May 22, 2011
J-M board OKs 3-year teacher contract Hike in base pay offered first year only, step increases next two years By MICHAEL J. MAURER ThisWeek Community Newspapers
The Johnstown Monroe Board of Education approved a three-year teacher contract awarding a 2-percent base pay raise and no step increase this year, and step increases with no hike in base pay the next two years. The agreement is expected to save the district approximately $437,000 over three years, compared to the usual practice of awarding both base pay and step increases. Annual expenditures are approximately $14 million. Treasurer Tammy Woods said the district should not have to return to voters in the next five years
for any new tax levies, but that the board would have to seek renewal of both an existing emergency levy and an income tax levy. “Sometime before the end of calendar year 2013, the income tax will have to be renewed, and sometime before the end of 2014, the emergency levy will have to be renewed,” Woods said. She said the district had a good cash reserve because of past reductions in expenses and the passage of the emergency levy. “The way schools are funded, you ask for what you think you need for a few years, because you don’t spend that money instantly, and as your expenditures rise, you’ve got that (saved) cash flow and you’re eating into it,” Woods said.
The district has positive cash flow this coming year, but the year after will start to eat into its reserves. “In 2013, two years from now, we’ll be spending more than we are taking in by $55,000,” Woods said. “The next year, we are almost approaching $1 million, and the year after that, it’s $4.6 million, if the levies don’t pass. You’re eating into your savings, basically.” Woods also said the district expected to receive flat funding from the state of Ohio. “Last year we were assuming that (this year) we would be losing about 15 percent of our state funding,” Woods said. “(Instead) we are losing about 11.5 percent of our state funding, so we are
Village LET IT RAIN looks for solution to Rt. 62 pothole problems
Northridge
Staff cuts made to meet looming budget shortfall By MICHAEL J. MAURER ThisWeek Community Newspapers
By JENNA GANT ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Johnstown village manager Jim Lenner met with Ohio Department of Transportation officials on May 16 to find out how Johnstown’s pothole problems along U.S. Route 62 could be permanently fixed. Lenner said ODOT added cold patch to the potholes more than a week earlier, but it was only a temporary solution. ODOT officials said the pothole problems couldn’t be completely remedied until the village fixes drainage problems along U.S. 62. “What their opinion was is even if you put perfect pavement down, it would still be ruined because of the drainage,” Lenner said. “So we’re making sure the drainage is up and running to make sure we don’t waste tax dollars if we put new pavement down and the drainage still isn’t adequate.” Lenner asked Jack Liggett, village service director, to look at all storm sewer pipes along U.S. 62 on May 16. Liggett said his crew flushed the pipes out, but added, “as far as the flow of water, that was all open and flowing.” Liggett said he doesn’t believe the pipes are the problem. “Everything as far as the drainage was clean and open,” Liggett said, “Could the village add more drainage along that area? Yes… but as far as those items being plugged and not flowing, that was not correct. Those pipes were open and flowing.” Lenner said it would cost village taxpayers if the village puts in additional drainage pipes. ODOT maintains roadways, including snow and ice removal and pavement repairs, he said, but doesn’t handle drainage. Johnstown would have to foot the bill. Liggett said the three most affected areas with pothole problems are by Villa Pizza, the Better Petroleum gas station and the intersection at Kasson Street. “I think the problem right in that section is it’s just bad base,” he said. “They (ODOT) need to
to the good a few percentage (points). “Where we really got hammered was the tangible personal property tax replacement, so that about broke even on revenue streams.” Woods recommended that the board consider going to voters for a permanent improvements levy to begin preparing for expected building repairs. “The one (thing) this district does need is a permanent improvement levy,” Woods said. “We’ve got cash, we’re OK, we don’t need to ask for new money, just renew what we’ve got — unless something drastic happens to one of these buildings. Every day, I cringe.” www.ThisWeekNEWS.com
By Lorrie Cecil/ThisWeek
Vince Untied, an intern with the Licking County Soil and Water Conservation District, helps Claire Robitaille put together her rain barrel during a workshop at the SWCD barn May 19. For a $50 fee, participants received materials and instructions to make a 60-gallon rain barrel. Additional workshops are scheduled for June 16 and July 14, also at the district’s barn in Newark. Representatives of the SWCD will be in Johnstown from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, June 6, to help install a rain garden, another popular conservation program, in front of the village administration building at 599 S. Main St.
