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MARION COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
ORGANIZATION
PO Box 65 Maria Stein, Ohio 45860-0065
Phone 419-925-7100 Fax 419-925-5911 email mcdo@bright.net
Web site www.marioncommunity.com
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| Volume 4 |
Summer 2001 |
Issue 3 |
MARION COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION PO Box 65 Maria Stein, Ohio
45860-0065 Phone 419-925-7100 Fax 419-925-5911 mcdo@bright.net
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Special Points of Interest
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This newsletter is distributed by The Marion
Community Development Organization (MCDO). The goal of
this newsletter is to inform area citizens in or near
the Marion Local School District of the activities of
the MCDO.
MCDO has worked on many projects and
continues to be active in many areas with its eight
standing committees. MCDO is constantly working on
initiatives that will ultimately enable our communities
to grow and develop. Call us with questions, comments
and concerns.
OFFICE LOCATION The MCDO office is located
within the former Gast Building on Franklin Street
(State Route 274) east of the Post Office in Chickasaw.
MCDO meetings are normally held the third Wednesday of
each month at 8:00 p.m. at the Marion Township building
at 2031 Clune Stucke Road north of State Route 119 in
St. Rose. Reminders are printed in the church bulletins
and town news. | |
| 2001
Board of Directors |
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| Al Lochtefeld, President |
925-4321 |
| Greg Garmann, Vice Pres. |
925-5202 |
| Mike Wuebker, Secretary |
925-6700 |
| Sr. Barbara Ann Hoying, Treas. |
925-4532 |
| Lowell Homan |
925-4154 |
| Ron Brunswick |
582-2434 |
| Bob Schwieterman |
925-4180 |
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| Committee Chairpersons |
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| Agricultural Development: |
| Vacant |
| Business
Retention & Dev.: |
| Dale Schwieterman, CPA |
925-4550 |
| Health,
Safety & Education: |
| Emily Koesters |
925-4792 |
| Housing: |
| Bob Unrast |
925-4151 |
| Infrastructure: |
| Ralph Liette |
925-4263 |
| Land
Use: |
| John Bruns |
925-4712 |
| Membership: |
| Al Lochtefeld |
925-4321 |
| Recreation: |
| Tim Pohlman |
925-5899 | | |
| The Voice of the President . . .
The MCDO has formed a committee to reach out to the residents of
the Marion Communities as we begin this 10 year planning effort. A
member of this committee will meet with groups of local individuals
(Focus Groups) to define community needs. Our 10-year plan will
include all our community needs such as business, industry,
agriculture, housing, social activities, religious activities,
education, family support, retirement needs, recreation,
transportation, etc.
We are currently experiencing an America, troubled by an economic
slow down, which has effected the Marion Community as well. We are
also getting closer to the generation of the baby-boomers retiring.
These are both large burdens which must be converted into
opportunities.
Perhaps it's time to think in a different way. We need to think
how we can provide gainful employment in our Marion Communities for
our younger generation. They will inherit our burden and our dreams.
Lets face it, minimum wage employment will not support our burden
nor set the pattern to realize our dreams and desires to enjoy life
as it is intended.
I think we need to get a better return for our tax dollars, push
for a more mean and lean government with the flexibility to excel in
areas needed to benefit people. We must also rely on our personal
resources, our knowledge and our vision to seek a better future for
the Marion Communities and the Country.
Al Lochtefeld |
| AGRICULTURE |
| We are looking for someone to chair this committee.
If interested, please let us know. |
| BUSINESS RETENTION |
| Dale Schwieterman, CPA |
We are working with an
individual to fill the former "Bomholts" building in St.
Rose. We hope this will develop very soon.
We have been working with
Ohio Recycling to try to have all of Mercer County's
recyclables processed at this location. The Mercer
County Commissioners did not grant Ohio Recycling the
business of processing all the County's household
recyclables, but did grant a partial subsidy for 2001.
Ohio recycling will continue to make an application for
2002. Expansion plans for
the Zahn-Marion Township Branch Library are on schedule.
Architects, Fanning/Howey Associates, Inc., have the
blueprints completed. If you wish to see what the
expanded library building will look like, a dimensional
sketch may be viewed at the library.
If you have any questions,
concerning the Library expansion, just give the library
a call at 925-4966. Please
find the inserts in this newsletter from some of our
fine Marion Community businesses. We urge everyone to
frequent these and all of our local businesses. They pay
taxes, provide jobs, support local programs, etc.
