Mm2014 octnov

Mason MattersMason MattersOctober / November 2014

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1www.imaginemason.org

A Financial Look Back at 2013

Inside This Issue:

2”

2”

8.20.2013

Mason 7th Best / Gold Oval

For the past several years, the city has produced a Popular Annual Financial

Report (PAFR) that is a quick, easy-to-read summary of the city’s governmental activities for the previous year. The report for the year that ended on December 31, 2013, is below.

Where the Money Comes From . . .

The City of Mason receives the funding it needs to provide services to the community from a variety of sources. The table below presents a summary of the city’s governmental revenues by primary type for 2013 and 2012.

Mason continues to be a community with stable revenue sources for providing services to the community. While some revenue accounts showed more changes than others, the overall revenue remained steady. Tax revenue increased in 2013 due to the voter-approved charter amendment for safety services, improvements in the overall economy, and the city’s economic development efforts to encourage new or expanding businesses to locate in the city. Intergovernmental revenue decreased due to declining support from the State of Ohio and because a substantial amount of the capital grants for the U.S. 42 road improvements were received in 2012. Other Revenue includes payment in lieu of taxes and other revenue sources.

REVENUES (millions) 2013 2012Taxes $32.7 $29.3Fines, Licenses, and Permits

2.3 2.2

Charges for Services 2.2 2.1Investment Earnings 0.1 0.2Intergovernmental Revenue

5.9 7.8

Other Revenue 2.5 3.7TOTAL REVENUES $45.7 $45.3

The chart below shows the proportion of operating expenditures according to type (excluding debt service and capital outlay). Public Safety (such as police and fire services) continues to be the largest share of the city’s operating expenditures.

For an explanation of the expenditure types, please visit www.imaginemason.org/city-government/financial-accountability/popular-financial-report.cfm.

GOVERNMENTAL EXPENDITURES (millions)

2013 2012

Public Safety $12.4 $11.7General Government 6.3 8.2Transportation and Streets 3.5 3.1Leisure Time Activities 1.7 1.7Community Development 2.5 2.4Utility Service 0.3 0.3Operating Expenditures 26.7 27.4Capital Outlay 7.2 9.2Debt Service 4.2 4.9TOTAL EXPENDITURES $38.1 $41.5

Governmental Funds 2013Expenditures by Type

Utility Service 1%Community

Development9%Leisure Time

Activities6%

Transportationand Streets

13%

GeneralGovernment

24%

Public Safety47%

The pie chart below shows the significance that each source of revenue has to the city’s overall financial health. It is easy to see that income tax is the largest source of revenue for governmental funds. The second chart below shows that businesses provided 82% of this tax revenue in 2013.

Where the Money Goes . . .The two-year comparison at right for the

city’s governmental expenditures shows a 2.6% decrease in operating expenditures ($0.7 million). The city makes continuous efforts to provide services as cost effectively as possible. 2013 also has lower debt service and, due to the completion of the U.S. 42 road improvements in 2012, a lower capital outlay, resulting in an 8% drop in expenditures overall.

Governmental Funds2013 Revenue By Source

OtherRevenue

6%

Income Tax56%

Intergovern-mental

Revenue13%

InvestmentEarnings

0%

Charges forServices

5%

Fines, Licenses,and Permits

5% Property andOther Taxes

15%

2013 Income Tax by Source

Business Withholding

Business Profit

Residents/Individuals

68% 14% 18%

—see FINANCIAL LOOK on pg. 4

2 Leaf Pickup3 Bicentennial News4 Bethany Road5 New Service Center6 K-9 Donation6 Brush Pickup Changes7 Business News8 Tax News8 Fire Department Open House

October / November 2014

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Dear Resident,When the recession hit in 2009, the city began a hiring freeze that left us with 27 full-time vacant positions. Our

goal was to maintain service levels throughout the city, so we started asking ourselves how we could do business more efficiently. We began to evaluate departmental operations from an organizational point of view in an attempt to determine how the open positions might be redefined and where specific needs and priorities were.

