Before the Reynoldsburg City Council members recessed for the month of August, they wanted to give recognition to a group of volunteers who made a major holiday celebration possible for the city.
"With their hard work and dedication, we were able to restore the hometown feel of the Fourth of July Celebration," Reynoldsburg Mayor Brad McCloud said at the July 28 meeting.
Due to a downsized budget the previous year, the city decided to put off its annual Fourth of July celebrations and use the money toward employing additional members of the Reynoldsburg Police Department.
This year, City Auditor Richard Harris set aside $25,000 of its budget for fireworks and fencing. The only thing missing were the parades.
In October of 2007, a group of citizens formed the Reynoldsburg Community Association to raise enough money to put on the parade celebration.
"The community was tremendous in helping us collect over $8,000," said Chuck Cochran, president of the Reynoldsburg Community Association.
The group’s fundraising efforts included a "winter" car wash where Boy Scout Troop 826 washed the interior of cars; a community dinner event where a portion of the bill went to support the celebration; and asking local department stores and groups, such as Wal-Mart and Reynoldsburg Kiwanis Club, for donations.
"All of the credit goes to the citizens who supported the event," said Anna Clendenen, treasurer of the Reynoldsburg Community Association.
The extra funds that were raised for the "Reynoldsburg Celebrates Freedom" event will be put toward future festivities.
Up next for the group is setting up a movie night for the community, as well as a Halloween party.
Chuck Cochran, Bobbie Roth, Anna Clendenen, Susan Pam Brusk and Mary Hudson were all given certificates of recognition for their efforts at the meeting.
Reynoldsburg fogs pests
After months of negotiations, the City of Reynoldsburg passed on ordinance authorizing the mayor to enter into a contract with the Franklin County Board of Health for integrated mosquito management services.
This year, the Board of Health started a new Integrated Pest Management/Mosquito Control Program to help quell the mosquito problem in the surrounding areas.
At the June 16 committee meeting, Pam Boratyn, director of the safety services department, estimated it would cost the city approximately $6,723 to fund, but would likely decrease depending if the population was lower than expected.
She said it would be funded by appropriating $2,000 from the storm water fund, $1,000 from the Parks and Recreation Department and the remaining from the Safety Service Budget.
The Board of Health’s independent contract, Vector Disease Control, has been spraying certain areas of Reynoldsburg since May.
