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By Lance Winkler
The last Oakwood City Council meeting of the Centennial year got underway on Monday, Dec. 8, 2008 with all counted as present. In committee appointments, the following citizens accepted another term: Andrew Aidt - Planning Commission; Kip Bohachek - Board of Zoning Appeals; Dr. David Denka - Board of Health; Bill Frapwell, Ella Himes, Ellen Fodge, Anne Hilton, Rick Ohmer, Richard Ordeman - Budget Review Committee; Lisa Reeder, Sandy Bally, Tom Davis, Sally Solarek,- Environmental Committee; Kathy Luckett, Dan Edwards – Property Maintenance Committee; Arik Sherk – Tax/Water/Sewer Appeals; William Stephens – ADA.
The 2009 Budget was presented to the council and was depicted as
conservative with no expectations of financial windfalls in the form of estate taxes or other speculative data on the balance sheet. According to council member and accountant William Duncan, the city budget comes in at about $17 million with a total appropriation of $23 million for 2009. Of that amount, $14 million is earmarked for non-enterprise appropriations, $3 million for enterprise appropriations, $3 million in budgetary transfers and $3 million in short-term debt refinancing.
The city plans to have a $1.8 million deficit for the year and to pay down the debt by about a half-million dollars. The end of year estimate for 2008 is a $13.6 million surplus. The 2009 budget is expected to carry over with an $11.4 million surplus.
In the city manager’s report, Norbert Klopsch outlined five goals and objectives for the year 2009. First, to see the first homebuilding efforts at Sugar Camp/Pointe Oakwood start to break ground; Second, to have an Athletic and Recreational Facilities Master Plan completed and ready to be implemented; Third, to complete the Park Avenue municipal parking lot this year; Fourth, to have the new Safety Dispatch Center in operation and going on line by the beginning of the year with new software that will allow dispatchers to receive 911 calls from individual cell phones in the area; Fifth, an upgrade in financial system software and procedures to assist the Finance Department in processing taxes and preparing budgets and payroll.
The next city council meeting is scheduled for January 5, 2009.
By Dawn Beigel
Oakwood High School juniors Joe VanLeeuwen and Ryan Anloague are getting a jump start on a career through an interactive media course they are enrolled in at Fairmont High School.
The course is one of many offered by the Career Tech Prep Consortium comprised of students from Centerville, Kettering and Oakwood.
VanLeeuwen and Anloague, who talked about the program at last night’s Board of Education meeting, said the daily afternoon media course has them learning everything about TV productions, including how to produce different forms of TV media like football games and various shows.
“It’s a splendid program,” said VanLeeuwen. “We are in a real professional work environment.”
Recently, the two accompanied one of their program teachers to tape a segment meeting between Superintendent Mary Jo Scalzo and FHS Principal Dr. James Schoenlein that will be used for professional development for high school principals.
VanLeeuwen and Anloague indicated how impressive their program teachers are because of their experience.
Students taking the course spend their junior year exploring types of media, and in their senior year they “hone in on what you want to work on,” said VanLeeuwen and Anloague.
When asked if they would recommend the Tech Prep program, Anloague answered, “Definitely. (Because) it’s learning a career, basically.”
Anloague said he is looking to the media field as a future career interest.
Both students said they are taking classes at Sinclair Community College, and will have college credits when they graduate high school.“I’m so impressed with these two,” commented Scalzo.
In administrative reports, Kathy Bartalo, director of educational services, updated the board about district students being home-schooled and those attending open enrollment in other districts and community schools. The data shows 15 Oakwood students (10 continuing, five new) currently being home-schooled, which is up by two students from the end of last school year. In open enrollment, there is one continuing student attending Tri-Village Local Schools and one new student attending Yellow Springs Exempted Village Schools. Among community school enrollment, there are six students (four continuing, two new), down from one student from the end of last school year. In other data, there are two students attending Stivers High School and one attending Mad River Schools.
*The Working cast and crew: Max Williams, Nick Wagner, Noah Berry, Sterre ter Haar, Gabe Robinson, Olivia Cuipak, Alexandra Morris, Alana D’Agostino, Nick Grilliot, Tyler Murphy, Haley Penchoff, Kaitlynn Trent, Alyssa Coyle, Katie Taylor, Michael Chapman, Hannah Berry, Rachel Stock and Daniel Leon; director Jean Howat Berry, music director John W. Johns, OHS teacher Debbie Smith, and light and sound designer Tim Guth.
*The Junior High Lumberjack Leaders: advisors Lissa Fickert, Amanda Ammer, Ann Whitehair, Leslie Blythe and Deb Osterfeld; principals Dan Weckstein, Nance Bradds and Ed Bowman; and students and staff of Harman Elementary, Smith Elementary, the junior high and the high school who raised funds for Team Oakwood to purchase uniforms and warm-ups for students involved in the Special Olympics. The junior high raised over $2,000, Smith raised $709 and Harman raised $1,293.
*Senior Cathryn Hardy who signed a Letter of Intent to play basketball at the College of Charleston new year.
*Senior Julia Sizek for being chosen as one of 20 state finalists for the Wendy’s High School Heisman. She received a letter, gift card, bronze medal and Heisman patch.
*Football players Robby Sherk, Joey Lefforge, Noah Roberts and Zach Allex who received special awards. Sherk was named Offensive Player of the Year, Lefforge as Defensive Player of the Year, Roberts as Scout Player of the Year and Allex as Most Improved.
*Oakwood resident John Gray for underwriting the cost for 235 band students and chaperones to attend the OSU Marching Band concert at The Schuster Center in November.
*Oakwood alumnus Lisa Dodds Reeder (Class of ’69) for allowing her artwork to be used by the district on the cover of the Oakwood Centennial book published this past summer.
*The reappointment of Michael Roediger as a member of the Wright Memorial Public Library Board of Trustees for a full seven-year term, from January 2009-December 2015.
*The employment of Rhonda Wootton as a clinic nurse, effective Dec. 8. She holds an RN license and degree in nursing from Wright State University. She has over 19 years of nursing experience with the U.S. Air Force in a variety of capacities, and has been a nursing instructor with Kettering College of Medical Arts.
*The dual-enrollment course proposal to teach Chinese beginning with the 2009-2010 school year, as submitted at the regular November board meeting. Costs associated with one class will be funded through a grant approved by the Oakwood Schools Education Foundation.
*The resignation of Dewey Weeda from the Business Advisory Council.
*The resignation of Jennifer Simpson as cheerleader coordinator, effective the end of this school year.
*Naming board president Dr. Paul Vanderburgh as chairperson pro-tem for the January 2009 organizational board meeting until the new president is elected.
*A donation of $85 to Lange Elementary School from Paul Daniel Lohmeyer and Jennifer Lohmeyer.
Oakwood Board of Education will hold its 2009 organizational meeting Jan. 12, 7:30 p.m. at the central office. |
