Let's Talk Clermont

Episode 48: Snowpocalypse, local levy talk, and why biodiversity matters with Doug Gilbert   It’s snow storm watch in Southwest Ohio, so we kick things off with a little “snowpocalypse” news  and how  some places have exploding tree warnings.  Then we look at some local news. News   A 1.3 mil Senior Services levy is headed to the May 5 ballot . We listen to a clip from the...

  Ep. 47 — Inside Stonelick Ridge: A Developer’s Vision, PUD Politics and What “Responsible Growth” Looks Like It’s a quiet January week in Clermont County, so we skip the news segment and jump straight into the main event. We also give a quick Value for Value update, thanks recent supporters, and put out the call for more boots-on-the-ground reports from around the county. Interview — Dan Gr...

  Ep. 46 — Clermont County Reorg and Everything 4-H   It’s a light first-week-of-the-year news cycle, so we hit a few local updates, then spend most of the episode with Carlie Newman , Clermont County’s 4-H Youth Development Educator with OSU Extension . Interview — Carlie Newman  Carlie talks about what 4-H actually looks like today. It’s the largest youth organization in the count...

Ep. 45 — Batavia’s Fire District Move, Zoning Updates and A Literacy Wake-Up Call  We start with a quick set of local updates, including a Batavia Township resolution that signals the township is taking the idea of forming its own fire department seriously. We also preview two Batavia Township zoning commission hearings focused on how the township handles previously approved planned developme...

Ep. 44 — Airport Annexation Vote, Union Township $5 License Tax + Gardening, Volunteerism, and a New Clermont Museum Passport We start with county and local updates: the commissioners’ vote on a Batavia Village annexation near the Clermont County Airport (and why multiple speakers warned about development inside the runway protection zone), plus a proposal borrowed from Columbus aimed at stopping...

  Ep. 43 — Christmas with Santa Claus, Clermont Holiday News and Events We skip the usual opener and jumps straight into a talk with Santa Claus himself, then we close the show with Clermont County news, value-for-value holiday details, and an event roundup.  Interview — Santa Claus Santa talks Christmas spirit, how to stay off the naughty list, and why most kids are much better than the...

 Ep. 42 — Snow, Budgets, Annexations + Beds for Clermont County Kids We start with some county news: a look at Clermont’s projected 2026 operating budget, a red flag in the capital fund, and a new annexation fight that has the airport sounding alarms. After that, we look at township and village updates across Batavia, Tate, Union Township, Loveland, and New Richmond. Interview — Ron Dunn of S...

Ep. 41 — Thanksgiving Thanks, Beckjord Water Worries and World-Class Dry-Land Dog Mushing  We start off our Thanksgiving episode with heartfelt gratitude for everyone who’s been listening since May, then get into some county-wide news: Clermont County Animal Shelter’s interior and exterior upgrades are nearly complete, Christmas Nights of Lights at the fairgrounds gets delayed after a freak l...

Ep. 40 — Northern Lights, Zoning Shake-Ups and an interview with Dave Caraway, owner of Sons of Toil We start with a countywide news rundown: new space for the Public Defender’s Office, auroras over Clermont, volunteer openings in Loveland, zoning changes in Pierce and Batavia, and what’s next for Union Township’s Eastgate corridor. Then it’s out to Mount Orab for a sit-down with Sons of Toil Brew...

  Ep. 39 — Post-Election Updates, Batavia Growth Debate and  Coffee Nerd Out with Goshen Grind We start with where things stand after Election Day, including Loveland’s automatic recount timeline, then we look at what’s next in Batavia Township, two large subdivisions approved (Arborside and Stonelick Ridge), annexation chatter with the Village, the PD repeal (Article 36), and a fresh lo...

Ep. 38 — Post-Election Wrap + “World Walker” Steve Newman We're back to regular programming! We start with a run through of Clermont County’s contested races and ballot issues using the unofficial Board of Elections numbers as of Wednesday. We look at Loveland’s razor-thin council race (likely recount), Milford and Batavia council results, township trustee winners across the county, and every levy...

Ep. 37 — Clermont County Ballot Rundown and CJFED Levy with Chief Roy Short We start with a brief refresher on mills and levy types, then walk through every countywide and major local ballot issue, from CPS and the Mental Health & Recovery Board to New Richmond’s earned-income tax, Milford’s charter revisions, and the Batavia Township zoning referendum and PD initiative. In the second half, CJ...

Episode 36 — HB 186 & HB 335 plus an interview with Batavia Village Council Candidates We start the episode off with a look at Ohio property-tax mechanics (mills, inside vs. outside, HB 920) and two House-passed bills now headed to the Senate: HB 186 , aimed at offsetting school-floor hikes after inflationary reappraisals, and HB 335 , which would peg inside-millage growth to inflation by trim...

