As the Ohio General Assembly prepares for its next session, the Ohio Municipal League is in the process of reviewing each of the bills under consideration as well as making recommendations for new legislation.
At the Ohio Municipal League's last meeting we were charged with presenting ten recommendations for possible legislative action. As reported in the "Portsmouth Daily Times," one of my recommendations was the passage of House Bill 346, sponsored by Rep. Kenny Yuko (D-7th District). The bill proposes amendments to sections of the Ohio Revised Code to provide disability benefits to a firefighter, police officer, or public emergency medical services worker who is disabled as a result of specified types of cancer, or certain contagious or infectious diseases incurred while performing official duties. I would like to see more emphasis on vision and hearing loss added to the bill, especially as it pertains to total hearing or vision loss.
HB346 is a good bill in its current form but I believe the addition of vision and hearing benefits would strengthen the bill's impact for first responders. I believe it to be a critical piece of legislation.
I would like to mention the other nine recommendations I made to the Ohio Municipal League for consideration:
1. More protection for collective bargaining rights for state, county and municipal employees.
2. Restrict state control over local income tax collection.
3. Prohibit the suspension of retirement benefits in a public retirement system to a retiree who returns to public employment.
4. Endorement of HB346
5. To allow only one recall election per county, city or municipality within two calendar years.
6. (Currently proposed in SB193) (SEITZ B) To require scrap metal dealers to take and keep as part of the sales record a photograph of each person selling or giving an article to the dealer.
7. Permit villages and townships authority to establish sales tax for their areas
8. Permit landlords to evict tenants for two successive months on nonpayment of rent after three certified letters without court hearing.
9. Eliminate student-performance requirements as a condition for teacher pay increasess.
10. Establish mandatory hazard pay schedule for state, county and village service workers.
Mike Payton
6-26-2012
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Thursday, June 21, 2012
LOCALLY OWNED BUSINESSES DOING WELL IN NEW BOSTON
One of the charms of small towns is various local businesses and shops seen on the streets.
In New Boston we have been blessed with several local businesses over the years and many are still here and thriving.
Blackburn's Food, Fuel and Pharmacy, The Shake Shop, Hickies Hamburger Inn, Shawnee Computers, Franks, City Limits and Lock Stock & Barrel Gun Shop are among the locally-owned busineeses that have been in New Boston for years and have done very well.
I wanted to take time to thank all the locally-owned businesses that have graced our village over the years and worked hard to not only stay here but help our community grow.
Small businesses are struggling across the United States. Each night on the evening news you hear statistics on the closing of more and more small businesses. I like to think that here in New Boston we try hard to help our local merchants, whether financially, where possible, and also by being available to answer questions and work out problems that may arise.
Again, thanks to all local business owners in New Boston and we welcome more small businesses to our great village.
Mike Payton
6-21-2012
In New Boston we have been blessed with several local businesses over the years and many are still here and thriving.
Blackburn's Food, Fuel and Pharmacy, The Shake Shop, Hickies Hamburger Inn, Shawnee Computers, Franks, City Limits and Lock Stock & Barrel Gun Shop are among the locally-owned busineeses that have been in New Boston for years and have done very well.
I wanted to take time to thank all the locally-owned businesses that have graced our village over the years and worked hard to not only stay here but help our community grow.
Small businesses are struggling across the United States. Each night on the evening news you hear statistics on the closing of more and more small businesses. I like to think that here in New Boston we try hard to help our local merchants, whether financially, where possible, and also by being available to answer questions and work out problems that may arise.
Again, thanks to all local business owners in New Boston and we welcome more small businesses to our great village.
Mike Payton
6-21-2012
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
NEW BOSTON COMMUNITY YARD SALE IS JUNE 2
The fourth annual New Boston Community Yard sale is going to be held Saturday, June 2.
Residents of the village are invited to participate in this free one-day event by hosting their own yard sale at their home or business in New Boston. A yard sale permit is not required.
New Boston resident Bryce Flowers came up with the idea to have the community sale back in 2009. He came before council, presented the idea, and the village also agreed not to require a permit on that particular day. So here we are in 2012 and the community event has been a major success each year since.
Food vendors and New Boston churches are also invited to participate in this event by setting up their own booths and concessions.
