May 12, 2011
Firm won’t audit Grove City books By LISA AURAND ThisWeek Community Newspapers The firm originally contracted to review Grove City’s books is no longer doing an audit, city spokesman Don Walters said. GBQ Consulting instead has shifted its focus to administrative practices and
procedures to prevent future thefts or trouble with the Internal Revenue Service. “They attempted to do the audit in January, but it never got off the ground because the police had all the pages and pages of documents and they were protecting them … as part of a criminal investigation,” Walters said.
GBQ is still contracted for as much as $20,000 of work for Grove City, he said. In addition, the Grove City police had called in the state auditor’s office for a special forensic audit, which will cost the city about $40,000. At that time, the city had paid GBQ a $3,000 retainer, and the company had performed an initial re-
view of the city’s procedures. “They went into limbo, but then we just commissioned them, since the purchase order is open and they’d done some preliminary work on things, we said, ‘Now is the time to look at our funds and cash handling procedures,’” Walters said. In addition, GBQ is reviewing the way the city reconciles its books and is work-
ing on the books from the past six months to make sure that all numbers match up. City council president Ted Berry said he doesn’t support spending additional money on audits — either procedural or financial — until the state auditor’s office presents its report. See FIRM WON’T, page A11
Board hears state budget update
HERB SALE
By TOM SHEEHAN ThisWeek Community Newspapers
ins eight or nine years ago when he moved to Grove City. “When Steak and Shake first opened on Stringtown Road, ... I thought that was a great location,” Templin said. “If the guys brought
The South-Western school board on May 9 received an update on the governor’s proposed twoyear budget. The board also created two funds to handle $6.5 million in state school construction bonds for energy-conservation projects in the district. Tr e a s u r e r Hugh W. Garside Jr. told the A closer look board district officials are closely watch- The South-Western school ing the pro- board created two funds to posed state handle $6.5 million in state budget because school construction bonds of its effect on for energy-conservation school funding. projects in the district. The proposal continues to undergo revisions in the Ohio Legislature. “We’re still really watching the personal tangible property tax and what goes on with that,” Garside said. “Our current replacement of those dollars is about $12 million a year. It’s a big number for us.” Under the current budget proposal, the state would accelerate a planned multi-year phase-out of the tangible personal property tax reimbursed to districts, meaning schools would lose millions sooner than they anticipated. Garside expects, as do many others, that the legislature won’t act on a final budget until around June 30. By law, a budget must be in place by July 1. He earlier said Garside said the district might lose about $9 million in state aid in next year’s budget, as well as the end of about $6.4 million in one-time federal stimulus money. The South-Western board approved the creation of two funds to handle the school construction funds funneled through the Ohio School Facilities Commission. Garside said prior to the meeting that
See WEEKLY, page A2
See SCHOOL BOARD, page A2
By Todd Seimer/ThisWeek
Nancy Knapp (left) and her mother, Rose Murnane, browse the selection of herbs at the Gantz Perennial, Herb and Landscape plant sale sponsored by Gantz Volunteers and the Grove City Tree Commission on May 7.
Weekly cruise-ins benefit food bank By LISA AURAND ThisWeek Community Newspapers Classic car lovers can fuel their hobby and feed the hungry simultaneously during cruise-ins in Grove City. No registration fee or admission
will be charged for Grove City CruiseIns, held once a week during the summer. Instead, participants and attendees are asked to bring a canned good or other non-perishable food item to donate to the Mid-Ohio Foodbank. Those who have taken part in the event in the past should note that it’s
being held on a different day and at a different location than in the past, said organizer Tim Templin. The cruise-ins will be held from 5-10 p.m. Thursdays,k May 10 to Sept. 29, at Talita’s Mexican Kitchen, 3090 Southwest Blvd. Templin started planning the cruise-
Memorial Day parade to honor veterans May 30 By LISA AURAND ThisWeek Community Newspapers Local veterans and members of the military will be honored at Grove City’s annual Memorial Day parade May 30. The parade is sponsored by the American Legion Paschall Post 164 and Veterans of Foreign Wars 8198. It will begin
at 11 a.m. at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, 3730 Broadway, said Ed Bowles, commander of the local American Legion post. The parade will form at about 10 a.m., Bowles said. The parade will move south along Broadway to City Hall, 4035 Broadway, for a short ceremony, and will continue to Grove City Cemetery, 3605
DIRECTORY
Grove City Road, for a Memorial Day service. Parade participants will include the honor guard from the Jackson Township Fire Department and choirs from both Grove City High School and Central Crossing High School, as well as the Reserve Officer Training Corps from both schools.
“Memorial Day is more of a somber occasion. It’s to remember the people who have done a lot for us. … What we’re trying to do is honor those who have helped us in the past,” Bowles said. “It’s unimaginable until you see all the flags in the cemetery. I can’t believe how many men and women have served. ... It’s a time to thank them for what
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they’ve done for us.” The service, beginning around 11:30 a.m., will include a brief speech from state Rep. Cheryl Grossman (R-Grove City), as well as the naming of the parade’s grand marshal and the Legionnaire of the year. See MEMORIAL DAY, page A11
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