“When you’re part of a neighborhood, you become a caretaker of it.” “If I don’t go now (to the meeting), I can’t complain later.” Is the plan with changes a “shell game?” Is the city prepared to handle “city services?” And, what about all those “empty chairs!”**

The vote at the council meeting on May 3rd may have been a disappointment, but the support from all of you who were able to attend certainly was not.  While we didn’t have “busloads” (as one neighbor put it), the turnout was noted in the “Neighbors” section of the Dayton Daily News and in The Oakwood Register.  Thank you to everyone who supported our wonderful neighborhood whether by writing to council members and city staff, attending this and all meetings, or speaking for the neighbors.   

* The neighbors points were so well delivered that we encourage everyone to view the video of the city council meeting. (see below)
  * Only one speaker spoke for Mr. Routsong.  His comment about the plan and “improving it further” is perhaps a hopeful sign that further compromise is possible.
  * Mayor Duncan in his summary before the vote and in mentioning the “claim against the city” said that it (approval) was in the “city’s best interest.”
  * At the end of the meeting, Vice Mayor Steve Byington “commended the neighbors in the north area for their participation in the Routsong development application process.”

The question now is how do we proceed?   To that end, we will be looking at better ways to communicate and other ways to get more neighbors (and even the wider Oakwood community) educated and involved. 

So once again, thank you for all you continue to do for each of us—your friends and neighbors in north Oakwood.
 
**To watch the video, go to the city’s home page, http://www.ci.oakwood.oh.us/, and click on “Council Meeting Videos” on the left bar.  The Routsong portion of the meeting starts approximately 40 minutes into the proceedings; you can forward the video to that point.