August 4, 2011
Eight seek open Orange trustee seat By TOM SHEEHAN ThisWeek Community Newspapers Eight people thus far have applied to be appointed to the Orange Township trustee post being vacated by Jennifer Christian, who is resigning effective Aug. 8. Township officials said the applicants include former trustee David Eby, Olen-
tangy school board member Scott Galloway, township community parks board member Chris Masciola and residents Deborah Taranto, Marilyn Hoff, Jeremy Brisson, Victoria Jordan and Lynda Petty. Trustees Rob Quigley and Nelson Katz have interviewed all eight applicants. “The goal is to have a special meeting on the 9th (of August) and hope-
fully make an appointment,” Quigley said before the trustees’ Aug. 1 meeting. Interested people have until Aug. 5 at 4 p.m. to apply for the vacancy. Whoever is selected will serve until Dec. 31. Christian is moving out of state and did not attend the Aug. 1 meeting. She was appointed a year ago to succeed John Cassady. Anyone wanting to complete the final two years of Cas-
sady’s term, including any appointed person, must run in the Nov. 8 general election. The filing deadline for that election is Aug. 10. Also Aug. 1, Quigley and Katz: • Approved a request by Lewis Center Investments LLC/Planned Communities Inc. to modify an approved plan for 96 condominium units on 16.7 acres at the Olentangy Crossings subdivision
at Olentangy Crossings East and Rail Timber Way on the east side of U.S. Route 23. The plan required modification because trustees had approved a plan in June to allow a 20-unit building for independent senior housing on 2.9 acres of the site. See ORANGE, page A2
Lightning fires in county drawing attention By BONNIE BUTCHER ThisWeek Community Newspapers
By Adam Cairns/ThisWeek
Peter Misuraca opened Aging Gracefully Designs in May. The business, which he runs out of his home, helps to remodel houses for older adults and people with disabilities. Misuraca is holding one of the handrails that he frequently installs in homes.
New business helps older adults By BONNIE BUTCHER ThisWeek Community Newspapers
When the new home construction industry began to slow, Peter Misuraca of Powell decided to use his 25 years’ experience to open a new business, Aging Gracefully Designs LLC. “We renovate homes for the elderly and disabled, with the emphasis on making them more safe and independent and to keep them in their home as long as possible,” said Misuraca. “(We) can install simple items such as grab bars, lever handle faucets, and rocker switches, as well as more complex items like walk-in showers, exterior ramps and slipretardant flooring. We can redesign entire kitchens and baths to accommodate for wheelchair access.”
The business also builds lifts and ramps indoors and out, and can install comfort-height toilets. As a large part of the population ages, more people will need assistance with these changes, he said, explaining why he opened the business after being downsized from the new home building industry. This is his first time owning his own business. “The new home building industry took a downward spin, and I was a more recent hire at a company, so because of downsizing, I decided to open my own business in the specified field of helping the elderly and disabled.” Misuraca said he evaluates the client’s physical needs, their home environment, the style and design of the home and provides solutions which address each client’s unique
needs. “If somebody is adapted to a wheelchair, we can redesign their cabinets, lower the kitchen sink so they can roll right up,” he said. “We can install single-lever faucets and hardware on their doors and drawers to make opening them a lot easier. Sometimes, something so simple for you and me can be very difficult for people with arthritic problems. “We are proud to offer solutions which are not only functional but also beautiful, and we use materials which complement the design and could increase the value of one’s home,” he said, noting that some people mistakenly think such amenities subtract from a home’s value. He has lived in Powell for five years. He has a bachelor’s degree in building construction management
from Michigan State University. In October, hell seek certification as an “aging-in-place specialist” from the remodeling division of National Association of Home Builders, he said. Misuraca, 46, has enjoyed developing his building skills since he was a youngster, when he helped his father renovate homes. “I used to renovate homes with my dad who enjoyed buying houses, renovating and selling or renting them,” he said. The business is home-based on Creighton Drive and opened in May. At present, Misuraca is the only employee, however, as general contractor he would work with subcontractors on larger projects. For more information, call Misuraca at (614) 329-2022.
