[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6067299,"mediaKeyId","3137948-343c0d16c72e15bf437d12724e6e2896","parentId",3137948,"title","Votes at a glance: West Chester Township trustees approve personnel moves, contracts, grants and zoning updates","audioSeconds",4986,"startMs",2684000,"endMs",7670000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3137948-343c0d16c72e15bf437d12724e6e2896&start=2684&end=7670","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3137948-343c0d16c72e15bf437d12724e6e2896/thumbnail_2684000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6067299/Ohio/Votes-at-a-glance-West-Chester-Township-trustees-approve-personnel-moves-contracts-grants-and-zoning-updates","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6067299-2a58fa677d839d89bdbb85b153be6ff6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771118775&Signature=HXvahIZKV~VK2kOSboCRoHsz7u6ipMwDGQACqzN2A6WIWBT7DKOfCTMa6ojneiA3V1ysEMbAb25ZkzKUVH8nj4wlLbdDFIi5dRfl86moRtvwiCT2qYcE5DRkE5JYKcbFzDiKb-zVSOqNunYUhSxW94kZclQ03rFmJpUv2986z-L2BeSPBIw~5EOl1kOEZeQVqHReMWUMZHDgEKa4xzB6b3auwNVnH0JA31VlU9uJDaKY1Q1b9eHUAOLZ4nn3iOQP3JcuipR9TjhwMVx6kQsKi7tSaT9-vgMewRn4Yy4reXIeDwQOcXZvs23kn1tWXbo05n3TaDfwOzic7Nm2UI7-cw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","West Chester OH","date","2025-04-08T00:00:00Z","article","Summary of actions taken April 8 by the West Chester Township Board of Trustees. This roundup lists formal motions and recorded roll‑call outcomes reflected in the meeting transcript.

Key approvals and votes

- Personnel: Approved promotion of Tanya Pointer to Director of Administrative Services (item 4). Roll call: Missus Becker — Yes; Mister Wong — Yes; Mister Welch — Yes.

- Minutes and routine matters: Approved trustee meeting minutes for 03/25/2025 and payment of bills (March 14–28, 2025). Roll calls recorded as Yes votes on each item.

- Requisitions (> $7,500): Trustees approved several requisitions including:
• $90,232.74 to Frost Brown Todd for legal services (through 02/28/2020) (item 7).
• $17,515.85 to Clark Power Services Inc. for a transmission replacement on a 2009 fire engine (item 8).
• $11,982.58 for vehicle maintenance/repair (item 9).
• $1xx,xxx to ASI Signage Innovations to purchase replacement signage at Beckett Park West (item 10 — signage/dedication to Aaron Wigand).
• $10,255 to Drill A Shack Inc. for gas masks and replacement filters for police PPE (item 11).
• $75,503 to Kings Ford Inc. for a 2025 Ford Transit replacement van (item 13), with 12.5% allocated to TIF and remainder from Road funds; $16,150 for upfit equipment (item 14).
(The board approved items 7–14 on roll call.)

- Procurement and contracts: Approved the contract award to Kelchner, Inc. for the USS Cincinnati parking lot and drive construction not to exceed $1,195,667 (item 21). Trustees noted the project is largely covered by state funding and under the project budget.

- Public safety and equipment: Approved an apparatus lease agreement with Fairfield Township for a reserve engine while Engine 74 is repaired (contract through March 2027, approximately $100,000; item 18). Approved application for the U.S. Dept. of Justice bulletproof vest grant (item 19). Approved purchase of replacement signage and PPE as noted above.

- Administration and finance: Authorized staff to submit a capital budget request to the State of Ohio for public‑safety funding related to the VOA Country Music Festival and authorized acceptance of funds if awarded (item 15). Approved a not‑to‑exceed $12,500 contract with Clark Schaeffer Hackett & Company for accounting and advisory services (item 16). Adopted revisions to the township credit‑card policy (item 17).

- Equipment disposition: Adopted statutory resolution finding certain township equipment unneeded and authorizing sale/trade to Zimmer Tractor with sale proceeds credited toward new equipment (item 22).

- Liquor permit: Approved an objection withdrawal/transfer on a D‑5/D‑6 liquor permit transfer reflected on the agenda (item 20) — motion passed by roll call.

