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For those of you viewing this web site you may have guessed that Mark Uher and I have a little history. Well, we do. Mr. Uher was one of the first people I met when I moved into Pickerington. Actually the subdivision that we both live in is in unincorporated northern Violet Township.
Our family arrived exactly 4 years ago and within a few days of our arrival, and while still unpacking boxes, I went to my first local Civic Association meeting. I thought it would be a good opportunity to get away from the moving tedium and meet more of my neighbors. The meeting was lightly attended, but one of the parts that stood out in my mind was that this Civic Association had a ?“Co-Chair of Civic Affairs?”. If you guessed that it was none other than Mark Uher, you?’re right. Listening to the information presented I thought to myself that this was going to be good. You know I won?’t have to spend my time at all these activities and meetings, someone else will do that for me and I?’ll stay up on important matters.
For a little history, I had been very involved in the suburb we had lived in Washington State. Meetings abounded in the issues of the area and I had thrown myself into most of them. We tackled traffic problems all the way up to the County Commissioners, founded a Neighborhood Block Watch, resolved storm water and drainage issues, tackled sewage and septic difficulties and lastly working on the design committee for a new facility for that school districts overcrowding problems. So now I thought others were there in the fray of this community?’s issues, I could spend my energies on my family.
I went on this way for about a year and a half when I began to see (and feel) that I really wasn?’t being informed. I was getting opinion without fact. I would ask questions, but the only responses were more opinions lacking the facts to my questions.
After reading the local newspapers, which still didn?’t answer my questions, I began to go to a meeting or two. It started with a very hot July School Board meeting when the ?¼ % increase to the School?’s 1% income tax was being discussed. There was Mr. Uher and as the night went on and on he spoke and spoke, each time flipping sides and talking with opinions. I listened for over 3 hours, just before the end of this meeting I did speak up and again my questions went unanswered. It turns out that this was a fortuitous meeting as I meet more people from around this community that had the same questions and concerns. Shortly thereafter along comes another Civic Association meeting and Mr. Uher presented his report to another very small turn out on the ?¼% tax issue. His words were far from what I had witnessed in that 3-hour meeting. I realized that this was not a ?“source?” of information that I would be comfortable relying upon.
I began attending more and more community meetings; frequently noting that Mr. Uher wasn?’t even there. Yet each time a Civic Association meeting arose there he was with his reports that were contradictory to what I had witnessed. So in my growing busy schedule, and wanting to be informed, it became even easier to figure out at which meetings I was going to get the truer picture in attending.
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a little history -2-
Time moves forward to the fall of ?’99 and the issue of the renovation of the now Heritage Elementary School. One of the ?“buried?” facts prior to the ?’97 bond campaign to fund the construction of the Harmon and Diley Middle Schools was a estimated $3-4 million dollars voters were told would be the renovation costs. Additionally, the Board had past a resolution to ?“return excess funds?” to the voters. To my surprise a post Thanksgiving ?“Special School Board Meeting?” was called. I attended this early morning meeting to express my views and concerns and in an all too usual 3-2 vote was not allowed to speak. A vote shortly ensued with the same 3-2 results the renovation costs jumped to $7.4 million dollars. Long time residents will recall my Letter to the Editor on this topic. Shortly thereafter a third party reached me to participate in a meeting of concerned citizens, in which Mr. Uher wanted me there to find a solution to this squandering of funds. During this meeting it was apparent that no matter what anyone said, Mr. Uher would intercede with the final word. I?’m sure frequent views of this web site would have predicted this event. One of the outcomes of this meeting was that a petition to express concern would be in order. All participants were to support this effort. Many hustled, informing residents and gathering signatures ?– many but one ?– right Mark. In the end a community wide meeting was call and the issue was discussed, from a school?’s administration standpoint, followed by a survey. The primary response on the survey was to use excess funds toward the acquisition of land for future needs. Well, we?’ve opened Heritage at a price nearing $7 million dollars and the absolute saddest point is that there are over 10 former classrooms that are now offices ?– leaving hundreds of kids in portables. That is the result of a 3-board majority, pure and simple.
While I participated in this third party meeting of concerned residents I said that its time for the Pickerington Community to attack the root of the problem, that being the rate of residential building in our community. The idea of getting a grip on the source of overcrowding as rebuffed. It became too complicated for some in attendance. This point of ignoring the cause and always attempting to play catch up still baffles me today. One of the most telling differences in this community?’s choices of School Board candidates are the responses that are buried on page 22 of the latest Pickerington Times ?– Sun. The question was ?“Will Pickerington?’s rapid growth rate of residential growth damage our school system??”
Of the 6 candidates you?’d be hard pressed to find an issue that clearly identifies and clarifies what these peoples commitments to the district, in relation to growth pressures.
