Eric Urbas Announcements, Uncategorized

CTM Candidates for Trustee Bios – 2018

Below are the bios for candidates running for CTM Trustee at the upcoming elections on Monday, December 3 from 6-7pm. Elections will be held at the Clifton Recreation Center on the 2nd floor in the large meeting room. The Rec Center is universally accessible to all. Take the elevator or the stairs to the 2nd floor.

There five positions to be filled by the five candidates receiving the most votes.

Voting by proxy is prohibited in the CTM bylaws. You must be present to vote. It takes only a few minutes. You can pay your membership current prior to voting in advance or at the night of elections.

Joe Brunner

My name is Joe Brunner and I am seeking a Trustee position with Clifton Town Meeting. I have lived in Clifton since 2010, first on Amazon and now on Whitfield. My family and I have benefitted greatly from everything Clifton has to offer, from our business district on Ludlow to our parks, the CCAC, the library, and of course the great people. Clifton has both history that should be preserved, such as our architecture, walkable streets, and independent businesses, and room to grow and change, as is happening with CCAC and the development on the Howell street parking lot, for example. We love our neighborhood and I would be honored to have the opportunity to help preserve and grow our community by joining CTM. I am currently a lawyer at Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease downtown and have extensive experience working with individuals, businesses, nonprofits, and government entities to manage and resolve disputes and develop plans for future growth and success. I would love to be able to use my skills to help my neighborhood and community. Thank you.

 

Malcolm Montgomery

  • Passion, experience, results!  Lifetime of passion for protecting, enhancing Clifton, record of accomplishments, seasoned perspective complements new trustees. I believe that collaborating is not only the best way to get things done, but absolutely essential to strengthening the bonds of community.
  • VP two of the last three years, fought to save CCAC and guarantee good school for Clifton.  Sought unified “win-win” that would not fracture our community.   Currently chair CTM’s “Keep CCAC in Clifton.“
  • Chair bylaws committee to make CTM more responsive and accountable, see announcement this issue.
  • One of handful of Lifetime CTM Members. UC career in  Educational Technology, now consult pro bono. Volunteered over 1,000 hours during my current three-year term.  Also trustee 1990 and 2009.
  • public safety: police liaison, funding for hidden cameras to catch drug dealers, limiting side street traffic and speeding enforcement
  • to improve our quality of life and protect our property values – chaired CTM Housing and Zoning Committee, testified before City Zoning Commission and City Council for a more effective chronic nuisance law, for better zoning laws, for fairness in the enforcement of zoning regulations, and for neighborhood improvements.
  • With your vote, I can keep at it another three years!  Thanks!

 

Peggy Spohr

Hello CTM members! Always looking for ways to contribute to the beauty, livability, and richness of our community experience, I ask for your vote this year.  We are a neighborhood of eclectic tastes, architecture, and people, and I love every strand of our unique tapestry.  Many decades before I was born at Good Sam, and continuing until this very day, my family has lived and/or worked within a two-mile radius of Ludlow and Clifton.  Some amazing historic contributions from those early years are still with us, and many more are yet to evolve.  I hope to help grow our vibrant business district, enhance the sustainable lifestyle we all seek, and keep a mindful eye on the preservation of treasures we have inherited.  Please join me in supporting our neighborhood association with your on-going membership, and thank you for your vote.

Clifton Volunteer Work past 5 years:

  • Decorating Ludlow with holiday lights and greenery;
  • Planting bulbs at Richie’s;
  • Cleaning/weeding Plaza gardens;
  • Set-up for Memorial Day Parade;
  • Registration table at Clifton House Tour;
  • Honeysuckle Hit Squad in Burnet Woods;
  • CliftonFest 5K Race registration;
  • Attend Invest in Neighborhood Summit;
  • Submit proposals for use of NSP Funds;
  • Regularly attend monthly CTM meetings and community engagement sessions

 

Brian Duffy

I am a native Cincinnatian, originally from the West Side. My partner Chris and I have lived in Clifton for the past 11 years with our twin daughters Clare & Julia who are students at Fairview-Clifton German Language School. We also have a 12-year-old Goldendoodle named Ella. I attended UC and before that SCPA.

At home, I love gardening, I am a runner, have a great passion for the arts and architecture.

Professionally, I’m an executive at a Cincinnati based manufacturing company where I’ve worked for the last 20 years. As a senior leader in the organization, my expertise lies in customer experience, project management and distribution operations. I also run a small business providing the most unique lodging in Hocking Hills.

