July 31, 2011
City sewer rates going up, water down By BRITANY BYERS ThisWeek Community Newspapers
City residents will pay more for sewer service but less for water under the terms of legislation approved July 28 by Marysville City Council. The rate adjustments will take effect on Jan. 1, 2012. Residents will see a 10-percent increase
in sewer rates (an increase of $3.73 per 600 cubic feet), and a 7.5-percent decrease in monthly water rates (a decrease of $3.54 per 600 cubic feet). Based on the average monthly water and sewer bills in Marysville, the change will result in an average monthly increase of 19 cents in 2012, according to the city’s figures. “With your sewer rates going up ap-
proximately 10 percent, your water rates are being reduced very close to that amount to really minimize the impact on our residents,” city administrator Terry Emery said. The new plan is aimed at aggressively paying down some of the city’s debt and lessening the impact of water and sewer rate increases on consumers, in anticipation of continued growth in the com-
ing decade. The city was required to raise the sewer rate by 10 percent in order to meet its debt covenant, said Jenny Chavarria, the city’s finance director. The new sewer rate is part of Marysville’s five-year plan. “We were trying to offset it (increase in sewer rates) as much as we could so there is minimal impact,” Chavarria said. The new rates will shift a higher end
balance in the city’s water funds, rather than sewer, as of Dec. 31, 2011. With a beginning balance of $4.64 million (sewer funds) and $15.19 million (water funds), revenues are projected at $37.20 million (sewer) and $9.23 million (water). Expenditures are projected at $40.18 million (sewer) and $10.72 million (water), leaving an end balance of $1.67 million (sewer) and $13.70 million (water).
End of an era
HANGING ON TIGHT
Zimmerman steps down as superintendent By BRITANY BYERS ThisWeek Community Newspapers
By Chris Parker/ThisWeek
Chance Riley holds on during the bull riding competition at the Union County Fair on July 28. The 165th fair was held July 24 30. For more photos from the fair, see page A3.
Writers’ anthology to aid Humane Society By BRITANY BYERS ThisWeek Community Newspapers
A Marysville-based writers group, Fiction Flurry, has published an anthology of short stories entitled “Tales of Summer Romance.” The collection features seven stories ranging from historical to contemporary romance genres from local authors Michele Buchholz, Rachel Dilley, Michele Downey, Colleen Scott and Beth Zellner, all of Marysville; Susan Gee Heino of Richwood; and Erin Millar of Columbus. Although she was an English major in college, Dilley never had done any creative writing for herself. She said she decided to reach out locally to anyone interested in starting a writers group and in January 2009, the writ-
ers had their first meeting. They have met biweekly ever since to assist each other with various writing projects; currently, Fiction Flurry has eight regular members. “All of us write in different genres,” Dilley said. “We have some people who write literary fiction, others write romance, some of us write contemporary. “There are some writers groups who focus on one particular genre, however, since we don’t, we liked the name Fiction Flurry because it’s just a whole bunch of different genres all mixed up,” she said. The frustrating process of getting a book published led the group to experiment with writing an e-book, Dilley said. “There are some of us who are published, some of us who are not,” she said. “We thought
Air Force One, WWII bomber
Local detailer chosen to help refurbish planes By BRITANY BYERS
it would be a fun, collective project to work on; to put together a collection of short stories and publish it as an e-book.” The writers began drafting stories in May, critiqued each other’s work and had a couple of rounds of revisions before going about the e-publishing process in late June, Dilley said. “Tales of Summer Romance” became available online on June 27, and recently increased its distribution to mainstream online booksellers. “It’s exciting to see your name in print and see it available on all the major booksellers’ websites,” Dilley said. “We’re very hopeful and excited about the future of the book.” Fiction Flurry will donate half the proceeds See ANTHOLOGY, page A5
Superintendent Larry Zimmerman is stepping down after 40 years in the Marysville Exempted Village School District. Zimmerman, who said he is proud to be a Monarch, announced his resignation at the July 25 board of education meeting. The board accepted his resignation, effective Feb. 3, 2012, five months before his five-year contract was set to expire. “I need to decide what to do when I grow up,” Zimmerman said. He said his family played a large role in helping him make his decision to leave. His wife, Brenda, is a retired Marysville elementary school teacher and the youngest of his three sons just graduated from high school in June. In addition, he said the looming financial crisis due to state budget cuts signaled that a change in leadership might do the district some good. “From a family standpoint … it’s time,” Zimmerman said. As a Little League baseball coach right out of high school, Zimmerman said he knew he wanted to be an educator. “I love the kids. That’s the reason I got into this business,” he said. Zimmerman began his 40-year career in the district in 1972 as a middle school social studies teacher. “I love middle school kids,” he said. “They’re just goofy and fun, high-energy and honest.” During his time in the district,
Classic cars, motorcycles set to cruise in By BRITANY BYERS ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Air Missions) 970 — and a known as T-Square 54, both of which are on exhibit at the Museum of Flight at Boeing Field in Seattle. Renny Doyle, owner of Attention to Details, a master-level detailing training facility in California, assembled the team of experts, selecting the best 30 detailers out of more than 250 of his graduates worldwide. Williams is no stranger to the prestigious Air Force One projSee PLANES, page A2
See ZIMMERMAN, page A5
Plain City
ThisWeek Community Newspapers World War II B-29 bomber
Matt Williams, owner of Silver Lining Detail LLC in Marysville, was given the opportunity to polish history —for a second time — when he was hand-picked to join a team of 30 detailers from around the country. Williams arrived in Seattle on July 25 for a weeklong restoration project to polish two historic paragons in U.S. aviation history: the first presidential jet plane — Air Force One SAM (Special
Zimmerman held stints as a guidance counselor, football, track and basketball coach, became an administrator in Larry 1977 and the Zimmerman district’s superintendent in 1997. “Early in my career, I thought I wanted to be a superintendent and then the longer I was in my career, I thought maybe being an assistant superintendent is more my calling. But they (the board) talked me into it and it’s been a good 15 years,” he said. When he began his tenure as superintendent, Zimmerman said he had to learn the business side of the district, but never forgot the education side. “If you ever lose sight of that, you’ve lost sight of the real purpose of being in this business,” he said. Although Zimmerman had multiple opportunities to leave the district, he said he never wanted to leave “home.” “At the end of the day … it always came down to, ‘Where do you want your family to be?’” he said. “Marysville was always incredibly welcoming and a good place for me and my family.” As for his legacy, Zimmerman said he always worked to do what is best for the students and the district. “My beliefs are that you have to be a good listener and you have to treat people well,” he said. “I
Classic cars rolled down the street at last year’s Plain City Classic Car Cruise-In. This year’s event is planned for Aug. 6 and will feature collector cars, trucks and motorcycles. Last year, more than 250 vehicles were featured in the event.
You have a hole in your house.
The ninth annual Plain City Classic Car Cruise-In on Aug. 6 will feature collector cars, trucks and motorcycles from around the Midwest. The Cruise-In, which will run from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., will take visitors down memory lane, with a display of automobiles ranging from the 1920s to present day. Julie Weaver, Uptown Plain City Organization’s promotions committee chair, said the Classic Car Cruise-In has continued to grow from the 50 registered automobiles in its first year to last year’s 251, which attracted an estimated crowd
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See CRUISE, page A5