Kevin Marsh Uncategorized

CTM Resolution to CPS Board of Education to Reserve Spaces for Clifton

CTM voted to pass the following resolution in late November 2015, and it was transmitted to the following parties by email on November 28:
Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) Board of Education
Superintendent of CPS Mary Ronan
Fairview-Clifton German Language School Local Decision Making Committee (LSDMC)
President of GEBAS at Fairview-Clifton German Language

November 28, 2015

RESOLUTION

A Resolution of Clifton Town Meeting (CTM) in requesting that the Cincinnati Public School Board of Education (CPS BOE) reserve spots for children living in the 45220 zip code in the event that the Fairview-Clifton German Language School expands its current location or obtains additional space in the former Clifton school building which is currently occupied by the Clifton Cultural Arts Center.

Whereas, the Cincinnati neighborhood of Clifton has a population of 8,500; and
Whereas, the children living in Clifton do not have a neighborhood school within their neighborhood; and
Whereas, the assigned neighborhood school is rated as failing and thus inhibits Clifton’s ability to attract and retain young families; and
Whereas, an expansion of Fairview-Clifton German Language School would create new openings and thus not decreasing the current number of openings for city wide students; and
Whereas, Cincinnati Public Schools has set a precedent with the Hyde Park School for a magnet-neighborhood merged school; now, therefore

Be it resolved:

1)CTM requests that any future expansion of the Fairview-Clifton German Language School include reserved Kindergarten spots for children living in the 45220 zip code.

2)CTM requests that Cincinnati Public Schools provide CTM with the enrollment data for children living in the 45220 zip code. Specifically; how many children enrolled and the corresponding data on school placement versus preference.

3)CTM requests that an Assistant Superintendent be assigned to work with CTM in order to help facilitate input towards achieving equitable short and long term solutions.

Kevin Marsh Uncategorized

Decorating Ludlow for the Holidays

Under the direction of the CTM Beautification Committee, several volunteers decorated Ludlow Avenue light poles with lighting, pine roping, and ribbons on Sat, Nov 21, 2015.  Adam Balz is the Chairperson of the committee, and he is the steadfast organizer of this event (from getting supplies to providing training).  CTM is grateful for the following people who donated their time and energy to this effort:  Peggy Spohr; Paul Buckley; Ken, Ashley, & Carter Fritz; Gerald & Jan Checco; Eric, Stella & Mary Urbas.

Below are some pictures that Ashley Fritz took of the event. We’re happy to post any pictures you have of the event here also. Email them to us.

Kevin Marsh Uncategorized

2015 Membership Drive

Clifton Town Meeting is your local community council. CTM sponsors many activities and festivals throughout the year for our community including: Memorial Day Parade & Cookout, Lantern Walk, CliftonFest, the House Tour, Golf Outing, Holidays on Ludlow and more. We provide funding for beautification projects such as the new flower pots on Ludlow Avenue and Holiday decorations on Ludlow Avenue. We provide communications including community email Clifton News, website and the Clifton Chronicle. We partner with the Clifton Business and Professional Association (CBPA) to keep the Clifton Plaza operating.

In addition to these great things, we also advocate on behalf of the Clifton community. Issues we have promoted in the past year include the return of a local grocery store, renovation of the Probasco Fountain, more programming at the Clifton Plaza, restarting CTM efforts on Public Safety & Parks, creating Transportation & Education Committees to focus more on these areas, creating a more active and useful Community website, and engaging more in social media on Facebook and Twitter to promote CTM produced and sponsored events.

To support our important community work, we need your generous support. Membership dues are tax deductible and make up the second largest source of income for CTM. Starting or renewing your membership will help us keep Clifton a vibrant, desirable, and fun place to live, work, and play. You can click here to renew online.

If you wish, you can also use this Membership Form to do a mail in membership renewal.

Thank you for your support.
CTM Membership Committee

Kevin Marsh Announcements, Uncategorized

CTM Proposed Bylaws Changes

CTM Trustees formed an ad-hoc Bylaws Review Committee during the October meeting this year. Various bylaws topics were set for review. During the November CTM meeting, three bylaws changes were proposed and the Trustees voted to put these changes before the membership at the December 7, 2015 meeting. All CTM members who have paid their dues for 2015 are eligible to vote on these changes.  The CTM Bylaws may be amended by a vote of two-thirds of the members present and voting provided the amendments have been introduced in writing at a previous CTM meeting and proper notice has been given.

