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Planning Commission passes Routsong proposal

By Lance Winkler

The Oakwood Planning Commission met last Wednesday to consider the revised plan presented by Routsong Realty for a business/office building to be located at the Southeast corner of Irving Avenue and Brown Street. After a session of public debate between both the public and commission members, the proposal passed with a 4-1 vote, commission member Harrison Gowdy opposing.

A rendering of the proposed retail center as viewed from Oakwood Avenue looking east.

The measure was tabled previously at the December meeting and a number of modifications to the proposed plan were made. The two houses located next door to the proposed building site, 20 Oakwood Ave. and 222 Irving Ave. will remain intact and occupied by renters. The square footage of the proposed building
has been reduced to 8,129 sq. ft. from the original 10,500 sq, ft. The parking lot will have a total of 54 parking spaces. The former Routsong Funeral Home, currently located on the site to be redeveloped at 6 Oakwood Ave., will be razed. Not everyone at the public hearing was happy with the decision.

“As the President of the North Oakwood Association, I have received a lot of feedback from the meeting, Many people want to pursue a campaign to prevent any rezoning of these lots, from their current zoning, said Routsong neighbor Steve Young. “Mainly, people were shocked that the Commission seem to ignore the mandate that “the rezoning be in the best interest of the public, and not just the applicant. Also, it seems that the Oakwood City Council was very specific when originally zoning the parking in the 1970’s specifically for “Funeral Home” use.  It appears they where trying to ensure that no further “commercial zoning” encroach on the residential zoning.”

The proposal heads next to the Oakwood City Council for vote at their Feb. 2 meeting.

OHS students went to inauguration Four chaperone/ teachers accompanying In addition to a number of individual families from Oakwood, a convoy of 45 OHS sophomores, juniors and seniors, with four chaperone/teachers in tow, left Oakwood on Sunday morning and arrived in Washington, D.C. to attend the presidential inauguration on Jan. 20. The chaperone/teachers include: John Moore, Mitch Miller, Mary Berger and Aaron Oakes. The Oakwood Register plans to interview a number of students and teachers upon their return and who will also provide photos of their trip.

6th annual MLK Breakfast, rally, a success

4 Oakwood students cited as contest winners

By Phyllis Heck

Several hundred ‘celebrants’ gathered to honor Martin Luther King, Jr. at Christ United Methodist Church on Shroyer Rd. and Lincoln Park.  “This is our sixth year of providing a vehicle for educating young people who did not witness first hand the civil rights struggle and the role of Dr. King.  It is a major goal of the Kettering/ Oakwood Breakfast event,” said Daryll Gibson, the Master of Ceremonies.  “Please enjoy your breakfast and the music provided by ‘The Eleventh Hour’ group from Fairmont High School, and Brody McDonald.” The breakfast is sponsored by Kettering Medical Center Network.

Breakfast was cooked and served by the officers of the Kettering Fire Department…sausage, scrambled eggs, French toast, fruit, and it was delicious!
Oakwood’s mayor, Judy Cook, took the ‘mike’ to thank her many volunteers.  Kettering was represented by Tony Klepacz  “…our Mayor, Don Patterson, is in D.C. attending a National Mayor’s meeting,” he said.

“Please look around the room at the displayed graphics created by students of Kettering and Oakwood,” began Jacque  Fisher, chair of the Student Arts contest. “Your beautiful breakfast-table place mats were painted by Kettering/Oakwood students. This morning we will honor the winners of this annual contest. We had four divisions. The first division was for Kindergarten through second grade. Second division was grades three through fifth.  Next we had section three – grades six through eight.  And the last division was for ninth grade through 12.”

“K - 2 winners were 1st - Lily Eifert of E.D. Smith School.  2nd – Ally Moran also E.D. Smith School.  3rd – Kally Ventura of Moraine Meadows Elementary.

3 - 5 grade winners were 1st – Sydney Johnson of Orchard Park Elementary.  2nd – Maggie Moncrief of Oakview Elementary. 3rd - Rhythm Kids (Jacob Montgomery, Jamie Cunningham, Devon Cranford, Nate Powers, Kayne Meade, Ismail Jenkins.

6 - 8 grade winners were 1st -  Sophia Cothrel of Oakwood Junior High.  2nd – Ellie Randall of Harman School.  3rd - Ashley Overby of Kettering Middle School.

9 - 12 grade winners were 1st - Chris Jagucki of Kettering Fairmont High School. 2nd – Sean Anderson of Kettering Fairmont High.  3rd - Lin Phu of Kettering Fairmont High School.”

The highlight of the MLK Breakfast was the speaker Rev. Jerri L. Bascome McGill, Ph.D.  “Why I just heard her on CNN yesterday morning!” said a table-mate. Dr.
McGill spent the major portion of her professional career in public education.  She was the first woman named Superintendent of the Dayton Public Schools. She holds degrees from Miami University, Michigan State, Ohio State, and Payne Theological Seminary.

Her remarks were ‘right-on’ for everyone in the audience.  Statistics quoted exhibited “…how far we’ve come – but more importantly – how far we have to go!”  Jerri McGill is a dynamic asset to her many and varied accomplishments.

Following the Breakfast Celebration the participants were invited to join in the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. ‘March and Rally.’

“We have seen the program evolve into a true “community” celebration, said Mayor Cook. “Our vision of bringing a variety of people together for the same unified purpose has been realized through this event.”

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