“The board will be charged with observing and compiling information about the DORA operations in order to make recommendations to city council,” Emily Christian, Miamisburg’s assistant city manager, said during council’s most recent meeting.
Applications are being taken for three citizen representatives on the seven-member board, which also will include one police officer, a Miamisburg Merchants Association member, a city council representative and a city staff member.
“We want to make sure that every citizen of Miamisburg knows that there’s transparency there and having their council members involved and citizen representatives is a really good way of making that happen,” Miamisburg Mayor Michelle Collins told this news outlet.
All members will be appointed via the interview committee process that the city uses to fill vacancies on boards and commissions, which goes through city council, Christian said.
The board is advisory in nature, which means “council has the ultimate authority” on changing DORA operations or discontinuing it, if it chooses, Christian said. It will meet on an as-needed basis.
Miamisburg residents who are interested in serving on the three available citizen seats should submit an application through Sept. 10 at www.cityofmiamisburg.com/boards-and-commissions-applications. Those with questions regarding the new board may call 937-847-6456.
The outdoor drinking area allows patrons at any of 13 participating establishments in the 40-acre downtown district to purchase and carry an open alcoholic beverage outside in a designated plastic cup during restricted hours. Those hours are Thursdays, 4 to 9 p.m., Fridays, 4 to 11 p.m., Saturdays, noon to 11 p.m., and Sundays, 4 to 9 p.m., according to the city.
The special cups cannot be taken into another liquor-serving business, but there are 17 establishments within the city where DORA is permitted.
Miamisburg City Council approved the outdoor drinking area in May as a way of attracting more people to downtown Miamisburg businesses. A group’s effort to have the issue decided by voters in this fall’s election was unsuccessful.
Collins said the outdoor drinking area is “going well” since its July 8 launch.
“We haven’t had any reported incidents at all,” she said.
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