We are hoping everyone will still remember that the sale is community wide even though there is much road construction in the village. Just be careful but feel free to visit each street and area of the village as the sale is village wide.
Mike Payton
5-22-2012
Residents of the village are invited to participate in this free one-day event by hosting their own yard sale at their home or business in New Boston. A yard sale permit is not required.
New Boston resident Bryce Flowers came up with the idea to have the community sale back in 2009. He came before council, presented the idea, and the village also agreed not to require a permit on that particular day. So here we are in 2012 and the community event has been a major success each year since.
Food vendors and New Boston churches are also invited to participate in this event by setting up their own booths and concessions.
We are hoping everyone will still remember that the sale is community wide even though there is much road construction in the village. Just be careful but feel free to visit each street and area of the village as the sale is village wide.
Mike Payton
5-22-2012
Monday, May 7, 2012
NEWVILLE LITTLE LEAGUE GIVES GREAT HONOR TO BROTHER AND MYSELF
On Saturday afternoon, April 28, 2012, the Newville Little League gave my brother Jerry and myself the honor of being Grand Marshall's of the 2012 Newville Little League Parade.
Jerry and I started coaching in what was then New Boston Little League back in 1978. Since then a lot has happened, many great people have come and gone and the memories we have will last forever.
Wins and losses are always fun to talk about but the real stories over the years have involved the great friendships we have made with both the kids and the parents. We have had the pleasure of working with some fantastic young people ranging in ages from T-Ball (5-6 year olds) up to Senior League (13-16). Some of these people have moved away while others still live in the area and many coach either at Newville or elsewhere around the county. And yes, Jerry and I have coached some of their children as well.
There have been some great coaches come out of New Boston over the years. Unfortunately some are not with us today but we will always remember the good times we had coaching with and against them.
The New Boston community and the Sciotoville community combined little leagues about ten years ago, renaming the combined league "Newville." Jerry and I have coached, served on the board, umpired and shoveled dirt for both Newville and New Boston Little Leagues and would never ever trade a one day of it for anything.
Little League Baseball has always been a cornerstone of our community. Every current councilman and village official has either played, coached, or had children play in the New Boston/Newville Little League at one time or another. And very few children who have grown up in New Boston have not played at least one year in one division or another of the league.
For Jerry and me, its been the experience of a lifetime. We don't regret one second of it. We thank league president Brian Holbrook and the Newville Little League Board of Directors for the great honor they gave us. And we thank all the fantastic children that played baseball for us all those years. It has been a ride we will always cherish.
Mike Payton
4-29-2012
Jerry and I started coaching in what was then New Boston Little League back in 1978. Since then a lot has happened, many great people have come and gone and the memories we have will last forever.
Wins and losses are always fun to talk about but the real stories over the years have involved the great friendships we have made with both the kids and the parents. We have had the pleasure of working with some fantastic young people ranging in ages from T-Ball (5-6 year olds) up to Senior League (13-16). Some of these people have moved away while others still live in the area and many coach either at Newville or elsewhere around the county. And yes, Jerry and I have coached some of their children as well.
There have been some great coaches come out of New Boston over the years. Unfortunately some are not with us today but we will always remember the good times we had coaching with and against them.
The New Boston community and the Sciotoville community combined little leagues about ten years ago, renaming the combined league "Newville." Jerry and I have coached, served on the board, umpired and shoveled dirt for both Newville and New Boston Little Leagues and would never ever trade a one day of it for anything.
Little League Baseball has always been a cornerstone of our community. Every current councilman and village official has either played, coached, or had children play in the New Boston/Newville Little League at one time or another. And very few children who have grown up in New Boston have not played at least one year in one division or another of the league.
For Jerry and me, its been the experience of a lifetime. We don't regret one second of it. We thank league president Brian Holbrook and the Newville Little League Board of Directors for the great honor they gave us. And we thank all the fantastic children that played baseball for us all those years. It has been a ride we will always cherish.
Mike Payton
4-29-2012
Monday, April 9, 2012
EPA ASKS NEW BOSTON TO DEVELOP SEWER PLAN
During our council session April 3, 2012, representatives from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency spoke to us regarding development of a long-term sewer control plan.
Evidently the Ohio EPA began sending letters to the village in 2005 asking for a long-term sewer control plan that would divide the village's current combined sewer system into two separate lines, one sewer line and one storm water line. With no response from the village, the Ohio EPA turned the matter over to the U.S. EPA in 2007.
