Member Update: Dayton Area Board of Realtors (DABR) new delegate, Ralph Mantica
Ralph is the Broker/Owner of Kinzeler Realty, a family run business for the last 65 years. He has been a member of the Dayton Area Board of Realtors since 1985. He holds the CRS, ABR, and GRI real estate designations. Ralph is the current President and has served as chairman of various committees during his time with the Board. He has also been an Ohio Association of Realtors director for the past 8 years and is currently a director with the National Association of Realtors. Ralph has been involved in various community, church and school organizations over the years. He met his wife Kathy (also a Realtor) at the University of Dayton and they have been married 34 years. They have three sons and two grandsons and are proud to call Dayton home.
MVRPC’s Photo Contest ends on November 30, 2015.
MVRPC is wrapping up our photo contest on November 30, 2015. The photo contest kicked off in August in conjunction with our Long Range Transportation Plan Update. This photo contest was intended to open up opportunities to discuss the Long Range Transportation Plan Update with others by sharing what they love about our Region, and our public spaces. We are seeking photographs of the Region and offering a prize for one lucky winner. Take a photo of a street, park, vista, bike trail, or other public space, and send it to MVRPC. To enter, post the photo to MVRPC’s Facebook page or on Twitter with the tag @mvrpc and #planmiamivalley. Contest details at plan2040.mvrpc.org.
Infrastructure Funding Shortfall (Part 2) (Continued from October)
Infrastructure finance relies upon federal, state, and local levels of government working together to fund most high volume streets and bridges. As you have heard, all are struggling to fund their road and bridge projects. The largest source of federal and state funding is the motor vehicle fuel tax. The federal and state motor vehicle fuel tax is included in the price per gallon paid at the fuel pump. The amount of the tax must increase soon. Current funding levels are receding approximately 0.6 percent each year which we anticipate will continue for years 2016 and 2017.
The federal fuel tax rate was last increased in 1993 and the Ohio rate in 2005. Over the last 10 years, we have seen dramatically less driving, increased sales of hybrid vehicles, and improved fuel economy all around. In terms of air quality, less driving means better air quality - a good thing! However, for infrastructure funding based upon cost per gallon, this is a disaster - we are not purchasing enough gallons of fuel to pay for our maintenance needs. The elected legislature has the authority to address the funding shortfall at the national and state levels. In fact, after seeing 35 short-term national funding bills, many states are now raising the state fuel tax rates. Ohio has not yet followed suit.
To remedy the shortfalls at both levels, please contact your federal and Ohio representatives to ask them to support long-term funding bills AND increased transportation funding. On the federal side, please request that they reconcile and fully fund the proposed transportation bills called the DRIVE Act (Senate) and the STRRA (House). MVRPC’s helpful, new web link and map with current Ohio and Federal officials is located at http://www.mvrpc.org/our-members/state-and-federal-legislative-contacts. Simply type in your address or zip code to obtain your Federal and Ohio representatives’ contact information.
The Miami Valley Presents US 35 Needs to Ohio TRAC
On October 13, 2015 in Columbus, the Region made a strong case to TRAC for Ohio funding for the area’s US 35 projects. Armed with a large representation from the Miami Valley and a feature video with traffic footage and local official interviews, we informed TRAC and ODOT staff on the merits of the US 35 projects and urgent need for new funding. Following the presentation and after answering questions, the feedback from the presentation was very positive from the TRAC members, ODOT staff, and the audience, many from other Regions. The video is available at mvrpc.org/transportation/transportation-financing/transportation-review-advisory-council-trac.
Special thanks to board members and elected officials for demonstrating local community interest in the project: Carol Graff, Beavercreek Township; Bob Glaser & Tom Koogler, Greene Co.; Debborah Wallace & Chad Whilding, Beavercreek; Steve Finke, Dayton; and Bill Flaute, Riverside. We certainly raised the bar for local support and presentation and hope to receive Tier I commitments from TRAC in December. Thanks also go to Phil Parker, Dayton Chamber; Ken Curp, Riverside and Beavercreek School Superintendent Dr. Bill McGlothin for their on-camera interviews.
Dayton’s E. Fifth Street Named a Great Street
The American Planning Association (APA) named East Fifth Street in Dayton one of five Great Streets on the organization's annual Great Places in America list. Dayton's East Fifth Street, stretching a quarter mile through the city's popular Oregon District, is lined with century-old buildings, shops, restaurants, taverns and attractions, making it one of the Region's premier destinations. The Dayton Great Streets honor marks the first time an APA Great Place honoree has been named in Ohio outside of Cleveland, Cincinnati or Columbus. As part of National Community Planning Month, APA's Great Places in America program recognizes streets, neighborhoods and public spaces in the United States demonstrating exceptional character, quality, and attributes that enrich communities, facilitate economic growth, and inspire others around the country. For more information about these streets, as well as APA’s top four Great Neighborhoods and top six Great Public Spaces for 2015 and previous years, visit https://www.planning.org/greatplaces/ . The other 2015 Great Streets joining East Fifth Street were: Olvera Street – Los Angeles; Laura Street – Jacksonville, FL; Lexington Avenue, Asheville, NC; and Third Street, McMinnville, OR
Life Enrichment Center Wins Delmar Grant
In early 2016, the Life Enrichment Center, in collaboration with key community partners, will launch Rides4Seniors, a pilot program featuring an internet-based ride matching service linking low-income seniors in East Dayton and Riverside to volunteer drivers. The program will fill a gap in transportation as a vital link to health care, good nutrition, exercise and socialization. The targeted area includes the northeast Dayton area north of US 35, south of the Great Miami River, west of Woodman Drive and east of Keowee Street.
Grants/Community Brownfield Funding Resources
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) Brownfield Funding Workshop - MVRPC recently attended a Brownfield Funding Workshop hosted by the Ohio EPA in Piqua, Ohio. The workshop provided a great overview of local, state, and federal resources for redeveloping blighted properties. The most important take-away from the meeting was the importance of reaching out and talking to people at Ohio’s agencies about possible project(s). The different agencies regularly work together and will help find the best point of contact and possible resources for possible project(s). For a list of Ohio’s resources, including a valuable spreadsheet of funding sources and a list of contacts by agency, see http://epa.ohio.gov/derr/SABR/CommunityBrownfieldFundingResources.aspx
FY 2016 Economic Development Assistance’s (EDA) Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) programs. - The EDA solicits applications from applicants in rural and urban areas to provide investments that support construction, non-construction, technical assistance, and revolving loan fund projects under EDA’s Public Works and EAA programs. Grants and cooperative agreements made under these programs are designed to leverage existing regional assets and support the implementation of economic development strategies that advance new ideas and creative approaches to advance economic prosperity in distressed communities. EDA provides strategic investments on a competitive, merit-basis to support economic development, foster job creation, and attract private investment in economically distressed areas of the United States. See more at: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=279842
Upcoming MVRPC Meetings:
11/05/15 4:00 p.m. Public Participation Mtg.– Proposed Transportation Projects, 10 N. Ludlow St., Suite 700, Dayton, Ohio
11/19/15 9:30 a.m. Technical Advisory Committee - 10 N. Ludlow St., Suite 700, Dayton, Ohio
12/03/15 8:30 a.m. Executive Committee – 1515 S. Main St., Dayton, Ohio
12/03/15 9:00 a.m. Board of Directors – 1515 S. Main St., Dayton, Ohio