December 16, 2010
Village cuts costs in 2011 budget By LORI WINCE ThisWeek Community Newspapers New Albany Village Council on Dec. 7 approved a $36,353,878 budget for 2011 after village staff members made more cuts from the November draft budget, including two positions. “We reduced the general-fund budget by $90,000 to address some concerns I have about the 2012 budget,” village administrator Joseph Stefanov told council.
The $90,000 will be saved by not hiring a human resources director and an employee for the finance department. The village did not expect to fill those two positions until the middle of 2011, but in looking at the 2012 b udget, Stefanov said, he was concerned there might be issues about funding the positions. “We could always put them back in,” he said. Council member Colleen Briscoe,who questioned some of the budget cuts when reviewing the draft in November, said
she met with village staff members and is convinced they can work with the lower numbers in the general fund. “I’m convinced that they gave it a lot of thought, and they cut everything that wasn’t necessary, things they can live without for awhile,” she said. Mayor Nancy Ferguson asked staff members for the 2011 carryover balance. A carryover balance is the excess revenue and unencumbered funds remaining in the general fund after all expenses are covered at the end of a fiscal year.
The balance is then transferred to the next budget period to help cover expenses. Finance director James Nicholson said the carryover balance would be an estimated $3.9-million, or 36.3 percent of the general fund budget. He said that is consistent with the village’s carryover goals. Stefanov told council Nov. 10 if the village cuts expenses and increases revenues even slightly, it could begin restoring the carryover balance in the general fund by 2014. The village was able to in-
crease its carryover balance when revenues exceeded expenditures in 2008. Since then, officials have had to dip into the carryover to balance the budget. The general fund was anticipated to earn $9,867,771 in revenue in 2010 with expenditures estimated at $12,324,697. The estimated general-fund revenue for 2011 is anticipated to be $10,500,734, with e xpenditures estimated at $10,822,387. See BUDGET, page A7
Reimer lauded for work in interim capacity
PROFESSIONAL PERSPECTIVE
By LORI WINCE ThisWeek Community Newspapers
By Lorrie Cecil/ThisWeek
Illustrator David Diaz gives New Albany eighth-grader Maddi Depinet advice on her illustration for her poem. The students were creating poetry anthologies inspired by Diaz, whose visit was sponsored through the New Albany Community Foundation with support from Lance and Carolyn White, the New Albany Women’s Network and each school’s PTO. See story, page A6.
Three Amigos
Council challenges restaurant’s liquor permit By LORI WINCE ThisWeek Community Newspapers New Albany Village Council voted Dec. 7 to contest the liquor license for Three Amigos restaurant at 9765 Johnstown Road. The restaurant, operating as Don Patron Mexican Restaurant, was shut down in June after an undercover New Albany police officer set up a drug deal through the assistant manager. Several restaurant employees were arrested, and some were identified as potential illegal immigrants and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Owner Martin Garcia reopened the restaurant in August as Three Amigos, but it soon caught the attention of local law-enforcement officials again. “Ten days after they opened (using a new approach), there was another problem,” Police Chief Mark Chaney told village council.
ing at the restaurant. Local police turned the employee over to ICE. A closer look During the Dec. 7 meeting, council voted unanimously to challenge renewal of a liquor permit and After the former Don Patron Mexican Restaurequest a hearing before the Ohio Division of Liquor rant reopened as Three Amigos, the owner Control. assured the police department it would no Council member Sloan Spaulding asked if Garcia longer have any violations, Police Chief Mark had been notified of the legislation. Chaney said the Chaney said. But 10 days later, an automobile department has not contacted Garcia. accident in the parking lot involved a potenSpaulding said if the liquor permit is suspended or tial illegal immigrant working at the restaurevoked, the property could be hard to sell if the restaurant. Local police turned the employee over to rant was forced to close. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Council member Colleen Briscoe said council could withdraw the hearing request and its objection to the Chaney first approached council about contest- liquor permit renewal if council members decide later ing the permit in November. it is not appropriate. Village attorney Mitch Banchefsky said the village After the restaurant reopened,Garcia assured the police department it would no longer have any vi- can request a license revocation, but the Ohio Liquor olations, he said. But an automobile accident in the parking lot involved a potential illegal immigrant workSee COUNCIL, page A5
The New Albany-Plain Local school board thanked Bill Reimer Dec. 13 for his service as interim superintendent. Board president Mark Ryan said one of the best compliments a school board can give is, “You helped us move along.” Reimer is a contractor with the Educational Service Center of Central Ohio and has been interim superintendent since Steve Castle resigned in June. His contract, which paid him $705 per day, ends Dec. 31. New superintendent April Domine, who was hired in November, will begin her new job Jan. 1. “You are ready to be led by a new superintendent who will take you to the next level,” Reimer said. To thank him for his service,the board asked Reimer to choose five books that will be donated to each of the five school buildings. Each book will contain a sticker signifying it was donated by Reimer. “I hate to say thank you and then give you an assignment,” Ryan joked. Reimer said the schools are “in a good place right now” as he thanking the board for the assignment. “I thank you for allowing me to have a little bit of time with you,” he said. Under Reimer’s watch, the district completed its campus master plan,which addresses overcrowding and the future need for more facilities, and the new strategic plan, which includes several goals and initiatives to improve the district. Reimer worked with administrators to determine seven initiatives taken from the strategic plan that should be accomplished by the end of the school year. Two of the initiatives require several staff members to complete. They are: to “leverage the professional learning community to improve student learning” and to “benchmark educational excellence,” according to the plan. See REIMER, page A2
Hampsted residents complain about neighboring Chabad center By LORI WINCE ThisWeek Community Newspapers Karen Irvine and her neighbors in Hampsted Village asked New Albany Village Council Dec. 7 why water is standing in a culvert near the new Lori Schottenstein Chabad Center for a Je wish Tomorrow on DublinGranville Road. They also contended landscaping they say was promised to screen their homes from the facility has not been put in place.
“In 2007, the construction project received what the residents thought was final approval,” Irvine told council. “We were disappointed that many of the modifications we had requested were not included in the approved plans. More importantly, we did not realize that the approved plans could be changed.” Irvine said the plans included a detention pond to retain stormwater runoff, but the pond was not built. Mounds supposed to be used in the landscaping to shield residents from
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parking lot noise are absent and many of the trees were planted in the wrong place and may not survi ve being moved, she said. Neighbors also hear the garbage being collected from the Chabad center at 4 a.m., a violation of the village’s noise ordinance that doesn’t allow trash pickup before 7:30 a.m., Irvine said. Irvine went through the issues she and her neighbors ha ve with the Chabad center before requesting the village provide the following:
• An explanation of why the detention pond was not included and why there is standing water in a culvert on the property. • A commitment that garbage will not be collected before 7:30 a.m. • A commitment that all trees planted will be staked properly and any trees that die because of being replanted are replaced. Village officials agreed to respond to Irvine in writing.
“
In 2007, the construction project received what the residents thought was final approval. ... We did not realize that the approved plans could be changed.
KAREN IRVINE Hampsted V illage resident
See CHABAD CENTER, page A2
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