Local Archive March 2002
Reinvestment
district is discussed
County decides on renovation bid
Price of plots draws
debate at Jerome Twp. meeting
Fire
Damages U.S. 36
NU board approves use of
high school for program
Fairbanks learns about
Senate Bill 1
Marysville
High School students enlist together
Memorial Hospital turns
50
Local schools close in
on plan for redistricting
Meeting skipped by Jerome
Trustees
Parsons resigns from
Marysville Council
Mayor outlines five-year
plan
Accident is blessing
in disguise for area man
Memories of medicine
Kay Griffith honored for
work worth 4-H clubs
Deputy hit by semi
A teaspoon of arsenic and
just a pinch of cyanide
Administrators reflect on MHUC
Judge gives Kerns a break
Richwood council hears
of EPA concerns over backflow
Thousands of bicyclists to
stop in Marysville
Milford Center
council handles routine business
Strong winds cause
damage in county
Trails remain closed
New city hall plans detailed
Council
discusses tax forms
Reinvestment
district is discussed
By RYAN HORNS
Marysville City Council was full of debate over zoning and community
redevelopment issues Thursday night.
The first public hearing was held on the Community Reinvestment Area,
proposed by economic development director Eric Phillips, was held,
followed by a long discussion. The plan proposes to energize new
construction and general beautification in the core area of Marysville's
historic district. It allows tax abatements in certain areas for taxes
assessed by the Union County Auditor.
Phillips showed a slide presentation explaining how a Marysville CRA has
actually been in use since 1984. The original CRA was extended for
another five years in 1991 and another five years in 1996 before it was
ended in 2001.
"I ask that you renew this," Phillips said, "It would be
a great tool
for redevelopment."
In his presentation he mentioned four abandoned houses in Marysville.
There are also four substandard and nine fair houses in the uptown area
and 39 substandard and 14 fair in the newly-proposed CRA jurisdiction.
Marysville currently has a 6.9 percent vacancy rate, he said.
Because the city is comprised of 34.5 percent renters and 64.5 percent
home owners, the CRA hopes to encourage home ownership.
The new terms of the CRA expand the area, change the terms of
abatements, provide more criteria for the housing officer to approve
abatements, reduce the time during which a person can apply and reduce
the time for review. It also provides the opportunity for city council
to review the option to extend or stop the CRA on every even-numbered
year, instead of on the five-year basis.
In detail, Phillips explained, the breakdown for commercial development
requires a minimal investment of $15,000, which leads to $861 in annual
taxes. After the proposed 75 percent abatement, residents would have to
pay only $215 of that.
There was some speculation that the $7,500 minimum investment for
residential, the $15,000 for commercial and the $500,000 for industrial
were too high and would discourage the point of the CRA.
Meg Michel, a resident of Linden Street, told council that in her 20
years of real estate experience she feels the biggest thing the city can
do is improve streets and sidewalks. She questioned the size and the
necessity of the plan.
City administrator Bob Schaumleffel said it is the responsibility of the
homeowners to keep up with their sidewalks, some of which, he said, have
been untouched for 50 years.
He said the terms are a way of showing people the city would like
significant improvements and he considers the CRA a great tool to work
with a future property maintenance ordinance.
To close the discussion, council president John Gore reminded everyone
the CRA has been in existence since 1984 and the whole idea is whether
to keep it going or not.
One ordinance which caused a great deal of debate was the second reading
to rezone 0.579 acres from R4 zoning to B1 zoning in the Green Pastures
area on Emmaus Road. The switch will make a non-commercial section match
the overall commercial designation of the majority of the lot.
Numerous residents who live near the proposed area came to voice their
displeasure of the action.
James Loftus, 210 Emmaus Road, told council the neighborhood is aware of
the zoning situation and their main concern is the instability of the
business application.
Sargent Chamberlain of 200 Emmaus Road and Bill Marsh of 230 Emmaus Road
added their concerns as well.
Loftus said the possible increase of traffic in an already overflowing
area and the threat of an unknown business going in other than the
insurance company could depreciate properties residents have invested
almost $250,000 in.
"(The ordinance) does not represent more than 10 homes which might
be
affected . until we know for sure who is going in," Loftus said.
An unnamed insurance company has expressed the desire to build on the
site, however, they can't sign the deal until the area is rezoned to
include commercial property.
The property is under Heart of Ohio Title Company in name only, as it is
being handled by Connolly Construction Company.
Owner Phil Connolly wished to clear everything up and told the room,
"What we have here is a catch-22." He said it was a comedy of
errors.
"It is not our intent to do anything but something nice
there," he said.
"I don't like the feeling we're trying to cram something down
somebody's
throat."
He said the purpose of rezoning the section was to ensure a larger lot
for the insurance building in order to make the proposed building and
grounds even more aesthetically pleasing.
Attorney John Eufinger, who has been working with Connolly on Green
Pastures since its inception, added, "(Connolly) has had the
foresight
to make Green Pastures what it is."
He feels residents can trust Connolly's decision to provide a high
quality business buffer for a high quality area, because the man has
stuck to his plans since 1993, Eufinger said.
Gore summed up by saying, "It sounds to me like everyone here wants
the
same thing."
The ordinance will go up for its third reading and second public hearing
April 11 and residents of the area are asked to attend for clarification
on the issue.
Council member Nevin Taylor wished to clear up the intentions of the
first reading of an ordinance to amend chapter 373 which forbids
bicycles and motorcycles on the downtown sidewalks to include
skateboards, scooters, roller blades and roller skates.
"I'm not talking about banning skateboarding in the entire city of
Marysville," he clarified.
The main idea, he said, was to prevent a dangerous situation in a
specific area near the Elks Lodge where teenagers jump skateboards,
causing damage to vehicles and threaten injury to drivers and
pedestrians from unmanned skateboards flying around.
The specific location proposed, Taylor said, is between Fourth and Sixth
Streets and between Court and Plum Streets in the business district
only.
Council member Barbara Bushong said she had tried to get a similar
ordinance passed before but was made to feel like a "horrible
person."
"The kids don't do it maliciously," she said but expressed her
support
of the ordinance.
With mass melting of snow throughout the region, Marysville has been hit
pretty hard with minor flooding problems.
"It's an issue that needs to be dealt with . it's a long term
project in
the budget," Lowe said, adding there are currently 20 to 30 sites
all
over the city that need attention.
"What it is a shortage of funds," he explained.
Gore felt that something should be done.
"What project do I kill to pay for that project?" Lowe asked,
"I would
like to fix everything and pave the streets with gold."
Also mentioned was the beginning signs of a sink hole near the 200 block
of East Fourth Street.
Temporary repairs were placed in the budget when it was discovered last
year and the work will be done to include a ditch enclosure from Fourth
Street to Fifth Street, Lowe said.
"Right now it is dangerous," Bushong said.
Michel told council told after the city paved the alley behind her home,
rain water now runs into her yard. She said her house has sunk up to 1
1/2 inches in the center since then.
Lowe said it will be looked into.
In other business:
. RITA sessions are ongoing, Schaumleffel reported. One meeting had
three or four residents show up and the second meeting saw no visitors.
Meetings are scheduled for April 6 and 10.
. The Union County Foundation's Vision Intersection Safety Fund for
blind crossings has now reached $1,003.50 from local support. The Moose
Family Center has also reportedly donated a large sum of money recently
which will double the total.
. Council held the first reading of a resolution to authorize the mayor
to file an application and enter into an agreement with the Ohio
Department of Natural Resources for the purpose of acquiring funds
through the Division of Forestry's Urban Forestry Assistance Program,
was held.
"Basically that is to get trees the government has available,"
Lowe
said, adding that it was attempted last year as well.
. The first reading was held to increase the hourly rate for part-time
police dispatchers to $11.25 per hour. Shaumleffel said, "It is one
of
the toughest positions to fill. In the last six months three people have
quit."
The idea is to stop the revolving door, he said, and to get the pay
closer to full time status.
County decides on
renovation bid
By CINDY BRAKE
Union County's three commissioners struggled late Thursday afternoon
before awarding a $1.4 million bid to Gutknecht Construction of Columbus
for the Union County Government Building located on London Avenue.
The reason for the concern centered on two general contracting bids
opened March 7. Contractors were to submit a base bid as well as
estimates for three alternates.
The problem was that one local bidder appeared to have the low base bid,
but failed to have any cost listed for one of the alternate projects.
After the bids were opened that bidder said he was doing that alternate
at no additional cost.
Gutknecht offered a total bid of $1,501,400 which included a $1.4
million base bid, plus $55,000 for Alternate A1/skylights, $13,900 for
Alternate A2/lift for freight delivery and archive storage, and $12,500
for A3/ rear finish.
Williamson Builders of Plain City, on the other hand, had a total bid of
$1,431,696, but their bid form was blank for Alternate A3. The
Williamson bid broke out to be a base bid of $1.4 million, plus $40,861
for Alternate A1 and $14,294 for Alternate A2.
Gutknecht was considered the lowest responsive bid because it was
complete and had all items of the bid form completed and all required
documents attached within their bid, states a March 18 letter from
Meacham & Apel Architects to Union County Prosecuting Attorney
Alison
Boggs.
However, Carlton Williamson of Williamson Builders called the architects
March 18 to check on the status of the project and claimed that if the
county accepts all the alternates, they would be the apparent low
bidder. At that time - after the bids had been opened - Williamson said
that his company would perform Alternate A3 for no charge in cost.
In the end, though, the county did not accept all the alternates.
Reluctant to cut 27 holes into a new roof for skylights, the
commissioners discussed extensively the possibility of false skylights,
but ultimately after reviewing the architect's drawings decided to not
include any skylights in the project. The commissioners also agreed to
not accept Alternate A3 which would have finished the rear of the
building that will be used for long-term storage of county records.
Facilities manager Randy Riffle said his crews could do the work for
less money and the bid had failed to include cost for caging.
