With winter weather on the horizon, this is a good time to explain the municipality's policy for snow and sleet removal. Although Carlisle has a small town appeal, the fact is there are several primary thoroughfares traversing the community which must remain passable at all times for emergency vehicles. Primary thoroughfares include Fairview Rd., Dayton-Oxford Rd., Montgomery Ave., Janet Ave., Industry Dr., Sunset Dr., Park Dr., Beachler Rd., Dubois Rd., Chamberlain Rd., and Jamaica Ave. Plowing of these major roadways are the first priority of the Carlisle Public Works Department.

After primary thoroughfares have been cleared and salted, the next priority is secondary streets which includes all non-cul-de-sac residential streets. Third priority is dead end streets. Once all streets have been treated, primary and secondary streets are widened to the curbs.

The municipality has four plow trucks, three of which have salt distributing spreaders. These trucks must address over 35 lane miles of roadways, 23 cul-de-sacs and 20 dead end streets. This is a monumental task which often keeps our Public Works staff working morning, noon and night during severe weather conditions. In undertaking this task, please be assured that our commitment is to serve the best interest of the entire Carlisle community in the most efficient and timely manner.

If you have any questions about Carlisle's snow removal policy, or if you feel your street was accidentally missed, please call the Public Works Department at 746-2675.

Anyone who attended this year's Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony may have noticed a new twist to this annual holiday tradition. In years past, area girl scout troops have always decorated the large evergreen tree at the Carlisle Municipal Building. This year the Carlisle Park Board decided to break with tradition in a way they hope will capture the true spirit of Christmas.

This year, a live, balled Christmas tree was purchased and decorated to honor Gary Duncan, the Carlisle High School senior who was tragically killed in a train accident earlier this year. The tree will be transplanted in Roscoe Roof Park in the spring where it will remain as a living memory of Gary. After the tree is planted, a memorial plaque will be affixed to the tree.

All the other traditions typically associated with the annual tree lighting ceremony remained in tact including singing of Christmas carols by area girls scout troops, an inspiring narrative from Carlisle Fire Chief Gary Wallace on the meaning of Christmas, followed by hot chocolate and a visit by Santa at the New Jerusalem Presbyterian Church.

Throughout the year, the Park Board will accept nominations from individuals who would like to sponsor the memorial Christmas tree. Please call the Municipal Building at 746-0558 if you are interested.

Phase I of the Roscoe Roof Park development project is nearly completed, and I'm delighted to see that residents are already enjoying the park amenities, particularly the new walking trails. The parking lot has been paved, attractive signage installed, and thanks to the Carlisle Lion's Club, the first of two shelters has been built. This winter, the Public Works Department crews will be busy building picnic tables. Next spring the parking lot will be striped and the parking blocks installed.

I'd like to extend thanks to all those who helped make Roscoe Roof Park a reality. Since the land was originally donated to the Municipality by Roscoe Roof in 1993, many individuals and organizations have worked cooperatively to develop the Park as a first class outdoor recreation facility. The funding provided by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the Municipality was matched with "sweat equity" from the Carlisle Public Works Department and members of the Carlisle Park Board who beautified the Park with tree plantings and flowers. The Carlisle Lion's Club donated the shelter, and the Ohio Operating Engineers donated innumerable hours to grade the park.

Roscoe Roof Park is truly a community park of which we can all be proud.

In each edition of the Carlisle Newsletter, we like to feature a local business which contributes to the quality of life in Carlisle. This issue we are highlighting Dopaco, Inc. which is located at 300 Industry Drive in the Carlisle Industrial Park. Originally founded as Progressive Paper, in 1979, the company was purchased by Temple-Inland in 1991. Pennsylvania-based Dopaco, Inc., a world leader in the Quick Serve Restaurant (QSR) industry, bought the business in November 1997.

Today Dopaco, Inc. employs 170 full time workers and manufactures a variety of food cartons. The largest product produced at the Carlisle plant is the french fry scoop or cartons. Customers includes Wendy's International, International Dairy Queen, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Arby's, Tastee Freeze, A&W, and Grill Works.

Dopaco, Inc. takes its role as a good corporate citizen very seriously. The company contributes annually to worthwhile projects sponsored by schools in the Carlisle and Franklin area. Dopaco, Inc. is an active member of the Carlisle Chamber of Commerce, and a donor to the local Warren County United Way Fund. Plant Manager Bill Bansmith summed it up well when he stated, "We value our relationship with the Municipality of Carlisle and hope to continue our successful venture in the community for many years to come!"

From the Office of the Mayor

The Municipality can start the new year with a plan of action that has been endorsed by the community. In May, 1998 a group of twenty-two individuals met to identify and prioritize goals for the Municipality. Participants included residents, businesses, Council members, administrative staff, and representatives from the schools and municipal boards and commissions. Using a planning process called Nominal Group Technique (NGT), attendees focused on the question, "What are the most important goads for the Municipality of Carlisle over the next five years?"

Eleven priority goals were identified during the NGT process. These goals can be classified into the following four major areas:

Stimulate New Business Growth

Make Necessary Infrastructure Improvements

Enhance Carlisle's Quality of Life

Improve Planning and Zoning Tools

In a follow-up written report, the consultant who conducted the NGT planning session made specific recommendations and presented action steps on how to implement each goal. Although this list is very ambitious, many recommendations can be immediately implemented with very little cost to the municipality. For example, to improve communications between government, business and the schools, (a high ranked NGT goal), the consultant suggested establishing a Business Advisory Committee comprised of representatives of the municipality, schools, industry, and commercial businesses.

