McGuan Park places 2nd in state contest

NORWALK — Council members learned the McGuan Park revitalization project placed second in a state capital improvement project during Tuesday evening's work session. Park and Recreation Superintendent Joe Lindenberger told council McGuan Park competed with 15 other projects in the up to $1 million Capital Improvement Project category. According to Lindenberger, a New Albany project is the only one the judges rated higher than McGuan Park. He added that several of the projects were in the $900,000 and up range, while the McGuan Park project was less than half the maximum. "Some (of the projects) were quite large," Lindenberger said. "Municipalities like Columbus, Cincinnati, Toledo and West Lake with deep pockets." Recreation Coordinator Sarah Church also spoke briefly about the project as she presented council with a slideshow and credited the Norwalk community for the project's success. "The bulk of the project was completed within a year," Church said. "That was largely due to our community — Norwalk should be proud of the great story being told by this project. Now, when people come to Norwalk, we can say we have an award-winning park system and that's because of our community." Council also briefly discussed the 2023 budget ordinance, which Finance Director Sandy Weltlin added as an agenda item before the meeting. She provided council members with a budget worksheet and highlighted a few items. Weltlin estimated Norwalk's general fund revenue at $9,074, 512 — up from 2022's estimate of $8,237,584 — while overall anticipated revenue for 2023 has been increased by more than $770,000 compared to the 2022 estimate. The projected income tax receipts at $6,380,000, a 3% increase over what is anticipated to be collected by the end of 2022. President Steve Euton said council will discuss budget issues during the Nov. 15 and 29 meetings, give a first reading to the ordinance on Dec. 6 and have it passed during the Dec. 20 meeting. In other business: Council introduced legislation that would increase fees for zoning requests from $50 to $100. Council introduced an ordinance that would approve supplemental appropriations. Council introduced an ordinance that create a fund account for money received and spent throught the Community Development Block Grant.