Mason Matters October / November 2011
Inside This Issue: 2 3 4 4 5 6 6
Water Bill Payments Leaf Collection Muddy Creek Restoration Tax News Fire Department FAQ Patriot Fair Photo Contest Winners
Council Says No 2011 Fire Levy
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ason City Council has resolved to avoid placing a fire levy on the ballot in 2011. Council members and staff have been keeping a close watch on the Fire Fund. In 2008, voters approved a 5-year renewal of the 2003 fire levy. A renewal keeps the existing funding in place with no increase. It was understood when the renewal levy was placed on the ballot that it would not sustain operating expenses through 2013 when the levy expires. An additional 2-mill levy that would have provided the remaining funds plus allow for an expansion in staffing
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Mason Manages Debt to put up with the bad traffic while suffering a loss in other services or higher taxes. Residents who leave the city before the improvements are made will never have the chance to enjoy the new road they helped pay for. If, however, a city borrows the money for the road project, construction can begin now. The payments for the project will come from future tax collections made by the residents who live or work there—the same ones who will enjoy the benefits of the new road. The City of Mason has two kinds of debt to choose from: long-term and short-term. Short-term debt is more flexible and has lower interest rates, but is subject to fluctuations in those rates. Long-term debt secures a higher interest rate in exchange for a fixed rate, and cannot be paid off for a specified period. Monitoring debt to reduce the overall cost, manage the exposure to market changes, and provide needed flexibility is an important strategy for the City of Mason. In the past year, the city has made some significant debt transactions to improve the overall debt structure:
· R efinancing existing bonds and converting short-term notes into long-term bonds secured a low 3.01% interest rate for an extended period and will save the city at least $260,000 over the next eight years. The bonds are for the U.S. 42 Widening Project, the Mason Road Widening Project, and Stormwater Improvement projects. · Converting short-term notes for the golf course acquisition locked in a 3.27% longterm rate for the next 12 years. The bonds retain the flexibility to allow the debt to be paid as early as 2016. · Re-issuing a 1-year bond anticipation note for city-owned property on State Route 741 at a .81% effective rate secured an historically low rate while maintaining needed flexibility. This property is targeted for eventual use as a business park and financing options must retain some flexibility to retain the attractiveness of the property to potential developers.
Mason Matters
t is probably a safe assumption that most homeowners could not buy a house if they had to pay cash up front. Instead, they borrow the money to purchase the home and pay it back while they live in and use the home. Often, vehicles are purchased the same way. Similarly, cities in need of road improvements, utility infrastructure, and other items may borrow money to finance the project and pay it back over time. This allows the improvements to be made when they are needed instead of when they are long overdue. Issuing debt for a project also means that the users of the improvement are the ones paying for it. Consider what would happen, for example, if a city needed to relieve traffic congestion by improving a major roadway but could not borrow money to do the construction. The city could allocate some money from each year’s tax collections until enough money is raised, which might take years and possibly lead to reductions in other services. Or the city could try to collect more revenue by raising taxes for several years. Either way, residents are impacted—they still have
—see FIRE LEVY on pg. 5
—see DEBT on pg. 4
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From the City Manager
Eric Hansen, City Manager We appreciate your calls, visits and e-mails to the Mason Municipal Center to discuss what is going on in the city. I encourage you to call 513.229.8500 or stop in any time during business hours if you need information or assistance.
Dear Mason Resident, I am grateful, as both a resident and city manager, for the many ways in which employees work to conserve the city’s resources. One of the cover stories in this issue of Mason Matters talks about how the city is managing its debt. The savings in interest through careful tracking and management of the city’s debt is a significant achievement for the city, its taxpayers, and the users of its revenue-generating services. Another way we conserve resources is through the generous volunteer efforts of citizens. Volunteers helped manage traffic for the recent funeral of Warren County Sheriff Sergeant Brian Dulle, coordinated the startup and ongoing management of the community garden, help with city events, provide assistance with office tasks, monitor fishing passes at the park, serve on boards and commissions, and more. One of the city’s volunteer chaplains recently retired from his work with the police and fire departments. Pastor J. D. Childers joined the city’s Police and Fire Chaplains program in 2002. Through this program, members of the clergy in Mason churches volunteer to be available to respond to catastrophic incidents to counsel and assist family members. This frees our safety responders to attend to the incident with the knowledge that the family members are attended to. In addition to Pastor Childers, the city recently recognized volunteers who gave over 50 hours of service in the past year. In all, over 575 volunteers provided countless hours of service to the community. I wish I could thank them all personally for their valuable service and savings to the city. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact our volunteer coordinator at 513.229.8555. Mayor Don Prince presented a proclamation to retiring Police and Fire Chaplain J. D. Childers in recognition of his service.