With those decisions made, the two bids between Gutknecht and Williamson
were relatively close.
The Gutknecht base bid plus Alternate A2 was $1,433,900. The Williamson
base bid plus Alternate A2 was $1,445,990. The county is required to
accept the best and lowest bids.
In the March 18 letter the architects note that Gutknecht is well
qualified.
They were the general contractors for the construction of the Dublin
Justice Center, the renovation of LakeShore Cryontronics into offices
for the city of Westerville Department of Development, West Side Fire
Station for the City of Delaware, Brown Township Fire Station and
various other projects that Meacham & Apel have designed.
Other bids accepted were from:
Muetzel Plumbing and Heating for plumbing, $144,700; Simplex/Grinnell
Fire Protection, $57,175; Romanoff Mechanical for HVAC, $598,000; Gaylor
Group for electric, $344,833.
All told, the county project is still a good deal.
Bids total $2,578,608 and are $1.2 million less than the architect had
originally estimated. Because this is a slow time of year for
construction bids, timing was the apparent reason for the surprisingly
low bids.
Future office occupants, however, didn't even wait for the commissioners
to accept bids before starting to submit change orders.
After accepting bids, the commissioners reviewed one bid to alter fire
protection, which is required by the building code, and several change
orders from the health department that included changing a wall.
Price of plots draws debate
at Jerome Twp. meeting
By CINDY BRAKE
Anyone looking for a deal on a cemetery plot might want to rush to
Jerome Township.
On March 4 two of the three trustees voted to increase the cemetery fees
dramatically and said the increase was effective immediately. Trustee
Freeman May, however, on the advice of clerk John Woerner, continued to
sell plots at the old rate. Seven of the 16 plots sold were to May's
family members, pointed out trustee Ron Rhodes.
Citizens present at Monday's regular meeting were clearly outraged at
the news.
Bob Merkle likened it to someone on the Chicago Board of Trade having
insider information.
"Be fair to everyone," said Beth Day. "I don't like what
I'm seeing."
Rhodes said he was unaware the old rates were still in effect, while
trustee Sue Wolfe said she thought they wouldn't go into effect until 30
days after the vote. May said he did what he was told by Woerner.
The trustees voted at Monday's regular meeting to extend the old prices
until May 6. Voting in favor were Wolfe and May. Against the motion was
Rhodes, who attempted to rescind the price increases. His motion died
for a lack of a second.
Ann McKitrick, a township resident since 1938, and Paul Henderlong both
voiced concern about the dramatic increases.
Henderlong offered some "post mortem comments about the
cemetery,"
saying he was appalled by the manner the rates were derived.
"There was no balance sheet, no cost estimate, nothing at all to
justify
the increases," Henderlong said.
Wolfe admitted that she came up with the idea for the increases but
offered no reasoning. May, however, presented the motion to increase the
rates.
Woerner said today the resolution to increase the fees lacked a specific
date and the question of what to charge arose the very night the
legislation was passed.
Resident Jeanette Harrington of Plain City had stated prior to the March
4 meeting that she wanted to purchase cemetery plots but did not do so
until after the meeting was over. Even though the trustees had announced
at that meeting the rates were effective immediately, Woerner said May
asked him what he should charge her since she had asked for the plots
prior to the action. Woerner said it was his opinion the legislation was
not effective until the minutes were approved at the next meeting.
Woerner added, however, that this had never been an issue before. The
Union County Prosecuting Attorney was not available today to clarify
when legislation becomes effective.
The meeting quickly took on a somber tone when resident Gilbert Carroll
Fogle took the floor.
Holding an orange bag in the air, he said that he and 31 other people
have been responsible for dropping the bags at 1,100 driveways in the
township during the past several weeks. The bags hold a copy of township
news articles from a neutral source, Fogle said, and a stick to weigh
the bags down when throwing from a car.
"The battle of the stick," is how he described his effort to
inform the
public about what is going on. He added that it is not illegal to
distribute.
The problem, Fogle said, was that someone removed hundreds of the bags
from driveways along Wells, Jerome, Brock and Hyland Croy roads recently
and at least one person has been identified. Fogle said he has contacted
an attorney and was told individuals removing the bags could be charged
with theft. Assistant prosecuting attorney John Heinkel added that
criminal trespass charges could be filed.
One young lady may have to take the rap, Fogle said while fighting back
tears.
"If it's not yours, leave it alone," Fogle said.
A fire on U.S. 36 kept the Marysville Fire Department up
until the wee
hours of the morning today.
At 1:56 a.m. a call came in concerning a residential structure fire at
12401 U.S. 36 and three minutes later a deputy arrived to find a second
story engulfed in flames into its attic. A neighbor had noticed the
smoke as he drove home from work and made the call.
Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire with a hand line hose and
were on the scene until 5:09 a.m. No one was injured and no reports were
filed as to the cause.
The owner had expressed some worry about the loss of power to the barn
which housed some 40 horses who may be left without a water supply. The
department contacted DP&L for services.
Margaret Myers of the Red Cross reported that the family living in the
burned home has been assisted with temporary housing.
NU board approves use of high school for
program
By CHAD WILLIAMSON
Seeking to take its message on the road, a representative of Catholic
Social Services approached the North Union School Board Monday about
hosting an abstinence awareness event.
Lowell Herschberger said the group would like to hold a Grow Fest
Program at North Union. He said similar programs have been held in
Marysville but the group wants to make the message accessible to youth
around the county.
Herschberger said Grow Fest is an 11-hour event he likes to hold at the
school. Each student who attends is encouraged to take a pledge of
abstinence.
Those students who take the pledge are given a ring with the letters
"IWWF" on it. The letters stand for "I'm Worth Waiting
For" and the ring
is intended to be worn until it is replaced by a wedding ring,
Herschberger said.
He said the event would be staffed by volunteers, some from Catholic
Social Services and some from the school. He said the program counts on
teachers and coaches to encourage students to consider the pledge.
Herschberger said the event would run from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. He said
program organizers have found the turnout is better for overnight events
rather than ones that run during the daytime.
The volunteer staff would watch each door to ensure the students do not
come and go as they please. Herschberger also said transportation will
be available if a student needs to leave for any reason.
Herschberger said the group would like to see about 50 youths attend the
program. He said the program is open to students from across Union
County but obviously it will be easier for those in the northern end to
attend.
Herschberger said no date has been set for the program yet but he would
like to see it occur before the prom in May.
Board member Steve Goodwin said he would rather see the event take place
on a Friday night. He said if the event runs into Sunday morning there
could be a problem because other groups have been denied access to
school buildings on Sundays.
The board voted 5-0 to allow the Grow Fest to take place at North
Union
High School.
In other business, the board:
. Learned that grants from the Department of Job and Family Services,
Union Rural Electric and the Union County Foundation have allowed the
district to continue its home-school liaison program.
. Heard an update on Title I programs and reading recovery from Cheryl
Ellis Solomon, Jan Jerew, Cheryl Cooley and Maureen Handler.
. Heard an update from superintendent Carol Young about parent-teacher
conferences. She noted that there is a problem at the high school where
only 7 percent of parents participate.
. Approved the school calendar for 2002-2003.
. Finalized plans for summer school.
. Heard first reading on revisions to the Student Athlete Handbook and
the Coaches' Handbook.
. Voted 5-0 to accept policy revisions in the areas of returned checks,
tobacco use by students and truant students.
. Voted unanimously to accept the master plan for participation in the
Expedited Local Partnership Program. A .5-mill levy was also approved
for maintenance of the new buildings. These issues had previously been
voted on but minor problems led the state to require that they be passed
again.
. Approved, 5-0, that N. Carol Insurance Company be the vendor for
student accident insurance for 2002-2003.
. Voted 5-0 to approve a transporter contract with Chelsea Gilliam for
transportation to and from the Ohio School for Deaf. The reimbursement
rate will be 26 cents per mile.
. Voted 5-0 to accept several donations.
. Approved the "Adopt-A-Highway" program as a community
service project
for the National Honor Society by a 5-0 vote.
. Approved 5-0 consultant service contract with Ilene Micha as the
home-school liaison worker.
. Voted to allow the after prom committee to use the high school from
midnight to 3 a.m. on May 5.
. Approved a list of substitute teachers, aides and custodians.
. Held an executive session to discuss personnel and pending litigation.
Fairbanks learns about Senate Bill 1
By JUDY BOEHLER
The Fairbanks Board of Education heard from high school principal Rich
Peterson about the impact of Senate Bill 1 at Monday night's meeting.
That bill sets new educational standards, putting in place a schedule
for setting those standards throughout the state. It eliminates the
fourth grade "guarantee" which would have required fourth
graders to
pass the reading portion of the proficiency test; eliminates several
tests and adds others; and sets time limits for the state board of
education to establish new standards for grades K-12 in reading,
writing, math, science and social studies.
Peterson told the board that the present seventh graders will be the
first to take the new "graduation test" in the 10th grade. To
that end,
he said, the schools must begin now to prepare students for the test and
he went on to explain methods of intervention, or help, for students who
have trouble passing the ninth grade proficiency test.
He said that because Fairbanks is on a block schedule ? four 90-minute
classes per day and no study hall periods ? intervention for students
has involved taking them out of class to work with a teacher during that
teacher's 40-minute planning period. Six to eight students work with the
teacher for four to five weeks before the test is given.
Next year, Peterson said, he is planning to set up an intervention block
in which eight to 12 students will work with teachers on a regular
basis, using material from previous proficiency tests to focus on each
students weakness. He said there will be five to six teachers available.
Peterson said that if this program does not work out next year, the
school may have to revert to periods, abandoning the block system, so
more intervention can be given to students who need it.
Peterson asked guidance counselor Barbara Croft to give her views on the
block program. She said one of the problems is that students are called
out of class for any number of reasons, including intervention,
counseling and visits with the school psychologist. This takes time away
from classwork, she said.
