Fairfield Republicans

I am maintaining this blog page in an effort to provide information on activities and events to conservatives in Fairfield, Ohio and surrounding areas. This page will feature items of interest and links to information from the Butler County Republican Party and from the City of Fairfield. It is my hope that by utilizing this forum, we will be able to share ideas and information that will make our Party, our City, and our Neighborhoods better than ever!

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Fairfield to Buy More Flood Prone Homes

this from today's Cincinnati Enquirer

Fairfield to pay $1.7M for 11 flood-prone homes
BY SUE KIESEWETTER ENQUIRER CONTRIBUTOR

FAIRFIELD - The city plans to spend about $1.7 million, mostly from a federal grant, to buy out 11 homeowners living along the flood-prone Pleasant Run Creek.

The buy-outs would be the latest of several flood-control efforts since August 1979 when flash flooding damaged 300 homes and businesses and June 2003, when another flood damaged 100 homes.

The city has spent more than $26 million, mostly in federal grants, on flood control since 1979, inThe new $1.3 million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, plus more than $455,000 in city funds, will be used to buy homes along Crystal Drive, Bandelier Court, Carlsbad Court, Cedar Breaks Court and King Arthur Court.

"These homes have been damaged several times,'' said Ben Mann, the city's engineer. "They lie in the (creek's) flood plain."

Bandelier Court resident Jim Chudy says he is interested in moving as long as the offer is fair. "I'm glad that it's happening. I've been through four floods in the past,'' Chudy said of the home he's owned since 1979. "They've been devastating - a lot of work."

Like the other homes, these houses would be torn down and the land left as undeveloped open space. Earlier plans to build a flood wall ended when city leaders learned the federal grants would not allow one, Mann said.

In addition to the big floods of 1979 and 2003, parts of this neighborhood have been flooded several times by smaller storms. Judy Morgan, head of Fairfield Flood Victims and a resident of King Arthur Court, has been flooded seven times since 1979.

She says it will be hard to move because her home is paid for and she likes the street.
"My kids told me I'd be nuts not to leave. The unfortunate thing is this is a very beautiful house,'' Morgan said. "It's easy to walk to downtown, which I do. You don't hear a lot of traffic. It's a nice place to live."

The FEMA grant does not allow the city to force homeowners to sell. All homes must be purchased by March 31, 2010, Mann said.

Letters to homeowners were mailed Tuesday. A meeting will be scheduled next month to further explain the project.cluding more than $3.3 million to buy out 21 homes, mostly along Banker and Crystal Drives.

Monday, April 23, 2007

Tax Freedom Day - 2007


(click map for larger view)

This map of the United States show the estimated Tax Freedom Day in each state.

This day represents the day that working Americans begin to keep what they earn, since up until this day, it is estimated that ALL OF YOUR EARNINGS GO TO PAY SOME FORM OF TAX!

see the following link for the full article and summary from The Tax Foundation.

http://www.taxfoundation.org/taxfreedomday/

- Scott

Search narrows for Fairfield school chief

from the Cincinnati Enquirer 4/23/07
BY SUE KIESEWETTER ENQUIRER CONTRIBUTOR

FAIRFIELD – Finalists for superintendent of the Fairfield City School District could be determined later this week.

Today, the Fairfield Board of Education will interview the final two of eight candidates from a field of 22 applicants.

Rob Amodio, Fairfield’s interim assistant superintendent, and Susan Lang, executive director, Ohio Center for Essential School Reform, will meet in a closed door session with the board at 6 p.m.

Tuesday, the board will again meet with Dan Hare, superintendent of the Butler County Education Service Center who is acting as a consultant in the search, to discuss first-round interviews.

Candidates that would be given a second interview could be named as early as Wednesday, Hare said.Those interviewed so far in first round interviews were:
-- Arnol Elam, superintendent of Monroe Schools and Fairfield resident.
-- Barbara Fuerbacher, associate superintendent, Hamilton Schools.
-- Lon Stettler, assistant superintendent, Princeton Schools.
-- William Harbron, superintendent, Northern Ozaukee Schools, Wisconsin.
-- Eric Ely, Schenectady Schools, New York.
-- Thomas Maher, schoolwide assistance teams director, Florida Department of Education

Friday, April 20, 2007

Butler County CSB does the right thing!

This just in from the "better late than never" department.

