If you use Evenflo baby products, there’s a good chance that the parts for those products were manufactured right here in Carlisle at the Kittyhawk Molding Co., Inc. This Carlisle business began operations in October, 1997 when they purchased ten acres in the Carlisle Industrial Park and constructed a 20,500 square foot manufacturing plant. The company does injection molding to produce parts for a variety of customers including the automotive industry.

Dave Holmes, President of Kittyhawk Molding Co., Inc., says that business is good and the future even brighter for his new company. With twenty-five full-time and ten part-time employees, the plant runs three shifts five to six days a week. The business has plenty of room to expand at their location, and hope to do so within two years. City Manager Brad Townsend said, "Kittyhawk Molding Co., Inc. is exactly the type of quality business Carlisle wants to continue attracting to the community." He added, "Dave Holmes is the model entrepreneur and has shown a strong commitment to grow and prosper in Carlisle."

When asked why he chose to make Carlisle his business home, Mr. Holmes responded, "It was a combination of an ample and reliable labor force and the willingness of the Carlisle staff and village council to work with us which made this deal work in Carlisle."

Dave Holmes is not a new comer to Carlisle. Before starting Kittyhawk Molding, Co., Inc., he worked for five years with another Carlisle business, Eagle Molding Co.,. The latter company manufactures the steel molds which are used by Kittyhawk Molding Co., Inc. and other plastic injection companies to manufacture products. In fact, the two Carlisle companies maintain a very cooperative business relationship. Wilbur Wisecup, President and owner of Eagle Molding Co., is a part owner with Mr. Holmes in Kittyhawk Molding Co., Inc.

City Manager Townsend points out that Wilbur Wisecup is an accomplished entrepreneur in his own right, having developed the molds for state-of-the-art thermal imagers used in fire rescue, parts for the Mercedes Benz ML 320 automobile, and many other products which are used on a daily basis by industry and household consumers alike. Eagle Molding Co. recently completed its fourth expansion in thirteen years in Carlisle.

Last November the voters of Carlisle gave their overwhelming support for the appointment of a third party magistrate to conduct the Carlisle Mayor’s Court. Effective January 1, 1998, attorney Eddie Lawson, a partner with Kirby & Kirby Law Offices in Springboro, Ohio, was appointed by Mayor Pat Long to serve as Carlisle’s Magistrate in Mayor’s Court. As Carlisle’s Magistrate, Mr. Lawson is authorized by State law to hear misdemeanor cases concerning violation of the Carlisle traffic ordinances and other criminal code ordinances including first time DUI offenses. Cases are filed with the Municipality of Carlisle Magistrate either by the police officer involved in the case or by a private complaint, and the defendant is served by a summons to appear before the magistrate which meets every Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. in the Carlisle Municipal Building.

Mayor Long advocated having a magistrate for several reasons. He said, "By replacing the mayor with a magistrate, any possible conflict of interest between the executive and judicial branches of the Municipality of Carlisle is avoided." He added, "Another advantage is that the magistrate system gives us a court within Carlisle so that persons charged with offenses in Carlisle, most of whom are from Carlisle, can have their cases heard locally instead of having to travel to Lebanon. And, it provides a cost savings for the municipality by not requiring police officers to travel to courts in Lebanon with county wide jurisdiction and numerous cases."

In addition to Mr. Lawson’s broad legal experience, he is also familiar with municipal government having served three years as a council member in the City of Springboro. Mr. Lawson emphasizes that the Magistrate Court provides people the same fair trial and protection under the law as exists in any other court. Mr. Lawson stated, "The Magistrate Court is not to be used as a ‘club’ – its intent is to facilitate a fair trial for both the accused and the accuser." One safeguard of the magistrate system is that the defendant can choose to have his or her case held in another court of record and can appeal the decision of the Carlisle Magistrate, options which were not available under Mayor’s Court.

C. Ronald Hovell was hired as Carlisle’s new Director of Finance effective April 20, 1998. Mr. Hovell comes to the municipality with a stellar list of credentials spanning a thirty-seven year career in federal civil service. Ron began his civil service career in August 1958 after completing two years of active duty with the U.S. Navy. He worked as a budget analyst in the Directorate of Materiel Management, San Bernardino Air Materiel Area, Norton Air Force Base, California. In 1961 he transferred to the comptroller’s office in the Ballistic Systems Division of the newly formed Air Force Systems Command at Norton Air Force Base. Two years later he moved to a financial position in the Advanced Ballistic Re-entry System Program Office.

