Making Hamilton the Preferred Community...
Vision 2020
 

READ OR DOWNLOAD THE FOCUS GROUPS' MARCH 2000 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES REPORT

Plan Purpose and Goals

Hamilton's Vision 2020 Comprehensive Planning Project encompasses many aspirations and dimensions, but its main goal has been to design a framework for action that serves as a dynamic and living plan for our City. The final plan elements were formed in March 2000 to provide a basis for decision-making and serve as a written guide to manage public policies, plans, programs, actions and investments for years to come. Specifically, the Vision 2020 Plan was created to identify and analyze opportunities and challenges facing Hamilton as we entered the 21st century, setting specific goals and objectives that reflect the ideals of the community as a whole.

 
 
Vision Commission Members

Officers:
      
Chair – Nancy Wiley*
      
Vice Chair – John Guidugli*
      
Secretary – Teri Whitmore*

Members
       Louis Barich                 Lorie Batdorf              Mark Brandenburger
       Gil Cabacungan            Kenny Craig                Jason Crank
       Matt Davison              Mike Dingeldein*         Jeffrey Diver
       John Fabelo                  Anne Fiehrer Flaig     Joel Fink 
      
Jason Fullmer               Daniel Hall                  Butch Hubble
       Rick Jones                    Kathy Klink                  Dave Loeffler  
       Tim MacDonald           Everett Mann              Tim Naab
      
Keith Nott                    Jim Paulus*                  Amy Pelicano
       Mary Reimer                Gary Richards             Debbie Rulon 
       Mayor Don Ryan*       Mike Samoviski            Steve Timmer
       Tony Traub                  Karen Underwood       John Vaughn
       Rob Wile*                    Craig Wilks*                Bill Wilks         

 *denotes Executive Committee member
denotes ex-officio
 
denotes subcommittee chair

Riverfront/Downtown
Jim Paulus
Arts & Education
Mike Dingeldein
Infrastructure
Rob Wile
Business District/Neighborhoods
Craig Wilks/Teri Whitmore
Post Office
John Vaughn

Murals for buildings
downtown
Keith Nott

Amphitheater
John Guidugli

Arts District
Rick Jones

Communications
Committee
Jeff Diver

Image
Steve Timmer

Green
TBD

Zoning/Urban Design
Rob Wile

Transportation/Walk
to School
Ev Mann

Parks
Bill Wilks

Passenger Rail
Amy Pelicano

Neighborhoods/Housing
TBD

Historic Districts
Craig Wilks

Business Districts
Gary Richards

Vision 2020 Plan Update
Teri Whitmore

 

HISTORY
In 1997, Hamilton resident Don Taylor saw a documentary on television entitled “Back from the Brink,” a video about urban rejuvenation produced by the American Institute of Architects. Mr. Taylor was excited by the possibilities that this video presented for Hamilton and he purchased a copy of it.

In January of 1998, then Mayor Tom Nye made a presentation at the Senior Citizens on Ross Avenue that Mr. Taylor attended.  He presented Mayor Nye with the videotape for his review.  Mayor Nye, impressed by the documentary, took it to Hal Shephard, the City Manager at that time, and suggested that it be shown to City Council and the Directors of City departments during their annual joint strategic planning session.

On February 14, 1998, the video was presented at the strategic planning session the first thing in the morning. It proved so compelling that everyone agreed to spend the rest of the session brainstorming on how to use this information to help improve economic development in Hamilton. By the end of the day, they had a plan to create a visioning and comprehensive planning process for the City that included retaining a consultant.

Then Vice-Mayor Adolf Olivas was appointed by City Council to chair the project, now known as the “Hamilton Vision 2020 Comprehensive Plan”. Jim Boerke, the Director of the City Planning Department at that time, led the search for a consulting firm to assist the City with making the Vision 2020 Plan a reality. An initial Steering Committee was created that included Boerke, Mayor Nye, Vice-Mayor Olivas and Councilman George McNally.

To pick the right consultant, a Search Committee was formed consisting of 33 citizens from all areas of the City and all walks of life.  After interviewing four consulting firms, the Search Committee selected Parsons Harland Bartholomew & Associates as the firm to help create and define the process for the Vision 2020 Comprehensive Plan.  In addition, Ed Barlow was chosen to lead the volunteer citizens through a visioning process entitled “Creating the Future.”

