It's Great 'n Dayton

Provide Input on City Priorities

Every 5 years cities, counties and states are required to submit to HUD (Department of Housing and Urban Development) what is called a Consolidated Plan for Housing and Community Development that identifies how the communities will spend funds that are awarded them to address certain needs.

HUD's distribution of funds is typically targeted for use to improve the quality of life for low income persons, provide affordable housing opportunities, eliminate slum/blight, and address emergency situations.

In Dayton funds have been used for code enforcement, nuisance abatement (housing demolition), rental rehab programs, support of Rebuilding Together Dayton, and support of other agencies doing things for teens, foreclosure prevention, support of Red Cross, etc.

Infrastructure projects are also eligible uses and street/alley resurfacing is a common use. Expenses associated with neighborhood development (ie. the running of the Priority Boards and distributing small neighborhood grants) can be covered by these funds.

Additional funds are available to communities to specifically use for housing and homelessness. Dayton's shelters are funded with these funds. Dayton has also used funds to offer downpayment assistance, rental rehabilitation, to do the Phoenix project, to invest in senior housing (Twin Towers), etc.

As you can see many good things happen in our community because of funds we receive from the federal government.

If you would like to learn more or would like to share your ideas and provide input the City of Dayton is holding a public forum on Saturday April 17 from 9 am- noon at the Dayton Convention Center. If you would like to attend, please call 333-3670.

By the way, HUD uses Census data to award much of the funding. Make sure you fill out your census form and return it!

City of Dayton Employee Appreciation

This week is City of Dayton employee appreciation week. For those who don't know, the City was settled on April 1st, 1796 and so this was chosen as an appropriate week to show our appreciation for the hard work our city employees do. Take a moment to wave at a city worker or stop and shake their hand and let them know that you appreciate what they do.

And to any naysayers out there, we all know there are stereotypes about government employees. And some employees might actually fit those stereotypes. But there are alot of hard working civil servants that take great pride in their work...from elected officials to administrators, to trash haulers and the men and women who keep us safe.

Celebrate Dayton! Make someone's day by saying thanks!

One Cover Charge Allows Entrance into multiple OD Bars

Bars in the Oregon District are trying an experiment to address suggestions made by patrons who complain that every bar has its own cover charge. Actually I say experiment but maybe it's on-going.

Anyway, starting Friday April 2 (coindidentally First Friday), the Dublin Pub, Trolley Stop, Blind Bob's, Tumbleweed and soon-to-be Sidebar will charge cover charges and distribute wrist bands that wave the charge if presented at one of the other participating establishments.

Make a night of it! Visit multiple places for the price of one! Check it out!

For a full story go to ActiveDayton.Com.

Neighborhood Grants Available

The City of Dayton is accepting applications for projects taking place in neighborhoods.

This is a big relief for neighborhood leaders who thought they would see the funding go away when the city started slashing neighborhood and festival budgets as part of its budget cuts.

Projects should be oriented toward community improvement. In addition to impact, leveraging of additional funds/support, community involvement/partnerships, capacity building and collaboration, additional points will be awarded to projects that promote sustainability, pedestrian/bicycle connectivity, and issues dealing with vacant land/lots.

For eligibility requirments and other criteria, visit http://www.cityofdayton.org/Documents/Mini-Grants%202010.pdf

Be sure to pay attention to such details as attendance at mandatory workshops (applications will only be made available to attendees), contacting staff about physical improvement projects and different deadlines for different types of projects.

The City doesn't have to award this money but Dayton has always believed in and supported neighborhood organizing. Along with applying for funds make sure you THANK the commission and mayor for making such funds available.

Support United Way of Greater Dayton

 

Has the economy affected you? Things a little tight? Imagine what it is like for people already down on their luck. Stays at homeless shelters are up, family tensions are up, visits to food pantries are up, seniors and the sick are going longer before seeking treatment or getting medicine, and more.

WE can make a difference by supporting the United Way.

The United Way is the community's one-stop giving shop. You might have organizations you prefer to support; and you like to write your checks to those organizations. If you're supporting multiple organizations you can write a check to the United Way and DESIGNATE the organizations you want to support.

