January 2025

Brian O. Martin, AICP

MVRPC's Top Accomplishments in 2024

A Year of Collaboration, Innovation, and Impact

Each year, I compile a list of MVRPC's Top 10 Accomplishments, and 2024 was no exception. Narrowing it down is always a challenge because our staff achieves so much. Here’s a look back at an extraordinary year of growth and progress for the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission.

Regional collaboration remains at the heart of everything we do, and I want to thank our members, partners, and stakeholders for their continued support. I also extend my appreciation to our Officers and our Chairperson for their leadership throughout the year. Your collective efforts have been instrumental in advancing the Miami Valley region.

1. Regional Transportation Planning Organization (RTPO) Steering Committee and Plan Adoption

We began the year with updates to our Agency Constitution and Bylaws, laying the groundwork for the creation of the RTPO Steering Committee. By June, we celebrated the adoption of the first RTPO Plan. The culmination of these efforts came on December 18, 2024, when Ohio Governor Mike DeWine formally designated MVRPC’s Rural Member Policy Board as an Ohio Regional Transportation Planning Organization (RTPO). Known informally as the Darke-Preble-Shelby RTPO (DPS), this designation reinforces our commitment to advancing transportation planning and partnerships that benefit both ODOT and our member governments. View designation letter.

2. Expanding the Miami Valley Age-Friendly Communities

MVRPC continued to prioritize livable communities by securing funding for Age-Friendly grants and adding new communities. This year, we proudly welcomed Trotwood, Beavercreek city, and Beavercreek township to the Age-Friendly Miami Valley initiative, enhancing support for our region’s aging population.

Visit our interactive Story Map to learn more about our Miami Valley Age-Friendly Communities.

3. A New Era at 6 North Main Street

Our office move to 6 North Main Street symbolizes our growth and progress. This move will provide a modern, collaborative space for us to better serve the Miami Valley community.

4. Past Meets Present: MVRPC Executive Directors Connect

On June 26, 2024, I had the honor of meeting Dale Bertsch, the first Executive Director of MVRPC. This historic encounter allowed me to reflect on our agency’s rich history and legacy while sharing personal stories and insights.

The August Executive Director's Update featured the story about the visit.

5. MVRPC Board Accomplishments

Our Board’s leadership drove numerous successes. From updating MVRPC's Strategic Plan, to welcoming Butler Township, the Village of Pleasant Hill, and the Village of Lewisburg, the Board’s contributions were invaluable. Additional highlights include:

• Launching the new Board Digest feature in monthly newsletters (May)
• Sponsoring the MCTA Holiday Dinner, with MVRPC invited as guest speaker
• Attending community events such as the UD Friends of Government gathering, the Greene County Townships Holiday Dinner, and the Greater Dayton Mayors and Managers Holiday Party
• Updating the Strategic Plan and Values, reaffirming the agency’s logo and mark (December)

6. Convening for Regional Benefit

MVRPC hosted and participated in several impactful events, including:

• The NARC Executive Directors Conference (November)
• Our first Climate Planning Seminar (April)
• The Food Systems and Healthy Eating Workshop (November)
• A GIS Workshop and ACS Regional Insights (September)
• MVRPC sponsored many celebratory gatherings such as the MLK Day Dinner, Tour de Gem Bike Ride, and NCCJ Dinner

7. Investing in Transportation Infrastructure

MVRPC awarded $27 million in federal transportation funding to projects that advance our region’s mobility. September’s US 35 @ Woodman Ribbon Cutting marked a significant milestone and a fitting conclusion to ODOT Director Jack Marchbanks’ career.