Croft said she is not convinced that students learn twice as much in one
block period as they would in one period and she is concerned that,
especially with special needs students, the concentration needed to
focus on one subject is not within a student's ability.
Peterson said he is going to develop teacher groups to deal with these
concepts during the next school year.
The board approved a recommendation to grant a high school diploma to
the late Milton R. Nicol under the governor's proposal to award diplomas
to World War II veterans who joined the service before they graduated.
The diploma will be presented to his widow, Betty Nicol Boerger, at a
future board meeting. The board also approved the 2002-03 school year
calendar.
In personnel matters, the board:
. Approved the retirement of Carolyn Sue Lowery, effective April
1.
. Approved a three-year principal contract for Richard Peterson.
. Approved Kelli Stuckey, Rebecca Johnston, Larry Price and
LynnMarie
Ledbetter as substitute teachers for the current school year.
. Approved Jon Price as the long-term substitute for Sue Lowery
for the
current school year.
. Approved Emily Hinton as a home tutor for a Fairbanks Middle
School
student for the remainder of the current school year.
. Approved Steve Mangum as a volunteer baseball coach.
The board adjourned into executive session to discuss personnel and land
purchase.
Marysville High School students enlist
together
By CORINNE BIX
John Whitmore and Chris Backus are about to become members of the few
and the proud in the United States Marine Corps.
Whitmore and Backus are slated to graduate from Marysville High School
at the end of this school year but made the decision last fall to
accelerate their studies and graduate in February. Both young men were
eager to start their Marine training this spring.
"I wanted to be part of an elite group," Whitmore said.
Whitmore has dreamed of a military career since middle school when he
began to learn about his family's long history in the armed forces.
"One of my ancestors is Nathaniel Green, the famous Revolutionary war
hero," Whitmore said.
He added that for generations his grandfathers, uncles and father have
served their country. However, Whitmore will be the first Marine.
Backus was not so clear as to what his future held. When contemplating
his post-graduate plans just two years ago he felt very unsure.
"I really didn't have any clue," Backus said.
This began to change after he met Whitmore. Backus explained that both
young men found an immediate connection and fostered a great friendship.
"John and I are like brothers," Backus said.
Whitmore began to educate Backus about the Marine Corps and its
benefits. Whitmore has been researching the Marines through the Internet
during his high school years. For the last year he has been in contact
with a staff sergeant from North Columbus.
Whitmore officially enlisted with the Marines in July of 2001. Backus
made his final decision late last year. "I decided to join up in October
of 2001 and officially enlisted in November of 2001," Backus said.
Both young men have been involved with the Delayed Entry Program which
begins to prepare enlistees for the rigors of boot camp. The program
meets once a month for four hours in North Columbus.
"They would give us a taste for what boot camp was like to help prepare
us mentally and physically," Whitmore said.
The decision to graduate early and begin boot camp has been a challenge.
Both young men have been involved with the Evening Alternative School
Program at Marysville High School. Their decision to graduate early came
late last semester so their accelerated programs began in January of
last year.
The Evening Alternative School was created to meet the needs of all
Marysville High School students as part of the district-wide goal for
continuous improvement. The program started in January of this year.
During the months of January and February both young men attended
tutoring sessions with Jackie Underwood. Underwood, a retired teacher of
33 years, said both young men never made a grade lower than a B.
"I knew it was Chris and John's desire to join the military by the
middle of this month. We worked together and they were both delightful
to work with," Underwood said.
Whitmore and Backus both had to complete course work in English,
American government, math and science. When asked if they found the load
of completing one semester of class work in two months daunting, they
both agreed they didn't let negative thoughts get in their way.
"We were committed to graduating early and we worked hard to get the
work done. Mrs. Underwood helped us a lot and I owe everything to her,"
Whitmore said.
"Mrs. Underwood was a great tutor," Backus added.
Whitmore and Backus said their early graduation wouldn't have been
possible without the help of Underwood and dean of students, Becky Gala.
Both young men left on March 11 for Parris Island, S.C., where they will
undergo 12 weeks of boot camp in the buddy program. The buddy program
pairs two friends so they canl attend boot camp together and serve in
the same platoon.
Although a little nervous, they both feel they are making the best
decision.
"I know it will be hard but I know it's for a good reason and a good
cause, therefore, my family, friends and I will get through it,"
Whitmore said.
"I feel I am doing it for my family," Backus said.
He sees his involvement with the Marines as his way of ensuring a safer
country and life for his family and loved ones.
Underwood said she was glad to have had the opportunity to see both
young men off at the airport.
"They were both very emotional and each gave me a hug. It made my
teaching career worthwhile," Underwood said.
By CORINNE BIX
John Whitmore and Chris Backus are about to become members of the few
and the proud in the United States Marine Corps.
Whitmore and Backus are slated to graduate from Marysville High School
at the end of this school year but made the decision last fall to
accelerate their studies and graduate in February. Both young men were
eager to start their Marine training this spring.
"I wanted to be part of an elite group," Whitmore said.
Whitmore has dreamed of a military career since middle school when he
began to learn about his family's long history in the armed forces.
"One of my ancestors is Nathaniel Green, the famous Revolutionary war
hero," Whitmore said.
He added that for generations his grandfathers, uncles and father have
served their country. However, Whitmore will be the first Marine.
Backus was not so clear as to what his future held. When contemplating
his post-graduate plans just two years ago he felt very unsure.
"I really didn't have any clue," Backus said.
This began to change after he met Whitmore. Backus explained that both
young men found an immediate connection and fostered a great friendship.
"John and I are like brothers," Backus said.
Whitmore began to educate Backus about the Marine Corps and its
benefits. Whitmore has been researching the Marines through the Internet
during his high school years. For the last year he has been in contact
with a staff sergeant from North Columbus.
Whitmore officially enlisted with the Marines in July of 2001. Backus
made his final decision late last year. "I decided to join up in October
of 2001 and officially enlisted in November of 2001," Backus said.
Both young men have been involved with the Delayed Entry Program which
begins to prepare enlistees for the rigors of boot camp. The program
meets once a month for four hours in North Columbus.
"They would give us a taste for what boot camp was like to help prepare
us mentally and physically," Whitmore said.
The decision to graduate early and begin boot camp has been a challenge.
Both young men have been involved with the Evening Alternative School
Program at Marysville High School. Their decision to graduate early came
late last semester so their accelerated programs began in January of
last year.
The Evening Alternative School was created to meet the needs of all
Marysville High School students as part of the district-wide goal for
continuous improvement. The program started in January of this year.
During the months of January and February both young men attended
tutoring sessions with Jackie Underwood. Underwood, a retired teacher of
33 years, said both young men never made a grade lower than a B.
"I knew it was Chris and John's desire to join the military by the
middle of this month. We worked together and they were both delightful
to work with," Underwood said.
Whitmore and Backus both had to complete course work in English,
American government, math and science. When asked if they found the load
of completing one semester of class work in two months daunting, they
both agreed they didn't let negative thoughts get in their way.
"We were committed to graduating early and we worked hard to get the
work done. Mrs. Underwood helped us a lot and I owe everything to her,"
Whitmore said.
"Mrs. Underwood was a great tutor," Backus added.
Whitmore and Backus said their early graduation wouldn't have been
possible without the help of Underwood and dean of students, Becky Gala.
Both young men left on March 11 for Parris Island, S.C., where they will
undergo 12 weeks of boot camp in the buddy program. The buddy program
pairs two friends so they canl attend boot camp together and serve in
the same platoon.
Although a little nervous, they both feel they are making the best
decision.
"I know it will be hard but I know it's for a good reason and a good
cause, therefore, my family, friends and I will get through it,"
Whitmore said.
"I feel I am doing it for my family," Backus said.
He sees his involvement with the Marines as his way of ensuring a safer
country and life for his family and loved ones.
Underwood said she was glad to have had the opportunity to see both
young men off at the airport.
"They were both very emotional and each gave me a hug. It made my
teaching career worthwhile," Underwood said.
Memorial Hospital turns 50
By JUDY BOEHLER
A long-awaited event took place today at Memorial Hospital of Union
County.
The hospital marked the 50th anniversary with a rededication ceremony on
the south lawn of the hospital. About 100 people witnessed the event as
Nancy N. Conklin, director of marketing and development, introduced
master of ceremonies Daniel E. Behrens, editor and publisher of the
Marysville Journal-Tribune and Richwood Gazette.
"Fifty years ago today, an extremely proud group of people gathered
on
this very site to dedicate Memorial Hospital of Union County. And oh,
how proud they were! The opening of the hospital on March 15, 1952,
culminated 10 years of planning and a lot of hard work and effort by
hundreds of citizens in the area," Behrens said. "Today,
another proud
group has gathered to rededicate the hospital and celebrate its 50th
birthday."
The Rev. Thomas Hackett of St. John's Lutheran Church led the invocation
and Behrens read a letter of congratulations from Gov. Bob Taft who
referred to Memorial Hospital as "one of Ohio's premier community
hospitals."
Behrens gave the crowd a little history on the hospital. Ground was
broken in June 1950 but harsh winter weather caused delays in
construction. The doors opened March 15, 1952.
The hospital was a total community effort which included generous
contributions. Local donations totaled nearly half the $600,000
construction cost. A 1945 bond issue raised $125,000 for the project
and a .65-mill levy passed in 1951 provided operating funds.
Behrens then introduced people who are or have been affiliated with the
community hospital.
Dr. Malcolm MacIvor, one of the original members of the medical
staff,
gave the dedicatory address and State Sen. Larry Mumper also addressed
the crowd.
Remarks were made by Frances Helmick, the first administrator of the
hospital, board of trustees president Ann Allen and president and
CEO
Danny L. Boggs. The Rev. James Taylor of New Hope Community Church and
hospital chaplain gave the benediction.
