Each of our local governing bodies will have a new member with Cornman, Lerner and Van Ness all winning seats. Beckerley, Hartfield, Mason and McGowan were returned to office.

Following are the overall election results for Granville (updated as of 11/4/2009 01:05). 

Tuesday evening the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee held a public hearing on the draft Comprehensive Plan. Committee Chair Connie Barsky kicked off the meeting noting it was intended to be a public forum to gain feedback on the draft plan. Committee member and Township Trustee Fred Abraham clarified that the plan had originally been created by the planning firm Poggemeyer Design Group. He stated the Trustees had a number of concerns about the plan themselves and have heard residents express concerns. 

A number of residents attended and after a short committee presentation residents expressed their concerns and asked a variety of questions regarding the current plan draft. 

Township Trustee Candidates Answer Questions from The Granville Press

Village Council Candidates Answer Questions from The Granville Press

Board of Education Candidates Answer Questions from The Granville Press 

Granville Recreation District Levy Deserves Your "yes" Vote 

Granville Township Trustees are sitting on record-breaking cash surplus. Vote "no" on their tax hike

Now That Was a Tough Election

Key Meeting Tuesday, October 27, at 7 pm, Granville Intermediate School

The draft Comprehensive Plan apparently being recommended by the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee this Tuesday night has both significant improvements from the last draft and some areas where improvement is still needed. There remain several big problems and a number of smaller issues.

The Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee has scheduled a "public hearing" on a new comprehensive plan this Tuesday evening, October 27, 2009 at 7 pm. The meeting will be held at the Granville Intermediate School. There have been repeated concerns in the community that the committee has not been receiving and fully following public input. This makes notice of a "public hearing" a good thing.

However, the agenda produced for the meeting is interesting.

The Granville Press believes it is important voters have the opportunity to hear directly from the candidates with minimal filtration and interpretation.

With this in mind, we asked each of the candidates for the Board of Education to answer some questions. The ground rules were simple: they could write whatever they wanted and we would publish their answers without modification (other than minor format changes and typographical correction).  

Following are the questions and answers presented in the order in which the answers arrived at The Granville Press. 

The Granville Press believes it is important voters have the opportunity to hear directly from the candidates with minimal filtration and interpretation.

With this in mind, we asked each of the candidates for Village Council to answer some questions. The ground rules were simple: they could write whatever they wanted and we would publish their answers without modification (other than minor format changes and typographical correction).  

Following are the questions and answers presented in the order in which the answers arrived at The Granville Press. In upcoming days candidates for the Board of Education will have their chance.

Our community faces quite a few issues. The Granville Press believes it is important voters have the opportunity to hear directly from the candidates with minimal filtration and interpretation.

With this in mind, we asked each of the candidates for Township Trustee to answer some questions. The ground rules were simple: they could write whatever they wanted and we would publish their answers without modification (other than minor format changes and typographical correction).  

Following are the questions and answers presented in the order in which the answers arrived at The Granville Press. In upcoming days candidates for Village Council and the Board of Education will have their chance.

Here it is upon us again: the election season. Crazy things happen during an election. One hears of candidates being "attacked," possibly "repeatedly attacked," by letters to the editor or in posted comments. Signs are down or missing, so it must be another candidate doing it (and not the wind or kids or someone trying to see around a corner). 

With all this angst, it is important to remember it is about Granville first. It is not about any candidates. It is not about getting elected. It is about Granville.

The one mill levy for parks and recreation highly deserves your "yes" vote.

This is an easy recommendation to make for a couple reasons. First, the cost is quite minimal and, second, the benefits provided by this levy are intertwined with so many aspects of Granville’s quality of life. 

The levy will support the Granville Recreation District. After careful study the District was formed earlier this year through a collaborative effort of the Granville Recreation Commission, the Granville School Board, the Township Trustees and the Village Council. 

Village Council has no solution on its agenda for Wednesday’s meeting to address the AEP tree-cutting problem. Thus, with a lack of leadership in Village government to solve this problem, AEP has been left to do pretty much what it wants with our trees.

Editorial

Does Granville Township need a property tax increase to fund road maintenance? Based on the township’s audited financial statements, the answer is a clear “No.”

Granville Township Trustees are asking voters on Nov. 3 to raise a road and bridge property tax levy from 2.5 mills to 2.75 mills starting in 2011. This is a relatively small tax hike that would cost about $20 a year to the owner of a $300,000 house. But is the tax hike needed? Is the Trustees’ strategy of asking repeatedly for small tax levies — nine requests since 2005 — an effort to stay under the radar while becoming Granville’s high-tax government?

The Township’s financial position is remarkably strong by any measure, courtesy of the many voter-approved tax increases. Township revenues have consistently exceeded expenses in recent years. That’s allowed the township to build huge cash reserves — $1.2 million available for roads and $7 million overall as of Dec. 31, 2008. The township’s financial condition is today far superior to that of the Village, the school district, the library or the recreation district.  Yet the Trustees want $40,000 more annually, to pad the surplus, in a recession. Is that responsible?

Let’s take a close look at Granville Township finances.

Granville voters have two tax levies on the ballot November 3rd. The newly formed Granville Recreation District is asking voters school-district wide to fund it with a one mill levy. The tax will replace a similar one-mill levy now collected only in Granville Township. A one mill tax costs about $70 per year on a $200,000 home.

In addition, Granville Township has a tax issue on the ballot for the ninth time since 2005. (Seven of the previous eight were approved.) This one would increase a levy for maintaining roads from 2.5 mills to 2.75 mills starting in 2011.

Those who take even a casual look at the massive columns for the Raccoon Creek bicycle crossing may be wondering just what sort of bicycle is expected.