June 16, 2011
Olentangy expects eventual deficit By TOM SHEEHAN ThisWeek Community Newspapers
The Olentangy school board on June 8 heard a first reading of its fiscal year 2012 general fund budget. Members plan to vote on the $157.7 million budget at their June 22 meeting. Assistant treasurer Todd Johnson told board members the budget is about $373,000 less than predicted in the five-
year financial forecast presented last month. The change was attributed in part to uncertainly about cuts in the upcoming two-year state budget. For fiscal year 2011, the budget is $145 million. Some factors behind the increase are health-insurance increases and the opening of a new elementary and a middle school for the 2011-12 school year, which
means adding more staff to the district, Johnson said. Health-insurance costs for certified employees, including teachers and guidance counselors, are expected to go up by 14 percent in the next fiscal year, Johnson said. That and other factors mean an increase of nearly $3 million in health costs for the current fiscal year. Board members asked why some spending areas are expected to increase
so drastically, including health care. They asked Johnson and treasurer Becky Jenkins to further refine the proposed budget by looking for ways to make downward adjustments, if possible. Before the board held its work session on June 8, superintendent Wade Lucas and Jenkins said they will present additional cost-cutting and cost-saving measures to the board at its June 22 meeting.
School officials have said at least $9.3 million in cuts will be needed during the next several years. That’s even though a combined three-year, 7.9-mill operating levy and no-new-millage bond issue passed in May. The district hopes to spare academic programs from any cuts. “We will continue to look to make See SCHOOL BOARD, page A2
Powell SHARING SPACE council OKs three projects
Powell might revisit impact fees
By BONNIE BUTCHER
Powell City Council’s development committee on June 7 heard a recommendation to lower two fees designed to help the city pay for infrastructure and parks. The discussion was prompted by a letter from Anthony Redder, resident and Powell business owner. Redder wants to use a residential property at 105 S. Liberty St. for his business, Powell Painting Co. The property is in an area zoned commercial. All fees must be paid when a zoning certificate is requested, said zoning and development director Dave Betz. City council approves all fees and any changes made to them, he said. Documents from the meeting show Redder’s fees total $1,936 including: $100 for a change of use; $50 for a final inspection; $1,286 for a recreation fee; and $500 for commercial or industrial development. At the meeting, Betz said the $500 development fee for Redder’s application should have been $100 because of a discount given for changing the use of an existing residential building to commercial or industrial. Betz said that change is encouraged in the downtown. Redder said in the letter he was surprised by the $1,286 recreation fee. The recreation fee is $3,750 per unit in residential developments and $3,750 per gross acre for non-residential developments. Redder's property is about a third of an acre. Redder said he “understands there is a need to supplement certain costs,” but felt the recreation fee is excessive, particularly for small businesses trying to survive in a tough economy. Betz recommended the city reduce the recreation fee for changing an existing residence to a small retail business. He said the new use is not likely to create a greater impact on the city, compared to the old use. The city receives about one such request per year, Betz said. “We don’t get many of these. (A) house comes
By BONNIE BUTCHER ThisWeek Community Newspapers
ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Powell City Council on June 7 approved contracts for three projects, including energy-efficient upgrades and improvements to roads and a culvert. A $687,900 contract went to Thomas & Marker Construction Co. of Marysville, to install a solar system on the city hall roof. It is expected to produce half the electricity used by the building. The project is funded by an $821,861 federal energy-efficiency grant through the Ohio Department of Development. The grant also will fund the installation of LED and light sensors on city property, plus energy-efficient improvements to the parks and recreation facility in Adventure Park. City planner Eric Fischer will work with the state to include about $120,000 of additional energy-saving features. Council members Tom Counts, Sara Marie Brenner, Art Schultz, Don Grubbs, Jim Hrivnak and Brian Lorenz approved the contract. Council member Richard Cline was absent from the meeting. The city selected the thirdlowest of seven bidders, saying the company was the most responsive to requests for more information. Bids ranged from $679,000 to $821,005. The city staff and Lorenz interviewed the three lowest bidders during the selection process, officials said. In March, the city rebid the project after rejecting three bids that ranged from $592,390 to $880,376. Fischer said the wider range in the initial bids suggested the city’s bid specifications were not specific enough. The grant money comes from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s Energy EfSee COUNCIL, page A2
By Paul Vernon/ThisWeek
When Lisa Stark decided to open the new StarkImages photography business in March, she asked Chris Staley of Lightbox Images about sharing his building at 1520 Lewis Center Road. The two independent businesses now share space to tackle a tough economy. See page A3 for story.
See FEES, page A6
Sawmill Parkway signals to be linked by wireless By SARAH SOLE ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Traffic is expected to flow more smoothly on a 3.2-mile stretch of the southern Sawmill Parkway when wireless technology is used to operate several traffic signals. The county will open construction bids June 28. The project is estimated to cost $251,000, which will be paid with the county’s road and bridge funds. The improvements will extend from the Franklin County line on Sawmill Parkway to Sel-
DIRECTORY News: (740) 888-6100 editorial@thisweeknews.com Sports: (740) 888-6054 sports@thisweeknews.com Retail ads: (740) 888-6030 ltaylor@thisweeknews.com Classified: (740) 888-5003 classified@thisweeknews.com Customer Service: 1-888-837-4342
dom Seen Road. The intersection of Home Road and Sawmill Parkway also will receive an installation of ADA compliant curb ramps and crosswalks. The nine traffic signals will be wirelessly connected to a master signal controller, said county engineer Chris Bauserman. The automated controller will reduce the number of times traffic on Sawmill Parkway has to stop as it moves along the corridor, timing the signals to smooth traffic flow. Side street wait times could be shorter or longer, depending on traffic at
the time. Bauserman said this is the first time the county will wirelessly connect traffic signals. “It’s technology that’s very commonplace all over the country and probably the world,” he said. “This is still somewhat of a unique situation for the county.” The county chose the system because it’s a relatively inexpensive improvement with a very high rate of return in terms of increasing roadway capacity, he said. Other more expensive alternatives include adding turn lanes or through lanes.
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.
The project came in response to a county study that showed need for a traffic signal at North Hampton Drive, near the parkway’s southern end. Adding a new signal presented a convenient time to link signals by wireless, Bauserman said. The intersections of Sawmill Parkway and North Hampton Drive, Attucks Drive, Big Bear Avenue and Home Road will receive ADA-compliant curb ramps and crosswalks. Pedestrian signals will be installed at See SIGNALS, page A7
Sign up for breaking news & sports!
Click on mobile in the top right corner of ThisWeekNews.com to get community coverage delivered to your phone!
http://mobile.thisweeknews.com