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Kevin Marsh Announcements

Bios for CTM Trustee Candidates

Below are the bios for candidates running for CTM Trustee at the upcoming elections on Monday, December 7 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.

Adam Balz

Adam Balz is a native Cincinnatian and a Clifton resident since 2006. He lives on Woolper Avenue with his wife, Michelle, and two children, Benjamin and Emily. Adam has been an active volunteer with CTM—planting flowers, installing holiday decorations, and coordinating the Memorial Day grill out since moving to Clifton. Adam has been a trustee of Clifton Town Meeting since 2013. He has a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and a Master’s of Public Administration and is a partial owner of the environmental consulting firm Pegasus Technical Services.

Peter Block

I have been living in Clifton for about 12 years, married to Cathy Kramer, a long time resident. For most of my career I was an independent organizational consultant. In the last ten years I’ve worked with governments and communities on creating more citizen engagement. Author of nine books, two focused on building positive community and more connected neighborhoods.

I’m on the Board of Elementz, an Urban Arts Center, and served on Cincinnati Public Radio Board. I helped begin the Economics of Compassion Initiative which is supporting an alternative economy in the city. CTM matters and I would like to support it as trustee. All the issues of safety, zoning, events, the social fabric are important to me. My strongest interest is in the business district. Eleven empty storefronts are too many. We need to understand more fully why this is occurring and how we can co-operatively do something about this.

Ashley Fritz

I have lived in Clifton, on Middleton Avenue, for the past six years with my husband and our two sons. Clifton is a wonderful neighborhood for my family, and I really enjoy the walkability and friendliness of Clifton. However, I have the same concerns as many residents with regards to safety, education, and the continued revitalization of our business district. As a CTM trustee for the past three years, I have helped manage and edit the Clifton Chronicle and have helped organize numerous CTM sponsored events. For this year’s Clifton House Tour, I was the lead volunteer coordinator. I would like to continue my efforts with the Clifton Chronicle and CTM events, as well as collaborating with others in finding new ways to keep Clifton the best neighborhood in Cincinnati.

Erin Hinson

Erin Hinson is a young professional who has resided in Clifton since 2013. In that time, Clifton has become home to her and the place she desires to establish her roots. Erin Hinson is a proud alumni of Xavier University. She is passionate about soccer which has led her to a role as the St. Lawrence youth soccer coach in her spare time and the captain of an intramural soccer team.

When she’s not coaching or playing soccer, Erin has started several successful companies, including one where she works with small and local businesses to increase their online audience and brand. She also co-founded #UnlockCincinnati, a weekly blog for WCPO.com and a tourism-based marketing company centered around bringing awareness and traffic to the abundant local businesses in all of Cincinnati.

Malcolm Montgomery

What sets me apart from the other candidates? Passion and experience!

I would bring to CTM my passion for protecting and enhancing Clifton, my track record of accomplishments, and a seasoned perspective that will complement a Board that has many relatively new trustees.

I am one of a handful of Lifetime CTM Members. I care enough about protecting and enhancing Clifton as the best neighborhood in Cincinnati to have volunteered over a thousand hours for CTM activities. I served as a CTM Trustee twice, with one term starting in 1990 and a second in 2009. I’m proud of the many things I’ve accomplished in the last 25 years collaborating with others to deliver results for Clifton including the following:

– for our younger residents: completed soccer fields at Mount Storm
for beautification: funded landscaping for the recreation center
– for public safety: served as police liaison; funded hidden cameras to catch drug dealers on our side streets; collaborated on excessive traffic on side streets and enforcement of speed limits
– improving CTM meetings: provided and maintained audio visual system enabling the audience to hear speakers and see handouts and computer presentations
– Quality of life and enhancement of property values – chaired CTM housing and zoning committee, testified before 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

I have time to get things done. I am retired from UC and perform only occasional pro bono work in my educational technology consulting business.

Sean Mullaney

I am a lifelong Cincinnatian with brief stays in Chicago and Paris. My wife and I have lived in Clifton for 20 years and we have 2 children. My experience in design, business and real estate gives me a broad background to understand the big picture of our neighborhood. We are fortunate to have amazing parks, stunning architecture and a unique business district in Clifton. I would work to utilize and improve these assets to bring more people to live, work and play in Clifton Gaslight.

Cindy Oakenfull

I have been a Clifton resident for over ten years. My wife, Gillian, and I moved here when we were about to start our family. We chose Clifton as we wanted to raise our family in an open-minded dynamic urban environment that also provided the charm of an historic neighborhood. We now have three sons, Jack 9, Ben 6, and Danny 3. I love everything that Clifton has brought to our lives. My family feels connected to the community – its schools, its businesses, its parks, and its people.