Mason Matters is published by the City of Mason. For information about this publication, or if you are a Mason resident and do not receive this newsletter, either through OurTown magazine or mailed separately with the CenterPoint program guide, please contact the City of Mason at 513.229.8510.
City Of Mason - Contact Information
6000 Mason-Montgomery Road • Mason, Ohio 45040 Office Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday – Friday
513.229.8500 • www.imaginemason.org Main Number 513.229.8500
Parks & Recreation 513.229.8555
City Hotlines 513.229.8502
Police Department Administration 513.229.8560
Administration 513.229.8510
Mason Matters
Community Center 513.229.8555
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Emergency 9.1.1 Engineering & Building 513.229.8520 Finance 513.229.8530 Fire Department Administration 513.229.8540
October / November 2011
Public Utilities 513.229.8570 Public Works 513.229.8580 Tax Office 513.229.8535 Utility Customer Service 513.229.8533 Utility Billing Questions Greater Cincinnati Water Works 513.591.7700
Utility Service Questions: Sewer Service and Emergencies 513.229.8570 (nights, holidays & weekends, emergencies only)
513.925.2525 Stormwater 513.229.8570 Waste Collection and Recycling 513.229.8533 Water Service and Emergencies Greater Cincinnati Water Works 513.591.7700
Pay Your Water Bill at Mason Municipal Center
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ach month, GCWW sends you a utility bill that covers water, sewer, stormwater, and trash collection fees.
Bills can be paid at Mason Municipal Center via cash or check. Due to changes at Greater Cincinnati Water Works, credit and debit card payments are no longer accepted at the municipal center. GCWW will continue to accept credit and debit card payments by telephone at 513.591.7700 and via the web. A service fee of $4.69 will be charged for each transaction. Payments can also be mailed in, or you can set up an AutoDebit account to have your bills automatically paid from your bank account. For more information on payment options, please visit www.cincinnati-oh.gov/gcww.
For the Best Service
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Please consider the following tips when raking your leaves for city pickup. · R ake the leaves as close to the curb as possible and cover them with some type of tarp. · Please avoid raking leaves onto the sidewalk or into the street or storm sewers. Wet leaves are slippery and are dangerous to pedestrians, bicycle riders, and cars. Leaves clogging the storm sewers can cause flooding during heavy rains. · Please do not rake twigs, branches, sticks, rocks, bottles, garden debris, etc., in with the leaves. These items can clog up the machine and cause considerable delay to the leaf collection. · Please avoid parking in front of large piles of leaves. It is difficult for the raking crew to work around parked cars.
It’s Leaf Collection Season
ason’s Public Works Department is pleased to serve the community through the annual leaf pick-up program beginning on Monday, October 10. Through Friday, December 16, the Mason Public Works Department will pick up leaves at your curb. Bright orange and black temporary signs will be posted at the entrance to your neighborhood at least two days prior to leaf collection. Crews will stay on schedule as much as possible. Weather, equipment, parking on the
street, and debris mixed with the leaves all affect the city’s ability to collect leaves. Please know that if your leaves are at the curb before December 16, they will be removed by the city. Leaf collection is financed with earnings tax dollars. Last year, Public Works’ crews collected 3,660 cubic yards of leaves. They are provided to local nurseries and to residents who wish to use them as compost. If you would like a load of leaves delivered to your property, please contact the Public Works Department at 513.229.8580.
Great Wolf Lodge in Mason Wins “Lodge of the Year” Award
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Members of the Great Wolf Lodge management team donned their wolf ears for a wolf howl of appreciation at a Mason Council meeting. Left to right: Betsy Kang, Jaime Barnett, Jen Schanne, Sean Scully, Troy Brege, Terrie Zajo, Mayor Don Prince, Jason Arthur, Doug McGregor, Ron Bronner, Tammy Stebelton, and Mike Keeton.
