ThisWeek Grove City 3/17 by The Columbus Dispatch/Dispatch Magazines

March 17, 2011

Census shows city grew by 31 percent By LISA AURAND ThisWeek Community Newspapers Grove City’s population has increased by 31 percent in the last 10 years, according to preliminary data from the 2010 U.S. Census. The new census shows the city’s total population is 35,575, an increase of 8,500 people over the 2000 census.

Development director Chuck Boso said Grove City officials weren’t entirely surprised by the results. “We receive estimates from (the MidOhio Regional Planning Commission), and actually this was a slight bit higher, but not much,” Boso said. The results show Grove City as the Columbus suburb with the second-highest population growth since 2000, trail-

ing Dublin’s growth of 10,392. “I think it makes a statement about how people have realized what a great place Grove City is to live,” said mayor Richard “Ike” Stage. “I think we’ve handled (the growth) extremely well because of good planning with our infrastructure and streets and the availability of property for housing.”

Boso agreed. “Whenever you have an increase, especially of that number ... people must like what we’re doing in terms of housing choices, the educational system, the safety of the community and community amenities,” Boso said. “We offer golf courses, shopping, restaurants, and employment opportunities.”

Much of the last decade’s growth has taken place east of Interstate 71 and south of Stringtown Road in the area near the Pinnacle development, Boso said. He estimated that 1,000 to 1,200 residents have moved into that area in recent years. “That growth is a good indicator that people like what we’re doing as a comSee CENSUS, page A2

City says $235,311 missing in IRS case By LISA AURAND ThisWeek Community Newspapers

By Andrea Kjerrumgaard/ThisWeek

Westland High School teachers, from left, Jack Buckingham, retired, John Weddendorf and Shane Harris, wear blue shirts to show their support of the South-Western Education Association teachers’ union while attending the school board meeting March 14.

Board hears views on union talks By TOM SHEEHAN ThisWeek Community Newspapers Several residents on March 14 urged SouthWestern City school board members to take a tough stance during ongoing contract talks with two unions, while a teacher told the board it must be fair to employees. Amy Rist, who said she is a teacher and has three children, called on the board members to be leaders in these challenging economic times. “What kind of leaders do we have in the South-Western City School Distinct?” she asked.

“We’re expecting fair and equitable treatment.” Both the South-Western Education Association and the Ohio Association of Public School Employees have been working without contracts since June 30. Federal mediators are handling the negotiations. Negotiators for teachers and the district have not met in a formal session since Dec. 20. OAPSE last met with district officials on Feb. 7. Superintendent Bill Wise before the meeting said the teachers’ union initiated an “informal” discussion with the district last week. Such dis-

cussions are permissible, he said. He declined to elaborate. “Our major focus is the state budget to be released this week,” he said. “The state budget may force districts to re-evaluate the assumptions we put in the five-year financial forecast.” Gov. John Kasich was to release his proposed two-year state budget on March 15. The state faces a projected $8-billion deficit and significant cuts are expected. South-Western included an estimated 10-per-

Grove City officials have determined that $235,311 in city funds is unaccounted for, and the missing money is the focus of the police investigation into the city’s tax debt, city finance director Mike Turner said. The debt to the Internal Revenue Service for unfiled and late federal taxes could end up costing Grove City more than $1.4-million if the missing money is included, Turner said. Insurance or other sources might cover some of the lost funds, he said. Turner’s preliminary estimate of the unpaid taxes and penalties includes $389,683 from 19992006 and $790,184 from 2007-2010. Turner on March 11 said he’s been working on the estimate for several months. “I’ve been collecting information on and off since we got the notice,” from the Internal Revenue Service in December 2010, he said. In a March 7 memo to mayor Richard “Ike” Stage, Turner said, “Throughout the years, funds from tax withholdings have been used to pay ... penalties, interest and tax withholdings” for the preceding four-month periods. “The ensuing shortage in the payroll account has resulted in a continual process of creating additional penalties and interest,” the memo said. The law firm Schottenstein Zox & Dunn, working on behalf of the city, is asking the IRS to abate some of the penalties and interest. “We have until the end of the month to outline our reasonable grounds for the abatement with

See BOARD, page A6

See CITY, page A2

Longtime ThisWeek editor Cason announces retirement By JEFF DONAHUE ment to ThisWeek staffers March ThisWeek Community Newspa- 11, concluding a career that pers spanned the height of the Watergate era as an editor at The WashFriday, March 18, marks the ington Post to building one of the end of an era at ThisWeek Com- nation’s most respected commumunity Newspapers. nity newspaper organizations. Late that afternoon, vice pres- Under Cason’s leadership, ident and executive editor Ben ThisWeek Community NewspaCason will shut down his com- pers have won hundreds of state, puter, gather his cell phone and regional and national awards coat and quietly stroll out of the for journalistic excellence. newsroom the way he has every More importantly, general manweek since 1993. ager Stephen Zonars said, Cason However, come Monday morn- won the loyalty of hundreds of ing, for the first time in 18 years, thousands of central Ohio readhe won’t be leading a newsroom ers. discussion on politics or the “Ben has been the heartbeat of NCAA basketball tournament. ThisWeek Community NewspaCason announced his retire- pers for 18 years and his contri-

butions are immeasurable,” Zonars said. “On his watch, the readership of our papers has grown by more than 200,000 people, which may be the most honest reflection of how valuable the public finds our coverage, which is the product of Ben’s leadership in the newsroom.” Zonars said Cason’s legacy is the team of journalists he has assembled at ThisWeek. “We are indebted to Ben for attracting bright and passionate reporters and editors who share his love of community news and sports, and to Ben’s high personal standards for quality, objective and, above all, accurate reporting,” he said.

“No one checks more facts than Ben. Ben’s legacy will be that his brand of journalism will live on Ben Cason through our staff because Ben showed them the way as he coached, mentored and nurtured them. Ben leaves us in good hands.” Two of Cason’s first hires after he arrived at ThisWeek were Lee Cochran, now assistant managing editor and sports editor, and Sandy Wallace, news editor. “I came to ThisWeek from a

small daily and it took some time for me to get used to the different pace and schedule of weekly papers,” Wallace said. “But Ben’s vision for the papers was very clear. It was all about better reporting, better editing, better writing. For Ben, content is key, regardless of whether it’s in print or online. “It will be very strange to walk in the newsroom on March 21 and know Ben won’t be there,” she said. “We’re losing a wealth of experience and institutional knowledge — but I think I can safely say that Ben’s influence will continue to be felt for a long time.” “Ben came to ThisWeek three