It soon became apparent that an interdepartmental view was necessary. For example, as the Service Director managed and coordinated the efforts of employees in multiple departments to address workload surges and special projects, it became clear that additional help was needed. However, there was not enough work on an ongoing basis to justify the addition of staff in any one department.

An innovative response was to redefine two of the vacancies to create a new Facilities Technician who reports directly to the Service Director and is assigned to the various departments as the need is identified. The Facilities Technician utilizes a diverse set of building maintenance, grounds maintenance, and equipment job skills. Assignments may include driving a snowplow, chipping brush, collecting leaves, mowing park lawns, maintaining parks facilities, light construction, operating heavy equipment, painting, and more. In addition to benefiting the city, the new positions were an opportunity for current city employees to fully utilize their capabilities. As they receive additional training and experience, these employees will become extremely valuable in maintaining the high service levels that the City of Mason is known for.

I am confident that this cross-departmental employment model will succeed because of the lessons we learned through our multi-departmental effort for snow removal. Historically, the Public Works Department was solely responsible for snow removal throughout the city. As the reduced staff in Public Works struggled to complete their

normal maintenance tasks in addition to handling a snow removal event, it became necessary to borrow staff resources from other departments. This sparked the idea of creating an organized, city-wide approach that involves multiple departments during the snow and ice removal season. We now use employees from Public Works as well as Parks Maintenance, Public Utilities, Engineering & Building, and even the Police Department. Any employee with a commercial driver’s license who is able to operate the city’s plows was brought onto the snow and ice removal team. This prioritization of tasks across all departments has improved efficiency among our Public Works employees; has created a city-wide, united effort in keeping the roads clear and safe for residents; and has allowed us to plan ahead so we no longer borrow staff members at the last minute in a snow and ice event. The result has been reduced overtime, better management of equipment and personnel, and improved interdepartmental cooperation in areas outside of snow and ice control.

As we continue our strategy of moving toward a more business-minded and innovative culture, we are redefining secretarial positions throughout the city to improve coordination among departments. Administrative assistant responsibilities will be spread across departments rather than confining their duties to a specific department. Responsibilities will be divided by categories such as payroll processing, purchase ordering, presentation and document preparation, and customer service inquiries. Our goal is to cross-train these office positions in order to have several resources available as specific needs arise throughout the city.

Giving employees the opportunity to become a valuable asset to all departments in the city while improving efficiency in city services and operations is a win-win situation for both staff and the community as a whole. I can’t help but think that this approach toward a more innovative culture is one of the reasons why Mason was ranked number 7 on Money magazine’s list of the Best Places to Live in America in 2013.

From the City Manager

Eric Hansen City Manager

Annual Leaf Pickup Program October 13 – December 12

Orange and black signs will be placed at the entrance to your neighborhood at least two days prior to leaf collection. Please rake your leaves as close to the curb as possible, but not onto the sidewalk or into the street. Wet leaves are slippery and are dangerous to pedestrians, bicycle riders, and cars. Leaves in the street can also clog storm sewers and cause flooding during heavy rains. Twigs, branches, sticks, rocks, bottles, garden debris, etc., should not be raked in with the leaves. These items can clog the vacuum and cause considerable delay to the leaf collection. If possible, cover the leaves with some type of tarp.When crews are scheduled for your neighborhood, please avoid parking in front of large piles of leaves. It is difficult for the raking crew to work around parked cars. If you would like a load of leaves delivered to your property for compost, please contact the Public Works Department at 513.229.8580.

Mason School Treasurers Recognized by Council

Mason City Council recognized two of the city’s long-time champions and collaborators.

Mike Mowery, treasurer of Kings Local School District, and Richard Gardner, treasurer for Mason City School District, served the Mason community with dedication and vision up until their retirement this year. Through their commitment to education and cooperation, they have helped to create the economic development momentum that Mason enjoys today. Schools are critical to a healthy community ecosystem and both districts have been successful in managing budgets with tight revenues and increasing demands.

