ThisWeek Canal Winchester 6/23 by Dispatch Magazines/The Columbus Dispatch

June 23, 2011

School levy headed to November ballot Board of education considers pros and cons of two-year, three-year options By CHRIS BOURNEA ThisWeek Contributor The Canal Winchester Local Schools Board of Education voted 4-0 Monday night to approve resolutions to formally consider two levy options to place on the November ballot: a two-year, $4.9million levy and a three-year, $5.8-million levy. Following Monday night’s vote, the district will send the two options to the

Franklin County auditor’s office, which will draft ballot language for them. Board members are scheduled to evaluate the ballot language and then select one at their July 18 regular meeting. Board members discussed the pros and cons of both levy options Monday night. Board vice president John Kanter was absent. Board members noted that the dollar amount of both options is less than the $6.4-million, two-year emergency levy

that was approved in May 2009 and which expires at the end of the year. Voters did not renew the levy on May 3. Board members said a two-year levy might have a better chance of passing, since it costs less than the three-year option. Board president Debra Waites said the downside of the two-year levy is that it would once again place the district in a position of uncertainty in 2013, when state officials will decide the next

biennium budget. If voters approve either levy option, “we’d still have to make some reductions over the years,” Waites said. Both levy choices maintain cuts and fee increases that the district implemented after the failure of the May 3 levy, such as the elimination of 49 jobs, including 27 teaching positions, and increasing the extracurricular activity fee from $140 to $300 beginning in the 2011-12 school year.

Superintendent Kimberley MillerSmith said the district will continue to look for ways to save money. “As the board begins to determine the dollar amount to approve (for the levy) in November, we’re continuing to look for cost-cutting measures,” she said. One measure approved in a 4-0 vote June 20 is eliminating bus transportaSee SCHOOL LEVY, page A2

Changes OK’d for animalgrooming businesses

MUSIC APPRECIATION

By ANDREW MILLER ThisWeek Community Newspapers

a similar purchase by Columbus on the other side of the intersection. He said the finance committee will review the plan before it is sent on to the full council for approval. Peoples reported that the bicycle path at the crossing between Walgreens and O’Charley’s on Gender Road is being rerouted because automobile traffic is currently using the bicycle path illegally as a right-turn lane. This causes a safety issue, which will be corrected by inserting a 90degree bend, moving the bike path into the grass and away from the right lane of traffic, he said.

Canal Winchester City Council gave final and unanimous approval June 20 to zoning code amendments governing animal-grooming and training facilities. Such faciliA closer look ties will be allowed to operate indoors Council voted unanimously within 200 feet to suspend the rules and to of residential approve an ordinance to zoning dis- set the mayor’s salary and tricts, with cer- fringe benefits for the next tain restric- four-year mayoral term, tions. Council which begins next January. held a public The mayoral race will be on hearing for the the November ballot. amendments at 6:45 p.m. prior to the council meeting but had no speakers. Discussion around outdoor areas used by groomers and trainers for animals to relieve themselves led finance director Nanisa Osborn to request an amendment adding requirements for daily cleaning of these outdoor areas. Council members also agreed Monday to approve a number of time-sensitive pieces of legislation. Council voted unanimously to suspend the rules and to approve an ordinance to set the mayor’s salary and fringe benefits for the next four-year mayoral term, which begins next January. The mayoral race will be on the November ballot. “The city charter requires that salary reviews must be completed by July 1 of the odd-numbered year, which then sets the salary and benefits for two years,” finance director Nanisa Osborn said. “So even though we aren’t changing it for 2012, in order to set it at $82,500 for 2013, council must suspend rules to waive further readings to make that July 1 date.” The current mayoral salary is $80,000, which

See SURVEYING, page A2

See COUNCIL, page A2

Andrea Kjerrumgaard/ThisWeek

Kitty Dover, right, 91, shows that she still knows how to boogie as she makes some disco moves while the band Agent 99 plays during the Arts in the Park event in Canal Winchester's Stradley Place Friday, June 17, 2011. Her daughter, Angie Smyers, center, and neighbor, Mary Stevenson, left, enjoy her enthusiasm.

Gender Road

Surveying under way for more work By ANDREW MILLER ThisWeek Community Newspapers Canal Winchester and Columbus are moving ahead with joint surveying in connection with work on Gender Road. Canal Winchester city engineer Steve Farst told city council’s service committee on June 20 that phase 2 of Gender Road improvements are under way. “We’re working to provide (public works director Matthew Peoples’) office with surveys for acreage and warranty deed purchase negotiations,” Farst said. “We have a kick-off meeting with the

Ohio Department of Transportation on Wednesday (June 22) because more than half of the funding is coming from the state.” Canal Winchester will be the lead for design and coordination of the project, he said. Negotiations are under way for Columbus to perform construction management. “This is an extremely necessary project,” committee chair Rick Deeds said. “I’m glad we’re spearheading it.” A purchase of .08 acres of land at the corner of Winchester Pike and Gender Road is being planned, according to Peoples, for part of phase 2 of the Gender Road project, which may include

Festivities set for 14th annual Violet Festival By NATE ELLIS ThisWeek Community Newspapers The countdown is on, and entertainment and activities are set for the 14th annual Violet Festival, the largest event of the year for Pickerington and Violet Township. The festival is scheduled for July 2730 at Victory Park in Pickerington. With the event nearly a month away, volunteer organizers are hurrying to put the finishing touches on the 2011 installment.

But the focus of the event — to promote Pickerington and Violet TownThe event was built 14 years ago, and its mission to ship’s people and businesses — remains help promote the Pickerington and Violet Township area as a unchanged. great place to work, live and do business remains the “We’re hoping to see 40,000 people coming to the festival this year,” Hern same today. We’re looking forward to a great festival. said. “When that happens, there’s a lot of foot and vehicle traffic. JIM HERN “That is our time to say, ‘Look at who — Violet Festival entertainment director we are.’It’s an opportunity to showcase our businesses and it’s a time when we According to Jim Hern, Violet Fes- recent years, with some tweaks designed as individuals can show who we are.” For the second consecutive year, a tival entertainment director, this year’s to improve concert-viewing and shop$2 admission fee will be charged for festival will remain largely the same as ping on the grounds.

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