By Rick Palsgrove
Southeast Editor
The city of Groveport received good news from Franklin County regarding the proposed Hendron Road reconstruction project.
“The county has agreed to pay their share of the project for their unincorporated portion of the road,” said Groveport City Administrator Marsha Hall at Groveport City Council’s Sept. 8 meeting. “That’s about 20 percent of the roadway.”
Hall said it is not yet known what the exact amount of the county’s funding share of the project would be.
According to a map of Franklin County provided by the county engineer’s office, the portion of Hendron Road that is unincorporated and in the county extends north from Marlowa Drive to about Cherry Blossom Drive.
The estimated $2.1 million Hendron Road project would include lowering the road, installing curbs and gutters, a sidewalk on the east side of the road from Main Street to the Orchard subdivision at Cherry Blossom Drive, and a new water main from Main Street to Glendening Drive. According to the city’s five year capital improvement plan, planning and construction for the Hendron Road project is slated for 2015 and 2016.
The city will apply for Ohio Public Works Commission grants for the Hendron Road reconstruction project, as well as the $850,000 west Bixby Road pavement rehabilitation from Madison Christian School to Hendron Road, which is scheduled for 2015.
Columbus water contract
Council heard the first reading of an ordinance to authorize Hall to negotiate and enter into a water service agreement with the city of Columbus for areas of Groveport that use Columbus water.
“This is not in regard to water rates,” said Hall. “Columbus water rates are controlled by Columbus City Council. This agreement pertains to which entity takes care of what, such as water lines and where lines go.”
Hall said Columbus and Groveport had been working off of three year extensions of the existing water service agreement, but that Columbus now wants to “take a fresh look at the contract.”
She said the existing agreement runs out in November, but the city of Groveport has not yet been given a draft contract from Columbus to study.
Other Groveport news
•Mayor Lance Westcamp said he will soon pay off his bet with Canal Winchester Mayor Mike Ebert following Canal Winchester High School’s recent 28-19 win over Groveport in varsity football. Westcamp had bet Ebert a case of apple butter that Groveport would win and Ebert had bet two free passes and a t-shirt from the Bob McDorman Automotive Museum that Canal Winchester would win.
“I will be buying the first case of fresh apple butter this year to fulfill the bet,” said Westcamp.
•Councilwoman Donna Drury said there are 10 dead ash trees in Degenhart Park and another 10 in Blacklick Park. The trees are victims of the ash borer insect.
“We’ll be looking into cutting the trees down,” said Drury.
