Join the League for Animal Welfare on September 30 at the inaugural Pet Jam fundraiser.
This family and pet-friendly event at Grailville in Loveland will feature live music from 17 bands on three stages, food trucks and craft beer. Explore a vendor village with local businesses, partake in some fun activities in the Hug the World Foundation Family Zone, and, of course, meet the League’s adoptable cats and dogs.
Event proceeds will help provide safe shelter, nutritious food and comprehensive medical care for homeless cats and dogs in the League’s no-kill shelter.
Everyone is welcome – adults, kids, and well-behaved, fully-vaccinated pets.
Tickets are $10/adult and $5/kids 5-17; kids under 5 and pets are FREE.
Purchase tickets in advance to avoid long lines at check-in: LFAW.org/PetJam
Loveland Sweets is a purveyor of hand-crafted chocolates, caramels, marshmallows, and ice creams. Our house-made candies are prepared in small batches.
Pam Gross is a candidate for Loveland City Council and provided this Candidate Statement to Loveland Magazine.
Loveland Magazine invites all candidates for public office in the 45140 zip code or within the Loveland City School District boundary to send a similar Candidate Statement for publication. Send to lovelandmagazine@cinci.rr.com
Pam Gross is running for Loveland City Council
Four years ago I made the decision to run for city council because I believed Loveland needed new leadership, vision and direction. I promised several things:
Smart and focused economic development programs
Implement sound fiscal policies without asking taxpayers to pay increased income taxes
Innovative and creative ideas on infrastructure while maintaining quality city services
This message resonated with the voters and I was elected to serve as their council representative. I am proud to say that I have delivered on the promises four years ago and I am now seeking re-election to continue on this path of progress and looking forward to the future and new successes that will continue to grow our city and keep it vibrant and financially stable for future generations.
This is a decent enough elevator campaign speech but it doesn’t tell the real story of the progress in Loveland nor does it capture the excitement and vitality of our city.
During my first campaign, my niece, Nyla, was graduating from High School. We’ve always been very close and she spends a lot time at our home. Like most of us, we like to play, shop and eat in our community. We would ride or walk on the bike trail, and then we hop in the car and head over to Madeira to shop at the little boutiques and grab a bite to eat in Montgomery. Why, because Loveland didn’t have much to offer outside of an extremely expensive dirt pile in the middle of downtown.
My accounting office is located downtown and I would drive by that dirt pile every day and finally I decided, I’m going to run for council. I’m tired of the same people running the show – our city needed new leadership, direction and vision. Our town had so much potential. So I ran for council and I won. There is no greater honor than serving as an elected representative for the community I care so deeply about.
Fast forward to today – my niece is now a senior at the University of Dayton. When she comes to visit her favorite aunt, the first thing she says is “let’s go downtown, I love that boutique – Busy Bee – they have all kinds of cool stuff.” She also tells me not to forget to bring my credit card and after spending my money she says “I’m hungry – let’s eat at Bella’s I like their outdoor patio – and after let’s get an ice cream at Graeters.” That big pile of dirt is now Loveland Station, it is a thriving and fully occupied residential/retail space.
On any night of the week downtown Loveland is full of life – kids enjoying ice cream, adults socializing on the outdoor patios and couples walking hand in hand enjoying the people watching. We have new small businesses as well – Narrow Path Brewery, Fresh Press and Bike Trail Junction. Travel down Loveland Madeira Rd and what was once a vacant car lot is now a vibrant business center with a Starbucks, SportClips and Chipotle. Four years ago our Commerce Park, the “economic engine” of our city, was losing tenants at an alarming rate, today it is almost 100% occupied, home of the corporate headquarters for McCluskey Chevrolet and Mike’s Car Wash.
New businesses are not only a boom to our economy but it builds our local tax base which supports our excellent Police, Fire, EMS, Public works and Parks ( for people and dogs.) They are the quality city services our residents expect. I’m seeking re-election to continue this path of progress.
Recently I spoke to council and submitted my prepared statement to David Miller at Loveland Magazine. (Ryan Kulik: Political motivated amateurs have taken over) (Loveland Community Heartbeat PAC responds to Mr. Kulik) In the days that followed, it was brought to my attention that part of my spoken statement was not one hundred percent factual. I also reflected on my demeanor, and the words I chose in trying to get my larger point across to council, the audience, and anyone watching online. I accepted that I had misspoken on something in my remarks, and proceeded to apologize in the Facebook comment feed in Loveland Magazine. I had planned on making a public mea culpa when the opportunity presented itself. My conscience will not allow me to wait for that moment, I feel like the time is now to make an apology.
