City staff and residents are adapting to a “new normal” as some facilities reopen during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Westerville City Council, Board and Commission meetings resumed at City Hall (21 S. State St.) in June with new rules for participants. The first major change was the limitation of seating inside Council Chambers to allow six feet between attendees. For the foreseeable future, seating will be limited this way on a first-come, first-served basis.
Once all seats are occupied in Council Chambers, no additional people will be permitted inside the room unless they wish to speak to Council during Citizen’s Comments or to testify in a public hearing. Those without a seat who wish to speak will be asked to wait in the lobby area or outside the building until it is time to speak. In this case, a staff member will admit speakers into Council Chambers one person at a time.
Staff members presenting items to Council/Boards, with the exception of the principal staff representatives will stage in the hallway outside of Chambers until admitted into the Chamber for their agenda item. Additionally, a designated staff member will be designated to monitor traffic to and from the chambers and ensure individuals in the lobby maintain social distancing.
As always, City Council meetings will stream live on Westerville TV at www.westerville.org/tv.
The Westerville Community Center (350 N. Cleveland Ave.), in the process of a major expansion, reopened to the public on June 15. In order to respect public health guidelines, the building is opened at 50% occupancy with temperature checks for all visitors and staff entering the building. Social distancing is being strictly enforced and lockers are unavailable at this time.
Before visiting the Community Center please remember to:
- Register for a time slot at www.westerville.org/registration.
- Remain in your vehicle until your time slot.
- Bring your own water bottle. Water fountains will not be available for use.
- Practice good personal hygiene (wash hands, cover sneeze/coughs).
- A mask or facial covering is required when entering and exiting the building and in common areas such as hallways and staffed desks.
Read the full list at www.westerville.org/welcomeback.
Economic Development Profile
WeCAN Program Helps Businesses Reopen Doors
The City partnered with the Westerville Industry and Commerce Corporation (WICC) to offer up to a 50% matching grant of $2,500 to more than 70 qualifying small businesses to help reopen their doors after the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions this spring. Grants were awarded in June.
Called “WeCAN,” for Westerville COVID Assistance Now, WICC administered the program and provided grants to eligible applicants in order to promote the creation and retention of employment opportunities and improve the economic welfare of the City. WeCAN was funded by a reallocation of $300,000 of existing funds from two WICC Programs.
To be eligible for the program, businesses must have a storefront in the City with more than two full-time employees. Businesses were required to prove that their businesses were significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Learn more about this effort to support small businesses in Westerville at www.westerville.org/wecan.
City Makes Major Reinvestment in Public Power Infrastructure
The Westerville Electric Division is leading a project this summer to help ensure the continued reliability of electric services in the City for up to five decades. The Underground 69 kV Cable Replacement project will see that a little over a mile of aging underground power lines are replaced with modern equipment.
“The existing high-voltage cable was installed around 45 years ago, before most homes in the project area were built. These improvements will help ensure continued reliability for the next 50 years,” said Chris Monacelli, Electric Utility Manager. “The City is committed to the continual improvement of public power infrastructure. This project represents a nearly $3 million investment, in addition to another $4 million investment to update 50-year-old equipment in one of the City’s substations this year.”
Danbert Electrical Corporation and Kerite Cable Services, the City’s contractors, began the project in existing easements and road rights-of-way in late May.
Work is taking place along South Hempstead Road from Colony Drive to south of Gentlewind Drive. In the summer, the project continues along South Hempstead Road from Laureen Court to south of Walnut Street. Then, in the fall, the project will be completed under Spring Road from Towers Park to Lawrence Road.
Work started with the inspection of the project area and marking of utilities, followed by the installation of protective conduits to house the new underground electric cables. Areas disturbed by the work will be restored within a few weeks of the conduit installation followed by the cable installation. All land disturbed during this process will be permanently restored.
The replacement is expected to be complete by December 2020. All work is weather permitting.
Find updates about the Underground 69 kV Cable Replacement Project and the Substation #1 Switchgear and Transformer Replacement Project at www.westerville.org/electric.
Public Safety Profile
Get in the HABIT with the Westerville Division of Police
The Westerville Division of Police (WPD) is reminding residents not to let thieves put a damper on summer fun.
WPD developed the HABIT (Halt Auto Break-In Today) program to remind residents of the simple tips that reduce risks for thieves.
According to law enforcement experts, it takes less than a minute for a thief to break into your car, by door or by window, and grab something of value inside. Each year, billions in personal items and accessories are stolen from vehicles.
WPD finds that thieves commonly gain entry to vehicle trunks from unlocked drivers and passenger doors.
