Liberty Township's Fourth of July Festivities Saturday, July 4, 2009 Liberty Park Please join us in celebrating the 4th of July.  5K Run for Liberty - register online - brochure Saturday, July 4, 2009 Registration: 7:15 a.m. - 8:15 a.m. 5K Run: 8:30 a.m.          5K Walk: 8:35 a.m. Liberty Park 24th Annual Fourth of July Parade - registration form The route will be Lakota East High School, Wyandot Lane, Yankee Road to Liberty Park Approximately 1.6 miles. Please arrive at 9:00 a.m. at the Lakota East parking lot to form up.  Parade begins at 10:00 a.m.  Bicycle riders must wear helmets. Fourth of July Festival  11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Liberty Park - Enter the Apple Pie Contest    - 12:00 p.m. - Entry - please provide 1 pie    - 1:00 p.m. - Awards presentation - Become a Sponsor! - Rent a booth! COMMUNITY UPDATE 5K Run for Liberty - register online - brochure Saturday, July 4, 2009 Registration: 7:15 a.m. - 8:15 a.m. 5K Run: 8:30 a.m.          5K Walk: 8:35 a.m. Liberty Park Amateur Radio Field Day Saturday, June 27, 2009 at 8:00 a.m. through Sunday, June 28, 2009 at 8:00 p.m. Wilhelmina Park American Red Cross Babysitter's Training Camp - flyer 3 Summer Sessions Offered      June 22, 23, 24 - 9am-4pm      July 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 - 5:30pm-9pm      August 3, 4, 5 - 9am-4pm Red Cross Blue Ash Office - www.cincinnatiredcross.org Cost: $150 Gain the skills and confidence you need to be the best babysitter on the block!  The camp is fun and fast-paced with hands-on activities, exciting video, role-plays, and lively discussions. Welcome to Medicare - Own Your Future Learn about Medicare and long-term care planning at this free event. Thursday, July 9, 2009, 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Raymond Walters College, 9555 Plainfield Road, Blue Ash Welcome to Medicare is hosted by the Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program (OSHIIP), a division of the Ohio Department of Insurance.  The Council on Aging of Southwestern Ohio will be there with an Own Your Future information table.  Own Your Future is a campaign about planning long-term care and provides tools to help people within the process. Welcome to Medicare has: -Unbiased information and counseling from experts. -Information on benefits, supplement insurance, Medicare Advantage plans, and prescription drug coverage. -Advice on how planning can help prevent long-term care crises. For more information call the COA at (513) 721-1025 and ask for Community Resources and Information. Liberty Township Resident Chuck Holliday is leading several nature walks in Liberty Township Parks, please join us for the Holliday in the Park Series! -July 25 at 9:00 a.m. - Pond Walk: Bullfrogs, Dragonflies, & Blooms in Wetlands Park -Aug. 29 at 9:00 a.m. - Butterflies & Wildflowers in Cherokee Park -Sept. 26 at 10:00 a.m. - Walk in the Trees at Wetlands West -Oct. 29 at 5:30 p.m. - Fall: What Happened? in Cherokee Park -Dec. 19 at 8:30 a.m. - Bird County in Cherokee, Dudley Memorial, & Wetlands Be Prepared Ohio 2.0 - flyer Tuesday, September 22, 2009, 9:00 a.m. - 3:15 p.m. Sheraton Cincinnati North Hotel, 11320 Chester Road; Cincinnati, OH  45246 Learn how people with functional needs - seniors and people with disabilities - can prepare for emergencies at Be Prepared Ohio 2.0. BPO2.0 will bring together emergency responders, public health and social service agencies, people with functional needs, and their caregivers to share information and resources on how to prepare for emergencies that might affect our region. Admission is FREE for seniors, disabled persons, families, and caregivers.  CEUs are available for profesionals. Sponsored by Council on Aging of Southwestern Ohio and Emergency Preparedness Collaborative. License Plates & Drivers’ License When purchasing license plates, please mention you are a resident of Liberty Township.  The township receives $5 of the cost for plates for each vehicle you own.  These dollars are forwarded to us for use in repairing township roads.  If you simply mention Hamilton or Middletown as your place of residence, these funds go to repair their streets.   If you reside in Liberty Township and your zip code is either 45011 or 45044, please ask to have your city of residence changed on your driver's license at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.  The BMV has ruled that Liberty Township is acceptable and has notified all the Deputy Registrar offices in southwest Ohio. The Butler County Recycling Programs - flyer For more information contact the Butler County Solid Waste District at (513) 887-3653 or visit www.butlercountyrecycles.org. Computer & Television Drop Off The Solid Waste District will offer multiple days to recycle residential computer and electronic waste. What:     All computer and television systems When:    1st and 3rd Saturday - April, May, June, & August, 2009               2nd and 3rd Saturday - July & September, 2009 Hours:    9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Where:   1921 Fairgrove Avenue; Hamilton, OH  45011               (at the Butler Co. Engineer's Office near the fairgrounds) Limit:      5 computer systems and 2 televisions per household Please note:     This event is for residential computer and electronic waste.  