May 12, 2011
Mumma gives positive financial report By MARLA K. KUHLMAN ThisWeek Community Newspapers Gahanna finance director Angel Mumma provided a positive financial first-quarter report to council on May 9 but cautioned that many pending changes at the state level could affect the city’s general fund revenue negatively. Those changes include the elimination of the estate tax proposed in 2013, as well as a reduction in local government funds (LGF) by 50 percent in two years. From Jan. 1 through March 31, Mumma said, Gahanna has collected
$6,714,377 in general-fund revenue. That represents 30 percent of fiscal year 2011 estimated total revenues for the city. The total collected is a 43-perAngel Mumma cent increase over the amount collected in the first quarter of 2010, she said. She said that during the first quarter of 2010, however, the city had just begun using the Regional Income Tax Agency (RITA) and that much of 2010 revenue was not collected until after the first quar-
ter. The local income tax remains the largest source of revenue, Mumma said. Through the first quarter, it made up 61 percent of the city’s general-fund revenue. She said $1.8 million (45 percent) of the income tax came from withholding from the city’s employers. “We’re dependent on our businesses in this community,” she said. Gahanna’s top 10 employers are ADP Total Source III Inc., American Electric Power, the city, Columbus Academy, Defense Finance, Gahanna-Jefferson schools, The Kroger Co., McGraw-Hill Cos., Mif-
flin Township and the state. Other general-fund revenue sources include LGF distributions, licenses and permits, fines and fees, and miscellaneous income. Gahanna received LGF totaling $350,121 in the first three months of 2011. Mumma said this amount is 8 percent ($26,254) higher than the amount received during the same period in 2010. “The state exceeded general tax revenues for the third quarter,” she said. “It’s being distributed, but that has significant potential to change.” Gahanna’s expenses through the first quarter were $4,822,699, representing 17
percent of the authorized expenditures for 2011. The spending is 24 percent lower than in the same period in 2010, Mumma said, in large part because of a reduction in capital expenditures. “It’s regrettable that we have cut so many capital improvement projects, but we have to do what is needed to cut spending,” Mayor Becky Stinchcomb said. “But we continue to look for innovative sources of funding, such as grants.” Salary expenditures for Gahanna employees are See REPORT, page A3
Council mulls amendment for FOP contract
CELEBRATION TIME
By MARLA K. KUHLMAN ThisWeek Community Newspapers
By Lorrie Cecil/ThisWeek
Twin brothers Gage and Gunnar Francis, 9, dance to the Black Eyed Peas’ “Boom Boom Pow” with fourth-grade teacher Mary Leopold during the Strides for Pride fundraiser at Blacklick Elementary School on May 6. Students at the school have raised almost $26,000 to use for such items as playground equipment and SMART Boards.
Meadowbrooke development plans to return to council committee By MARLA K. KUHLMAN ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Per Gahanna City Council’s request for additional information about the proposed Meadowbrooke subdivision on Havens Corners Road, another committee meeting has been scheduled for Monday, May 23, with a second council reading slated for June 6. Gahanna’s Planning Commission on March 23 voted 5-2 to approve the proposal to increase the density of the proposed Mead-
owbrooke subdivision, at 5593 Havens Corners, from nine to 14 lots. During a May 9 committee meetDavid Samuel ing, council president David Samuel said he has two safety concerns about Meadowbrooke: traffic and maneuverability for school buses. Samuel, who formerly worked as an accident investigator for
Columbus City Schools, said bus drivers would find it difficult to maneuver in the development. “As a router, I would be concerned about putting a bus in there,” he said. He said the traffic on Havens Corners also would make it difficult to turn out of the development. David Hodge, an attorney representing Brookwood Construction, said Havens Corners is a county road and the Franklin County Engineer’s Office has been consulted about the proposed de-
velopment. “We’re taking steps asked of us, concerning what they deem appropriate there,” he said. “They looked at a turn lane from Havens Corners. They deemed a turn lane wasn’t appropriate.” He said the fire department could access the development, so the same should be true of school buses. Council member Nancy McGregor said a fire department has See PLANS, page A2
Gahanna City Council on May 16 will consider legislation for an amendment to a negotiated labor agreement between the city and the Fraternal Order of Police, Capital City Lodge No. 9. Human-resources director Kristen Treadway said council had approved an agreement with the FOP in October, but sections 24.6 through 24.8 were subject to ongoing bargaining and a third-party dispute resolution. “We have completed the dispute resolution process, and we are recommending the amendment to the contract for council to authorize the mayor to sign,” Treadway said. She said Gahanna had gone to a fact-finder for the dispute resolution phase, and to save on cost for an additional binding arbitrator process, both parties agreed that the fact-finder’s decision would be final. “It cost $900 just to do that day,” she said. “We all agreed we’d accept (the decision).” The amendment reduces injury leave from nine months to six months, so quick implementation would benefit the city, Treadway said. Council member Tim Pack asked what had prompted the injury-leave portion of the contract. “I had to read it three times,” he said. “I could imagine the battle involved.” “We were trying to take care of a lot,” Treadway said. She said the city was met with
A closer look The amendment states that if a member on injury leave is approved for restricted duty by a physician, the city may place the member in a restricted-duty assignment in the division of police if division management determines that available restricted-duty work is consistent with the member’s medical restrictions.
a lot of resistance, especially involving restricted duty assignments. “We felt we should be able to use (members) in other areas,” Treadway said. “The city will be allowed to utilize injured officers in other capacities besides the police department after certain stipulations are met, which was an important aspect to us.” City attorney Tom Weber said the issue was over how menial the task could be for restricted duty. The amendment states that if a member on injury leave is approved for restricted duty by a physician, the city may place the member in a restricted-duty assignment in the division of police if division management determines that available restricted-duty work is consistent with the member’s medical restrictions. Prior to assigning a member to See CONTRACT, page A3
Inaugural ‘Bark for Life’ to serve as Relay fundraiser By MARLA K. KUHLMAN ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Organizers of the Gahanna-New Albany Relay For Life will host the first “Bark for Life” from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 14, at Friendship Park, 150 Oklahoma Ave., in Gahanna.
Stephanie Musko, Gahanna-New Albany event chair, said the Bark for Life sounded like a lot of fun, so her team, “Team Musko,” decided to sponsor it as a fundraiser for Relay For Life. Bark for Life is a noncompetitive walk event, giving dogs and their owners an opportunity to become involved in rais-
DIRECTORY
ing funds and awareness for the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life of Gahanna-New Albany. The day starts with a walk, honoring canine cancer survivors, and then continues with contests and games. “My husband and I will be taking our dog, Poe, a Jack Russell,” Musko said.
Bark for Life shares the theme of the 2011 Relay For Life: “Celebrate. Remember. Fight Back.” Many of the research advances for human cancer, such as research funded by the American Cancer Society, are used to treat dogs with cancer, as well, Musko said. “It’s a great opportunity to have fun,
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meet new friends and join in with your canine family members in supporting Relay For Life,” she said. “When you participate in Bark for Life, you are helping to fund cancer research, education, advocacy and community programs for See BARK, page A2
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