Driving along Montgomery Road is beginning to look a little different these days. It’s spring, so of course the landscaping is starting to blossom, but new storefronts are budding as well. Closson’s vacant building is now gone and the property is being replaced by a branch of First Financial Bank, Camargo Cadillac is undergoing a significant upgrade, Clark’s Pharmacy recently opened and the Vintage Marketplace has also opened in the old Starbucks location. In addition, the Planning Commission is currently working on a re-do of the old Jaguar dealership and work is underway at the old Perkins site. And even more may be coming soon…

Is it just luck, or is good planning a part of the success? Obviously, Montgomery is a desirable place to locate a business – for all of the reasons we already know. But given the economic contraction of the past four years, no city escaped without losing some of its businesses and having office and retail space become visibly vacant. The question became, how can we better position our city to be one to capitalize on the eventual recovery? After all, this is the visioning in which cities should engage to be in a position to take advantage of opportunities when they are presented.

In early 2011, City Council adopted a new five-year strategic plan. The first listed goal was a renewed emphasis on “Economic Development” — to retain existing businesses, expand the current employment base, increase goods and services to residents and encourage redevelopment in vacant and under-utilized properties. Of course, simply wanting it to happen is never enough. That’s where our city’s staff digs in and puts planning into action.

Our Community Development department, usually responsible for building permits and the like, has been busy cataloging businesses, analyzing desirable properties, and most importantly, inviting land owners, commercial brokers and other business interests to come together to talk about Montgomery’s opportunities and its hurdles. Not only have these brainstorming meetings resulted in several exciting conversations, but they have also encouraged City Council to look for ways to form public/private partnerships to move these plans forward. In conjunction with the Finance department, an “economic toolbox” is now beginning to take shape to define opportunities and to potentially “incentivize” more development activity.

For our part, City Council fully endorses this enthusiastic approach to “recruiting” businesses and seeking new development in Montgomery. By expanding our base, we not only retain our vibrant community, but we help strengthen our ability to serve our citizens. We want to build out neighborhood retail and service centers, create mixeduse districts providing office and entertainment, and provide for new and different housing options. We also have to ensure that we have the zoning and standards in place to make it “feel” the way our community would favor. Pushing through this upward spiral will continue to attract businesses and families to our great community.

Another familiar part of spring is seen most mornings — “the early bird catches the worm.” Rather than waiting for it to happen eventually, our dedicated City staff has gone out looking to spur it on, and it’s just starting to show. The next few years should prove to be a very exciting time for “green shoots” in Montgomery.

This month's message from Council member Lynda Roesch

Most people enjoy getting a free gift. The City of Montgomery is especially grateful for gifts. A variety of gifting opportunities exist in Montgomery. Contributions of cash or property can be made to the following Funds or Programs:

• Arts & Amenities Fund which helps to sponsor Bastille Day, the Sister Cities Program and BAMSO concerts, among other things
• Historic Trust Fund which supports the maintenance of City-owned historical properties
• Living Memorial Fund which supports the City’s parks, sidewalks and open spaces
• Parks Trust Fund
• “Friends of” Program

Contributions to the Living Memorial Fund can be used to purchase:

• Engraved bricks at City Hall or Johnson Nature Preserve
• Commemorative Tree Program
• Commemorative Victorian Bench Program.

Contributions/donations are a nice way to celebrate a special occasion or to remember the life of a loved one. The contribution is lasting and makes a difference in the surrounding community. Your gift will enhance the City and you will think of that loved one or special event every time you see the tree, bench or brick. The Montgomery community is especially grateful for such contributions. For more detailed information on each of these funds and how to contribute, visit the  “gifting opportunities” page on this website.

Christopher Dobrozsi

This month’s article by Council Member Chris Dobrozsi

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! I hope that everyone spent the Holiday Season with their family and friends creating memories that will last a lifetime. The Montgomery “Holiday in the Village” was a wonderful place to create these memories and kick-off the “season of giving”. My family and friends joined numerous other families to enjoy the tree lighting ceremony, caroling, carriage rides and the ever popular Santa visit.