The Northridge Board of Education approved a reduction teaching and support staff at its May 16 meeting. Staff cuts were needed after three consecutive attempts to continue the district’s 1-percent income tax — and the $1.7 million in revenue it generated — were unsuccessful. The situation was exacerbated by the loss of federal stimulus money and other cuts in state funds. “Back in May 2010, we attempted an income tax levy,” said board president Mark Dann. “That was unsuccessful. In November 2010 we tried for an income tax renewal as well. In May we made a third attempt and it failed again.” The board cut 16 full-time equivalent positions, including high school Spanish, vocational agriculture, consumer science, elementary and secondary special education, gifted education, 2.5 elementary teachers, an art, music and physical education position, a school nurse and elementary and middle school counselors. In a separate action, the board eliminated three positions, including a guidance secretary, a custodian and the athletics director. Treasurer Jim Hudson reported on the five-year forecast, which is required to be submitted to the state in May and October. “It’s kind of bad timing right now, due to where Gov. Kasich’s budget is going to end,” Hudson said. “I’ll be doing an updated forecast in July when we have those
A closer look The board cut 16 full-time equivalent positions, including high school Spanish, vocational agriculture, consumer science, elementary and secondary special education, gifted education, 2.5 elementary teachers, an art, music and physical education position, a school nurse and elementary and middle school counselors.
numbers.” Hudson said the district had lost a total of $2.2 million from its annual budget of $14 million. On the expenditure side, Hudson said the five-year forecast included a partial salary freeze, with a two-year freeze in base pay but regular step increases in teacher salary, and two years of 2 percent increases in base pay and regular step increases. Health insurance costs increased 12 percent this year, but are projected at 15 percent in future years. Athletics director Wayne Howard spoke about the elimination of sports, recommending that the board consider a privately funded sports program. “We are unable at this time to bring back fall sports, and I understand that, but I would recommend that, at no cost to the district, with the buy-in of the booster organization, we could bring back winter and spring sports,” Howard said. See CUTS, page A2
Farmers Market open to more varied vendors By JENNA GANT ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Johnstown’s third annual farmers market will open for business June 4, and this year, it will include more than just produce and homemade products. “We wanted to open it up because we’re having a little bit of a problem with people participating,” said Chris Speck, president of Downtown Johnstown Inc. Vendors new this year would include those with handmade arts and crafts.
Other types of vendors are still being determined. Village council member Joyce Evans said she is concerned the farmers market will turn into a flea market with the different types of vendors. “I think if we don’t stick to our guns with this, we’re going to have every Saturday morning a yard sale,” Evans said. Mayor Kevin Riffe said the village tried to stay away from a yard sale type environment in the past. “I know the intent when we started this was to have homegrown, home-
made,” he said. “We wanted to stay away from a flea market atmosphere.” Other DJI and council members disagreed and said neighboring communities do well when the farmers market is opened up to other types of vendors. “You go to Granville, they’ve got everything. A lot of people leave Johnstown to go (to Granville),” council member Sharon Hendren said, “They can stay in Johnstown now if we can get those kind of vendors. “I’m all for opening it up to get more people to downtown Johnstown,” she
said. “A lot of the surrounding communities, that’s what they do. It’s open,” Speck said. “It’s not a flea market — that’s not what we are going for — but the idea is to get people involved.” DJI is sponsoring the farmers market, but for the first time, it’s handing the reins over to the American Legion to do the legwork. American Legion Post 254 Commander Bruce Tolle said the legion has See MARKET, page A3
See POTHOLES, page A2
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