MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR

• Alan D. Zaffiro Click here to Send an email to the Mayor who can forward it to anyone on the council.
  

STAY INFORMED - BE HEARD

As I sit down to write this column, I find myself wondering how well residents and business owners are informed on important rules of law, announcements, and developments in our village. As always, I am concerned that your interests are well represented and that the services we provide are meeting your needs and expectations. In this column I will discuss the avenues available to you to become informed and exercise your right to have input into the process of local governance.

Let's get started by way of example. Currently, every property owner and resident should be aware of two important announcements: 1.) the appointment of Lieutenant Eddie Taylor as police chief, and 2.) the restructuring of our waste collection and recycling program. If you read the related articles in this newsletter, you can consider yourself an informed resident. The Villager is an official publication of the Golf Manor Council and such important developments are communicated to you in the newsletter at the earliest possible opportunity. The newsletter always includes updates on current programs such as street resurfacing, community beautification, and a summary of new ordinances approved by Council. The newsletter also contains the current list of Council members and their committee appointments, a list of police officers, and contact information for all services: fire, paramedic, police, the building department for permits and property maintenance complaints, and waste collection/recycling. Anything you need to know is just a phone call away. Our staff encourages you to make the call if you have any concerns or questions. Council meetings and Committee meetings are announced in the newsletter as well, which brings me to my second point: your chance to be heard as well as informed.

Council meets the second and fourth Monday of every month at 7:30 PM. I have organized the Council into two committees: 1.) Executive, and 2.) Finance. The Executive Committee meets at 6:45 PM before Council on the 2nd Monday, and Finance meets at 7 PM before Council on the 4th Monday. All meetings are open to the public; however, please note that you must register with the office (531-7491) to speak. Finance formulates the village budget each year and must approve all major expenditures. The Executive Committee handles all of the issues historically distributed among a number of committees including safety and health, economic development, community beautification, recycling, waste collection, communication, education, public relations, parks, recreation, etc. I have simplified the committee structure and consolidated the schedule into a single night to make the process more open and available for your input - please take advantage of the opportunity.

In summary, the newsletter is perhaps your best resource for staying informed. Save at least the most recent version for reference, or download an electronic version from the web site (www.golfmanor.org). Call our staff, attend meetings, visit the web site, or call me at 513-200-7041. My e-mail address is azaffiro@att.net. I always welcome an opportunity to discuss our progress and stay in touch with Golf Manor constituents.