August 11, 2011
Mayor: City may not fill development post By DAVID S. OWEN ThisWeek Community Newspapers With the city facing possible budget cuts, Reynoldsburg Mayor Brad McCloud said last week he is not sure how or when the city’s vacant development director position will be filled. Former development director Lucas Haire left the city to become development director for Canal Winchester on Aug. 1. McCloud he won’t post the job vacancy any time soon.
“We’ve got so many variables facing the city I’m just going to have to play this by ear and see how things evolve,” McCloud said. “It will not be a fast process whatever I do. It will be a slow and deliberate process … I’ve got some exploring to do … but for now, we’ll have to continue to do more with less.” In the meantime, he said planning administrator Matt Hansen will take over some of Haire’s responsibilities until a decision is made on whether to hire a new development director.
Haire will be a tough act to follow, McCloud said. His resignation is another loss of a key member of his administration in less than eight months. In January, former safety service director Pam Boratyn left her post to become general counsel with the new Ohio Attorney General’s Office. Also in January, state treasurer Josh Mandel hired Reynoldsburg’s former human resources director, Megan Kish, to be human resources director with his office. “I wish Luke the best,” McCloud
said. “People need to do what is best for them, but he’ll be a tough act to follow. Luke just always stood head and shoulders above the rest.” Haire’s accomplishments as Reynoldsburg’s development director were “varied and impressive,” McCloud said. The list includes his involvement in the Brice Road Task Force, an effort designed to spruce up and bring business into the area near the Brice-Livinston intersection, McCloud said. “He also helped initiate the income
tax incentives that we’ve used to help business come to Reynoldsburg, as well as the Olde Reynoldsburg Strategic Plan,” he said. The strategic plan aims to make Olde Reynoldsburg a successful business destination by creating land-use and development recommendations and to create a sense of place and a brand for the area. Another key accomplishment under See DEVELOPMENT POST, page A2
Tomato Festival
Volunteers needed, Raider Roll canceled By DAVID S. OWEN, ThisWeek Community Newspapers With the opening of the 47th annual Reynoldsburg Tomato Festival about a week away, organizers say they still need volunteers. Mary Hudson, president of Reynoldsburg Tomato Festivals Inc. said plans this year they are to direct traffic to the East Livingston Avenue entrance to Huber Park in order to avoid congestion at the East Main Street entrance, especially on Friday night during rush hour. Hudson said parking and admission to the Aug. 19-20 festival is free. The Reynoldsburg Band Boosters will again be assisting with directing traffic into the park, but volunteers are still needed to help with parking, children’s games, at the gate and working the soft drink and water stations, she said. The only street that will be closed to traffic will be Davidson Drive between East Main and Haft Drive on Saturday because of the “cruisein” event, which usually attracts about 100 classic and vintage customized cars. Hudson said the Raider Roll In-line Half Marathon a part of the Mount Carmel Fitness Challenge, has been canceled this year. “We only had 14 registered and we said if we didn’t get 25, it doesn’t warrant what it costs for police officers and everything else to protect the course for 14 skaters,” Hudson said. However, she said the Fitness Challenge will still include the Crossroads Town 10K Walk/Run and the Tomato Town 5K Walk/Run, beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 20, in front of the municipal building. Hudson said normally, the 10K and the 5K runs attract about 150 people each. “But we still need volunteers, and we need queen candidates, little princes candidates, and we still need people to sign up for Reynoldsburg’s Got Talent, all online,” she said. Reynoldsburg’s Got Talent will begin at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 20, on the main stage. Hudson said nominees for the queen’s pageant must be 16 years old by Aug. 19, a high school junior or senior in the 2011-2012 school year and must reside with a parent or guardian in the Reynoldsburg school district.
Photos by Chris Parker/ThisWeek
(Above) Richard Barth sits atop the BF Avery tractor from his boyhood farm in Newport, Ohio, that he restored at his home in Reynoldsburg. (Below) Barth adjusts the grain mill he has refurbished. The 78-year-old, who has lived in Reynoldsburg since 1965, has a keen interest in historic preservation.
‘Jack of all trades’ enjoys preserving history By DAVID S. OWEN ThisWeek Community Newspapers Reynoldsburg resident Richard Barth has made it his business for the past several years to preserve history, not only for himself, but for others. Barth, 78, moved to Reynoldsburg in 1965. He has been a charter member of the Reynoldsburg Tomato Festival for some 20 years, serves as a trustee for the Reynoldsburg-Truro Historical Society and has worked on its Heritage Center to help keep up the landscaping, remodel the interior and perform various maintenance chores. He also was heavily involved in the 2008 construction of the Heritage Center’s barn, which is used for storage and to display historical artifacts that represent the history of the city and township. Resident Philip Vaughn, owner of Vaughn Graphics, calls Barth “a man of many, many talents.” See JACK OF ALL TRADES, page A2
See TOMATO FESTIVAL, page A2
Reynoldsburg Helping Hands food pantry in need of donations By DAVID S. OWEN ThisWeek Community Newspapers An effort to offer more help to needy residents has left the Reynoldsburg Helping Hands food pantry shelves nearly bare at one of its busiest times. “With the downturn of the economy in recent months, we decided in February to feed our clients more often,” Helping Hands chairperson Janet Munjas said. “While we feel this was necessary, it has taken its toll on our food supply and our shelves of food are very low and we are buying more food than ever before.” Munjas said some of the items the
pantry desperately needs include cereal, spaghetti sauce, spaghetti noodles, How to donate canned fruit, corn, mixed vegetables, peas, baked beans, canned pasta and Helping Hands chairperson Janet chili, tuna and personal Items such as Munjas said people can drop off soap, toothpaste, shampoo, conditiondonations between 10 a.m. and er and deodorant. 11:30 a.m. Monday, Wednesday, “We’re feeding people more often, Friday and Saturday at 7356 E. every three months instead of every six Main St. Information on how to months … and we give more than probdonate is available by calling the ably any other pantry in central Ohio pantry at (614) 868-9394. now,” Munjas said. Helping Hands is open between 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. on Monday, WednesMunjas said records are kept of clients day, Friday and Saturday, and serves who that come in to receive help, but only people living in the Reynoldsburg since the demand has increased, the pantry school district. is running out of food more rapidly.
“We’ve never been this low on food,” she said. “Part of the reason is we had no carryover after the donations during last Christmas. We had not much in storage,” Munjas said. “We hoped to have enough in storage to carry us through the summer, but now, instead of shopping for food every three or so weeks, we now do it every week,” she said. Munjas said Reynoldsburg Helping Hands started seeing an increase in requests for aid a couple of years ago. In January 2009, the pantry served 42 families. In January 2010, that increased to about 58 families, and in January this year, Helping Hands aided 99 families.
In addition to providing food, the pantry also helps families pay their utility bills, and in the fall, provides needy children with school supplies. “We do kind of like a basic package of school supplies,” Munjas said. “You just can’t believe how excited the parents are to get that because otherwise, they have to go and pay a lot of money.” She said the pantry sends out letters to prospective donors in September. In addition for the need for food, the pantry can always use monetary contributions, she said. From October until the end of DeSee FOOD PANTRY, page A8