Kudos to the members of the Children's Services Board for ending the political gamesmanship and looking to move the agency forward.

from the Journal News 4-20-07

CSB fires executive director

By Candice Brooks Higgins
Staff Writer
Thursday, April 19, 2007


HAMILTON — First she resigned, then she rescinded her resignation. But Thursday night Butler County Children Services Executive Director Jann Heffner was "regretfully" fired by the agency's board after a closed-door meeting.

Heffner, who did not attend Thursday night's Children Services Board meeting, will collect about $26,000 remaining on her existing contract that would have ended June 30. Her last day is May 4. Heffner has no intention to file a lawsuit against the county, though that is not written into the deal, said Joe Bride, the board's consultant.

When she initially announced her resignation in February, Heffner said she had become a "target" of criticism since the August death of foster child Marcus Fiesel under the agency's watch. Board Chairwoman Frankie Carlson said Monday in a presentation before county commissioners that Heffner was a target — particularly of Commissioner Michael Fox — because somebody had to take the fall for the Middletown developmental disabled boy's death.
Thursday's action gets Heffner out fast as the commissioners wanted and in a way the county prosecutor recommended, Carlson said.

Commission President Gregory Jolivette has said he would support the $26,000 severance pay agreement for Heffner's quick departure.

Considering Heffner a victim of local politics, the board terminated her "with regret in order to spare Ms. Heffner further unwarranted humiliation and unfair outside political interference," according to the board's unanimous resolution.

"Jan Heffner has brought this agency a long way," board member Maurice Maxwell said. "As in any case, there should be some acknowledgement of her welfare for having done that. It's also far less than what we had originally proposed."

The board originally accepted Heffner's resignation effective April 15, but planned to keep her on payroll for 15 months. Heffner would have been special projects director until June 30. She would have earned about $26,000 — the same pay under her current $125,000-a-year contract. Then she would have worked from her Delaware County home near Columbus for another $110,000 until June 30, 2008.

However, the county commissioners and county auditor planned to block payment on the consulting contract. County Prosecutor Robin Piper also ruled it invalid. The board last week decided to rescind their acceptance of Heffner's resignation and try again.

Despite selecting Finance Director Jeff Centers as Heffner's replacement after her resignation announcement, the board decided to wait on selecting an interim director until its next regular — and likely last —meeting Tuesday. Board members said Centers could not attend Thursday's meeting and they wanted more time.

Saturday, April 14, 2007

A tale of Children's Services and Golden Parachutes

Recently, there has been a lot of controversy swirling around the operation and management of the Butler County Children's Services Board - and rightfully so.

The CSB promotes itself with a banner that reads " Protecting Children, Preserving Families". But recent events beg the question, Are the members of the Children's Services Board protecting the children of Butler County or are they protecting their political turf and their cronies?

Following are links to recent articles regarding the questionable contract that the Board members of CSB approved with director, Jann Heffner.


You be the judge as to who's interests are being served.

Resignation by Heffner rejected - Cincinnati Enquirer 4-14-07 http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070414/NEWS01/704140370/1056/COL02

County to Heffner: Stay away - Cincinnati Enquirer 4-12-07
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070412/NEWS01/704120406/-1/all

Prosecutor: Heffner contract illegal - Cincinnati Enquirer 4-11-07
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070411/NEWS01/304110061/-1/all

Children Services deal blasted - Cincinnati Enquirer 4-7-07
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070407/NEWS01/704070354/-1/all

Additionally, I think that it is important to recognize and identify the members of the Children's Services Board - the same members who are manipulating the Board's policies to protect their decision regarding a questionable and illegal contract.

Board Members (per the county CSB web-site http://www.bccsb.org/index.cfm?page=directors) are...

Rev. Johnny Wade Sloan - Chairman
Frankie Carlson - Vice Chairman
William M. Fye, DDS - Secretary
Jeweldene Baker
Melinda Kruyer
Maurice Maxwell
Sharon Nelson
Susan Noonan

Friday, April 13, 2007

News from Butler County Courts - Brian Stepp sentenced to 55 years by Judge Nastoff

following is from the 4/13/07 Cincinnati Enquirer
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070413/NEWS01/304130023

Defiant rapist gets 55 years
BY JANICE MORSE

HAMILTON – A convicted rapist who had been an international fugitive responded defiantly as a Butler County judge sentenced him to 55 years in prison this morning.

“I don’t care what you sentence me to, I’m an innocent man – I will get out,” Brian Stepp, 33, of Liberty Township, told Common Pleas Judge Andrew Nastoff.

