020611_ThisWeek_Johnstown by The Columbus Dispatch/Dispatch Magazines

February 6, 2011

Village audit identifies past deficiencies Record shows former manager Phillips improperly reimbursed $9,565 By MICHAEL J. MAURER ThisWeek Community Newspapers The state auditor released a final 2009 audit report for the village of Johnstown Feb. 3, noting 13 deficiencies in village management, most of which occurred under the administration of former village manager Sarah Phillips. Among the deficiencies highlighted by the auditor is a double payment to

Phillips in the amount of $9,565 resulting from attending various activities involved in the International City-County Management Association. The payment resulted from Phillips being reimbursed that amount by ICMA and also receiving her ordinary village salary for the time spent on ICMA work. “The auditor said if she had taken vacation she could have been paid by ICMA or if she had been paid by ICMA and re-

imbursed the cost to the village, but she could not do both,” said acting village manager Jim Lenner. The auditor’s office noted that it would refer the issue to the Ohio Ethics Commission for investigation. The Independent’s attempts to reach Phillips for comment were unsuccessful. Lenner said the auditor’s staff were on site for six weeks reviewing village records, often for 10-hour days.

“They were here 10 hours a day sometimes, maybe around six weeks,” Lenner said. “It’s pretty thorough. They came in and we provided the information we had, then they go back and make sure our expenditures are not more than our income. When they could not determine that is when we were declared unauditable.” Many of the findings in the audit have been corrected already, Lenner said. Fi-

nance director Larry Heiser, who began working for the village following the termination of former finance director Sandra Berry, has corrected several of the deficiencies, including posting of transactions to the wrong accounts. In addition to the double payment to Phillips, the audit also found that Berry had charged $689 for airline tickets and See AUDIT, page A2

Northridge schools

Board cuts budget, mulls more reduction scenarios By MICHAEL J. MAURER ThisWeek Community Newspapers

Photos by Lorrie Cecil/ThisWeek

(Above) Wes Bourne, a Johnstown resident, practices his juggling with the Jest Jugglers on Jan. 27 at the Schiller Park Recreation Center in German Village. (Below) Evan Smith, of Powell, adds another degree of difficulty to his juggling routine by balancing on a ball. To view a video from the Jan. 27 meeting of the group, which draws members from all over central Ohio, visit www.ThisWeekNews.com.

Jugglers say hobby is worth the effort By GARY SEMAN JR. cording to Owen Smith, co-direcThisWeek Community Newspapers tor of the organization. It accepts jugglers of all coordination levels They stand across from each and there is no cost to join. other, pitching clubs back and forth “We do have people from all at an almost hypnotic speed. walks of life,” said Smith, a meOthers toss bird seed-filled balls chanical engineer who lives in Powin the air, trying to keep them sus- ell. pended before gravity and fatigue His son, Evan, an exercise entake their toll. thusiast, said juggling is a good Yet another one hops on a uni- workout. cycle, attempting to incorporate “You can really work up a basketballs into his routine — with- sweat,” he said. out falling. So what does it take to become This is just another day in the a good juggler? lives of the Jest Jugglers, a group “Dedication,” the elder Smith that meets each Thursday night at said. the Schiller Park Recreation CenNot to mention a few tools of ter in German Village. the trade, such as clubs, balls and Founded in the early 1980s, the rings. It can be a fairly inexpensive outfit is the longest-running jugSee JUGGLERS, page A2 gling group in central Ohio, ac-

The Northridge Board of Education, at a special meeting Jan. 31, unanimously approved almost $400,000 in budget cuts during the next calendar year, including $93,000 during the remainder of the fiscal year that ends June 30 and $303,000 during the 2012 fiscal year. In a separate measure, the board also approved two additional contingent scenarios for more cuts, depending on the amount of state subsidy to the district and the fate of a 1 percent income tax levy on the May ballot. “We’re here tonight to talk about where we are at as far as the financial future of this district,” said board president Mark Dann. “Now it’s time to proceed with some decisions as to what we are going to do.” Treasurer Jim Hudson said the district is already working on planned reductions exceeding $500,000 from the current year. “We are losing $312,000 in our state fiscal stabilization funds money,” Hudson said. “Two years ago ODE gave us that but they took away from our foundation payments. Right now we are advised that money will not be replaced, so overall that’s 6.4 percent of state funding (that is being cut).” The district’s current budget is approximately $13-million annually, of which nearly $8-million is salaries and benefits. In addition to the oneSee NORTHRIDGE, page A3

Council eyes easements for Post Office Alley By MICHAEL J. MAURER ThisWeek Community Newspapers

Old Town Committee reviews downtown projects By MICHAEL J. MAURER ThisWeek Community Newspapers Defying winter ice storms Feb. 1, the Johnstown Old Town Committee of village council met with several residents and business owners to discuss the scheduled reconfiguration of the downtown intersection of U.S. Route 62 and state Route 37 this spring. Acting village administrator Jim Lenner said

another meeting would probably be scheduled in the next several weeks. The intersection improvements are projected to cost $676,000, and Lenner said the village might not have any out-of-pocket expenses. “We thought it was going to cost more than $1million but contractors are hungry and materials are down in cost,” Lenner said. He said the Licking County Area Transportation Study committee was considering helping

the village cover some planned additional costs for decorative light poles. “That would cover the cost of the decorative poles,” Lenner said. “In a worst case scenario it might cost the village $20,000.” In addition to the intersection improvements, the cost of which is primarily paid by the Ohio Department of Transportation, the village is sched-

See EASEMENTS, page A7 See DOWNTOWN PROJECTS, page A4