West Chester accused of gender discrimination

By Dave Greber | Friday, November 20, 2009, 12:45 PM

One of West Chester’s longest tenured employees says the township denied a request to allow her to retire and be rehired because of her gender, according to a federal lawsuit.

Note: I’ll post the lawsuit and the township’s answer below.

Excerpt

The civil rights lawsuit, filed Aug. 31 in U.S. District Court in Cincinnati, claims Communications and Information Technology Director Denise Bruce, an employee since 1976, was denied an opportunity that has been traditionally given to men with similar work histories, including her husband, former Police Chief John Bruce.

Bruce, 54, who was promoted to her current position in 1998, became eligible to receive full benefits through the Ohio Public Employee Retirement System in 2007. In September of that year, the lawsuit says Bruce approached the township with a request to participate in its retire/rehire option.

The option — used by townships, municipalities and school districts — allows an employee to retire then be rehired often at a lower salary, while collecting OPERS benefits. Although dubbed “double dipping” by some, employers say such programs allow them to maintain a level of experience at a lower cost.

Continue reading "West Chester accused of gender discrimination"...

Permalink | Comments (2) | Post your comment More: West Chester Twp. Government

Cox Road to be extended… But where, when?

By Dave Greber | Thursday, November 19, 2009, 12:21 PM

Liberty Twp. has big plans to extend Cox Road north to Ohio 63, but there may be some major roadblocks in the way.

First, (and I can say it until I’m blue in the face), the plans that I’m talking about are preliminary, conceptual at this point and development-driven.

So why write the story?

I’ve received a lot of questions regarding the fate of the 3,000-foot extension of Cox Road now that the Liberty Way Interchange is finished. Quite frankly (even though it’s pretty far off), developing the land around the interchange is also the township’s next priority. Plus, some of the landowners are partnering with the township to market their properties in advance of anticipated development.

The operative word there is “some,” as the owners of Green Crest Golf Course are emphatic about maintaining the business that’s been there since the 1970s.

Excerpt

Jason Harter and his family, who have operated the Green Crest Golf Course off Bethany Road since 1975, say their land isn’t for sale.

In addition to the 110 acres that make up Green Crest, Harter said his family owns nearly 100 more acres north of Bethany and “not one acre is for sale.”

“We fully intend to be here,” Harter said about the future of the course.

Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment More: Liberty Twp. Government

Bank, office park to be built at busy intersection

By Dave Greber | Wednesday, November 18, 2009, 12:05 PM

Despite concerns from residents and a negative recommendation from the township’s zoning board (on various aspects of the project), West Chester trustees Tuesday, Nov. 17, approved a zone change to make way for a mixed-use office park at a busy intersection.

Note: I’ll post some of those concerns below.

Robert Lucke Interests, a subsidiary of the Cincinnati-based Robert Lucke Group, presented plans last month on a requested zone change on four properties at the corner of U.S. 42 and Fields Ertel Road to build two offices, a daycare center and a bank with a drive-through.

Based on preliminary drawings and similar developments in the Robert Lucke portfolio, the project’s cost is estimated to be between $2.8 million and $3 million, company vice president Scott Lucke said earlier this month.

Residents living adjacent to the property and some in the nearby Rolling Knolls subdivision have expressed concerns over adding more traffic to an already congested area. They were upset after trustees approved the zone change 2-0 Tuesday with Trustee Catherine Stoker abstaining citing a possible conflict of interest.

“Why would you consider changing the zoning for an area that is already over burdened with traffic, from what is called for in the comprehensive land use plan of a low intensity office to a higher density?” asked local resident Randy Stanifer. “That absolutely makes no common sense.”

Continue reading "Bank, office park to be built at busy intersection"...

Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment More: West Chester Twp. Government

New library opens

By Dave Greber | Monday, November 16, 2009, 08:24 AM

On Sunday, Nov. 15, the township, officials from the Middletown Public Library and local residents celebrated the opening of the new West Chester library branch.

It’s thought to be a nearly $12.3 million building, although early predictions were that the total cost would be somewhere near $13.3 million. Some have commented the actual cost to be closer to $15 million, but that’s not the case according to Township Administrator Judi Boyko.

