A6 Sunday, July 14, 2013

THE DAILY RECORD, Wooster, Ohio

Region
WCSCC, TVN, WCS working together
Helping at-risk youth transition to adulthood
By LINDA HALL Staff Writer SMITHVILLE The Career Center will be part of the solution to a problem that of helping at-risk youth, particularly those involved in the foster care or judicial system, transition successfully into adulthood. Theyre the ones at risk to be jobless and homeless, according to educators and social service caseworkers, such as those under the umbrella of Wayne County Family and Children First Council, who have been discussing the topic at their meetings. In fact, according to TVNs new CEO, Rich Graziano, Seventy-five percent of homeless (people) at one time or another passed through foster care. Taking career and technical training to the youth being educated at The Village Network in Wooster in a program to begin this fall is a step along the way to changing the future of young people in future jeopardy. The whole idea is that in the past students who have gone through the foster system have been found to struggle at getting jobs, said Wayne County Schools Career Center Superintendent Kip Crain, pointing especially to their lack of opportunity for jobs paying more than minimum wage. Many of (these youth) stay in the community, Crain said, and we want them to be part of the work force, rather than needing assistance because they dont have the skills and abilities to go out and get jobs. Career Center teachers working with TVN personnel and employees of the Wooster City Schools District, which will continue to provide the academic programming, will offer three career-tech programs hospitality/culinary arts, level one; buildings and grounds, level one; and landscaping and plant technologies, level one. Crain said the partnership among the Career Center, TVN and Wooster City Schools, is bringing all of the pieces of the puzzle together, with each of the entities providing something needed by the others. Of benefit to the Career Center will be services delivered by TVN clinicians to at-risk students at the Career Center if anything is needed beyond the regular guidance counseling, Crain said. About 15-20 students are expected to be enrolled in the programs made available through the shared services agreement approved between TVN and the Career Center. Key players involved in the partnership are Graziano; Mark Welty, a regional director at TVN; Rich Leone, the Wooster districts director of secondary education; and Matt Brown, principal at the Career Center. Wooster City Schools has always provided the academics (at TVN), Crain said, but this will be the first time career-technical education has been offered there. The career-tech programs are part of a bigger picture in TVNs strategy and its revised mission to work in partnerships that will empower youth and their families to build brighter futures. In a statement she made for TVNs fiscal year 2013 report, Lynn Moomaw, who is the TVN board president and also serves as the Career Centers director of operations and adult education, said TVN has expanded the continuum of care to provide services to youth after they age out of the system, strengthened partnerships considerably and increased our service footprint, particularly in Columbus. Members of Family and Children First Council have also been addressing the issue of assisting youth in foster or residential care to make the precipitous leap to adulthood. According to statistics provided by Cameron Maneese, executive director of the council, young people in this category are at greater risk for becoming homeless, unemployed and incarcerated. The council has worked with other agencies and sought grant funding for programs. Reporter Linda Hall can be reached at 330-264-1125, Ext. 2230, or lhall@the-dailyrecord.com.

Maximizing property protection WCS handles

sequestration cuts

Columbus-area attorneys Michael Braunstein (left) and William Goldman (seated) talk about some of the options property owners have in dealing with the Allegheny Access pipeline project that will cut across northern Wayne County and transport refined petroleum products. The attorneys met with the property owners at the Canaan Township fire station on Burbank Road.

Bobby Warren photo/www.buydrphotos.com

Property owners protecting their land from pipeline

By BOBBY WARREN Staff Writer CANAAN TWP. A few dozen property owners packed the Canaan Township fire station on Burbank Road to hear from a couple of Columbus-area attorneys about how to protect their land and receive more money for easements needed for a pipeline project. William Goldman and Mike Braunstein talked about the Allegheny Access pipeline project that will transport refined petroleum products from the Midwest to eastern Ohio and Western Pennsylvania. When the project was announced in September, Sunoco Logistics Partners CEO Michael J. Hennigan said it would give refiners and marketers in the Midwest convenient and cost-effective access to eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania markets, including Pittsburgh. It is expected to have the ability to transport 85,000 barrels a day initially, with the ability to increase the capacity to 110,000 barrels per day. The project is slated to begin around the beginning of October, but Goldman and Braunstein said they do not think it will happen. Sunoco expects the pipeline to be operational in the first half of 2014. The attorneys and some property owners said land agents have been making highpressure pitches to get people to sign updated lease agreements for $3 a linear foot.