Professionally, I’ve served in various management roles for Paramount Parks, Fifth Third Bank, and GE Capital. Each position provided me the opportunity to build distinct corporate business units within Operations, Sales and Marketing. After 16 rewarding years, I left corporate industry for academia, joining the faculty at Miami University’s Farmer School of Business, where Gillian is a marketing professor. In my short time at Miami, I have found a passion for preparing today’s students for the challenges of tomorrow’s workforce.

We care deeply about the future of this community as it stands at the core of my family’s experience. Recently, we have recognized our duty to participate in service roles within the community. Gillian has focused on education by serving on the Local School Decision Making Committee (LSDMC) at Fairview German Language School. In turn, I would like to devote my energy and expertise to the development and stewardship of our neighborhood by serving on Clifton Town Meeting Board.

Eric Urbas

CTM Trustee since Jan 2013
CTM President and Website Committee Chair
I have been a Clifton resident for over 8 years. My wife Michelle grew up in Clifton and has been a resident for most of her life. We have two children who know Clifton as their first and only home. We love living here because of the walk-ability, friendly people, and historic character of the neighborhood. It is a privilege working with and now leading this organization. I hope you will consider voting for me to a second term as Trustee. I will continue to focus on things that are positive for Clifton. I enjoy working with our community partners, business district, and the residents. I will also continue to improve the visibility of CTM and the community through the website and social media. Thank you for your consideration.

Seth Walsh

Seth T. Walsh moved to Clifton after graduating from Xavier University in 2013. He has since fallen in love with the walkable neighborhood and business district, and the friendly and welcoming community. This inspired him to co-found #UnlockCincinnati, a weekly blog for WCPO and a tourism-based marketing company to promote small business in Cincinnati, but also to start his career in community development, bringing the lively energy evident in Clifton to other neighborhoods.

Seth is the Executive Director of the Sedamsville Community Development Corporation, a tiny neighborhood just west of downtown, and is the Project Director/Associate Director for the Community Development Corporations Association of Greater Cincinnati (CDC Association). He proudly serves on the WCPO editorial board, the WCPO Community Advisory Board, is a board member for UpSpring, and is a founding member of the local Global Shapers chapter. In his spare time, Seth is working on completing a goal of reading one book on every U.S. President.

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.

Eric Urbas Uncategorized

Clifton Zoning Map Draft #2 Public Review 10/22/2015

There will be a review of the 2nd draft of the proposed Zoning Map for Clifton on October 22nd, 6:30PM at Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Clifton. Details for this event are in the calendar. This meeting and input received will support the creation of a letter from CTM as requested by the City Planning Department as part of the Zoning Map review process.

You can view a comparison of Clifton’s Proposed Zoning Map and the Current Zoning Map here.

You can view all the community proposed and existing zoning map comparisons here.

We encourage you to review the areas that interest you and provide input or concerns at the public meeting or directly to the city through the City Planning Department feedback form (at bottom of page) .

Kevin Marsh Uncategorized

Cincinnati Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired

Going through life with limited vision can be very challenging. The Cincinnati Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (CABVI) is ready to help with those challenges, bringing independence back into one’s life. CABVI is the only private, not-for-profit organization in our community that provides services to help improve the quality of life and independence for those with vision loss. Those services include, but are not limited to, rehabilitation, providing employment and access to technology. Their certified instructors work with young children all the way to elderly adults and are committed to helping them find a comfortable, independent lifestyle that works.

The African American community is more prone to vision loss due to our high rates in diseases like diabetes, cataracts and sickle cell anemia when left untreated. Macular degeneration and glaucoma are other eye conditions that are commonly found in seniors and can lead to blindness. In 2012, the National Federation of the Blind reported that African Americans make up 2.9% (1,117,000) of the vision loss community, holding the second leading spot for ethnicities.

CABVI encourages people who are experiencing sight loss to seek help through one of their many services. Regular eye exams are important and can help with early detection of the mentioned diseases plus heart disease and strokes. Services are based on ability to pay, and other funding is available.

Today CABVI helps nearly 5000 people each year through all services. Vision aids and special computer training help clients live active lives. CABVI also makes news and information accessible through its Radio Reading Services with around-the-clock broadcasts and Personalized Talking Print voice mailsystem.

For more information on how the CABVI can help you or a loved one, contact them at 513-221-8558 or www.cincyblind.org.

Eric Urbas Uncategorized

CTM Education Committee – Special Meeting October 7th at 7PM.

Clifton town meeting is hosting a special meeting to discuss recents changes to the magnet school enrollment process which will affect all Clifton residents is some way. The meeting will take place October 7th at 7PM in the Clifton Recreation Center, 320 McAlpin Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45220.You may have also received a mailing about the meeting. The contact person from CTM for the meeting is Nicholas Hollan.

Link to Clifton Community Calendar Event

Facebook Event Link