May 12, 2011
School board workshop
Ryan: Revenue projections ‘sobering’ By LORI WINCE ThisWeek Community Newspapers The New Albany-Plain Local school board reviewed potential cuts in revenue during its May 9 workshop, only to find out that the district will not make it through 2013 without making budget cuts in some area. “I think the administration needs to
set parameters and show us our options,” board member Natalie Matt said. Matt said it makes sense to begin talking about how much is expected to be lost when determining how much needs to be cut. The board learned that the district could see revenue cuts of up to $8.89 million total in fiscal years 2012 and 2013. In fiscal year 2012, the district is anticipated
to lose $486,000 in federal stimulus funding, $553,000 in tangible personal-property taxes (which are being phased out by the state), $943,000 in state basic aid and an estimated $1.9 million in property-tax values due to the current reappraisal cycle, said superintendent April Domine. Similar cuts in fiscal year 2013 bring the total loss in the two-year period to more than $8 million.
“It’s sobering,” said board president Mark Ryan. “That’s an 8- to 10-percent decline, considering a $50-million budget.” Domine said the district would continue to pursue ways to operate more efficiently with less money. She mentioned, for example, the district’s pursuit of lower electricity costs through work with a local consortium and elim-
inating the five permanent substitute positions in the district. Eliminating the permanent substitutes would save $100,000 annually and will require the district to call in substitutes as needed, instead of having them on the payroll. Domine already has lowered the number of projected new teachers to be hired See SCHOOL BOARD, page A6
Concerns BATTLE FOR CONTROL arise over potential zoning change
ARB OKs new church plans and two sign applications
By LORI WINCE ThisWeek Community Newspapers
By LORI WINCE ThisWeek Community Newspapers
New Albany City Council is concerned about a potential zoning change that could increase activity on a property at the northeast corner of Reynoldsburg-New Albany and Morse roads. “If there is a veterinary clinic on the property, that could be a significant item,” Mayor Nancy Ferguson told council during the May 3 meeting. Council referred the zoning change to the city’s planning commission, which will hear it May 16. The meeting will have a special start time at 6 p.m. in New Albany Village Hall. The request would create a single zoning designation of limited agricultural use for 12.275 acres, which covers two properties and currently has two zoning designations of limited agricultural use. The site has a residence and a horse barn with an apartment above it. Kathryn Meyer, deputy director of community development, said the zoning change would limit the residential use to one build-
The New Albany Presbyterian Church has modified its plans to construct a church building at the southeast corner of Johnstown and Harlem roads. During the New Albany Architectural Review Board (ARB) meeting May 9, church officials requested a certificate of appropriateness for a plan to build a 12,500-square-foot brick and wood-sided church building, which is smaller than what originally was planned. “The church has revised the architecture and is making the building smaller to save some money,” said city planner Michelle Murphy. “Finances were a concern.” The ARB approved the application with conditions, including that the city staff approve the landscape plan, site signage and design and color of brick and that the mechanical buildings and utilities on exterior walls be painted to match the building. Murphy said the New Albany Planning Commission would review further changes during its next meeting May 16. In March, the ARB approved the group’s plan to build a 16,000-square-foot church building at the same site. Though the architectural details and building materials have not changed, the building will be smaller. The group also is requesting approval for only 123 parking spaces, as opposed to the 147 requested in March. The building will face Johnstown Road and will have an entrance and sidewalk leading to that door. Parking will be off the Harlem Road entrance. The 11.7-acre lot includes room for future expansions as the church grows, church officials said.
See ZONING CHANGE, page A2
DEA makes pot bust near New Albany The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) seized 100 marijuana plants May 10 from a Columbus home on Greensbury Drive, near New Albany. “I can confirm that we executed a state search warrant and seized 100 high-quality marijuana plants,” said Rich Isaacson, a DEA special agent and public-information officer. Isaacson said the term, “high quality,” usually refers to plants that produce a product that can sell for as high as $2,000 a pound. Isaacson said the home was being rented and the plants were being grown inside, in what he called “a shambles.” The subdivision where the home is loSee POT BUST, page A7
By Eric George/ThisWeek
St. Brendan’s Zack McQuade (left), 9, and the Dublin United Soccer Club’s Aleks Flory, 9, battle for control of the ball during the second annual Junior Cup on May 7 at Thompson Park.
See ARB, page A7
Science, drama students team up for ‘robot theater’ By LORI WINCE ThisWeek Community Newspapers Theater and robotics science don’t often go together. The two disciplines will be combined, however, during the New Albany High School “robot theater” production slated for May 18 and 19. “The robots will be actors along with human actors,” said sophomore Jake Whitted. Whitted and several other students in the New Albany High School robotics course currently are working with two robots and programming their motions to perform in four skits written by drama students.
Whitted said the robotics students will use controllers to operate the robots during the performances. “We will stand off stage with the controllers,” explained freshman David Wu. The robotics students have faced several challenges in getting the robots to perform. Whitted said the robots have to be programmed because they are not aware of how one action affects another. “We have to be careful when programming because the robot doesn’t know where its body parts are and we have to be careful of cords,” Whitted said. Cords can trip a walking robot or cause it to fall
DIRECTORY
over if it gets caught on the robot’s arm or leg, he said. The robot also performs differently on various surfaces. Sophomore Lauryn Woodyard said the robots perform differently on desks than they do on the floor. “We have to practice on different surfaces,” she said. Woodyard said students were taking the robots to practice in to the high school’s minitheater, where performances will be held. The drama students have been working with adSee ROBOT THEATER, page A2
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