Were confident we can get appropriate compensation. Whether it is us or another attorney, you need to be represented.
William Goldman
Many property owners had signed easements in 1942 allowing Standard Oil to build a pipeline, Goldman said. He does not think those easements allow for a second pipeline to be built, but if it does, then there needs to be just compensation. Goldman also wants protections for the landowners written into the agreements. The wording now appears to make the property owners responsible if something happens to the pipeline. The offer of $3 per linear foot, which is actually 75 square feet because Sunoco is seeking a 50-foot easement and a 25-foot temporary easement for equipment, is too low, Braunstein and Goldman said. Were confident we can get appropriate compensation, Goldman said at Tuesdays meeting. Whether it is us or another attorney, you need to be represented. They cannot rely on 1942 prices; they have to pay current prices, Braunstein said. He noted a pipeline on a piece of property can cause damage in several ways. What if a farmer cannot cross the easement with equipment, what if trees have to be removed, what if the property is less attractive because of the existence of a pipeline. The pipeline could diminish the value of your property, Braunstein said. Both attorneys said the pipeline is going to be built, and they could not stop it. Their goal is to maximize the protection of property and compensation. While the two have negotiated substantial settlements in the past, property owners should not think this will be a windfall. But, the final price could be much more substantial than the $3 being offered. Jim Kelly, who owns property on Sterling Road in the township, said he was offered $15 per foot, but he was told none of the landscaping in the easement area would have to be restored. Dont give them anything, Braunstein said. If you want to give money away, give it to your church or children. Reporter Bobby Warren can be reached at 330-287-1639 or bwarren@ the-daily-record.com. He is @BobbyWarrenTDR on Twitter.

As required by state law, By LINDA HALL anyone whose contract will Staff Writer WOOSTER DISTRICT be non-renewed must be The budget reductions notified in the spring, West Wooster City Schools made said. in the spring will cover revThe district will continue to enue lost through federal work on closing gaps with sequestration across-the- regards to student achieveboard cuts. ment, Tefs The district said, in spite had expectof the sequesThis equates to ed a 7 pertration reduccent-10 per- a 5.24 percent tions which cent reductotal in their tion based on average reduction e n t i r e t y sequestration, in federal support $108,000 but reducfor Wooster tions overall for all districts schools. amounted to across 14 different Now that about 5.2 perthe allocacent, based programs. tions from on six funds the federal John Charlton, ODE used by the government spokesperson have been district within the federal specified, the Title program, district will Superintendent Michael Tefs go back and look at staffsaid. ing, West said, and examThe Title I program for ine what positions will be reading and math interven- affordable. tion had the most significant Tefs gave credit to the reductions, Tefs said, a 6 Ohio Department of Edupercent reduction totaling cation for working to help about $55,000. districts with sequestration IDEA Part B special edu- by reallocating some fundcation funds were cut by 4 ing to them. percent, and early childhood According to information education dollars by 3 per- released by John Charlton, cent. ODE spokesperson, OverTitle II A funding, used in all, federally funded K-12 different ways by districts, programs in Ohio will expeis directed toward profes- rience a $65.7 million cut sional development by the to federal funds as a result Wooster District; that fund of the sequestration spendwas reduced by 5 percent. ing cut imposed earlier this As of right now, Tefs said, year. Title III funding, amounting This equates to a 5.24 to about $7,500 for students percent average reduction who have limited English in federal support for all proficiency, has been reduced districts across 14 different to zero. programs, Charlton said Title 1 D funding, which Tefs in his release, but added, said helps to provide pro- The state reallocation gramming for at-risk youth in announced (on July 1) sigrelation to college and career nificantly reduces the overreadiness, was reduced by 3 all impact on Ohio to an percent. average of 3.6 percent. Right now we feel like we According to Charltons have made the appropriate release, Superintendent of reductions (in the district Public Instruction Richard budget) to make those reduc- A. Ross said Monday that tions in expenditures, Tefs the department is reallocatsaid. ing $11 million of unused Treasurer Bonnie Weltlich federal funds for special West reviewed that 9.25 staff education and $8 million positions that were either for Title 1 math and readsmall group instructors or ing intervention programs other federally funded posi- to reduce the impact of the tions were eliminated at federal cuts in these two the April board meeting in programs. anticipation that we would Reporter Linda Hall can see less dollars come from the federal government and be reached at 330-264-1125, wouldnt be able to fund Ext. 2230, or lhall@the-dailyrecord.com. them.

Shreve Council awards contractor for South Street project

By ABBY ARMBRUSTER Staff Writer SHREVE Council awarded the contractor for the South Street project, Phases 1 and 2, to R A Bores Excavating with a bid of about $664,000. Fiscal Officer Jamie Greegor said two bids were accepted for the contracting position. Greegor also said the Shreve Police Department is looking for at least two or three parttime officers. Recently, many break-ins have been reported, so Chief Ron Kiner suggested residents call in suspicious activity to the police department. Council passed the second reading of the villages income tax credit ordinance that would only credit residents who work outside of the village 50 percent on their income tax beginning retroactively in January. The ordinance was passed 3-2, with councilwoman Melissa Patrick and councilwoman Kristin McCoy voting no. There was a 4-1 vote to pass the second reading of an ordinance to allow an electric aggregation issue to be placed on the November ballot. Greegor said council discussed possibly not organizing a leaf pick-up in the fall, but further discussion will need to take place before deciding either way. The next council meeting will be July 15 at 7 p.m. at village hall. Contact Abby Armbruster at 330-287-1632 or email her at aarmbruster@the-dailyrecord.com. Follow her on Twitter @abbyarmbruster.

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