Episode 35 — Millage explained and Clermont Mental Health and Recovery Board levy renewal We start the episode with a light refresher and explanation on Ohio property taxes. What a “mill” actually is, inside vs. outside millage, the HB 920 reduction factors, the 20-mill school floor, and how levy types (additional / renewal / replacement) really hit your bill. Then, a conversation with Lee Ann Wat...

Episode 34 — Batavia’s Growth & CRAs, and a Village Council Candidate We open with a quick local news rundown: Loveland’s new Otto Huber Fire Station: ~$5.4M via USDA Community Facility Loan, 10k+ sq ft with pull-through bays and full living/training space. Eastgate’s big health update: Cincinnati Children’s opens Nov 3 at 4315 Ivy Pointe—111k sq ft, ~600 patients/day, 250 staff, and expanded...

Episode 33 - HB 331, Village Dissolution, and a Conversation with Rex Parsons We open with a look at Ohio HB 331 (now enacted) and what it changes about village dissolution , from petition rules (now limited to even-numbered years) to the new “lack of services/candidates” trigger after each census. We also talk about what actually happens if a village dissolves (debt, taxes, assets, and who takes...

We're keeping the election train rolling. We start with a look at Ohio House Bill 28 and a review of how levies are classified in Ohio. Then we sits down with Dotty Meier (Director, Job & Family Services) and Anne Gross (Assistant Director, CPS). Episode Overview HB 28 : Why Ohio has different levy types (additional, renewal, renewal + inc/dec, replacement), how HB 920 set the stage, and what...

Episode 31 We start with some news from around the county. The Clermont County Animal Shelter is remodeling, $141,000 for expanded outdoor kennels (including a $20,000 Nestlé Purina gift), plus ~$78,920 for a commercial dishwasher with plumbing/electrical/drywall work and a $60,000 private donation . Volunteer training is Oct 18 . New Richmond trims council to one meeting a month Dec–Mar (third Tu...

Episode 30 We start with a refresher on Ohio House Bill 124, what a sales assessment ratio study is, why it matters for your property taxes, and how the bill would shift sales-data control to county auditors. It passed the House 93–0 on June 4 and now sits in the Senate Local Government Committee. If you’ve got a view, reach out to Sen. Terry Johnson. https://ohiosenate.gov/members/terry-johnson/c...

We’re on an accelerated release run through November 4. Today, we start with a quick refresher on Ohio House Bill 113. What annexation is, how expedited Type 1–3 petitions work, and what HB 113 would change (a benefit/detriment test, tighter Type 2 limits, stronger school-district notice/approval, and expanded ethics disclosures). Then we sit down with Jim Daumeyer , candidate for Loveland City Co...

We start off with quick county news on the M/I Homes referendum fight headed to the Ohio Supreme Court, then we talk with West Clermont School Board candidate Rich Glisson to discuss school funding, pensions, and how to rebuild trust with voters. You’ll hear: -A brief primer on Ohio’s five public pension systems and how “pickup” arrangements work, especially STRS “pickup on the pickup.” -Why Rich...

Episode 26 of Let's Talk Clermont. We start with a quick look at news from around the county. Clermont Sun’s 2025–26 resource guide, a mystery odor in New Richmond, a Pierce Township BZA notice (Oct 15), and a major Batavia Township hearing (Oct 9) to rezone ~425 acres near Lexington Run. Then we sit down with John Harper, a lifelong Batavia resident, pharmacy lead tech, and Air Force vet running...

Episode 26 of Let's Talk Clermont. We start off with some news from around the county. Invasive box tree moth alerts, rain-garden classes at Pattison Park, a Tate Township BZA hearing, and Eastgate Mall’s ongoing shake-up. Then an in-depth interview with Batavia Township Administrator Karen Swartz and Planning & Zoning Director Taylor Corbett on the Baumann airport-area development, how CRAs w...

Episode 25 of Let's Talk Clermont. We start with quick county updates Tate Twp land-use survey & a Sept 22 zoning session, New Richmond’s America 250 mural & Liberty Landing work, Bethel-Tate school ratings, and Loveland’s new assistance hub. Then we sit down with Denise Harrison and Jamaica Sturgill from The Plane Street Coffee House & Café in Bethel to talk restaurant life, small-tow...

Episode 24 of Let's Talk Clermont. We start with a quick roundup of Clermont County news. ODNR’s call to report EHD in deer, Goshen’s proposed redevelopment of Eagles Nest, and Milford’s Oakwood Apartments trash problems. Then we sit down with Deidre Hazelbaker, candidate for Loveland City Council. We talk about thoughtful growth, river and greenspace protection, traffic, better city communication...