Without these local businesses, we would not be able to
have the quality communities we have today. |
| LAND USE |
| John Bruns |
Land use is related to
zoning. If you are planning any change on your property,
new buildings, signs, planting trees, etc. check with
your local zoning inspector or village council before
you start. This will prevent problems later. Many times
citizens do not understand the zoning or know where
right-of-ways are located.
Remember, anything in the
village or township right-of-way can be removed or
altered at anytime because it becomes that respective
Government's responsibility. Contact Roy Mescher for the
Marion Township are, Virgil Puthoff-Chickasaw village
and Jerry Kemper - Osgood Village. |
| Health, Saftey, &
Education |
| Emily Koesters |
The Arts in the Park had a
very successful program this year. Classes offered were
dancing/acting, movie stints, clay work, pottery wheel,
tie dyeing among others. Sessions were held in Osgood,
Chickasaw and Maria Stein.
Thank you to the community
for your support of this program, and your interest in
our young people. | |
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| OSGOOD PARK BOARD
MEMBERS |
| Alan Wendel, President |
582-4502 |
| Frank "Wills" Arling |
582-3801 |
| Alan Winner |
582-5821 |
| Brian Winner |
582-2702 |
| Don Meiring |
582-2049 |
| Jim Brunswick |
582-3019 |
| Ron Brunswick |
582-2434 |
| Rudy Wendel |
582-2705 |
| Damian Brand |
582-5771 |
| Tim Eilerman |
582-3203 |
| Scott Werling |
582-4211 | |
| Contact Brian Winner at 582-2702 to rent the park
shelters. |
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| HOUSING |
Bob Unrast
Chapel
Hill subdivision has building lots available located
very close to the new community park.
Building lots are available
in the Westwood sub-division in Osgood. Contact Brian
Winner for more information at 582-2702 .
Building lots are available
along Mendenhall Road west of Osgood- ranging in size
from 1.3 to 3 acres. For more information, call Vic and
Sylvia Poeppelman at 582-3673. |
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| INFRASTRUCTURE |
Ralph Liette
The
study for the possibility of bringing natural gas to the
area was completed by a consultant and paid for by
Midwest Electric, the village of Chickasaw and Marion
Township. The study revealed it unfeasible to bring
natural gas to the area but it did say that it would be
feasible to pipe propane to each residence and business
in the area. This could be done by locating a large tank
centrally in the area and piping the gas from it. By
doing this, there would be a cost savings to each
residence or business as we could buy the propane in
volume. This would eliminate the need for each home to
have an individual tank setting on their property. The
ownership would be through members of a nonprofit
organization or a cooperative, similar to how Midwest
Electric is structured. A
questionnaire was prepared and mailed to all property
owners in the area. We received a very good response
from the surveys. Students at Wright State University
will provide the evaluation of the questionnaire in
cooperation with Midwest Electric and MCDO.
The village of Chickasaw is
continuing their central sewer planning efforts. They
will be seeking new estimates for the village only sewer
project. They are currently attempting to locate land
for the project. Rural
Development, the largest funding source for the formerly
planned Chickasaw/Marion Township sewer project, has
requested a letter from the Mercer County Commissioners
stating they are “no longer interested” in the 40% grant
application they have pending with Rural Development
services. Since the Marion Township Trustees voted not
to recommend to the County to proceed, the County has
little choice but to send the response requested.
This grant amounted to 3.2
million dollars and also had a low interest loan
involved with it.
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| VILLAGE REPORTS |
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| Osgood: Mayor Jerry Kemper
This is my last report as
mayor as I will be retiring from the Mayor's position
effective June 30, 2001. Steve Winner will be taking
over the Mayor's responsibility very soon.
- The village is continuing the planning of the
reconstruction of South North Street.
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| Chickasaw: Mayor Virgil Puthoff
- The contract has been awarded to PAB Construction
for the installation of curbs along South Roosevelt
Street (State Route 716) south of State Route 274.
Construction should start very soon.
- A leaf vac was recently purchased to be used this
fall. This should help with the leaf burning concerns
many residents have in the fall months. We have also
added yard waste bags that can be purchased for
disposal of grass clippings, leaves, plant trimmings,
etc. These will be picked up at the curb just as the
trash bags and recycle bags. The village discourages
open burning because of safety and health concerns. We
are attempting to provide these and other alternatives
to open burning. Also, remember we have as one of our
local businesses, Ohio Recycling, that accepts many of
the items residents are currently burning such as
newspaper, junk mail, magazines and plastic bottles.
We would like everyone to work together to help keep
Chickasaw a neat, clean and safe place to live.
- The village is continuing to work on the central
sewer for the village and is currently looking for
land.