Boggs said the presence of so many people makes the day very special.
"I especially want to thank those here today that were involved
with the
dream 50-plus years ago to make Memorial Hospital a reality for this
community," he said.
Boggs also mentioned the support of area businesses and newspapers.
"But certainly most importantly, I want to thank our patients and
friends in this community for their many years of trust and
support."
Behrens read from Col. Dana Morey's dedication remarks of 50 years ago.
Morey said, "Today it is faith, tomorrow it will be performance.
But we
believe that as the wheels turn with the years, the record of
performance will be in line with that faith ? proof positive that our
Memorial Hospital has been well worthwhile."
Behrens concluded, "To Col. Morey's memory and to you, ladies and
gentlemen, I can say with assurance that it has been well worthwhile and
hopefully will continue to be in the future."
Local schools close
in on plan for redistricting
By JUDY BOEHLER
Close to 50 parents attended a meeting Thursday night at Edgewood
Elementary School to hear about the nearly completed school
redistricting proposal.
Superintendent Larry Zimmerman first outlined school growth, both
current and projected, to explain the reasons for moving almost 500
children in the fall when the new elementary school opens. He said the
objective is to plan carefully now so moves won't be as drastic in the
future.
Another aim of the redistricting is to achieve a balance in the number
of students eligible for free or reduced-priced lunches. Zimmerman said
this aim is to achieve equity in the schools. It is also, he said,
because in two years the state report cards will begin comparing school
buildings within districts and he does not want to see any of the
Marysville schools labeled as "worse" than the others,
Zimmerman said.
Zimmerman said the redistricting leaves him and the others working on
the plan in a dilemma.
As the plan stands now, no Raymond students will be affected. Students
who will attend East Elementary next year will come from the area south
of U.S. 36 west to Weaver Road and all incorporated areas east of Court
Street inside U.S. 33.
The Mill Valley school will house students from that development and the
students from the Meadows apartments. Edgewood students will come from
the area west of Maple Street to U.S. 36 and Route 4 on the west and all
of Route 38 south of Stocksdale Drive, including Greenwood Colony,
Timber Trails and Timberview.
"We need to move 100 kids out of Edgewood. What's the best
way?" he
said.
Although nothing is "written in stone" yet, Zimmerman said
those 100
children to be moved will come from the "undecided" area. That
includes
Milford Avenue from Community market to U.S. 36/Route 4; Vanover Village
Apartments; London Avenue to Stocksdale Drive; Stonebridge Apartments;
Payne Road; Colman-Brake Road, Collins Road; and Court Street to Maple
Street from Third Street to Ninth Street.
Students in that area could be sent to the new school or East Elementary
or could stay at Edgewood. He emphasized that the plan will not be
finalized until the four redistricting meetings are held. Thursday's
meeting was the last.
A parent who lives on Southwood Drive said it takes her child two
minutes to walk to school. If she is bussed to the new school, she will
have to ride the bus at least 20 minutes. Another parent said the ride
would probably be closer to 45 minutes when all the stops are factored
in.
One couple said they built their house two years ago in the Edgewood
district. They were assured by the real estate agent that their children
would go to that school and they feel the value of their house will go
down if the redistricting affects their child. They also pointed out
that the child will not go to school with the children he plays with.
Several suggestions were made by people attending the meeting. One was
to send the Greenwood Colony students to East and not move the children
in the undecided area. Another was to send all the children in Green
Pastures to the new school.
Zimmerman welcomed the suggestions, saying that all those ideas, and
more, have been considered over and over.
He pointed out that the district holds open enrollment in April when
parents can request that their child attend a school although they do
not live in that school's district. He said the administration will make
every effort to keep third graders at their current school as long as it
does not make class sizes too large.
The plan will be finalized in the next 10 days and will be presented to
the board of education at the regular March 25 meeting. Zimmerman said
he hopes to have it on his website prior to that date. The web address
is ldzimmerman@marysville.k12.oh.us.
One of the parents asked if the public can attend the meeting.
"Yes," Zimmerman said. "Come to all of them."
He said the board meeting location will have to be moved and that
information will be made public.
Meeting skipped
by Jerome Trustees
By CINDY BRAKE
Jerome Township's three trustees were conspicuously absent from
Thursday's Industrial Parkway Association meeting.
"Three no shows," was how one of the more than 50 businessmen present
described the situation.
"I am very disappointed to say that we do not have at least one trustee
here," said Bob Whitman of the Union County Chamber of Commerce.
"Their absence is a clear indication of what they think of the business
community," said another Industrial Parkway businessman.
After the election of two new township representatives, the association
first invited all three trustees in January to a special joint meeting
to discuss concerns, specifically about annexations.
The joint meeting was canceled after trustee Ron Rhodes informed the
other two trustees that the quickly-arranged meeting in January would
have violated the state's open meeting laws.
At that time, trustee Freeman May said he didn't see anything wrong in
attending the meeting if he was invited. May, however, did not attend
that meeting or any other with the business the association.
Rhodes did attend the regular January association meeting as a
representative of the township and trustee Sue Wolfe attended the
February meeting.
This week's meeting had been announced eight weeks ago and the trustees
had been asked to advertise the meeting. The meeting location had been
changed to the township building and the association had submitted an
advance copy of questions they wanted to discuss with the board of
trustees. The meeting, however, was not advertised.
Today, Wolfe did stop by the township building prior to the meeting to
say her schedule had changed at the last minute and she would be unable
to attend. She did, however, leave a six-page typed statement.
Wolfe's statement states that she supports the right of referendum by
residents.
"It is the only chance for the people to say to their elected officials,
you are not in sync with us, you are not listening to us."
She also states that she has never been against development.
"Let me make one thing perfectly clear, I am not now, nor have I ever
been against development. But I am against development that is not part
of a comprehensive community plan or design."
Wolfe states that she would like to see a citizen's group design a
township development plan.
Concerning annexation, Wolfe states that Dublin cannot on its own annex
any of the township. Only landowners can ask to be annexed.
During Thursday's discussion, Union County Engineer Steve Stolte
explained that most landowners seek annexation because they want
something - water, sewer and no referendums. He explained that
properties not interested in annexation could potentially be annexed if
their land is included in a petition.
Union County Economic Development Director Eric Philips said a "blue
line" currently exists that divides a section of the township between
Columbus and Dublin.
The association was seeking answers to four questions:
. "As trustees, where do you stand with the referendum?"
. "Is there a movement on Dublin's part to annex the Industrial Parkway
area for tax purposes? What is the trustees' position? If for the
annexation, why? If not for the annexation, how can we deter it?"
. "What is the trustees' position on the upcoming Jonathan Alder School
District levy?"
. What do the trustees want to see in their beautification project?"
Unfortunately, there were no trustees present to offer answers.
The next Industrial Parkway Association meeting is April 11.
Parsons resigns from Marysville Council
By RYAN HORNS
Marysville City Council found itself with a vacancy once again as
another of its members stepped down.
During Thursday's regular meeting, councilman Jack Parsons submitted his
resignation to be effective today.
In a written statement to council president John Gore, Parsons wrote,
"Personal, professional and other responsibilities have not
permitted me
to be engaged to the degree I would like to be in city council
affairs."
Gore thanked him for his more than five years of involvement on city
council.
"In that time he contributed quite a bit to the development of
Marysville," he said. "I understand this was a difficult
decision and I
respect and support his decision."
He added, "I wish him the best of luck."
Council will follow the same procedure as it did with the resignation of
Bill Sampsel by placing an ad asking for all interested residents to
submit a letter of interest along with a resume. The vacant spot on
council must be filled by a person from the Ward One area of the city.
Further details regarding the application process will be published in
the near future. For additional information contact Connie Patterson,
clerk of council, at 642-6015, ext. 227.
In other business, the first reading in title only was held concerning
the newly developed Community Reinvestment Area.
According to economic development director Eric Phillips, who commented
on the ordinance prior to the meeting, the CRA will be an important part
of the future value of Marysville's core downtown and historical areas.
The ordinance focuses on encouraging development, structure maintenance
and remodeling in localities which have aged over time.
The CRA will offer a seven-year 75 percent tax abatement on any new
improvements to the historical core of Marysville, Phillips said.
"Most people hear the word 'abatements' and they immediately have
negative feelings," Phillips said.
Residents think of it as a gift or freebie, he said, but it's not really
a gift.
Phillips said the abatements on taxes are a way of investing in future
development and maintenance.
"In the long run it is better for the community," he said.
The abatements do not mean a total lack of taxation. All the CRA does,
Phillips said, is offer residents or businesses help on the cost of
making community improvements through remodeling or building new
structures.
When those improvements are complete, he said, the improved properties
will have a higher value and therefore their property taxes will rise,
adding additional funds for city use.
Currently there are two zones .
The first is the Enterprise Zone which is dedicated to encouraging
industrial development in Marysville, Union Township and parts of Paris
Township because it brings in the most benefit from a job and monetary
standpoint, he said. The second is the CRA.
Either way, it is a good way for residents to make home improvements at
a lower cost once the CRA is in effect.
The ordinance will be back for its second reading to be held publicly at
the next regular council meeting. Ordinance sponsor, councilman Mark
Reams, will make the formal presentation.
During the meeting's hearing of citizens, resident Claire Williams
brought Sarah Hawke, her 9-year-old daughter who is blind.
Williams said she has been following the work to update the city with
audible crossings for the blind and appreciates their efforts.
"I would like to encourage council to keep them in mind," she
said.
In a letter to the Union County Foundation, which started the Vision
INTERSection Safety Fund after local blind resident Chris Beckley first
approached council with his concerns, Hawke stated she was helping as
well.
"I would like to help Mr. Beckley get safe crossings for the blind
in
Marysville," she wrote. "My mommy helped me count the money in
my piggy
banks and our penny jar. I am sending you $68.50. I hope this will help.