Theft reports show that thieves take big chances on small rewards. Residents report stolen loose change, phone chargers and sunglasses. In some cases, an unlocked vehicle is a stolen vehicle.
WPD recommends following these simple steps to avoid car break-ins:
- Park in a visible location. Thieves don’t usually like an audience, choosing a location under a streetlight or close to the building could help deter them.
- Lock your car. Possibly the most simple, yet effective tip. Make sure windows and sunroofs are closed and doors are locked.
- Activate your vehicle’s anti-theft system. Consider having one installed if you haven’t already. A blaring alarm could scare thieves from your vehicle and away from the area.
- Hide your valuables. Keeping your stuff out of sight can prevent thieves from impulsively targeting your vehicle. Placing items in the trunk can work in a pinch, but don’t wait to do so until you reach your destination in case someone is watching for opportunities.
- Don’t leave your car running. You’re getting ready to leave when you realize you left something in the house. It may be a pain, but WPD asks you to turn your vehicle off and lock the doors before running inside.
Learn more about how you can protect your belongings at www.westerville.org/police.
July 15 is Tax Day
Remember: The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) extended the Tax Day deadline from April 15 to July 15 with Ohio’s state and municipal income tax deadlines following suit.
In consideration of the ongoing public health concerns caused by the virus, the Westerville Tax Division is still unable to provide in-person filing assistance. However, City staff may still be available to prepare City of Westerville Income Tax Returns for free.
To help ensure assistance can be provided before the deadline, the Income Tax Division is asking residents to reach out to them as early as possible. Here’s how to engage the City for free filing help:
- EMAIL and attach your documents (W-2s, 1099s, Federal Schedules (C, E, F), and any other income documentation) to incometax@westerville.org and request preparation of your return.
- FAX your documents (W-2s, 1099s, Federal Schedules (C, E, F), and any other income documentation to the Income Tax offices at (614) 901-6820.
- MAIL your documents (W-2s, 1099s, Federal Schedules (C, E, F), and any other income documentation) to PO Box 130, Westerville, OH 43086-0130
- DROP BOXES: Please make sure to place your documents (W-2s, 1099s, Federal Schedules (C, E, F), and any other income documentation in an envelope marked “Income Tax Department” and place in one of the drop boxes at 21 S. State St. (behind the building) or 64 E. Walnut St.
(Schedule C = Self Employment earnings. Schedule E = Rental and Royalty income that is reported to the city. Schedule F = Farming income.)
Find details about filing income tax returns for the City at www.westerville.org/incometax.
A Bird’s Eye View of Uptown Improvements Project
The Uptown Improvements project continues to move forward with City crews taking advantage of lighter traffic to ramp up progress.
Normal construction hours of 7 a.m.-4 p.m. have resumed in the area as sidewalk, curb and gutter construction concludes. The City’s contractor is performing pavement repairs along State Street, from Walnut Street to Broadway Avenue, after which the same area will be repaved. Once paving is complete, the City's contractor will install brick crosswalks at major intersections in Uptown. The Uptown Improvements Project is on track to be substantially complete in September.
All work is weather dependent. Access to businesses will be maintained during operating hours. The City is working directly with businesses to make these arrangements.
See how Uptown has transformed over the weeks at www.westerville.org/uptown.
City Implements Trial “Courtesy” Parking Spots in Uptown
Look out for newly designated dropoff/pick up courtesy parking spots in Uptown this summer. Installed to accommodate the growing popularity of carryout and rideshare services to the Uptown area, the City is offering these spots on a trial basis.
“Uptown Westerville is the historic heart of the community and a popular destination for residents and visitors alike. We wanted to adapt to changing mobility preferences, including those wanting to use services like Uber and Lyft,” said Jen Alford, City of Westerville Traffic Engineer.
Lynn Aventino is the Executive Director of Uptown Westerville Inc., a nonprofit organization that promotes and supports growth in the area. She says the spots have been particularly useful as Uptown businesses adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The City has been very supportive of businesses under the new COVID-19 operating procedures,” Aventino said. “This is another way to help support businesses as they’ve pivoted to a takeout and curbside pickup model to sustain themselves.”
The eight spots are located in parking lots A, B, E and F and are marked with special black signage. Users will be limited to 10-minute waits in these spots. The spots will be available through the end of the year, at which time the City will review the use and compliance with the parking spot terms.
Parking spot use will be tracked by the new occupancy sensors installed by Fybr this spring.
Learn more about parking improvements in Uptown and find a map of these newly designated trial spaces at www.westerville.org/uptown.
