Southeast Messenger - June 28th, 2020

PAGE 8 - SOUTHEAST MESSENGER - June 28, 2020
By Rick Palsgrove
Southeast Editor
Some large, old trees in the historic section
of the city of Groveport are slated to be
removed due to their decaying condition.
“The city will personally deliver a letter
to each property owner about the trees and
the plans to remove them,” said Groveport
City Administrator B.J. King. “Every time
a strong storm blows in I get worried about
another falling large tree incident.”
City officials met with a licensed
arborist on May 18 to have some large,
older trees along Front Street inspected
along with two trees on Elm Street. The
inspection was prompted after a strong
storm knocked down a large tree that
smashed into a Groveport Police cruiser on
Front Street on May 10.
The inspection results revealed six troubled
trees including a large hole in a trunk
that collects water and rot at 215 Front St.:
a maple tree at 235 Front St. with a dying
root system and decay in the crown; an ash
tree at 197 Front St. with a dying root system;
a maple tree at 173 Front St. with
roots that were removed for a sidewalk
repair; a dead tree at 537 Elm St. where
immediate removal is recommended; and a
tree with a dying root system, dead limbs,
and a decaying crown at 545 Elm St.
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By Rick Palsgrove
Southeast Editor
Those who drive U.S. Route 33 on a
daily basis know traffic congestion on that
highway is a common, often frustrating,
occurrence.
Now, another study is being planned to
research what to do about the traffic problems
and safety issues on U.S. Route 33 in
southeastern Franklin County.
Ohio Department of Transportation
Public Information Officer for Central
Ohio Breanna Badanes said the last study
of this stretch of U.S. Route 33 was done in
2004 and there have been various improvements
to the roadway since then. She said
this new study will review U.S. Route 33
from State Route 104 east to Pickerington
Road.
Badanes said the study, which is
expected to be released by April 2021, will
include safety and improvements recommendations
for the U.S. Route 33 corridor
and interchanges. The study will evaluate
safety issues, traffic volume, traffic congestion,
capacity, interchanges, ramps, and
traffic counts.
“We are still seeing crash patterns and
traffic congestion on this stretch of U.S.
33,” said Badanes.
She said interchanges that could be
looked at for potential updates and modifications
include U.S. 33 at: I-270; at
Hamilton Road; at Gender Road; at Bixby
Road; and at Hill/Diley.
Badanes said “nothing is out of the
question” for consideration for improvements.
“Everything will be looked at,” she said,
including things like interchange
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Groveport to remove potentially dangerous old trees
According to B.J. King, the arborist recommended
removal of all six trees to eliminate
any hazards. The city received quotes
of $10,300 and $14,100 to remove the trees.
“I recommend we remove the trees,”
King told Groveport City Council on June
15. “We will talk to an arborist about planting
trees on Front Street to replace those
that are removed.”
Groveport City Councilman Shawn
Cleary cautioned residents to beware and
be alert for someone who is contacting
homeowners around town and falsely stating
the city plans to take down their trees.
“Be aware there are some rogue tree
people out there making false statements
about tree removals,” said Cleary.
King assured residents that, if the city
plans to take down a tree, city officials will
contract residents directly.
Groveport finances
The city of Groveport’s 2020 income tax
revenue as of May 31 is $7.3 million, which
is 4 percent higher than the same time in
2019. Income tax revenues comprise the
largest portion of the city’s total revenues
year-to-date, or 55.9 percent of all revenues,
according to Groveport Finance
Director Jason Carr.
In a report to Groveport City Council,
Carr also noted that, due to the impact of
the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the
city’s recreation fund and golf course fund
are down $289,000 and $158,000 respectively
year-to-date.
“The recreation fund and golf course
have historically operated at losses,” wrote
Carr. “In order to break even annual transfers
from the general fund are necessary.
Based on the current operating environment,
we anticipate the need to increase
budgeted transfers from the general fund
as these departments are unable to generate
sufficient receipts from operations consistent
with prior years.”
Groveport Police statistics
May crime statistics for the city of
Groveport, according to the Groveport
Police: 16 arrests, 14 accidents, 4 assaults,
0 burglary, 1 criminal mischief/trespassing,
9 domestic disputes, 2 domestic violence,
2 OVI and alcohol, 0 fights, 2 disorderly
conduct, 10 thefts/robberies, 0
stolen/unauthorized use, 0 missing persons,
2 weapon related calls, 2 narcotic
related offenses, 7 general complaints, 0
school related incidents, 0 identity theft, 1
suspicious vehicles/persons, 0 parking, 2
threats, 2 vandalism, 50 traffic citations, 0
sex related crime, 1 warrant/arrests/subpoenas,
3 suicide attempts.
New public service director
Brian Strayer was named the new public
services director for the city of
Groveport.
Last January Groveport City Council
approved replacing the existing public
works superintendent job with the new
position of public service director.
Strayer, who is a Groveport resident,
previously worked for more than 10 years
as operations manager in New Albany’s
public services department. He will start
work in Groveport on July 13. His annual
starting salary is $91,842.
According to city officials, the new public
service director position has an annual
salary range of $70,446 to $113,237. The
public works superintendent position that
was replaced had an annual salary range of
$59,964 to $95,942.
“Council wanted to make the position
more of an executive position with requirements
for various certifications (such as
water operator’s license) and broad based
knowledge of all facets of public works
(streets, sewer and water),” said Groveport
Assistant City Administrator Jeff Green.
ODOT to study U.S. 33
redesigns, widening U.S. 33, and smaller
cost effective ideas such as ramp metering
and smart lanes during peak travel times.
Groveport City Engineer Steve Farst
said, “They’ve been studying this corridor
for the last 20 years. The Hamilton Road
interchange is an old style cloverleaf configuration.
It’s possible ODOT could consider
some radical and different changes
there, like constructing flyovers.”
“Proposed improvements like that
would be exciting,” said Groveport City
Councilman Chad Grashel.
Citing concerns about frequent traffic
back-ups and accidents at the Hamilton
Road/U.S. 33 interchange, Groveport City
Councilman Ed Dildine said, “That interchange
is just not safe. It needs an overhaul.”
ODOT recently completed a project that
widened U.S. Route 33 in both directions
between Hamilton Road and I-270 creating
three travel lanes for both east and westbound
travel on U.S. 33. The project also
widened bridges over Big Walnut Creek.
Noise walls were constructed with one
15-foot high noise wall on the outside
shoulder of U.S. 33 eastbound between the
Big Walnut Creek bridge and west of
Hamilton Road and a 19-foot high noise
wall on the right-of-way fence along U.S.
33 westbound east of the Hamilton Road
interchange. Repairs were also made to the
Gender Road bridge over U.S. 33.
This $14 million project was completed
in late 2019. Its purpose was to improve
travel and safety on U.S. 33 between I-270
and Hamilton Road and to decrease congestion.