Aspen Institute names semifinalist for $1 million

The Aspen Institute named Sinclair Community College as one of 25 semifinalists for the 2027 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, which could win the college $1 million.

The Aspen Prize is awarded every two years and recognizes excellence across a wide range of institutions. The top colleges ensure students complete programs with strong regional labor market value and clear transfer pathways that lead to bachelor’s degrees.

Kettering plans road improvements

The Kettering City Council authorized the city manager to enter into agreements with the Ohio Department of Transportation to be the lead agency on a few road projects that will start in the coming years.

The first project is for Dorothy Lane improvements between Woodman Drive and County Line Road, which will include a resurfacing of the roadway, added street lights, an added shared-use path on the south side of the street, and curved medians, according to city staff.

The Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission awarded Kettering with $2,990,637 for the project.

The estimated construction cost is $5.1 million, according to ODOT. Construction is scheduled to begin sometime in 2031.

The next project the city plans to be the lead agency on is the resurfacing of West Stroop Road from Tait Road to Southmoor Circle, which is west of Far Hills Avenue.

MVRPC awarded Kettering $969,570 for the project, which is currently estimated to cost $2.2 million, according to ODOT estimates. This project is expected to happen sometime between 2029- 2031, according to city staff.

The third project is for the construction of shared use path on East Stroop Road from Hempstead Station Drive to Marshall Road on the south side of the street. The cityis receiving federal funding more than $434,000 and the current estimated cost of the project is $1.1 million, according to ODOT. The construction of this path is scheduled for 2031.

Traffic signal, improvements to intersection

On April 28, the Kettering City Council authorized the city manager to advertise for bids and enter into a contract for site work to be done at Far Hills Avenue and Laurelann Drive, which is where the city will soon be removing a traffic signal. The site work the city council authorized was for the removal of a driveway entrance to the Georgetown Kettering Apartments in the budgeted amount of $165,000. The site work will include reconstruction of the public sidewalk, additional pedestrian safety measures, and landscaping.

The removal of the traffic signal was scheduled to take place Monday, May 4, which has been operating in a flashing mode since December where Far Hills has had a yellow flash and Laurelann showed a red flash. The signal, which dates back to 1972, has reached the end of its useful life, and recent traffic studies conducted by both the city and an independent consultant determined that the intersection no longer meets current criteria for traffic volume, delays, accident history, and pedestrian crossings to warrant a traffic signal, according to the city.

Kettering City Council moratoriums

The Kettering City Council authorized extending a moratorium on the acceptance of zoning applications and granting of zoning approvals for vehicle fueling or recharging establishments, kiosks, automobile washing establishments, convenience stores, and/or small box discount stores.

The moratorium was previously set to expire at the end of June, and it will now expire on Aug. 29. The moratorium was extended to allow city staff to have additional time to coordinate the adoption of a new future land-use plan and related zoning changes.

The council also authorized a 90-day moratorium on the acceptance and granting of zoning approvals for indoor recreation uses. City staff want to coordinate the regulation of indoor recreation facilities, saying the current zoning code does not adequately guide the location and approval of such uses, according to the city’s resolution.

Vice Mayor Lisa Duvall voted against the measure and declined to comment as to why she voted no. Council member Bob Scott was absent from this meeting and did not vote on this resolution.

The remaining council members voted in favor of the resolution.