Ryan Kulik
I’m sorry.
I am sorry for not having my facts correct when I was trying to ask council why our economic development was in limbo. When I spoke at public forum, I was incorrect when I said the former economic developer had brought a certain amount of money into our community. That was a misstatement. Intentional or not, when someone does not make their point clear, and correct, the larger narrative will always suffer. I wanted to talk about something of great importance, positive economic growth, and my slip-up cost me the chance to move any meaningful conversation forward. I owe an apology to council for wasting their time, the community for having to double check my words, and to myself for not being professional.
I am sorry for calling people amateurs. I can clearly see that I was the one playing amateur politics. My ego, coupled with my frustration are all excuses I give myself for trying to claim the mantle of professionalism. Those excuses do not portray the skill of a professional. I am just one Loveland resident who tried to make a personal point on growth and economic prosperity. By letting my ego work in concert with my frustration towards our council, I used baseless adjectives in describing the politically active in our community That means I sought the refuge of a political amateur.
I owe an apology to council for wasting their time, the community for having to double check my words, and to myself for not being professional.
I am sorry that my greater point was lost in the all the noise generated about my inarticulate comments to council. I do believe members of our council have been acting in a manner that has stalled the positive economic growth Loveland has been experiencing the last few years. I do think it is wrong for a local Chamber of Commerce to work in conjunction with a Political Action Committee who has openly advocated for the stalling of economic development projects. I do not believe we need an extra layer of bureaucracy added to the required rules for moving any new economic development forward. Extra bureaucracy has always been a hurdle many new businesses would prefer not to jump over. I believe Loveland is a desirable community, and new residential developments would expand the tax base. New residents can help ease the economic burden, and make it less likely that council will approach the residents of Loveland with a tax increase. I believe the city of Loveland needs a proper economic development consultant, whomever that person may be. I am sorry I was not able to engage our council, and our community on my vision for an economically prosperous Loveland.
With words like amateur, illegal, and corruption being thrown around, Loveland politics has become a lot of noise and has lacked substantive debate. I added to the climate with my poor statement at public forum. I hope the people running for city council, the groups politically mobilized for the election, and the concerned residents like myself can come together and focus on the issues that make Loveland great. I know that is what I am going to do.
We promise the best customer service, and beyond a doubt, the best selection of merchandise in the area Pizazz Studio is a whimsical gift shop in downtown Loveland.
Halie Rebeccaschild is the Secretary of the Loveland Community Heartbeat PAC
First, In his argument that certain sitting City Council members are “anti-business,” Kulik stated, “Legally required public hearings were voted down by this Council to stop positive business growth.” It appears that Mr. Kulik has over simplified the matter, as Council has stopped a public hearing from proceeding only in one case this year, that of the city hall project. The city never moved to a public hearing because residents expressed outrage at multiple City Council meetings in May and June of this year over the planned demolition of Loveland City Hall. In fact, On May 9th, City Council deadlocked on the nature of public engagement. After Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) President Jay Stewart recommended involving residents and holding a work session with Ken Geis, Vice Mayor Angie Settell immediately motioned for a public hearing (1). Such a move would have then fulfilled the legal requirement for a single hearing prior to transferring the city hall property to the autonomous CIC, ensuring demolition of our city hall building in July, as planned.
Mayor Mark Fitzgerald, Vice Mayor Angie Settell, and Pam Gross voted no on these public engagement forums.
Residents had expressed great concern about the city hall project moving too quickly, which may be seen in both April and May City Council meeting minutes. Rob Weisgerber, Kathy Bailey, and Ted Phelps responded to residents by opposing the vote to immediately move to fulfill the single public hearing requirement. Then, Council Member Rob Weisgerber motioned for no less than three resident engagement sessions, which would have brought residents into the planning process on either a 2-story, 2.5 story, or 4-story building. Mayor Mark Fitzgerald, Vice Mayor Angie Settell, and Pam Gross voted no on these public engagement forums, while Council Members Rob Weisgerber, Kathy Bailey, and Ted Phelps voted yes. The deadlocked votes reflect a difference in how much emphasis was placed on resident engagement.
Not a single resident has come to address Council to demand that the city hall demolition move forward, so who does Mr. Kulik represent?
