July 14, 2011
District eyes November bond-levy combo By JENNIFER NOBLIT ThisWeek Community Newspapers Residents in the Dublin school district might see a combined bond-levy issue on the November ballot. Administrators on July 11 recommended to the school board that the district place a $25-million bond issue and a 7.2-mill operating levy together on
the ballot, but the board delayed a vote because board members Lynn May and Chris Valentine were absent. The board must vote twice before the early August filing deadline for the school district to put a levy and bond request on the fall ballot, treasurer Stephen Osborne said. A supermajority of four votes is needed. Stephen Osborne said the board would hold Osborne
two special meetings for the votes this month. As of press time July 12, the meetings had not been scheduled. Osborne and business-affairs director Annette Morud outlined the recom-
mended bond and levy request. Meetings with principals at Dublin’s 19 schools were held to determine district needs, Morud said. Administrators and principals determined a $25-million bond request would be needed, she said. The bond request includes $4.3 million for additional classrooms at Deer Run and Glacier Ridge elementary
schools. The bond request also includes $5.5 million for technology, $9.8 million for maintenance and $5.4 million for equipment (See related story below). Osborne recommended that the district request a 7.2-mill operating levy in addition to the bond issue. See DISTRICT EYES, page A5
Bond issue would pay for classrooms, technology
BRIHI SQUARE DEDICATION
By JENNIFER NOBLIT ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Photos by Paul Vernon/ThisWeek
(Above) Attendees of the BriHi Square dedication ceremony, including (from right) Mo Dioun, Marilee Chinnici-Zuercher, Richard Gerber, Mayor Tim Lecklider, Amy Salay (hidden) and John Reiner throw Irish pennies into one of the fountains at the mixed-use development July 7. (Below, left) Violinist Arkady Gips, who is known for his playing of Russian Gypsy music, performs before the start of the event. (Below, right) Rachel Reuter, 8, of Hilliard, throws an Irish penny into one of the fountains as fellow resident Katelyn Meats, 8, looks on following the dedication ceremony.
A bond issue that potentially could go to voters in the fall could affect buildings all around the district. The combined bond-levy recommendation made to Dublin school board members July 11 has not been voted on yet, but the $25-million bond included in the recommendation would affect every school in the district. District business director Annette Morud told board members the $25-million bond request would be used for facilities, technology, equipment and maintenance around the district. Of the $25 million, $4.3 million would be used for additions to Deer Run and Glacier Ridge elementary schools. Deer Run would gain six classrooms, HVAC upgrades and fire-alarm updates. The Avery Road school is the second-oldest building in the district, Morud said. The existing fire alarms are “safe, but not addressable,” she said, meaning a fire would be detectable, but its location wouldn’t be. Under the recommended bond issue, a twostory, four-classroom addition would be built onto one of the Glacier Ridge’s wings. “Glacier Ridge was designed to have classrooms added to it,” Morud said. Technology would account for $5.5 million of the recommended bond issue to replace computers, add new technology and increase storage and wireless access. Morud said the network also would be upgraded, thus providing faster uploads and downloads. Districtwide maintenance totaling $9.8 million would include concrete repairs, asphalt repaving, roofing repairs, HVAC improvements, painting and fire-alarm upgrades. Morud said other improvements would include windows and doors at various schools, tracks and tennis courts, flooring, landscaping and field maintenance. Equipment around the district also needs to be replaced, Morud said. That would account for $5.4 million. Replacements include buses, vans, grounds See BOND RECOMMENDATION, page A5
Art fair offers sales, CNG fuel station coming this year reconnections By JENNIFER NOBLIT
ThisWeek Community Newspapers
By JENNIFER NOBLIT ThisWeek Community Newspapers
More than 85 artists will be at the Dublin Art Fair this weekend, and for a few, it serves as a vehicle to reconnect with old friends. The Dublin Area Art League will host the two-day art fair that starts at 6 p.m. July 15 and runs from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. July 16 at Sells Middle School, 150 W. Bridge St. While members use the event to sell their work and market themselves, some see it as a chance to reconnect. “We love it. It’s our best show,” said Gina Atwell. “We live in Dublin. We connect with old neighbors and current neighbors. It’s a nice community event.” Atwell plans to sell jewelry and textiles with her husband, Paul, at
A closer look The Dublin Area Art League will host the two-day art fair that starts at 6 p.m. July 15 and runs from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. July 16 at Sells Middle School, 150 W. Bridge St.
the Dublin Art Fair this weekend. The couple has been making jewelry with “semi-precious stones” for a few years. Atwell said she also weaves with old fabrics. “It’s kind of recycling old fabrics into something very contemporary,” she said. “I start with a wooden frame. Normally, you See ART FAIR, page A2
Dublin is getting closer to using vehicles fueled by compressed natural gas. City council last week unanimously approved four resolutions that would modify the existing fueling facility to allow for compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling. Dublin received a $1.5-million grant from
the U.S. Department of Energy and Clean Fuels Ohio for the project, which will include a CNG fueling facility and 44 CNGfueled city vehicles. The city also will receive $275,000 from IGS Energy, which will provide natural gas to the facility. The July 5 approval includes an agreement with Columbia Gas. According to Ron Burns, the city’s director of streets and util-
ities, existing gas lines leading to the city’s fleet-maintenance complex on Shier Rings Road aren’t big enough to supply the pressure needed for CNG fueling. The city will pay Columbia Gas $165,179 to extend a “high-pressure natural-gas pipe from Eiterman Road east along the north side of Shier Rings Road and into the CNG See CNG FUEL STATION, page A2
Dublin to host USAFL championships By JENNIFER NOBLIT ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Dublin already has soccer, football and hockey, but national championships for a sport that contains elements of all will be held in the city in 2013. The Dublin Convention and Visitors Bureau announced last week that the 2013 U.S. Aus-
U.S. that were competing,” Worthington resident and USAFL board member Chet Ridenour Australian-rules football is a combination of “soccer, footsaid in the announcement durball, rugby (and) ultimate Frisbee,” USAFL board member ing the July 6 city council meetChet Ridenour said. ing. The 2013 national champitralian Football League’s na- “49th Parallel Cup,” another onships will bring people from tional championship would be event from the USAFL. across the country, as well as held in the fall at Darree Fields. “Dublin was chosen from nuThe city also landed the 2012 merous other sites across the See USAFL, page A5
A closer look