Groveport Messenger - August 22nd, 2021

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Police get new contract
By Rick Palsgrove
Groveport Editor
The city of Groveport and the Fraternal
Order of Police reached an agreement on a
new three-year contract for the Groveport
Police Department.
The collective bargaining agreement is
effective July 1, 2021 and pertains to the
patrol officers and detectives in the police
department.
“The officers are very excited,” said
Groveport Police Chief Casey Adams.
“We’ll be better able to retain and recruit
officers.”
According to Groveport City
Administrator B.J. King, the city’s police
department currently is in the lower middle
half when it comes to salaries when
compared to other police departments in
Franklin County.
“We’re making up ground to be more
competitive,” said King.
According to King, the new contract
includes a $2,000 increase in the base rate
to every step of the police department’s
wage scale.
King said officers previously were paid
for prep time, but that was eliminated with
the inclusion of a four percent increase
each year for three years in the wage scale
on top of the $2,000 increase foundation.
New police sergeants
The Groveport Police Department
announced three officers were promoted to
sergeant: Josh Guiler, Sam Yockey, and
John Westhoven.
Guiler has been with the department
since 2003.
“Not only has he been on patrol in the
city, but he also served as a school resource
officer for over two years at the Groveport
Madison High School,” said Adams. “Sgt.
Guiler is a true ambassador for our agency
when dealing with the public and businesses.”
Previously Guiler served as a policeman
with the Ashville Police Department from
1998-2001, the Pickaway County Sheriff’s
Department from 2001-02, and as a
Madison Township police officer from
2002-03.
Westhoven joined the department in
December 2019. He was a patrolman with
the Lancaster Police from 2001-19.
“Sgt. Westhoven is highly respected by
his peers and I have personally worked
with him on evening shift. His knowledge
and demeanor make him an excellent
choice to lead the men and women of the
department,” said Adams.
Yockey has been a Groveport Police officer
since 2014. He previously worked as an
auxiliary/part-time police officer with the
Valleyview Police from 2011-14.
“Sgt. Yockey is one who believes in
equipping our officers with knowledge
through training experiences,” said
Adams. “The training of officers is where
he wants to evaluate and possibly expand
training opportunities for our agency, and
then applying that training out in the field
when patrolling and interacting with the
public.”
Warehouse moves ahead
By Rick Palsgrove
Groveport Editor
Another big warehouse is on its way to
becoming a reality in Groveport.
The proposed approximately 641,000
square foot warehouse, to be built by CA
Ventures, will be located on about 48 acres
at the southeast corner of Hayes and
Pontius roads.
On Aug. 9, Groveport City Council
approved: rezoning the property from rural
to planned industrial park; the final plat for
the property; the annexation of the land
into Groveport; and an income tax revenue
sharing agreement with Groveport Madison
Schools regarding the development.
CA Ventures Executive Vice President,
Industrial Jim McGill previously said the
company hopes to begin construction of the
warehouse soon with completion by the
summer of 2022. He said it is “achievable”
that the development could generate at
least 150 jobs.
The project will include widening Hayes
Road along the frontage of the property
and restriping an extended northbound
left turn lane on Pontius Road at the Rohr
Road intersection.
Groveport Economic Development
Director Jeff Green said the community
reinvestment area property tax abatement
would be a 100 percent property tax abatement
for 15 years.
Council’s approval of the income tax
revenue sharing agreement with
Groveport Madison Schools means the city
and the school district will share 50 percent
of the income tax revenue generated
by the site.
However, according to Groveport City
Administrator B.J. King, once the warehouse
operation reaches $15 million in payroll,
Groveport will continue receiving its
50 percent share of income tax revenue and
the other 50 percent share must go to the
city of Columbus as part of Groveport’s utilities
agreement with Columbus. Groveport
Madison Schools would then receive a
direct payment from the warehouse company
in lieu of taxes to replace the schools’
loss of income tax revenue sharing.
Other news
•Council approved increasing the maximum
limit of the city’s rainy day fund from
$2 million to $3 million. The annual
$150,000 allocation to the fund remains in
place. The rainy day fund is money city
officials use in case of a budget shortfall or
emergency. Any spending from the rainy
day fund must be approved by council.
Census population data
According to the 2020 United States
Census, since 2010, the population of the
city of Canal Winchester grew 28 percent
to 9,107; the city of Groveport has grew 12
percent to 6,009; and the village of Obetz
grew 21 percent to 5,489, which means
Obetz has reached city status.
Our Family Caring For Yours
August 22, 2021 - GROVEPORT MESSENGER - PAGE 3
Income tax revenue
for Groveport
The city of Groveport’s income tax revenue
year-to-date as of July 31 was $10.5
million, which is 12 percent higher than
the same time in 2020, according to city of
Groveport Finance Director Jason Carr.
Kickoff
celebration
of the historic
canal trail
Groveport Heritage Park
551 Wirt Road
Visit Groveport’s many canal sites
Sunday, September 5 12-4 PM
Guided hikes or shuttle rides
Entertainment & Refreshments
Dr. Sacheen Garrison
5055 S. Hamilton Road
Groveport, OH 43125 614-836-0500
www.groveportsmiles.com