In choosing Clifton as our family home we came for the schools, architecture, arts, walkability, parks, and diverse community, all of which we believed to be the perfect place to raise our family. I’m most interested in preserving the arts in Clifton, working with CPS to ensure a smooth transition as CANS opens its doors, and the continued revitalization of the Clifton Business District.

Thank you for your consideration!

 

Peter Block

Given the craziness of the larger world, I am committed to bringing more cooperation to our neighborhood and city. It is what I have written about and made a living at. This is the overriding reason I am asking to be voted onto CTM again.

There are many questions in front of us which I would like to be a part of. We have to find a way to sustain Clifton Market. It is in our interests to  maintain the neighborhood engagement in the Howell Street Development, which will be starting up again in 2019. We want CCAC to stay as local as possible. We need to come together in caring for Burnet Woods and end the acrimony. The Ludlow business district is still vulnerable with too little foot traffic.

Plus, there are new opportunities to create a current Neighborhood Plan for Clifton, bring more visible art, murals, and gateway signage to the business district.

All of this requires participation from all of us. We need more civic engagement. There are still too few of us, as trustees, acting as if we know what the “neighborhood wants.” I would like to keep working on this.

Kevin Marsh Uncategorized

Bios for CTM Trustee Candidates – 2017

Below are the bios for candidates running for CTM Trustee at the upcoming elections on Monday, December 4 from 6-7pm. Elections will be held at the Clifton Recreation Center on the 2nd floor in the large meeting room. The Rec Center is universally accessible to all. Take the elevator or the stairs to the 2nd floor.

There are 10 candidates vying for 5 open positions during this election.  Your voting is important!

Voting by proxy is prohibited in the CTM bylaws. You must be present to vote. It takes only a few minutes.
You can pay your membership current prior to voting in advance or at the night of elections.

In addition to the bios below, please come back to click here and candidates’ answers to recent questions posed by the CTM Trustees.

Patrick Borders

Hi my name is Patrick Borders. My wife, Helen Adams, and I both grew up here in Clifton. We raised our kids Tommy (Chicago) and Claire (Los Angeles) in Helen’s childhood home on Bryant Avenue. I have quite a bit of experience serving on boards of non-profit and neighborhood organizations. In the 1990s I served eight years as the vice president of The New School’s parent board. In the early and mid-2000s I held several terms on CTM, including one as secretary and two as president. I am also a founding member of the Clifton Cultural Art Center’s board.

For the past 27 years I have worked at Multi Packaging Solutions – I sell packaging to pharmaceutical companies. I work from home, but I travel quite extensively. I’m also an instructor at World Peace Yoga on Ludlow.

If elected I’d like to work on supporting and improving our business district, help with fundraising, and pretty much help out with whatever needs arise. I appreciate your consideration.

Stephanie Gilbreath

Hello, neighbors. I’m Stephanie Gilbreath. My husband and I have lived in Cincinnati for 18 years, the last eight of them in Clifton. I am a former small business (retail) owner, mom of two teens, wife of a tech entrepreneur, and chief-general contractor/renovator of our home. My volunteer experience includes years of organizing and chairing fundraising efforts at The New School Montessori, foster work with Cincinnati Lab Rescue, and recently, petition work with Fair Districts/Fair Elections. I am a proud resident of Greendale Avenue and supporter of CCAC. We were attracted to Clifton for the beautiful houses, tree-lined streets, downtown proximity, walkability, and most of all, interesting and diverse residents.

I believe it is possible and important to make improvements to Clifton while maintaining its character in a collaborative and respectful manner, hearing and respecting every voice. A revitalized business district, environmentally and historically sensitive school development, vibrant arts center, and traffic calming are not mutually exclusive prospects; while challenging they are part of the overall goal of keeping Clifton a great place to live for our population in all stages of life.

If you’ve been thinking the same, I would appreciate your vote. Thank you.

Buddy Goose

I am a retired Chemistry teacher and have lived in Clifton for the last 11 years on Bishop Street.

Both Mary Rita and I have been active in the Clifton community from the beginning, taking part in many volunteer activities. I am a former CTM Trustee and currently a trustee of CliftonFest where I spend much of my free time in the summer organizing this neighborhood festival.

In the last few years I’ve noticed a division in our community that has left bad feelings and mistrust in the neighborhood that I love. Clifton is the Premier Cincinnati Neighborhood and we need to bring the schism together to go forward.