Fires caused by lightning strikes in Delaware County are attracting attention from around the state. Ohio fire marshal Larry Flowers will meet with fire department chiefs in Delaware County Aug. 31 to discuss lightning strikes that rupture corrugated stainless steel tubing (CSST) natural gas lines, said Shane Cartmill, spokesperson for the state fire marshal. “The reason we want to learn more is there is not a lot of information out there for the state of Ohio,” he said. “We’re not seeing it in too many places other than in Delaware County. There are reports of it sporadically in the state.” Cartmill said that Flowers, state fire investigators and prevention officers will meet with the county fire chiefs to learn what they’re seeing and experiencing. Then more research might be done on the issue. The meeting was prompted by “growing interest in the subject among fire service personnel and the media,” Cartmill said. Cartmill isn’t sure about the number of fires involving ruptured CSST gas lines and lightning, because fire investigation reports used to look at statewide occurrences don’t have a “check box” for CSST. The reports do, however, have check boxes for lightning and for fuel. “We don’t have any good statistics which is another reason for us to look into this,” he said. Meanwhile, area fire chiefs want residents to call if lightning strikes. The season’s many thunderstorms have resulted in a number of homes being struck by lightning. That hazard and associated damage bring emergency crews concern enough, but crews have been seeing homes struck by lightning, accompanied by the failure of flexible natural-gas lines. That combination results in a gas-fueled fire that can burn rapidly, said Genoa Township fire chief Gary Honeycutt. “We had seven incidents of houses struck by See LIGHTNING FIRES, page A3
Powell chamber Open house set at business incubator meets goal A closer look of 300 members By BONNIE BUTCHER
ThisWeek Community Newspapers
By BONNIE BUTCHER
The current chamber began in
ThisWeek Community Newspapers 2006, developing out of the Pow-
The Greater Powell Chamber of Commerce has reached its goal of bringing in 300 members. “It was a goal that we talked about at the beginning of the year when membership was at 286,” said Barb Walters, president of the chamber’s board, in a press release. “The entire board has been focused on the 300-member goal and has been reaching out to every contact they have.”
ell Chamber of Commerce, which began in 1991 but dissolved after heated disagreement over merging with the Delaware Area Chamber of Commerce, Buckley said. “We started from scratch January 2007 with about 120 members,” Buckley said. “By April, 45 new members joined.” Patti Brown-Wright, a cham-
The public can visit Powell’s new business incubator during an open house from 4-6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 9, at the site, 44 N. Liberty St. The center is a business incubator, serving as startup space for four small officebased businesses. City officials have said it is an interim step between an in-home office and a more expensive lease in a commercial building. The Powell Community Improvement Corporation (PCIC) is staging the event. The PCIC will decide what businesses are given an office, based on input from Historic Downtown Powell Inc. (HDPI), the organization that will handle the day-to-day managing of the incubator.
See POWELL, page A2
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The center is a business incubator, serving as startup space for four small office-based businesses. City officials have said it is an interim step between an in-home office and a more expensive lease in a commercial building.
HDPI program assistant Drew Farrell announced the group is accepting applications for the incubator offices. “Incubators are proven to help startup businesses reach the next stage in their development while helping to expand the local business base,” Mike Hadra, a member of Historic Downtown Powell, Inc.’s Economic Restructuring Committee, said in a
press release. “Monthly rent starts at $550 and includes access to all professional mentoring and training resources as well as office resources, including administrative staff, dedicated phone lines, utilities, Internet, use of a color copier-printer, use of the conference center, kitchenette, refuse and snow removal and landscaping,” Farrell said. “Additional needs such as fiber-optic data access can be accommodated on an individual basis and are determined at the time of lease.” Tenants will have access to Historic Downtown Powell Inc.’s professional mentoring and training services and will receive support services from the organization Counselors to America’s Small Business. HDPI renovated a portion of the building See OPEN, page A3
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