The Village View
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MAILED FROM ZIP CODE
45338
Permit No. 84
April 2015
P O Box 697
112 S Commerce Street
Lewisburg, OH 45338
News from the Village Office
Phone: 937-962-4377
Fax: 937-962-2900
When you stop by or call the Village offices, you will see two new faces and hear two new voices. Ric Prater, Village
Income Tax Administrator and Utility Clerk for the past 22 years, retired on January 30. Gail Phillabaum, Administrative Assistant for the past 11 years, retired February 27. “Both Ric and Gail served the Village with true professionalism and dedication in doing their jobs each and every day, and they treated our citizens and businesses with respect
when dealing with their questions or concerns,” stated Jeff Sewert, Municipal Manager. Replacing these two valuable
employees was not an easy task, but Mayor Putnam and the Village Council feel very fortunate to have hired two
very capable persons to continue in the positions that Ric and Gail served for a combined 33 years.
Margee McClain is the Village’s new Utility Clerk and Income Tax Administrator. Margee comes to us from the Village
of Gratis, where she served as Fiscal Officer and Clerk of Council for 2 years. Prior to that, she worked at Artistic
Homes for 20 years. She and her husband, Barney, have lived in the Lewisburg area for over 20 years.
Kim Cahill is the new Administrative Assistant and Clerk of Council for the Village. Kim is a graduate of Twin Valley
North and lives in the Lewisburg area with her husband, Jim. Prior to joining the Village, she worked for over 25
years as a paralegal and legal secretary.
SEWER RATE INCREASE COMING
Flushing Hydrants
Mayor—Pat Putnam
[email protected]
Council Members
Donald Wright
[email protected]
Belinda Harry
[email protected]
Dennis Roberts
[email protected]
Marsha Jones
[email protected]
Jackie Sewert
[email protected]
Mark Madigan
[email protected]
Municipal Manager
Jeffrey Sewert
[email protected]
The Village of Lewisburg Service Department will be flushing hydrants during the week of April 27. Residents are advised to check the
water for discoloration before washing clothes during this time period. The
water will remain safe for consumption. Flushing is done bi-annually each
year to maintain and ensure water quality within the water distribution
system. The process also allows the Service Department to check the operation of each fire hydrant and make any needed repairs. Any questions
concerning the flushing should be directed to the village offices at 9624377.
Get the kids ready!!! The Spray Park is targeted to open Memorial Day
weekend!
Lifeline Screening will be at the Community Center on June 2.
The Village Offices will be closed on Monday, May 25, for Memorial
Day.
The Village of Lewisburg recently went through a major upgrade to its Water Reclamation facility located on Tillman
Lane, adjacent to the Village Park. The facility was first constructed in 1964 and upgraded in 1985 to meet the Federal Clean Water Act Standards. Because it has been thirty years since the last repairs were made to the facility, the
current upgrade was needed to keep the Village in compliance with the National Pollution Discharge Elimination Permit issued by the Ohio EPA due to waters being discharged into Twin Creek from the Water Reclamation facility. The
$1.7 million dollar project was made possible through a $1.3 million dollar, 0% interest-free loan from the Ohio Public Works Commission and a $400,000 grant from Ohio’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program. To
repay the interest-free loan and, after careful evaluation, along with holding off as long as possible, Village officials
have recommended an increase in monthly sewer rates from $21.00 to $26.00 for consumers within the Village limits
for the first 3,000 gallons and from $42.00 to $52.00 for consumers outside the Village limits for the first 3,000 gallons. The rate increase will take effect June 1, 2015. Shown below is an example of the rates of nearby communities
that participated in a recent sewer rate study conducted by the City of Oakwood. The study depicts the Village of
Lewisburg is very competitive with other communities when it comes to sewer rates. Of the 63 communities responding
to the survey, Lewisburg ranks the 13th lowest. These rates are based on 22,500 gallons of water in a three-month
period.
Dayton - 72.92
Tipp City - 82.55
New Carlisle - 95.64
New Lebanon - 115.44
Kettering - 136.21
Germantown - 143.35
West Alexandria - 165.79
Tipp City - 194.94
Huber Heights - 74.74
Vandalia - 83.91
Lewisburg - 98.70
Oakwood - 131.11
Xenia -136.80
Waynesville - 152.85
Beavercreek - 172.07
Harrison - 214.02
Englewood - 77.21
Union - 86.10
Troy - 109.81
Centerville - 136.21
Trotwood - 141.50
Farmersville - 156.67
Bellbrook - 172.07
Troy - 225.90
Brookville - 81.55
Greenville - 91.20
Eaton - 111.03
Clayton - 136.21
Fairborn - 143.55
Miamisburg - 157.10
West Milton - 178.46
Loveland - 240.81
Page 2
The Village View
April 2015
Notes on Property Maintenance
With spring in the air and winter
behind us comes the mowing of
grass and spring cleaning of
properties.
The Village of Lewisburg Zoning
Department has an aggressive
property maintenance code that
addresses tall grass, weeds, trash
and junk on properties. If you
have a property maintenance
complaint, please contact the
Village offices where the complaint will be turned over to the
proper personnel for investigation.
To assist in the enforcement of
the property maintenance code,
the Village offers curbside
pickup of large items, brush and
other items that the refuse truck
doesn’t normally pick up on a
weekly basis. Contact the Village
offices at 962-4377 to be put on
the schedule so we can remove
your items in a timely manner once
you’ve placed them curbside.
Also, the Village recommends that
property owners place their trash
curbside the night before pickup.
Setting your trash out two or three
days before your regular pickup
day only allows for an unsightly
presence in the Village.
Residents are asked not to blow or
discharge grass clippings into the
street, especially the curb. Over
period of time, grass clippings
accumulate in the curb causing the
flow of rain water to be altered. It
can also cause catch basins to become clogged resulting in flooding
of the streets during heavy rains.
quire that cities and villages remind the public about their responsibility to the environment.
Residents are reminded that
dumping substances such as gasoline, paint, motor oil or other
chemicals into storm sewers is not
allowed for environmental reasons. Disposing of illicit materials
could not only pollute public waterways but also cause ground
water contamination.
The goal of the Mayor, Council
and Village is to promote for a
more vibrant community - one in
which citizens can state they are
proud to live, work and play,
and one which visitors applaud.
Enjoy the spring flowers! If you
have ideas, suggestions or comments, don’t hesitate to contact
the Village offices. By working
together, we can make for a better Lewisburg!
Though spring has just arrived, the library is already thinking about Summer
Reading! This year, the theme will be
“Every Hero Tells a Story” and we’ll
have many activities and programs
planned. Heroes come in many forms,
from Superman & Batman to our local
police, fire, & emergency departments.
The reading program will begin on Saturday, June 6, with activities beginning
Monday, June 8. Children must have
finished kindergarten to participate in
the weekly craft sessions, but even children too young to read may do the
reading program. Check out our website for details as we get closer to the
starting date.
Some of our community members may
be aware of an exciting project that
Brown Memorial began in January. We
have, for years, owned microfilm reels
(46 reels to be exact) of this piece of
Fire and EMS News
With the onset of spring and the
desire to do spring cleaning, the
departments would like to offer
some simple steps to protect your
family and home.