I am happy there is this fund because one day I will be crossing these
streets by myself."
Later in the meeting John Gore announced council will also contribute to
the fund by making sure the amount raised will at least reach $1,000. If
the funds do not, it will kick in the extra necessary money .
"We would really like to show our support for the project,"
Gore said.
City law director Tim Aslaner reported on his efforts to look into
cleaning up abandoned and dilapidated homes in the city.
Referring to the structure in front of the Trinity Lutheran Church on
Walnut Street, he said there is currently no city law to correct it. He
has filed an injunction and also has asked the health and fire
departments and the building inspector to look over the property.
"(The owner) is not taking any steps to correct that," Aslaner
said,
adding the house has been vacant for around 20 years.
Two structures on South Court Street have also won council's attention
for being run down and will be looked into as well for paths to correct
their situation.
In other discussions:
. John Cunningham and Bruce Limes were re-appointed to the Planning
Commission.
. Wendy Nuspl was appointed to the Architectural Review Board.
. Council will hold several help sessions for those residents having
trouble filling out their RITA forms. An open public meeting will be
held for this reason on March 27 at 7 p.m. in Council Chambers, 125 E.
Sixth St.
. City administrator Bob Shaumleffel reported he signed a contract for
grant assistance services, costing $9,000, to identify potential grant
moneys the city could earn. Over the next 10 to 11 months the city will
see how successful the efforts are.
. A Taste of Marysville will be held on April 27 at 6 p.m. at the
Catholic Community Center.
Mayor outlines
five-year plan
By RYAN HORNS
Marysville Mayor Steve Lowe finally had his opportunity to sit down with
members of Marysville city council to start talks on the city's
financial future.
Thursday night before the regular Marysville City Council meeting,
administrators and council members went over Lowe's five-year plan.
The meeting was not to go over the 27-page plan in great detail but
instead to give Lowe the opportunity to offer council a brief rundown
before they took the time to read the booklet.
The financial problems the city is facing now stem from a practice which
began during the 15 years he spent on city council.
"A practice started of borrowing money," Lowe said, "hoping at
the end
of the year they would have money left over to pay off the notes."
"It's got to change," he said.
Some positive points, he added, are that the water and sewer rates and
funds are in the black, whereas before they were not.
"We've probably paid down $2 million on the debt since I've been
mayor,"
he said.
"We can't do streets until we identify where the funding will come
from," Lowe told council. "We can't keep borrowing unless we have a
revenue source to pay it off."
Some of the details include a list of revenue enhancements which the
city has put in effect in order to boost its financial status back into
the black.
For example, the switch to mandatory income tax filing and using the
services of RITA will increase city revenue.
In addition:
. The fee the city charges developers for parkland was raised from $200
to $1,000 per lot. Those fees are used for capital-related expenditures
in the parks and are paid by the developer, not the residents.
. The cemetery fees were increased last year, reducing the financial
burden on the general fund.
. Water and sewer fees were increased as well, enabling the city to keep
pace with capital-related projects from the utility funds.
. The fees for refuse pick up were recently increased because the
sanitation fund had been operating in the red for the past three years.
Topics discussed ranged from a city needs assessment to discussions
about a possible new fire department aerial tower and a second fire
house. The current aerial tower is 29 years old. A new one is expected
to cost $730,000.
Council and the administration will meet later to discuss the details of
the plan in an open public forum.
Accident is blessing in disguise for area man
By CINDY BRAKE
Mitch Collier knows what it is like to not have a leg to stand on.
The 46-year-old Milford Center-area man broke both legs on Sept. 12 when
he slipped and fell 12 feet while roofing his father's North Lewisburg
home. Collier's right ankle and left leg were broken below the knee
joint when he landed on the bottom of his feet.
Breaking his legs, however, has turned out to be one of the best things
Collier could have done for himself.
Prior to his accident, this 22-year employee of Honda was a bit stout,
weighing 298 pounds and standing 5 feet 9 inches tall.
In working to regain the use of his legs Collier has lost 60 pounds and
hopes to lose another 40. His doctor says his heart is better than ever.
Getting back on his feet and losing the weight hasn't been easy.
After his fall Collier was transported by the North Lewisburg Emergency
Squad to Memorial Hospital of Union County where he was admitted for six
days. The day after the accident he had two screws and a plate put into
his left leg to hold it together. The ankle was put into a cast.
Then for 3 1/2 months he was in a wheel chair and not allowed to put any
weight on either leg. Collier said he could do nothing except turn on
the television with the remote control. His family had to help him in
and out of bed, go to the bathroom and dress. A cousin would take him
for car rides.
Anxious to get moving on with life, Collier started with home therapy
and bed exercises before graduating to crutches and beginning physical
therapy in December - three days a week for 1 1/2 hours.
The first day of physical therapy Collier was able to stay on the
Stairmaster for one minute and looked like he had seen a ghost, jokes
Mark Ramsey of Marysville Physical Therapy, who has coached Collier back
onto his feet.
Last week Collier was on the Stairmaster for 24 minutes and did 120 leg
presses on a slide board with both legs, in addition to 12 minutes of
bike warm up plus stretching. Collier said it has been the most painful
and hardest thing he has done in his life.
Collier is drinking more water than ever to aid in his weight loss. He
tries to drink two gallons a day.
During his physical therapy, Collier has been an inspiration for others
and taken the time to visit with others who are dealing with injuries.
One in particular is a 12-year-old boy who was injured in a car accident
and had a steel rod put his upper leg. Ramsey said the boy didn't want
to get out of his wheel chair, so he asked Collier to stop by and talk
to the boy. Collier said he told the boy he had to get up and then
shared what he had to overcome.
Now done with physical therapy, Collier is planning to continue his
exercise program and is looking forward to returning to work soon.
Memories of medicine
By RYAN HORNS
It was a family reunion of sorts at the Memorial Hospital of Union
County's 50th Anniversary gathering Friday.
Past employees mingled with the current, hugging former co-workers and
meeting the new.
Mary Jane Crothers was even applauded by those gathered as the only
remaining original nurse from the hospital's original staff.
Two of the day's speakers specifically brought the hospital's
anniversary back full circle as they commented on how things were in
their day.
Presenting the dedicatory address was original staff member Dr. Malcolm
MacIvor who reflected back on the past 50 years and some of his
colleagues who are now "walking the golden shore."
MacIvor lived up to his reputation of a master of the English language,
which was how he was introduced.
He spoke about working with the hospital's first administrator, Frances
Helmick, comparing his memory of those times to that of Stan Laurel's
quote about working with Oliver Hardy: "Oh, how we laughed."
Things were much different back then, MacIvor said.
MacIvor said that after the hospital opened, he continued to deliver
babies at home because his father, the late Dr. Angus MacIvor had told
hime that babies are meant to be delivered at home. But after about a
year, he said, his guardian angel suggested he was pushing his luck. He
had not lost a baby or a mother in home births but he felt it was time
to stop the habit.
MacIvor felt a hospital has to accommodate its community, "and I think
we've done that."
He gave recognition to President/CEO Danny Boggs for "maintaining our
head above water while many other hospitals were drowning in a sea of
red ink."
"The more I think about it, this isn't a dedicatory speech," MacIvor
said. "It's more of an affirmatory speech."
"I wonder if 50 years from now some young doctor will be here," he
said,
"and can look back with as much joy as I have had."
MacIvor received a standing ovation for his speech when he finished.
"I can't believe today," Helmick said during her speech, "and I
guess I
couldn't believe 50 years ago today."
She thanked the Woman's Auxiliary for its efforts with Memorial
Hospital.
"We couldn't have done it without them," she said. "I can't say
enough
about that."
Helmick said there is one thing that made the hospital what it is.
"Loyalty," she said, "You've had loyalty since 1944."
Kay Griffith honored
for work worth 4-H clubs
From J-T staff reports:
Kay Griffith of Raymond was inducted into the Ohio 4-H Hall of Fame on
Saturday.
Hundreds of young people have graduated from Griffith's club and gone on
to active public service as 4-H volunteers or active members and
volunteers for other local organizations. Currently an adviser for the
Taylor Country Bumpkins 4-H Club, Griffith has been an active advisor
for 30 years.
"Kay enjoys working with teens and tries to instill in them a respect
for hard work and commitment to community service through her own
example and involvement," said Christy Leeds, 4-H agency for Ohio State
University Extension in Union County. "She makes teens feel appreciated
and valued."
Leeds describes Griffith as:
. "A no-nonsense kind of person who sets high expectations for young
people ..."
. "An extra mom and mentor to many 4-H teens beyond her own club ..."
. "A valuable link for 4-H to many other community groups such as
schools, the Chamber of Commerce, FFA, Balloon Rally Festival, Fourth of
July Festival and many others."
Griffith has also been a mentor for many new 4-H advisors and has helped
recruit adults into 4-H volunteer work
"In this community," Leeds said, "Griffith could be known as Mrs.
4-H.
She does as much to promote and support 4-H as any marketing campaign we
could ever conceive. Many other community organizations and businesses
know about 4-H because of her widespread involvement."
Beginning in the 1970s Griffith was involved in the development and
writing of the Ohio 4-H Rabbit project books. In 1987 she was a 4-H
Salute to Excellence delegate from Ohio to Washington, D.C. and as a
result of her participation a program was developed. From 1982 to 1994
she served as county representative to the District 4-H Committee and
was involved in discussion of many 4-H issues and program development
topics. Griffith participated in nine North Central Regional Leaders
Forums and was delegation chairperson in 1999.
Induction into the Ohio 4-H Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who have
made significant lifetime contributions of service to the 4-H program.
The Hall of Fame was initiated in 1977 during the 75th anniversary of
4-H. The first inductees were A.B. Graham, the founder of 4-H in Ohio,
and the living charter members of the first 4-H club.