The City of Mason thanks Mike and Dick for their many years of dedication to the schools and community.

Dick Gardner (center, left photo) and Mike

Mowery (center, right photo) were

recognized by Vice Mayor Victor Kidd, far right, Economic

Development committee member

Tom Grossmann, and members of Council.

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Mason2015.org

Celebrating Mason’s 200th birthday in 2015

The Bicentennial Committee of Council and a group of volunteers are creating a community celebration for Mason’s

200th birthday. If you can help, please leave a message for the committee at 513.229.8508 or [email protected]. A volunteer application form can be found at Mason2015.org. Proceeds from city-endorsed bicentennial activities will be used to benefit the Common Ground playground, an inclusive playground designed to encourage children and adults of all levels and abilities to play together.

Volunteers shown with the committee are (from front left) Dana Maidenberg, Council Member Barbara Berry-Spaeth, Council Member Char Pelfrey (Chair), Council Member Rich Cox, Margaret and Perry Schwartz (front), Sallie Nally, Chrissy Avery, Jennifer Heft, and (from back left) Steve Caddell, Judy Cox, Debbie Harbatkin, Renee Collins-Vogler, Dave Moushey, Rachel Kopfler, and Eric Hansen. The Bicentennial Committee of Council is

excited to announce Kings Island as the major sponsor for the 2015 Mason Bicentennial.

Kings Island amusement park has been part of the Mason area skyline since 1972, when it opened just off I-71. The interstate was so new that it didn’t yet connect Cincinnati to Columbus and people hardly knew where Mason was.

“Kings Island’s presence put Mason as a destination on the map for millions of guests, providing the springboard for economic growth and community enrichment,” commented Char Pelfrey, Chair of the Bicentennial Committee.

“Kings Island is a proud partner of the city of Mason,” said Greg Scheid, Vice President and General Manager of Kings Island.

“The quality of life this area offers as a result of its committed leadership, business partners, schools, and citizens makes Mason one of the top cities in the country to live, work, and play. 2015 will be an exciting year for Mason. We look forward to being a part of the big bicentennial celebration,” Mr. Scheid added.

The Mason Monopoly “Bicentennial Edition” will be available beginning the first week

of December. This classic family game has a Mason spin and features local businesses and community organizations that you will recognize—making playing it even more fun! Proceeds from the sale of the game boards will benefit Mason’s anticipated new all-inclusive playground, Common Ground.

These limited-edition bicentennial Monopoly games make great gifts for Christmas, birthdays, graduations, employees, new and long-time Mason residents, and even previous Mason residents.

Games will be $30 each and include free delivery to any Mason address. Visit MasonMonopoly.com to pre-order a Mason Monopoly game in time for Christmas! Once in stock, the games will be available at Mason Community Center, Yost Pharmacy, and at Mason community events.

Bicentennial Committee and Volunteers

Celebration Receives Sponsor

Preorder Mason Monopoly

Mark your calendar for

these bicentennial events

January 26 Bicentennial Opening Ceremony

April 9 – 12 Imagine, Mason—a musical production

about Mason’s founder

April 11 Community Service Day

May 16 Salute to Veterans

June 29-July 4 Community Unity Days, Downtown

• June 30 Historical Society's Ice Cream Social

July 17 Weekend Bicentennial Baseball Bash

July 24 Weekend Bicentennial Baseball Bash

September 18-19 Mason’s Bicentennial Birthday Party

October 19 Mason Historical Society's Cemetery Walk

December 14 Bicentennial Closing Ceremony and

Time Capsule Placement

2015 will be a year-long celebration of the 200th anniversary of Mason’s founding.

Mark your calendar with these events!


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Roundabout Complete; More Work to Come on Bethany The final trees in the area of the Bethany

Road roundabout are scheduled to be planted in late September, bringing to a close this construction project that dramatically alters the intersection at Mason-Montgomery Road. Traffic flow and safety should be improved while noise and pollution are reduced.

