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Springboros community news leaderThursday, November 29, 2012Vol. 17, Issue 8

The Springboro Optimist Club recently purchased three cellos to be used by students at Springboro Intermediate and Five Points Elementaryschools. Shown are, left to right, Sarah Benedict (Intermediate, Jr. High, and High School strings teacher), Optimist, Becky Iverson Deepa Rameshand Vidya Ramesh, Wayne Botkin, president of the Springboro Optimist Club, Morgan Smith, Jan Vomacka, past president of the SpringboroOptimist Club, Sheila Lairson, Optimist and owner of That Music Place, Kirsten Abrams (elementary strings teacher) Alyssa Durrant, andSuperintendent of Schools, Todd Petry. Three cellos valued at close to $3,495 were presented to the Springboro Schools strings program by theSpringboro Optimist Club that began the strings program in 2002. The Optimists have been a great supporter of strings and have an annual pan-cake breakfast at Max and Ermas every March where 100 percent of the proceeds benefit strings.

Submitted photo

Optimists give gift of music

By DOUG SKINNEREditor

dskinner@tcnewsnet.comThe number of building per-

mits issued in the area should increase, according to the presi-dent of Potterhill Homes and theHome Builders Association of Greater Cincinnati.

Carolyn Rolfes made her com-ments at the Area ProgressCouncil of Warren Countys 29thEconomic Outlook Breakfast,which was held last week at theKings Island Resort and Conference Center.

In 2012, Springboro is experi-encing a 27 percent increase in permits for single-family homesover last year, according to Rolfes. October marked the 16th straightmonth of increased year-over-yearhome sales (inthe Cincinnatiarea).Still were only building half of what would be considered a normal production.

New home construction has a major impact on the economy, shesaid. The NationalAssociation of Homebuilders (NAHB)reports thatfor every new single-family home that is built, three jobs area created and a total of $90,000 in government revenue is generated. Of that,

there is $67,000 in federal taxes and $23,000 in state and local taxes,she said.In 2011, housing units started in the United States totaled only

609,000 (including single and multi-family), she said. This is well below the long-run trend of 1.7-1.8 million new homes that are nec-essary to accommodate population growth and replacement of older housing stock. The gap between current housing production and potential housing construction represents more than 3 millionAmerican jobs.

Rolfes mentioned the following market threats to new home con-struction:

Prices of materials are increasing faster than the market averagesales price of new homes.

Appraisal issues remain a challenge. New home sales remain volatile, especially locally. Lendingstandards are still extremely tight for construction acqui-

sition and development. mortgage lending standards for home buyers.

increasing regulations: EPA, banking, building code require-ments. housing affordability.NAHBs 2012 estimates show that nationally a $1,000 increase in

the home price leads to pricingout about 232,447households,shesaid. Locally, a $1,000 price increase removes 1,64 potential house-holds from the home buying market.

While Ohio is trending at an 11 percent increase in single familyhousing permits in 2012, the Cincinnati-Middletown area is trendingata 3 percentincrease andDayton istrendingat a 34 percentincrease,she said.

Builder confidence, trackedby theNationalAssociation of HomeBuilders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) posted a solid five-point gain to 46, she said This marks the seventh consecutivemonthly gain in theconfidence gauge andbrings it to itshighestpointsince May of 2006.Sincethe HMIindexbegan,the lowest indexwasseven in January 2009 and the highest was 78 in January 1999.

Housingconstructionexpected to grow

Carolyn Rolfes

By DOUG SKINNEREditor

dskinner@tcnewsnet.comSPRINGBORO The Clearcreek Township

Board of Trustees recently unanimouslydefeated a proposal to share funding with ateen center at the Coffman YMCA with thecity of Springboro.

The resolution started with little chancefor success when Springboro declined to par-ticipate, township administrator Dennis

Pickett said. I have heard comments thatcosts were too high, concerns with the prospective continuing nature of the fundingand the preference to support the existingand more strategically situated teen center atthe Jonathan Wright building I dont see away to salvage this project with the board of trustees.

A committee has worked on opening ateen center for approximately a year, accord-ing to YMCA board chairman EileenHartlage said. A teen center would be a

wonderful addit ion to the c ity of Springboro.

Plans call for the YMCA staff to manageand oversee the teen center, and area church-es and youth ministers have promised to staff it, according to Hartlage. The YMCA has agood-sized room that would be used for teen activities, she said.

If teens cannot afford a youth membershipto the YMCA, the staff will work with themso they can use the teen center, Hartlage said.

We hope to be able to operate the teencenter with a minimum budget, she said.

Hartlage said she believes this teen center would be more successful than previousattempts to operate such a facility. In other facilities, there was not enough proper over-sight, and there were more expenses.

We focused on a certain target age group, junior high students, she said.

It is hoped that these students will eventu-ally be transitioned to leaders when they arein high school, she said.

Trustees rejectteen center proposal

SPRINGBORO For the

third time this year,Springboro Junior High is being awarded a competitivegrant. Steve Hernandez, com- puter teacher at the junior high, has won a 2012McDonalds MAC Grant. Thisgrant money will be used to purchase two digital camerasas well as clay and related artmaterials for claymation (stopmotion animation with clay) projects.

The MAC (Make ActivitiesCount) Grants program, aninitiative sponsored by localMcDonalds restaurants, isdesigned to help teachers pro-

vide meaningful, hands-onactivities to enhance the learn-ing process for students.

We already do some ani-mation through PowerPoint,said Hernandez, and this willallow us to try something new.Our students have grown upwatching claymation anima-tion, and with this, they cantry it for themselves.

This is the third competitivegrant awarded to the junior high school this year. TheHealthPath Foundation of Ohio awarded the school agrant to augment ongoing

character education at theschool. In addition, the Kinder Morgan Foundation awarded

the Junior High a grant for the purchase of laptops for mathclassrooms.

SJHS teacher receives honor

MIDDLETOWN A con-cert by folk singer ArloGuthrie will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7. All tick-ets for the original date will be honored at the new timeat Dave FinkelmanAuditorium.

We regret that we must postpone Arlo Guthriesappearance due to the pass-ing of his wife, Jackie, said a message from the singersmanager. The GuthrieFamily is gathered together to share in their grief, as wellas in their celebration of aremarkable woman.

Guthrie will perform aspecial tribute to his father,Woody Guthrie, at this con-cert.

All seats for this perform-ance are $35. Tickets areavailable online atwww.tickets.muohio.edu or by calling (513) 529-3200. Aservice fee applies to onlineorders. Tickets may be pur-chased in person from thecashiers office in JohnstonHall at Miami Middletown.

Arlo Guthrieto perform

L EB AN ON WarrenCounty Career Center is host-ing its annual Open House onThursday, Dec. 13 from 4:30-7 p.m. Information will beavailable on all its programsfor high school and adult stu-dents. Sophomores and their parents are encouraged tovisit and tour the labs and meet with instructors to learn

more about the advantages of Career-Technical Education.Adult learners are encour-aged to stop by to explorecareer training options.

WCCC students have theopportunity to earn industrycertifications, college creditsand scholarships and be astep ahead in the job marketand in college. Most highschool programs last twoyears and are for juniors and seniors. Career fields includeAutomotive, Aviation,Construction, Cosmetology,Culinar y, DigitalDesign/Graphics, Education,

Health Science, InformationTechnology, Landscape,Law/Public Safety,Marketing, VeterinaryScience, Welding and more.Senior only programs areTeacher Academy and Senior Internship. Project SEARCHis a program for students withspecial needs in their f inalyear of high school eligibili-ty.

WCCC plansopen house