May 8, 2011
Parks committee
Sunbury considers gazebo proposal By SARAH SOLE ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Sunbury Village Council’s parks committee is thinking about putting a gazebo on the village square. Sunbury resident Lanny George presented the idea to committee members, who discussed it during the May 5 council meeting. George mentioned a gaze-
bo produced by Lux Craft in Mansfield, 24 feet in diameter with a floor three feet off of the ground. The model is priced at $30,910 and is made of treated wood and vinyl. George told ThisWeek he envisions the gazebo at the northwest corner of the village square, at the corner of Columbus and East Cherry streets. At this location, the gazebo would be visible to
those entering the village. “I think the community needs something like this. All I was doing was planting a seed,” George told ThisWeek. Council member Sean Currie, co-chair of the parks committee, said the proposed project is in its “infant stages,” and the parks committee would maintain contact with George. Council member Thomas Zalewski
said he thinks the gazebo is a good idea. Council member David Linnabary said it would solve the problem of seating on the square. Council members discussed possible fundraising efforts for the gazebo. Village administrator Dave Martin told ThisWeek the village might have the money to pay for a gazebo. Alternatively, a gazebo could be funded by outside
911 levy MOTHER-DAUGHTER TEA will help maintain ‘status quo’
By SARAH SOLE ThisWeek Community Newspapers
ThisWeek Community Newspapers
See COUNTY 911, page A2
See COMMITTEE, page A2
Developmental Disabilities operating levy approved
By SARAH SOLE Delaware County voters on May 3 warmed to a levy without a tax increase, supporting the fiveyear, 0.45-mill renewal operating levy for the county’s 911 emergency communications system. A total of 14,386 votes were for the renewal levy and 7,957 were against it. Sixty-four percent of voters were in favor of the levy. Residents had voted down a five-year 0.62-mill 911 levy in November. “We clearly understood the message from last November of no new taxes. We reduced the levy to provide for no new taxes. And I’m very pleased that the voters responded favorably to our actions,” Delaware Emergency Communications Operations director Bob Greenlaw told ThisWeek. “We had a nice margin and I appreciate the help we got from the people that supported us,” Greenlaw said. The levy will replace the 911 levy that will expire this year. The renewal amount means a homeowner will pay at the same rate as the expiring levy: $13.68 per $100,000 of residential valuation a year. The levy, which will raise $2.55 million annually, funds countywide 911 emergency dispatching; cell phone location service upgrades; dispatcher training for police, fire and medical responders; county, state and federal interoperable communications; and maintaining current levels of technology. Greenlaw told ThisWeek no new equipment will be funded by the levy. “Status quo is what we’re funding,” he said. The department brings in about $3.6 million annually. The county 911 answers 10,000 calls for service each
companies and organizations. The village and outside contributors also could collaboratively fund the project. The village can spend up to $25,000 without seeking bids. Martin said the village square has about eight or nine benches. “I think it would be a good addition to the square,”
By Tim Norman/ThisWeek
Janet MacKenzie, president of the Big Walnut Area Historical Society, offers treats to those attending a mother-daughter tea party May 1 at Myers Inn Museum, 45 S. Columbus St., in Sunbury. At the table are Laura Mayner (bottom right) and her daughters, 6-year-old Mara (center, left) and 9-year-old Lyla (center, right), and Mayner’s niece, Laura Strohl (top, right). Myers Inn Museum curator Polly Horn said the tea was started last year. Each tea has a different theme. At this program, Mary Daugherty gave a presentation about the attitudes that certain hats can convey throughout a person’s life. Teas also are scheduled for June 26 and July 24. Reservations are required and can be made by calling Alice Chapan at (740) 9651942.
The five-year, 2.1-mill replacement operating levy for the Delaware County Board of Developmental Disabilities was approved by county voters on May 3. With all precincts reporting, 13,636 voted for the levy and 9,816 voted against it. Fifty-eight percent of voters were in favor of the levy. Voters have approved every request since the levy was introduced in 1981. Each levy has been for five years. DCBDD superintendent Robert Morgan said the levy approval illustrates 25 years of community support. “We certainly appreciate that and feel valued by it,” he said, saying the board is proud of Delaware County. The 58-percent approval rating is consistent with past results. In 2006 the levy was approved by 60.6 percent, and in 2001 it was approved by 59 percent, Morgan said. “We’re appreciative. We’ve had a long and very positive relationship with county citizens and voters,” Morgan said, adding that the board would do its part to operate the levy funds efficiently. Morgan said the current levy that will expire this year has an effective collection rate of 2.09 mills. The replacement levy means an owner of a $100,000 home will pay a few cents more annually in taxes for Developmental Disabilities than the $64.26 paid last year. Developmental Disabilities serves 2,051 individuals. Morgan said Developmental Disabilities centers on providing individual care, which could be as low as $50 to $100. A maximum of $15,000 in local funding can be spent on one individual. In those instances, individuals would then utilize Medicaid waivers. Thirty-seven percent of the total budget goes toward funding local individual services and matching Medicaid waivers. Morgan said that for the past two decades, enrollment has doubled every seven to eight years. Those under age 21 account for 81 percent of current enrollment. “We’re a very young county,” Morgan said. Morgan said staff salaries of DCBDD’s 90 employees represent 22 percent of the budget. Employee benefits and payroll taxes account for 9 percent. A salary freeze took effect about 18 months ago. The top of the pay scale is no more than 30 percent above the base pay. See DCBDD LEVY, page A3
Job, family-services director to retire June 30 Reilly, who started with the agency in 1992 as workforce development supervisor, has served as director since 1999. Mona Reilly, Delaware County Job and “It has been a wonderful experience,” Family Services director, announced she Reilly told ThisWeek. will retire June 30. During the Delaware County commisBy SARAH SOLE
ThisWeek Community Newspapers
sioners’ May 5 meeting, commissioner example of what a director should be.” Tommy Thompson told Reilly that her Reilly told ThisWeek that she recom“years of experience and expertise will be mends assistant director Angela Thomas a great loss to the county.” for the job. Thomas became assistant diCommissioner Dennis Stapleton congratulated Reilly, saying that she’s a “great See COUNTY, page A3
DIRECTORY
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