This post summarizes the changes being proposed. The actual language is linked below at the very end. If you have feedback on these changes, feel free to email Trustees.

Click here to read the current CTM Bylaws as revised by the membership during 2010.

Officer Succession

Current bylaws language is not clear on how the President is succeeded if s/he resigns. Trustees encountered this issue during September. This proposed bylaws change creates a very clear succession plan for President and Vice President by ensuring the Vice Presidents are elected with new titles: 1st Vice President and 2nd Vice President. The 1st Vice President shall succeed the President. The 2nd Vice President shall succeed the 1st Vice President. In addition, the proposed bylaws changes make it mandatory to immediately replace the Treasurer or Secretary position should a Trustee resign either position.

Five Trustee Election Cycle

Current bylaws language does not advise on how to ensure that 5 Trustees are elected each year. The CTM Board is comprised of 15 Trustees.  To have a good balance of veteran and new Trustees, there should be 5 elected each year for full 3 year terms. This balance provides for a more effective Board. This proposed bylaws change create language to ensure that this cycle is preserved when there are more than 5 positions open for election by providing for less than 3 year terms to Trustees who are elected with lowest vote counts.

Nominating Committee Formation and Report

Current bylaws language does not set a deadline on when the Nominating Committee must fully form. The language also has no details on what the Committee’s required report to the Board must contain. If the Nominating Committee is formed too late in the year, it will not have time to properly perform it’s work of finding candidates and preparing for the Fall election of Trustees. This proposed bylaws change sets the August CTM meeting as the latest formation date. The current Board feels that the required Nominating Committee report should have some minimum acceptable standards and details. This proposed bylaws change provides for specific report requirements. This creates a minimum standard for future Nominating Committees to meet.

Proposed Bylaws Language Files

In each of the pdf files linked below, the existing bylaws language is shown first, and the proposed changes for member approval are shown afterwards.  We urge you to read these changes carefully.  If you have feedback on these changes, feel free to email Trustees.

ARTICLE V – Paragraph 2

ARTICLE VI

ARTICLE VIII – Paragraph 1 and 2

 

Kevin Marsh Uncategorized

Call for NSP Project Suggestions

Every year, CTM receives money from the City as part of the Neighborhood Support Program (NSP) for directed project(s). For the current City fiscal year July 2015 – June 2016, we will receive $6,800. In order to select the projects, we hold a vote of all residents who attend the meeting. You do not have to be a member of CTM to vote on NSP projects. We will vote at the December membership meeting, Monday, December 7.

We need project suggestions from you now so that we can publicize them before the December vote. There are a guidelines for what cannot qualify. Ineligible activities and expenses include:

  • Direct social services such as emergency food and housing assistance.
  • Routine operating expenses of the Community Council such as rent, utilities, building maintenance, repair, and equipment rental, except for Community Council expenses of a Community Council phone service and post office box not to exceed $1000 per contract year.
  • The purchase of office supplies to support the ongoing operations of the Community Council.
  • Food expense, with the exception of fund raising resale purposes, limited to $1,500 per contract year.
  • Entertainment, other than events widely promoted for general attendance by the residents of the community.
  • Hiring an NSP Manager.
  • NSP compensation for Project Coordinators and other contractors for performing routine office duties or conducting activities unrelated to those of the Community Council.
  • Direct cash awards to individuals or groups
  • A Community Council using NSP funds to purchase advertising that appears in its own NSP subsidized publications.
  • Activities that duplicate government services which are currently available within the neighborhood.
  • Hiring of Community Council officers or their immediate family members, with the exception of minor children who may not earn more than $500 per year from NSP employment.
  • Use of NSP funds to endorse or promote political candidates.
  • Activities that fail to serve any public purpose.

Everything else is a possibility!

Now is your chance to suggest something. The more details (what, when, cost details) you put into your suggestion, the more likely voters will understand it…and then possibly vote for it. An absolute must is that we can implement the project and finish spending before end of June 2016; otherwise, we lose the money. Send your suggestions to us here. We will publicize the project suggestions just before Thanksgiving holidays. Our hope is that anyone making a project suggestion will come to the December meeting to answer any questions before everyone votes.

You can read more about the City’s NSP program here.