[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-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],{"_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",6249602,"mediaKeyId","3204984-10539eb3ba683cec39b57e17a1b93224","parentId",3204984,"title","Oakwood honors retiring city manager Norbert Klaus and names Katie Smitty as city manager","audioSeconds",97,"startMs",747000,"endMs",844000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3204984-10539eb3ba683cec39b57e17a1b93224&start=747&end=844","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3204984-10539eb3ba683cec39b57e17a1b93224/thumbnail_747000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6249602/Ohio/Oakwood-honors-retiring-city-manager-Norbert-Klaus-and-names-Katie-Smitty-as-city-manager","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6249602-9f00efbc8a84b32e54d0c377240886b1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171111&Signature=Fjw0C31V5d99r-BmYVFHGqMhyJBEM1yqo-heQBonjqfCTWZ3sZv0AwRKJ7O4GSZqzLUHp0wDs0AaLLk6z3M74en6Lx1eanaQLphfvucQFKJx8rtZa3kz3b2uRLHLvFpTKJwsWxQJOwr3SnW4ULlrvJhT5Q-17maDP3hljLL7sGyFoIfroavoEREQFqZImU0tDTjWbRF~aVlIXS0RW0vKI2R24srB7eiqJtN~JOzVNBKz8LTAGN~3cGH6xSxH4xg6MsySKAy8TCSplxy1o7fvC3CH4bYHW4gVahqXHWMmAchsxejrTP6sCdUV7VUtNA9qEmolrHprHOMB7PxuvoVFbA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Oakwood, OH ","date","2025-05-07T00:57:58.887Z","article","Oakwood’s mayor recognized the retirement of longtime city manager Norbert Klaus and introduced Katie Smitty as the city’s new manager.

The mayor said Norbert Klaus retired on Nov. 1, 2024, after a 32‑year career with the city, serving as city engineer, director of public works and city manager for 22 years. “He is and was acknowledged by his peers as an outstanding city manager,” the mayor said.

The mayor introduced Katie Smitty, who he said joined the city in October as interim city manager and began duties as city manager on Nov. 1, 2024. The mayor said Smitty previously served as finance director for the City of Springdale and held finance roles in Montgomery and Butler counties. He described Smitty’s education as a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Xavier University, a master of public administration from Wright State University and an associate degree in water and wastewater technology from Cincinnati State, and noted she is a graduate of the University of Virginia’s leadership program mentioned in the address.

The mayor framed the management transition as part of the city’s continuity of governance and praised the department directors who work with the city manager. These remarks were a ceremonial recognition and informational report to residents; no personnel motions or council votes were stated within the address.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Oakwood State of the City 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The mayor recognized the retirement of Norbert Klaus after a 32‑year Oakwood career and announced Katie Smitty began duties as city manager on Nov. 1, 2024, following an interim period in October.","taxTitle","Oakwood City Council, Oakwood, Montgomery County, Ohio","taxId",72197,"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},6249609,"Oakwood cites rapid emergency response times, cross‑trained public‑safety force and Citizens Police Academy",96,324000,420000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3204984-10539eb3ba683cec39b57e17a1b93224&start=324&end=420","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3204984-10539eb3ba683cec39b57e17a1b93224/thumbnail_324000.jpg","/articles/6249609/Ohio/Oakwood-cites-rapid-emergency-response-times-crosstrained-publicsafety-force-and-Citizens-Police-Academy","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6249609-0892398c586b6842608a4692a8b4da0c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171111&Signature=hgKmeo5DIgg6DpOdW~FACtcMjpl2qBqwJ5Xzg-thHm8hZS8q~9QUiyhQql8u7mL3Jrb~lpnonVY0NBTdONRQ3-zVzkMO-1bs4xRMn5EpGK5W-GK1~13MWy~aXEnZPtNRmgltvgs0V5ycX7PyzoRUYzIYHtgFvXsATjwJoTSL~4QcTuTMt23WUz7SohqD43F3q-nt4vistzRL04685hlRNiZVsAA9gtP59ews89JMiZZF81s6jmJ-fjgWZck3uTIYvfGnYj~snnEZASFuGhfQPMzK6sicQLCip3YzxF0XwRVZKUYVu3JAikyApzxZlUOmvon1crkNtno~xuCz5Rt03A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Oakwood’s mayor used the State of the City address to describe the city’s consolidated public-safety department and to report response-time metrics.