- Land‑use and codes: Trustees adopted three resolutions after public hearings:
• Resolution O‑5‑2025 — Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA‑05‑2025) prohibiting short‑term rentals in R‑1 districts (vote: Welch — Yes; Becker — Yes; Wall — Yes).
• Resolution O‑6‑2025 — Amendments to the Comprehensive Land Use Plan (vote: Welch — Yes; Becker — Yes; Wall — Yes).
• Resolution O‑7‑2025 — Adoption of the 2025 Property Maintenance Code and rescission of an earlier resolution (vote: Walt — Yes; Welch — Yes; Becker — Yes).

All motions noted on the transcript were seconded and approved as recorded by roll call unless the transcript indicates otherwise. Where the transcript recorded specific roll‑call names, those are listed above; other routine motions were approved by roll call with trustees answering yes as recorded.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","West Chester Board of Trustees Regular Meeting - April 8, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At the April 8 meeting trustees approved a promotion to director of administrative services, multiple contracts and requisitions, a lease for fire apparatus, grant applications, and three land‑use resolutions (zoning text amendment, comprehensive plan update and property‑maintenance code).","taxTitle","West Chester Township, Butler County, Ohio","taxId",56887,"location","Ohio","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6067304,"Township staff recommend PlaceYourAI geofencing subscription after review of six platforms",596,403000,999000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3137948-343c0d16c72e15bf437d12724e6e2896&start=403&end=999","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3137948-343c0d16c72e15bf437d12724e6e2896/thumbnail_403000.jpg","/articles/6067304/Ohio/Township-staff-recommend-PlaceYourAI-geofencing-subscription-after-review-of-six-platforms","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6067304-a894b63e2ec113bedc581aca33fe9dcf/orig.mp4?Expires=1771118775&Signature=Tpq3dc8SmZU4MP4AcAMMtQWHVM-AvaL2eyEHaYWTC~wcgbLGKcHz99JRBprORRc4bCw1L9weSUL4nTYTSTJ25esFINdRhMcFPaoRLQKKPoHbbb407nYAD9iBpMUPAaLRmIkR2sqM3jFK8UbG5-T15GZ6-B9mFZAjSz3zl3BW~BeElTCtt2itsnOeVhyDKpYUBfIGU7ZhvfFmvhX2wLd9HiRSdCyNZwmZPCifVjdgqefPtbjZbaW0MHiSMepKAfZO~IFCO-MbsfdRF-utv8G2PYyx4hef59alZLuqXeTJ0TuAb6htiXDqzCoyU3u4dJLQBAZLKvBHgxaORLxu3FSL7Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Township staff reported to trustees on April 8 that a review of six geofencing and location‑intelligence platforms found PlaceYourAI the most comprehensive option for tracking foot traffic, event attendance and visitor origin data.

Lisa Brown introduced the presentation and said the board had asked staff to explore geofencing tools to help analyze park amenity usage, transportation and event planning. Michelle Cohen and Katie Giloffas presented the findings and compared features, costs and data sources.

Michelle Cohen summarized the review: \"PlaceYourAI...it is the most expensive option,\" she said, but she told the board the company provides real‑time foot‑traffic data, unlimited reporting with a one‑year subscription and many civic customers. Cohen described PlaceYourAI’s data pipeline as anonymized location data collected via apps that is aggregated and modeled; she said the vendor reports about 90% accuracy when compared with first‑party sources such as traffic counters and point‑of‑sale data.

The presentation highlighted use cases: event attendance and origin/destination flows, parks and amenity use (example: pickleball court usage), retail leakage analysis comparing West Chester to Liberty Center, and return‑on‑investment measurement for park enhancements. The staff report said Cobalt (Community Research) is useful for occasional, one‑off reports (quoted at roughly $895 per report) but that Cobalt had relied on PlaceYourAI data historically and is changing providers.

Trustees asked clarifying questions about data privacy, law‑enforcement access and cost. Staff said PlaceYourAI anonymizes data and the platform would not be available to law enforcement under the proposed use. Michelle Cohen noted she had negotiated a 15% reduction on the subscription price during vendor talks.

Trustees expressed general support for an acquisition that provides unrestricted agency access to reports and multiple user logins, citing internal GIS capabilities and multiple potential uses across departments. No formal purchase motion was recorded at the meeting; staff left the board with the recommendation to pursue PlaceYourAI for comprehensive, recurring location intelligence and Cobalt for occasional reporting needs.