Businesses should contact the District for resources to recycle computers & electronics. Household Hazardous Waste Drop Off Dispose of old paint, unused / unwanted prescription medications, fluorescent light bulbs, mercury thermometers, household & automotive batteries, automotive fluids, pesticides, and other hazardous items in a safe, environmentally acceptable manner. When:    Every Thursday, June 4, 2009 through September 24, 2009 Hours:    2:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Where:   Environmental Enterprises               10163 Cincinnati-Dayton Road               West Chester, OH  45241 Freon Appliances Collection Butler County provides residents with a curbside "on-demand" freon appliance collection program at no charge. Service collection days are Mondays and Wednesdays, from April to September.  Recycle your used refrigerator, freezer, air conditioner, or dehumidifier by calling Unwanted Appliances at (888) 886-9268 to schedule a pick up. Unwanted Appliances provides certified freon technicians to remove the Freon from your appliance.  Freon appliances must be placed at the curb or on a driveway for removal. Please note: There is a limit of two "like" appliances per household.  For example, no more than two refrigerators, two freezers, or two air conditioners will be collected.  Appliances must be free of food, with all containers empty. Ohio's Child Passenger Safety Law Has Changed - flyer  Effective October 7, 2009 (see flyer for distinctions) -Every child under 8 years old must ride in a booster seat or other appropriate child safety seat unless the child is 4'9" or taller. -Every child from 8 to 15 years olds who is not secured in a car seat must be secured in the vehicle's seat belt. Protect you children as they ride!  The back seat is the safest.  Children under 13 years old should ride in the back seat. Ohio's Child Passenger Safety Law is defined in Ohio Revised Code 4511.81. Duke Energy Ohio Implements Pilot Program for Low-Income Gas Customers December 1, 2008 Press Release Duke Energy Ohio announced that it is implementing a new pilot program for eligible low-income natural gas customers to help them conserve while saving money on the cost of natural gas. The program in available to customers who are at or below 175% of the federal poverty guideline, are not enrolled in the Percentage of Income Payment Plan, and who use less than 900ccf of natural gas annually.  The first 10,000 natural gas customers to enroll will receive a monthly credit of $4 to partially offset increases in the monthly fixed charges for natural gas service approved in May 2008 by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. Customers meeting the above criteria who have participated in the Home Energy Assistance Program in the past 12 months have been automatically enrolled in the pilot program and notified by letter.  Other eligible customers can enroll by completing a self-verification form that is available from the Duke Energy Website, Duke's customer service office at 644 Linn Street in Cincinnati, local community action agencies, and People Working Cooperatively. “Although we reduced our usage-based charges to offset higher fixed charges, we understand that low-income, low-use customers are experiencing a burden from this change,” said Julie Janson, president of Duke Energery Ohio.  “This program helps lighten the impact while encourage these customers to continue their conservation efforts.” Duke Energy Ohio will evaluate the pilot program after the first year and will consult with parties in the natural gas rate proceeding to determine whether to exend the progam. Duke Energy's Ohio operations deliver electricity to approximately 690,000 electric customers and natural gas service to approximately 425,000 customers. Duke Energy, one of the largest electric power companies in the United States, supplies and delivers electricity to approximately 4 million U.S. customers and natural gas service to approximately 520,000 customers in its regulated jurisdictions.  The company has approximately 35,000 net megawatts of electric generating capacity in the Midwest and the Carolinas, and natural gas distribution services in Ohio and Kentucky.  In addition, Duke Energy has more than 4,000 net megawatts of electric generation in Latin America, and is a joint-venture partner in a U.S. real estate company. Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is a Fortune 500 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK.  More information about the company is available on the internet at:  www.duke-energy.com.  Applications Are Now Available For Seniors Needing Heating Bill Help For elderly people living on small, fixed incomes, high energy prices are a frightening prospect as we head towards cold weather.   Council on Aging of Southwestern Ohio (COA) can help.   We receive federal funds from the Home Energy Assistance Program – HEAP for short – that are designed to help low-income Ohioans pay their home heating bills. Last year, COA and area senior centers provided information or assistance with HEAP applications to more than 750 older and disabled adults.   Here are details of the program: § Applications are available from Council on Aging and may be submitted anytime from now through April 30, 2009. § Assistance is available through COA for residents of Butler, Clermont, Clinton, Hamilton and Warren counties. § To receive an application, call the numbers below, depending on where you live: Butler County : Hamilton – (513) 867-1998 Middletown – (513) 217- 2481 Clermont County : (513) 732-2277 (select option 3) Clinton County : (937) 382-1234 Hamilton County : (513) 345-8643 Warren County : (513) 695-2283 § Assistance is available only to adults with low incomes.   