July 17, 2011
Tabled vote cut into district’s savings By BRITANY BYERS ThisWeek Community Newspapers
A divided Marysville Board of Education voted 3-2 on July 8 to extend a contract with the Marysville Education Association through June 30, 2013. Within the terms of the contract, teachers will forgo a scheduled 1-percent pay
increase and keep their salary schedule the same as the 2010-11 school year. They will also forgo scheduled step increases for the school years of 2011-12 and 201213, saving the district an estimated $2.5 million. Because of the June 30 deadline to submit salary notices to the state, the board’s decision to table action on the MEA’s
offer at the June 27 meeting dropped the district’s total savings by $150,000 to $200,000, according to treasurer/CFO Cindy Ritter. The original proposal from the union called for freezing classified and administrator step increases and salary schedules for the 2011-12 and 2012-2013 school years. Since classified step increases went
into effect on June 30, the board modified the item and passed a salary freeze for classified and administrative staff for the 2011-12 school year with a 5-0 vote. “Once the step increases go into effect, we, by law, can’t really roll those back,” board president Jeff Mabee said. “Since the MEA is taking a 1-percent decrease, we can uniformly apply that to our clas-
sified and administrator staff.” According to Ritter, the district will have to pay its classified and administrative staff the 1-percent increase for the eight days the new contract was in place prior to the board’s decision. “The people that work year around — See TABLED VOTE CUT, page A2
Honda to resume full production on Aug. 1
‘GREASE’ IS THE WORD
By BRITANY BYERS ThisWeek Community Newspapers
By Eric George/ThisWeek
Director Ashley Garrett, left, works with Allison Rogers, 18, and Erik Klaus, 16, during an Encore! rehearsal for their upcoming performance of “Grease” at the Union County Veterans Memorial Auditorium. See story, page A3.
Union County Fair begins July 24 By BRITANY BYERS ThisWeek Community Newspapers
This year’s Union County Fair will be one day shorter than previous years but will include just as many activities, marketing director Maggie Long said. The fair begins Sunday, July 24, and will continue at the county fairgrounds in Marysville through Saturday, July 30. Admission is $6 for ages 6 and older, with free parking and access to grandstand activities. Long estimates this year’s attendance will be between 35,000 and 45,000 people. “It’s an event for the community,” she said. “It’s something that we put on to keep the people of Marysville engaged in what’s happening in the agricultural community.” Long encourages the community to come out and support local students in their livestock activities. “I think that it’s a great place for family fun,” she said. “There’s something for everyone in the family, with lots of different interests to do.” Sunday will consist mostly of
As of Monday, Aug. 1, Honda will resume full daily production at all of its Ohio plants, a key step in the company’s recovery from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan. “This is very good news,” media relations manager Ron Lietzke said. “It’s really been possible through the efforts of a lot of people of Honda, associates here in North America as well as back in Japan, to get the parts flow re-established for some of those critical parts that come from Japan. “It’s just been a really big effort to get the supply chain operating again,” he added. Lietzke said the company informed workers there will be some overtime scheduled to help replenish the inventory of vehicles at dealerships. “With the reduced production levels, the inventories have gone down as well,” he said. “We’ll be working as quickly as possible in our own plants but also with our suppliers to replenish the supply of vehicles as quickly as possible.” The Marysville auto plant, which manufactures the Honda Acura RDX, Accord Coupe, Accord Sedan and Acura TL Sedan, employs about 4,200 associates and has an annual production capacity of about 440,000 vehicles. “Honda has such a huge impact on our economy and has such a large workforce that comes from Union County,” Phillips said. “So it’s great news what’s happening with Honda and great news for our community,” Eric Phillips, Union County Chamber of Commerce CEO, said.
Former mayor appointed ODD director By BRITANY BYERS ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Many attendees enjoy the midway at the 2010 Union County Fair.
weighing animals and getting set up, but will also feature harness racing at the grandstand at 1 p.m. The fair will be in full swing July 25, with that Monday designated as Veterans Day. Military veterans will
receive free fair admission. The fair parade will step off at 5 p.m. and there will be harness racing at the grandstand at the same time. Amusement rides will open at 5:30 p.m. The evening will conclude with a per-
formance by ventriloquist David Crane at 7:30 p.m. in the grandstand followed by a fireworks and laser light show at dusk. See COUNTY FAIR, page A2
Union County Junior Fair schedule of events SUNDAY, JULY 24 • 9 a.m.: Junior Fair horse opening ceremonies (horse arena) • 11 a.m.: Horse production show (horse arena) • Noon: Horse judging (horse arena) • 1 p.m.: Harness racing (grandstand), special interest judging (armory) • 2 p.m.: Horse (English) show, weigh-in: sheep and goats. • 6 p.m.: Weigh-in: swine, rabbits and poultry, horses must be on the fairgrounds, 4-H club displays must be set up (Ag-Ed building)
and -born class (show arena). • 9 a.m.: Horse (western) show (horse arena), open class judging; department A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H (merchant building 2). • 10 a.m.: Weigh-in: market beef and dairy feeders • Noon: Lamb cook-off (show arena). • 1 p.m.: Poultry show (poultry/rabbit area). • 2:30 p.m.: Guys & Gals lead (show arena). • 5 p.m.: Sheep show, showmanship and market lambs (show arena), harness racing (grandstand).
and -born class (show arena). • 9 a.m.: Horse draft/driving show (horse arena), beef skill-athon, juniors and intermediates (armory). • 9:45 a.m.: Beef skillathon, seniors (armory). • 10:30 a.m.: Dairy skillathon (armory) • 11:30 a.m.: Goat skillathon (armory) • 3 p.m.: Horse ride and drive versatility (horse arena), royalty crowning and 4-H style review (pavilion). • 4 p.m.: Special interest project awards (pavilion) • 6 p.m.: Horse performance show (horse arena), swine market show (show arena).
TUESDAY, JULY 26 • 8 a.m.: Rabbit show (poultry/rabbit area). MONDAY, JULY 25 • 8:30 a.m.: Sheep breeding show; county-bred • 8:30 a.m.: Swine showmanship, county-bred See UNION COUNTY JUNIOR FAIR, page A2
Ohio Gov. John Kasich has named former Marysville Mayor Christiane Schmenk, general counsel of the Ohio Department of Development (ODD), to be the department’s new director. Schmenk will lead efforts to reorganize the department as the Christiane state’s economic development Schmenk makes the transition to the new nonprofit private corporation, JobsOhio. Schmenk’s appointment is effective Aug. 1. She replaces James Leftwich, who will return to the private sector. “I’m grateful to Jim for coming to Ohio’s aid when we needed him and for helping shepherd the department at a critical time,” Kasich said. “Chris now takes the baton and will help prepare the department for its next phase. “I’m confident in her ability to help support the department’s staff during a time of change and prepare the department for its new role in service to Ohio and its economy.” The legislation creating JobsOhio requires the administration to issue a proposal by mid-August that outlines the future organization of the department. Schmenk will oversee the drafting of that proposal and play a leadership role in its implementation going forward. “One thing I have learned since I came on board here … is it is an organization that handles economic development and community development See SCHMENK, page A2