President-Elect Sofie Ameloot welcomed everyone to the Centerville Rotary Club and led reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance. PDG Harvey Smith provided the prayer.
Today’s quote: "The greatest danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim to low, and achieving our mark.“ Michelangelo
Announcements:
- Good to see Dick & Marilyn Hoback, Sivaji Subramaniam, and Bob Daley back at the meeting today!
- Thanks to greeters Dale Berry and Raj Grandi.
- Welcome to our guests, Gina Smith’s parents, Linda & Ed; Dick Hoback’s wife and PHF, Marilyn.
- Thanks to the helpers at the Library/Astronomy without Borders service day. 3,000+ eclipse glasses were sorted and packaged.
- Highway cleanup is postponed due to the heat
- Board meeting Monday, June 24, 5:30 pm at Adam’s house, 1236 Berna Lane, Dayton, OH 45429
- Need volunteers for Americana booth on July 4. Let Sofie know if you can help. Ordered fans and pens with Rotary logo to use as handouts.
- Brian Hayes announced the end of month is coming so pay your bill as another one will be out soon.
- Our yearly social event at Sueńo will be on August 29, 5:30 pm for wine, appetizers, and good times!
- Looking for someone to host a pot luck dinner at your home. Let Sofie know if you are interested.
- Lee Hieronymus has the maximum 7 people to ride on the firetruck for the Americana Parade! Be at the City Building lower parking lot at 9:30-9:45 am to load up on the firetruck on July 4.
Happy Bucks this month will go to Dear Dinah, who provides a safe place for survivors of human trafficking and helps raise awareness by connecting a community of people who are devoted to protecting and empowering the Dinah's of the world.
Brian Hayes was our Sergeant at Arms with assistance by Ron Hollenbeck.
Happy Bucks were generously given for:
- Brian Hayes has a new daughter-in-law and feels sorry for her as she is now married to his son.
- Amy Hary was happy.
- Gina Smith has two family members in the Best of Dayton contest! Husband Arron’s business, Star City is nominated as the best place to buy paint, and her daughter, Hadley as best bartender (Club Oceana). Vote for them if you’re so inclined!
- Lee Hieronymus shared a story about a 15 year old New Richmond girl who caught a record blue catfish - 101 pounds! The fish was released back into the creek.
- Jim Harris enjoyed seeing a video from his grandson of his great grandson taking his first steps.
- Carol Kennard for a great visit with her son’s family in Philly and mom in State College, PA last week, and thanked Ron Hollenbeck for taking notes at last week’s meeting for her.
- Harvey Smith for Bob, Dick, Marilyn, & Sivaji being here today.
- Socks Bowersocks announced his daughter, Andrea had surgery for a broken right clavicle and is doing fine.
- Chuck King was happy.
- Dave Trout shared about two good PBS series: Dynamic Planet and Hope in the Water.
- Bob Fry was glad to see Sivaji here and his mom turned 100!
- Bob Daley was happy to live in Centerville.
- Boyd Preston said it was great to see Sivaji, Dick, Marilyn, and Bob, and thought last week we voted that Lee would share his wisdom once/month instead of weekly, but Lee said Boyd misunderstood.
- Dale Berry was happy to be here.
- Mark Febus for today as the longest day of the year, and also a cure Alzheimer’s celebration. His office turned purple this week.
- Pat Turnbull is happy for the Americana Festival in 2 weeks.
- Sivaji Subramaniam was happy to be back and see everyone. His granddaughter got a job in dental hygiene, and grandson will be starting at UD next fall.
- Gina Smith’s mom, Linda was glad to be here again, and shared her grandson is in a nascar race, and they are going to see him race in OH tomorrow.
- Wayne Davis for our guests and for the speaker today (HIM!)
- Tyler Rourke announced his son’s championship baseball game is tonight in the heat. They are excited to make it this far.
- Ron Hollenbeck said a snake took residence in front of his house, and when he wasn’t a successful snake charmer, he used “Snakes Away” instead.
- Brian Hayes was happy.
- Sofie Ameloot for Sivaji, Dick, Marilyn, and Bob being here. She had a good meeting with the CHS principal and is hopeful to reinvigorate the Interact Club.
- Kelly McDonald announced the Dayton Diaper Depot is doing Pints for a Cause at 5th Street Brew Pub tonight.
Our speaker today was Wayne Davis, City Manager for the City of Centerville.
Wayne Davis has been with Centerville since 2017. He has over 33 years experience in government following service in the Air Force.
Wayne share the State of the City video narrated by Mayor Brooks Compton.
Highlights include:
- Stubbs Park renovations
- New restaurants in Uptown and new parking
- Event center at Benham’s Grove
- Cornerstone Park used for events this year
- Music series at Graeters
Core services the City provides includes:
- Police department is nationally accredited
- Public Service including road improvements, levy supported
- Economic Development - KHN facility, Dots Market in Cross Pointe, New Mexican restaurant, new Outback, Cornerstone apartments, Treplus - 55+ community
- Electric aggregation program now in place to reduce electric costs for residents; gas aggregation is next.
Volunteer Centerville program had 8,802 volunteer hours contributed in 2023; give whatever you can.
Share ideas/suggestions - phone, email or stop by City Building
Uptown - Smitten is a new retail shop at 110 W Franklin St. Mudlick Tap House is moving here. Consistent with plan developed with public input. Working to get more parking in place. Significant investment by City but private investment was much more.
Stubbs $6.9 million investment; Adding tiers in amphitheater seating area, ADA improvements; Usability improved. Spring/summer 2025 completion timeframe. Outdoor Enterprises from Miami County is doing the work. The City received $800,000 in state Capital funding, and a $500,000 ODNR grant.
Yankee St./Social Row 7 acre redevelopment - working with Army Corps of Engineers to manage the water flow. Redirecting water and adding a concrete bridge over the stream so it’s ready for development. Purchased 108,000 in wetland credit, a requirement when development affects natural waterways.
Benham’s Grove is getting a new event center, along with house, cottage, and barn updates and additional parking. Event Center to meet needs of larger events as it will seat 150 people. Brumbaugh is general contractor. $6.5 million investment for all projects there. Projected completion date is spring/summer 2025. Catered meals only to give people ability to control cost of their event. Can rent out separate spaces or entire campus. Tent still there this summer but eventually will be taken down.
Yankee Trace improvements focus on enhancements to the driving range. The new structure is used for purchasing bucket of balls. Drainage improvements, practice facility updates. Music on west side and new putting range.
I-675/Wilmington Pike intersection needs updated. The City received $3 million state funding and $3 million from the ODOT TRAC fund to start engineering and studies to enhance the intersection. The next milestone is to complete an alternative evaluation plan, The City needs $750,000 local funding in order to access the $6 million. Zero support from Greene County or Montgomery County.
With Stubbs Park closed for renovations this summer, events have been moved to St Leonard, once/month. So far, they have had two successful events:
Party in Park 7,000 in attendance
Taylor Swift cover band, 6,500 in attendance
President-Elect Ameloot thanked Wayne for the information, led reciting of the 4-Way Test, and wished all a good week.
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