July 24, 2011
County to help fund youth center repairs By LISA AURAND ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Delaware County commissioners on July 18 voted to contribute 25 percent of the estimated $501,020 in plumbing repairs and temporary housing costs related to renovations at the Central Ohio Youth Center in Marysville. The juvenile detention center serves Champaign, Delaware, Madison and
the building, which was constructed in 1973. I could see the health department saying at any “The existing plumbing was in a detemoment that this facility is shut down. riorated and clogged state. Leaking pipes in the walls, inappropriate repairs, sigKENNETH SPICER nificant black mold growth, sewer odors — probate and juvenile court judge were present and unmistakable,” Spicer said. “I could see the health department Union counties. Youths from Delaware Probate and juvenile court judge Ken- saying at any moment that this facility is County represent 42.3 percent of the fa- neth Spicer told commissioners the emer- shut down.” cility’s population. gency plumbing repairs are necessary for While the work is being conducted, the
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youths will be housed at the Logan County Juvenile Detention Center in Bellefontaine, which has guaranteed 10 beds at $40 per day and additional beds as needed at $45 per day. The budget for repairs totals $651,020, including $495,100 for construction, a 20-percent contingency fund and $57,000 for contract beds. See COUNTY, page A2
Sunbury approves annexation from Berkshire
QUIET AS A MOUSE
By LISA AURAND ThisWeek Community Newspapers
By Chris Parker/ThisWeek
Erin Car, left, tells students Ava Dunahugh, Meah Potts, Ella Calkins and Arabelle Brooks to be quiet as a mouse during their creative movement class in the Community Library in Sunbury on July 20. Car has performed with the Charleston Ballet Company and Central Ohio Youth Ballet.
Big Walnut district brings back full-time achievement position By BONNIE BUTCHER — for providing our students with ThisWeek Community Newspapers the best education possible.” Her first steps, she said, will be Big Walnut Local Schools has building relationships with the teachhired Angie Pollock as its new di- ing staff and gaining an underrector of academic achievement. standing of what is done at each Pollock will assume the role Aug. grade level. 1, said assistant superintendent Gary “I have been meeting with teachBarber, who said she’s already work- ers and administrators to determine ing on the transition. needs and how I can best help them For two years she has served as grow in their capacities to serve stumiddle school principal, a position dents,” Pollock said. “Because we that Penny Sturtevant will fill. did not have anyone in my current The director’s “sole responsibil- role last year, I am trying to get ity is to improve academic achieve- everything organized so we are ready ment for students in the district,” to start the school year with a clear Barber said. focus to our adult work, which drives Pollock said, “My main job is to the work we do with students in the coordinate all of the initiatives that classrooms.” we have either embarked on by Because of budget constraints, choice or by mandate and make sure the position has been half-time for that we have a realistic, compre- a couple of years. The school board hensive plan — including resources agreed to a full-time position in June.
During the coming years, the district must implement a number of curriculum-related state and federal initiatives. Having a full-time director in charge of that is essential for success, officials have said. “This is an exciting and challenging time in education,” Pollock said. “We are converting to new national standards in English language, arts and math and to new state standards in science and social studies. This is a four-year process that is being supported by the state as part of the Race to the Top initiative, in which Big Walnut is participating.” Pollock will work with the district’s technology coordinator and committee to create a plan for purchasing technology and training teachers to meet the technology portion of the new state standards.
Another important role for Pollock will be that of district liaison to the Ohio Department of Education on academic achievement. While the district has had someone in the position for about 12 years, budget constraints caused officials to leave the position vacant for the 2010-11 school year after Pat Martell left the district in July 2010. It was a half-time position at the time and had been for several years, Barber said. In June, the board of education approved making the position fulltime with an annual salary of $85,000. Pollock and her family live in in the district. Her husband, Dan, is a Delaware County sheriff’s deputy. They have two elementary-age children.
Sunbury Village Council on July 20 agreed to annex about 0.562 acre from Berkshire Township. Council annexed the land owned by Jeffrey and Deborah Gibson on an emergency 5-0 vote, making the action effective immediately. Council member David Linnabary was absent from the meeting. The property essentially was an island surrounded by parcels of village land. The village needed A closer look the property owners’consent to annex, village Sunbury Village Council on attorney David July 20 agreed to annex about 0.562 acre from Brehm said. The Gibsons Berkshire Township. The petitioned for an- property essentially was an nexation when island surrounded by they bought the parcels of village land. The property earlier village needed the property owners’ consent to annex, this year. “In this case, village attorney David the property Brehm said. owner came to us and said, ‘I’d like it to be in the village,’” Brehm said. Village council approved a pre-annexation agreement earlier this year, and Delaware County commissioners approved the annexation on July 18. The ordinance was passed on an emergency basis because the pre-annexation agreement said council would expeditiously accept the annexation. Council’s vote sets the ball rolling for the Gibsons to petition the planning and zoning board to split the lot and sell part of it, Brehm said. In addition, the annexation allows Sunbury to eventually connect sidewalk on the property to a nearby trail. In other business, council voted 3-2 to purchase four picnic tables for the town square. The eight-foot picnic tables are made of recycled plastic and cost $1,126 each, council member Sean Currie said. Currie came to council with the recommendation to buy two tables, but council member Tom Zalewski proposed purchasing four. Council members Tommy Hatfield and Bill Metzler agreed. See SUNBURY, page A2
Garden relocated to avoid loss by construction project By BONNIE BUTCHER ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Genoa Township is overseeing a stormwater pipeline installation on Freeman Road that involves a slightly unusual task — relocating a garden. The project is scheduled for completion in August. Township administrator Paul Wise on July 22 said the garden was being moved this week. The improvements are the combined efforts of the township, the county engineer’s office and the
Ohio Department of Transportation. The project, undertaken by contractor Shelly and Sands Inc., hit a snag when a storm sewer outlet pipe was not found where one was thought to be on the southwest side of state Route 3. Plans then were made to run the pipe down the southwest side of Freeman Road, to the nearest outlet pipe, which is about 800 feet from the project site. That change put the line on right of way in front of the property of Robert Shortland.
In the right of way is a garden planted by Linda Shortland, Robert’s wife. She began the garden after the Shortlands moved to their home in 1969. Mrs. Shortland died in 2008, and her family said the garden she tended has special meaning to them. Earlier this month, Shortland, his daughter, Lee McDaniels, and his grandson, Joe McDaniels, asked township trustees to put the pipe back on the north side of Freeman Road. The trustees delayed the ap-
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proval of an $81,870 purchase order for the project until they could talk with the county about running the pipe along the north side of the road. Trustee Karl Gebhardt said the township then decided the south side of Freeman Road was the better plan. “We had estimates from the county that there would be considerable cost to the project to go on the north side, with the minimum of an extra $12,000, (and) it
A closer look The issue is related to the Freeman Road and 3-C Highway intersection improvements. The project includes constructing left-turn lanes on state Route 3 at Freeman Road and installing a new traffic signal. The existing Genoa bicycle trail will be realigned at the intersection. Pedestrian signals and crosswalks will be added at Freeman Road and state Route 3, Delaware County engineer Chris Bauserman’s website says. The project, currently under construction by contractor Shelly and Sands Inc., hit a snag when a storm sewer outlet pipe was not found where one was thought to be on the southwest side of Route 3.
See GARDEN, page A2
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