City of Gahanna Update Newsletter

CITY NEWS

Message from Mayor Tom Kneeland

Happy New Year! I am very humbled and thankful for the opportunity to serve as your new mayor. Over the next several months we have much to accomplish. I will work very closely with our administration and members of Council to implement the following priorities for 2016:

I commit to providing the best possible customer service our citizens expect.
Together with my team we will create and implement an aggressive road and infrastructure plan, as well as a sustainable parks and recreation program.
We will be implementing and maintaining a comprehensive economic development strategy that will cause business growth and create jobs improving the city's available revenue to support community services.
I will be realigning city departments and reallocating resources to better serve the needs of the community.
We will develop standard, proven processes for departments to effectively measure quantifiable results.
We will actively recruit and encourage local talent to apply for key city positions.
Together with City Council we will review our tax abated areas (CRA's) and tax increment financing districts (TIF's) to evaluate whether they have met their commitment to job growth and tax revenue generation and adjust each agreement if commitments aren't met.
I will work in partnership with Council to earmark and commit a percentage of the general fund for dedicated uses for roads and infrastructure.
We will work to Identify new, non-tax revenue and implement tighter cost controls, cost containment and cost avoidance measures by encouraging collaboration with other municipalities.
I will be establishing neighborhood commissions to build better communication channels between the City and its residents that will provide opportunities for engagement, guide planning and reinvestment strategies for all four wards of the city.

In addition to these priorities, we will continue our community-driven strategic plan, Go Forward Gahanna. Once completed, the plan will serve as a long-term guide for strategic, operational, resource and policy decisions for the City, while ensuring we are allocating resources appropriately and achieving meaningful results. We have already begun the collaborative process and plan to provide frequent updates via our website and Facebook page.

I look forward to hearing your ideas and feedback as we work together to move our great city forward.

In service,

Mayor Tom Kneeland

City to Kick off Public Engagement Process for GoForward Gahanna

The City of Gahanna has begun its process to develop a community-driven strategic plan. GoForward Gahanna is a collaborative process that will engage City administration, Council and community stakeholders in the strategic plan. Once completed, the plan will serve as a long-term guide for strategic, operational, resource and policy decisions for the City of Gahanna.

During this community-driven planning process, stakeholders will have the opportunity to share their top priorities for the future of Gahanna. The meetings are open and all are welcome to attend. Below are dates for the upcoming meetings:

Date	Topic	Time	Location
Jan. 19	General Meeting (Ward 1)	6 - 7:30 p.m.	Royal Manor Elementary 299 Empire Drive
Jan. 20	Business & Economy	8 - 9:30 a.m.	The Rehabilitation and Health Center of Gahanna 5151 N. Hamilton Rd.
	General Meeting (Ward 2)	6 -7:30 p.m.	Chapelfield Elementary 280 Chapelfield Rd.
Jan. 24	Community Involvement	3 - 4:30 p.m.	Gahanna Senior Center 480 Rocky Fork Blvd.
Jan. 26	Parks & Recreation	6 - 7:30 p.m.	Gahanna Senior Center 480 Rocky Fork Blvd.
Jan. 27	Roads & Infrastructure	6 - 7:30 p.m.	Gahanna Senior Center 480 Rocky Fork Blvd.
Jan. 28	General Meeting (Ward 4)	6 - 7:30 p.m.	High Point Elementary 700 Venetian Way
Feb. 2	Youth & Student Engagement	3 - 4:30 p.m.	Gahanna Lincoln High School 140 S. Hamilton Rd.
	General Meeting (Ward 3)	6 - 7:30 p.m.	Gahanna Lincoln High School 140 S. Hamilton Rd.

For more information about GoForward Gahanna visit www.GoForwardGahanna.org. Details about this initiative may also be found on our Facebook page.

New Year, New Classes at the Herb Center

Stay active this winter with the Gahanna Herb Group and activities at the Ohio Herb Education Center.

The Gahanna Herb Group meets once a month to study in depth one herb and learn hands-on techniques from the culinary, wellness and craft areas. Herbs will be looked at from botanical, historical, folkloric, wellness and energetic points of view. Click here for details.

January activities include exploring Herbal Teas, creating Herbal Candles, introducing Herb Tonics for Kids and constructing Terrariums: Worlds in Miniature. These activities are ideal for the novice or expert who want to explore the many uses of herbs in a local, hands-on learning environment.

Click here for details.

Gahanna Preschool Fair

Join Gahanna Parks & Recreation and other "pre-preschool" parents for this free event on Thursday, January 14 from 6-7:30pm at the Gahanna Senior Center, 480 Rocky Fork Blvd., to shop for local preschool programs under one roof. Preschools from Gahanna and the surrounding area will be on-site to share information. For more information about this event, contact Parks & Recreation at 614.342.4250.

COMMUNITY NEWS & EVENTS

The Y Invites the Community to Attend a Ribbon Cutting and Open House Ceremony at Clark Hall

The Gahanna/John E. Bickley YMCA is excited to announce their partnership with Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools (GJPS) and Franklin University at the Y at Clark Hall.

The community is invited to attend an open house and official ribbon cutting ceremony on Saturday, January 9, 2016 at 9:30 a.m. at Clark Hall, 380 Granville Street, Suite B.

The facility will offer GJPS employees, current YMCA of Central Ohio members and Gahanna residents a boutique-style experience focused on small group fitness, educational-based wellness programming for youth, teens and adults, and classes for youth/teens for S.T.E.M. and technology.

For more information, contact Valerie Baumann at 614.416.9622 or [email protected].