There are two lanes entering the roundabout at each of the four approaches.

The right lane is for making immediate right turns, while the left lane is for going around the roundabout. For tips on how to navigate a roundabout, visit www.imaginemason.org/services/roundabouts.cfm.

Road ImprovementsThe city has applied for an Ohio

Public Works Commission grant to add a center turn lane, curb and gutter, bike path, and sidewalk to Bethany Road between Mason-Montgomery Road and the west corporation limit. The project will connect the recent improvements

Financial Look from pg. 1

Capital Projects$10.6 million in major capital projects were

completed in 2013. The $9 million widening of U.S. 42/Reading Road south of Tylersville Road was completed in the summer. Improvements were made to the Everybody’s Farm parcel along the west side of Snider Road between Tylersville and Reading Roads to open it to further development. Drainage in the Mason Heights area was improved to reduce flooding during heavy storms. In anticipation of the future Common Ground Park, which will provide recreation for individuals of all abilities, an access road to the site was built off of Reading Road. The Columbia Road sewer was extended to serve future development.

In 2014, work continues on the Mason-Montgomery and Bethany Road roundabout and on the Willow Brooke regional sewer lift station. The city continues to plan for major projects that will be undertaken in 2014 or later. These include a redesigned I-71 and Western Row Road interchange to allow full access for both north and southbound traffic, improvements to Kings Island Drive, and the beginning of work to convert a former vacant commercial building to the new Mason Service Center, which will house the city’s Public Works and Parks Maintenance departments. $7.3 million of the capital improvement expenses paid in 2013 were for projects still under construction in 2014.

Economic development efforts are an important component of the city’s ongoing sustainability plan. Efforts in 2013 prompted the announcement of nearly $100 million in new capital investment coming to Mason, with a combined payroll of over $25 million. A review of where the city’s money comes from above will indicate why business development is so important to the city.

Outstanding DebtAnother measure of the financial picture

of a city is the management of its debt. Instead of raising fees or taxes to save for an improvement, debt may be issued to allow a project to be constructed when it is needed and be paid for by the future users who will benefit from it. Debt can also be used to manage a city’s growth curve. During rapid growth, long-term investments keep growth balanced and economically viable. Improvements financed by debt ensure that the business-friendly environment so necessary to financially sustain the community can be maintained.

Mason’s debt is well below the legal limit defined by Ohio law. Over the last few years, the city’s income tax revenue (see sources above) and user and lease fee income have allowed for an aggressive reduction of the debt.

As a result of its sound fiscal policies and debt management, the city continues to receive a bond rating of Aaa for long-term bonds from Moody’s Investors Service. This

rating, the highest available, signals a very low risk to lenders, leading to lower interest rates for city bonds and therefore, considerable savings to the city.

Comprehensive ReportThis Popular Annual Financial Report is a

quick summary of the city’s financial standing. Each year, the City of Mason prepares a Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the previous fiscal year in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. This detailed report is about 150 pages long and presents a complete financial picture of the city. The 2013 report is available at the bottom of www.imaginemason.org/city-government/financial-accountibility.cfm.

The City of Mason has received a Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting each year since 1999 and has also been a recipient of the Ohio Auditor’s Award. They reflect the city’s sound fiscal reporting and its commitment to providing the best service for residents and businesses through cost-effective and efficient business practices.

2013 Outstanding DebtDecember 31 (millions)

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

$105$100

$95$90$85$80$75$70$65$60

to Bethany Road west of the city limits to the just-completed roundabout at Mason-Montgomery Road. Engineering design will begin next year. Construction is tentatively scheduled for 2016-2017 if the project receives the grant funding.