In 1965 Ron transferred to the F-111 System Program Office at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base where he served as a financial specialist and a branch chief in support cost estimating. In 1969 he was assigned as a senior financial officer in the B-1 System Program Office, and in 1971 he became the chief of the Financial Management Division.

In 1973, Ron was appointed as the director of programs and budget for the Aeronautical Systems Division at Wright-Patterson.

In 1971 he studied in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Alfred P. Sloan School of Management. In 1976, while at MIT, Mr. Hovell was promoted to deputy comptroller for the Aeronautical Systems Division. From 1978 through 1980, Ron was with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Headquarters in Washington D.C. as Director of Resource Management and Administration in the Office of Space Transportation Systems, and in 1981 he joined the Directorate of Budget, Headquarters, U.S. Air Force, Washington D.C., as chief of investment appropriations division.

Mr. Hovell’s academic credential are equally impressive. He attended San Bernardino Valley College and earned a Master of Science degree in Management as a Sloan Fellow from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1997. He is also a graduate of the Professional Military Comptrollers School and the Federal Executive Institute.

When asked why, after retiring from such a distinguished career in civil service, why he chose to return to government work, Ron replied, "Carlisle is a growing municipality, and I wanted to accept the challenge of helping to direct that growth in a positive manner." Ron is an avid golfer, but also enjoys the challenges of staying involved in the business world. In addition to his duties with Carlisle, he also does consulting work with the Science Applications International Corporation in the areas of contracting and financial management. He and his wife Linda have five grown children and live in Miami Township, Montgomery County.

The "talk of the town" seems to be the recent attempts by the City of Springboro to develop a well field at the Shupert Farm in the Municipality of Carlisle and to construct water lines from this site in Carlisle to the Springboro treatment plant along Pennroyal Road and to the Springboro water tower along I-75. In an attempt to separate fact from fiction, I am using the Mayor’s column to address this rather complex issue.

First, the City of Springboro, through an agent, did acquire a six month option on the 20 acre Shupert Farm to construct a well field to divert seven million gallons of water a day from Carlisle to Springboro. The option expires June 1, 1998. The purpose of the proposed well field is seemingly to guarantee Springboro’s independence from the City of Franklin and Warren County, (from whom they currently purchase water), and to service existing homes and future developments which the City of Springboro has approved but not yet constructed.

Second, one needs to ask, what are the possible costs and benefits of Springboro’s proposed well fields being located in Carlisle? From my perspective, at this point in time there is no benefit to Carlisle or its residents for Springboro to construct a well field in the middle of our town, and in fact there may well be a serious detriment. Use of the Shupert Farm for a well field prevents the land from being developed with new residential developments which could contribute to our community’s quality of life and increase our tax base.

Another serious concern is the unknown effect of the proposed well field on the local environment. What effect will the development of well fields have on the aquifer and the residents of Carlisle and surrounding townships and cities which draw water from the aquifer? This concern is not unique to Carlisle. In Arco, Idaho, hundreds of dead black cottonwood trees line the dry bank of what used to be the Big Lost River. The reason? Farmers with groundwater pumps drained the Big Lost River. The solution? The town of Arco had to drill a very costly well 640 feet deep to be able to continue providing water to its residents.

In Olancha, California - known as "the home of the best tasting water in the west", residents who are all served by private wells, are facing serious concerns that their ground water supply will be permanently damaged by the influx of large water users such as Crystal Geyser, Anheuser-Busch, and the City of Los Angeles.

In Diamond Valley, Nevada, ranchers have filed suit against the State of Nevada for attempting to double the amount of ground water being exported to the City of Reno for fear that family farms will be destroyed due to a lack of groundwater.

And in the Snake River Basin in Idaho, the State Legislature recently declared a moratorium on water development due to years of excess extraction of ground water. State authorities indicated they have no idea how much water is being used by ground water pumpers – they can only guess.

While these situations are somewhat different, each share a common theme - the overuse of ground for outside development and the lack of a reliable system for monitoring well fields. It is worth noting that the Miami Conservancy District Ground Water 2000 Program was specifically formed in 1997 to interpret existing data and to develop additional data on the effects of unbridled well field developments on the residents in the Miami Valley region. Unfortunately their work will not be complete for two to three years.