Under Oakwood’s cross-trained public-safety model, the mayor said the first officer on scene has a response time of about two minutes, the fire-engine response time is about 4.5 minutes (shorter than the national standard of six minutes) and the medic response time is about 4.75 minutes (compared with a national standard of 12 minutes). “Oakwood has the lowest crime rate and fire loss in Montgomery County,” the mayor said, and he credited Public Safety Chief Allen Hill and the department’s personnel.

The mayor said the city held its seventh annual Citizens Police Academy and described the program as an opportunity for residents to understand public-safety work and for department personnel to hear community needs and expectations. He said graduates have been impressed with the professionalism of public-safety personnel.

These remarks were a report of departmental performance and programming; no formal council actions related to public safety were announced during the address.","The mayor highlighted Oakwood’s consolidated public-safety department, its response-time metrics, the seventh annual Citizens Police Academy and recognition of Public Safety Chief Allen Hill.",{"_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},6249614,"Oakwood voters approved 2.41‑mill levy; city reports ARPA and state funds helped Far Hills projects as water rates rise",201,545000,746000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3204984-10539eb3ba683cec39b57e17a1b93224&start=545&end=746","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3204984-10539eb3ba683cec39b57e17a1b93224/thumbnail_545000.jpg","/articles/6249614/Ohio/Oakwood-voters-approved-241mill-levy-city-reports-ARPA-and-state-funds-helped-Far-Hills-projects-as-water-rates-rise","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6249614-9a00e6b8de17662499ace40ae8b26799/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171111&Signature=ShnLituMvUpn5WcRtwHMPoPBLy4uHTU0FC2uKY1ZIMTjCM-25uwg~Tc-VuIZUemGOMu67lBBuQ~HWuGn3ypXqKBfL8VlXmlHqaEQG4LCXJW0nIIEUUVJ-lcPKM88TTr6YrW0SUNQ57LfpOCtJBQTIA9lvr3hDjcKVQAowZu5foSyjDhnfGLPCm5S-IjFcTL6MraV1jEht5BBuyDWPO7Gx5CHGhkcdAzm4aJilSsrvEioXRMcBLLaTfUc4pl4wcDkIN2U-xBy7Zet4CfwM3VvORe0Km5pibDHxKOMq4oE-K7ZiYiZ~S0KP0gaMV~Avmm~tQ4uLDRWQXE6wH3NuJSR4w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Oakwood’s mayor told residents that voters approved a 2.41‑mill property tax levy in February 2024 and that the city used a mix of federal and state aid to complete recent infrastructure work.

“We used $940,000 of federal American Rescue Plan funds to offset part of the $2,200,000 construction cost,” the mayor said about the Far Hills Storm Sewer Reconstruction Project. He also said the city received $1,200,000 from the Ohio Department of Transportation for the Far Hills Avenue resurfacing project, which the mayor described as representing 80% of that project’s cost.

The mayor said Oakwood voters approved the 2.41‑mill levy in February 2024 to replace a 3.75‑mill levy that expired in February 2023, and noted that only about 8.2% of property-tax dollars go to city services, with the remainder going to Oakwood Schools, Montgomery County agencies and Wright Memorial Public Library. “We thank Oakwood voters for their support of our first-class city services,” he said.

On utility rates, the mayor reported that the city raised water rates in February 2024 — the first increase in seven years — and that another increase is scheduled for February 2025. He described maintaining aging above- and below-ground infrastructure as a top priority for council and staff.

The mayor framed the funding mix as a combination of local voter support and outside grants: federal ARPA funds, state transportation assistance and the property-tax levy. He thanked the city’s 34-member budget review committee for helping the city meet financial challenges and complete the two projects.

The mayor’s remarks were a report to residents, not a formal council vote at this meeting. No new ordinances or council motions were stated in the address.","In a State of the City address, Oakwood’s mayor reported a voter-approved 2.41‑mill property tax levy, use of $940,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds and a $1.2 million state grant toward Far Hills infrastructure projects, and said another water-rate increase is planned for February 2025.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Oakwood honors retiring city manager Norbert Klaus and names Katie Smitty as city manager

Oakwood cites rapid emergency response times, cross‑trained public‑safety force and Citizens Police Academy

Oakwood voters approved 2.41‑mill levy; city reports ARPA and state funds helped Far Hills projects as water rates rise