","Staff presented findings from a review of six geofencing/location‑intelligence platforms and recommended PlaceYourAI for ongoing subscriptions; Cobalt/Community Research was offered as a lower‑cost, one‑off reporting option.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6067308,"Butler County EMA director warns dissolution would disrupt hazmat, rescue and mutual‑aid services",1689,1033000,2722000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3137948-343c0d16c72e15bf437d12724e6e2896&start=1033&end=2722","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3137948-343c0d16c72e15bf437d12724e6e2896/thumbnail_1033000.jpg","/articles/6067308/Ohio/Butler-County-EMA-director-warns-dissolution-would-disrupt-hazmat-rescue-and-mutualaid-services","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6067308-2790b9694353bc1361fb202329187632/orig.mp4?Expires=1771118775&Signature=F657sa5B4L3g4gJU-HAaDLCIfpu1e9Bkvh2KnVaxe-AY7NeDh3m2Xcf4RmLy9abk~GPoAN~KcUHj8sXSMrhqXA61rYmeW9y3XnyKTpi5mRVNE-Vn7JL3H45sv8pqtLRavjQFsSh3iII5MiJSZU2SHIbsRwrY8B4xrs6mHaiKC0sXly-PoBHGvExuQwSsN8MkploJGakYcvedE38ZEowZtEzpno1Mk4Z~Dz~UGW5K5ICH71sLMYc5zPDwBqWrqGR9tqXhqMpDs20lky5PHC0vYSBqriD6JtvBy8Ljt7FbeYzz-pdtpyEax0iBFSsc7DW-6FTqG7v-y4ck5lb-~9qX3g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jim Bolin, director of the Butler County Emergency Management Agency, briefed West Chester Township trustees on a county proposal that could dissolve the EMA's current executive board structure.

Bolin told trustees the Butler County Commissioners voted on a proposal in December that would terminate the interjurisdictional agreement that forms the agency and place emergency management oversight directly under the commissioners. He said the move \"would have serious impacts on Westchester and Butler County at large\" and could require any new structure to create programs from the ground up.

Key facts from the presentation and Q&A:

- Organization and funding: Bolin said the EMA is funded in part by a per‑capita charge of 55¢ per resident paid by participating jurisdictions; the agency's annual budget fluctuates with grant funding but is \"typically right at $600,000 per year.\" He said per‑capita funding contributes about $156,000 annually while the remainder is largely grants.

- Capabilities at risk: The EMA manages a type‑1 regional HAZMAT team, a technical rescue team of about 60 personnel (countywide), and a roster of voluntary responders across multiple jurisdictions. Bolin said his team provides hazmat and technical rescue support, planning and consultation, and event coordination for municipalities and large events such as the VOA Country Music Festival.

- Personnel and volunteers: Bolin said the agency employs five full‑time staff and draws between roughly 120 and 150 volunteer responders across programs (HAZMAT, technical rescue, community emergency response and support units). He said volunteers are crucial to sustaining teams and that those volunteers might not remain if governance changes and local partners opt out.

- Recent activity: Bolin listed recent responses including flood damage assessments, two tornadoes, straight‑line wind events and a level‑A hazmat entry in Monroe. He said the EMA activated an emergency‑operations center for COVID‑19 response for roughly 100 days during the pandemic and coordinates personal protective equipment distribution and mass vaccination planning.

- Legal and operational concerns: Bolin warned that grant‑purchased equipment and multi‑jurisdictional agreements could be affected by a change in governance; he said it is unclear where equipment and agreements might be reassigned if the EMA were dissolved.

Trustees asked detailed operational questions about activation authority, liability and volunteer participation. Bolin clarified the EMA does not assume incident command on scene; it supports local incident commanders with resources, expertise and coordination. He also said workers'‑comp claims for volunteers responding under mutual‑aid arrangements are handled by the sending jurisdiction.

Bolin said he and his staff continue to engage local jurisdictions and provide information while there has been no public movement on the commissioners' proposal since December. He said he and several staff members would not want to operate the agency if it were reorganized under the commissioners, a comment Bolin linked to differences in the governance model under which he signed up to lead the agency.

The trustees heard the presentation and asked for no formal action at the meeting; Bolin said EMA staff will continue outreach and that local jurisdictions will be kept informed if the county moves the proposal forward.