State and federal regulations re-
Brown Memorial Library News
local Lewisburg history. Back in the
day, folks could view the film on our
reader, but did not have a way to
narrow searches or make copies of
any information. We’re excited that
we are in the process of digitizing all
the film, therefore preserving these
documents. To date, 11 reels have
been completed and are available
for viewing through our website at
http://brownmemorial.lib.oh.us. Click
on the Find Information tab and select Lewisburg Leader Digital Archives. Take a step back in time and
enjoy! How can you help? You can
donate to the “Save Lewisburg’s History” by sponsoring a reel for conversion at a cost of $75. You may also
honor or memorialize a loved one
with a donation of any amount. You
may remain anonymous or have your
gift recognized publicly. Each donor
will receive a receipt and your gift is
tax-deductible. Pick up a donation
form at the library, or simply mail
your gift to PO Box 640,
Lewisburg, OH 45338. We are
grateful to those who have donated to date and look forward to
finally completing the process!
Thank you for your support!
Your library is busier than ever
these days with preschool field
trips, outreach reading at Head
Start and Kid Connection, book
discussion groups, and much more.
We are always planning new programs to continue to be a vital
part of our community. Won’t you
join us? Give us a call at 9622377 to see how YOU fit in to the
fun!
Page 3
Clear leaves, debris and other
yard waste from around the
home, garage and storage
sheds.
Residents should be
aware of the prohibition of
open burning in the village. In
the rural areas, a burn permit
acquired from the proper authorities is required to open
burn. Anyone needing further
information related to open
burning should call the Fire station at 962-4640.
Check for frayed or damaged
electrical cords and wires. Replace them or have them repaired by a qualified professional.
Remove any combustibles from
around hot water tanks, clothes
dryers, and vents.

Remove lint build-up from
clothes dryers.

Get rid of oily rags and recycle stacks of newspapers.

Have a working flashlight and
battery-powered radio in the
event of a power outage.
While thinking of fire safety, these
tips should be followed:
 Remember to test smoke detectors. If batteries have not been
changed within the past year, now
is the time. Replace your detector
if the unit is 10 years or older.
 A fire escape plan should be in
place and fire drills should be con-
ducted annually. Remember, your
family should know two ways out of
your home and be aware of the
outside locations to meet.
The kitchen is the leading area of
origin for home fires. Listed blow
are some tips for preventing kitchen fires:



Stay in the kitchen when you
are frying, grilling, or broiling
food.
If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol, avoid using the
stove.
Have a “kid-free” zone of at
least 3 feet around the stove
and areas where hot foods or
drinks are prepared.
*****
Safe Sleeping Tips for Infants.
It is normal to want your baby
close to you at all times, even when
you and your baby sleep. Unfortunately, more than three Ohio infant
deaths each week are caused by
unsafe sleeping habits. Dayton
Children’s Hospital would like to
make sure your baby is sleeping in
the safest conditions possible by
asking you to follow these simple A
-B-C’s.
*****
It takes a special person to fill the
boots of a volunteer fire fighter.
Someone with a desire to do something important for the community.
Someone with courage and dedication.
Someone who isn’t afraid of hard
work.
Someone who is willing to accept the
challenge of a difficult job.
It takes a person who considers respect and appreciation reward
enough, and who is just glad to help.
If you are this kind of person, you
are needed as a volunteer firefighter.
Come on down to the firehouse and
talk to us. We might be able to fit
you with a pair of boots!
As always, we ask that anyone
having questions or concerns regarding our departments, please
contact the station at 962-4640.
A = Alone. A baby should sleep
alone. Never let your baby sleep
with you, another child, adult or
pet.
B = Back. A baby should sleep on
his or her back - the safest position
for a baby to sleep.
C = Crib. Do not let your baby
sleep in any other place besides a
crib with a firm mattress.
The Lewisburg Police Department would like to remind everyone to look out for motorcycle
and bicycle riders now that spring is here. Let’s all share the roads safely!