Developing the Vision 2020 plan was an extensive process that included numerous steps:

·         Presentation at the Red Carpet Luncheon - October 1, 1998

·         Initial Coordination Meeting with media and interest groups - October 1, 1998

·         Community –Wide Public Information Meetings - October 27 & 28, 1998

·         Focus Groups were identified to create the Vision and Planning documents.

o        Each Focus Group consisted of two co-chairpersons – one appointed by the City and the other elected by majority vote of the membership of each Focus Group.  Trained facilitators provided assistance in conducting the meetings and capturing the work of each group.  The City also appointed City Technical Liaisons to support each group.

·         Focus Group Community Kick-off Meeting.  – November 7, 1998

o        This was a six-hour orientation session for all Focus Group participants.

·         Focus Group Committee Meetings – November, 1998 to February 1999

o        These meetings were where the real work took place, defining critical areas of responsibility and identifying the major trends and goals that must be in place by 2020.

·         Discovery Integration Meeting – February 27, 1998

o        The Focus Groups participated in a four-hour meeting to report their findings and recommendations.  From this meeting came a “Vision Statement” for the City.

·         Goals and Objectives- March to June 1998

o        From the results of the reports, each Focus Group met at least four more times to develop a final report that incorporated: Purpose; Trends and Issues; Desired State; Goals; and Action Strategies for its group.

·         Create Phase Integration Meeting – June 11, 1998

o        All the Focus Groups came together to showcase their results and solicit input from other groups.

·         Final Vision 2020 Goals & Objectives – March 2000

o        The Steering Committee and the Executive Committee directed the efforts of the Consultant Team in preparing the final Vision 2020 Goals and Objectives document to formally record the results of the Focus Groups reports.

·         Vision Commission Created – July 2001 to Today.

o        Hamilton City Council as part of the enacting legislation created a Commission for the Vision 2020 Plan.  The Commission is composed of 15 to 30 Mayor-appointed volunteer citizens.  The purpose of this Commission is to bring life to the Vision 2020 Master Plan.

FOCUS GROUPS

Initially, six community volunteer Focus Groups were formed to help formulate planning issues of importance to the future of Hamilton. Each group explored a specific topic area, and then identified goals, objectives and implementation strategies to serve as the primary building blocks of the Vision 2020 plan.

Community Services: Over time, Hamilton will experience changes in the mix of its citizens, their interests and needs for community services. This focus group worked to profile the future Hamilton residents and to identify the kinds of support mechanisms that will both meet community needs and enhance quality of life. Included in this group's review were such things as: programs and youth services, elderly and individuals out of the mainstream, healthcare, public safety (fire and police), and social services.

Economic Vitality: Complexity, diversity, and pace of change will characterize the business environment for the 21st Century. This group evaluated the global, regional, and local economic environments within which Hamilton will find itself. It considered the sustainability of current industries, businesses and employment bases, and suggested ways to create an environment that will attract and maintain the preferred business and job mix.

Government Cooperation: Government's role and its relationship to citizens are being reevaluated within the context of the modern world. This focus group looked at the nature and role of governance in an age of "real time communication" with an increasing desire of citizens to have input into those rules and regulations that affect their daily lives. It also considered the level of responsibility each citizen will have and how this responsibility could be carried out. Special consideration was given to areas of mutual interest and possible collaboration among governmental units in the Hamilton area.

Image and Environment: The image and perception of Hamilton translates into a "community feel" that is based on many experiences, both physical and emotional. These include aesthetics, views/vistas and environmental quality, and social encounters experienced. Areas addressed by this group included visual perceptions of community entryways and corridors, open space and greenways, riverfront opportunities & activities, historic districts, and downtown features.

Life and Lifestyle Choices: Increasingly, quality of life is becoming the primary motivator related to where people live and work. Quality of life is defined as lifestyle choice options that people have available to meet their needs. This group explored who will live in Hamilton in 2020 and what lifestyle choice experiences will be available. Emphasis was placed on those things that can be done to enhance individual self-sufficiency and self-reliance.

Lifelong Learning: Life for each individual represents a continuum of personal and professional challenges and opportunities. A successful response to each challenge and opportunity requires a certain level of knowledge and skill. This focus group considered the range of skills citizens of Hamilton would need to create their preferred future. It worked to identify alternative ways for residents to learn and grow as they encounter different stages of their life cycle.

