June 22, 2011
Recreation and Parks
City considering restructuring department By GARY BUDZAK ThisWeek Community Newspapers
A restructuring of the Hilliard Recreation and Parks Department is being considered, according to Mayor Don Schonhardt. The changes to the department “would
both streamline management of the operations and save some money,” Schonhardt said. “It’s all part of the process of continuing to contain the costs and improve the efficiency of our operations, which we’ve been doing since day one.” The changes would not go into effect
until the city’s 2012 budget is approved, and would become effective Jan. 1, 2012, Schonhardt said. “They’ll be presented (to city council) as part of the budget process,” Schonhardt said. “When council gets back from (summer) recess (in August), we begin the process of presenting the new
budget again.” Schonhardt would not comment on what changes would be made to the department, but “there have been no changes to the way things are being run over there at this point at all.” On June 20, Steve Mazer, director of recreation and parks, said he learned
that Senior Center administrator Terry McGinnis-Miles has retired. A replacement has not been named yet. “That’s just going to have to make me look at the future of the department,” Mazer said. “That’ll just be part of this reorganization we’re looking at.”
Clark’s contract renewed as Destination Hilliard director
TRAFFIC SNARL
By GARY BUDZAK ThisWeek Community Newspapers
police and fire has gotten stronger because we are in the same facility,” Long said. “It’s great for the community.”
The woman charged with promoting Hilliard as a place to visit has had her contract renewed for another year. Destination Hilliard executive director Christy Clark will continue to make $63,000 a year. Clark said she receives no benefits other than two weeks of vacation. Darrell Mayne, president of the Destination Hilliard board of trustees, said Clark’s contract is not “exorbitant.” Christy Clark “She gets no benefits package at all,” he said. “She has no medical, dental, life insurance, no retirement. There’s no lucrative, exorbitant package involved here. We want to be fiscally responsible for how we’re running the organization.” Mayne said the trustees looked at Clark’s growth and development compared to Destination Hilliard’s strategic plan. He said Clark has excelled in three areas — a spirit of collaboration with diverse groups of people during events such as the Old Hilliard Christmas; the increased promotion of Hilliard locally and regionally, including the use of social media; and the increase in hotel occupancy, which was up 12 percent in the winter months. “We were looking for someone whose personality, experience and expertise could be a catalyst for the strategic plan,” Mayne said of Clark. “It’s a huge job that she’s got.” Despite some controversy over the funding of Destina-
See NORWICH, page A2
See CLARK, page A2
By Chris Parker/ThisWeek
Norwich Township Fire Department inspector Scott Tigner tries to direct traffic during “Safety Town” which took place at Scioto Darby Elementary School June 16.
Norwich Township
Trustees OK addendum to city contract By JAYME DETWEILER vices Building. ThisWeek Community Newspapers A resolution authorizing an addendum to the lease for the Hilliard The city of Hilliard will con- Police Department was unanimously tinue to lease space in the Nor- approved during the June 20 Norwich Township-owned Safety Ser- wich Township trustees’ meeting.
David Long, Norwich fire chief, said he is looking forward to extending the working relationship between his staff and the Hilliard Police Department. “The relationship between the
IWU has prayerful grand opening By GARY BUDZAK ThisWeek Community Newspapers Although it already has a dozen students taking nursing and MBA courses on its premises, Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU) held a grand opening ceremony for its Hilliard branch last week. The 21,000-square-foot Columbus Ohio Education and Conference Center of IWU takes up the entire second floor of the One Mill Run Building and includes nine classrooms that can accommodate up to 270 students, a computer lab and a chapel. “It’s a Christian university, but it’s not forced on our students,” said Kevin Lilly, evening manager of the Hilliard location. “We have a chapel and a chaplain and that’s
available to them if they want it.” In addition to a June 15 ribbon-cutting that involved IWU, Hilliard and other dignitaries, there was an invocation, litany and dedication prayer for the university. “We want to welcome Indiana Wesleyan,” said Jeffrey Mansell, superintendent of the Greater Ohio District of the Wesleyan Church. “This is now their fifth campus in Ohio, and everywhere they go, they’re good neighbors.” Indiana Wesleyan president Henry Smith said the university has been committed to By Lorrie Cecil/ThisWeek adult education for more than 25 years, with 16 branches in three states (Indiana, Carson Castleman, regional dean with Indiana Wesleyan University; Dr. Henry Smith, president of IndiKentucky and Ohio), and students pursu- ana Wesleyan University; and Susan Nault, regional site manager for Indiana Wesleyan University, chat during the grand opening ceremony for the Indiana Wesleyan University’s Columbus Ohio Education and
See IWU HAS PRAYERFUL, page A2 Conference Center June 15.
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