Special thanks to the Wattenhofer Family of Shadowpoint Court for donating their beautiful blue spruce tree to the City for the Holiday festivities. The tree was displayed throughout the Holiday season at the corner of Cooper and Montgomery Roads in Neuilly-Plaisance Plaza.

As we all make our list of New Year’s Resolutions for 2012, I felt compelled again this year to compile a list of the “Top 10” resolutions everyone in the community can make (and keep) to ensure Montgomery continues to be a vibrant, livable and inclusive place for future generations.

1. Get Involved in “Montgomery Tomorrow” – The City of Montgomery 2011-2016 Strategic Plan: Montgomery Tomorrow includes 6 goals and associated strategies that focus on community engagement, economic development and business retention, sound financial position and practices, high quality of life for the community, continuation of excellent services and financial independence. Numerous opportunities will exist for the community to become an active participant in bringing this Strategic Plan to fruition.
2. Apply for the Montgomery Citizen Leadership Academy – Limited to only 25 participants per year, the Academy is specially designed to help transform residents into the role of actively engaged citizens.  The goal of the ten session Academy is to develop an ongoing positive relationship and two-way constructive dialogue between Leadership Academy graduates and City officials/staff, ultimately building a stronger Montgomery.
3. Visit the Montgomery Farmers Market – The Market is open for business every Saturday from May through October in the  Elementary School parking lot and typically has over 20 local vendors featuring locally grown fruits and vegetables as well as homemade reads, granola, dog food and more. What a great place to start your weekends and experience a true sense of community with your friends/neighbors while enjoying live music.
4. Support our schools – Our nationally recognized public and private schools are the #1 reason families move into our great community. Once these families experience the fact that we are so much more than our great schools, they become citizens for life.
5. Support diversity – Montgomery is home to many ethnic cultures and religions as well as diverse economic, professional and age demographics. This melting pot of diversity is yet another reason Montgomery is a great place to live and raise a family ensuring our children will be well equipped to succeed in a global society.
6. Maintain your property – Every home/business owner is responsible for maintaining their property in a manner consistent with that of a premier community. We should all maintain all aspects of our property including paint, landscaping/lawn, sidewalks, etc. to this standard.
7. Reduce-Reuse-Recycle – The burden is on us to ensure our children and future generations have the natural resources needed to live a healthy life.  We should all continue to increase our level of awareness and reduce-reuse-recycle whenever possible.  Montgomery is a national leader with nearly 31% of our total waste being diverted for recycling.
8. Community Wellness – Engage in some activity to contribute to your mental, physical and spiritual wellness.  Montgomery is made for wellness, with its parks, trees, sidewalks and overall natural beauty. In addition, Montgomery boasts a populace active in their professions, as well as in their personal lives.  This characteristic is manifested in many ways, but particularly in those who enjoy exercise and the great outdoors. Make the effort to join your fellow citizens and experience the amenities that our great community offers and enhance your wellness in the process.
9. Support a Local Business – While our citizens are our lifeblood, our businesses provide the balance of a thriving commercial arm and provide corporate citizenship that is so important to our community.  The resources provided by our businesses including personnel, commerce, visitors and tax base are all contributions to a community that is the envy of others across the country for its amenities and the healthy balance between business and residential. It is important that we make the effort to patronize those businesses that provide services and products to us in the Montgomery community.
10. Make a New Friend – An attraction of our community is that it is of the right size to get to know your neighbors and it is ‘friendly’ and ‘comfortable’ in a way to allow us opportunities to get to know those who extend beyond our neighborhoods. In 2012 look for opportunities to venture out into other neighborhoods to meet new people who are representative of the increasingly diverse population that is Montgomery.

I am honored to have been elected to City Council by the citizens of Montgomery.  My first two years have been challenging, yet quite rewarding and I would not change anything. I want to thank my wife, Michelle, and my children, Andrew and James, for all the love and support as I invest the time and energy needed to fulfill my commitment on City Council. I ask that each of you continue to invest your time and energy as well, to ensure Montgomery continues to be the community of choice.

Council and I wish everyone a healthy and prosperous 2012.

