The Month In Review - September 2024
Civic Capacity is growing....thanks to our wonderful readers!
October has been….busy
October has been a strangely busy month on the local government front. Sure, we would have expected a lot of news and analysis on national politics (which is something we don’t dive into here), but to have the action as heavy as it has been on the local level has been a surprise.
Troy is rolling out their new comprehensive plan and will be holding a public hearing in regard to cannabis dispensaries later in November. Piqua is discussing one of the largest housing developments the city has seen has in decades. The County has a contested election for County Recorder. It seems like on all fronts things are moving quick.
What I am trying to say, without saying it, is that there has rarely been a good time this month to put our monthly review post. But, with Halloween, just a week away, we are quickly running out of time to look back over what was a memorable September.
In September, this publication completed it’s third full month of daily coverage on topics important to Miami County. The original goal of Civic Capacity was to come up with an original analysis or story every three days. But, as the stories and the audience grew, that there was an opening for something more — something daily.
I threw the original schedule away and went to work on delivering content that was timely and relevant. Many times, our readers ask me questions based along the lines of, “How do you come up with so much stuff to write about?”. Well, if there is one important lesson I have learned about creating this type of content, is that the ideas for new and interesting stories come quickly. There is never a shortage of things to write about, but sometimes there is a shortage of time to get all the ideas on the screen, in a clear and concise manner.
As much as I might be the one producing and creating this publication, this is certainly by no means a “one man show”. There are scores of folks that have invested time, money, suggestions, and perhaps most importantly, encouragement, into this endeavor. This continues to underscore the fact that Civic Capacity is a community-based project. If things weren’t happening in our community, if people weren’t interacting, there wouldn’t be much to write about. That is why your support as either a free or contributing subscriber to this project is critical!
And this is where I really need to thank you —- the readers of Civic Capacity. The readers of this work are some of the kindest, most generous, and most encouraging people I could ever ask to be a part of this project. The notes, the texts, the phone calls are all welcome, and I am so tickled we are on this journey together to make our hometowns great places to call home!
The Big Story
This past month’s most read story was a piece comparing Troy and Piqua and how the two communities try to engage citizens in developing transformational place making projects. This article was written right after Piqua’s brand new Lock Nine Park was open to the public. Lock Nine was a long time coming and while the project had multiple challenges, the new park can be seen as a testament to public engagement.
The Big Story
Last month’s most popular story here at Civic Capacity took us back down to Bethel Township, where we discussed the new Carriage Trails 2.0 subdivision that was being discussed with the Planning Commission in Huber Heights. As is the case with most things in Huber Heights, it was rushed to be approved by both the Planning Commission and the City Council.
Civic Capacity: Inside the Numbers
Throughout the month, our publication was growing. Our free subscriber list grew at a 1% clip, we ended the up where 1,498 people were receiving this newsletter when a new edition drops. Those generous individuals who make a financial contribution to our effort grew by 3% — Thank You Supporters!
Our publication also had 30,665 separate views throughout the month; each day nearly 1,000 views of our work occurred, which means more and more individuals are finding value in this project and that is heartwarming!
This actually a pretty impressive number. From what I have learned, efforts like this usually have a pretty hard slog in the Summer, so to see our readership remain strong in the face of other distractions, like getting the kids back to school and settling into our post-summer routines.
If you have not become a paid subscriber to our effort, please consider it. With your paid subscription, you have access to all back issues of our newsletter and access to our paid-subscriber chat and the opportunity to comment on all our posts!
Perhaps, even more importantly, you are supporting a community based publication without annoying paywalls (like the Miami Valley Today) or annoying advertisements that disguise themselves as stories (like the Dayton Daily News). And I am not trying to knock those publications, they are running their own shops, and they are providing a service to the community. However, this publication believes that the news and analysis that are provided here should be as open and widely shared as possible.
Have Your Say!
If you have a contribution you want to make to Civic Capacity, please let us know! Whether it is a guest editorial, a letter to the editor or a column you wish to contribute, we would be happy to publish your ideas and your insights.
Unlike traditional media sources, you aren’t limited to word counts, nor will your ideas be stuck behind a paywall. We believe in the free exchange of ideas and welcome your contributions. Send your ideas to: pinnaclestrategiesltd@gmail.com.
A New Way to Support this Work!
If there is one thing I have learned over the past fifteen months, it is that our readers absolutely love the work being done here. There is a strong core of readers that can’t wait for the latest edition of this newsletter, and I get comments all the time that they love learning about their hometown, regardless of what town that is. However, many of those readers want an option to support this work without signing up for a subscription.
Well, this publication is now listed on “Buy Me A Coffee”. Which is absolutely hilarious, because I don’t drink the stuff. However, the “Buy Me A Coffee” platform allows readers like you to put a few shekels in the pockets of “digital creators” like myself, in a one-off manner, without the hassle of a subscription. Since the time this publication has partnered with “Buy Me A Coffee”, we have had 4 generous donors provide 24(!) ice-cold beverages! Thanks to Marla, Stewart, Wilson and Richard for your generous donations!
I have had a few readers that want to know more about the platform works. Well, here is a quick rundown.
When you click the button below:
You will be transported to the Civic Capacity page on the “Buy Me A Coffee” platform. From there, you can choose to buy 1 coffee, 3 coffees or 5 coffees at a cost of $5 per coffee. Click on your level of support and a pop-up window will come up for you to enter your debit or credit card information and that’s it! You can also leave your name and leave a nice note. It’s a new way to support this effort and while I won’t purchase a coffee, I will certainly purchase a nice refreshing glass of iced tea, which is much more my style.
Of course, if you want to sign up for an annual subscription of $50, that would be helpful as well. Through your subscription, you are keeping local news and analysis free for everyone. Unlike other local publications, Civic Capacity doesn’t have annoying paywalls or monthly article limits. This newsletter has carved out a place as being one of the few places where residents can get fair and honest analysis of the decisions being made in our local communities. Your subscriptions help keep that work moving forward.