Butler County Prosecutor Robin Piper said later that, if Stepp were innocent, he would not have gone to England in an attempt to flee justice.

This is a very sociopathic, deceptive criminal, with a truly dark spirit and evil intent, who tries to come across as a victim himself – when in reality he represents the type of terror that lurks in the darkness and can grab any one of us at any time,” Piper said after the sentencing. “So the prosecutor’s office on behalf of the victims is incredibly grateful to Judge Nastoff and his very appropraite sentence of 55 years.”

A jury in February convicted Stepp of three counts of rape, three counts of kidnapping and a count of sexual battery. Authorities say he posed as a police officer and lured women into his car in 2003. One of the women spoke out in court today, and said she thought Stepp was a psychopath.

Stepp told the judge: “If you believe the crock of (expletive deleted) that they gave, that’s you... If you think I’m some kind of psychopath, I’m glad.. .I’m not the one that done anything to these people.”Nastoff had the last word: “Mr. Stepp, I’m glad you enjoyed your moment in the sun. Now it’s time to go to the dark. We’ll see ya.”Then a deputy led Stepp away.

The tense exchange happened in the same courtroom where Stepp was a no-show on July 12, 2004, as he fled to Canada. He was later captured in England in the Butler County Sheriff’s first case of returning a fugitive on an international arrest warrant.

Stepp’s mother and wife were earlier convicted of obstructing justice and placed on probation.

His former lawyer, Lawrence "Rusty" Thomas III, was acquitted of wrongdoing in the case. But Thomas’ mother, Robin, who was her son’s office secretary, pleaded guilty to allegations that she gave money to Stepp before he fled.

Saturday, April 07, 2007

Bringing "Law & Order" to the Presidential primary


Fred Thompson Gears Up
By:
Mike Allen April 6, 2007 03:11 PM EST

(Story from "thepolitico.com" - photo from Fox News)


Fred Thompson, the “Law & Order” actor and former senator from Tennessee, has moved beyond pondering a bid for the White House and begun assembling the nucleus of a campaign should he decide to run, according to people involved in the effort.


Thompson has not yet decided to seek the Republican presidential nomination. But “he is getting more serious every day,” said an adviser familiar with Thompson's plans.


Thompson’s coming-out as a candidate-in-waiting will be a May 4 appearance at the 45th annual dinner of the Lincoln Club of Orange County in the heart of Ronald Reagan country in Southern California. The invitation was widely sought by aspiring Republicans, and his advisers expect considerable media attention around the visit. But there are no plans now for an announcement then.


Thompson will also stoke speculation with a meeting of House Republicans April 18 at the Capitol Hill Club, organized by Rep Zach Wamp (R-Tenn.), the most vocal promoter of a Thompson candidacy. More than 60 House Republicans have indicated they want to come to hear the former senator, according to organizers.


Though Thompson has shown well in some polls since he said he was actively considering a presidential bid, the hurdles to such a late start are many. And some people who worked with him in the Senate question his willingness to do the brutal work of a national campaign. But friends and advisers say Thompson has been buoyed by the response so far at a time when many Republicans are openly expressing disappointment with their presidential field.


“The outreach to him has been so overwhelming that he is now starting to talk to people to really calibrate what it would take to run a successful campaign,’’ the adviser said. “He’s talking to some of the top unaligned strategists and fundraisers. He’s said: ‘I’m seriously considering it, and I’m happy to hear your thoughts and ideas.’”


Thompson will not make a final decision until at least May and may delay any announcement until even later because he recognizes the benefits of being “a non-candidate candidate,” according to advisers.


“As soon as you announce, they start throwing spitballs, so why not wait?” said a Thompson friend involved in the discussions.


The Sleuth column at WashingtonPost.com reported a recent lunch Thompson had with Republican Party of Virginia Chairman Ed Gillespie, and Thompson recently lunched at a Washington hotel with former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.).


Thompson also has met with other big Republican players, including some who work for other presidential campaigns, sources said.


Thompson got 12 percent among Republicans in a recent USA Today-Gallup Poll, exceeded only by former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). Thompson has also done well in recent polls in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida and California.


The former senator, who did not seek reelection in 2002, lives in McLean, Va., and just finished a three-week stint filling in as host of Paul Harvey’s radio programs. He was in New York on Thursday for NBC’s “Law and Order,” which wraps up taping for the season later this month.


Thompson’s backers say they recognize that a key hurdle to attracting establishment support will be questions about the fire in his belly. “This accelerated action is his answer to those questions,” said a person who has talked with Thompson about the candidacy.


