ThisWeek CW 10/8/2015

http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/canalwinchester/news/2015/10/05/new-transportation-program-is-off-to-great-start.html

The Groveport Rickenbacker Employee Access Transit system got up and running Sept. 28 with a handful of riders on its first day of service.

“It was a GREAT day today — sorry, I couldn’t resist,” Finance Director Jeff Green told Groveport City Council members at their meeting that night. “By the second loop, we had people on every bus and we had council members there by 5:19 a.m. for the first run.”

Earlier this year, city officials announced plans to provide a public transportation option to Rickenbacker-area workers which would bridge the gap between existing Central Ohio Transit Authority stops and the numerous industrial warehouse buildings they have to get to, often a mile or more from the nearest COTA stop.

The program is jointly funded by Groveport and Obetz, with additional support from COTA; city officials also are seeking grant funding. To recoup costs associated with the program, area businesses agreed to purchase ride passes for employees and to pay an annual fee.

“We are requesting that each business contribute $5,000 toward the start-up of the program,” Groveport City Manager Marsha Hall wrote in a summary to council. “If all of the 23 businesses contribute, this will total $115,000.”

Green said the city is thankful for all the outreach and marketing work COTA officials have done.

Councilman Ed Dildine said the riders he spoke with were very happy about being able to take advantage of the bus option instead of having to take a long walk from the COTA stop to the Stella & Dot and the Innotrac facilities.

Aside from the connections with COTA, Councilwoman Becky Hutson said some employees still found it convenient just to make it to the GREAT stops.

“I spoke with one woman whose husband dropped her off at the GREAT-COTA bus stop because that was more convenient for them — she was really thrilled,” Hutson said.

Green said the program already is having a positive impact beyond just getting people to their job sites.

“One more thing I want to say is that last Thursday, I was meeting with a company who is considering a move here, and if it happens, they’ll bring about 175 new, good-paying jobs.

“They said the difference between the two communities they’re considering is that I said we can guarantee we have advanced transportation options to bring workers to their doors,” Green said. “They were very intrigued by that.”

Council members agreed the system got off to a good start and they expect it to grow rapidly.

“I was on the afternoon runs and I thought it was very well-organized,” Councilwoman Donna Drury said. “I think within 30 days, you’ll be filling the seats.”

More information about the program is available online at cota.com/great.

ThisWeek CW 10/8/2015

http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/canalwinchester/news/2015/10/05/district-seeks-city-zoning-variances-fee-waivers.html

Groveport Madison Schools Superintendent Bruce Hoover asked Groveport City Council last week to grant zoning variances and waive an estimated $50,000 worth of fees connected with building a new Groveport Madison High School.

“We’ve got a couple of requests for council to consider related to our construction projects, one of which is regarding our facility consolidation as part of reconstructing the warehouse facility into an educational facility, combining five of our current buildings into one,” Hoover said at the Sept. 28 council meeting.

“We’d like you to consider passing that as an emergency at the next meeting because we’re going up against a contract deadline.

“The other item is that we have a number of costs associated with the high school project. Some are projected and some are hard costs, like application fees and fees for reviews. The more we can nail down hard costs and what we need up front, the more budget we will know we have for building a better facility.”

City Administrator Marsha Hall asked council to consider waiving any hard fees associated with the application and review process that are under the city’s control.

“I met with the building department and legal, and we’ve asked the district to bring in everything they believe might need a variance at once instead of waiting to bring them (requests) as needed throughout the process,” Hall said. “Because we won’t know what all of the internal fees are until they’ve submitted for variances and plans, this will help.

“There are some fees that have to be paid to the city of Columbus, for instance, and those we won’t be able to waive.”

Hall said other possible savings might come from the variances themselves.

“One example was that we have a requirement to have landscaping in the parking lot. The Groveport Madison marching band uses that as their practice space. If we keep that requirement in this case, the school will need more land to provide practice space for the band, and that’s a high cost which would be money lost from the construction budget,” Hall said.

Currently, according to Hoover, the district has about $5 million in a contingency fund for the construction project. By nailing down anticipated expenses, or eliminating them, more of that money can go into facility enhancements. He estimated fees associated with the project could account for as much as $50,000.