Barry Joffe

This month’s article by Council Member Barry Joffe

“Montgomery has grown to become home to a population representing various ethnic cultures and religions,” begins a report put out by an ad hoc Diversity/Inclusiveness Advisory Group in September 2010. Part of the group’s purpose was to “…identify potential opportunities to enhance cultural inclusion and diversity…” The City’s 2011 Vision Statement also recognizes the diversity in background that our citizens bring. The opening quote is certainly supported by comparing U.S. Census data from 2000 to 2010. While overall population in Montgomery grew by 0.9%, the proportion of our Asian population increased from 3.3% to 5.6% and Hispanics from 0.8% to 1.8%. African Americans increased from 1.6% to 2.7% of the population.

One recent event which served to celebrate our diversity was the annual International Reception held at Terwilliger Lodge. Including the U.S., attendees represented fifteen different countries. Each brought a dish of indigenous food to share at the buffet-style table. For me, the food highlight has always been a delicious chocolate-filled French crepe prepared on the spot. And although the line can sometimes be long, it’s always worth the wait!

Young dancers from the Chinese Performing Arts Center entertained attendees with a traditional Chinese folk dance entitled “Good Luck Comes at New Year”. Of particular appeal to me were the young musicians playing a well- known nursery rhyme using the Erhu, a Chinese two-stringed bowed instrument like a violin or fiddle. To round out the entertainment, Montgomery resident Charleston (CK) Wang gave a Tai Chi demonstration – a Chinese martial art practiced primarily for its health benefits.

The International Reception first began in the mid 1990’s and is hosted by our Sister Cities Commission, which was established back in 1989. The reception exemplifies the kind of avenues we can explore in order to engage and learn more about our respective cultures. Interestingly, a recent Enquirer article pointed to how lack of diversity hinders our broader region. According to U.S. Census data, Cincinnati ranks low among U.S. metro areas in the percentage of homes where people speak languages other than English. As affairs of the region go increasingly global, so does the need for workers to be fluent in the languages and customs of the people they serve. By us building a reputation for celebrating diversity in our own community, we can serve as a magnet for culturally diverse families and thereby not only enrich our own community, but also support the needs of our increasingly global local economy.

Craig Margolis

This month’s article written by Council member Craig Margolis

MCC: It’s YOUR Chamber of Commerce

Have you ever wondered how our City (of Montgomery) has been able to continually attract and maintain a vibrant business district? The Montgomery Chamber of Commerce was established several years ago with just that goal in mind.

The Chamber is an association of Montgomery businesses that work together to advance the civic, economic, cultural, and social interests of the City and its residents. According to Chamber president Steve Lohre, the Chamber works to promote the vitality of the City’s business environment. The Chamber envisions Montgomery as “the quality place” for a business address, as evidenced by the wide variety of businesses that have chosen to make Montgomery their home. The goal is to create a strong and prosperous business community and assist with planned growth and development.

Membership in the Chamber is open to all businesses and residents of the city of Montgomery. With its focus on economic development, the Chamber works closely with the City to create pro-business initiatives that benefit the entire community. By leveraging the talents and resources of its members, the Chamber has grown into a dynamic organization.

The City is working in partnership with the Montgomery Chamber of Commerce to support the business community through fun events like the Free Hot Dog Lunch, recruitment and retention efforts outlined as part of the economic development strategy in the 2011 Strategic Plan and on an eventual “Buy Local” campaign. Partnerships like these add to the success and vitality of businesses, and therefore, the community and are key to accomplishing the vision of the community as the choice to live, work and play!

The Montgomery Chamber provides networking opportunities like Montgomery Mornings, L3 Meetings, Lunch, Learn, Leads and Business after Five and works hard to support its members’ interests by keeping up with business relevant legislation. Chamber member and resident Michelle Brooker believes, “Participation in the Chamber encourages a greater utilization of local businesses through their ‘Montgomery First’ initiative.” She said she now makes it a priority to make purchases locally. She has also found her participation in the Chamber valuable in gaining a greater understanding of the synergy between businesses and local government leaders. This gives other chamber members the first opportunity to serve local business and resident needs.

It definitely “pays” to have a vibrant Chamber working collaboratively with the local government! For more information please visit the Montgomery Chamber of Commerce website.