The Three Rivers News Dispatch issued its first edition on August 17, 2021. Since then, it has reported on area events and government meetings in North Bend, Addyston, Cleves, and Miami Township. The subscriptions are free, and the number of registered subscribers has grown to over 1,300. The TRND also accepts no advertising fees. It encourages local businesses to submit advertisements by email.

November 29, 2023

In This Edition of the Three Rivers News Dispatch

North Bend Council Discusses Sheriff's Contract and Cleves Waterworks

Miami Township Hires James Brett As Full-Time Administrator

Village Cleves 7.0 Operating Levy-Miami Township Garbage Levy Fail

Village of Cleves Christmas in The Village This Weekend

Miami Township Trustees Special Meeting- November 21, 20223

November Election Information Results Ballot

Three Rivers Local School District News

This Week at the Miami Township Senior Center

This Week at the Miami Township Library Branch

Cleves and Area Businesses

Disclosure Statement: The Three Rivers News Dispatch is written and operated by Cleves Mayor Elect Chuck Birkholtz. As of this edition, there won't be any editorial comments unless a subscriber is submitted.

North Bend Mayor Updates Council of Sheriff's Contract at October Meeting

North Bend Mayor Doug Sammons told the council members that Jeff Alluto, Hamilton County Administrator, said further negotiations for a Sheriff's contract would only occur after the November election.

Sammons, pictured left, said Alutto told him by phone that there had yet to be any progress in getting the western townships, Harrison, Crosby, and Whitewater, to join with Miami Township, Cleves, or North Bend. He added that we have been without a contract since 2021, and the county would resume talks once the election was over.

Councilperson Bev Bolser asked when North Bend's current safety levy would be up for renewal. Following a brief discussion, it was determined that it was November 2024.

Miami Township Fire Warns About Fire Hydrants

Miami Township Fire Department Captain Travis King reported to the North Bend Council that the Village has three fire hydrants out of service. They are located on Cliff Rd and at Harrison and Summit. King stated. "It has been an ongoing problem getting Cleves Waterworks to repair the fire hydrants. North Bend is not alone. Hydrants are not working in Cleves and other areas in Miami Township." King assured council members that there are about 500 feet between hydrants, and while it is not ideal, they can use longer hoses to fight a fire if one occurs close to the hydrants that are not working.

North Bend's Breakfast With Santa December 9

North Bend will sponsor a "Breakfast with Santa" for North Bend residents on Saturday, December 9, 2023. Breakfast will be served starting at 10 a.m., and Santa will be available for pictures until 11:30 a.m. The event will be held at the North Bend Municipal Building located at 21 Taylor Avenue.

Miami Township Hires Full-Time Administrator

The Miami Township Trustees have selected James Brett as their new Administrator, replacing former part-time Administrator Dan Reid. The position has remained vacant since Reid's departure in August. (James Brett is pictured on the right.)

Brett served as the Fiscal Officer and Clerk for the Village of Cleves for the last three years and was elected as Whitewatertownship's Fiscal officer for three terms. He was re-elected to that position in November. Before that, he served as a Whitewater Township trustee for eight years.

Miami Township has gained an administrator with a wealth of experience and contacts throughout the area. In addition to being a trustee and fiscal officer, he has served on the Hamilton County Board of Health for almost twenty-two years. He will resign from the Board of Health at its December meeting.

Vollrath Elected Miami Township Trustee

Miami Township residents rose above petty politics to elect Tim Vollrath as its new trustee to replace 24-year veteran trustee Jack Rininger on November 7, 2023.

Vollrath, who has served as the Commander of the American Legion Miller-Stockum Post 485, was elected in a close race by a vote of 2727 to 2499. The Republican candidate, Rob Schrimpf, a former attorney for the Hamilton County Prosecutor's office, sent out a misleading postcard painting Mr. Vollrath as a person who was arrested for domestic violence. The mailing failed to show that the charges were false and dismissed.

A group of volunteers organized a social media campaign to get the truth out that foiled the Republican-endorsed candidate's attempt to sway the election.

Vollrath received 52% of the vote. He is pictured above near the Miami Township seal.

Cleves 7.0 Mils Levy Fails

The Village of Cleves's latest attempt to get residents to pass an operating levy joined failed attempts in November 2021 and the May primary of 2022. The results of the 2021 levy show that the Village's effort to pass a renewal levy failed by three votes. That cost the Village around $230,000 in 2022 and another 230,000 in 2023. The 2021 results are shown below.

The Village of Cleves Council placed a 6.0 mil levy on the May 2022 primary ballot. That levy was for new money because the renewal levy failed in November 2021. That levy failed by a vote of 322 against and 87 for the levy.

Cleves's latest attempt to replace the operating levy dollars from 2021 was also lost this November 7, 2023 by a vote of 729 against 309 for the levy.

Cleves Christmas Walk In the Village This Saturday

Miami Township Renewal and Additional Waste Levy Fails

Trustees Vote 3-0 to Put the Issue on the Ballot Again

Miami Township residents voted against their Waste Renewal Levy and an additional increase to pay for garbage and recycling. Unlike the Village of Cleves, which has passed an ordinance requiring residents to pay for their garbage pickup, Miami Township residents have received their garbage service paid by their property taxes. Each resident's bill is based on the assessed value of their home, and therefore, each resident pays a different amount on their tax bill.

At the November 21 Special Meeting, the trustees voted 3-0 to pass Resolution 2023-12 to place a 2.75 mil levy based on the new valuation to pay for Waste pickup in the non-incorporated areas of Miami Township. Miami Township residents will vote on that issue at the primary on March 19, 2024.

Other actions taken during the Special Meeting: The Miamiwnship Trustees voted 3-0 to authorize an expenditure of $4475 to pay Neyer Plumbing to install a filling station for water on Jordan Rd. Residents can fill their cisterns.

Miami Township Administrator James Brett presented the organizational chart that was used by the trustees earlier this year. He told the trustees that he had met with the department heads, and they knew they were to report to him instead of going to the trustee who chairs the committee. Brett stated that he would inform every trustee of what happened to committees.

The results of the November vote on the Waste Levy are shown below.