Serving These Communities

Covering the Heart of Hamilton County Since 1983

Note: The Valley Courier invited candidates from Sharonville, Evendale and Glendale that are running opposed this November to submit an article about why they are running. In addition, the candidates for Mayor were asked to specifically answer this question: What do you see as the biggest challenge for (your city) and what steps will you, if elected mayor, take to meet the challenge? Here are the unedited articles, starting with Sharonville.

Virgil Lovitt II

Office: Sharonville Mayor

Website: www.justlovitt.com

Candidate Profile:

Occupation: State Farm Insurance Agent

Education: University of Cincinnati, Bachelor Business Administration, Major-Finance

I am honored and excited to be running for Mayor of the City of Sharonville in 2007. I have been involved with Sharonville Government for 22 years and have served the last 11 years as Mayor. Sharonville is my hometown and I enjoy being part of shaping it's future.

My top 3 priorities for Sharonville are: 1. Maintaining a high level of services for our residents and businesses. 2. Focus on economic re-development to promote jobs and growth, and prevent any need for tax increases. 3. Pro-actively encourage regional cooperation for the benefit of all communities in the area.

As Mayor, I spend most of my time on economic development and personnel issues. These are integral needs for effective and efficient management in local government.

Our residents enjoy great recreation facilities and programs, fast response from our Police, Fire and Paramedics, And the best snow removal around. We are currently designing the "Northern Lights" streetscape for Chester Road, an expansion of the Sharonville Convention Center, and the renovation of the Act 1 Theater into a live Playhouse. This level of excellence is only possible because of the cohesive efforts of our Sharonville elected Officials and department managers.

We recently won a new transmission line at our Ford Plant against Mexico giving the Sharonville Plant life Until at least 2021. This was a direct result of the hard work of the city, the local UAW, and Hamilton County. So, we have a great foundation already!

It is obvious that Sharonville's needs are best served by working with the rest of the region. Our large issues Require teamwork related to road projects, flooding and the hospitality industry. Therefore, I am on the Boards of the OKI Regional Council of Governments, Hamilton County Convention Facility Authority, Northern Cincinnati Convention Visitors Bureau, and I am Chairman of the Hamilton County Stormwater District Oversight Board. OKI guides road projects and the CFA is the financing board for the Duke Energy Center and the expansion of the Sharonville Convention Center. The Northern Cincinnati CVB markets hotels to groups for the suburban hotels and the Stormwater District deals with issues that plague Sharonville, as well as the rest of the county. I have, also, worked closely with the Hamilton County Brownfield Port Authority to clean up the former Green Industries site on Kemper Road. These partnerships are Critical for Sharonville and the region.

I believe the biggest challenge facing Sharonville is Economic Development. Most of the city revenue is generated from earnings tax. This is the source of funding that provides all of our services to our residents and businesses. My goal is to continue to nurture our employment base so we can continue the excellent services that Sharonville already provides without having to increase the tax rate in the foreseeable future.

Obviously, we have much competition north of us for new businesses where there is plenty of undeveloped land. Our goal should be to retain as many jobs as possible and be creative related to attracting new companies. Our challenge is actually the re-development of sites. We have very little undeveloped land left, so most of our focus is on how to reuse buildings or ways to encourage demolition, which in turn invites more interest from the development community.

We have seen many changes at I-75 and Sharon Road, the new Coco Key Water Park on Chester, and the Summit Woods Office Park at Beacon Orthopedics. The renovations of the Act 1 to a live playhouse will create an anchor for our Downtown Sharonville Loop and a new transmission line at Ford saves our largest employer.

All of these things work together to make our city strong. By building our base, we are able to continue our excellent services and look for ways to do even more.

I really enjoy serving the people of Sharonville. I am asking for everyone's support in my re-election for Mayor this November. Please remember to vote in November and please vote for me!

Philip Mink

The answer to the Valley Courier's question of, "What do you see as the biggest challenge for Sharonville and what steps will you, if elected mayor take to meet the challenge?" is to long to answer within the space allotted. For the voters to get a true idea of what I will do for the City of Sharonville please see my website www.thinkmink.org In this space I will instead give the voters a few quotes that help guide my life and service. These quotes will help the voters be able to determine my character to lead our city.

1) Love is the greatest of these. - This is not my quote, but my Fathers. 2) Give more and more shall be given. 3) Think before you act. Sleep on it. - My dad's quote 4) Philip, the only disciple in the Bible who was not killed. 5) With God little is much. - Grandmothers wisdom

My whole reason to serve the city is in order to do the right thing. Please visit www.thinkmink.org for details. Remember to vote Mink, November 6, 2007.

There are four candidates running for three council seats in Sharonville. In alphabetical order:

Vicki Hoppe

Sharonville City Council

Council At Large

I am Vicki Hoppe and I am running for Sharonville City Council, Council at Large. I have been married to my husband, Rodney, for almost 24 years. We have 2 children, Nick (20) and Ben (17). This coming May, we will have all 4 graduated from Princeton High School. I am a proud member of the Sharonville Kiwanis and the Princeton Music Boosters.