Mr. Kulik spoke of the public hearing requirement completely out of context of the planned demolition of City Hall, and in such a way that suggested a law was somehow broken in slowing down the city hall project for residents to give necessary sanction. Indeed, if the public hearing had occurred as pushed by Mark Fitzgerald, Angie Settell, and Pam Gross, the transfer of our city hall to the CIC would have been final. Once in possession of the CIC, residents would have had no further input. This process would have prevented residents from thoroughly engaging in the planning for our new, city hall building in Old Loveland. Instead of anti-business, as Mr. Kulik suggests, Rob Weisgerber, Ted Phelps, and Kathy Bailey’s vote for multiple hearings reflect their duty as public servants to residents of Loveland. Residents have been relieved that the planned demolition and any repurposing of city hall will wait until after elections when residents will have their say with their votes. Not a single resident has come to address Council to demand that the city hall demolition move forward, so who does Mr. Kulik represent?
Next, Mr. Ryan Kulik went on to claim that City Council acted wrongly by cancelling Mr. Stansel’s contract. Kulik said, “What is it Mr. Stansel did wrong? I can see where council should have had the discussion on his services, but we never had that discussion. Rob Stansel was hired by the City Manager, not council. Stop lying. This is what the city manager does. The council should have had a chance to vote on his contract when the spending limit was exceeded. We never had this discussion.”
Yet again, Mr. Kulik is mistaken.
Yet again, Mr. Kulik is mistaken. City Council did have a discussion about cancelling Rob Stansel’s contract just prior to their vote that terminated it on May 9th. Mr. Kulik asks, “What was illegal about the contract? Was it because the spending limit was exceeded? Okay, I understand that.” If Mr. Kulik understands that City Council voted after a discussion to cancel the contract because it violated the City Manager’s spending authority, then what’s his agenda? Why would he want Council to violate our city charter?
Then, Mr. Kulik goes on to say, “[Stansel] secured over $600,000 for, I believe, the Chestnut property.” Not exactly. The “letter of intent” brought by Mr. Stansel to the city died upon expiration on May 5th, 2017, four days prior to City Council voting to terminate Stansel’s contract on May 9th (2,3). Perhaps Mr. Kulik should speak with City Manager Dave Kennedy about why the offer wasn’t pursued. Because at this point, it appears that Mr. Kulik is speaking beyond his knowledge and expertise.
it appears that Mr. Kulik is speaking beyond his knowledge and expertise.
Last, Kulik goes on to say, “[Rob Stansel] was working on the Christman property that we’ve heard a lot about.” Yet, again, Mr. Kulik references a development project that brought Loveland residents out in droves against it. Residents from the Brandywine and Butterworth Glen neighborhoods overflowed Loveland City Hall at the public hearing on June 13th when City Council was expected to vote on an ordinance to transfer city land to the Community Improvement Corporation that would have then been sold to Drees Co. and ultimately culminated in a Drees Homes development of 10 acres nearby. Apparently, the residents of those neighborhoods believed the city years ago when it claimed to have bought the Christman property to be a park, and they weren’t too excited about the pending development deal. That’s why the city did not transfer the land to the Community Improvement Corporation, and the private deal between the developer and the commercial real estate firm dissolved.
Upon scrutiny, Ryan Kulik’s arguments fail due to his oversimplification and outright error. In any regard, I appreciate him bringing up three very important topics to Loveland residents, and hope everyone registers to vote by October 10th and comes out to vote this November 7th.
Halie Rebeccaschild is the Secretary of the Loveland Community Heartbeat PAC.
[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Loveland, Ohio – September 22 in Tiger Stadium is Military Appreciation night when the Football Tigers take on Milford. You can pre-order the hat or the t-shirt for this years Military game from RP Diamond.
Hats are $10 and shirts are also $10 while supplies last.
Order on-line HERE or visit RP Diamond’s showroom at 368 Loveland Madeira Road
Loveland.
Emergency Preparedness Training at Loveland Middle School
Loveland, Ohio – The Loveland Police Department, Loveland Symmes Fire Department, and Loveland City Schools are partnering for a joint training on the afternoon of Friday, September 15.
Emergency vehicles and responders will be in and around the campus for the training exercise.
Loveland City Schools releases annual report detailing student achievement, fiscal stewardship and community support…
One-to-one technology for students grades five through 12; selection of innovative instructional grants to enhance classroom instruction; advanced placement exams for 39 percent of the junior class, and a 5-star rated preschool program – these are some of the highlights featured in Loveland’s 2016-17 Quality Profile, released September 11, and available at lovelandschools.org.
