News archive

Should we shovel sidewalks?  

Tuesday evening during the Public Works Committee meeting we discussed the ordinance that currently requires residents to shovel their sidewalks.

The current ordinance reads:

521.06  DUTY TO KEEP SIDEWALKS IN REPAIR AND CLEAN.
        
             (a)     No owner or occupant of abutting lands shall fail to keep the sidewalks, curbs or gutters in repair and free from snow, ice or any…

Aquatic Center Contract award based on friendship

This past week council decided to award the Aquatic Center Management contract based upon their desire for friendly relationships instead of on performance and cost.  The result is that the city will likely pay $20,000 or more per year than the city needed to pay in order to get equal or better performance.  I also question whether it makes sense to bend over backwards to keep friendly…

Real time reports on City Finances soon to be available online

Here is the link to the City's Financial Transparency Portal


Here is another presentation tonight that I am interested in seeing and learning about.

Agenda Item Description or Legislation Title
Huber Heights Open Gov Presentation - Mr. Jim Bell, Finance Director, And Mr. Don Jones, Assistant City Manager

Purpose and Background
The Finance Department was challenged early on to always look…

Citizens on Patrol Unit known as P.R.I.D.E.

Tonight at the Council Meeting we are going to recognize Citizens that participate in the Police Departments PRIDE program.  I've copied the agenda item announcement because it gives good detail on what the program is about and how you can get involved.  

Agenda Item Description or Legislation Title
Huber Heights Police Division P.R.I.D.E. Recognition Presentation - Police Chief Mark Lightner and Sergeant Chuck…

Why don't you run for City Council

Though I still hope that we will see good business decisions from this council this year, it only makes sense that I should transition to the November election so that we can make sure we see them eventually.   Petitions are due Feb 4th.  I'm hoping you are working to make sure we get quality candidates on the ballot.   Here are some reasons why.

This past year I asked our City Manager to…

Why don't you run for City Council

This past year I asked our City Manager to write out the tasks that need to be done in order to successfully run a Music Center so that when we looked at possible management companies we had some criteria to help us with that decision.   I was told this

Why don't you run for City Council

This past year I asked our City Manager to write out the tasks that need to be done in order to successfully run a Music Center so that when we looked at possible management companies we had some criteria to help us with that decision.   I was told this

Information from the mayor needs to be accurate

I just got finished reading the unsigned editorial in the Jan 1st edition of the Huber Heights Courier titled "Information from the mayor needs to be accurate" found in the "Your View" section.  The unidentified author says, "It is an unfortunate event that McMasters, in his elected position as Mayor of Huber Heights, distributed inaccurate information.  It is his responsibility as mayor to be…

No Bid and Weak Contracts - why did I talk about them in my Flyer?

No bid and weak contracts have been a major issue the City has had to deal with all year long.  I'm pragmatic enough to accept that often it can be cheaper and more efficient to not go out to bid on some contracts and services.  However, I expect that if this is the way we are going to do things then we should have good, written documentary evidence that we've done our homework on making sure…

Mayor Campaigns for School Board - and Wins

Mayor Campaigns for School Board - and Wins
 
This was the headline I suggested for the Dayton Daily News article that ended up being titled "Huber mayor's flyer blasted".  Here is the information that makes my suggested headline much more appropriate than what was chosen (I list points first then I back them up with references later in the artice).
 
1.  Back in May as part of the 2025 plan…

Another TIF / Music Center Discussion

I was reading Facebook and saw a discussion on the Music Center and then progressed into TIF.  I participated and thought I would copy relevant comments here because Brandon made some good points that allowed me to bring up other information people should know.  My comments are in black, his in blue.

Brandon posted:

This is my understanding: a TIF district diverts all property tax (above the current tax level) to a special fund that can be used for updates that impact that TIF district. Th

Young Marines meet @ St Peters

Open House Jan 14th at 1745 (5:45 PM)  Boot Camp starts Jan 21, 2015

Who:  Any Miami Valley youth - must be accompanied by a parent/gaurdian

What: Observe regular MVYM drill activity and receive information briefing (one hour)

Where:  Saint Peter Church Basement, 6161 Chambersburg Rd. Huber Heights OH

Contact info in the flier.

Young Marine Flier

No read-ahead for Tuesday's City Budget discussion

Tuesday November 18th at 6:00 pm the Administration Committee will meet. The location is different than usual, it will be in the Police Community Room.  The police station is behind City Hall at 6121 Taylorsville rd.  The reason the meeting has been moved is because there should be a lot of interest in the main agenda item;  The 2015 City Budget. 
 
This morning I was cleaning my bathroom.  As…

Vectren is running gas into our streets.

  • Posted 6th November 2014, 12:11 pm
  • By David Webb

I have noticed that Vectren is going to run natural gas pipes into out street with the intent of providing gas furnace service and water heater service in the future.
DP&L put this street on restriction long ago and ony serviced electric furnaces.
What I find wrong is they are staking out our front yards in what looks like a ditch to go the length of the street about 12 feet back from the curb. Only that goes through every driveway on the…

New School Board Member - With post campaign thoughts

During this campaign we had three qualified professionals step up to be considered.  You can look at their introductions in the comments section below this post.  The opportunity to fill the open position is past.  The next opportunity will be to file next August to be on the ballot next November (2015).  I've kept the original post.  After that I added some fresh thoughts.  Don't forget to look and the Candidate intros and encourage them to pursue a seat through election. …

The City Levy and the School Levy - someone recently asked me what…

I'm seriously thinking of voting for Issue 2 which is the School Levy.
 