Here’s what Carlisle Council and staff is doing to protect the water supply to our residents:

Unbelievable as it seems, our research shows that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is site selective when approving well fields. In other words, EPA does not consider the effect of well fields upon surrounding areas when they review and approve sites for well fields.

On January 28, 1997, the Carlisle Council took action to formally request state and federal representatives to introduce legislation to require EPA to consider the effect of new well fields upon the surrounding areas including issues such as maintenance of existing stream flows, water basin transfers, wetlands management, water quality protection, and groundwater protection. Other states including Nevada have adopted long range ground water protection policies. Until the findings and recommendations of the Miami Conservancy District Ground Water 2000 Program is available, no new well fields should be constructed in the Carlisle area.

Carlisle officials continue to try to open lines of communication with Springboro officials to determine exactly what their plans entail and the effect on Carlisle and neighboring communities. I am happy to report that we have made some progress in this area. We will continue to nurture this spirit of intergovernmental cooperation. Our past relations with the City of Springboro have always been positive and based on open and honest dialogue. We are committed to continuing this approach in the future. Afterall, that’s the way government is supposed to work.

I know many of you oppose a municipal water system in town that would serve all residents. Yet, I hope everyone understands that the rapid growth in Warren and Montgomery Counties will directly or indirectly cause some depletion of ground water from our area. If at some point in the future, it is determined that the best option is to extend water to our residents, we would like to make this decision based on our local needs and desires, rather than have it be forced upon us by those who seek to exploit our natural resources.

The year 1997 was a productive year for Carlisle in the area of community development. Many exciting projects were initiated and/or completed. Phase I of the Roscoe Roof Park development is underway. The Ohio Operating Engineers (OOE) are currently grading the walking trails and excavating for the two picnic shelters and parking lot on Sylvia Court. We have also purchased twenty picnic tables, which will be installed in the park once the OOE finishes the required site preparation work. Because the OOE are donating their time to prepare the park site, we must work around their schedules. Although this has delayed the project somewhat, we feel the cost savings to the municipality more than justifies any delays in construction.

Now that phase one of Roscoe Roof Park development is almost complete, we are investigating funding sources for future development phases including restrooms, a children’s play area, an outdoor stage area, and a reflecting pond and fountain. Unfortunately, FY 1998 funding for the State of Ohio NatureWorks program, (which was the major funding source for phase one of the Roscoe Roof Park development), has been substantially decreased. As a result, the municipality may have to consider other funding options for the remaining phases of the park development.

In fall, 1997 the municipality constructed 2,600 lineal feet of water line to serve Town Hall, area businesses and the Society for the Handicapped. Our application for a $112,000 Montgomery County Community Development Block Grant was also approved in 1997 to extend 1,400 lineal feet of water line from Park Drive at Central Avenue to the Carlisle Manor Nursing Home. This project will be constructed in spring, 1999.

The Carlisle Council recently authorized me to seek proposals from planning and engineering firms to develop a streetscape plan for S.R. 123 from Dayton-Oxford Road to the railroad underpass. This major entryway into Carlisle provides a first impression to motorists entering our community. The plan will make recommendations on how we can improve the appearance of this entryway through streetscaping and infrastructure improvements.

The Carlisle Council and administration would like to develop a community-based plan to develop and implement future projects for the municipality. Toward this end, we have scheduled a planning session, called the Nominal Group Technique (NGT) for Wednesday, May 20, 1998 at 7:00 p.m. at Town Hall.

The NGT process is a structured forum which provides a means for collecting community input and arriving at a set of agreed upon, ranked priority goals for the community. Although there are many community and economic development programs which the municipality could undertake, financial resources are limited. The NGT process will help guide Carlisle in prioritizing community goals and developing an action plan which can be implemented taking into consideration the financial constraints of the municipality.

Participants in the NGT session will include appointed and elected officials; representatives of the business, residential and development communities, and; representatives from various civic groups and organizations such as the Carlisle Chamber of Commerce, Carlisle Historical Society, and the Carlisle Schools. Participants will focus on the following question: What are the most important community and economic development issues facing Carlisle today? Participants will be encouraged to identify a wide range of community needs including infrastructure, housing, economic development, recreation and community relations. The results of the NGT planning session will be used by the Council and staff to develop future programs and projects for the community.