“We’re asking council to consider this so that we can build a bigger and better school for the community,” Hoover said.

Council members agreed to consider passing the zoning changes as an emergency at their Oct. 13 meeting. They also agreed to consider waiving fees associated with the project that are directly controlled by the city.

“We are committed to assist in everything we can to make sure the school is the best it can be for the students,” Hall said.

ThisWeek CW 10/8/2015

http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/canalwinchester/news/2015/10/05/canal-winchester-city-council-quality-of-life-future-growth-top-candidates-concerns.html

With three seats up for election and only one incumbent running again, Canal Winchester voters will see at least two new faces on city council after the Nov. 3 election.

In addition to incumbent Rick Deeds, candidates seeking election are: Bob Clark, Bruce Jarvis, Tim Waibel and Mike Walker.

Council members Joe Abbott and Marilyn Rush-Ekelberry decided not to seek re-election.

The candidates

Clark served as an assistant to three U.S. Congressmen over a 25-year career and spent more than two years as the economic-development director for Fairfield County.

“In terms of economic development, our location is our greatest strength, as you can reach 50 percent of the U.S. and Canadian population within a day’s drive,” Clark said. “Canal has the best of both worlds: We have a small-town flavor, vibrant downtown and good economic growth. And we are only 20-plus minutes to professional sports, great hospitals and major research institutions of higher learning.”

Deeds has served on city council for 16 years, including six as council president.

“Canal Winchester has many assets and strengths,” Deeds said. “We have our own water and wastewater plants — something that many towns in central Ohio can’t say. Having those allow us to control our destiny, how we expand, the rates we charge, etc.

“Our industrial parks provide a great commercial base to help offset residential taxes while creating local jobs,” he said. “Canal Winchester has a unique character and we’ve worked hard to retain the small-town feel as we grow by growing sensibly while investing in our downtown and providing support for entities such as Destination: Canal Winchester that help retain our character.”

Jarvis, who previously had served 14 years on city council, similarly pointed out community, control of utilities and strategic, developable land as assets.

“When it comes to utilities and developable land, Canal Winchester is poised for the future much better than many nearby communities,” Jarvis said. “Being close to the capital city but very far away in feel, we are extremely fortunate to have developed and maintained an irresistible small-town charm — especially in the historic districts of the city.

“There is a great sense of community pride here that engages people and draws tens of thousands of visitors every year but it takes deliberate planning and consistently appropriate actions to maintain that pride.”

Waibel sees community spirit as the city’s best asset.

“As an active, growing community, still maintaining that small-town atmosphere is what makes Canal Winchester unique,” Waibel said.

Walker expressed similar sentiments: “Our greatest asset is our heritage and sense of community.”

Concerns and plans

Walker said he is primarily concerned with improving water quality and better traffic flow off U.S. Route 33.

“I’d like to see a continuous improvement in the quality of our drinking water,” Walker said. “I would also like to see more convenient entrances and exits to our great city. The traffic coming in off 33 sure seems to get more backed up as time goes on. If I’m elected, I’ll stay strong and passionate about these concerns and hope to improve them.”

Waibel believes continuing the growth currently underway is important to the city’s future.

“I see BrewDog as promoting piggyback growth like we haven’t seen before, so continued communication will be important,” he said. “I’m willing to listen to the concerns of our citizens and evaluate each issue as necessary.”

Jarvis said Canal Winchester is a healthy community, but he hopes to create a stronger, strategic vision for the future.

“The city does well maintaining the current infrastructure, but from my perspective, there is not much evidence of real long-term, strategic planning for the future,” Jarvis said.

“We must also do a better job of planning and executing projects that add to the quality of life throughout the city,” he said. “Future public meeting spaces, parks and organized activities need to be in the queue now for them to be realities in the near future.”

Deeds said the most pressing issue over the coming term is related to external decisions.

