Miami Valley Communications Council

The event featured an awards ceremony recognizing significant accomplishments along the Great Miami Riverway. Mayor Rick Barnhart of West Carolton highlighted local river district development, including new commercial growth and plans for a Whitewater Adventure Park featuring river surfing and a recreational flume. Mayor Ryan Perry of Trenton discussed investments in outdoor recreation, including a new splash pad funded by a Nature Works grant and wetlands restoration supported by an H2 Ohio grant. Awards presented included the Corridor Champion of the Year to Christian Mattingley for his dedicated service and efforts in hazard identification, and the Great Miami Riverway Stewardship Award to the University of Dayton River stewards for their work identifying hazards and advocating for safer portage routes around low dams. The proceedings concluded with logistical information regarding afternoon breakout sessions.

The event was the 2022 Miamisburg Memorial Day Ceremony held at Veterans Park, dedicated to honoring military service members and veterans. Key components included an invocation, the national anthem, and a speech emphasizing the sacrifices made for freedom, referencing figures from the Revolutionary War through the Global War on Terrorism. Specific recognition was given to the 13 service members killed in the August 2021 Afghanistan bombing and the story of World War II flying ace Major George Andrew Davis Jr. Attendees also recognized members of the Miamisburg Historical Society Committee and the 2022 Memorial Parade Marshall, Paul Schultz, a World War II veteran. The ceremony concluded with the reading of the roll call for fallen comrades from World War I and World War II.

The meeting included updates on electric aggregation for 14 participating communities, detailing notification procedures and reasons why some residents might not receive letters, such as already being with another provider or receiving financial assistance. The board also discussed the impending start of natural gas aggregation, noting the differences in market structure and aiming to have a program available by December. A significant portion of the discussion celebrated the results of the 2022 audit, which yielded a clean report with no findings, commending the diligence of the staff. Furthermore, the entity's broad range of services was detailed, including joint contracts for street lighting, emergency notification systems, cable access programming, collaborative training programs, and funding for the Tactical Crime Suppression Unit. The final topic recognized the upcoming retirement of Gary Giles, who, with MVCC's support, produced the long-running local program "Let's Talk Miamisburg."

The content appears to be transcribed notes from a presentation titled "Effective City Council," featuring a speaker discussing the roles and responsibilities of city council members, specifically focusing on the council-manager form of government utilized in Oakwood. Key discussion points included the election process for the mayor and council terms, the primary role of council in hiring the city manager, and observations regarding council dynamics based on the size of the governing body (five versus seven members). The speaker also shared anecdotal experiences concerning past municipal issues, such as a contentious condominium development proposal that led to litigation, challenges with property tax renewal levy ballot placement due to clerical errors, and subsequent internal communications issues regarding the levy vote results among budget review committee members. Furthermore, advice was given on professional conduct, including treating council members and citizens respectfully, avoiding aggressive email communication, and being mindful that most electronic communications are subject to Sunshine Laws.

The meeting served as the final safety council meeting for the year, with attendees encouraged to vote for their favorite speaker from the past year. Key announcements included the return to in-person meetings starting July 14th at Miami Valley Hospital South, and updates on record-keeping requirements being reduced. The program also noted the return of the two percent premium rebate for the upcoming fiscal year beginning in July. The Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) Administrator provided updates on several initiatives, including the expansion of the School Safety and Security Grant for HVAC improvements, a note on the June 21st premium installment deadline, and details on upcoming webinars and distance learning courses focusing on chemical spills, new employee safety training, electrical hazards, health hazards, scaffolding safety, ergonomics, and confined space assessment. Furthermore, the presentation detailed BWC's focus on Ohio's workforce competitiveness, highlighting that Ohio ranks highly in labor market and manufacturing strength. Statistics on declining injury rates were presented, although a slight uptick was noted in 2021/Q1 2022 as businesses returned to normal operations. The BWC supports Ohio businesses with grants, training, and consultation, awarding $3.7 million in safety grants in 2021. Significant attention was given to two major initiatives: the Workforce Safety Innovation Center, aimed at developing new PPE to enhance workplace safety with $30 million in grants, and measures to address Ohio's opioid and substance use disorder endemic, including supporting the Recovery Ohio initiative and the Substance Use Recovery and Workplace Safety (SUR) program, which offers reimbursements for drug screens and employer training.