The chief concern seems to be the village's combined sewer overthrows (CSO), which is what occurs when too much water and sewage flow through the sewer lines. When that happens, the excess flow will bypass the two pump stations and dump into the river.
The EPA is also concerned about instances of overflows happening inside people's basements. According to Village Administrator Steve Hamilton, this occurs when the home's sanitary line is tapped into the storm line.
The Ohio EPA asked village council to begin thinking about its long-term control plan. The biggest challenge to this entire project will undoubtedly be funding. With limited funding available, the EPA discussed several options.
One option is the village try to renegotiate a 30-year signed agreement with Portsmouth whereby currently the village gets no money from revenues paid by village residents for sewage.
Another option discussed would be for the village to add its own additional charges onto the bill for New Boston customers. The EPA suggested that a 50-cent or one dollar fee would not create a large pot of money but would be a start.
Another option is metering the sewage as it enters or leaves the village and charging a fee to the City of Portsmouth for whatever the sewage and stormwater they send through the lines.
Yet another option is for the village to turn all sewer lines totally over to Portsmouth to maintain. This option to me is almost absurd as the City of Portsmouth is having trouble maintaining its own lines and adding our lines would be of no advantage.
A final option discussed was the village deciding to build its own treatment plant to serve the residents of New Boston. It could be the most expensive option overall as it has been virtually impossible to get any state or federal monies for infrastructure work in the village.
Over the next several weeks our council is going to have to move forward in establishing a long-term control plan. Various beginning goals, intermediary goals and finally long-term goals are going to have to be developed and implemented. Some of the goals are certainly going to revolve around funding.
Mike Payton
4-9-2012
Evidently the Ohio EPA began sending letters to the village in 2005 asking for a long-term sewer control plan that would divide the village's current combined sewer system into two separate lines, one sewer line and one storm water line. With no response from the village, the Ohio EPA turned the matter over to the U.S. EPA in 2007.
The chief concern seems to be the village's combined sewer overthrows (CSO), which is what occurs when too much water and sewage flow through the sewer lines. When that happens, the excess flow will bypass the two pump stations and dump into the river.
The EPA is also concerned about instances of overflows happening inside people's basements. According to Village Administrator Steve Hamilton, this occurs when the home's sanitary line is tapped into the storm line.
The Ohio EPA asked village council to begin thinking about its long-term control plan. The biggest challenge to this entire project will undoubtedly be funding. With limited funding available, the EPA discussed several options.
One option is the village try to renegotiate a 30-year signed agreement with Portsmouth whereby currently the village gets no money from revenues paid by village residents for sewage.
Another option discussed would be for the village to add its own additional charges onto the bill for New Boston customers. The EPA suggested that a 50-cent or one dollar fee would not create a large pot of money but would be a start.
Another option is metering the sewage as it enters or leaves the village and charging a fee to the City of Portsmouth for whatever the sewage and stormwater they send through the lines.
Yet another option is for the village to turn all sewer lines totally over to Portsmouth to maintain. This option to me is almost absurd as the City of Portsmouth is having trouble maintaining its own lines and adding our lines would be of no advantage.
A final option discussed was the village deciding to build its own treatment plant to serve the residents of New Boston. It could be the most expensive option overall as it has been virtually impossible to get any state or federal monies for infrastructure work in the village.
Over the next several weeks our council is going to have to move forward in establishing a long-term control plan. Various beginning goals, intermediary goals and finally long-term goals are going to have to be developed and implemented. Some of the goals are certainly going to revolve around funding.
Mike Payton
4-9-2012
Sunday, April 1, 2012
NEW BOSTON HAS GREAT CLEAN-UP DAY
This past weekend across New Boston students and residents pitched in to clean up the village with the year's first village-wide clean up day.
Large dumpsters were placed on the old Walmart parking lot in New Boston for village residents to drop off any trash or unwanted items. Hazardous or toxic materials were not accepted: this included refrigerators, batteries, televisions, gasoline containers or paint cans.
For those residents who were unable to bring their trash to the dumpsters, the village arranged to pick up whatever they could.
Volunteers from Walmart, Genesis, village council and village employees were walking through New Boston on Saturday picking up litter and trash in the streets and students from Glenwood High School's Honor Society and Student Council were also out picking up trash. Participating students also earned valuable community service points than can be applied toward their college scholarship applications.
