In Memoriam

The Westerville community was saddened by the loss of two public servants in August and September.

Damon “Chip” Wetterauer, Jr. (Westerville City Council, 1989-2007)

Longtime Westerville public servant Damon “Chip” Wetterauer, Jr. passed away Aug. 22, 2012 in Myrtle Beach, S.C., surrounded by his family.

Chip – as he was known in Westerville – served four terms on Westerville City Council, beginning in 1989. An attorney, he served Council as Chairman, Vice Chairman and Vice Mayor, and held various committee and commission seats on behalf of the Westerville community.

He most recently chaired the 2010 Charter Review Commission, overseeing the effort to update and edit the Westerville charter to best reflect City programs and community governance needs. At that time, Chip said the Commission carefully went through the Charter page by page in order to understand what changes would be necessary and relevant to their impact on city government and the citizens of Westerville.

During his terms on Council, Chip helped establish a successful recycling program, used annexation and proper planning for continued growth, and approved major infrastructure improvements to advance the economic development of the City, particularly the Westar area. He was active in the passage of the Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces (PROS) 2000 parks levy and in setting fiscal standards for City departments and functions. Chip was also dedicated to strong relationships with City Boards and Commissions, Westerville City Schools and neighboring townships.

Maynard Dils (Westerville City Manager, 1977-1985)

Former Westerville City Manager Maynard Dils passed away Sept. 21, 2012. He served the community as City Manager from 1977-1985, a term credited with strong economic development in the City of Westerville.

Maynard is remembered for his commitment to economic development, and was involved in the negotiations to bring St. Ann’s Hospital from downtown Columbus to Westerville. In addition, Westerville saw some of its biggest residential growth during Maynard’s tenure.

Prior to his retirement, Maynard was interviewed in 1984 about his vision for Westerville in the year 2000. Twenty-eight years before Westerville launched the nation’s first municipal data center, he predicted the city would be a high-tech office center in central Ohio. He also forecasted the significant economic growth in the northern section of the city. Maynard’s strong ambition for Westerville remains in place today as part of his legacy to the community.

7,800

Number of tons of salt (slightly more than our average winter use) that can be stored in the new salt storage facility.

Mark your Calendars

Holiday Tree Lighting

Friday, Nov. 30, 7 p.m.

Westerville Municipal Building Courtyard

The annual tree lighting ceremony features caroling, sweet treats and one of Santa’s first appearances in Westerville. Bring the entire family for a fun way to welcome in the holiday season.

Community Recreation Guide and Calendar

The Winter edition of the Westerville Community Recreation Guide will begin arriving in area homes the week of Nov. 19. Look inside for the City of Westerville 2013 calendar, special holiday events and details on important registration dates.

Online Resident Registration

Friday, Dec. 7

In-person Resident Registration

Saturday, Dec. 8

Online Open Registration

Sunday, Dec. 9

In-person Open Registration

Monday, Dec. 10

Snow Emergency

If more than three inches fall, a snow emergency automatically goes into effect and cars parked on streets must be moved or they will be towed. Updates to snow emergency declarations will be posted to the City website and social media accounts. However, a snow emergency may occur in the middle of the night, and updates may be delayed. In that case, please be mindful of the weather forecast for our region and park your car off the street if more than three inches is expected overnight.

Snow Removal Priorities

Emergency travel for fire, emergency medical and police personnel is the first snow removal priority. Arterial and secondary streets are cleared first. The second priority is to clear streets around schools and to facilitate traffic moving in and out of the city, which also impacts first- and second-tier roads. The third priority is to clear subdivisions.

Late last summer, construction was completed on a new salt storage facility for the City of Westerville. the “salt barn” is managed by the public Service Department, and is stocked and prepared for use in combating winter weather on Westerville roads.

Snow Shoveling

Residents and businesses are reminded that they are responsible for clearing their walkways. The City recommends shoveling snow away from the street so snow is less likely to get pushed back onto the driveway or sidewalk by a passing snow plow. If snow must be shoveled out to the road, it should be piled to the right side of the driveway (on two-way streets). This allows snow plows to reach the snow pile after they pass the driveway.