“Focus – that is the story the 2016-17 Quality Profile tells,” said Loveland Interim Superintendent Dr. Amy Crouse. “Our Board of Education supported every administrator, every teacher and every staff member in focusing on Tiger academic growth, innovation and care – and this publication is a reflection of that collective effort. From our investment in the instructional cycle learning materials, to our development of Loveland [x] – teacher innovation teams – we worked to create a world-class environment for our students. We are excited to present the strides we made.
“It is also the story of a district that embraces the complete student experience – exceptional arts, premier athletics and a close bond with the community in which we reside. Learning for our students certainly is not contained to the classroom.”
Now in its fifth year, the Loveland City School District was one of more than 20 progressive school districts throughout Ohio to first release this groundbreaking, robust companion to the state report card. Called state wide a Quality Profile, the report helps characterize the overall educational value of the district in areas that matter most to community members. This year 85 school districts throughout Ohio are releasing a Quality Profile, with accountability measures that outline a high-quality education that are not captured by the state report card – including: academics, arts, student leadership and activities, fiscal stewardship, parent and community involvement and student services.
“Ultimately – it’s all about our students – what we are doing to support their growth and development, and the amazing achievements they made during the school year,” said Crouse. “Our students are the stars of this publication, and from our award-winning food service professionals to our award-winning transportation department and all of the custodial, teaching and administrative professionals in between – we are proud of the collective focus we had to support them.”
The Quality Profile is sponsored by the Alliance for High Quality Education, a statewide education consortium that works to improve educational opportunities for students and to represent member districts on matters of educational policy and funding.
Click here to access Loveland’s 2016-17 Quality Profile.
The assertion was false and heedlessly made without full knowledge of the facts.
I want to take this opportunity to set the record straight. The assertion made by a local business owner and council member that illegal payments were made to a contractor the City used throughout 2013 is false and was heedlessly made without full knowledge of the facts.
During the 8/22/17 Loveland City Council meeting, Mr. Tim Canada, of Bond Furniture, addressed city council about transparency in Loveland politics. (See video below) Mr. Canada asked questions about payments made to a contractor the City used throughout 2013. During this same address, he asked for a subpoena of the former city manager and Pam Gross asserted the referenced payments were illegal. In a subsequent email from Tim Canada, he also asserted the payments to the Colwell Group were illegal.
While Mr. Canada wanted an immediate response in the moment, given the inflammatory nature of the inquiry and Ms. Gross’s statement, I chose to hold my response so that I could research the matter in question and consult with the appropriate people to ensure my response was accurate. Knowing full well that I was risking more inflammatory accusations by not answering questions at that moment. I have no interest in participating in the kind of inflammatory and reckless rhetoric heard at the 8/22 council meeting.
There was absolutely nothing illegal regarding the contracts with the Colwell Group, nor were any city procedures or spending authority violated.
After proper review, including discussion with Loveland’s city solicitor and Mr. Colwell, I indeed have answers to Mr. Canada’s questions. I will start with this fundamental fact: There was absolutely nothing illegal regarding the contracts with the Colwell Group, nor were any city procedures or spending authority violated.
The Colwell Group is a professional organization providing help and solutions to political subdivisions in Ohio. The City of Loveland hired the Colwell group for three separate engagements covering lobbying to get state funding for performance measures, working with ODNR and the railroad on quiet zone needs, and working to secure a grant from ODNR for parking. All three agreements were properly reviewed by legal and the finance director, and all three efforts were at or under the legal spending authority of the city manager, per the city’s rules. Under the final contract, the Colwell Group secured between $300,000 and $350,000 in a grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) for the downtown parking area that is now the Linda Cox lot. That represented a 20X return for the taxpayers of Loveland.
Mr. Canada often references his extensive research, yet the facts of these contracts were readily accessible, had this information been his primary interest or objective.
Mr. Canada often references his extensive research, yet the facts of these contracts were readily accessible, had this information been his primary interest or objective. Whether at a meeting or in emails, calling for subpoenas and lobbing terms like “illegal” and “tarnished reputation” make for great drama in the moment, but when invoked without proof or cause, they are irresponsible and reckless. Mr. Canada is creating the very negativity he has lamented repeatedly from the podium.
With more than 20 years proudly serving the City of Loveland as a representative of city council, I cannot claim to have never made a mistake or a decision I regretted in hindsight. But I have always made decisions with the best interest of the city and its residents in mind, and to the best of my ability with the information available at the time. I intend to carry this same approach forward, with greater council collaboration, communication and resident involvement. Loveland residents deserve nothing less.
