service. However, residents may use the Greene County satellite site located at 2120 Ferry Road, which is open on Mondays and Wednesdays from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM. The site accepts leaves, grass and brush no longer than 4 feet and no more than 4 inches in diameter.

For more information, visit the Utilities page on our website at www.cityofbellbrook.org.

City of Bellbrook Community Report

City of Bellbrook Community Report August 2012

Floodplain: FEMA Designated Floodplains

Stormwater: Rain Barrels

Floodplains consist of the land directly abutting and adjacent to designated floodways, which are our local streams and creeks. In Bellbrook, the federally-designated floodways are Brewster’s Run Creek, Possum Run Creek and the Little Sugar Creek. While portions of the floodplain land abutting Possum Run Creek and the Little Sugar Creek are publicly owned, the land abutting Brewster’s Run Creek and its floodplains are owned by the property owners living along the creek. This applies to creek-side homeowners on Hillcrest, Bellemeade and Plantation Drives, Clearview Court, Brewster’s Run Court, South Linda Drive, Portage Path, Marcia, Sloping, Barnett and Brookshire Drives, Shadowood Circle, Vemco and Ivy Crest Drives, Hillrise Circle and West Franklin Street.

Floodplains and their streams are sensitive to their environment and can change in structure and habitat due to land development and other conditions imposed by humans, such as littering. If you are a property owner that enjoys a back yard stream, here are a few tips to preserve and improve your stream’s health:

Environmental News

Things to Remember Overflow from the barrel should be directed away from your home’s foundation. Rain barrels are a low cost way to reduce runoff, reduce household water usage, and save you money! A rain barrel can save most homeowners about 1,300 gallons of water a month, depending on rainfall. This helps conserve good clean water for drinking and helps offset ground water demands.

Uses for this Captured Water ♦ Water your garden and flower bed with a hose or watering can ♦ Attach a drip hose to water a garden or flower bed with the

turn of a valve ♦ Water house plants ♦ Wetting down compost piles ♦ Wash mud off of boots and tools ♦ Wash the car - rain water is soft so you use less detergent ♦ Emergency water for flushing toilets ♦ Never use rain water for drinking or cooking!

Winter Care ♦ Empty rain barrel and store on side with the spigot up in the air ♦ Rinse barrel prior to storage to clean any debris out of it ♦ If wished, remove screws and fitting from downspout and cover

hole with available winterizing plug. Plug will also fit snugly over fitting.

Rain Barrel Maintenance and Installation ♦ Place barrel on a flat, level, elevated surface (cinder blocks are

an option) ♦ The higher you place your barrel, the more pressure ♦ Make sure barrel is stable and will not fall over with height

increase ♦ Clean gutters on a regular basis or install a screen in the rain

barrel or gutter ♦ It’s recommended to use rain water within a week or two to

discourage algae growth ♦ If you choose to have an open system, you could place gold fish

in the barrel to eat algae & mosquitoes, but make sure there is adequate water and some food for the fish!

♦ Or add 1 tablespoon of olive oil every couple rain events, which creates an oil sheen as a barrier against mosquitoes

♦ Mosquito dunks/tabs available to prevent mosquitoes ♦ A screen or barrel seal will prevent mosquitoes

Why Rain Barrels? Residential irrigation can account for 40% of domestic water consumption in a given area. This can be a problem, particularly in summer, when the majority of outdoor water use occurs, and also the time when there is likely to be a water shortage. Collecting rainwater from your roof during storms by using a rain barrel can not only lower your water bills, but also help to decrease water demand during the hot summer months. Rainwater collection and reuse is beneficial to the environment because the stored water would otherwise run off into the storm sewers, bringing pollutants such as oil and grease, bacteria, and nutrients with it. Once water gets into a storm sewer, it eventually ends up in our streams and rivers. Also, the more rainwater that is reused, the less need there is for chlorinated or chemically treated tap water.

♦ Don’t dump anything in your stream, even organic matter. Yard waste is the second largest type of all discarded trash. When grass, leaves or even pet wastes are placed in a stream and decomposes, it eliminates oxygen in the water and produces a foul odor. Without oxygen, the fish, turtles and other aquatic creatures cannot survive.

♦ Do remove any trash from your back yard stream and teach others to do the same. Clean water is a clear choice. ♦ Do practice being a good steward. Caring for your back yard stream can increase your property value and provide a haven for many

types of wildlife in the community, improving the quality of life for yourself and for generations to come.

City of Bellbrook Community Report

City of Bellbrook 15 East Franklin Street Bellbrook, OH 45305

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE

PAID DAYTON OH

PERMIT NO 41

City of Bellbrook Community Report

City of Bellbrook 15 East Franklin Street Bellbrook, Ohio 45305

Departments Administration .............. (937) 848-4666 Clerk of Council ............. (937) 848-4666 Zoning ........................... (937) 848-8477 Police ............................. (937) 848-8484 Fire ................................ (937) 848-3272 Service ........................... (937) 848-8415 Utility Billing .................. (937) 848-4638

We’re on the Web!

www.cityofbellbrook.org

Articles of Interest ♦ 66th Bellbrook Lions Club Festival

Information regarding activities to do and things to see at the festival

♦ Community News

Information on community organizations and events happening this fall

♦ City News

Information on what is happening at the City and services that we provide our residents

o City Council Updates

o The Fire Escape

o The Policeman’s Badge

o The Works

♦ Environmental News

City Council The Bellbrook City Council would like to invite you to attend its regular meetings on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month. Meetings begin at 7:00 PM.

For more information about City Council, past meetings and current issues, call the Clerk of Council at (937) 848-4666 or visit the Council page on our website at www.cityofbellbrook.org

Council Members

Bob Baird, Mayor

Mike Schweller, Deputy Mayor

Denny Bennett

Jon Martin

Elaine Middlestetter

Joe Ritzel

Dona Seger-Lawson