Bike Path Extension

The city was recently awarded an OKI Regional Council of Governments Transportation Alternatives grant to extend bike paths in the northern portion of Mason. The project will place a bike path along Bethany Road from the roundabout at Mason-Montgomery Road east to Windemere Way. This important segment will help interconnect the system

of paths outlined in the city’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Way Master Plan. View the plan by visiting www.imaginemason.org/city-government/engineering-planning.cfm.

A construction schedule has not yet been determined by OKI.

Pavement markings as you approach the Bethany Road roundabout direct you to the right lane for right turns and to the left lane for through and left turns.

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Work Begins on New Service Center

When Mason’s Public Works garage was built in 1974, only four snow plows

were needed to serve the city’s 6,000 or so residents. Today, the city has 15 large plow trucks and several hundred pieces of rolling stock to serve over 31,000 residents.

As you might imagine, that 1974 garage became too small long ago. As the city grew, it became necessary to store a majority of city vehicles outside and parks maintenance equipment was stored in scattered areas throughout the city. Maintaining the city’s fleet became more of a challenge without adequate lifts to service the equipment, especially large fire vehicles. Storage space for supplies and equipment became overcrowded and security as well as safety concerns were common. Office space was in short supply, forcing parks maintenance staff to work out of municipal offices or small storage sheds in various parks. The resulting inefficiencies, accelerated depreciation due to weather-exposed storage, and other concerns from crowding became increasingly difficult to address as the city’s maintenance needs for both streets and parks continued to grow.

Location IdentifiedIn 2013, City Council took the first step

toward a new facility by authorizing RP Architects to investigate the feasibility of retrofitting a warehouse located at 3900 State Route 741 for use by the city. The report indicated that the warehouse, located very close to the current facility, could be retrofitted into a fully functional Mason Service Center. Because this was a substantial cost savings over building a new facility, the city purchased the building last year for $2,300,000.

Employee CommitteesA core committee of employees was

assembled to oversee the renovation of the building. Similar to other projects of this magnitude, committees of employees have been assigned to help facilitate the project. Coordinating the work through the use of committees has been beneficial in spreading the workload, reducing costs, tapping into employees’ expertise, and providing opportunities for growth and experience for employees. Employee subcommittees include design, landscape, security, public relations, furniture and equipment, reuse of old facilities, and technology.

The Core Committee’s objective is to have vehicles in the building by the 2014 snow season as cost effectively as possible. City staff will manage some projects such as parking lot design and lighting, landscape design, furniture and equipment setup, painting, and carpet laying in order to remain within the targeted total budget.

guaranteed maximum amount of $3,820,000. Major components of the contract include site work, office/locker room area, fleet maintenance area, vehicle storage area, wash bay, small truck/material storage area, and generator. The Cintech team will create construction documents and take it through the entire construction process.

Work started in July and staff expects to see some materials and equipment stored in the building this year, including some larger dump trucks to be used for ice and snow control.

Benefits and Cost SavingsMason has over $8 million invested in

current vehicles and equipment. Having it all under roof rather than stored outside will significantly reduce depreciation loss and maintenance and repair costs for this extensive fleet investment. A secondary benefit is that reducing fleet maintenance needs will reduce the mechanic hours needed, thereby relieving overtime and contracted work demands.

The city will see additional savings with improved efficiencies and reduced overtime. As an example, having snow plow vehicles stored under roof will allow faster response time to snow events by as much as 45 minutes and can save overtime costs in the order of $175,000 per season. Plus, getting snow treatment chemicals on the road surface earlier can save an additional $150,000 in material costs every year.

The proposed facility will also benefit other city departments through quicker response time for maintaining police, fire, and other vehicles. The facility will have additional storage capabilities for both Public Works and Parks Maintenance. Staff also anticipates many future opportunities to capitalize on cost savings with bulk purchases of materials.