Rob Weisgerber is a Loveland Council member and running for re-election this November.
Here is video from LOVELAND MAGAZINE TV showing what was said by Tim Canada and Pam Gross during the August 22 City Council meeting:
We promise the best customer service, and beyond a doubt, the best selection of merchandise in the area Pizazz Studio is a whimsical gift shop in downtown Loveland.
In years past, I haven’t been thrilled with some things Mr. Weisgerber has done. But that’s the extent of my agreement with Mr. Kulik. In total, my experience of Mr. Weisgerber’s tenure on council has been positive. I wasn’t so happy about his part in the mess that eventually became the hulk at the corners of Loveland, Second, and Broadway, but it’s done and the city seems to be more or less the better for it. Certainly more business is being transacted. The basis for Mr. Kulik’s position that Mr. Weisgerber is anti-business is not clear to me.
During the years when Mr. Fitzgerald’s group managed things, we saw back-room dealing, attempts to subvert the rule of law, and forceful silencing of the public.
A few years ago, former mayor Mark Fitzgerald and his party arrived. Enough has been said about Mr. Fitzgerald, and the man has resigned. The three who ruled with him remain, deadlocking council. I hope November elections will end this farce and we can move on. During the years when Mr. Fitzgerald’s group managed things, we saw back-room dealing, attempts to subvert the rule of law, and forceful silencing of the public. During Mr. Fitzgerald’s tenure, Mr. Weisgerber stood against these activities. To my knowledge he was civil about this and followed the rules.
Mr. Weisgerber has been on council a long time. Frankly, with the complicated mess we have right now, some continuity is probably a good thing. I hope the past few years have given Mr. Weisgerber a clear picture of what not to do on council; I trust him to take that lesson.
Mr. Kulik’s vilification of Mr. Weisgerber does nothing useful. His mockery of the group that forced Mr. Fitzgerald out is groundless. The group’s ability to muster signatures representing a large portion of Loveland’s voters–twice–demonstrates their alignment with community sentiment.
My money is on Mr. Weisgerber and those who, I hope, will bring balance back to council.
We’ve had a rough few years here in Loveland. And now we’ve had that fire that challenges the established community businesses that have anchored the downtown for years. The last thing we need is an attempt to resuscitate things better left dead. My money is on Mr. Weisgerber and those who, I hope, will bring balance back to council. They have their flaws and baggage, no doubt, but we cannot do worse than what’s gone on here recently.
I hope also that people will watch council closely, at least for a while, and hold the new council to account. It’s council’s job to do what we want; they would do well to open up to public input and execute on the best of what they hear. Study of development in other small towns would also be a good idea. Downtown charm is in the balance. If we don’t want blocks of spanking new brick with a scant nod to quaintness, all built for the profit of out-of-towners, we need to figure out how to develop sensitively or stop downtown development.
Let’s have no more ugliness. It’s time to look at what needs to be done and get on with it.
[/vc_column_text][vc_gmaps link=”#E-8_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”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_gmaps link=”#E-8_JTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwc3JjJTNEJTIyaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZ3d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbSUyRm1hcHMlMkZlbWJlZCUzRnBiJTNEJTIxMW0xNCUyMTFtOCUyMTFtMyUyMTFkMTIzNTUuOTE5NjA5MTIyMTgyJTIxMmQtODQuMjY3ODEwNCUyMTNkMzkuMjY2MDIyNiUyMTNtMiUyMTFpMTAyNCUyMTJpNzY4JTIxNGYxMy4xJTIxM20zJTIxMW0yJTIxMXMweDAlMjUzQTB4M2U1ZDUxNjM0NThmZGViMyUyMTJzUlAlMkJEaWFtb25kJTJCUHJpbnRpbmclMkIlMjUyNiUyQkVtYnJvaWRlcnklMjE1ZTAlMjEzbTIlMjExc2VuJTIxMnN1cyUyMTR2MTUwNTUyNDA1MDMzMiUyMiUyMHdpZHRoJTNEJTIyNDAwJTIyJTIwaGVpZ2h0JTNEJTIyMzAwJTIyJTIwZnJhbWVib3JkZXIlM0QlMjIwJTIyJTIwc3R5bGUlM0QlMjJib3JkZXIlM0EwJTIyJTIwYWxsb3dmdWxsc2NyZWVuJTNFJTNDJTJGaWZyYW1lJTNF”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