This year, Griffith was one of four recipients of this honor, joining
Sarah James of Butler County, Vada Kitts of Lawrence County and Robert
Walter of Fairfield County.
The honors were presented at the Bob Evans Farms Ohio 4-H Volunteer
Recognition Luncheon in Columbus. The luncheon was part of an all-day
4-H volunteer education conference helping to mark 4-H's 100th year.
Deputy hit by semi
From J-t staff reports:
The Ohio State Patrol, Marysville Post, is investigating an injury crash
that left a Union County Sheriff's deputy in the hospital.
Union County Public Safety Officer Richard Crabtree was struck by a
semi-tractor box trailer truck while he was assisting victims of an
accident on Route 4. At approximately 3:33 p.m. Wednesday on Route 4
south of the intersection to Kinney Pike, a two-car accident occurred.
Crabtree was the first on the scene and was caring for the victims with
another PSO assisting with neck care on a second victim.
The semi truck was traveling northbound on Route 4 when it hit Crabtree
in the back while he was leaning over outside the crash victims car when
he was hit. The semi reportedly left the scene, continuing northbound.
Crabtree was transported by squad to the Memorial Hospital of Union
County and was later flown to the Ohio State University Medical center
for treatment of a non-life threatening injury.
According to information received by Senior Sgt. Jamie Patton from OSU
Hospital, Crabtree is "resting and is being kept for observation."
Patton also reported the victim of the initial crash was transported to
Memorial Hospital.
The only information known about the semi is that it is a conventional
tractor with a box trailer, both white in color and with little or no
markings on the trailer.
The incident remains under investigation. Anyone who has information
regarding the identity of the semi or the driver is asked to contact the
Ohio State Highway Patrol's Marysville Post at 644-8811.
A teaspoon of arsenic
and just a pinch of cyanide
"For one gallon of elderberry wine, I take one teaspon of arsenic, then
add a half teaspoon of strychnine and then just a pinch of cyanide,"
Martha Brewster tells her nephew Mortimer.
She was explaining to him what happened to the man in the window seat.
The cast and crew of "Arsenic and Old Lace," the Marysville High
School
Drama Club's production this weekend, must be having a lot of fun with
the classic comedy.
Catherine Boylan and Dennis McKee are directing the production, along
with student director Aleshia Morley. Boylan and McKee have put on eight
plays together.
Cast members include Danielle Feurer as Abby Brewster, Amy Skelton as
Martha Brewster, Mary Snyder, Adrian Young and Shaun Hinds as their
nephews Teddy (who thinks he is Teddy Roosevelt), Jonathan and Mortimer.
John Wimmers portrays Dr. Einstein, Kaysi Morgan is Elaine Harper and
Stephanie Skelton is Mr. Witherspoon.
Police officers are Aleshia Morley, Chris Clark, Paul Conklin and Sarah
Demming and Allison LeMaster is "The Body." Jen Nelson plays Mrs.
Harper, Kelliegh Kaminski is Mr. Gibbs and Adam Flemming portrays the
Rev. Dr. Harper.
Members of the Drama Club and their parents made most of the costumes
and the father of Drama Club president Danielle Feurer built the set.
The stage crew painted and furnished the set.
Crew members are Aya Walraven, stage manager; Ben Vollrath and Brooke
Parsley, lights and sound; Lindsey Price, prompter; Jen Nelson and
Svetlana Pavlyuk, props mistresses; Nikki Ghent and Jessica Hull, hair
and makeup; and Pat Anderson, Nick Skelton, Liz Erickson and Rob
Boerger, crew members.
The show will begin at 7 p.m. tonight and at 7:30 p.m. Friday and
Saturday.
Administrators reflect on MHUC
By CHAD WILLIAMSON
Frances Helmick and Danny Boggs are on opposite ends of the history of a
50-year-old Union County landmark.
Helmick was the first administrator at Memorial Hospital of Union County
when it opened in 1952 while Boggs has been in charge since 1986 and
guided the facility through some of its most massive expansions.
While the two administrators found themselves decades apart on the
history roles, parallels exist regarding the circumstance each faced
when coming to the area.
They found themselves as new faces in charge of a rapidly-changing
facility which was struggling in the ever-changing field of medicine.
Both found a community that was willing to work with them to achieve a
set of goals.
Both administrators will speak at a special 50th anniversary celebration
at the hospital Friday.
Opening the doors
When Helmick came to Memorial Hospital from a hospital in central
Illinois, she found a lot of cards stacked against her.
She was only in her early 30s, was in charge of a facility with no set
of established procedures and was hired only a few weeks before the
doors opened.
She was also a woman in a period of history where women weren't always
trusted in management positions. In 1952, only eight facilities in the
state had women with nursing backgrounds as their administrators, with
most employing men with business experience.
"I was very nervous about it," Helmick said.
But despite a few minuses, Helmick found an overwhelming number of
pluses that made her 10 years at MHUC productive, exciting and fun.
The first advantage Helmick found was a hard-working staff that wanted
the facility to succeed. She said the first few weeks the facility was
open there were some snags but, in general, the long hours put in by the
entire staff ensured that day-to-day operations were smooth.
"I think everyone was so pleased to be a part of a new
hospital,"
Helmick said. "Everyone on the staff was willing to help, whether
it was
in their department or not."
Helmick herself found out about wearing two hats, as a director of
nursing was not hired until the facility had been open for more than a
year. Fortunately, her extensive nursing background helped her pull off
both jobs.
Another advantage Helmick had was the assistance of a knowledgeable
consultant. Forrest Ostrander of Chicago had actually been the person
who called and told Helmick about the job opening at Memorial Hospital.
He stayed in close contact with Helmick for two years after the doors
opened to help with questions that arose.
She said the women's auxiliary and the community also pitched in to make
her 10 years at MHUC run smoothly.
Operations ran so well in fact that the hospital received American
Hospital Association accreditation after being open only one year.
Helmick admitted that she wasn't sure the hospital could meet the
weighty standards of the association so quickly.
"I couldn't believe it," Helmick said of news of the
accreditation. "It
was definitely a highlight."
Helmick recalled that the community was much smaller and closer to its
farming roots when she came here.
Those farming roots extended into the Amish community and Helmick
recalled one incident when three girls approached her about becoming
nurses. They were Amish, however, and were not supposed to work on
Sundays.
That didn't sit too well with Helmick who told the girls that people
still get sick on Sunday so they would have to work. Some type of
solution was reached and the girls began working at the facility but
their parents were not pleased that they were occasionally working on
Sundays
Then one of the girls' fathers came into Memorial Hospital for emergency
surgery - on a Sunday.
"He said 'well Mrs. Helmick, I guess people actually do get sick on
Sundays,'" she recalled.
Helmick was at MHUC for 10 years before leaving to take over at the
Madison County Hospital as it prepared to open its doors. She said that
possibly her favorite memories of work in Marysville were of making
rounds each day and meeting every patient staying in the hospital.
She said those talks allowed her to know her patients and improve
service.
"I guess it gave me perspective," she said.
The times of change
When Boggs came to Union County from the Harrison Community Hospital in
Cadiz in April of 1986 he found Union County to be a slice of small town
America. He remembered stopping to eat at a restaurant downtown and
having no trouble finding a parking spot.
"It seemed almost like a sleepy little town at that point,"
Boggs said.
But that didn't label wouldn't hold true for very long and Boggs knew
it. That led him to begin implementing change.
"We started methodically picking off problem areas," he said.
The first order of business for Boggs was to establish a plan for
recruiting new doctors into the area. Upon making initial calls to
doctors in the community, Boggs found that most of them had no room for
new patients.
With no room at local physicians' offices, residents were traveling to
Columbus for care. Boggs said getting young talented doctors into the
community became a priority for the hospital.
Beyond that, Boggs focused on getting the finances in order and building
a strong relationship with the community.
The plan worked. While other community hospitals struggled, MHUC
flourished. Several expansion projects increased the size and
capabilities of the hospital as the population in the county exploded.
Boggs attributed the local facility's success to a simple premise -
offer the best services you can but leave the big procedures to the
bigger hospitals in Columbus.
"We concentrate on doing what we do well," Boggs said.
"The absolute
most important thing in medicine is knowing what you don't know."
Boggs said the MHUC staff concentrates on primary care and a few other
specialized areas but does not invest its time or money in trying to do
too much. Patients who require special care are referred to Columbus
hospitals for treatment.
By doing this, Memorial Hospital benefits twofold, Boggs said. The
Columbus hospitals are satisfied because they get their portion of work
from Union County residents and local citizens trust MHUC because they
know the facility will not try to give treatment it does not specialize
in.
The next 50 years
Both Helmick and Boggs felt that Memorial Hospital should have no
trouble marching toward its 100-year anniversary. While the medical
field and financial climate constantly shifts and changes, another
factor should keep Memorial Hospital safe, both agreed.
The community.
Boggs said the tremendous support of local residents and the trust that
has been established is what makes Memorial Hospital a success. That
trust led to more than 100,000 outpatient visits last year, Boggs noted.
Helmick agreed and added that the support from the community has been
there since day one.
"I just think this community has to be so proud that this hospital
has
maintained this status for so many years," she said.
Judge gives Kerns a break
By RYAN HORNS
In a mixture of tears and sighs, the public in attendance at the Tuesday
afternoon sentencing of former Richwood village solicitor Mary Kerns was
filled with conflicting emotions.
A resident of the Marion County Jail since Jan. 7, Kerns will be heading
back behind bars after Marion County Common Pleas Judge Robert Davidson
sentenced her to four years and 11 months for the more than $1.2 million
she stole from her clients' estates.
Prosecuting attorney Jim Slagle had asked the court for the full
five-year sentence recommended by the state so Kerns would be unable to
apply for early release until four years had been served. However,
because the sentence was less than five years, Kerns will be eligible
for parole after six months in prison.
