|
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q. What is the Village Association of Batavia (VAOB)?
A. The VAOB is a group of volunteers focusing our efforts on revitalizing Batavia, particularly the Main Street area by making improvements which enhance its appearance and its perception.
Q. Is membership in the VAOB open to anyone who would like to join?
A. Yes, anyone is welcome to join. All it takes is a desire and interest in improving our area. If you are interested, feel free to contact any of the board members listed on the home page or send us an email at info@vaob.org and we’ll be back in touch with you.
Q. What is the difference between the village council/mayor and the VAOB?
A. The village council and mayor are officials who are elected every four years. While there is a working relationship with Council, we are two separate organizations. We are a totally volunteer based, nonprofit 501 (c) (3) organization that works toward improvement of the village.
Q. The VAOB is involved in several projects including the Taste of Clermont. How is the revenue spent?
A. In the last year or so, we refurbished the lights on the bridge, and we engaged a local painting contractor to paint the fence next to the trestle. As soon as weather permits, we have plans to complete the project to have the trestle itself painted. We are also offering $1000 matching restoration grants to businesses in the village to improve the appearance of their buildings. For more information, go to the “property improvement” tab on our website. We are also reviewing other projects such as alleviating the electric poles on Main Street, helping with the Batavia portion of the Hike-Bike Trail, and others.
Q. If I have a project idea, how can I make it known?
A. We are open to all ideas and eager to hear about them. Please give us a call and we’ll advise you of the date of the next board meeting when we can schedule you on the agenda so that you can present your idea.
Q. I see that the Taste of Clermont is no longer held in the village and that it has been moved
to the Eastgate Mall area. Why is the Taste no longer in the village?
A. During the first four years of the Taste, it continued to increase in size to the point where we could no longer grow the event due to the space constraints of the downtown area. As a result, we selected a location with accessibility, visibility and additional space where we could continue to grow the event.
Q. I saw a streetscape for renovating Main Street. Is this project on schedule?
A. Much time, effort and funds were spent on designing the new streetscape which was a requirement of the Ohio Main Street Association. It is still available to review; but as a practical matter, it is probably a project to be addressed some time in the future due to its scope and cost. It is possible that we could move ahead with this concept in smaller increments.
Q. Is the VAOB still in the Ohio Main Street Association?
A. No. When we realized that most of our efforts and funds were spent meeting the high administrative costs required by Heritage Ohio, we decided to go another direction. The Main Street Association is a worthwhile group; however, based on the small size of Batavia of less than 2,000 residents, our requirements were equal to cities 10 to 20 times our size or greater. The Main Street Association helped us with our initial organization, and we are grateful for that guidance.
Q. If I want to help out, who would I contact?
A. Feel free to contact any of the board members listed on the web page or email us at info@vaob.org and we'll be back in touch with you.
Q. What is the makeup of the board of directors?
A. The board of directors is a diverse group that includes business owners, real estate agents, managers and retired business managers. The common thread is a keen desire to make Batavia as good as it can be.
Q. How can I join the board?
A. As with most organizations, we have a nominating committee which makes recommendations to the board as a member’s term expires. If you would like to place your name in nomination, please let us know.
|
|
|
|
|
|
