February 13, 2011
Winter storms a true ‘calamity’ for local schools By JIM FISCHER and BONNIE BUTCHER ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Marysville schools were closed for three days earlier this month, doubling the number of “calamity days” the district has used in the 2010-11 school year. The district was already at the three-day limit for the year. For the 2010-11 school year, schools are allowed to have three canceled school days. Any school days canceled after that number must be made up. “You can’t run if the roads aren’t safe,” Marysville Exempted Village School Superintendent Larry Zimmerman said. “I don’t want to put our buses and drivers out there in those conditions.” Zimmerman said travel time is also considered when calling for a delay or cancellation. Additionally, the ice last week “made it really hard. We struggled even to get our own sites ready,” he said. Ohio public school districts may get a muchneeded reprieve on snow days from the General Assembly. During Gov. Ted Strickland’s administration, the number of allotted calamity days was decreased, incrementally, with 2010-11 getting three. The current Ohio legislature is considering a bill to allow schools to have five canceled, or calamity, days, said state Rep. Casey Kozlowski (R-Conneaut), who represents the 99th District. House Bill 36, if approved, would increase the number of allowed calamity days to five from three. It also has an emergency clause that would See WINTER STORMS, page A2
By Chris Parker/ThisWeek
Outgoing city administrator Jillian Froment laughs as police Chief Floyd Golden reads a proclamation making Froment an honorary Marysville police officer during an open house held in her honor Wednesday, Feb. 9. Froment is leaving for a position with the Ohio Department of Insurance.
Council praises departing administrator By TARA STUBBS-FIGURSKI ThisWeek Community Newspapers
The search for a new Marysville city administrator is about to begin. City administrator Jillian Froment, who has accepted a position with the Ohio Department of Insurance, attended her last city council meeting on Feb. 10. Froment was presented a proclamation at the city council meeting recognizing her for outstanding service to the community from 20082011. Council president John Gore read the proclamation. It said Froment “inspired and led council and the administrative staff to work together as a stronger team to build a stronger Marysville” and set in motion the future course of the new safety service facility by coordinating the effort to pass a successful tax issue. “We hereby commend you for your service as
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with humor and let us know ‘It’s all good.’You will be missed. We will reap the benefits of your careful planning and wise leadership for many years to come.” Gore personally thanked Froment for her service to the city. “We wish you all the luck in the world. You have been a tremendous asset to this community. We will always remember you. We’ve made a pretty good team for the last three years. It’s like one of our teammates decided to go into the draft early.” Marysville Mayor Chris Schmenk said the search for her replacement has not been started but it will be a wide open search. CITY COUNCIL PROCLAMATION “We are actively involved with several muON JILLIAN FROMENT nicipal organizations in the state,” she said. The position will be advertised with those orcity administrator,” the proclamation reads. “Your ganizations as well as the media, and the city day-to-day management helped us solve small welcomes as many potential candidates as posand large crisis. You always diffused a situation sible to apply for the position, she said.
We hereby commend you for your service as city administrator. Your day-to-day management helped us solve small and large crisis. You always diffused a situation with humor and let us know ‘It’s all good.’ You will be missed. We will reap the benefits of your careful planning and wise leadership for many years to come.
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School board gives finance committee topics to study By JIM FISCHER ThisWeek Community Newspapers
There is no shortage of topics of discussion for the finance committee of a local school district. In fact, those topics are being discussed to avoid another shortage — of funds. The Marysville Exempted Village School District Board of Education recently gave its finance committee a list of areas to consider for additional study.
be invaluable, board President Jeff Mabee said. Mabee, with board member Doug Lassiter, serves as board liaison to the From a list of nine suggestions, the committee has prioritized two to committee. address initially: identifying the cost of a state minimum requirement K“We typically ask the finance com12 education and an attendant cost analysis of noncore. Low-enrollment mittee to look at (topics) and give recclasses; and potential cost savings in health, dental and vision insurance ommendations,” Mabee explained. “We options for district employees. try and let them do that as independently as possible.” Having individuals with financial Given the uncertainty about state sues, including declining tax revenues funding for education in the new gov- and cost-saving measures, having ad- backgrounds to serve means the comernor’s budget, combined with local is- ditional input on financial matters can mittee “is set up perfectly for creative
A closer look
ideas,” Lassiter said. From a list of nine suggestions, the committee has prioritized two to address initially: identifying the cost of a state minimum requirement K-12 education and an attendant cost analysis of noncore. Low-enrollment classes; and potential cost savings in health, dental and vision insurance options for district employees. The former would be done in conSee SCHOOL BOARD, page A2
ThisWeek Marysville wins 5 ONA awards Council OKs $27K The staff of ThisWeek Marysville won five awards at the Osman C. Hooper Newspaper Show held Feb. 10 at the Polaris Hilton. The show was held in conjunction with the 2011 Ohio Newspaper Association convention. A total of 61 Ohio newspapers participated in the Hooper Show. Overall, ThisWeek Community Newspapers won 20 ONA awards. ThisWeek Marysville won a second-place award for Community Service for its extensive coverage of the city of Marysville municipal income tax issue and related stories on the city’s substandard safety services facilities. Judge Karen Kaiser praised ThisWeek ’s coverage. “The coverage provided a detailed educational resource to enable the residents to
The entry included a series of articles by The coverage provided a ThisWeek Marysville redetailed educational resource porter Lin Rice and editorials by Community to enable the residents to Editor Jeff Donahue. make an informed decision. Donahue also won a This tireless effort to support best editorial award for Lin Rice his editorial endorsing the levy and the well-being the income tax issue. of the community is to be ThisWeek also won applauded. three other second-place awards during the HoopKAREN KAISER er Show. They included: —competition judge • Amy Lyle, second place, design make an informed decision,” Kaiser noted. Jeff Donahue • Lorrie Cecil, second “This tireless effort to support the levy and place, best photo the well-being of the community is to be • Second place in the advertising cateapplauded.” gory.
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for elevator repair By TARA STUBBSFIGURSKI ThisWeek Community Newspapers
A closer look
Marysville City Council ap- Council president John Gore proved spending nearly $27,000 asked what was being done to fix the municipal building el- to accommodate visitors to evator during its Feb. 10 meet- the building with special ing. needs. Administrator Jillian City administrator Jillian Fro- Froment said if someone was ment said the elevator did not unable to get to the second pass its annual inspection. floor, a staff member would “The underground hydraulic be sent to the first floor. lift cylinder is coming loose,” she said. “It needs to be fixed imme- it on the consent calendar and diately for the safety and health wave the three readings to get it concern of employees who use it See COUNCIL, page A3 on a daily basis. We need to place
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