"The court has opened a door for you," Davidson told Kerns,
saying her
obligation to repay her victims was a large one.
"I don't know how you are going to do it," he said, "but
I want to see
an effort to take care of these people."
When the sentence was read some of her victims felt it just wasn't
enough.
Patrick Poling, mother of Pearl Poling who lost more than $100,000, said
afterwards that all his family hoped for was knowing that Kerns would
receive the full sentence as they did not expect to get any money back
from her.
Poling was also the only victim to speak about his loss before the
court.
"The last two months have been confusing," he said.
The result of meeting with lawyers, he said, went from a recommendation
to put Kerns into bankruptcy to advising against it because monetary
retribution would be impossible.
"A million is a lot of money to pay back," Poling said.
"Today would be
our restitution and we just wanted to make that known."
The courtroom was full of elderly couples with family members who came
to witness the proceedings concerning their empty estates.
"We just came to get some closure," a woman said, who stated
she was
related to one of Kerns Logan county victims. She wished to remain
anonymous.
"I came here to support my mother," she said.
When he adressed the court, Kerns' attorney Don Jillisky sent a clear
message that people were hurt and people were disappointed by what she
has done.
"Some people would have this court lock up Mary Kerns and throw
away the
key," he said.
"Do people always measure up to the standards the state or our
community
put upon us?" he asked, "The answer is no. People fail for a
number of
reasons. Does that mean we are all bad people?"
Jillisky asked the court to understand that a combination of
rationalization and self deception caused Kerns to fail her clients.
"When a person is a drug addict, do they step right up and say 'I'm
gonna be a drug addict?'" he said.
"Mary Kerns robbed Peter to pay Paul, believing there always was
going
to be another Peter who would turn into another Paul."
He stated that she deceived because she was frail.
"She deceived herself into believing that everything would catch
up," he
added.
Jillisky painted a picture of a woman who will be permanently disbarred
from her profession in a few weeks, who has lost all her property, who
has completely lost her good name and whose family has been torn apart.
In contrast to her business suit and calm demeanor at the Jan. 7
arraignment, Kerns was clad in the state issue orange jumpsuit, complete
with leg and hand shackles, and spoke through tears as she gave her
apology speech for her several felony charges concerning
misappropriation of funds.
"I am very sorry," a visibly shaken Kerns said. "I know
there are people
in the courtroom, in my hometown and in the surrounding community who
think I'm the devil. I also know I have friends and former clients who
have tried to make me out as a saint."
"I'm not the devil and I'm sure not a saint," she said.
"I'm a human
being and I made the biggest mistake of my life."
"We were all friends," she said to her victims. "You
trusted me and I
breached your confidence. I never meant to hurt you and I never meant to
take your money. It started out so innocent."
Jillisky asked the court to consider rendering community service of 500
hours per year. He also said that if the state recommends a 60-month
prison term, he would ask for 59 months as a way of showing they are
thinking about her family and what she has already gone through.
Slagle stated, "Her victims literally have given up their life
savings."
"Her conduct is inexcusable," he said.
Slagle asked the court for the full five-year sentence, as well as
asking her to pay the attorney fees she charged her clients as they were
bilked of their money.
Davidson described his preparation for the case as "one of the more
extensive pre-sentencing investigations I've ever encountered."
After the hearing, Poling commented on Kerns' apology speech.
"It sure sounded good, didn't it?" he said, and added, "I
can't shed a
tear for her."
"We've been through hard times but we didn't go out and rob a
bank,"
Poling said.
Mildred McGinnis, 87, a relative of Kerns, reported that she lost
$339,000 and is considering litigation against the Richwood Bank for
allowing Kerns to enter her lock box to take her money without her
permission.
All they can hope for right now in monetary restitution, she said, is
$50,000 in damages.
Richwood council hears of
EPA concerns over backflow
Backflow issues have become a priority for the Ohio EPA and,
consequently, they are now important to the village of Richwood.
New village administrator Ron Polen told council that during a recent
inspection of the water plant, the EPA official made it clear that his
organization is putting backflow concerns near the top of its priority
list.
Backflow occurs when there is a pressure drop in water lines. When that
happens the water lines connecting to homes and businesses can pull
water from those structures, rather than force water in.
This becomes a problem for businesses such as car washes and funeral
homes that deal with chemicals. When backflow occurs at these types of
facilities, chemicals can be pulled into the water lines, causing
contamination.
A device called a double-check valve is needed to ensure that backflow
does not occur at such facilities.
Polen said the EPA is pushing for municipalities to set up programs to
regularly test such businesses to ensure that appropriate measures have
been installed to eliminate backflow. He said former village
administrator Dennis Latimer had begun to implement a plan to test
backflow but the plan was never carried out.
Polen said no one on the village payroll is currently qualified to test
anti-backflow measures at businesses. He said he did find a four-day
training class in Columbus, at a cost of $545, that would bring a
village employee up to speed on ways to monitor backflow.
Ed Bischoff of the Bischoff and Associates engineering firm said the
state may be starting with business backflow issues but it could soon
require residential testing. Polen didn't think residential testing was
coming anytime soon.
Polen said testing for backflow prevention measures would cost the
village nothing. He said state law allows municipalities to pass the
expense on to the customer.
Council member Wade McCalf said he felt the training would be important
because the village could see increased need for the service if the
industrial park takes off. Other council members agreed.
Council also learned from Mayor Bill Nibert that he received
confirmation that the village had been approved for an Ohio Public Works
grant for $396,900. The money is to go toward phase II of the village
water line improvement plan.
That phase of the project will improve water lines on the west side of
the village. The village will not be responsible for local matching
funds for the project.
Thousands of bicyclists to stop in Marysville
By JUDY BOEHLER
Marysville is going to be invaded June 21.
Don't panic. This will be a good invasion.
Marysville has been chosen to be the stopover for the last night of the
Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure, or GOBA. Up to 3,000 bicyclists will ride
from London to Marysville on that Friday and will set up camp at Eljer
Park. The next morning they will ride to Delaware to end their
adventure.
GOBA is an annual event which began in 1989 to spotlight Ohio
attractions. Nearly 20 percent of the participants are children
traveling with their parents. Participants are from 40 states and Canada
and significant numbers of them are more than 70 years old.
This year's tour, the first ever in central Ohio, begins in Delaware and
continues to Newark, Lancaster, Chillicothe, London and Marysville.
Attractions along the way will include the Perkins Observatory, Heisey
Glass Museum, Octagon Indian Mound, Dawes Arboretum, Sherman House,
Tarlton Cross Mound, Adena, Jonathan Alder log cabin, London Fish
Hatchery and museums, covered bridges and nature areas. Participants
will also have the opportunity to see the Tecumseh outdoor drama and
visit the Hocking Hills.
Each day, the bicyclists travel about 50 miles. They are provided with a
place to camp each night, showers and a baggage shuttle, as well as maps
and emergency medical and repair services. A campground is set up in the
host community, information booths are readied and shuttle systems are
organized. Typically, local groups offer food for sale for supper and
breakfast and entertainment is provided.
Many of the riders leave the previous night's campground at daybreak,
arriving at the next destination as early as 10 a.m. By that time, the
tour's organizers have set up toilet facilities, portable showers and
other facilities. The cyclists spend the day visiting local attractions,
shopping and eating in local eateries.
GOBA is sponsored by Bob Evans Farms Inc. and conducted by Columbus
Outdoor Pursuits, a non-profit organization. Union County organizers are
Alan and Betty Rupert.
Betty Rupert said they would like to hear from organizations and
individuals who would like to help the cycling club with this project.
She said they plan to organize tours of industries, historic houses and
other county attractions.
Not all of the riders set up tents, Rupert said. Some stay in motels and
host community residents and churches offer shelter to the cyclists.
Non-profit organizations are encouraged to participate by holding bake
sales and other money-making projects.
Anyone who would like more information on GOBA may contact the Ruperts
at 644-1707.
Milford Center council
handles routine business
Legislation moved forward Monday night at the Milford Center village
council to reduce the speed limit on West State Street at the
corporation limit.
Council members heard second reading of an ordinance that will reduce
the speed limit from 55 miles per hour to 35 mph. The reduced speed,
however, affects only the eastbound land or inbound traffic. The
outbound lane is owned by the county and requires a move by the county
commissioners to decrease the speed limit.
Council then approved a resolution updating construction permit fees.
A new topic before council included the need to establish an overall
plan for replacing/repairing village sidewalks and curbs. Consulting
engineer Gary Silcott will be consulted.
Zoning inspector Leroy Holt will meet with solicitor Charlotte Eufinger
to update village zoning regulations.
Councilman Roger Geer volunteered to assist Holt in a joint township
project to refurbish two war monuments in the local cemetery. In
addition to seeking funds and coordinating the project, the newly-formed
group is attempting to locate a plaque which formerly hung on the side
of a town building and listed soldiers who served from Milford Center
and Union Township. Holt said the sign will confirm names that are not
legible on the monuments.
Council recessed into executive session for 15 minutes to discuss
pending litigation and real estate. The meeting then adjourned.
Attending the meeting were council members Chris Burger, Jeff Parren,
Josh Combs and Geer, mayor Cheryl DeMatteo, sheriff's liason Rocky
Nelson, zoning inspector Holt and solicitor Eufinger.
Strong
winds cause damage in county
Dorothy and her dog Toto may be safe and sound after Saturday's high
winds, but Donna Brown's mobile home was relocated.
The Hillcrest Trailer Park home at 33 Woodcrest Drive was blown off its
foundation Saturday between 3 and 3:30 p.m. Two people were in the home
at the time, however, neither was injured.
"It was just a very windy day," said Brad Conley, Union County
Amateur
Radio Emergency Services Director.
The National Weather Service issued a high wind advisory Friday and a
high wind warning on Saturday. A warning calls for sustained winds above
50 miles per hour.