Vote on November 8
eneral elections in Ohio will be held on Tuesday, November 8. In addition to selecting three individuals to serve 4-year terms on City Council, residents of Mason will decide on a charter amendment. The proposed amendment would clarify that a partial term to which a Council member was appointed is not included in the calculation of consecutive years of service. Several county and state issues will also be decided on November 8. The polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Please plan to take one of the following forms of ID with you when you vote: a current and valid photo ID such as a driver's license; a military ID; or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, or pay check with your name and current address. Passports are not accepted. For more information about forms of ID, registering to vote, your polling place, absentee ballots, and candidates and issues, visit the Warren County Board of Elections web site at www.co.warren.oh.us/bdelec/ index.asp. www.imaginemason.org
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ayor Don Prince presented a proclamation to Terrie Zajo and her management team in recognition of Great Wolf Lodge’s success as a major tourism attraction in Mason. The Mason lodge is the largest of all Great Wolf Conference Centers and opened the first of its kind “triple twist slide” in 2010. Mason City Council invited the Great Wolf management team to the July meeting and recognized their distinction of being named the top “Lodge of the Year” among all Great Wolf properties in both 2008 and 2010. Over the past two years, the Mason Great Wolf Lodge has partnered with Big Brothers Big Sisters to raise $60,000 for the Warren/ Clinton County organization. As Mayor Prince presented the proclamation and the full Council congratulated the management team for their exceptional work, the “Wolf Pack” gave a wolf howl in appreciation.
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Muddy Creek Stream Restoration Focuses on Native Fish Habitats
uddy Creek, which cuts across Mason more or less parallel to U.S. 42/ Reading Road, is scheduled for a stream restoration project this fall. The project involves restoration of two sites, one adjacent to property owned by St. Susanna Church and the other located behind the Four Seasons apartments. One of the primary goals of the restoration project is to improve fish habitats for native species. Muddy Creek has many species of fish, including seldom seen minnows and darters. These fish have specific habitat requirements in our streams that are being subjected to degradation by human activity. The loss of these fish and habitats often indicates watershed-scale water quality problems related to stream impairment. The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s Water Ecological Assessment Unit sampled fish in the Muddy Creek project site in 2010 to establish baseline monitoring data. The most common fish they found is the central stoneroller (Campostoma anomalum).
The common name “central stoneroller” comes from the behavior of the male, which excavates a nest by moving gravel with its nose. Other fish sampled in the project area are white suckers, creek chubs, green and bluegill sunfish, and several varieties of dace and darters, including the colorful rainbow darter. These fish require specific habitats such as riffles and pools and also woody surfaces such as tree roots and debris. The current sites on Muddy Creek are experiencing severe erosion, causing loss of fish habitats and important vegetation along the banks. Beaver Creek Hydrology, an engineering company that specializes in stream restoration, was selected to create a natural channel design with the goal of improving fish habitats, population density, and abundance relative to the baseline monitoring conditions. Based on their study of the erosion caused by the water as it moves the sediments through the streambed, the design includes stabilization and habitat structures, floodplain
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Fish identified in Muddy Creek, (A) central stoneroller, (B) rainbow darter (image source: Ohio Department of Natural Resources).
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excavation, and replacement of native species vegetation. The engineers also studied high quality fish habitats in other streams which produce thriving populations of the same types of fish and then designed similar systems for Muddy Creek. If you have any questions about this project, please contact the City of Mason’s Engineering & Building Department at 513.229.8520.
Debt from pg. 1
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Expect to Owe 2011 Taxes?
f you expect to owe Mason city income taxes for 2011 and they aren’t deducted from your paycheck, the Tax Office would like to remind you that it’s time to make a quarterly payment. Please remember that ninety per cent of your 2011 tax liability is due by January 31, 2012. Please make your quarterly payment by October 31. To assist you in making your payment, quarterly estimated payment vouchers for 2011 were enclosed in your 2010 tax packet. They are also available online, where you can also choose to pay your October / November 2011
quarterly estimate via the online tax tool. Please visit www.imaginemason.org/ residents/tax-information to find these forms and tools. If you need assistance in determining whether you need to make estimated payments or if you need to adjust your declaration, the Tax Office is glad to help. Please call 513.229.8535 for assistance. Also, if you filed an extension with the tax office for your 2010 City of Mason Income Tax Return, please remember to file by October 31, 2011.
Between the actions above and aggressive debt reduction, the city’s overall debt of $99.5 million is expected to decrease by $4.2 million in 2011 and another $4.4 million in 2012. As a result of the recent transactions, only 7% of the city’s outstanding debt is exposed to rising rates and refinancing risk. More than half of the outstanding debt is secured by revenue-generating operations such as utility fees and other non-tax sources. The remainder is paid through the city’s General Fund. Income taxes make up three quarters of the General Fund. According to Moody’s Investors Service, which gave the city the highest bond rating of Aaa, Mason has “healthy financial operations supported by sound reserves and a diverse income tax base, and a manageable debt burden with limited future borrowing expected.” The rating is a reflection of the city’s prudent fiscal management and helps reduce the overall debt service cost through lower rates. This will save Mason around $250,000 a year, or up to $2.3 million in savings over the life of the debt. “We are paying down our debt in a big way and we’ve got some excellent locked-in long term rates,” said Mayor Don Prince. He commended city staff and council members who are working hard on behalf of the city to reduce debt expenses wherever possible.