“Entities outside of Canal Winchester can make decisions that directly impact us,” he said. “Some recent examples include: SWACO decides to have all solid waste sent to its landfill, costing Canal Winchester about $800,000 a year; the state of Ohio cut the local municipal funds, costing Canal Winchester thousands of annual budget dollars; the state is currently reviewing the calculation and collection of local income taxes, which may cost us thousands of dollars annually.”

Deeds agreed that long-range planning could mitigate some of these concerns.

“While we are in a good position financially at this point, it is important to have a long-range plan and work toward that plan,” he said. “While the economy has improved, the competition to attract and retain businesses is fierce. It will be important for us to compete … by being easier to work with and providing a better overall location where businesses want to come and stay.”

Growth also was a primary issue on Clark’s list. He said he wants to make sure income-tax revenue keeps up with future infrastructure needs and that the city takes advantage of grant money.

“I believe managing the proper amount of growth that makes sense for the city is a big issue,” Clark said. “We need to keep our focus on economic development that creates new wealth, bringing in new income taxes that pay for infrastructure needs of the future. I believe my past professional experiences in government and economic development has allowed me to build relationships in the political and business communities that I can put to use for the betterment of Canal Winchester.”

ThisWeek CW 10/1/2015

http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/canalwinchester/news/2015/09/28/nov–3-mayors-race-candidates-id-growth-as-top-issue-in-groveport.html

The nonpartisan mayor’s race in Groveport on Nov. 3 will give voters a choice between longtime incumbent Lance Westcamp and challenger Dave Gale.

Gale said his 35 years of management experience in both the public and private sector at J.C. Penney Logistics, WESCO Distribution and the Ohio State Highway Patrol, as well as his six years of service in the U.S. Army Reserves, are the foundation of what he would bring to the office.

Gale has lived in Groveport for the past 22 years and served on the Planning and Zoning Commission and Groveport Preservation Committee, chaired the Board of Zoning Appeals and served as both president and treasurer of the Groveport Heritage and Preservation Society.

He said the biggest issues over the next four years will be “reducing Groveport’s heavy dependence on the warehousing industry; establishment of a development plan that controls yet promotes growth and protects individual assets while benefiting citizens and business; establishment of outstanding customer service in all aspects of city government with a focus on putting our citizens and businesses as top priority; and establishing an excellent working relationship with our small businesses and work with them to solve their problems.”

Westcamp, who served on city council from 1988-1994 with a term as president, has been the city’s mayor since 1994. He is a lifelong resident of Groveport.

Westcamp said the issues the mayor will face in the next four years include “allowing for additional industrial growth in a responsible manner; responding to the needs of the business community as it relates to employee recruitment and retention, all the while insuring that Groveport maintains its hometown character and continues to provide excellent service to its residents.”

Both candidates said they believe residents are one of Groveport’s key assets, along with the community’s proximity to Rickenbacker International Airport and its ability to attract business development related to the transportation hub while retaining a “hometown” charm.

“These issues can be tackled by engaging and responding to the needs of our greatest asset, our residents, assembling the resources to address the needs of our businesses and maintaining an open line of communication with both communities,” Westcamp said. “I will provide leadership by continuing to manage an extremely talented administrative staff that I have assembled during my tenure as mayor, continuing to work in a positive and effective manner with our city council, and listening to the needs our residents and businesses.”

Gale outlined a four-pronged plan for the future.

“Groveport receives the largest portion of (its) income from the warehouse industry,” he said. “I will put together a development plan that seeks to diversify where this income generates from.

“The land that borders our residential areas … should be zoned for suitable neighbors that are more noise-friendly and contain buildings that blend more easily with the current landscape,” Gale said. “We will attract new small business by showing our current businesses that we value them and are here to do everything we can to make them successful. I will start from day one, cultivating that relationship by meeting regularly with the business owners and listening to and reacting to their problems.”

Westcamp said he would continue to push the city staff to provide excellent customer service to residents and to provide great value to the city.

Gale said he believes the current city government isn’t providing adequate service to residents and his administration would change that.

“People often wonder why we don’t have more places to eat in the city and (have) a lack of shops in the downtown area,” Gale said. “Our culture in city government is one of task completion, not providing help and assistance to our citizens and businesses. I will change this culture immediately.”