Conley said winds peaked at 77 mph at 5:53 p.m. in Ostrander and 73 mph
at Claibourne at 5:40 p.m. Tornados have winds above 74 mph.
Saturday's winds, however, were not a tornado.
The difference between Saturday's winds and a tornado is the direction
they were moving. Saturday's wind was a straight line wind, Conley said,
while winds in a tornado spin.
"It has to look like a top," Conley said about tornado winds.
Not only were Saturday's winds significant, they were sustained.
The wind jumped above 30 mph at 1:05 p.m. Saturday and did not drop
below 30 mph until 10 p.m. Conley said the wind picked back up at 12:40
a.m. Sunday, peaking at 45 mph at 7:55 a.m.
Wind began peaking Saturday at 3:15 p.m. with 68 mph winds at the Anna
Engine Plant. At 3:25 p.m. the weather station at the Union County
Sheriff's Office in Marysville recorded 55 mph. Other weather stations
recorded the following peaks: Bellefontaine's Logan County EMA, 64 mph
at 5:15 p.m.; Tri-County Jail in Mechanicsburg, 56 mph at 5:40 p.m.;
Honda Auto Plant, 56 mph at 6:15 p.m.
In its wake the wind blew barns and a chimney down, damaged cars and
knocked down power lines, tree limbs and signs. Conley, also an
insurance agent, said he was taking calls about wind damage until 10:30
p.m. Sunday.
Shirley McDonald who lives next door to the Brown home said she heard a
roar Saturday afternoon and knew something was wrong when her lampshade
and ceiling fan began to rattle. Then she heard "an awful
crash" and
skirting was going everywhere.
She was spending today calling adjusters to get insurance estimates.
McDonald said they had holes in their siding, roof damage and their cars
were scratched.
Another victim of Saturday's storms was the Fifth Street Short Stop
sign.
Owner Bud Griffith said his employees saw a gust of swirling wind that
blew the thick plastic panels out of the metal frame. Pieces of the sign
scattered onto Maple Street and the business's parking lot, scraping a
pickup truck.
"Fortunately no one was injured," Griffith said. "It
could have been
bad."
Authorities reported a high volume of calls when the wind was at its
worst and the Union County Sheriff's Department called in extra crews to
handle the additional calls.
Wind-related calls began coming into the Marysville Police Department at
5:15 p.m. and continued until 7:31 p.m. A tree limb came down on London
Avenue and a power line on Plum Street. A tree was in power lines at
Buckeye Street and a flag pole fell on a vehicle on Vine Street, while a
transformer was reportedly sparking on Industrial Parkway.
Trails
remain closed
Residents looking forward to running the trails of Mill Creek Park
will
have to sit tight for a little longer.
According to Marysville City Engineer Phil Roush the walking paths won't
be open until all the sewer and water work has been completed.
"It probably will not be real soon," he said.
There have been a couple of issues because of this, he added. The school
practice fields may be ready but it will be some time for the walking
trails.
"At this point all the underground work has been completed,"
he said.
The last work will be finished on Monday as the High school switches
sewer lines to the new pipes.
The next stage is the restoration process, he said.
"It will take another couple months for that," Roush said,
"It's looking
more like late May or early June if we get lucky.
"We have been pretty much on schedule" he said, adding the
particularly
mild winter has offered more time to work the site.
The only minor set back was the flooding which occurred in early winter.
Until then, he said, school practices and games in the area have been
rescheduled to other fields until all the grass grows back.
New
city hall plans detailed
By RYAN HORNS
In the real estate business "location, location, location" is
the catch
phrase, but city officials would rather cry "money, money,
money" when
it comes to building a new city hall.
Now that a site has been set for a new city hall, across from Memorial
Hospital of Union County, all that's left is getting the project in
motion. That however, according to Mayor Steve Lowe, could take time.
"We have many things we need," he said, "and one of our
city needs is a
new city hall."
The courtroom and the police department are cramped and the
administrative offices are too small, he said. Repairs are needed and
one significant problem is laying out just what needs to be done when
considering a future move. Money cannot be thrown into something which
may be phased out sometime in the near future.
"The building is totally inadequate," Lowe said. "It's a
bad situation."
The current city hall, he said, will be torn down and the property will
be used as a parking lot to add spots to the downtown area.
According to outside advisors, the city streets need work as well. Lowe
said they recommended yearly expenditures of up to $800,000 in street
upkeep, which the city cannot afford. Currently the city has been able
to put aside only $250,000 a year for streets.
Regarding the new city hall site, Lowe said he originally had other
ideas than to place it near Memorial Hospital. A previously discarded
idea was to put new city offices within the county-owned former Kmart
building on London Avenue.
"I wasn't privy to firsthand knowledge," Lowe pointed out,
"I was not on
council at the time."
Nevertheless, he came to understand that the Union County Commissioners
planned to split the Kmart site to include both new county and
Marysville City offices. They offered a certain amount of square footage
which was not enough for city needs.
Lowe has two criteria for the project. Those issues involve keeping the
new building in the downtown area and putting it on land already owned
by the city.
"I wanted to put it in the parking lot across the street," he
said,
referring to the current city hall parking area across from 125 E. Sixth
St. "I wanted it close to the downtown area."
Those plans fell through as problems arose in cost, Lowe said. The new
plans therefore were directed toward land already in the city's
possession. The solution was to place it on the property at the
intersection of London Avenue across from Memorial Hospital.
"It used to be the old Marysville Lumber Yard," Marysville
City
Administrator Bob Shaumleffel said.
That site, however, also had problems.
"But we didn't have parking space," Lowe said.
The snag led to the purchase of the former Penn Oil site Plum
Street
for $105,000.
Unfortunately, Lowe said, residents near the area came to the wrong
conclusions. A local woman approached council at the Feb. 28 meeting
with talk of eminent domain.
"I don't want to take people's homes," Lowe said, "They
can live there
as long as they would like to."
"The four houses that sit along Main Street - we don't really need
them," Bob Shaumleffel said.
However, Lowe said, should one of those homes come up for sale, the city
would buy the property as it became available in the hopes of creating a
park area around the new city offices for employee and public use.
"We're not going to take the properties," Lowe stressed.
In the end, plans for the development of these properties is still years
ahead.
Lowe said he preferred not to release details on the cost and designs of
the future project until he can sit down to discuss them with council.
Shaumleffel added that the new building will consist of the courts and
police department, taking up two-thirds of the space available and
one-third for the future administrative offices. Financial plans and
public support will have to be in effect before any progress can be
made.
Lowe said he hopes to sit down with council and the public to discuss
his five-year plan sometime around the next council meeting in
mid-March.
Council
discusses tax forms
By RYAN HORNS
Conversations on RITA, land acquisition and the ongoing blind crossing
issue were discussed during Thursday's Marysville City Council meeting.
City director of administration Bob Shaumleffel said he has been hearing
both negative and positive things about the new tax forms. Mayor Steve
Lowe agreed.
"I've heard anything from it taking two minutes to two hours,"
Lowe
said.
"If you don't like the one here you should take a look at
Cincinnati's
eight-page one," city engineer Phil Roush said.
Peter Lunder, who was appointed to the Joint Recreation Board at the
meeting, commented he had trouble with the RITA form as well.
Although he found the web site user-friendly, he said, "If I
weren't a
trained professional I'd think it would be kind of hard."
It still took him, he said, over two hours to complete his RITA form.
Shaumleffel believes that once residents get beyond the first year, the
complaints will decrease as people become familiar with the process.
"If you are upset," Lowe said, "I would ask that
residents specify what
part is more difficult, so we can be more specific in our critique to
them."
In other news, city engineer Phil Roush gave his update on the blind
street crossing issue to council.
He said he spoke with a Columbus company which installs the devices,
however, the cost might pose a problem. To install them, he reported, it
would cost $1,000 per crossing.
"I'm sure it's a doable project," Roush said, adding that
funding
through private donations will more likely be the feasible route.
Concerning the second reading and public hearing of an ordinance
regarding the proposed future city administration building real estate
purchase, a local woman had a few words to say.
Resident Jill Glass of 127 E. Eighth St. addressed council to discuss an
ordinance to buy acreage on South Plum Street and East Ninth Street, the
site of the former Penn Oil station.
"My home is on that block," Glass said, "It is not for
sale and it will
not be for sale in the near future. I don't want it taken by eminent
domain. I ask that council table this issue and hold a public
meeting."
"It is not the intent of this administration to use eminent
domain,"
Lowe said. "We don't need that property where the houses are
sitting to
build a city building."
"What we were lacking," he said, "was the Penn Oil site
for the
parking."
Council then voted to pass the ordinance and the issue will return for a
third reading at the first regularly-scheduled meeting in March.
In city communications news, Lowe reported that the city has three
information pages up on cable channel 25 doling out information on city
topics.
"It will be another way we can communicate to the public," he
added.
Lowe also addressed the city newsletter which was bulk mailed to the
residents of Marysville.
"The intent is to do two of them. The other will come out in the
fall,"
he said, "to make it a timely document."
The new addition to Marysville City Council, Ed Pleasant, was on hand
for the Thursday meeting as well.
"I would like to welcome Mr. Pleasant," council president John
Gore
said, "our newly appointed council member."
"I certainly appreciate the opportunity to serve," Pleasant
said. "I'm
kind of excited about it."
Other topics touched upon:
. Law director Tim Aslaner spoke about his involvement with the
Marysville High School Mock Trial team and the abilities of its
director, Richard Smith, at molding the students to reach the state
level each year.
. Jim Wimmers Jr. was appointed to fill a vacancy on the Parks and
Recreation Committee during the meeting. He will begin today on the
position. His term will end on Nov. 30.
. The Shade Tree commission has an open position. Lowe reported he has
heard from an interested party.
. Shaumleffel reported that the city sewer and water line construction
is coming along. The sewer line is completed and there are 240 feet left
of the water line to install.
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