8. Recognizing Agency & Staff Excellence

Our staff and agency received several accolades this year, including:

• URISA Excellence in GIS Award for Tornado Recovery Monitoring System (February)
• The Dayton Foundation Recognizes MVRPC on our response to Memorial Day Tornadoes 2019
• Fabrice Juin receives 40 Under 40 Award (June)
• Brian receives Pillar (Urban League), Governance (United Way), Ohio Top 500 Awards
• Martin Kim elected to the APA Ohio Board of Directors as President
• MVRPC Wins Gold in the Map Gallery Ohio GIS (November)
• DRG Sustainability Luncheon and Award (January)

9. Team Celebrations

Our staff continues to evolve, with new training opportunities, the addition of talented new hires and interns who bring fresh perspectives, and farewells to valued colleagues as they embark on new paths. Our 2024 staff updates include:

• Celebrating Service Anniversaries:
• Tom Harner, 25 Years
• Laura Dent, 10 Years
• Elizabeth Baxter, 5 Years 
• Agency Preparations for the total solar eclipse
• MVRPC Participates in Northmont City School District Job Fair and Fairborn Schools Environmental Fair
• University of Dayton Center for Leadership Training Roll Out for Staff
• MVRPC Welcomes New Staff:
• Megan Young, Administrative Assistant
• Rebecca Carr, Active Transportation & Environment Planner
• Ian Cole, Transportation Planner
• Arnie Biondo, Del Mar Fellow Supporting Miami Valley Age-Friendly Network
• MVRPC Hosted New Interns, Joseph Albinius and Robin Lambert

You can find the full MVRPC Staff Directory on our website or you can view the Table of Organization showing the various program departments in MVRPC.

10. Enhancing Agency Practices

This year, we streamlined audit, contact, and financial systems to enhance operational efficiency. The full list of this year's Agency best practices of mention include:

• Rebuilding MVRPC’s audit, contact, and financial systems
• Turner Road Study shows potential for joint planning between Harrison Twp. and Trotwood
• GRMI Model Survey
• MVRPC Assists Members: Preble County Park District, Metroparks, and other jurisdictions on plans, trails, and other projects 

MVRPC was a proud sponsor and an active participant at the 36^th Annual Miami Valley Planning and Zoning workshop, held on Friday, December 6, 2024 at Sinclair Conference Center. 

Attended by nearly 400 planning and zoning practitioners and citizen planners in the Dayton metropolitan region, this year’s workshop featured a keynote address by Dr. Dave Amos, a planning professor and City Beautiful YouTuber, 22 educational sessions, and great networking opportunities. 

MVRPC staff has served on the workshop planning committee for several months to ensure a successful workshop. During the workshop, MVRPC staff, along with many partners, hosted 4 sessions to share our expertise and to speak about many of our important and innovative projects: 1) Miami Valley Climate Action Planning (with City of Dayton); 2) Planning for HEALth: Healthy Eating, Active Living (with Greene County Public Health); 3) Master Planning Implementation: A Walk in the Park or Cutting New Trails? (with Five Rivers MetroParks); and 4) Long Term Recovery Efforts after the 2019 Memorial Day Tornado.

The Annual Miami Valley Planning and Zoning Workshop is presented by the Miami Valley Section of the American Planning Association, Ohio Chapter. 

The Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Compatibility Use Plan (WPAFB CUP) a collaborative planning effort sponsored by the Wright-Patterson Regional Council of Governments (WPRCOG) to identify challenges and opportunities in sustaining both the military mission and local economic growth and development.

The WPAFB CUP focuses on the existing development context, mechanisms for improving planning coordination, and opportunities for mutually beneficial growth. The Plan provides project partners, stakeholders, and the public:

• An assessment of existing land uses, potential growth areas, and economic development opportunities around Wright-Patterson AFB;
• Information to assist surrounding communities in making decisions regarding compatible development; and
• Recommended strategies for addressing compatibility issues and promoting compatible land use planning around Wright-Patterson AFB and surrounding communities.

The final WPAFB CUP was completed on November 19, 2024 with participation from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the nearby communities in Greene, Montgomery, and Clark Counties. MVRPC’s Director of Community and Regional Planning, Mr. Martin Kim served on its Steering Committee providing direction and technical expertise throughout the process and with the final document.

