Madeira Historical Society in new home

MADEIRA - The Madeira Historical Society will dedicate its new museum at 7226 Miami Ave. and honor the family that donated it - a 1920 Sears, Roebuck home - in a 2 p.m. ceremony Saturday.

Elizabeth Miller donated the house and its two acres to the society on May 1 in a move to preserve it after an appraiser recommended it would be better financially to raze the house and develop the lot.

Miller, 96, and her late husband, Bruce, bought the house in 1948. It was originally built for Procter & Gamble chemist Oscar Fournier and his wife, Louise.

Bulkmatic promises to measure its noise

MARIEMONT - Officials with Bulkmatic Transportation Co. have pledged to buy a device to measure noise at their Columbia Township facility to try to resolve noise complaints from Mariemont residents.

Company officials are expected to report their findings to Mariemont Village Council in July.

The village will hold off on plans to sue the transportation company over allegedly violating Hamilton County's noise ordinance until at least that time, Mayor Dan Policastro said.

Lebanon considers options for revenue

LEBANON - The Citizens' Financial Advisory Committee will recommend June 22 that city council take action to increase revenues.

According to a draft of the proposal that will be presented during that 7:30 p.m. council meeting, the committee will suggest that the first step is to remove the 1 percent income tax credit for taxes paid to other municipalities.

The proposal would need council's approval.

The seven-member committee has been meeting since April to identify changes that will allow Lebanon to strengthen its financial situation.

Spanish books coming to Union Twp. library

UNION TOWNSHIP - The Clermont County Public Library branch here will soon offer bilingual services to its Spanish-speaking patrons in the hope of helping the growing Spanish-speaking community in Clermont County better use their library.

A $17,000 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services will allow the county library system to buy Spanish-language books, materials and software for adults and children, as well as fund cultural programs such as Spanish story times.

The pilot program will eventually be used at other library branches in the county.

Monroe school board pulls levy from ballot

MONROE - Voters here will decide only one issue on the Aug. 3 ballot.

The Monroe Board of Education voted this week to remove its 5.95-mill levy renewal from the ballot.

That means Monroe voters will only decide whether to increase the city income tax from 1 percent to 1.5 percent.

Superintendent Arnol Elam said the district hadn't been aware of a quirk in the law that says in a presidential election year, levies first passed as emergencies like Monroe's may be put on only the primary or general election ballots.

He said he would recommend the board put it back on the Nov. 2 ballot. The deadline for doing so is Aug. 19. If approved, it would bring about $1.3 million annually to the district. Taxes would not increase.