For example, individuals may qualify with annual incomes of up to $18,200, or couples with annual incomes of up to $24,500. § In-home help with completing an application is available for those who are homebound and disabled. § For more information, call 1-800-282-0880.   TDD line for hearing impaired clients, call 1-800-686-1557. Please review the attached information on Carbon Monoxide Gas Poisoning.  Looking for available property in LibertyTownship?  The Economic Development portion of our web site is being updated to include information on available buildings and land for commercial development in LibertyTownship. If you are looking for available property for development, check it out – it’s a great starting point. If you have commercial land or an existing building that you want the township to help market, contact cmckinney@liberty-township.com to get more information.                                          Liberty Township Historical Society                                                          2007 Fundraising                                                   The Hughes School House Built in 1887 on the site of a previous schoolhouse, the Hughes School House is the only restored one room schoolhouse in Butler County, Ohio.  Located on Princeton Road in Liberty Township, the schoolhouse was used for grades 1-8 until the building of the current Liberty Elementary School in 1922.  Restored in 1976 by the Liberty Township Historical Society, the school has been placed on the National Register for Historic places. Hughes School Christmas Ornament: Colorful image mounted on 3.75" x 5" board with green string hangers.  The first in a planned series of ornaments of Liberty Township Landmark Buildings, by Barke Ornaments, Oxford, Ohio.  $10.00. Hughes School Note Cards: Pen and ink drawing on 4.25" x 5.5" white stock with envelopes.  From a pen and ink drawing by Thomas C. Huff based on an early 1900's photograph.  This image is the official logo for the Liberty Township Historical Society.  $5.00 for package of 6. Fill out this flyer and contact Caroline Huppi at (513) 779-8740or chuppi@cinci.rr.com. The Butler County Sheriff's Office wants to remind you not to leave valuables in your car.  There have been some laptops and other items stolen out of vehicles in Liberty Township.  Please keep your valuables with you or keep them out of sight (for example in your locked trunk).  Remember to lock your vehicles.  Please pull your vehicles in your garage or close to your house. Are You Following Open Burning Laws?  Grassroots Clippings, Nov. 2006 (excerpt) It is illegal to burn material ... in unincorporated areas between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. during March, April, May, October, and November (an Ohio Department of Natural Resources requirement to prevent spring and fall wildfires). Brush, tree trimmings, and leaves may be burned only on the property where they originated... Garbage (food waste), dead animals, and materials containing rubber, grease, or petroleum (such as tires and plastics) cannot be burned anywhere. Questions concerning Ohio's open burning laws should be directed to the Division of Air Pollution Control in Ohio's EPA Office at (614) 644-3469.  Ohio EPA's burning regulations are also available online at www.epa.state.oh.us/dapc/general/openburning.html. The Liberty Township Board of Trustees passed a solicitation resolution (Resolution 2006-046) pursuant to O.R.C. §505.94on Monday, April 17, 2006 subject to the following conditions: 1.       Each transient vendor, as defined in O.R.C. §505.94(B)(2), shall register with        LibertyTownship using the attached form.   Each salesperson will receive a        Registered Solicitor Badge and copy of the application form.   2.       The application fee is $50.00 for one individual with a $5.00 fee per additional        salesperson affiliated with the same organization.   3.       The registration will be valid for ninety-calendar days after the date the             registration is completed. 4.       The permitted hours of solicitation are between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. 5.       Each salesperson must wear the Registered Solicitor Badge where it can be seen        and carry a copy of the application form upon his or her person while soliciting.   If        asked by a resident or Butler County Sheriff’s Office deputy, the salesperson must        present the badge and form. 6.       Whoever violates this resolution, will be guilty of a minor misdemeanor as set forth        in O.R.C. § 505.99. This resolution does not replace requirements needed by the Butler County Sheriff’s Office or any other governmental entity. For road closings and other traffic information, please visit our Traffic Advisory page.      PUBLIC NOTICES Click here for information on Zoning Hearings. Air quality complaints?   Call (513) 946-7777or click onthe website of Hamilton County's Department of Environmental Services, contracted by Butler County to provide services to its residents related to air quality. Concerned about the levels of mold and pollen in the air? Hamilton County Department of Environmental Services' mold and pollen hotline is updated every two hours.  Call (513) 946-7753. ODOT RELEASES LONG-RANGE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN.  Click here for more information.