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Sue Kiesewetter reports:

Longtime Liberty Township naturalist Chuck Holliday is rejoining the Liberty Township Parks Committee.

“I am so excited,’’ said Trustee Christine Matacic. “I’m thrilled he’s had his (rest and relaxation) and is willing to come back.”

Holliday’s volunteer appointment is effective immediately and runs through Dec. 31, 2014. The committee next meets March 26.

For several years Holliday conducted nature and bird walks along with other programs in township parks. A member of the Audubon Society, Holliday also conducts programs for MetroParks of Butler County.

“What he does for these parks is remarkable,’’ said Trustee David Kern.

Posted in: Board of Trustees, News |

Tags: Tags: Christine Matacic, Chuck Holliday, Chuck Holliday Liberty Township Parks Committee, David Kern, Liberty Township Parks Committee, Liberty Township Trustee Christine Matacic, Liberty Township Trustee David Kern

Sue Kiesewetter reports:

For the third consecutive year, Christine Matacic will lead the Liberty Township Board of Trustees.

Christine Matacic was elected the 2013 president of the Liberty Township Board of Trustees. Photo provided.

Matacic was re-elected president during the group’s organizational meeting this week. Trustee Pat Hiltman was elected vice-president, replacing trustee David Kern.

A nearly 32-year resident of the township, Matacic was re-elected to a third term as trustee in November 2009. She served as president from 2003-2007.

Matacic is serving or has served on the following boards of directors: Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments; Butler County Regional Transit Authority; West Chester-Liberty Chamber Alliance and the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority.

Hiltman and Dale Chalk will continue to serve another year on the Volunteer Firefighters’ Dependents Fund for 2013. Kern will continue as the board’s representative to the Butler County Emergency Management Agency’s Advisory Council.

The trustees will continue to meet at 6 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at the administrative offices, 6400 Princeton Road.

This month, however, the Jan. 15 meeting has been moved up one day, to Jan. 14 to accommodate the work schedule of Hiltman.

Posted in: Government, News |

Tags: Tags: Christine Matacic, Liberty Township board of trustees, Liberty Township trustee, Liberty Township Trustee Christine Matacic, Liberty Township trustees

Sue Kiesewetter reports

Liberty Township residents will get their first chance to tell township officials how they would like to see the community develop during a Vision Plan open house.

Members of the township’s Vision Plan committee will seek input during a Wednesday, April 25, gathering at the township administration building, 6400 Princeton Road.

The 25-member Vision Plan Steering Committee is working to update the township’s 2006 comprehensive plan. Besides development issues, the plan will address the preservation of environmental features, greenways, parks, trails and economic development.

“It’s critical we properly plan for the future of our community so this is a priority project,’’ said Christine Matacic, president of the Liberty Township Board of Trustees.

“The Vision Plan update will help us best direct our efforts to promote the growth of our commercial tax base with minimal impact on existing residents while preserving the character of Liberty Township.”

Anytime from 5-8 p.m. residents and business owners can visit a series of panels that will be set up in trustees’ meeting space. Members of the steering committee will be available to answer questions.

There will be spots at each station where people can place color coded dots to show agreement with new or existing goals on several topics, said Jonathan West, the township’s director of planning and zoning.

There will also be places where the public can add goals or make suggestions on several topics.

“We want to know what the public’s vision is for how the community should develop,” West said. “We’re looking at where we’ve gone and where we’re headed.”

Input gathered from the public hearing will be used to develop a draft plan by the end of the year.

The public can view the committee’s progress and follow along through a new tab under the ‘planning/zoning’ section of the township’s website, www.liberty-township.com

There, the steering committee has posted PowerPoint presentations, the 2006 comprehensive plan, meeting minutes, demographic information and several land use and other maps.

For more information, call 513-759-7500.

Posted in: Government, News |

Tags: Tags: board of trustees, Christine Matacic, Jonathan West, Liberty Township board of trustees, Liberty Township Director of Planning and Zoning Jonathan West, Liberty Township Trustee Christine Matacic, Liberty Township Vision Plan, Liberty Township Vision Plan committee

The largest retail development to hit Butler County received its first nod Friday when trustees promised public financing for infrastructure to accommodate the $300 million project.