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Fire Department Answers Your FAQs
uring the warmer months, the fire department enjoys interacting with kids and families at neighborhood and community events. We’ve discovered that people from neighborhoods throughout the city usually want to know the same things about the department. Here are some of the frequently asked questions from this past summer.
Fire Levy from pg. 1
Q. How many fires do we respond to? A. While we are called the Fire Department, it might surprise you to know that the majority of calls we respond to are for Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Our medic units respond to about 2,600 calls a year. We respond to about 1,000 other calls in a year, and that includes everything from building fires to an odor of smoke or a fire alarm ringing. Q. Why does the fire truck or another fire SUV respond with a medic on an EMS call? A. Though they cannot transport patients, all Mason fire vehicles are equipped to handle medical calls. Further, all responding Mason Fire Department personnel are trained to handle both EMS and fire calls. On serious medical calls, our protocol requires us to send two paramedics. Depending on availability and location, one of these paramedics may arrive on a fire apparatus. At other times, the fire apparatus may show up simply because it is the closest vehicle to the call. While it seems strange to see the big fire truck come rolling up, please rest assured that the people on the truck are trained to handle the emergency. If someone needs to be transported, the medics on the fire truck can work to stabilize the patient prior to the arrival of the medic unit. Our goal is to have someone on the scene as quickly as possible. We would rather have a medic working off a fire truck than delay treatment while waiting for an available medic unit to arrive. Q. What does a firefighter do each day? A. While their day is always geared toward being ready to respond to a number of different emergencies, firefighters have a variety of other duties. Firefighters start their day by checking the equipment they are assigned to. It can
Q. Do we provide CPR classes? A. The Mason Fire Department conducts CPR classes for Mason city residents every other month. If you are interested, please call Fire Administration at 513.229.8540. Now let’s see if you can answer a question. Do you know why Fire Prevention Week is in October? For the past 100 years, the nation has celebrated Fire Prevention Week during the week that includes October 8. That’s the day that the Great Chicago Fire started in 1871. By the time the fire was out the next day, an estimated 200 to 300 people had died, four square miles of Chicago were destroyed, and 100,000 people were homeless. (By the way and contrary to legend, the fire was NOT started by Mrs. O’Leary’s cow.) In recognition of how this fire changed the way we think about fire safety, please honor Fire Prevention Week by remembering to test your smoke detectors and by practicing your home escape plan.
Mason Matters
and service levels was not approved by voters. As a result, funding for the fire department has had very little change since 2003. It also means that for the past eight years, property owners have seen almost no change in their property taxes that go into the Fire Fund. Budget calculations in 2008 factored in the state’s planned reimbursements for the phaseout of personal property taxes on businesses. However, recent economic conditions at the state level have forced the state to withdraw those reimbursements much sooner than expected. This has increased the stress on the city’s Fire Fund balance. Council members have continually expressed their desire to provide for the safety of the Mason community, including maintaining staffing levels in compliance with the National Fire Protection Association’s standards. Minimum recommended staffing levels are in place both to ensure an adequate level of response as well as to ensure the safety of the personnel. While Council discussed the possibility of reducing staffing levels, members were uncomfortable with the corresponding reduction in community and firefighter safety. Careful budgeting, partnerships such as the Northeast Fire Collaborative that facilitate bulk purchasing discounts and joint training, cost-containment efforts, postponing major purchases, and other measures taken by the Fire Department over the years have helped delay the need for an additional fire levy. However, Council is aware that the existing Fire Fund balance is being eroded in order to maintain service levels. “For 2011, I’m comfortable dipping into that fund balance, but only for the short term,” said Mayor Don Prince. “We’re fortunate to have a positive balance to buffer residents from the total cost of services, but we can’t continue that strategy indefinitely,” he added. Council felt that since the Fire Fund balance is sufficient to last a little longer, now is not the time to ask residents for more money. The delay also allows time to look at alternative methods of funding and determine the best long-term solution.