Keeping New Boston clean is just another part of the great Tiger Pride our village exhibits every day. My thanks and congratulations to all who participated this year.
Mike Payton
4-1-2012
Large dumpsters were placed on the old Walmart parking lot in New Boston for village residents to drop off any trash or unwanted items. Hazardous or toxic materials were not accepted: this included refrigerators, batteries, televisions, gasoline containers or paint cans.
For those residents who were unable to bring their trash to the dumpsters, the village arranged to pick up whatever they could.
Volunteers from Walmart, Genesis, village council and village employees were walking through New Boston on Saturday picking up litter and trash in the streets and students from Glenwood High School's Honor Society and Student Council were also out picking up trash. Participating students also earned valuable community service points than can be applied toward their college scholarship applications.
Keeping New Boston clean is just another part of the great Tiger Pride our village exhibits every day. My thanks and congratulations to all who participated this year.
Mike Payton
4-1-2012
Sunday, February 19, 2012
LIGHTS OUT IN THE DEN REALLY A MOVING NIGHT FOR NEW BOSTON
This past Saturday evening, February 18,2012, an era ended in New Boston. The lights in the famed "Tiger Den" were turned out for the last time.
The school, which will be 97 years old this year, along with Oak and Stanton, are finally being replaced by a state of the art facility located on the old pool property by Lakeview Avenue and the stadium.
Tuesday evening was the girl's last home game and another moving event for New Boston alumni, but Saturday evening it was knowing this was the absolute "last" game made the buzz a little more intense.
As everyone knows I never attended Glenwood, Oak Street or Stanton. My wife and children did, and most likely my grandchildren will. But I have never been closer to a school and its people. I think the thing that has always impressed me about the feelings towards this school system is the remarkable close relationship of everyone. And that relationship seems to carry on after people graduate there.
Saturday started off with a Men's Fellowship Breakfast at the New Boston First Church of God. Former Glenwood Athletic Director and Head Basketball coach Steve Jenkins spoke not only about the school but the village as well. Then there was a great tailgate party on the Genesis Parking Lot and that was followed by the game.
It was great to be a part of this truly historic day in our Village. At the end of the game, as I walked out of the gym, I knew it was over. The end of an era. But I also know that it is the beginning of a new era. I know that as those fantastic alumni which, over the last 97 years made "Tiger Pride" what it is today, the future alumni will rise the Tiger to a even higher level.
The people of New Boston put their children first agreeing to the new buildings. If you think about it, the people of this town 97 years ago, put their children first in creating Glenwood High School. So really the caring for our youth and our heritage is still strong. I guess we can say the celebration of the past is now giving way to the expectations of the future.
Mike Payton
2-19-2012
The school, which will be 97 years old this year, along with Oak and Stanton, are finally being replaced by a state of the art facility located on the old pool property by Lakeview Avenue and the stadium.
Tuesday evening was the girl's last home game and another moving event for New Boston alumni, but Saturday evening it was knowing this was the absolute "last" game made the buzz a little more intense.
As everyone knows I never attended Glenwood, Oak Street or Stanton. My wife and children did, and most likely my grandchildren will. But I have never been closer to a school and its people. I think the thing that has always impressed me about the feelings towards this school system is the remarkable close relationship of everyone. And that relationship seems to carry on after people graduate there.
Saturday started off with a Men's Fellowship Breakfast at the New Boston First Church of God. Former Glenwood Athletic Director and Head Basketball coach Steve Jenkins spoke not only about the school but the village as well. Then there was a great tailgate party on the Genesis Parking Lot and that was followed by the game.
It was great to be a part of this truly historic day in our Village. At the end of the game, as I walked out of the gym, I knew it was over. The end of an era. But I also know that it is the beginning of a new era. I know that as those fantastic alumni which, over the last 97 years made "Tiger Pride" what it is today, the future alumni will rise the Tiger to a even higher level.
The people of New Boston put their children first agreeing to the new buildings. If you think about it, the people of this town 97 years ago, put their children first in creating Glenwood High School. So really the caring for our youth and our heritage is still strong. I guess we can say the celebration of the past is now giving way to the expectations of the future.
Mike Payton
2-19-2012
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