June 16, 2011
Mantia warns of deeper cuts if levy fails Extracurriculars, gifted programs, more teachers could go; Heritage could be closed By NATE ELLIS ThisWeek Community Newspapers Pickerington schools could see the end of extracurricular activities and gifted education programs, as well as more cuts to teachers and staff and the closure of an elementary school if an August levy isn’t passed.
Superintendent Karen Mantia said Monday, June 13, the district will need to cut another $7 million from its operating budget if a 5.5-mill levy fails on Aug. 2. In sounding the alarm, Mantia presented a multitude of proposed cuts to the Pickerington Board of Education. At the top of the list is the elimina-
tion of all extracurricular costs from the general fund, a move district officials said would save $200,000 to $400,000. Mantia also recommended cutting 25 to 30 classroom teachers if the levy fails, which she said would reduce district costs by $1.9 million. The new teaching cuts would be in
addition to the 82 teachers whose jobs were eliminated as part of $13 million in budget reductions the board approved for the 2011-12 school year. The earlier moves were made after PLSD voters rejected an 8-mill replacement levy in November that would have generated $7.586-million. “I’m proposing these in the event the
August levy fails,” Mantia said. “Tonight we’re just simply calling what’s at stake.” On Aug. 2, the district will seek voter approval of 5.5-mill levy that, if passed, will generate approximately $5.95 million per year, beginning in January 2012. See MANTIA, page A6
City-township planning agreement gets initial approval By NATE ELLIS ThisWeek Community Newspapers Pickerington officials last week took an initial step toward ratifying an agreement to share information about proposed economic development and land use projects with Violet Township. Pickerington City Council voted 5-1 on June 7 to approve the first reading of a “joint planning agreement” with Violet Township. Though non-binding, the agreement would commit the two government entities to inform each other of all proposed development and land-use projects that come before them. According to pact supporters, it would foster a spirit of cooperation among the geographic neighbors who admittedly have had difficulties working together in the past. They also say it aims to produce less obtrusive and mutually beneficial developments and land uses. Pickerington city manager Bill Vance said he believes the “big-picture purpose of the joint planning agreement
Photos by Andrea Kjerrumgaard/ThisWeek
Imagination taking flight
See PLANNING AGREEMENT, page A2
(Above) Zach Pratali, 7, (left) and Finnegan Miller, 7, (right) play on a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter that the Ohio National Guard flew into the annual Cub Scout Camporee at Sycamore Park in Pickerington on June 11. (Right) Mark Pennington, 7, experiences the view from the helicopter’s cockpit during the annual event for six Pickeringtonarea Cub Scout packs. Other activities at the Camporee included a Civil War re-enactment, a blacksmith demonstration, fishing, a movie and overnight camping.
Treasurer reinstitutes escrow payment plan By NATE ELLIS ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Reverse osmosis project
City on track to hire URS Corp. as inspector By NATE ELLIS ThisWeek Community Newspapers Pickerington officials appear on track to hire a consultant to inspect the installation of equipment used to soften city water and reduce sodium discharges into Sycamore Creek. Pickerington City Council approved the first reading June 7 of legislation to hire URS Corp.
to oversee the construction and installation of a reverse osmosis system at the water treatment plant on Diley Road. The contract, which requires two additional approvals by council, would cost the city $65,000. However, city engineer Greg Bachman said those expenses already were figured into the project’s estimated $1.83 million price tag, so it’s not expected to increase the overall cost.
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“URS has been the city’s design consultant for the project,” Bachman said. “They have the most knowledge of the project and it is natural for them to do the construction inspection. “The scope of their work would be construction administration and construction inspection,” he said. “This includes shop draw-
Fairfield County treasurer Brian Kuhn announced last week he will reinstitute an escrow payment plan for county property owners. That means, starting in September, county residents will be permitted to pay real estate taxes in monthly installments, rather than twice a year. The program was scrapped in recent years due to budget constraints and related staffing cuts. Kuhn said the goal is to create more manageable payments for residents, rather than requiring them to pay off their annual taxes in installments every six months. See PAYMENT PLAN, page A2
See CITY ON TRACK, page A4
Cheryl is one of many cats up for adoption at the Cat Welfare Association. On Tuesday, June 21, the association will hold its Summer Solstice Adoption Extravaganza, which will feature food and special adoption rates. For information on adopting Cheryl or any of the cats, visit catwelfareohio.com. Watch a video of Cheryl at ThisWeekNews.com.
Arts, eats and fun in central Ohio
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