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www.chillicotheypn.com
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Copyright 2008
Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce
45 E. Main St.
Chillicothe, OH 45601
740-702-2722
Now’s the time to think about
serving your city, township or school
By Marvin Jones
President and CEO
If you’re a Chillicothe citizen, you have about a month to decide if you’d like to be on the inside to influence future decisions that can make for a better city. If you live outside the city, you’ve still got some time to think about serving your township or school system.
Every one of the 10 seats on the Chillicothe City Council is up for election this year. That’s the six seats representing the individual wards plus the three at-large seats and the one for president of council. If you are thinking about running as a Democrat or Republican, you need to file your petitions by the Feb. 19 deadline. Before taking the plunge, you might want to contact the party chairs for advice, guidance and possible support. Diane Carnes (773-0831) heads the GOP and Dottie Fay (642-4684) the Dems.
If you think the sacrifice of personal time is too great, you might want to consider some of the tangible benefits of being a member of council:
- An annual salary of $5,150, which works out to about $107 per regular and review session. Council president pays $6,592.
- Eligibility for a health insurance package that will cost you $30 a month for a single plan or $40 for a family plan, the same as paid by all other city employees. The maximum out-of-pocket expense would be $250 for a single and $500 for family using network services. It also includes full prescription, dental and vision coverage.
- City-paid life insurance of $50,000.
- Eligibility to participate in the state’s Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), but you’d need to serve about 12 years to get the full benefit.
If you’re the only one on the ballot in your race for your party in the primary, you have an automatic spot in the final general election. If you’d like to file as an independent, you won’t be in a primary battle and you have until May 4 to file your petitions.
If you’d like to run for township trustee or for a position on your local school board, you have all the way until Aug. 20 to file your petitions. There are no primary races for these seats as they are non-partisan positions.
For complete information, help and the forms for the process, visit the Ross County Board of Elections in the Service Center on Western Avenue.
Glatfelter, newest entrepreneur headline Annual Dinner
George Glatfelter II, the chairman and CEO of the company that bears his name, will be the first executive of a major local employer to speak at a chamber Annual Dinner in years. He will headline the dinner on Tuesday, Feb. 3 at the Shoemaker Convocation Center at Ohio University-Chillicothe.
Directly following his presentation, the latest in a line of 20-plus Entrepreneurs of the Year will be introduced by Carl Janes of Save-A-Lot, last year’s winner. Reservations are now being taken for the event that also will include recognition of the chamber’s Volunteer of the Year and a recap of 2008 and a look further ahead in 2009 of business activity.
The social hour starts at 6 with a cash bar, the dinner at 7 and the program around 8. If you plan to attend, click here: Annual Dinner reservations
Don’t want to see a union at your business? We have help
Congress is expected to put on a fast track (after the economic stimulus package) legislation that would make it far easier for employees to form unions in your workplaces. The Employee Free Choice Act would allow unions to skirt the secret ballot provision to organize your employees.
To learn how to prepare your managers or yourself should the act become law, the chamber and SHRM – South Central Ohio Human Resources Council are sponsoring a seminar Friday, Jan. 23 to give you usable information on how to keep organizers at bay.
Elizabeth Simmons, a Chillicothe native and former Ross County assistant prosecuting attorney, and Kathleen Carnes, attorneys with Dinsmore & Shohl LLP in Cincinnati, specialize in labor law and will be the presenters.
The seminar runs 9-noon at the Chillicothe Country Club and costs $25 for chamber members, $35 for non-members. Register now: Card check seminar
Photos prove YPN’s Casino Night was a hit
Nearly 100 photos are evidence the New Year’s Eve-Casino Night community celebration hosted by the chamber’s Young Professionals Network was a success. About 200 attended the event at the Elks Hall, about 50 had a chance to win a new Hyundai Genesis (but no one was lucky enough with the roll of the dice) and those who were lucky enough at the gaming tables with their faux winnings were able to bid on the packages of door prizes in the auction. That was before the ball and the balloons dropped to signal the start of 2009. Click here to check out just how much fun everyone had at Casino Night: YPN New Years Eve
Petland hosting the first BAB of 2009
The Old Canal Smoke House is providing the food and plenty of door prizes will be available when Petland hosts the Jan. 21 Business After Business at its corporate headquarters. Guests are asked to use the training center entrance on Hickory Street. Photos from the December BAB at the Chillicothe Country Club are now online: BAB photos
Council inaction leads to demise of free parking
Free parking on Fourth Street and a portion of South Paint Street apparently ended this week as City Council failed to extend the trial period, despite indications it was prepared to make the move permanent. Under direction from council’s Safety Services Committee chaired by Dustin Proehl, the administration offered free parking on Fourth from Mulberry to Walnut for six months, ending Dec. 1. A one-month extension was granted, but that has now lapsed and council has failed to address the issue on a permanent basis. The free parking was a specific recommendation from the HyettPalma downtown strategic plan plus, at the last meeting of Proehl’s committee, several residents of Fourth favored making the trial permanent and photographic evidence provided to the committee proved many spaces remained available during working weekday hours. Efforts are being made to make permanent the free parking on Fourth Street.
ODOT plans to help traffic flow better on Western Avenue
Changes in signals and signage on Western Avenue from Delano Avenue to Plyley’s Lane are in the works by the local district office of the Ohio Department of Transportation, all designed to help traffic flow better on one of the city’s major arteries. One change would help the flow at Western and Woodbridge with new phasing. No timeline has been set for the changes.
News from and about chamber members:
- Congrats to Bryan Wickline, general manager of the Chillicothe Paints, who was elected the first president of the new Prospect League, the wooden-bat league the Paints joined.
- Mears Photography donated nearly $900 to Operation Smile as part of its participation in Family Portrait Month by the Professional Photographers of America. Kevin and Amy are being recognized as a major contributor to the campaign that raised $50,000.
- Frankie Dawkins is the new manager of training and procedures at USEC’s American Centrifuge Plant in Piketon. Dawkins has been with the plant for 21 years.
- Adena Health System’s Urgent Care hours are now 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week. The change came from suggestions of patients and customers and affects both the Western Avenue and Waverly centers.
- Tiffany and Shawn Martindale are the new owners of Coffee Central in Central Center. The two are planning to add to the breakfast, lunch and specialty drinks menus. A grand re-opening ribbon cutting ceremony is set for Wednesday (Jan. 14) at 9 a.m. followed by games, door prizes and other festivities the remainder of the day.
Vendors licenses issued recently by the Ross County Auditor’s Office:
- Gables, 1720 N. Bridge St.
- Coffee Central, 627 Central Center, by STQM Enterprises.
- Custom Auto Detailing, 15282 Pleasant Valley Road, by Shawn and Nikole Robinson.
- Bristoni’s Pizza and Market, 10789 Main St., Clarksburg.
- Preferred Transmissions and Auto Care, 81 Executive Center Drive, by Thomas Tait.