Now it’s up to county commissioners to seal their end of the deal on Monday.

Township trustees approved a memorandum of understanding between the township, the county and Libertytown LLC, promising $5 million in tax increment financing to help fund $56 million in road improvements and a parking garage for the proposed project at Liberty Way and Interstate 75.

Developer Steiner + Associates also had asked county commissioners for $55 million toward infrastructure improvements for the “life style” retail center which would be similar to Easton Town Center in Columbus and The Greene in Beavercreek.

But, it appears Steiner will only get $30 million from the county when commissioners cast their vote at Monday’s regular session.

Commissioner Chuck Furmon said Friday that the county has proposed contributing $20 million in existing funds from a Tax Increment Financing District, with another $10 million — possibly in $5 million increments — as Steiner reaches certain benchmarks in the project.

The money would back bonds that would be sold to pay for infrastructure.

“We want them to reach what they say they are going to do before we give the other $10 (million),” Furmon said.

Township trustees set several conditions on Steiner, including a prohibition on raiding other successful retail projects in Butler County such as Bridgewater Falls in Fairfield Township to fill Liberty Town Square.

Trustee Christine Matacic said Friday’s action was a preliminary step in getting Liberty Town Square off the ground.

Development and financing agreements still have to be finalized, she said.

“This is not a done deal, but we are cautiously optimistic that all three parties can move forward together,” she said.

The first phase of the project, worth $177 million on 60 acres, is expected to open around May 2014 with two department stores, specialty retail shops, a mix of restaurants, 100,000 square feet of class A office space and about 150 high-end apartments. Groundbreaking is expected by November.

Improvements to Cincinnati-Dayton Road at the Ohio 129 interchange, partly to accommodate the increase in traffic from Liberty Town Square, already are being planned.

Yaromir Steiner, who founded the Columbus-based development company, has said construction of Liberty Town Square will add 3,200 jobs during construction and another 4,600 permanent jobs for people who work there when shops open.

The much-touted development was abruptly put on hold in 2008 when the economy tanked.

Since then, it has been scaled back in size and value. Steiner initially proposed the project at $500 million. When completed, Liberty Town Square will sit on 100 acres and include up to 2.5 million square feet of commercial space.

Posted in: Business, Government, News |

Tags: Tags: Christine Matacic, I-75, Interstate 75, Liberty Town Square, Liberty Township trustee, Liberty Township Trustee Christine Matacic, Liberty Township trustees, Liberty Way, Liberty Way Interchange, Liberty Way project, Libertytown LLC, Steiner + Associates

Cincinnati Enquirer’s Sue Kiesewetter reports:

Expenses in Liberty Township’s 2012 approved budget could exceed revenues by as much as $518,000.

But township officials say they expect that number to decrease.

“Because it’s in the budget doesn’t mean we’ll spend it,’’ said Trustee Pat Hiltman. “We’re going to be real tight for the next 18 months.”

The approved budget includes projected revenues of $19,641,505 and expenses of $20,159,778. Included in that figure is $10.6 million for operations, which is lower than 2011’s estimated operating revenue.

The shortfall between revenue and expenses will come from carryover and reserve funds, said Kristen Bitonte, finance director.

“There’s no guarantee everything in there will be approved,” Bitonte said. “It could be less and that’s the goal.”

Although items are included in the budget trustees approve most large expenditures on a case by case basis after reviewing bids.

No employee layoffs or service reductions are planned for 2012. Instead it will be a year of maintaining existing services and programs. (more…)

Posted in: Government, News |

Tags: Tags: Christine Matacic, Liberty Township Administrator, Liberty Township Administrator Dina Minneci, Liberty Township trustee, Liberty Township Trustee Christine Matacic, Liberty Township Trustee David Kern, Liberty Township Trustee Pat Hiltman, Liberty Township trustees, Pat Hiltman