Q. How many stations and how much equipment do we have? A. The department has two stations. Station 51 is north of downtown Mason at 4420 Mason-Montgomery Road. Station 52 is at 5500 Cedar Village Drive, in the southern portion of Mason. Each station has a medic unit and a piece of fire apparatus staffed 24 hours a day.
take an hour or more to check vehicles, communications equipment, fire gear, medical supply levels, and other items to be sure everything is ready to respond. After checking the equipment, it’s time for cleaning the equipment, the fire station, and the grounds. Each day, the shift supervisor sets aside one hour for firefighter/medics to exercise. The Fire Department and the fitness instructors at Mason Community Center work together to develop training programs tailored toward the specific tasks that firefighters and medics must perform. Training continues at other times of the day. All firefighters are required to be trained in both firefighting and medical response and must keep up on all the different things they do. State and national certifications require that specific numbers of hours and training topics be covered each year. Classes are held regularly to allow all personnel to meet those requirements. Individuals may need additional study to catch up on specific skills or training. Some of the firefighters are certified to teach and may spend additional time in the classroom to provide instruction for others. Special assignments and internal responsibilities such as keeping track of equipment maintenance, repairs, and periodic testing take up additional time.
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Historical Society to have Antique Appraisals
he Mason Historical Society’s October meeting will be an antique appraisal given by antique dealer Bob Wigenfield. These programs are always interesting and fun. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, October 18, at the Gathering Place, behind the museum at 207 West Church Street. You may bring two articles for appraisal; the charge is $5 per article. November is the beginning of the 2012 membership drive. Please visit the society’s web site for information on how to become a member. Also in November, the historical society will have a display at Kiwanis Pancake Day on Saturday, November 12. The Mason Historical Society has monthly programs that are open to the public; you need not be a member to attend. The museum is open every Thursday and Friday from 1 to 4 p.m. and by appointment. To schedule a tour, please call the museum at 513.398.6750. For information about the society and its meetings, visit www.masonhistoricalsociety.org.
Mason-Deerfield Arts Alliance
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atch the spirit of the Revolution and step back in time to experience life as it was in the 18th century. Hostess Dolley Madison has planned a full day of programs and activities for the whole family. Plan to visit the Mason Municipal Center from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, October 29. Highlighting this free event will be a dedication ceremony of the City of Mason’s Liberty Elm Tree and a service remembering our veterans at the Mason Veterans Memorial site. Featured guest Joyce Henry, from Colonial Williamsburg, will portray unknown women who served as soldiers in disguise. Re-enactors Patrick Henry, Dolley Madison, and Abigail Adams will portray themselves. Follow the trail of Lewis and Clark with John Cimarosti, who joined a team to make the trek. Watch a live Constitutional debate, hear Ben Franklin talk about our Republic, see artisans at work, and watch printer-historian Tom Strassell demonstrate his 16th century printing press. Listen to Native American and Ohio frontier story-tellers, be entertained by Colonial dancers and musicians, and participate in prize-winning contests, including an early American Halloween costume parade. The event is sponsored by The American Spirit Education Alliance, a non-profit, non-partisan service organization dedicated to fostering an appreciation for our American heritage. For the past two years, members have donated their time to schools, civic organizations, and seniors. Their programs are designed to enhance the knowledge of our founding documents and early American history. The mission of the alliance is to make history exciting by bringing it to life. Kids get excited when they can experience it. Adults are amazed to hear unknown stories about things they never learned in school. Contact Marty Steer at phenpatriot@yahoo.com or 513.868.8764 with questions, or visit www.aseaohio.com.
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he Mason-Deerfield Arts Alliance invites you to enjoy the works of 15 local artists who will be demonstrating their crafts at “Performance Lexus Celebrates the Arts with the MDAA” from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, October 11. Appetizers and drinks will be served at this free event at Performance Lexus Kings Auto Mall. Are you interested in becoming more involved in the arts in your community? MDAA invites you to join them. The organization is looking for volunteers, chairpersons, and potential board members. To learn more, e-mail them at masonarts@gmail.com or visit www.masonarts.org.
Patriot Fair: Celebrating our Constitution, Founders, and Petticoat Patriots
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ongratulations to the winners of the annual photo contest! The winning photographs are presented in the city’s 2012 calendar. Winning entries were submitted by Mike Greenstone, Brad Nielson, John Moore, Jim Simpson, Jackie Chunko, Ellen Nealis, Patti Workman, Joe Chunko, Justin Sodano, Alexandra Hill, Stoyan Lokar, Barbara Lokar, and Sarah Smith. The city would like to thank Al’s Heating and Cooling, Angilo’s Pizza, Bethesda Physical Therapy, El Caporal, Quatmans, and Yost Pharmacy for supporting the calendar. Stop in at the Mason Municipal Center during office hours to pick up your copy while supplies last. Entries for the 2013 calendar will be accepted until May 15, 2012. Please visit www.imaginemason.org for information on how YOU might become a winner.
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Photo Contest Winners Announced
October / November 2011