July 14, 2011
Council renews Town Center program By SARAH SOLE ThisWeek Community Newspapers Grove City Council on July 5 unanimously voted to appropriate $100,000 from the general fund for the Town Center Commercial Revitalization Grant program. The program, a 50-percent match, offers grants of as much as $10,000 each to refurbish properties in the downtown historic preservation area. “I think it’s an indication of the in-
vestment people are putting in the town center,” development director Chuck Boso told council. Mayor Richard “Ike” Stage said the program has worked “very, very well.” The program started out with $50,000 appropriated for 2011, Boso said. To date, $21,233 in grants has been awarded this year. Five more businesses applied, for a total request of $32,422. The city couldn’t have awarded those five grants without being short $3,655. Taking into account several other busi-
nesses that also are considering applications, the program would’ve been short $58,655, Boso said. In 2010, the first year the city started offering grants of up to $10,000 each, the city awarded $127,382 to about 20 different businesses. In 2009, it awarded $10,700 in grants of up to $1,000 each. “The program strives to keep and encourage redevelopment for the downtown area,” Boso said. Also at the meeting, council approved a $40,000 annual salary for a new infor-
mation systems position and renewed its agreement with the Franklin County commissioners for participation in the Ohio Department of Housing and Urban Development Entitlement Program. The agreement is from April 1, 2012, through March 31, 2015. Stage told The Record the increase in the grant amount from $1,000 to $10,000 “absolutely” paid off. Though the city can’t sustain that amount, “for the short term, it’s the absolute right thing to do,” he said.
Stage predicted the city will continue offering $10,000 grants within the program for the next two to four years. The city also is looking for other sources of money for the program. Council also approved: • Budget estimates for fiscal year 2012. Finance director Mike Turner told council many funding sources are providing less money. Money from the state Local GovernSee COUNCIL, page A2
Beer OK’d for city softball tourney By SARAH SOLE and LISA AURAND ThisWeek Community Newspapers In a 4-1 vote July 5, Grove City Council approved beer sales for Fryer Park during the annual Grove City Homecoming Alumni Softball Tournament, July 30-31. Despite a melee during the tournament last year, the Grove City Titans Youth Baseball Organization will be allowed to sell beer at the event from 11 a.m. to the end of the last game each evening, but no later than 10 p.m. The Sertoma Club, which sold beer at the tournament last year, chose not to sell it this year. Two additional special-duty police officers will be at this year’s event. The city is requiring the Grove City Titans to provide liability insurance and liquor-liability insurance. Under both policies, the city would have to be named as additionally insured for $1 million, said councilman Steven Bennett. Councilman Gregory Grinch voted against the beer sales. Grove City High School’s class of 2003 and class of 2007 teams also will be watched closely at this year’s event, officials said. Both teams, which were involved in the fight at last year’s tournament, are on probation for two years, tournament organizer Steve Carr said over the weekend. City police said last year’s fight broke out on a field at Fryer Park as the winning men’s class of 2007 team walked onto the field to shake hands with the class of 2003. Police said the incident started with three men and escalated to include about 70 people. The three men had been drinking throughout the day, police said. Mayor Richard “Ike” Stage said continuing to permit alcohol sales means close monitoring. City administrator Phil Honsey told the council, “We think it can exist peacefully and properly.” Police Chief Steve Robinette said security will be increased at this year’s event.
Eric George/ThisWeek
Darlene Lewis (right) laughs while George Crapser weighs green tomatoes from Circle S Farms at the Grove City Farmers Market on July 9.
Farmers market season under way By SARAH SOLE ThisWeek Community Newspapers Grove City’s summer farmers market season is under way. Chris Thompson, director of chamber relations at the Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce, said he’s expecting about 50 farmers per week to participate, a slight increase from last year. The first market of the year was held July 9. The market will run between 8 a.m. and noon every Saturday along Broadway and Park streets, concluding on Sept.10. “We have quite a variety this year,” he said. The market features fruits and vegetables, including sweet corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, blueberries, strawberries and peaches. Beef, bison, salsa, jellies and baked
A closer look The chamber’s three-on-three basketball tournament will begin at 8 a.m. and concluding sometime around 3 p.m. on July 16. The parking lot at City Hall, 4035 Broadway and Park Street east of Broadway will be blocked off and about a dozen hoops will be set up for the event.
goods also are offered. Telhio Credit Union is sponsoring this year’s farmers markets. Also planned are various events running in conjunction with the market. On July 16, the chamber will host a three-on-three basketball tournament, beginning at 8 a.m. and concluding sometime around 3 p.m. The parking lot at City Hall, 4035 Broadway and Park Street east of
Broadway will be blocked off and about a dozen hoops will be set up for the event. The youth tournament is for individuals aged 8-17. At noon is scheduled a businessman’s free-throw contest benefiting the Red Cross. About two dozen businesses are participating in the free-throw contest, Thompson said. Those interested in either event
can contact the chamber at (614) 875-9762 or register at the chamber office at 4069 Broadway. The winner of the free-throw contest will get $100 and will be on the front page of the Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce Business Monthly insert in The Record. A free Family Fun Day will be held from 8 a.m. to noon on July 30 in the parking lot behind City Hall, 4035 Broadway. Thompson said 27 businesses will provide activities for children, including a mini golf course, basketball hoops and face painters. Thompson said all farmers participating in the market are from the Grove City and Columbus areas. “The whole point is to get everyone in the town center to stimulate business and to support our local farmers,” he said.
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Business survey
Newsletter to address communication concerns By SARAH SOLE ThisWeek Community Newspapers To address communication concerns of local businesses, Grove City will develop an e-business newsletter. That plan is based on information collected by Grove City’s first business survey. The city paid Columbus-based research company Saperstein Associates $29,000 to develop and administer the survey. Owner Marty Saperstein presented the findings to city council on July 5. The city identified about 1,033 businesses with Grove City addresses. Of that number, 477 businesses, or about
A closer look Only 35 percent of businesses strongly agreed the city does a good job of communicating with local businesses. That same number strongly agreed the city is responsive to the needs of local businesses.
46 percent, responded to the survey. The city now has 765 business email addresses, which it will use to develop an e-business newsletter. The city plans to send the first edition in August, com-
munity and business relations officer Don Walters said. It will be delivered at least every three months, but could be sent “as often as needed,” he said. Only 35 percent of businesses strongly agreed the city does a good job of communicating with local businesses. That same number strongly agreed the city is responsive to the needs of local businesses. The survey found most Grove City businesses are small. Seven out of 10 companies said they had 10 or fewer employees, and the median number of total employees is five. The median number of permanent fulltime employees was three.
Forty-five percent of businesses rated Grove City as an “excellent” business location, while another 45 percent rated it as “good.” Attracting customers and traffic and parking were the top challenges businesses said they faced in doing business in Grove City. Ten percent of businesses were dissatisfied with sign limitations. Walters said the city places size and graphics limitations on business signs. The city will initiate a review team to address signs, headed by the Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce. The team will include seven business owners, city building department head Mike Boso and city development director
Chuck Boso. The team’s first meeting will be in August. Since this is the city’s first business survey, “We wanted to address the concerns and the challenges,” Walters said. Also as a result of the survey, city officials plan to make visits to local businesses. The city has held at irregular intervals business breakfasts, usually at City Hall or a business location. Two or three businesses usually attend, with two or three representatives from each business. City officials said they might hold the breakfasts more frequently. Mayor Richard “Ike” Stage said the survey was very beneficial. He said the city probably will conduct more.