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| MARION TOWNSHIP REPORT |
| Lowell Homan - Trustee
While we all try to do things
to keep our properties neat and clean, occasionally some
things do not get the attention they deserve. A couple
of items that need a little more attention are the
unlicensed vehicles that are setting at a few properties
around the township. These vehicles create an appearance
of clutter. There are a few
places where people have burn piles in the roadway side
ditches. The burn piles are very unsightly and also
create potential water pollution concerns as they are
setting in areas that drain to our streams. These are
also against the law as this property is public and
placing trash in a public right of way is considered
littering. Let's all try a little harder to keep the
Township a neat, clean and healthy place to live.
- Township roads that will be paved this year are
Stelzer Road between SR 274 and SR 119 and Harting
Road. There will be a sealer applied to Kramer Road
from SR 119 to Huwer Road. Olding Road already had a
sealer applied to it earlier this year.
- The County will be paving Clune Stucke Road from
SR 119 to the Darke County Line this year.
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Maria Stein Center Sr. Barbara Ann
Hoying, C.PP.S.
There is always more to do. One job is
not yet finished and the next one is waiting. Life is like that!
There's always more to do! That is what
it felt like during the construction/renovation work on the exterior
of the Shrine. We have been at this project since early 1999. Even
though the slow pace of progress could be seen, it seemed to drag.
More needed doing than was originally expected. Deadlines seemed
always to be extended. CountryFest
provided perspective. The long awaited large Maria Stein Center sign
at the road was up, lighted and landscaped. The quiet beauty of the
Lourdes Grotto and the Stations Courtyard were noticed by many on
the way to or from the festival grounds. Singly, by couples, by
families people walked the Stations of the Cross. They walked up to
the corner crucifix. They stood quietly in front of the Lourdes
Grotto, listening to the water, looking at the glow of light on the
Virgin Mary. These dreams were now a reality and it was a deep joy
observing people enjoying them. Many,
many good and generous people brought this project to reality. We
are deeply grateful to all of them-builders, electricians, masons,
landscapers, and a host of other professionals. Many ideas, many
hands, many donors made this possible. If you are one of them, you
are included in our earnest prayer to God asking that your
generosity be blessed from Heaven. But,
we are not finished! There is more to do. Immediately, we need to
seed bare areas of lawn. In the fall we will begin renovations
inside the building-chapels, gift shop, rest rooms, elevator, and
air conditioning. By CountryFest next year, we hope to have all this
finished. After that there will still be
more to do. Life's work is never done-not until our God calls us
Home. We ask God to walk with you and with us in the doing!
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Spiritual Center of Maria Stein - Retreat
House Bro. Tom Bohman HOT SON IN THE
SUMMERTIME-2001 After a mild
and rainy May, we moved into the lazy days of Summer. We are busy at
the present moment with several landscaping projects around the
building. Potential Eagle Scouts are working on landscaping and
donating some materials. We are blessed by scout workers from
Minster, Maria Stein, and Chickasaw thus far. We have a volunteer
lawn crew that never stops with all the rain, including some work
until 9:30 at night. Forty local volunteers helped trim shrubs. We
thank God that so many people from our community come forward to
volunteer. In June, we had very successful servers picnic and bible
bash. The theme of our servers picnic was salt and light. Fr. Ken
Ault, C.PP.S. led us in prayer. We had water games, relays and
basketball. A highlight was recognizing the light of the Son, Jesus
by the labyrinth near the pond. Our
bible bash focused on Super Heroes of the Hebrew and Christian
scriptures especially leading us to Jesus Christ.
Also in the works is a low ropes course,
which our board hopes to have completed by the Fall. We hope also to
have our Mysteries of the Rosary navigable and the pathway free of
muddy spots that plagued us this Spring.
All of these hopes can be helped by you.
Join our growing volunteer force that helps to keep the Spiritual
Center open. Big events for July, 2001
are on July 28 and 29, the second anniversary of the opening of the
Retreat Center. On July 28, there will be a special evening for
youth. Rev. Mr. Greg Bornhorst plans an evening of entertainment
with Christian song and witness that should be lively and a good
place to meet high school students with a common bond of the Son,
Jesus' love. On Sunday, we plan to have Fr. Earl Simone and Diana
Martin present for witnesses. Fr. Simone is from St. Peters, Huber
Heights, Ohio and Diana Martin is from St. Marys, Ohio. Both face
physical hardships but place their trust in the Summer Son and in
the merits of the retreat experience at the Spiritual Center. There
will be the Schmitmeyer's Band and members of the St. Henry Folk
Group leading us in Christian song. Come and join us at 4:00. May
the Son of God shine on you this summer. |
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