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a little history -3-
Heading to early 2000, Mr. Uher and I find another area of opposite approaches. The City of Pickerington is at the annexation table again along Rt 204 near the intersection of Rt 256. Annexing commercial ground and existing operating commercial businesses from Violet Township. Others joined in and researched the issue and found the root of the issue with a property owned by Dovel Development, owned by Daryl Berry. A traffic analysis study by the Ohio Department of Transportation indicate that City?’s plan for (2) traffic lights in the area will create a traffic flow failure problem for this area. Again Mr. Uher and I find ourselves at our civic Association meeting expressing very different viewpoints. I subsequently present the findings, and additional concerns to the Fairfield County Commissioners annexation hearing. Under the current annexation laws there is nothing the Commissioners can do but approve the annexation and Mr. Berry gets his extra light. To compound this the City Council then TIF?’s the existing commercial parcels to fund the project ?– taking tax dollars some of which go to other services ?–such as schools to pay for the ?“improvements?”. There is no doubt in my mind that Violet Township should have more aggressively marketed the commercial potential of this area, but the end results of this annexation and subsequent actions are not an ?“improvement?”.
April 2000, back to schools?’ issues. The PLSD holds another marathon meeting to make decisions on additional facility needs. In a 5-hour meeting of interviewing architectural firms the figure of $77.5 million is used as the costs to build a new High School & Junior High School. This figure was proposed by Fanning & Howey before the Board headed into the interviews. Fanning & Howey had built Tussing, Harmon & Diley facilities and each time came in with construction actually of approximately 15% below budget projections. Our familiarity with Fanning & Howey is used as the Need to use their figures, despite the fact that (2) of the architectural firms came in with tentative figures $10 million dollars less and as building cycle one year faster. You guest it, a minority board member moved to use one of the more reasonable priced, faster firms ?– a 2-3 vote ensued. So by 3-2 we go forward.
City of Pickerington Officials table a deal for a Cell Tower at the Junior High sit, but promise the schools ?“won?’t loose?”.
The campaign gears up or the buildings and in ?“True Bickerington?” fashion, we?’ve got to find a scapegoat for an ?“US?” against ?“THEM?” to win this thing over with the voters. Enter then School Board President and Administrators quotes in the Columbus Dispatch that those nasty folks with PATA are against OUR schools. PATA took no official position on the issue. Well the Dispatch prints a retraction of the story as a perennial School Board candidate hits the streets for the bond issue. In this individual?’s travel, having the fear of defeat, he tells one prominent citizen that when the issue fails the district will be right back on the ballot with a $70 million dollar option. So much for asking the voters first time out for the correct amount.
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a little history -4-
?“Growth Summit?” community meetings begin and there is one clear fact. One of the parties has no intention of any progress in this process. The Greater Pickerington community finds itself with the same results as the JEDC (Joint Economic Development Commission) of late ?’97 early ?’98 chaired by Daryl Berry with members Debbie Carlier and Larry Sigman. No actions toward a reasonable approach in the rate of residential development though that was what a subcommittee of the JEDC proposed.
Violet Township moves forward, rather than being excluded or annexed to pieces with a CEDA (Cooperative Economic Development Agreement) with the village of Canal ?– Winchester (also part of Violet Township). The City of Pickerington becomes unglued, and while no elected officials of the City will speak at the first public hearing in comes Larry Sigman, Debbie Carlier, and Mark Uher to carry the City?’s banner for commercial development outside the Pickerington School District. Let me say that again ?…OUTSIDE THE BOUNDARIES OF THE PICKERINGTON SCHOOL DISRICT.
Up pops the ?“new?” organization Citizens for a Strong Violet Township ?– Pickerington Co-chaired by none other than Mr. Uher and Mr. Berry. Another version of the JEDC in spinning wheels, making grand statements and accomplishing nothing.
The CEDA process moves forward in a public manner.
The Cell Tower issue comes off the table in Council, in a modified format that results in the Band Boosters loosing their Concession Stand improvements. Some speculate this is the City Officials way of paying back erroneous support for the verbal and written presentations of Schools?’ Supporters in their anti-CEDA efforts.
The City of Pickerington moves forward in a closed ear manner on more annexations and re-zonings of lands within the Pickerington School District.
Opinions are like belly buttons, everyone has one. I chose to base my decisions on facts and the research of the issues.
Now we are at the present and in fact there is one issue that Mr. Uher and I agree, we both want a good school system. We differ on who can lead this community forward.
In a way I should probably thank Mark Uher though his groups never really given me the chance to express my viewpoints and the facts these viewpoints are based upon, his postings on this web site clearly show where he stands.
The readers who go to the polls Nov. 6th will make that decision, as my votes and Mark?’s will likely cancel each other?’s out.
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