June 16, 2011
Administrator contract allows merit pay By TOM SHEEHAN ThisWeek Community Newspapers Performance-based merit raises are part of a new contract negotiated between South-Western City Schools and the union representing the district’s administrators. The two-year contract was approved June 10 by South-Western Administrators Association and by the school board on June 13. It provides for a 0.5-percent
base-pay increase for the 2011-12 school year and a 1-percent increase for the 201213 school year. The pact replaces a one-year contract, signed in June 2010, that had no basepay increase. Beginning with the 2012-13 school year, new administrative employees, and any current administrators who opt to do so, will take part in a merit-based compensation structure.
That structure will be developed during the 2011-12 school year by district officials and the South-Western Administrators Association (SWAA), which represents about 85 administrators. “I believe this contract is very similar to those of OAPSE (Ohio Association of Public School Employees) and SWEA (South-Western Education Association)” negotiated earlier this year, said board vice president Randy Reisling.
“It (the contract) does have an additional piece ... a merit-based compensation structure,” he said. “I think this is a very exciting turn of events and something we look forward to implementing.” The merit pay would be based on an individual’s performance during the previous school year. Superintendent Bill Wise said after the meeting that could mean an individual could get a bigger raise than other administrators or get no
raise at all. Step pay increases and pension and health benefits remain the same as those in the previous contract. The new agreement runs from July 1 to June 30, 2013. Three-year contracts were reached this year for OAPSE, which represents classified workers, and SWEA, which represents teachers and other certified perSee MERIT, page A2
Stage vetoes vote to install lumberyard park
SUMMER SIZZLES
By LISA AURAND ThisWeek Community Newspapers
By Eric George/ThisWeek
Rob Harris (left) solos on guitar with the Paul Clark Band during an outdoor performance in Grove City on June 10. Concerts will be held every Friday and Saturday night through Aug. 20 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. as part of the 2011 Summer Sizzles Concert Series.
City considers sprucing up bridges By LISA AURAND ThisWeek Community Newspapers Grove City’s bridges along Interstate 71 are poised for a makeover if city council approves funding for aesthetic improvements. Grove City’s administration is proposing a total of $47,248 for improvements: $28,950 for the Stringtown-Hoover roads bridge and $18,298 for the Stringtown Road Gateway-Interchange improvement. The two ordinances will be up for a second reading and public hearing
at the city council’s June 20 meeting. The proposals are the next steps in improving the “gateway” areas into Grove City, city administrator Phil Honsey said. The hope is that the Hoover Road overpass and Stringtown Road bridge will match the new bridge going in at the Interstate 71-state Route 665 interchange, Honsey said. “Our goal as a community is that the brand new interchange and our two bridges up north of the highway have the same look and feel, which says ‘Grove City’ both literally and
figuratively,” Honsey said. “There were, in past years, some rather expensive landscaping plans done, much of which has been implemented,” Honsey said. “We’re going to be fine-tuning that.” The new $32.7-million interchange at I-71 and Route 665 will be a “single point urban interchange,” similar to that at Sawmill Road and Interstate 270. Ground was broken on the project last fall and will include black fencing with the words “Grove City” over I-71. “(That) covers the design to put the black decorative fencing, rather
than the chain link fencing on the bridges,” Honsey said. “Now (the Hoover Road overpass) does have black fencing, but the fencing is just black chain link.” Both projects can be completed fairly quickly, Honsey said. “In the opinion of our engineers, those are rather straightforward things. It’s basically buying the materials and a minimal amount of work to attach the new type of fencing to the bridge. We don’t have to do a great deal of restructuring work on the bridge structure itself. That’s the current thinking, at least.”
Mayor Richard “Ike” Stage on June 14 announced he vetoed Grove City Council’s June 6 vote approving a temporary park in the old A closer look lumberyard site behind City Hall. Council members Steve Council voted Bennett and Ted Berry 3-2 to appropri- argued the city had waited ate $80,500 long enough to fix up the from the gener- property, including the al fund to create gravel parking lot on the a temporary north side that remains in park at the lum- violation of city code. beryard. Council members Melissa Albright and Gregory Grinch voted against the project. Stage said at the time he might veto the legislation. Stage said this is his first veto in his current term as mayor. His decision was about timing, Stage said. The city has put out a request for proposals (RFP) from developers for the entire town center. Developers have until June 16 to submit their plans. “My reason is that we have an RFP out there and we want to see what happens,” Stage said. In the press release announcing his veto decision, Stage said moving forward with the park before developers’ proposals come in could be a waste of money. “If (a) developer proposes housing and a park, both paid by the developer, we would be disregarding the possibility of a no-cost park by not waiting a few more days,” he said. The RFP was suggested by consultant Frank Elmer and his company, Lincoln Street Studio. “Frank Elmer did not overtly suggest a park,” Stage See STAGE, page A2
Flags of Honor slated to commemorate 9/11 By LISA AURAND ThisWeek Community Newspapers Grove City Parks and Recreation has something special planned for the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The city plans to host Ohio Flags of Honor from Sept. 9-11, said parks and
recreation director Kim Conrad. “It’s a roving flag display that honors the soldiers from Ohio that have fallen during the Afghan and Iraqi conflicts that we’ve had since 9/11,” Conrad said. Ohio Flags of Honor is a Hilliardbased nonprofit organization that helps facilitate fellowship for families, friends,
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and communities who want to pay tribute to Ohio’s fallen soldiers. It also raises public awareness and support for Ohio’s returning veterans. “The flag display will be up all weekend,” Conrad said. “We’ll have the display lit so even at night (people can visit). It’s very solemn, and very moving.”
Council member Melissa Albright attended a Flags of Honor event in Commercial Point. “It’s obviously very solemn … but it’s very inspiring to me, as well,” Albright said. “Each flag has a specific soldier’s name on it and each name will be read.” Albright said the display will be a
Cheryl is one of many cats up for adoption at the Cat Welfare Association. On Tuesday, June 21, the association will hold its Summer Solstice Adoption Extravaganza, which will feature food and special adoption rates. For information on adopting Cheryl or any of the cats, visit catwelfareohio.com. Watch a video of Cheryl at ThisWeekNews.com.
good way to honor not only fallen soldiers, but also the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attack and Grove City’s local police and firefighters. Conrad and Albright said they hope to plan a community picnic following a ceremony on Sept. 10.
Look inside Grove City Record for your latest copy of
See FLAGS, page A3
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