 

 

THE PLAN

 

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Mercantile Buildings

Riverfront Study by URS Consultants

Plans for Mercy Site

PROJECTS

Riverfront Development

Amphitheater

Rowing Course – Boat House

Performing Arts Center – Study is being conducted to see if Hamilton can support this

 

Vision Awards

The Hamilton Vision Commission presents Vision Awards to organizations or individuals whose contributions to the betterment of Hamilton uphold the philosophy of the Vision 2020 Plan. The Commission created the Vision Awards to recognize projects and accomplishments that are in keeping with the plan.

In November, 2004, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Carruthers were presented with the Vision Award.

The Vision Commission was created by City Council in June, 2001, to oversee implementation of the Vision 2020 Plan and assure that its major goals and objectives are achieved.  As part of this charge, the Commission created the Vision Awards to recognize projects and accomplishments that are in keeping with the plan.

Over the past three years the Vision Commission has presented Vision Awards to outstanding organizations and individuals whose contributions to the betterment of Hamilton uphold the philosophy of the Vision 2020 Plan.  We’ve given out twelve awards so far:  five the first year and six last year.  This year however, it became obvious that one couple had done so much for the community that they alone deserved to be honored and given a special Vision Award for their tremendous generosity to the City of Hamilton.

Donna and Pat Carruthers have donated untold millions to better this city.  Consider first their support for Fort Hamilton Hospital.  The Carruthers donated $1,000,000 to expand and remodel the Emergency Room which was so needed after the closing of Mercy Hospital.  And when Fort Hamilton came to the Carruthers to ask that they help again and fund the Intensive Care/Outpatient and Diagnostic Services project, the Carruthers donated another $3,000,000 for this endeavor.

They have also given much to the Hamilton School System, from the renovation of the Hamilton High School auditorium to a new fine arts wing at Wilson Junior High, to the No Child Left Behind sculpture at the High School.

The Fitton Center has also greatly benefited from the Carruthers generosity - from the sculptures that decorate the outside of the center to the addition of the magnificent Carruthers Center for Arts and Technology that includes the beautiful Carruthers Signature Ballroom.

The City of Sculpture is grateful to Donna and Pat for funding of the J. Seward Johnson sculpture exhibit that so enriched and entertained us this past summer and early fall.

And the City, as well as many, many Hamilton families, appreciate the Carruthers generosity for their ongoing funding to keep all of the City swimming pools open each summer.

These are just some of the highlights of the amazing generosity that this couple has bestowed on our city.  We are so fortunate to have the Carruthers in our community and we are very grateful to them for all that they have done. 

 

2002 Vision Award Winners

  •  Janet T. Baker - Superintendent of Schools

  • The City of Sculpture

  • Sherry L. Corbett - Preservationist

  • Hamilton Community Foundation

  • Frank Pfirman - Matandy Steel & Metal Products

The Vision Commission is proud to recognize the diligent efforts and major contributions of its first five award recipients:

Janet T. Baker
A lifelong resident of Hamilton, Mrs. Baker began her career in the Hamilton City Schools in 1970.  She has served as an elementary and secondary school principal, Director of Elementary Education and Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources.  She became Superintendent of Schools in 1990.  In 2000, Mrs. Baker’s contributions were recognized on a statewide level when she became “Ohio’s Superintendent of the Year.”  She also received the Martha Holding Jennings Ohio Superintendent Outstanding Performance Award this past year.  In March of 2001, Mrs. Baker worked with Representative John Boehner on an Education Reform Round Table for all school districts in the county, which ultimately lead to President George W. Bush signing the No Child Left Behind bill in Hamilton earlier this year.

The City of Sculpture
On August 16, 2000, Hamilton received Governor Bob Taft's recognition as "The City of Sculpture.” This sparked a group of community members to officially form Hamilton, Ohio, City of Sculpture, Inc. Since then, a full Board of Trustees has been established and many sculptures by well-known sculptors have been installed in the city. New sculpture recently installed include Nancy Schon's "Lentil", Jane DeDecker's "Snapshot", Rosalind Cook's "Legacy of Literature" & "Someday", Butler County's "Fire Fighter Memorial" & "Peace Officer Memorial", and a commissioned piece by the City of Sculpture's first artist-in-residence from a ground-level Artist-in-Residence Program. IceFest, also a product of this group, is the new annual event held each January in downtown Hamilton that includes ice carving competitions, demonstrations, children's activities, and more.