Effective January 1, 1998 Bill Covell assumed the part-time position of Community Development Director for the Municipality of Carlisle. Mr. Covell’s responsibilities will be to assist the Municipal Manger in attracting new businesses to Carlisle and administering infrastructure and capital improvement projects.

Mr. Covell is no stranger to Warren County. From 1982 to 1993 he served as City Manager for the City of Springboro where he helped guide the community’s growth from a small village to a city of 10,000. During his tenure in Springboro, he developed an aggressive industrial development program resulting in the creation of 2,600 new jobs, a 455% increase in city property valuations, and a 770% increase in city revenues over a ten year period. Other accomplishments included development and implementation of new city zoning and building codes, overseeing a 58% increase in single family housing over a ten year period; development of two new community parks; and development of the premier Heatherwoode Golf Club and residential development which netted a $2.4 million profit to the city.

Other accomplishments in Springboro include implementation of a ground water well protection system, construction of the $5 million Sequential Batch Reactor waste water treatment facility and a $3 million expansion to the city’s water treatment facility. Bill’s implementation of a $1 million downtown commercial revitalization program for the Olde Springboro District earned the city the prestigious Governor’s Award for Excellence.

Municipal Manager Brad Townsend said that Mr. Covell’s ability to access state and federal grant dollars will serve Carlisle well. While in Springboro, Bill personally raised $255,000 to build the city’s public library, secured $9 million in state and federal highway funding for improvements to S.R. 741, and successfully negotiated $8 million in funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development for construction and operation of a new elderly housing facility. Mr. Townsend stated, "We’re lucky to have Bill on board – his record speaks for itself!"

The Carlisle Police Explorers already has one successful fund raiser under their belts and another one on the horizon. Organized in September, 1997 by Police Officers Gary Coates and Don Winters, the Explorers is a ten member organization of young men and women who are interested in a career in public safety.

The Explorers volunteer their time to staff concession stands and doors for admissions at special community events and functions. In exchange for their service, the Explorers are generally given a donation, the proceeds of which are used to pay for uniforms and to benefit worthwhile community programs including the Carlisle DARE Program.

The Explorer’s first fund raising project was the March 27, 1998 DARE Benefit Basketball Game which pitted Franklin High School alumni against Carlisle High School alumni in the first game, and local news media against Warren County law enforcement officers in the second game. "The winners were the Franklin High School alumni in the first game, and the local law enforcement officers in game two, but everyone was a winner in that the event netted funds to expand the Carlisle DARE Program," stated Carlisle Police Chief Gary Long.

Be sure to mark your calendars now for the next scheduled Explorers’ fund raiser which is the Classic Car Show on Saturday, June 13, 1998 at the Dairy Queen at 490 Central Avenue in the IGA Shopping Center.

Speaking of the Carlisle DARE Program, congratulations to Carlisle Police Officer Scout Brown who became certified as a DARE Officer in October, 1997. Officer Brown will introduce the DARE Program in the sixth grade at the Carlisle Middle School during the 1998-1999 school year.

Congratulations are also extended to Officers ?????? and ?????? who completed the two week Fire Arms Instructors training at the Ohio Peace Officers Training Council in London, Ohio in April, 1997. Both officers are now certified as shotgun and semi-automatic pistol instructors. All of the Carlisle Police Department’s officers are trained annually at the Ohio Peace Officers Training Council.

The Carlisle Service Department is comprised of three cross-trained employees who provide a wide variety of tasks intended to maintain an exceptional quality of life for Carlisle residents and businesses. When called to service, we approach our jobs with dedication and enthusiasm, realizing that our town and its citizens will benefit from our work. Whether it involves patching roads, flushing sewers or sprucing up our parks, we’re here to serve you with pride.

Below is a sampling of the many tasks the Carlisle Service Department handles throughout the course of a year, and the associated man hours for each during the first quarter of 1998. Some of these items are routine maintenance and others we "squeeze into our schedules" on an as needed basis:

Service Provided Number of Hours

Pump house Repairs and Service 144

Drywells and Catch Basins 36

Roadway Drainage 48

Service Vehicles and Equipment Maintenance 376

Mowing, Trimming, and Clean Up 1,410

Park Maintenance 96

Fire Hydrant Repairs 142

Sewer Flushing 62

Daily Water Sampling 280

Maintenance of Road Signs 244

Berming Along Roadways 128

Patching and Sealing 246