To help stimulate new business growth in Carlisle, the report recommended that the municipality purchase options on selected remaining vacant land which would be conducive for future business development. To help retain existing businesses, Carlisle should consider initiating a Business Calling Program whereby volunteers visit local companies to identify their operating and/or expansion related concerns.

Other identified goals are long term and would require substantial capital investment on them municipality's part. One example is improvement to the town's infrastructure including development of a public water system and redevelopment of the S.R. 123 entryway. The report also recommended that the municipality conduct a bikeway master plan to connect Carlisle to the Great Miami Bike Path and the Little Miami Scenic Bikeway. Update of the Carlisle Zoning Code and Land Use Plan was also suggested to help ensure that future growth and development in Carlisle occurs in an orderly fashion.

I would like to personally thank all those individuals who participated in the NGT planning process. The results will be used to assist the Carlisle Council and staff in implementing programs and projects to help strengthen the local tax and employment bases and to improve the overall quality of life in Carlisle. Council is currently analyzing the NGT recommendations to determine which projects can realistically be implemented given the financial constraints of the municipality. Goal implementation will undoubtedly require financial commitment from a variety of funding sources including the municipality, state and federal grants, and the private sector.

If you would like a copy of the complete NGT report, please call the Municipal Building at 746-0555 and we will be happy to provide you a copy.

Attract more commercial, industrial, and office businesses to Carlisle to increase the local tax base.

Expand and improve the public water system, including wells, distribution, treatment and aquifer protection.

Maintain and extend infrastructure throughout the municipality, including sidewalks, storm and sanitary sewers, streets, and curb and gutter.

Continue annexation of land into Carlisle, especially north of town.

Develop a city-wide master plan including a long range fiscal plan.

Maintain quality schools

Facilitate quality growth by updating local land use and zoning codes.

Improve major entryways into the community.

Diversify the housing market with an emphasis on more upscale housing.

Nurture interagency communication and cooperation among local schools, city and businesses.

Continue improvements at Roscoe Roof Park and add additional parks.

 

 

 

This past year proved to be both fun and productive year for the Carlisle Explorers. Organized in September 1998, the Explorers is a group of fourteen young men and women who are interested in pursuing a career in public safety. Throughout the year the Explorers get involved in various activities which expose the kids to police work and help raise operating funds for the organization..

During 1998 the Explorers participated in the K-Mart's Kids Against Drugs Drive, accompanied police officers to help pass out Halloween candy to neighborhood children, and parked cars at local soccer tournaments. April 18-19, 1999, the Carlisle Explorers will be competing with nineteen other Explorer troops at the Dan Beard Council Police Explorers Competition in Forest Park, Ohio. The competition, which is sponsored by the Union Central Life Insurance Company, provides Explorers in southwest Ohio an opportunity to show off their skills in the areas of search and arrest, accident investigation, and domestic violence incidents.

Other projects planned by the Carlisle Explorers for 1999 include parking cars at the annual Car Show which will be held at the Jubilee Shopping Center in June, and participation again in the DARE Benefit basketball Game which pits Franklin High School alumni against Carlisle High School alumni, and local new media against Warren County law enforcement officers.

Carlisle police officers have taken to the streets of Carlisle on a new bicycle donated to the department by Candy Honaker, owner of Innovative Floor and Designs in Carlisle. According to Officer Jim Slyde, who happens to be Mrs. Honaker's nephew, the bicycle is a great asset to the department's Neighborhood Watch and community oriented policing programs. "The bicycle allows our officers to approach citizens in a friendly and helpful manner in the great outdoors". Other benefits of the bike patrol include improved stealth tactics during night patrol and greater accessibility to areas with limited access or steep terrain.

To offer the residents and businesses of Carlisle the best in public safety, the Carlisle Police Department continues to place a strong emphasis on officer training. Congratulations are extended to the following officers who completed relevant coursework in 1998 which will help them better communicate with and serve the public:

Officer Tim Bogges - Introduction to Community Policing

Officer Matt Mattingly - Forming Effective Partnerships

Officer Gary Coates - Problem Solving

Officer Doug Lanier - Organization and Community Assessment

Officer Scott Brown - Ethics: A Renewed Issue

 

 

The Municipality of Carlisle is sponsoring a Small Business Seminar on January 16, 1999 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.. at the Municipal Building, 760 W. Central Avenue. The seminar will address issues of interest to small business including legal issues, insurance, banking, business finance, tax and accounting, local laws and requirements, and economic development. The seminar will include presentations by noted professionals representing the fields of law, finance and economic development.

If your are interested in attending the Carlisle Small Business Seminar, please contact Flo Cracraft at the Municipal Building at 746-0555 and she will be happy to make your reservation.

On December 17, 1998 approximately 200 sixth grade students graduated from the first Carlisle DARE program. Each graduate was given a DARE T-shirt and an award commending them for their participation in the program. In order to graduate, students had to prepare a "Take A Stand" essay on why they are committed to staying drug-free.

The backdrop for Carlisle's DARE teacher Gary Powers sixth grade social studies classes at the Carlisle Junior High School. The students learned about personal safety, the consequences of drug use, resisting pressure to take drugs and/or join gangs, and tools to build self-esteem.

In August the Municipality of Carlisle applied for a DARE grant through the State of Ohio Attorney General's office. If funded, the grant will defray fifty percent of the cost of the DARE officer's salary. According to DARE officer Scott Brown, approval of Carlisle's grant application would allow him to devote more time to the DARE, which in turn would allow him to expand the program into grades kindergarten through fifth. Currently the program is only offered to sixth graders. The municipality will be notified in January 1999 whether their program will be funded.