The reasons are:
 
1.  It is in my own best financial interest
 
2.  My conservative friends let me down when they didn't run anyone for school board.
 
3.  I believe Mrs. Gunnell, the School Superintendent is a great administrator. 
 
4.  As Mayor I should consider voting for Issue 19. But voting yes on 19 without voting…

Election Day is Tuesday - which is the best polling place to shake…

Election day is Tuesday.  Polls are open on Election Day from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

You can find your polling place at:  

Montgomery County  http://www.voterfind.com/montgomeryoh/pollfinder.aspx

Miami County  http://www.voterfind.com/miamioh/precandpoll.aspx

I picked up my League of Women Voter guide at City Hall this afternoon.  The DDN Voter Guide can be found HERE.  I entered 6934…

This is to benefit Carriage Trails

There is an interesting (and should be controversial item) on the agenda Monday night.  It would be controversial if some of the more conservative members of the community were aware.  This is because the proposal is set up to allow the developers of Carriage Trails to get State money with no real benefit to the State or the City. 
 
Interestingly, one of the Council member was struggling with…

A Briefing isn't a Report

I know I gave great praise in my article "We Won" to staff for producing some written documentation that can be reviewed by residents to help us understand the financial situation of the City.  This will be somewhat helpful in helping people evaluate the city financial situation when they go to vote November 4th.  Hopefully, we are working toward the day when the information is made available…

Ebola will give science a bad name

My apologies this really belongs on tfmsview.com but I haven't written there for awhile and I wanted to get my thoughts out quick.

While listening to Meet the Press this morning a CDC representative kept saying things like the science tells us that you can't get Ebola from a person that doesn't have symptoms and you can't get Ebola if you don't come in contact with a person's bodily fluids.  Yet we know that two healthcare works from the first Ebola patient diagnosed in America ended up with the virus.

Just the FAQs flier

I received an email this evening from a resident complaining the City is sending out campaign literature about the upcoming vote on the tax levy.  My first inclination was to write him back and tell him the city is forbidden by law to spend money campaigning for a tax levy.  I haven't actually read the law or the opinions that state the city or the school district is forbidden from spending…

​We Won!

We won the opportunity to do more work.  Monday night at the Administration Committee meeting Huber Heights residents got background information that was useful in helping us understand some of the positive and negative reasons past decisions have been made.  We received a number of briefings, accompanied by worksheets, that can help us understand the financial situation of the city.  For once…

There are Budgets and there are Budgets

I was included on an email inquiry and I thought I would share the author's request as well as my response:

"I attended the meeting last night and JVargo said at the end the reports were at library, online etc, the only thing on line are estimated for 2013, 2014 and the one from 2013 refers back to the 2012.  I respectfully request that you direct to the actual expenditure reports for 2013."

Resignation effective 31 Dec 2015 resume office on 1 Jan 2016

Not sure how WHIO reported it but I did ask Alan Scheafer tonight, "what would happen if I announced that I intended to resign effective Dec 31, 2015?  Would the Board of Elections schedule a mayoral election for next year with the primary in May 2015 and the general election November 2015.  If so would I be eligible to run?  

If this is how it would work then I would be willing to announce a Dec 2015 resignation and then run in the May 2015 primary and November 2015…

Town Hall - where's the facts?

Not too long ago council borrowed $8 million dollars to build Carriage Trails Parkway.  They kept rolling over the short term notes until the debt became $13 million.  Then they got a public / private partnership going where the private party paid the debt down so that there is only $7 million dollars left on that original investment.  Of course the city has borrowed another $12 million…

Aquatic Center and other Park discussions

Monday 29 Sept after the Music Center discussion which starts at 6 pm City Council will discuss some of the controversial items about the Aquatic and Amphitheater as well as try to develop an overall strategy to improve the operations of the entire park system.  Read the meeting notice below.  Keep in mind we’ve already heard from opposing views on many of these items.  Your yea and nea…

Spending the $750,000 Music Center Budget

Monday (29 Sept 2013) Huber Heights City Council will hold a Special Session of Council in order to discuss:
 
The Process By Which Talent Is Engaged For The Music Center At The Heights By Music Event Management, Inc., The Role Of The City In That Process And The Role Of The City Manager In The Execution Of The City’s Duties Under The Facility Management Agreement,
 
My apologies for the…

Music Center Sponsorship Council meeting discussion

Though tonight's meeting seemed pretty chaotic it boils down pretty simply.
 
Before reading the VIP sponsorship contract I thought the VIP section concept consisted of individual ticket purchasers having the option of also buying the experience of using the VIP section.  In this concept if it turned out that all the people in the VIP section were all associated with one family or company it…

Marigold Festival Sept 2013  

The Marigold Festival will be held Sept 13, 2014.  Admission and Parking are free to the public.  Click read more below to see the vendor maps.  The announcement on the City Website can be found by clicking here  The times for the live performances should be available there soon.  I'll be there so come out and say hello. 
 

Attractions for the day:

  • Jim Bucher- Guest Emcee
  • Dayton Demonz-

​Aquatic Center Costs

I've heard a lot of comments and received some inquiries about the Aquatic Center over the last few weeks.  Over the last couple months council has been provided a running total of the number of attendees at the aquatic center this year.  These numbers have been much closer to last years numbers than they have been to the first year's attendance numbers. 
 
We've heard a lot of rumors and seen…