If Thompson runs, he’s likely to stress his willingness to take on the biggest issues, including nuclear proliferation and the entitlement crisis, advisers said. “People are disappointed that for the last two presidencies – almost 20 years now – we’ve seen people not held accountable and a cavalier attitude toward basic governmental responsibilities,” said the person who has talked to Thompson.

Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Mallory Pitches Left - Again!

It looked to be the incarnation of Charlie Sheen's "Wild Thing" Character from the movie Major League (before the glasses).

Yesterday, Cincinnati Mayor Mark "put me in coach" Mallory threw in the ceremonial first pitch as our beloved Redlegs opened the 2007 season at Great American Ballpark.

It was a beautiful sunny day. The city of Cincinnati was painted red in celebration of the beginning of baseball season in a town that has lived and breathed Red's baseball for generations.

The story lines within the game couldn't have been scripted any better. Would Cincinnati's multi-million dollar arms produce the pitching that everyone was hoping for? How would Griffey Jr. take to playing right field? Eric Davis and Pete Rose were in the house. And what about the return of "Sweet" Lou Piniella to the Queen City (albeit as manager of the Cubs)?

With baited breath the world waited for baseball season to begin in the town that was home to the first professional baseball team.

Cincinnati Mayor, Mark Mallory, walked out to the pitcher's mound, proudly wearing his Cincinnati Red's jacket.

Mallory stepped up to the pitcher's mound. He looked down the plate to Eric "The Red" Davis (one of the heroes of the Red's 1990 wire-to-wire season).

Where words fail me - I'll just direct you to the following. Here's how it went ...



Monday, April 02, 2007

Feinstein's conflict of interest questioned

Finally, someone questioned how BILLIONS of your tax dollars have been awarded in federal contracts to the company run by Sen. Dianne Feinstein's (D-Calif.) husband!
read on ....

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2007/4/2/85352.shtml?s=ic

Sen. Feinstein Resigns Military Appropriations Post

This article was written by Fred Lucas, CNSNews.com Staff Writer

Government watchdog groups want more answers as to why Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., stepped down from a military appropriations subcommittee at a time questions were being asked billions of dollars in federal defense contracts going to her husband's companies.

Feinstein resigned her post as chairwoman of the Senate Subcommittee on Military Construction Appropriations last week.

The decision came less than two months after Metro Newspapers, a group of alternative weekly papers in northern California, detailed the number of defense contracts awarded to Perini Corp. and URS Corp., both of which her husband, Richard C. Blum, has ownership, according to the newspapers.

The investigation was partially funded by the Investigative Fund of The Nation Institute, a non-profit organization affiliated with the liberal magazine The Nation.

"This was a critique from the left," Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch, a conservative public interest group, told Cybercast News Service. "These were left-leaning papers. The fact that she stepped down from the committee lends credibility to the charges."

Fitton said this is something Judicial Watch wanted to further investigate, possibly by seeking public documents on the matter and by asking the Senate Ethics Committee to look into the matter for a possible conflict of interest on Feinstein's part.

"On the face of it, it seems she at least had influence on how contracts were awarded," Fitton said. "There should be an investigation."

Feinstein's press office was contacted several times Friday by Cybercast News Service, but her office did not provide a statement on the matter at the end of the day.

The California weeklies detailed examples that included a subcommittee hearing in which Feinstein asked Pentagon officials about increasing anti-terrorism protection for Army bases.
The next year, in March 2003, Feinstein asked why the funds for anti-terror protection had not been spent. Just over a month later, URS announced a $600 million contract to provide services for U.S. Army bases that included anti-terrorism force protection.

In another instance, Feinstein asked another military official when money would be spent on a maintenance facility for the C-17 Hickam Air Base in Hawaii. URS later announced a $42 million contract to build it.

Also, Feinstein's subcommittee in mid-2005 approved funds to reinforce roofs at military stations in Iraq, and in October of that year, Perini got a $185 million federal contract for that purpose, the papers reported.

The matter should be probed further, said Kenneth Boehm, chairman of the National Legal and Policy Center, a conservative government watchdog group. However, he isn't that confident in the Senate's ability to police itself.

"The real problem is there is too little objectivity," Boehm told Cybercast News Service. "Congress needs an independent watchdog. The ethics committees are partisan. They have an equal number of Republicans and Democrats, but the reality is that things don't get looked at that should get looked at."