Otherwise, part of what the United Way does is establish community needs by monitoring funded agencies and services, tracking statistics on the numbers of people served, etc. Giving a general gift to United Way goes toward areas of greatest need. And yours truly serves on committees that help make those decisions. Believe it or not, there are not people sitting in an ivory tower doling out money. There are several committees of community leaders and community volunteers who help identify and prioritize community needs and then match them with appropropriate resources.

United Way also wants to know your thoughts and is currently conducting a community survey. Follow the link to provide feedback!

To stay connected with United Way check out its recently launched BLOG and its Facebook page.

So make a gift, volunteer, advocate in support of the needs of our community!

Changes to City of Dayton Trash Pickup

Hopefully folks are reading their mail - even the junk mail. Haven't seen much from tv media but I know from the Dayton Daily News and from my mail that trash pick-up days are changing in several neighborhoods. Last week the city sent everyone a mailer announcing changes to the trash schedule. I now have it on my fridge because I can never remember when recycling is. I was going to make a pdf of it but you can follow the link to see the changes:

City of Dayton Trash Schedule (on this page are links to city/neighborhood maps and a a list of other changes including bulk pickup and leaf pickup in the fall).

Other interesting news is that some neighborhoods will be set up with larger recycle bins. This was also reported in the Dayton Daily News. What I haven't seen is what neighborhoods are being included in this effort. I hope mine is included because lots of people in our neighborhood recycle and most of our small bins are usually overflowing.

The recycle thing is interesting because it's designed to save money. It's cheaper to recycle than for local cities to pay dumping fees. But what else has happened? Our trash collection rate is being increased as explained in this excerpt from the City's site:

The waste collection fee is changing from $91.36 a year to $117.36 a year. The increase in this annual fee will be reflected in the Water utility bill you receive each quarter, beginning with your second quarter statement. The change will mean $6.50 more on your bill each quarter.  The increase is necessary to offset rising waste collection costs in recent years, including the “tipping” fee the City must pay to dispose of the waste at the landfill, new fees imposed by the EPA, higher fuel costs, etc.

Apparently it's still low compared to other local cities, but it just seems contradictory that citizens who DO recycle and help keep costs down are paying extra for the disposal of trash they're not even generating.

Neighborhood Leadership Institute Accepting Applications

The 2010 Neighborhood Leadership Institute (NLI) deadline is Thursday, February 11, 2010.  

NLI is a 12-week City of Dayton program bringing together citizens from all over Dayton who have an interest in civic affairs, particularly their neighborhoods. It's a great opportunity to meet other people who share similar concerns, learn the inner workings of the city, meet city leaders and develop skills for working in and leading the community.

Please spread the word to help recruit participants for the 2010 NLI class.  Follow the link for brochure, tentative schedule and application.  If you have any questions, contact Kathleen Riggs at 333-3671 or Verletta Jackson at 333-3288.

What motivates a teacher? Or teachers' union?

In today's Dayton Daily News is an editorial that goes into more explanation (than a previous article) about how Dayton Public Schools missed out on the opportunity to attract stimulus money to aid the schools. My recollection is that an earlier article didn't really point fingers which led one to believe that administrators really screwed up. Today's editorial blames teachers.

Financially strapped Dayton public schools last week had a chance to grab up to $5 million in federal stimulus aid but, incredibly, the teachers’ union said no to taking a shot at the money.

I don't know all the ins and outs of teaching, or education, or unions, or test scores, or salaries but as a taxpayer I hate to think that public servants would let fear, ignorance, and unfounded claims inhibit opportunities to make things better for those they serve. I won't say anything else. I agree with the article and I think our kids (collectively, as I don't have any) have been let down by the very people entrusted to educate them.

What do you think?

The Ruse of the Creative Class: Apparently even Richard Florida doesn't believe in it anymore

The American Prospect, in its current issue has a story debunking myths about the creative class and reports how many communities have been duped by economist Richard Florida.

The gist of the story is that all the touting that was done about making cities desirable was wishful thinking at best and now scandalous to cities that are "so far gone" that they will never rebound. Florida goes as far as to say that the focus should be on locations that are already thriving.