Design-Build Process New to City

The service center will be the city’s first Design-Build (DB) project as a method for project delivery. This method of construction delivery is different from the standard Design-Bid-Build method. Instead of having the architects and engineers design the renovations and prepare construction documents before the contractor is involved, the design itself is part of the bidding competition, in addition to price and other factors. The most efficient and effective designs can be chosen along with the experience of the Design-Build team and its overall pricing. Projects using DB can have “shared savings” clauses, which allow the contractor and owner to retain large percentages of cost saving measures that may be recommended by the DB team. The Design-Build team assumes much more of the time and financial risk, as they take on any errors of the architect/engineer team. This means the city is not caught in between the design architect/engineer and the contractor, but has a single point of contact for the process. The reduction in risk results in far fewer change orders and subsequently, a much smaller contingency fund is necessary.

Criteria Architect Defines Scope

The DB process starts by defining the project scope and conditions to clearly state the needs the building must meet. This was prepared with the help of a “Criteria Architect.” About a year ago, City Council approved KZF Architects as the Criteria Architect. With the Core Committee’s help, KZF created a 176-page document that included a recommended guaranteed maximum price (GMP) to retrofit the warehouse and identified and detailed all vehicles and equipment used by Public Works and Parks Maintenance, the materials stored and used by both departments for repairs and maintenance, parts storage requirements, fleet maintenance areas, salt spreader and plow storage needs, office and administrative areas, locker rooms, operational adjacencies and work flow, and other requirements. Existing building columns, differing exterior ground and interior floor levels, vehicle entry and exits, and vehicle circulation created challenges for the design.

Design-Build Team HiredThis July, City Council selected Cincinnati-

based Cintech/CDS as the DB team, with a

A good cleaning was the first step in preparing the new Mason Service Center.


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Brush Pickup Schedule Changing October 1

Have Your Meeting or Event Close to HomeThe City of Mason has a variety of spaces

for your next meeting or event.Resident and community groups are

welcome at Mason Municipal Center. Four rooms accommodating 6 to 82 people are available at no charge for qualifying groups. For information, please visit www.imaginemason.org/about/meeting-and-event-spaces.cfm or call 513.229.8500.

Many areas of Mason Community Center are available for rent during operating and non-operating hours. Rental areas can be used for parties, special events, business meetings, and other activities. Whether you and your guests want to enjoy a

Anonymous Donor Helps Police K-9 ProgramLast March, the Greater Cincinnati Credit Union passed

along a $1000 donation from an anonymous donor for the City of Mason Police K-9 program. The department combined that $1000 donation with a $50 donation received in April from Delta Kappa Gamma Gamma after K-9 Officer Michael Bishop and his dog Major attended their meeting and conducted a demonstration.

The donated money was used to purchase extra equipment for the officers and dogs to use to perform their duties and train. Additional harnesses, collars, a cooling vest, and a night vision device were purchased. The night vision device allows the K-9 officers to see better at night while tracking with the dogs.

The Mason Police Department is grateful to these donors and their support of the K-9 program.

Police dog Major, wearing his new ID collar and deployment harness, is seen through the night vision goggles that were purchased with the help of an anonymous donor.

Timber, one of two trained police dogs in Mason, shows off the equipment purchased with the donated funds.

splashing good time, a structured workout, or a competition environment, Mason Community Center can help! The center also has themed birthday party packages available. Complete information can be found at www.imaginemason.org/things-to-do/community-center/plan-event.cfm or call 513.229.8555.

For events both large or small, consider the Golf Center at Kings Island. With over 3,800 square feet, the Golf Center’s CourseView Pavilion can accommodate 30 to 300 guests in a park-like setting overlooking the golf course. Smaller groups also have access to the CourseView Restaurant. For information,

An evaluation of the city’s brush pickup service is prompting changes

to the program.In order to provide the best service

at the most reasonable cost, the City of Mason reviews its services occasionally to evaluate customer satisfaction, efficiencies, and cost effectiveness. After reviewing brush collection, two changes are being made to the program this fall.

Beginning October 1, the city will be divided into four areas for scheduling (see map). Brush pickup will be provided to each quadrant beginning on the same Monday every month. It will likely take two to three

please visit www.thegolfcenter.com or call the Director of Sales and Marketing at 513.573.3302.