Here’s the breakdown:

Building: $8.14 million

Bridge: $380,000

Access road: $250,000

Site construction: $1.21 million

Total building cost is $9.98 million.

This doesn’t include “soft costs,” according to Boyko, (things like construction management fees, architectural fees, permits, engineering fees and general conditions, such as construction trailer rental, utilities during construction and other unexpected costs of site construction), which is about $2.3 million.

The number also doesn’t include the cost of the land, which came in at $2.14 million.

So, total project cost (including everything) is: $14.4 million.

In addition, the township is expected to hear from Partners in Prime Tuesday evening, Nov. 17, about their plans for the old library off Cox Road. The work session begins at 5 p.m. at the township administration building, at the corner of Cincinnati-Dayton and West Chester roads.

Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment

West Chester, Liberty voters like state issues

By Dave Greber | Wednesday, November 11, 2009, 10:25 AM

Now that the dust has settled from last week’s election, I took some time to evaluate how local folks voted regarding state issues and the crowded West Chester trustee race.

Excerpt

State issues passed overwhelmingly in West Chester and Liberty townships last week, according to an analysis of final but unofficial results from the Butler County Board of Elections.

Issue 1 — which increases benefits for veterans of wars in the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan and Iraq — was approved similarly in both areas, with 70 percent of voters in West Chester and just more than 68 percent of voters in Liberty approving the measure on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

More than 69 percent of voters in Liberty and nearly 64 percent of voters in West Chester gave the nod on Tuesday to Issue 2 — which created a statewide livestock care standard board to preempt an anticipated attempt next year by federal organizations to implement the same.

Issue 3, which approved casinos be built in Cincinnati, Columbus, Cleveland and Toledo, was passed by a smaller margin in Liberty — less than 20 percent, or 59.5 to 40.5 — while nearly 61 percent of West Chester voters supported the measure.

The analysis also shows a majority of voters in all but one Liberty Twp. precinct supported Issue 17, the 3-mill replacement levy that increased local taxes $57 per year per $200,000 in home value for law enforcement services provided by the Butler County Sheriff’s Office. Thoughts?

Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment

Zerkle resigns from broadcasting museum board

By Dave Greber | Tuesday, November 10, 2009, 08:04 AM

West Chester resident Bill Zerkle has resigned as president of the Board of Directors of the National Voice of America Museum of Broadcasting.

During a meeting with the board last week, Zerkle said his efforts to spearhead a campaign to place the issue of incorporation on the May 2010 ballot could become a conflict of interest with his involvement with the museum.

Excerpt

Citing a possible conflict of interest, West Chester Twp. resident Bill Zerkle resigned last week as president of the Board of the National Voice of America Museum of Broadcasting.

His resignation, which is effective immediately, comes amid the Board’s multi-million dollar effort to rehabilitate the 1940s-era former Bethany Station off Tylersville in West Chester.

In his letter to the Museum Board dated Tuesday, Nov. 3, Zerkle said he has been behind the rehabilitation efforts for the past decade.

“However, I have become quite concerned that my strongly-held position regarding West Chester cityhood will prove detrimental to museum development,” Zerkle wrote to the board. “I therefore respectfully request that you accept my resignation as both president and member of the Voice of America Museum Broadcasting effective immediately.”

Zerkle said Monday, Nov. 9, that the incorporate effort is so divisive and so politicized that it could have a negative effect on fundraising for the museum’s capital project.

“I’m not willing to watch the VOA board suffer from my political involvement,” Zerkle said.

Meanwhile, Zerkle said the Committee for West Chester has gathered nearly half the signatures needed to place the issue before voters next spring.

Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment

Mansour not done, files federal lawsuit

By Dave Greber | Monday, November 9, 2009, 10:29 PM

A lengthy matter involving local resident Joseph Mansour and the West Chester Twp. Police Department isn’t over.

In fact, more court proceedings are pending, as Mansour has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Cincinnati.

Two weeks ago, we ran a story about the police department’s internal investigation into whether one of its officers acted correctly during a case involving Mansour.

Excerpt

The investigation was launched earlier this month after Mansour, was found not guilty in Butler County Area III Court in a case in which he represented himself.

Continue reading "Mansour not done, files federal lawsuit"...

Permalink | Comments (3) | Post your comment