The Adobe Flash Player is required to view this multimedia interactive. Get it here.

Task force revived by Fairfield governing boards

From left, Tim Abbott, Steve Morgan, Michael Rahall, Kert Radel and Terry Scharnhorst socialize during a meet and greet hosted by the Fairfield City Schools, the Fairfield Twp. Trustees and the Fairfield City Council March 15, 2010, at the Fairfield Community Arts Center.

Nick Daggy/Staff photographer From left, Tim Abbott, Steve Morgan, Michael Rahall, Kert Radel and Terry Scharnhorst socialize during a meet and greet hosted by the Fairfield City Schools, the Fairfield Twp. Trustees and the Fairfield City Council March 15, 2010, at the Fairfield Community Arts Center.

ENLARGE PHOTO

Bartels Farm fire still under investigation
Updated 3 min. ago
Frozen yogurt shop offers frenzy of flavors, toppings
New 7 min. ago
Taste of Mason serves up diversity
New 14 min. ago
Hamilton police reports
New 22 min. ago
City owed $539K in unpaid tickets
4:46 p.m.
> More headlines

By Michael D. Pitman, Staff Writer Updated 8:58 AM Tuesday, March 16, 2010

FAIRFIELD — With no agenda, one piece of business was accomplished at the joint meeting between the city council, school board and board of township trustees.

The three entities will resume the hibernating school-city-township task force, a committee of representatives from each entity who will work together on various issues.

“I think there’s a lot the three different entities have in common, that they we can share and we can build on our strengths,” said Fairfield school board President Jerome Kearns.

Fairfield Mayor Ron D’Epifanio called the meeting between the three governing boards. He said many don’t know one another, much less would be able to recognize them.

The mayor said he’s heard of rumors spread about possible topics, none of which were true.

“We’re going to annex, we’re going to work on levies — it’s nothing like that,” D’Epifanio said to open the informal, social meeting at the Fairfield Community Arts Center. “We’re all in this together.”

I can tell you that some of you could pass in the hall and you wouldn’t know each other, and that’s a shame.”

All of the elected officials except for Councilmen Mike Oler and Mike Snyder attended the meeting. Each had prior commitments.

Many of the elected and governmental officials learned they each have one thing in common — either they or their spouse graduated from or have a child or grandchild that is or was in the Fairfield school district.

Fairfield Twp. Trustee Steve Morgan said the dialogue that opened was needed.

“We need to know each other, that way can address JEDDS (joint economic development districts), TIFS, (tax increment financing districts), the schools, roads ...” Morgan said.

He said it’s great the different personalities on each board met with “open ears and open arms.”

“Tonight was a unique experience,” Morgan said, “you learned where everyone was from and many went to Fairfield City Schools. I learned one thing for sure, I think we all want the same thing and that’s make everything better.”

D’Epifanio would like to see this type of meeting happen every three to five years as elected officials come and go of the respective boards.

The mayor plans to have a similar meeting with Hamilton council, and contact Ross Twp. trustees for a meet-and-greet event.

“We want to stay on a regional, friendly basis with all of our neighbors,” he said. “We come to know each other, we come to appreciate each other and it puts us on a common ground.”

Share this article