Our business district has seen a downturn due to the popularity of OTR and the Banks. We need to find ways to revitalize and reinvent this critical part of our neighborhood. A vibrant and welcoming business district is critical to attracting prospective buyers and businesses to our neighborhood. We must look to ourselves to champion development without destroying our village-like neighborhood character.

These things; increasing neighbor involvement, healing neighborhood divisions, revitalizing our business district and working to improve our families’ ways of life will be my priorities as a trustee of Clifton Town Meeting.

Sean Hare

I moved to Cincinnati in 2015 and have always lived in Clifton during my time here. I fell in love with Clifton because it reminded me of the neighborhood I grew up in in Rochester, NY. I have looked at moving around in Cincinnati but no place seemed to offer me what Clifton does.

I recently got my Master’s Degree in Community Planning from the UC and I work as an Urban Planner and Designer with MKSK. I feel that my educational and professional background would allow me to provide meaningful insights into the issues our neighborhood is facing in the coming years, namely, the merchant lot development, the CCAC relocation, and the neighborhood school creation.

I believe I would bring a positive energy to CTM and would provide a different perspective to the community. I am a young professional, recent UC grad, and a renter, which are all populations crucial to the future of our neighborhood. My intentions would be to promote equity and inclusivity with decisions and changes taking place within Clifton and would be proud to represent this community that has welcomed me so graciously in such a short time.

Rama Kasturi

My name is Rama Kasturi and I am seeking your support to serve you in a second term as CTM trustee.

I have lived in Clifton with my family for the past 18 years. A Biophysical Chemist by training, I worked at P&G for three years and at the University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine for 20 years. I served for three years on the Clifton Market Board.

As CTM Parks Committee Chair, I have led four teams of UC student volunteers in clean-up efforts at Burnet Woods, Mt. Storm Park, and District 5 and surrounding areas. I have fostered dialogue between TriHealth, Cincinnati Parks and CTM to facilitate better use of Burnet Woods. My Parks Committee is working with Cincinnati Parks Operations to support Burnet Woods trail maintenance, plant and maintain flower beds in Mt. Storm and Dunore Parks, and engage the new parks’ director to ensure that Clifton parks get necessary attention and support.

I’m involved in “green” efforts in our business district and neighborhood, and I will continue my efforts to showcase and celebrate the diversity of Clifton.

If re-elected, I will continue my quest to do as much good as possible for Clifton.

Gina Marsh

I am running as trustee for Clifton Town Meeting because I would like to help maximize efforts to enhance our business district, and to ensure these improvements respect the unique character of Clifton and allow for meaningful engagement from residents. I believe that implementing additional recommendations from the Ludlow 21 report will ensure our business district remains one of the best in the city. The success of the Clifton Market is important to that vision.

My professional experience includes over 10 years working for the City of Cincinnati, serving as an attorney for multiple city departments and leading a city council office. I currently serve as the executive director for a nonprofit. I would like to use my experience and knowledge to improve CTM’s collaborations with city departments, and to ensure we have strong relationships with city officials.

My family and I have lived in Clifton for 12 years. During that time, I have served as a CTM trustee and participated in groups focused on improving our business district such as Ludlow 21. If elected, I will be a strong, collaborative, and enthusiastic leader on CTM who is focused on ensuring our neighborhood remains progressive and attractive to new families.

Shaun McCance

I have served the last three years as a CTM trustee. For the last two years, I have served as treasurer and improved our accounting practices. As a trustee, I’ve helped organize events such as the Memorial Day Picnic and Holidays on Ludlow. I’ve been active in Clifton outside of CTM as well. I was one of the founding organizers of Clifton Market, and I spearheaded the creation of Ludloween.

Professionally, I help build contributor communities around open source software. I have served four terms on the board of directors for a nonprofit organization dedicated to software freedom and digital rights, including one term as president and two as treasurer. I have extensive experience building volunteer communities and coordinating events.

I love Clifton because it is friendly, walkable and full of passionate people. I believe CTM should invest more money and effort into improving our local and family-friendly business district to keep up with Cincinnati’s urban renewal.

Vince Metzger

Hello, my name is Vince Metzger, and I’d like to be your CTM Trustee. My wife and I moved to Clifton three years ago and have two sons who were born in Clifton. While relatively new to Clifton we love living here—the neighborhood feel, walkability and the business district.

I grew up in Fairfax and have lived almost all of my life in Greater Cincinnati, and local issues have always been an interest of mine. I have been involved in local issues since I was in my teens, volunteering on the local fire department and working countless hours
on fundraisers.

