Happy Holidays from everyone at MVRPC
As 2015 comes to a close, I’m reminded of all the important region wide initiatives MVRPC and our members have been a part of this past year. I’d like to thank our members, business representatives, stakeholders and residents for their continued involvement in making the Miami Valley Region better each and every day. Now that December is upon us and cold weather has set in, we tend to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holidays. Please take some time to appreciate just how fortunate we all are. I wish everyone a joyous holiday season and a wonderful New Year!
December is a Great time to Plan for 2016
The agency is on a state fiscal year and so December is mid-year for us. Every December, the staff is finalizing their family vacations, communicating their work days, and even beginning to peek at the new year of 2016. The holidays have a way of making us focus on work and vacation. We are also busy with conducting mid-year staff review meetings to recap and confirm our goals set in July and making sure the goals are on track and successful. This is a great time to plan for the new year not only for the staff but for our members too.
I believe this is also a great time for local governments to do the same thing whether you are an elected official or an employee. January is probably the start of your fiscal year. Advance strategic planning ensures that the agency’s and jurisdiction’s goals are achieved and have the opportunity to become successful. Our residents, employees, and businesses are counting on us to do this to ensure that our communities and agencies have a bright future. This type of planning doesn’t take a lot of time or formal training. The main requirement is discipline and commitment to including planning time on the calendar and writing down your thoughts and dreams for the next period. After you envision the next year, it is also important to identify the needed steps, support team/partners, and resources needed to maximize opportunities, create strategic alliances, and ensure positive outcomes in the new year. MVRPC will continue to plan ahead for the future and I trust that you/your community, agency, or business will do the same. This is how we’ll work to Shape the Region’s Future Together rather than receive a future that is dictated by other entities.
Statewide, Nine Deaths over Thanksgiving Weekend
Provisional numbers released 12/1/15 by the Ohio State Highway Patrol show fewer motorists were killed on Ohio’s roadways this Thanksgiving Holiday than in recent years. Nine people were killed during the five day reporting period from seven crashes Wednesday, November 25 through Sunday, November 29. This is a decrease from the past three years when 23 were killed in 2014, 17 were killed in 2013, and 12 were killed in 2012.
The Patrol made 498 arrests for OVI, 688 for aggressive driving and issued 1,651 citations for not wearing safety belts – all three increased from last year.
“We are always pleased to see a decrease in lives lost on Ohio’s roadways. However, we can’t settle until the number of fatalities is zero,” said Colonel Paul A. Pride, Patrol Superintendent.
“The Ohio State Highway Patrol is committed to keeping you and your family safe on our roads, every day and every night.” A complete statistical analysis of the Patrol’s enforcement activity over the holiday weekend is available on the Ohio State Highway Patrol website.
Grants/Community Funding Resources
Ohio Recreational Trail Program Grant. This is a reimbursement grant program that provides up to 80 percent project funding. This grant program is federally-funded and is administered by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).
Eligible projects include development of urban trail linkages, trail head and trailside facilities; maintenance of existing trails; restoration of trail areas damaged by usage; improving access for people with disabilities; acquisition of easements and property; development and construction of new trails; purchase and lease of recreational trail construction and maintenance equipment; environment and safety education programs related to trails.
Who can apply: Cities and villages, counties, townships, special districts, state and federal agencies, and nonprofit organizations are eligible.
Deadline: All 2016 grant applications must be post marked by February 1, 2016.
Contact: If you have questions, please contact: D'Juan Hammonds, Program Manager at (614) 265-6417 or djuan.hammonds@dnr.state.oh.us, See more at: http://realestate.ohiodnr.gov/outdoor-recreation-facility-grants.
Ohio Abandoned Gas Station Cleanup Grant. Ohio Development Services Agency, in partnership with Ohio EPA and the Department of Commerce, Bureau of Underground Storage Tank Regulations (BUSTR), announced a resource to help clean up abandoned gas and service stations throughout Ohio. The Abandoned Gas Station Cleanup Grant will provide funding to assess and clean up BUSTR Class C sites (underground storage tanks with documented petroleum releases).
Eligible activities include up to $100,000 for assessment and up to $500,000 for cleanup. Other eligible activities include costs to empty or remove underground storage tanks, abatement of asbestos, lead or other contamination, demolition and site clearance. Priority will be given to vacant gas or service station projects where cleanup provides the greatest environmental, community and economic impact.
Who can apply: Local government entities who own the eligible property or who have an agreement with the landowner may apply. The applicant and property owner cannot have contributed to the prior release of petroleum or other hazardous substance on the site.
Deadline: Applications open in January 2016.
Contact: If you have questions about the grant, please contact Erin Hazelton at (614) 728-1258 or Erin.Hazelton@development.ohio.gov.
Upcoming MVRPC Meetings:
12/17/15 9:30 a.m. Technical Advisory Committee - 10 N. Ludlow St.
1/07/16 8:30 a.m. Executive Committee 9:00 a.m. Board of Directors – 1515 S. Main St.