| Mid-Miami Valley Chamber News Release |
| Wednesday, May 7, 2003 12:34:32 PM - Middletown Ohio |
Mid-Miami Valley Chamber members and guests held their monthly luncheon to network and hear an update on area economic development issues from the mayors of Middletown and Trenton.
Trenton’s Mayor Roy Wilham, a city council member since 1984, is serving his 12th year as mayor. He noted that sudden growth has been the biggest challenge for his city in the past few years. In 1990, Trenton residents built four new homes. The next three years, it was 77 homes. In 1994, 84 new homes were built. In all, 1,239 new homes have been added to Trenton in recent years. All the new building has strained the support systems in Trenton—schools, water, police, etc. With more demands on the service system and unfunded mandates from state and federal governments, the costs of running the city are growing. He noted that most costs of running the city must be borne by residents since there is little industrial base to share the cost in Trenton.
However, Wilham announced that in 2002, there were more new businesses added to the Trenton community than in the previous 20 years combined. He looks forward to a future SR63 connector to I-75 which will open Trenton to industrial development.
Middletown Mayor David Schiavone reported on the state of the city. He announced that of the 522 city employees, 142 are police officers, 91 are firefighters and 111 are maintenance workers. Of the $26.6 million general fund, 48.8 percent is raised through a local income tax. Police and fire expenses use 65 percent of that fund.
Schiavone listed several outstanding projects begun and/or finished during 2002.
CrossLinks 2000, is a $12 million project which opened the downtown to through traffic and removed the mall roof.
The 12th District Court of Appeals building now under construction will be a 23,000 square foot structure costing $3.5 million.
Towne Boulevard/Lefferson Road extension project will be a $3.3 million project and ease traffic congestion at the I-75/SR122 area while opening an area for construction which includes a WalMart store.
Revitalization of Jacot Park was noted as an excellent example of public/private cooperation. The refurbished park now is home to several soccer fields, a jogging track and playground.
A 10 mile bike path will link to the path that now ends in Franklin and will be a $2 million public/private project.
A popular deconstruction project in the community will finally come to conclusion—the demolition of Amanda and Maple Park School buildings which have sat empty for many years. The Amanda School project will cost $250,000 to demolish. A recently struck deal with a Hamilton company for the Maple Park property will not only see the old school building demolished with a city cost of only $138,000 but a newly constructed housing project will grow in its place.
Local public transportation saw improvements during 2002 with six new 30 foot buses added to the fleet. Much of the cost of maintaining the bus service in Middletown is through federal and state grants.
Schiavone also mentioned a new water tower in BlueBall and the Butler County Dental Clinic recently opened in the Middletown Community Health Center, the beautification of the gateway into Middletown at the I-75 exit, thanks to a cooperative effort with AK Steel, and city wide clean up and planting projects. Other accomplishments were the annexation of the Fenwick High School building site, retaining Middletown Regional Hospital and the reorganization of the Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Looking ahead, Schiavone cited continuation of the 2002 goals and seeing the 20 year master plan finished, repaving 5% of the streets each year, economic development and management of storm water as well as revitalization of unused buildings.
Both mayors saw finances as one of their most challenging issues. In response to a question from the audience, both mayors acknowledged that tax credits given to residents of their cities who work and pay income taxes in the city where they work could be discussed as a way to enhance revenue. Both also agreed, it would be a much debated issue if proposed in their communities.
The next in the series of Chamber luncheons is slated for Thursday, February 6 at 11:45 in the Forest Hills Club House and will feature Larry James, vice president of marketing for Middletown Regional Hospital who will speak on the topic “Middletown Regional Hospital and the Technology Trilogy.” To make reservations, call the Chamber at 513-422-4551 or visit the chamber website at www.mmvchamber.org. Cost for members is $15 if prepaid, $18 at the door. Non- members pay $30.
Story Submitted by Ann Mort |
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