E-News December 2013

December News & Updates

New Council Term Begins

Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Nadel administered the oath of office for the new council held on December 2.  Six members were re-elected by the Village residents along with one newly elected (and former) member, Peg Conway.

Members serving for the 2013-2015 two-year term:

Back Row: Richard Bardach, Natalie Wolf, Bill Doering, Ed Hattenbach.  Front Row: Tom Muething, Peg Conway, Ray Warren.

Council Districts
District A – Ed Hattenbach
District B – Natalie Wolf
District C – Tom Muething
District D – Ray Warren
District E – Rich Bardach

Calendar Events

Dec  9 Council Meeting 6:30 p.m.
Dec 23 ESC Meeting – Cancelled
Dec 24 & 25 Christmas – Offices Closed

Watch the November Council Meeting
Council meetings can also be watched on Time Warner Cable Channel 4 on Thursdays at 7 p.m. and Fridays at 10 a.m.

November Council Meeting Highlights

Rumpke Holiday Pick-Up Schedule

Residents can expect a one day delay for regular trash and recycling collection service from Rumpke through the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.  If your pick-up day is Friday, service will occur on Saturday. 

Christmas Leaf Collection Schedule

• No collection on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day
• Collection service on the day after Christmas

Cartons Now Accepted in Recycling!

Rumpke has announced that carton containers are now accepted in its residential and commercial recycling programs. Types of carton containers accepted include juice, milk, soy milk, soup, broth, egg substitute and wine cartons.

To ensure your cartons are recycled, follow these easy steps:

1. Empty the container. Containers still     containing liquid will not be recycled
2. Remove caps or straws
3. Toss the carton in the recycling container with other acceptable items

Visit rumpke.com or RecycleCartons.com

Ice and Snow Removal

The Village Maintenance Department prides itself on its response to winter storms. Our goals are to keep the main roads and priority routes passable and then to clear all streets as soon as possible after the storm has subsided.

The roads are treated in order of priority with the predicted weather in mind:

• Main roads, hills.
• Access to Village buildings to enable police/fire, maintenance, and administration employees to do their jobs.
• Subdivision streets, low-volume, no outlet, dead-end streets and private roads with no other access for emergency services.

Here are some things you can do at your property to help the crews work most efficiently:

• Park in your driveway, not in the street, especially not in cul-de-sacs or near intersections.
• When you plow or shovel your driveway, keep it on your property. Don’t plow into the road.

Know Before You Go

• Know the latest driving conditions. Visit Buckeyetraffic.org or sign up for ODOT Twitter updates for your area.
• Clear snow and ice from your vehicle’s windows, lights and signals.
• Make sure tires, wiper blades, lights and other vehicle functions are working properly.
• Give yourself extra time to get to your destination.

• Watch for black ice. Roads that seem dry may actually be slippery and dangerous. Use caution when approaching intersections, off-ramps, bridges or shady areas… all can be hot spots for black ice.
• Reduce speeds and increase distance between vehicles. Remember a four-wheel drive vehicle can still slide on icy roads.
• Brake early, brake slowly, brake correctly and never slam on the brakes.
• Don’t use cruise control and avoid abrupt steering maneuvers.

• Snow plows travel well below the posted speed limit. Be patient and give them room to work. Try not to pass the plow. Watch for sudden stops or turns.
• Watch out for blind spots. The plow driver’s field of vision is limited. if you can’t see the plow’s side mirrors, the driver can’t see you. Stay two to three car lengths behind the plow.
• Beware of snow clouds. Snow plows often create clouds as they clear the roads, often reducing your ability to see.

During the middle of October, our neighbors in Pleasant Ridge reported that delivered packages were being stolen from the front of their homes.  Within two weeks the thieves made their way into Amberley Village targeting residential package deliveries made by UPS.  The thieves appear to be following close behind the UPS trucks as the packages vanish quickly after they are delivered. 

Amberley Village Police would like residents to be aware of this newer type of criminal activity.  The days of the week and times vary on each offense so not only are we sending out a warning to our residents, but we are also asking for your help.  UPS drivers making deliveries are in and out of town daily.  If you see a UPS delivery being made in your neighborhood, please take a few extra minutes in the event a strange vehicle enters that property or stops in front of the delivery address.  If something appears to be suspicious please get a description of the vehicle and any occupants, then call the Police immediately at 531-2040 with your information. 

During the holiday season the Police Department anticipates this activity to increase and continue until the thieves get caught.  If you have an alternate delivery site, like your place of employment, that would be a better option during the season for the security of your package.  Another option would be to specify that the package be placed on a rear porch or near a rear door at your home.

The Police Department will be stepping up patrol efforts to curtail potential criminals who might be targeting residential areas during this holiday season.  A common method used by the daytime burglar is to ring the doorbell or knock on the front door to see if anyone is home.  If no answer they will go to the rear of the residence, and force entry into your home.  

Take Steps to Avoid Becoming a Target

• If you have a security system, be sure it is activated when you depart from your home during the day (no matter if it’s only a trip down to the local hardware store).
• If you notice any strange vehicle or person when you leave your house for the day contact the Police so an officer can be sent out to further investigate. 
• If you are home during the day and notice a strange person or vehicle in the neighborhood, call the Police immediately with a description so an officer can respond to that location.  Several times in the past reports of burglary/theft were taken and neighbors witnessed a person or vehicle in that area but did not call the Police.

Winter is a good time to inspect your landscape.  A tree without leaves provides a better view of rubbing branches, splits in the trunk and branches due to storms, and decayed areas. A damaged area will seep sap and you will notice a wet area on the bark.  In freezing weather, an icicle may hang from the split.  If the split occurs in the branch, often the branch can be removed, but if the split occurs on the trunk then the trunk may need to be pinned.   If a decayed area is noticed in a tree, contact a certified Arborist to inspect the tree.  

When it becomes necessary to remove a tree, contractor rates during the colder months typically means better rates for residents since work slows this time of year.  Winter is a good time to evaluate your landscape, take note of what improvements can be made to enhance it and consider new plantings for the coming spring.

Once bulk leaf collection concludes which is planned for January 3, the maintenance department will resume brush pick-up on January 6, weather permitting.

View guidelines for placing brush at the curb