Visit the Wright-Patterson Regional Council of Governments (WPRCOG) website (https://www.wright-pattcog.com/) to view the final WPAFB CUP.

The WPRCOG was established in October 2020 through a joint agreement between Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Springfield Air National Guard Base, the cities of Beavercreek, Dayton, Fairborn, Huber Heights, and Riverside, and Bath Township.

On a monthly basis, MVRPC highlights several funding opportunities for eligible cities, counties, and townships on our website that could benefit communities in the Region. We include a description, contact information, and program links. We have also listed other valuable resources for funding opportunities for our regional jurisdictions and organizations. See more at: mvrpc.org/grant-and-funding-opportunities

This month, we are featuring information on:

• Ohio Pedestrian & Bicycle Special Solicitation– Deadline: rolling quarterly
• Ohio Fire Department Equipment Grants (Individual and Joint Equipment)– Deadline: January 31, 2025 



If you have any questions, please contact Kathryn Youra Polk at kyourapolk@mvrpc.org.

Upcoming Notice of Funding Opportunity Announcements in 2024

In order to provide stakeholders with more visibility into upcoming funding opportunities, U.S. DOT publishes anticipated dates for upcoming Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs) for programs within the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), as well as adjacent programs that support BIL and IRA objectives.

View the Grant Programs Calendar here: Key Notices of Funding Opportunity | US Department of Transportation. 

Please contact Savannah Diamond, MVRPC’s Assistant to the Executive Director at sdiamond@mvrpc.org or 937.223.6323 with your comments or questions about local and regional grant pursuits.

Resources -

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Rural Playbook: A roadmap for delivering opportunity and investments in rural America

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Technical Assistance Guide: A list of federal resources to help communities deliver infrastructure projects

EPA WaterTA

EPA's free Water Technical Assistance (WaterTA) services support communities to identify water challenges, develop plans, build capacity, and develop application materials to access water infrastructure funding. For more information visit the website: https://www.epa.gov/water-infrastructure/water-technical-assistance-waterta

MVRPC Meetings

Please check the agency calendar on mvrpc.org or contact Savannah Diamond at sdiamond@mvrpc.org for the status of your meeting.

2025 Meeting Calendar Now Available

MVRPC's 2025 Meeting Calendar is now available. This comprehensive calendar includes all scheduled meetings for our various committees, subcommittees, and networks, including the Board of Directors, Technical Advisory Committee, and many others that play a role in advancing our Region's planning and development efforts.

Meeting locations, times, are detailed in the calendar. Please note that some meetings may be subject to cancellation or rescheduling. For the most current information, visit our Committee Center at mvrpc.org/committee-center.

This calendar is an essential resource for staying engaged with MVRPC’s planning initiatives and collaborative efforts across the Miami Valley region. We encourage all members and stakeholders to download the calendar and mark your schedules.

For further details, visit our website or contact us at 937.223.6323.

MVRPC Office is on the Move!

MVRPC is excited to announce that we have moved to a new location! Our office is located at 6 N. Main Street, Suite 400, Dayton, OH 45402. Please update your records and contact Savannah Diamond sdiamond@mvrpc.org with any questions.

We look forward to welcoming you to our new space in the heart of downtown Dayton in 2025!

MVRPC emails are produced through Constant Contact. We have negotiated a significantly reduced group rate for all of our MVRPC members and partners to join Constant Contact making it easy for you to offer your own customized, professional communication to your communities. You will save considerably more than you could joining the platform on your own, and even if you are already using Constant Contact, you can apply our discount to save even more. Best of all, the MVRPC communication team is here to help you get started! Visit our unique Constant Contact link or contact Laura Dent, MVRPC Director of Marketing and Public Outreach to learn more at ldent@mvrpc.org.

937.223.6323 | mvrpc.org