Westcamp hopes voters will recognize his administration as one that delivers on its promises.

“I’ve proven I can deliver,” he said. “Look at what my administration has accomplished in the last four years: excellent financial accounting and rating; received Auditor of State Award with Distinction; implemented an energy-reduction program for city buildings resulting in $101,413 of electric savings alone in 2014; purchased and renovated a building for the police department instead of building a new facility, saving more than $4 million to Groveport taxpayers; opened a new senior citizen-housing development; redeveloped blighted downtown property and brought Ace Hardware to spur additional downtown development; led management team that successfully negotiated the creation of 2,500 new jobs since 2011; and provided continued substantial increase in tax dollars for projects and essential financial assistance to the Groveport Madison schools.”

Gale hopes voters will look to him to be their advocate at City Hall.

“I have a record of continuous improvement throughout my career; a record of team-building, working with diverse groups of people and achieving outstanding results,” he said. “I know how to ignite business growth and I have new, fresh ideas and answers for the issues that face our city. I will be involved in every aspect of city business in our city on a daily basis.”

City council

Incumbent council members Jean Ann Hilbert and Shawn M. Cleary are running unopposed.

“I want to make sure that the right decisions are made so that we, the citizens, can have a city that we are proud of, raise a family in and grow old in,” Cleary said.

Hilbert also mentioned business investment as an ongoing priority, but said she is particularly concerned with keeping a focus on implementing the city’s comprehensive plan.

“We have an aggressive plant to maintain roadways, infrastructure and walkways that needs to stay on track,” Hilbert said.

ThisWeek CW 10/1/2015

http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/canalwinchester/news/2015/09/28/history-recounted-through-annual-ghost-tour.html

The ghosts of the city’s past will again wander the streets of Canal Winchester this October while enlightening guests as part of the 10th annual Historic Ghost Tour.

The Canal Winchester Area Historical Society will host the tour, a fundraiser for the organization, Oct. 9 and 10. Participants will walk to six different historic locations where they will be greeted by famous “ghosts” of Canal Winchester who will provide anecdotes and historically accurate information about themselves and the town.

Tours will depart from Faith United Methodist Church, 15 W. Columbus St., each night starting at 7 p.m. with the last one leaving at 7:30 p.m. Tickets may be purchased beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the church.

Tickets cost $10 per adult and $5 per student; there is no charge for children age 5 and younger. All proceeds will be used to support the historical society’s core programs and preservation projects.

This year’s stops will include the Town Hall building where current Mayor Michael Ebert will portray former mayor K.L. “Mike” Miller.

According to event organizer Elaine Thomas, Ebert won’t just be playing the role based on history books, because Miller was the mayor of Canal Winchester when Ebert was a boy.

“When I talked to Mayor Ebert about taking this on, I asked if he remembered how Mayor Miller dressed and carried himself,” Thomas said. “The mayor said he remembered it well and so I said, ‘great, you’ve got the part, now just find yourself an outfit like what you remember Mike Miller wearing.’ ”

The first stop on this year’s tour will be the Municipal Building, followed by the Frances Steube Community Center to meet Frances Steube and hear more about the life of one of the city’s most accomplished women. Steube was the city’s first female council member and was a founding member of the historical society.

Other stops include Dr. Williard Gayman’s former office along Waterloo Street. Gayman was one of the first Canal Winchester residents to own an automobile. Gilbert Guiler will greet guests at the park bearing his name to explain his role in the city’s history; Jedson Wynkoop, a veterinarian and educator, rounds out the evening.

Thomas said every stop will have re-enactors who will help tell the story of the place, the person and the broader city history to participants.

“I think our guests will really enjoy learning the history of Canal Winchester this way and with so many new people moving here each year, I’m sure many of them don’t even know about all of things that have been a part of our city’s history,” Thomas said.

“We’re much more than just what’s on Gender Road. Just coming down to walk through downtown and to take in the old buildings and the styles of buildings, you get a sense of how much history is here,” she said.

The last tour at 7:30 p.m. will be accompanied by the Human Services Senior Transport Van that allows those unable to walk the tour route to take part.