January 13, 2011
IRS debt probe to take weeks or months By LISA AURAND ThisWeek Community Newspapers An independent auditor and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation have joined the investigation into Grove City’s unpaid withheld federal payroll taxes. The investigation into why the money wasn’t paid likely will take weeks or months rather than days, said deputy city administrator Mike Wasylik. The Internal Revenue Service last month told the city it owed about $685,905 in unpaid taxes. An initial in-
vestigation identified more unpaid quarterly tax returns totaling about $370,000. The city earlier said city police also are investigating, and the Franklin County prosecutor and state auditor’s office had been contacted. “I don’t want to portray it like we’re dragging our feet,” Wasylik said, “but since there is a criminal investigation going on, the BCI auditors will have some priority over who has access to what.” The city plans to contract with GBQ Consulting of Columbus to perform an
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… The BCI auditors will have some priority over who has access to what.
MIKE WASYLIK — Deputy city administrator
independent audit of the city’s books, said law director Stephen Smith Jr. of the Schottenstien Zox & Dunn firm. City council president Ted Berry emailed Smith and the other council members Jan. 6, emphasizing that GBQ’s
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audit results and recommendations should be reported to city council and the city administration at the same time, “so concerns can be expressed and questions asked. “We also must be completely trans-
parent in this investigation,” Berry wrote, and should “make sure the citizens of Grove City also have an opportunity to speak and be heard.” “This whole issue is a black eye on Grove City and we just need to make sure that the public, at every turn, has the chance to hear what we’re hearing,” Berry told The Record. “It’s better if everything’s heard in public where we’re able to ask questions, and if somebody else asks quesSee IRS DEBT, page A2
No new talks set with SWCS unions
City expects COMETS COACH to receive grant for Stringtown By LISA AURAND ThisWeek Community Newspapers A $6.3-million grant will help Grove City widen the last four-lane segment of Stringtown Road. The Ohio Public Works Commission is expected to officially award Grove City the grant in March and distribute funds in July, city administrator Phil Honsey said. “This project scored high enough that we’re pretty certain regarding the funding outA closer look come,” Honsey said. “The city ex- The updates will include pects an an- new water and sewer lines, nouncement by the addition of a dedicated the state in the turn lane, streetlights, next few months sidewalks, a dedicated regarding the bicycle lane and ADA curb final funding de- ramps. Other changes include signal timing and cision.” At its Jan. 18 traffic engineering. meeting, city council will hear a first reading of an ordinance that would approve $422,297 in professional services for the project, including engineering by EMH&T, and preparation of bid documents, Honsey said. The project is expected to cost $7.1-million, with just under $1-million of those costs for professional services, which includes engineering. The construction will affect Stringtown Road between Hoover and McDowell roads, city spokesman Don Walters said. “Columbus Street all the way down to Broadway has been widened and updated, and then from McDowell to Interstate 71 is now all perfect,” he said. The widening of Columbus Street and Stringtown Road began in the 1980s, Walters said, when “much of that was a two-lane road. There was no curb and gutter, no sidewalks. “Technically we’ll now have a perfect shot down from Interstate 71 to the main street of the town,” he said. The updates will include new water and sewer lines, the addition of a dedicated turn lane, streetlights, sidewalks, a dedicated bicycle lane and ADA curb ramps. Other changes include signal timing and traffic engineering, Honsey said. Engineering is expected to begin in late 2011 with construction beginning in March 2012.
By TOM SHEEHAN ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Unions representing teachers and classified employees have gone more than six months without reaching new contracts with South-Western City Schools, a situation district officials don’t think has happened before. Both the South-Western Education Association and the Ohio Association of Public School Employees, which represents nonteaching personnel, have been without contracts since June 30. Federal mediators are handling negotiations, but district negotiators have not met with SWEA since Dec. 20 or OAPSE since mid-November. The mediators in the separate talks set the meetings and no new talks have been set for either union. Prior to the Jan. 10 school board meeting, superintendent Bill Wise said he did not know how long talks would continue with the unions without any significant breakthroughs. Regarding the Dec. 20 meeting with teachers, Wise said he could not discuss what issues are on the table. “I don’t feel we are significantly closer together but at least we are addressing the issues,” he said. This is the first time district officials can remember talks with either union going into January, he said. SWEA president Rolla Beach said after the Jan. 10 meeting that teachers are continuing to negotiate in good faith.
By Tim Norman/ThisWeek
Central Crossing head coach Jamie Ramirez yells to Central Crossing’s Brooks Gilmore (right) as he battles Thomas Worthington’s Hunter Blevins in the 215-pound class during the four-team meet on Jan 6 at Worthington Kilbourne High School. See Sports, page B1.
See CITY, page A2
See SWCS, page A2
Grove City preparing to survey local businesses next week, with the survey im-
By LISA AURAND
ThisWeek Community Newspapers mediately following.
Grove City is just days away from sending out its first survey of local businesses. First, however, mayor Richard “Ike” Stage plans to send a letter to the city’s 1,600 businesses, asking for their participation. City community and business relations officer Don Walters said the letter will go out within the
A closer look
“I have the mayor’s letter in front of me and I’m tweaking Grove City officials decided to conduct the survey based on it,” Walters said Jan. 6. The letter announces the busi- growth in the city’s business sector during the last 20 years. ness survey — a supplement to Businesses provide 71 percent of the city’s revenue. the city’s biennial survey of its residents — and asks business“We probably will refine some ters said. es to participate, Walters said. wording,” Walters said. Grove City officials decided Other than some slight The mayor's letter will direct to conduct the survey based on changes, the survey is ready to the businesses to a website where growth in the city’s business secbe mailed, he said. they can take the survey, Wal- tor during the last 20 years. Busi-
DIRECTORY
Customer Service: 1-888-837-4342
See GROVE CITY, page A2
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of the city’s development department. In addition, the survey may help determine whether Columbus State Community College will lease or purchase a building to house the Grove City Center for Higher Education fulltime. For now, evening classes for the learning center are being held
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nesses provide 71 percent of the city’s revenue. The hope is that the survey will lead to better communication between the city and its businesses. Grove City hired Columbusbased research company Saperstein Associates to help develop the questions and administer the survey at a cost of $22,000. Questions will cover city services, business tax incentives, traffic flow, zoning and the efficiency
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