State Auditor honors Groveport’s finance dept.; also city wide traffic study considered

By Rick Palsgrove
Groveport Editor

For the 10th time, the city of Groveport’s finance department has received the Auditor of State Award of Distinction from State Auditor Keith Faber.

“This award puts your organization into a very select group,” Scott Brown, Central Region Liaison for the state auditor, said at Groveport City Council’s Sept. 18 meeting. “This is a very difficult award to get. Auditor Faber’s office audits approximately 6,000 entities per year and less than four percent are eligible for this award.”

According to Brown, this award is presented to local governments and school districts upon the completion of a financial audit that meet the criteria to be considered a “clean” audit report. These criteria are: The entity must file financial reports with the Auditor of State’s office by the statutory due date, without extension, via the Hinkle System, on the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles accounting basis, and prepare an Annual Comprehensive Financial Report; and the audit report does not contain any findings for recovery, material citations, material weaknesses, significant deficiencies, Uniform Guidance (Single Audit) findings, or questioned costs, with the opinion dated within six months of the entity’s year-end.

“This award represents the hard work of all the city of Groveport’s employees and financial staff who make every effort each day to attain accounting excellence,” said Brown. “I want to recognize the council, administration, and finance department that have done an outstanding job watching over every dollar.”

Groveport Finance Director Jason Carr said the award would not be possible without the efforts of his staff, which includes, Senior Accountant Anna Krigbaum and Accounting Clerk Jason Cooper.

“It’s a great distinction to receive,” said Councilman Shawn Cleary.

Raver and Hickory alleys and potential city wide traffic study
Council decided not to make any changes at this time regarding the handling of traffic on Raver and Hickory alleys west of College Street.

Area residents have complained about the volume of traffic as well as speeding vehicles and noise in the alleys since the development of the Wert’s Grove building at Main and College streets. Some residents asked that Raver Alley be made a one way alley. Hickory Alley is already one way westbound.

Groveport Police Chief Casey Adams said officers monitored traffic on the two alleys, in the area between College and Center streets and Elm and Main streets, for 14 days this summer.

Adams said during this period, 1,702 vehicles traveled on Hickory Alley to Center Street, which is about 121 per day. The average speed was about 9 mph, with the fastest vehicle clocked at 20 mph. He said a few cars also went the wrong way on Hickory Alley.

“That’s a lot more vehicles on Hickory than I thought,” said Councilman Ed Dildine.

He said 693 vehicles traveled north on Raver Alley from Hickory Alley, an average of 49 per day. The average speed was about 12 mph with the fastest vehicle clocked at 33 mph.

Based on this information council and administration decided to make no changes to traffic flow in the alleys at this time.

“I want to make sure all residents are taken care of,” said Councilwoman Becky Hutson. “Raver Alley is tight, but it is a public right of way.”

Added City Administrator B.J. King, “We’ve looked at it and council has to make decisions based on what’s best for the whole community.”

However, council members agreed that a broad, city wide traffic study is needed.

“The streets and alleys in town were designed more than 200 years ago and vehicles aren’t getting any smaller,” said Dildine.

King said staff will look into conducting a city wide traffic study and discuss it with the city engineer and traffic consultants and then report back to council.

Groveport City Engineer Steve Farst said a traffic study could take two months to complete.