Dr. Sherry Corbett
Since Dr. Corbett’s arrival in Hamilton in 1974, she restored 19 homes in the Dayton Lane Historic District and led the way to the restoration of the entire District. She was an active participant in many City initiatives over the years, including the recent Vision 2020 planning process and the movement to save and restore the downtown to its former beauty, most notably her interest in the Mercantile Buildings. Dr. Corbett began the movement to preserve and restore them, which continues today.  She was a Professor of Sociology at Miami University since 1974 with a passion for teaching, which she blended very effectively with her passion for preservation.  Her tragic and untimely death in July was a tremendous loss to the community.

Hamilton Community Foundation
“To improve our quality of life…” That is the mission of the Hamilton Community Foundation; a mission that is closely tied to the goals of the Vision 2020 process. Among their most notable gifts to the city over the last several years are:  the complete restoration of the former American Legion building in Veterans Park; “Lentil,” the commissioned sculpture prominently displayed in the new park at High Street and Riverfront Plaza; Foundation Field—a state-of-the-art baseball diamond located at the Booker T. Washington Community Center, and the largest legacy project of the Foundation—the five-mile extension of the Hamilton Bike Path. The Foundation staff, trustees and the Foundation’s very generous donors are to be commended for their commitment to the city of Hamilton.  

Frank Pfirman
Matandy Steel and Metal Products paved the way for Brownfield redevelopment in the city of Hamilton when it constructed its new facility on the former Leshner site on Central Avenue. In a city that is essentially land-locked for new business developments, Brownfield redevelopment is the key to economic revitalization. Matandy Steel President, Frank Pfirman, worked closely with city officials to venture in uncharted territory for this project.  Mr. Pfirman is also very active in a variety of community activities.  In February he and his wife, Joanne were the Honorary Chairs of Lifespans’ Gala.

 

2003 Vision 2020 Award Winners

  • THE ARTS - Rick H. Jones, Fitton Center for Creative Arts

  • ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - Neighborhood Housing

  • COMMUNITY SERVICE - Dave Lippert

  • EDUCATION The Michael J. Colligan History Project

  • HISTORIC PRESERVATION - Bill Wilks

  • IMAGE - Hamilton Rotary Club

 

Vision Award for the Arts

 Mr. Rick H. Jones, Executive Director for the Fitton Center for Creative Arts.
 
 Since arriving in
Hamilton in 1991, Rick Jones has been the catalyst for making the arts an important part of our community.  He has led in the development of Hamilton-based arts education programs which are nationally renowned, including:

·         Arts in Common, a project to make the arts accessible to the underserved populations of Hamilton.

·         SPECTRA+, a nationally-acclaimed arts education initiative in the Hamilton Schools, which has been featured in USA Today, and recognized by Secretary of Education Riley as a model program.

·         Riverside Academy - an arts training program for local educators, known throughout the country.

Rick recently supervised the $6 million expansion to the Fitton Center, whose success has become the cornerstone of downtown Hamilton’s renaissance.  Each of these programs reflects the Fitton Center’s motto, and Rick’s personal philosophy, “Building Community Excellence Through the Arts and culture

 

Vision Award for Community Service

Mr. Dave Lippert, president of Hamilton Caster& Manufacturing Company.

Mr. Lippert has served on the Greater Hamilton Safety Council Board for over ten years and was named the group’s 1999 volunteer of the year.  He was a Junior Achievement Business Consultant to two area high schools for more than 10 years and in1993 he was presented a leadership award for his many years of service promoting the free enterprise system.

Mr. Lippert has also been heavily involved in the Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce.  He has served as Second Vice Chair, First Vice Chair, Chair, and he is currently the Past Chair and board member.  He was instrumental in forming six permanent sub-committees for the Hamilton Economic Development Committee, including:  Bridge Committee, Retention and Expansion Committee, Renewal Community Committee (HUD tax advantages), Technology Committee, Construction Services and Tax Levy Committee.

Mr. Lippert and Hamilton Caster recently won the Gehring Center Tri-State Family Business of the Year Award for Community Involvement.

Vision Award for Economic Development

 Neighborhood Housing Services
Neighborhood Housing is a private non-profit lending organization, focused on first time home-buyers with moderate to low-incomes, especially the working poor and those who could not otherwise qualify for conventional financing. The goal of Neighborhood Housing is to “provide the mechanisms whereby neighborhoods become stable, self-sustaining areas that maintain long-term residents and attract new households.”

Under Ron Woolwine’s leadership, Neighborhood Housing has granted approximately 1,050 loans to first-time home-buyers totaling $55,000,000. Among notable Hamilton NHS projects are:

·         The Anthony Wayne Hotel. Neighborhood Housing is the co-general partner in this project, which converted that historic downtown structure into fifty residential units of affordable housing for older residents.