Mason’s parks offer options for outdoor events. Picnic shelters are available at no charge for celebrations, reunions, and other events on a first-come, first-serve basis. Small and large shelters, some with grills, are available. Please visit www.imaginemason.org/things-to-do/parks/picnic-shelters.cfm for a list of shelters. Ball fields are also available for casual use unless previously scheduled. To inquire about scheduling a field, please contact the field scheduler at 513.229.8500.

days to complete pickup in each quadrant. We expect this to make it easier for residents to plan on when to do yard work or take their brush to the curb. Please note that, as always, weather, equipment, holidays, or other factors may delay pickup.

In addition, the brush program will be discontinued during January, February, and March. Historically, snow and ice removal become the priority during these months and the need for brush pickup is minimal. Christmas trees, however, will be removed.

Staff will continue to evaluate and test alternative ways of providing this popular service while continuing to improve the efficiency of the department. Changes may be made in the future as other methods are tested.

FRANKHOSEAWOODS

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CITY OF MASON - BRUSH ROUTES

AUG 2014

LEGEND

City of Mason Parks

City of Mason Corporation Limits

City of MasonEngineering, Building &Planning Department

Roads

SCALE1" = 3,000'

Quadrant 4

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Begins on First Monday

Begins on Second MondayBegins

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Mason Christian Village Expands Space, Services, Jobs

Mason Congratulates Corporate Partners for Being

Top Work Places of 2014

AtriCure - A Big Deal to the Developing I-71 Biohealth

Cluster in MasonAtriCure, a leading atrial fibrillation

(Afib) medical device manufacturer, has become a global player in atrial fibrillation treatment. When it was time to move to the next stage of growth, the company became aware of Mason’s reputation for facilitating high growth companies.

Mason has embraced the Public-Private Partnership (3P) model for economic development and AtriCure is a prime example of its success. The model leverages the strengths and needs of the public and private sectors to provide innovative, customized solutions for the benefit of both sectors.

In this instance, the City of Mason, AtriCure, and the developer worked to creatively structure a facility that will attract the attention of this global innovator’s client base. The medical device product development facility accentuates the concentration of research and development companies in the Mason Innovation corridor. Already planning for growth, AtriCure, with the help of the Mason

Mason Christian Village, a residential and healthcare partner in the city, has been an important part of the Mason community for

over 28 years. In July, the village took another step to fulfill their master plan by breaking ground on a new state-of-the-art rehabilitation wing.

Located off Western Row Road on a 75-acre campus, Mason Christian Village provides independent and assisted living, memory care, and nursing care. The new addition will feature 20 private rooms for anyone requiring short-term skilled nursing care and therapy. For more information, visit christianbenevolent.org.

Congratulations to Mason Christian Village leaders, staff, and residents for this growth!

Top Small Workplaces

Top Large Workplaces

Top Midsized Workplaces

Top Small Workplaces

Mason Tech Center Growth Company ConnXus Creates Unique Partnership for Growth

Mason Tech Center-based ConnXus announced recently a new, first-of-its-

kind partnership for the growth company. The Council for Supplier Diversity,

based in San Diego, has chosen ConnXus to help expand business opportunities for its members and corporate buyers. With corporate customers that include such giants as McDonald’s and Coca-Cola, this is another innovative partnership. ConnXus will help the organization manage supplier diversity and

marketing for its 200 minority and service-disabled veteran businesses and its more than 50 corporate members.

“The ConnXus database will allow us to leverage our relationships to communicate up, down and sideways,” Council CEO Ronald Garnett said in a news release. “Simply put, we need to grow the pie to help our members broaden their business relationships and create wealth.”

The ConnXus website connects

corporations with women and minority-owned companies that can do work for them. The idea is to help these companies grow and to help the corporations boost their own supplier diversity. ConnXus Chief Operating Officer Daryl Hammett said in the release that the partnership holds great promise. To learn more about ConnXus, visit www.connxus.com.