","Jim Bolin, director of the Butler County Emergency Management Agency, told West Chester Township trustees a county proposal to terminate the agency could dissolve mutual‑aid teams and jeopardize grant‑funded equipment and volunteer participation.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6067313,"West Chester Township adopts zoning change limiting short‑term rentals in single‑family zones",1153,5745000,6898000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3137948-343c0d16c72e15bf437d12724e6e2896&start=5745&end=6898","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3137948-343c0d16c72e15bf437d12724e6e2896/thumbnail_5745000.jpg","/articles/6067313/Ohio/West-Chester-Township-adopts-zoning-change-limiting-shortterm-rentals-in-singlefamily-zones","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6067313-7b79bf7702be10ae8a0e6c51ffa075ce/orig.mp4?Expires=1771118775&Signature=gqitz-gv~G-G1LUdBUBozAuQGP2qXBZLMWI5iHZH-inBB-eXE56U2n6i3yz-C54Z6SKW1Y-vOwd2ouLQ1nW7AXoBOsb40tTNEHzX-7mZ6fL1bOL2xZ-R-1qKWmA6O9lD6YIK6KUxhBKqaZZV8K3KXxVWOsJZ1EPIzc32xS7BB9ceBC6DFumVZ98KCFGJeINhhve10NhxOuYg2tJrC3OJjfZP8zAkiGb~uawMDKyVM0ICbveqktVsoIzbG-Ge8~JOQyMZI61nVLK4AzfSWs1i66j9j8kJUPOPBlHvU7ochK2xWk6tHs-yhpSoIQHRHj72VRvpIy47Lyo8xC7E302e3A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","West Chester Township trustees voted April 8 to adopt a zoning text amendment that prohibits short‑term rentals in single‑family (R‑1) residential districts while leaving existing short‑term rental operations subject to a review process.

The changes were passed as Resolution O‑5‑2025 after a public hearing at which residents and local property owners offered competing views on the impact of short‑term rentals. The board also approved companion measures updating the comprehensive land‑use plan and adopting a 2025 property‑maintenance code.

Why it matters: Trustees said the restriction aims to protect neighborhood stability and the expectations of long‑term residents in single‑family neighborhoods; opponents warned it could reduce lodging options for visitors and convert properties into long‑term rentals. The township’s authorities said the code changes are meant to modernize zoning language and clarify enforcement processes.

During the public hearing, resident Paul Waslowski, who identified himself as a real‑estate investor and West Chester resident, argued that \"STRs are not housing. They're no different from hotels. They are businesses. They should be prohibited in residential areas.\" He told the board many short‑term units are run as investments rather than by homeowners living on‑site.

Several other residents spoke against a blanket ban. Joel Herzog and resident David Bayer said short‑term rentals serve families, groups attending local events and visitors who need alternatives to hotels. Jason Ross, who said his company operates furnished short‑ and mid‑term rentals, described cases where short‑term housing served medical visitors and corporate travelers and urged a regulatory approach rather than an outright ban.

Trustee Bruce Jones noted the township lacks the same enforcement levers that a city like Cincinnati uses (registration, inspections and fines) and said existing short‑term rentals would not be immediately outlawed, a point he urged the public to understand. Staff and trustees said the zoning change would not retroactively remove existing listings but would guide future approvals and clarify the process for properties that seek to continue operations.

The motion to adopt ZTA‑05‑2025 (Resolution O‑5‑2025) passed on a roll‑call vote with trustees voting yes: Mister Welch, Missus Becker and Mister Wall. The board also approved related resolutions updating the comprehensive land‑use plan (O‑6‑2025) and adopting the 2025 property‑maintenance code (O‑7‑2025) at the same meeting.

Trustees and staff said implementation details — including registration, any required inspections, and enforcement steps — will be addressed in administrative procedures and follow‑up guidance. The trustees recommended residents report specific violations to township enforcement staff so cases can be investigated.

Looking ahead: The township will publish the revised zoning text and maps and provide guidance about how existing short‑term rentals will be handled under the updated rules.

","Trustees approved a text amendment to the township zoning code that bars short‑term rentals in R‑1 residential districts; existing listings remain in place but future conversions will be restricted. The board approved companion updates to the comprehensive plan and the property‑maintenance code during the same meeting.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: West Chester Township trustees approve personnel moves, contracts, grants and zoning updates

Township staff recommend PlaceYourAI geofencing subscription after review of six platforms

Butler County EMA director warns dissolution would disrupt hazmat, rescue and mutual‑aid services

West Chester Township adopts zoning change limiting short‑term rentals in single‑family zones