·         Holbrock Trace on Beckett, a 12-unit subdivision in Hamilton’s 2nd Ward.

·         YWCA rehabilitation project.

Vision Award for Education

The Michael J. Colligan History Project.
The Colligan Project, which began in the fall of 2000, is a joint undertaking of the Colligan Fund Committee of the Hamilton Community Foundation and the Hamilton Campus of Miami University.

Their goal is to make the appreciation and study of history accessible and enriching for all members of the university… the schools… and the community at large.  The project offers a wide variety of programs, series, projects, and symposia that present a broad and diverse perspective on the people and events of the past.

Over the past three years, the Colligan Project has inaugurated a lecture series that has brought to the Hamilton Campus speakers such as the Pulitzer-prize winning author Joan Hedrick, world-renowned Eleanor Roosevelt biographer, Blanche Wiesen Cook, Butler County native and author Cynthia Crane and celebrated Vietnam War Veteran, Adrian Cronauer.

Dr. Michael J. Carrafiello, Director of the Michael J. Colligan History Project accepted the award.

Vision Award for Historic Preservation

Mr. Bill Wilks. 
A lifelong resident of Hamilton, Mr. Wilks has been involved in the city’s historic preservation since 1965, when he established Village Properties, an area in
German Village surrounding his offices, that grew to include 50 buildings, with apartments, homes, offices and retail spaces. 

In 1973, the City and the German Village Society created a Histroic District that used block grant funds for sidewalk and lighting improvements.  Over the years, Mr. Wilks has purchased and renovated a majority of the nine-block area called Historic German Village.  This area is now on the National Historic Register, and has served as the catalyst for forming other historic districts in the City.

In 1974, The German Village Historic District established their headquarters at the former Long-Alstatter Mansion Carriage House.  Mr. Wilks not only refurbished the Carriage House for the association, but paid off the debt on the building to allow the District’s funds to be put to other uses.  As a result of his generosity, the Board of Directors named the building the William C. Wilks Carriage House.

Vision Award for Image

The Hamilton Rotary Club
The Hamilton Rotary Club has been involved in community service since its inception in 1919.  Over the years it has contributed funds in support of many worthy causes.

Its main fund raising effort since 1954 has been Rotary Revels which produces a Broadway musical each year.  The funds raised from the Rotary Revels productions have allowed the Hamilton Rotary Club to donate money that has positively affected the image of our City.  The donations have allowed for many beneficial acquisitions including (but not limited to): 

  • The Rotary Vista Room at the Fitton Center for Creative Arts
  • Many of the renovations of the Hamilton High Auditorium
  • The YMCA Teen Rooms
  • The Rotary Show Wagon
  • And Furnishing Dictionaries for every 3rd grade student in Hamilton

The Rotary Club also sponsors Youth contests for encouraging students to write about Drug Prevention, Diversity Appreciation and the Four Way Test.

It is also the co-sponsor of the annual Civics Day which enables high school seniors from Badin and Hamilton High schools to participate in and learn about city and school government.

The Rotary Club has affected Hamilton’s image on a global basis, through its Student Exchange program, which has sponsored 155 students coming from, or going to, nations around the world.

President Joe Belew, accepted the award for the Hamilton Rotary Club.

Miami University Student Projects

VISION 2020 AND YOU!

 

Top 10 actions you can take to support

the Hamilton Vision Commission

Attend a Hamilton City Council meeting and let your voice be heard about the positive aspects of our city. Hamilton City Council meets every second and fourth Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, 1st floor of the One Renaissance Center.

Write a letter to the editor to the Journal-News telling readers what is right about Hamilton.

Thank a city employee of his/her hard work to make Hamilton a better community.

Tell a friend or family member who lives outside Hamilton about the good things happening in our city.

Attend a vision commission meeting held on the Second Thursday of every month at 7:30 a.m. at Neighborhood Housing Services of Hamilton, 100 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Hamilton.

Participate on a Vision Commission subcommittee. There are a number of committees ranging from public relations to riverfront development. Contact any Vision Commission member or the City Planning Department for details.

Clean up your neighborhood. Join with other neighbors to clean up your neck of the woods.

Become a member of one of the many fine Hamilton civic and fraternal organizations. Groups like the Rotary and Kiwanis often undertake projects to better our community.

Support our city’s police and fire departments, whose members give unselfishly to protecting all residents.