Congratulations ConnXus on another creative partnership and the growth it will bring!

development team, has set in place a strategy that allows for the scalable expansion of its various divisions on one site on Innovation Way. This model, not new to a Mason success story, is rooted in a firm belief by Mason leadership that public and private entities working as one are what turn a strong business environment into an advanced ecosystem. Other recent stories like Intelligrated, Mitsubishi Electric Automotive America, Seapine Software, Stress Engineering, CloudTakeoff, and C.R. Bard, Inc. all represent how utilizing this model can accomplish success, growth, and talent acquisition.

AtriCure expects to have 200 science and technology employees located on its 10.5-acre campus in Mason. The company should have no problem recruiting and growing this type of highly skilled talent. Mason is home

to three times the number of registered patents found in other local cities. Mason is also proud to tout that more people live in the city who work in computers and math than 95 percent of the places in the United States.

AtriCure broke ground for their new facility in August. Construction will continue through 2015 and the administrative offices will move in at the beginning of 2016.


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Working smoke alarms can make a life-saving difference in a fire. That’s the message behind this year’s Fire Prevention Week

campaign, “Working Smoke Alarms Save Lives: Test Yours Every Month!”The City of Mason Fire Department, along with firefighters and safety

advocates nationwide, is joining forces with the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) during Fire Prevention Week, October 5-11, to remind local residents about the importance of having working smoke alarms in the home and testing them monthly.

According to the latest NFPA research, working smoke alarms cut the chance of dying in a fire in half. Almost two-thirds of home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.

In a fire, seconds count. Roughly half of home fire deaths result from fires reported between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. when most people are asleep. Home smoke alarms can alert people to a fire before it spreads, giving everyone enough time to get out.

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Book SalesMason Public Library invites you to pick

up some cold-weather reading. Adult and children’s fiction and non-fiction will be for sale for 50 cents to $5. Many books in the sale will have a holiday theme.

Wednesday, November 12 4 - 7 p.m.Thursday, November 13 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.Friday, November 14 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.Saturday, November 15 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.Sunday, November 16 1 - 4 p.m.

Expect To Owe 2014 Taxes?

Working Smoke Alarms Save Lives!

If you expect to owe Mason city income taxes for 2014 and city taxes are not deducted from your paycheck, the Tax Office would like to remind you that it’s time to make a quarterly payment.Please remember that ninety per cent of your 2014 tax liability is due by January 31, 2015. Please

make your quarterly payment by October 31. To assist you in making your payment, quarterly estimated payment vouchers are available online.

You may also choose to pay your quarterly estimate via the online tax tool. Please visit www.imaginemason.org/services/tax-information/tax-payments.cfm to find these forms and tools.

If you need assistance in determining whether you need to make estimated payments or if you need to adjust your declaration, the Tax Office is glad to help. Please call 513.229.8535 for assistance.

Also, if you filed an extension with the tax office for your 2013 City of Mason Income Tax Return, please remember to file by October 31, 2014.

To give yourself those valuable seconds should a fire ever occur in your home:• Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area, and on every level of the

home, including the basement. • Interconnect all smoke alarms throughout the home. This way, when one sounds, they all do.• Test your alarms at least monthly by pushing the test button.• Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old or sooner if they don’t respond properly.• Make sure everyone in the home knows the sound of the smoke alarm and understands what to do

when they hear it.

Learn more about the importance of working smoke alarms and testing them monthly by visiting NFPA’s web site at www.firepreventionweek.org.

Mason Fire Department Open Houses noon – 6 p.m.Fire Safety Smoke House for children - simulations on what to do in case of fire

Station toursSit in the Seat - climb into the seat of an emergency vehicle

Sunday, October 5, 2014 Mason Fire Station 51

4420 Mason-Montgomery Road

Saturday, October 11, 2014 Mason Fire Station 52

5500 Cedar Village Drive

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