I am running for re-election because I care about Sharonville and the residents. I feel I have brought ideas and community concerns to the Council and initiated new ideas for community related events; some are still in planning stages. I am honest, hard working, and when I commit to a project, I give it my all. I am proud to serve as the Recreation Committee Chairperson, as well as serve on the Health Committee and Northern Lights Committee. This year I started Town Meetings, they were an informal open forum in which all the City Department Heads attended to answer questions and concerns from the citizens. For the first year, we received very good feed back from the public, even if the attendance was not what we hoped; the conversations were enlightening and informative on both sides.

I would like to continue serving our community. I would appreciate your vote on November 6, 2007.

Janey Kattelman

My name is Janey Kattelman. I have been a resident of Sharonville since I was 16 years old. I have been married to my high school sweetheart for 43 years. We have two children and three grandchildren. We are proud to be a three generation Princeton family.

I would like to first talk about City Council’s efforts to revitalize two important areas in our great city – our downtown area and our Chester Road hospitality area.

I am sure that many of you have driven by the former Sharon Theater (Act One) to see that this historic landmark has been spared from the wrecking ball. The Sharonville Fine Arts Council has been able to secure enough sponsorships to insure that live theater, art exhibits, children’s art instructions and many other activities will take place there beginning in April. But that is only the beginning. A beautiful new office building has just been completed next to the theater building, the Blue Goose is a great place to eat, and more is on the drawing boards. Thanks to a 6-1 vote of City Council, downtown Sharonville redevelopment is happening, and I will see that it continues.

Chester Road is next. The vast majority of that effort is funded by the hotel tax that visitors pay. The more visitors that come to Sharonville, the more opportunity your City Council has to put other tax and revenue income to work for our residents for infrastructure and residential services. That concept must continue.

I have been a City Council member for 11 years and serve as Council’s President Pro-Tem. Being a Council member is not a two meetings a month job. I am not employed, so I devote 20-30 hours each week to my Council duties and my Council committee assignments (Law, Police & Fire, Recreation, and Finance).

I see so many of you at the numerous meetings and community functions I attend. You know I can do the job. For those I do know, and for those that I have not had the pleasure of meeting yet, please consider me for re-election. I would greatly appreciate your vote.

Greg Pugh

My name is Greg Pugh. I am currently serving my first term as a Council-at-Large member for the City of Sharonville. I grew up in Sharonville and graduated from Princeton High School in 1987. I graduated from Moler-Hollywood Academy of Hair Design and passed my State Board exam in February 1991. I am a second generation designer and have been in business at my downtown Sharonville salon, Hair Spectrum, for almost 17 years.

I married my high school sweetheart, Ann, in 1994 and we share two wonderful children, Elizabeth age 10 and Adam age 8. Our children attend St. Michael School in Sharonville where Ann is also employed in the school cafeteria. Ann and I are active members of St. Michael Church and enjoy volunteering for various church and school activities.

I have truly enjoyed the opportunity to serve you as a member of City Council. I have had numerous occasions to meet with, speak to, or correspond with residents of Sharonville on a variety of topics and continue to encourage everyone to share their thoughts, concerns, and ideas. During the past 2 years, I have been privileged to work with several members of City administration and am very proud of the many projects that have begun or have been completed during that time.

I want to collectively recognize the men and women of each of the City departments including the Sharonville Police Department, the Sharonville Fire Department, the Public Works Department, the Tax Office, Sharonville Recreation, the Building and Planning Department and the Sharonville Convention Center. The dedication, pride, and professionalism each of you bring to our City is genuine.

I look forward to continuing my service as your Council person for another term. We have a lot of projects waiting in the wings which have the potential to change the look of Sharonville for many years to come. My name is Greg Pugh, please vote for me on November 6. Thank You.

Robert Taylor

Dear friends, acquaintances and many Sharonville voters,

Why should you vote for Bob Taylor, Sharonville City Council at Large, on November 6, 2007? First of all, I truly hope you turn out to vote regardless of your choice. It seems the voter turn out is decreasing all over our country. I wish this could be changed. We have paid a high price to be free citizens in the greatest country on this earth.

As a veteran of the United States Army, I was drafted during the Korean campaign, thereafter; I came to Sharonville in 1956 and became self-employed. I believe that this is the American dream, work hard, pay your bills, raise your children, own your home and attend church, be active in your community and always try to make our city a better place to live. These are my priorities and always will be.

My record of service is as follows: Outside poll worker at elections; Past President of the Sharonville Business Association; Two-times selected as Business Man of the Year; Past President of the Sharonville Republican Club; Past Deacon, Elder and President of Evendale Community Church; A Mason, Scottish Rite and member of Syrian Shrine and Eastern Star; Honorary member of Sharonville Masonic Lodge #204; and I have ten ½ years prior service as your Council at Large Representative.

Statement of Principals:

I will serve the residents of Sharonville with the same dedication as the Taylor family has done in the past 27 years. I believe an elected official should be a public servant and not a politician. I shall appoint a committee of 12 residents from different areas in Sharonville to be my advisors as to what they would want done in our city and I shall follow their advice – not what a political party wants done. You, the residents of Sharonville have told me you wanted an independent thinker on council. Call me at 513-563-4888.

Sincerely,

Robert G. Taylor,

Candidate for Sharonville City Council at Large

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Virgil Lovitt II            Philip Mink     Vicki Hoppe     Janey Kattelman     Greg Pugh     Robert Taylor

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