More recently, I have worked as an emergency room physician at TriHealth, mostly at Good Samaritan, for the past 10 years. As a member of my group’s board we have addressed how to adapt to the ever-changing environment of health care and still focus on
what we believe in.

Clifton is undergoing a lot of changes right now; helping us keep our identity while adapting to change is what I hope to do as a trustee.

Micah Ovadia

I have proudly called Clifton my home during several periods of my life, and have enjoyed the unique character and vibrancy for which the area is known. When it came time to establish my business, The Whole Bowl Cincinnati, I specifically targeted Clifton as my location of choice.

The community has been very welcoming to my establishment, and now I would like to give back. As a Clifton business owner, I have a keen interest in issues that affect the well-being of our community. Given the opportunity to serve as a CTM Trustee, I will be placed in a unique position to contribute to the management of these issues.

My bachelor’s degree in Visual Communications and master’s degree in Public Relations affords me the opportunity to help advance community engagement initiatives, as well as contribute in areas of marketing and advertising. My background in Web design and development would prove useful in our digital arena.

I’ve held Web Designer/Developer positions at Cardinal Solutions, University of Cincinnati, Miami University, Cincinnati.com and Time Warner Cable, and was employed in The Cincinnati Enquirer marketing department.

It would be both an honor and a privilege to serve as a CTM Trustee.

Jonny Shen

I became a Clifton resident this summer, and I feel lucky, because it’s my favorite place. I grew up moving between central Ohio, Southern Russia, northern Indiana, and Philadelphia. But silly as it may sound, I always had a dream to move to Cincinnati. In 2015, after finishing college in Philadelphia, I made my dream a reality. I first discovered Clifton because I had an interest in the Esquire Theatre. Two and a half years later, I’m now very happy to be a Clifton resident and to be entering my second year as General Manager at the Esquire (after a year and a half of part- time Esquire work while I was employed downtown at the Kroger HQ).

In my role at the Esquire, I’ve enjoyed becoming acquainted with the top-notch community members, organizers and business owners, who make up this neighborhood. I believe that Clifton has a natural charm and character to it that other neighborhoods have to bend over backwards to try to manufacture. There’s a beauty, a simplicity, and a richness to Clifton. I’m enthusiastic about this neighborhood, and I’m excited to invest energy into it as I continue to get to know it better.

Kevin Marsh Announcements

Bios for CTM Trustee Candidates – 2016 Election

Below are the bios for candidates running for CTM Trustee at the upcoming elections on Monday, December 5 from 6-7pm. Elections will be held at the Clifton Recreation Center on the 2nd floor in the large meeting room. The Rec Center is universally accessible to all. Take the elevator or the stairs to the 2nd floor.

Christine Celsor

Christine Celsor is an urban planner, an artist and mother of two young daughters. She works for the University of Cincinnati’s Department of Planning + Design + Construction and has over 10 years of professional planning experience. She holds a Master of Community Planning from UC as well as a Master of Arts in Art History from Indiana University. Her urban planning experience includes:
• Reviewing new residential and commercial developments for consistency with city and county plans, zoning regulations and design guidelines
• Transportation planning, with a focus on multi-modal transportation options including bike, pedestrian and transit infrastructure
• Working with planners from the City of Cincinnati and neighborhood groups in CUF and Corryville to develop an implementation plan for improving safety, quality of life and transportation options, and to guide new development
• Promoting multi-cultural/ethnic relationships by organizing “Dinner in the Park” with the Cincinnati Human Relations Commission and giving a presentation at UC’s Diversity and Inclusion Conference
• Using Geographic Information Systems software for analysis and map design
• Volunteer work as a Precinct Executive for the Hamilton County Central Democratic Committee.

Brad Hawse

I have lived in Clifton with my fiance, Ryan, for three years and we have loved every minute of it! I have been involved in our Clifton community since we first moved in. Whether helping to activate our public spaces with live music, movies and beverages on “Big Nights” for the last two years as a founding member of Ludlow21, helping the Honeysuckle Hit Squad in Burnett Woods, or helping hang holiday decorations on Ludlow, I have a passion for serving my community to make it a fun, beautiful, safe place to live.
I graduated in 2009 with an Urban Planning degree from DAAP and have experience in fundraising, zoning, non-profits and leadership development. I hope to serve as a CTM trustee and assure that Clifton continues to be one of the premier neighborhoods in Cincinnati.