Here's an except:

As Elmira and other cities on Florida's circuit dutifully carry out his instructions, though, the guru has grown less confident in their prospects. In a warm-up to his next book--The Great Reset, due out in April--Florida has been arguing that the recession has so decimated many cities and regions that it's time for the country to cut its losses and instead encourage growth in places that are prospering, like Silicon Valley, Boulder, Austin, and North Carolina's Research Triangle. And the rest? In his much-cited cover story in the March issue of The Atlantic--"How the Crash Will Reshape America"--he delivered the harsh news: "We need to be clear that ultimately, we can't stop the decline of some places, and that we would be foolish to try. ... Different eras favor different places, along with the industries and lifestyles those places embody. ... We need to let demand for the key products and lifestyles of the old order fall, and begin building a new economy, based on a new geography."

Dayton is mentioned in the article, as is DaytonCreate and c{space. A quote by our former mayor makes you wonder whether she actually understood the creative class at all:

Across the country, the battle to attract the creative class carries on. In Dayton, Ohio, billboards and T-shirts carry a new Richard Florida-inspired logo: "Dayton patented. Originals wanted." The city is building bikeways, passed an anti-discrimination ordinance in 2007 to increase its score on Florida's "tolerance index," and has given a local group called DaytonCREATE the use of a vacant bank, now called "c{space," "where they hang out and do a lot of their creativeness," Mayor Rhine McLin says.

A lot of good has come from efforts to retain and attract young professionals and the creative class. We're certainly not going to bring large industry into the community and leaders have talked about growing small and mid-size local businesses as a strategy. I hope there's more than one strategy and that we haven't put all of our eggs in one basket.

Were we sold an unrealizable dream?

Regional Planning...Give YOUR Input

Community Workshop Scheduled - Come Share YOUR Vision!

Dayton, OH – The Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission (MVRPC) will host community workshops to solicit public input on the future of land development in the Miami Valley Region.

GOING PLACES – An Integrated Land Use Vision for the Miami Valley Region is a 4-year regional land use planning initiative designed to bring people together to build a clear and shared future land use framework to guide development in the Miami Valley Region.

Following the 3-phase process, the current effort is focused on collecting information from people who live and work in the Region about what they envision for the future of the Region.

Do you have a vision for the Miami Valley Region in the year 2040? YOUR ideas and innovations are needed to help make the Miami Valley Region a better place to live, work and play! Come and join the Going Places discussion at any of the workshops in your area to share YOUR vision! The Greene County workshops are scheduled as follows (the link also includes workshops for other locations/counties):

January 5, 2010, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
John Bryan Center
100 Dayton Street
Yellow Springs, OH 45387

January 14, 2010, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Beavercreek Twp Fire Station 61
2195 Dayton Xenia Road
Beavercreek, OH 45434

January 21, 2010, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Fairborn Fire Department Training Room
44 W. Hebble Avenue
Fairborn OH 45324

January 27, 2010, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Greene County Department of Job & Family Services
541 Ledbetter Road
Xenia, OH 45385

February 10, 2010, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Sugarcreek Twp Offices
2090 Ferry Road
Bellbrook, OH 45305

The Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission strives to foster collaboration among communities, stakeholders and residents to advance regional transportation priorities. MVRPC is a forum and resource where these regional partners can identify priorities, develop public policy and implement collaborative strategies to improve the quality of life and economic vitality throughout the Miami Valley. MVRPC performs various regional planning activities, including air quality, water quality, transportation, land use, research and GIS. As the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), MVRPC is responsible for transportation planning in Greene, Miami and Montgomery Counties and parts of northern Warren County.

At all MVRPC Open Houses / Public Participation Meetings, interpreters for hearing impaired individuals or bi-lingual interpreters are available upon request. Requests should be made at least one week prior to the meeting date. Contact MVRPC at (937) 223-6323 or 1-800-750-0750 TTY/TDD to request an interpreter.

Visit the website for more information about Going Places initiative or contact staff at 937-223-6323 or goingplaces@mvrpc.org.