While the date hasn’t been set, Marysville City Council will hold a work session to discuss the city’s involvement in the future of the YMCA. At the council’s work session this week, members discussed the parks and recreation portion of the city’s strategic plan. As part of that plan, there is a stated goal that the city, “strives to meet community demand for indoor and outdoor recreation facilities while achieving clear cost recovery goals that keeps facilities productive, adaptable, and financially sustainable.” A 2016 parks and recreation survey indicated strong community support for indoor recreation facilities. Officials said the strategic…
Author: Mac Cordell
Valentine’s Day is fast approaching. While I love the idea of celebrating love, I must admit that the holiday, the actual holiday, has a way of sneaking up on me. As January drags along, I know that I have weeks to get a gift and card for not only my wife, but also my sons. When February comes around, I think to myself, ‘I need to get on this soon’ and I intend to, I really do… but as anyone who has ever watched me write will attest, deadline is my muse. I know, and now you do also, that…
Union County is moving forward with a plan to pay off one bond and reversing course on a plan to pay off another. Last week, county officials met with bond counselor Andy Brossart, of Bradley Payne. Brossart encouraged the commissioners to pay off the 2009 bond, which had been used for various purposes. The original bond was for $6.47-million with a 4.5% interest rate, payable over 15 years and eligible for early payoff in 2018. Commissioner Chris Schmenk said the commissioners considered paying it early several years ago, but ultimately decided against it. Brossart said there is $990,000 remaining on…
Investigators are looking for the cause of this fire at Pleasant Valley Colony Apartments on Sunday. 73-year-old Vicki Fleck, who lived in one of the senior living apartments, died in the fire. (Photo submitted) Investigators Tuesday identified the woman killed in a Plain City fire and encouraging residents to take precautions. Chief Mark Kidd of the Pleasant Valley Joint Fire District, said Vicki Nelle Fleck, 73, of 420 Smucker Lane, Apt. E., was pronounced dead Sunday night at her home, where the fire occurred. “We don’t have any indication at this point that is was intentional in any way,” Kidd…
Representatives of Pulte Homes approached Marysville Council Monday night with plans for a new 300-home development across Route 31 from Mill Valley. Above, the large red square shows the development’s proximity to Mill Valley, while the inset photo shows a proposed preliminary layout of the area. (Graphics submitted) Council approached about new 300-home development across Rt. 31 What was intended to be a bit of an informational session and an opportunity for a developer to get some ideas from council at Monday night’s work session, turned into a philosophical discussion about housing. Representatives from Pulte Homes were at Monday night’s…
A Columbus man is facing a fifth charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated as well as other drug and weapons charges. The Union County Grand Jury has indicted Kandale Leon Harrison, 44, of Columbus. Harrison is charged with possession of cocaine, trafficking in cocaine, carrying a concealed weapon and having weapons under disability. According to court documents, about 1:35 a.m., Aug. 30, Harrison was driving west on U.S. 33 in Millcreek Township, when he was clocked going 95 miles per hour. HARRISON When he was pulled over, the trooper learned Harrison was driving on a suspended license. The trooper…
A Marysville man could be facing prison time after allegedly attacking his pregnant girlfriend. The Union County Grand Jury has indicted Shayne Eugene Scott, 20, of 418 Chestnut St., Marysville. Scott is charged with one count each of domestic violence and unlawful restraint. SCOTT According to court documents, on Jan. 3, the Marysville Division of Police received a call from a resident at 418 Chestnut St. The caller told police they could hear their roommates were involved in a dispute and they could hear “arguing and smacking” coming from their room. When police arrived, they found Scott and his girlfriend…
In an effort to create more time for their staff, the Union County Commissioners are making changes to their meetings. Beginning next week, the commissioners will meet just once a week, on Wednesdays, with the meetings to begin at 8:30 a.m. Additionally, the commissioners will meet on the first Tuesday of the month, “primarily to meet with elected officials and department heads.” Commissioner Chris Schmenk said the idea came from staff members. She said she met with them last year, asking them what the commissioners could do to help them be more efficient in their jobs. “They suggested meeting one…
“These were real children. There were actual victims.” That was the message of Assistant Union County Prosecutor Andrew Bigler at the recent sentencing of Ian F. McCarty. MCCARTY In December, McCarty, 29, of 7 Hillcrest Dr., Marysville, pleaded guilty to two counts of pandering sexually-oriented matter involving a minor or impaired person and two counts of illegal use of a minor or impaired person in nudity-oriented material or performance. Bigler explained that investigators with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children were able to identify at least three of the children in McCarty’s pictures. Visiting Judge Mark O’Connor recently…
An incident Tuesday highlights a growing concern in the community and the ways police are dealing with it. Marysville Police Department Deputy Chief Tony Brooks said that about 1:22 p.m., Tuesday, the department was called to the Marysville School District’s TRI Academy. “Originally it was reported as a threat or possible shooter,” Brooks said. School officials implemented their safety plan and said the building went into what officials called, “a modified lockdown.” While officers were responding to the scene, they were able to contact school officials and determine there did not seem to be a weapon involved. Brooks said that…
At Monday night’s meeting, new Marysville City Council President Mark Reams made his appointments to the council committees. Under the rules of council, the council president, who also serves as mayor, has the right to appoint committee members for the city. Reams appointed council member Henk Berbee to lead the finance committee with members Alan Seymour and Donald Boerger. He appointed council member J.R. Rausch to lead the public service/public safety committee with members Deb Groat and Aaron Carpenter. Usually those appointments are made without objection. This year was different. Immediately after announcing his committees, Reams called for a motion…
Citing the local and national political climate, as well as the “bad optics,” Marysville’s rules of council ad hoc committee has voted to reject a policy that would allow city council to expel one of its own members. “This is a divisive, unnecessary and illegal rule, and I move that we remove it from consideration at this ad hoc committee,” said council and ad hoc committee member Deb Groat. Earlier this month, city council created an ad hoc committee to review the body’s rules of procedure. At a meeting last week, Law Director Tim Aslaner introduced a new section to…
City officials are saying that despite a challenging year, Marysville is in good financial shape “I would say the city, financially, is in as good a position as any city in the state of Ohio,” said Marysville Finance Director Brad Lutz. Marysville’s general fund ended the year with $8.52 million in unencumbered carryover funds, $1.1 million higher than it started with. For the year, the city had general fund revenue of nearly $26 million with expenses of $24.9 million. The general fund revenue did not include the more than $1.5-million the city received in federal funds from the Coronavirus Aid,…
Marysville’s Finance Committee will recommend moving forward with a $1.5-million paving program for 2021. At Tuesday’s meeting, City Project Manager Marc Dilsaver presented the annual pavement conditions rating report. Each year Dilsaver drives each street in the city and rates them on things like cracking, potholes and curbs. Based on those scores, he gives each street a Pavement Condition Rating (PCR). Each individual street is divided into segments and rated separately. The segments go from intersection to intersection. Sections rated 80 or above are considered good. Those rated below 60 are considered poor. At Tuesday’s meeting, Dilsaver reported that 62%…
Beginning today, Fairbanks School District is transitioning to fulltime, in person learning. “Fairbanks Local Schools will begin to phase in Learning Level 1 for students over the next several weeks,” according to a statement from the district. Starting today, students in kindergarten through fifth grades will return to school four days a week — Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday— for in person learning. The schedule will allow for cleaning on Wednesday with a remote learning day for students. According to a statement from the district, “middle and high school students will phase in with a date to be determined over…