Adam E. Hyland

“It has been a great honor to serve Clifton as a CTM Trustee for the past three years. I am excited about the opportunity to continue this important work and to keep tackling the big issues that face our community. Clifton’s future is bright because our foundation is built on a strong legacy of community involvement. We are a vibrant community because the residents are willing to stand up and participant in defining our neighborhood’s future while respecting the history that makes it great.”
Adam has served two years as a CTM Vice President and three years as the Chair of the Housing & Zoning Committee. Additionally he serves on the Business, Website, and Transportation Committees. Adam is the founder and principal of EccaNova, Digital Strategic Advertising and the President of the Board for Clifton Market. He is a fourth generation resident of Clifton and lives on Loraine Avenue with his wife, Marta, and son, Henry.
Adam has a degree in Urban Planning from the University of Cincinnati, DAAP; he specializes in the areas of economic development, policy planning, zoning review and urban design. He studied at the Universiteit Van Amsterdam School of Geography and at the Harvard Business School.

Seth Maney

I became a Clifton resident this year after buying a home on Clifton Avenue near Greendale. When I started looking to purchase a house, Clifton was at the top of my list. Before moving to Clifton, I lived in Over-the-Rhine for four years and served as Vice President of the OTR Community Council for over three years. Professionally, I am the Vice President of OTR-based real estate development company Urban Sites and think my experience in development will make me an asset to the Clifton Town Meeting board. I am civic-minded and take a sincere interest in the health of our neighborhood. Clifton’s gas-lit, tree-lined streets, independent business district, beautiful homes and greenspaces, diverse population, strong schools, cultural amenities, and walkability are treasures that require keen stewardship. Despite its many strengths, Clifton is not without its challenges. Increasing competition from other neighborhoods means we must find new ways to improve the quality of life of our neighborhood and strengthen the existing assets that give Clifton its charm.
I am honored to call Clifton home and wish to contribute to its legacy as one of the best neighborhoods in the city to live, work, shop, eat, and raise a family.

Kevin Marsh

In this past three years as a trustee, I have served on the Nominating, Transportation, Public Safety, Website / Social Media, Education, Membership, and Business District committees. The last two years I have also served as secretary. I also help implement events such as the Memorial Day Parade/BBQ, CliftonFest, Neighborhood Games, and Holidays on Ludlow. If you are a subscriber to the CTM email list, you get an email from me 3-4 times a month with Clifton News and the monthly meeting agenda.
My family and I have lived in Clifton for 11 years, and we love its charm and diversity. We also own a rental property in Clifton. We are invested in the long-term success of all of Clifton—our parks, our walkable and diverse business district, and our strong sense of community.
If re-elected, I will continue working on safety, education and transportation issues in our neighborhood as well as improving communications. I will also continue to increase the transparency and effectiveness of CTM so that it can amplify the voice and concerns of all residents and business owners.

Jarrod Mohler

I have been a Clifton resident for 10 years, and I was previously a resident of Clifton Heights. My wife Sharon and I live on Wood Avenue with our two children, both of whom attend Fairview and have only known Clifton as home. We love living in Clifton because of its many amenities within walking distance, the friendliness of our neighbors, and the character of the neighborhood. I look forward to the opportunity to get more involved in the community.
In my professional life I am a partner at Robbins, Kelly, Patterson & Tucker, a law firm of 24 lawyers and 50 total employees located downtown. As a business owner and a professional advisor, I understand the issues that local businesses face. In addition to my leadership roles at my firm, I have been on the Board of Directors of Visionaries & Voices, a non-profit arts organization located in Northside, and I am an active member of several professional organizations. I believe the legal expertise I have acquired through 16 years of practice, and my community and charitable work, provides a unique and valuable foundation to address issues CTM faces and its constituents’ needs.

Joyce Rich

I come again to ask for your vote. For those of you who do not know me, I can tell you that I am a long time resident of Clifton, a dog, food and wine lover, a retiree with salt and pepper hair and a woman who wants Clifton to thrive.
My trusteeship with Clifton Town Meeting has helped to bring over $125,000 of grant money into our community. Physically, this money has resulted in new parking way-finding signs, including the large lighted parking pylon identifying the Merchants Lot and the colorful awnings with LED lighting on Telford. I have served two terms as Vice President of Clifton Town Meeting. Past and current projects that I have assisted with or led include: Façade Improvement Program, Bronze Plaques Remediation, Holidays on Ludlow, the CTM Golf Outing, Clifton Branding/Logo project, the Clifton House Tour, the Deer Ad Hoc Committee, Probasco Fountain Ad Hoc Committee, The Fundraising Committee, Business Committee and Events Committee. Please don’t stop me now. Vote for me, Joyce Rich.