are often some of the largest monthly bills for people How do these costs vary around central Ohio Recently released data from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey show which places around central Ohio have the highest monthly housing costs where renters are more common and where people pay a high amount of their income on rent Here’s how much housing costs vary around central Ohio and where some disparities are heightened The city of New Albany has the highest median housing costs in central Ohio Just 20% of New Albany households pay less than $2,000 in monthly housing costs Bexley and Upper Arlington are all over $2,000 The city of Columbus has some of the lowest median housing costs at approximately $1,250 per household Two thirds of Columbus households pay less than $1,500 monthly Whitehall is the only other city with a lower average than Columbus: $1,051 per household a slim majority of households own or pay a mortgage on their own home a majority of households — about 56% — rent Whitehall is the only other city where a majority of households are renters The proportion of households that rent is lowest are in the cities of New Albany The median annual income of households in central Ohio cities varies widely but the highest median income of all is New Albany at $232,524 Bexley and Upper Arlington all have median incomes over $150,000 while the median income in Columbus is just over $65,000 Whitehall is the only city with a median income lower than Columbus at $51,000 Housing researchers and advocates often describe households as “cost burdened” if they spend more than 30% of income on housing costs “When renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing, they risk being unable to afford other necessities such as food and healthcare,” a page on the Ohio Housing Finance Agency states “Rent burden places people into a precarious position More than 40% of households in Whitehall spend more than 30% of their income on housing costs including more than 56% of renters — and one in three households in Columbus also pays a higher proportion of income on housing New Albany has the lowest rate of housing cost-burdened households in central Ohio at 18% and also has the highest median income for renters at nearly $116,000 Overall housing cost burdens in Pickerington Worthington and Canal Winchester are all below 20% over half of the renters in Pickerington spend more than 30% of their income on housing while 11% of the owner-occupied households are cost burdened Median household income also varies widely when differentiating between households that rent and own: renters tend to be less wealthy than homeowners in most places around central Ohio The disparity between renters and owners is widest in Bexley where the median income for owner-occupied households is $188,000 while the median income among renting households was $56,000 Households that own their home made more than twice as much as renters in several Franklin County cities Renters earn more than homeowners in just one place: Blacklick Estates but a census-designated place in southeast Franklin County that is partly in Madison Township and partly in Truro Township Renters there both earn approximately $70,000 annually awinfrey@dispatch.com Ohio (WSYX) — The Madison Township Police Department need your help identifying three people Police believe these suspects are a part of a series of car break-ins in the Blacklick Estates and Marwick Addition communities Police believe they are driving a Silver Chevy Cruze with no visible tags ABC 6 News spoke to numerous people in the area Multiple residents have said many of the thieves they’ve seen stealing vehicles were young people Police are urging anyone with information to come forward by calling 614-836-9000 A second suspect has been charged in connection with the theft of hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth Columbus Division of Fire firefighting equipment The suspect — a 44-year-old man from Lockbourne — has been charged with burglary in connection with the heist which saw more than $300,000 worth of firefighting equipment stolen The suspect also has a slew of theft charges dating back to 2006 according to Franklin County Municipal Court filings As previously reported by The Dispatch, a Groveport woman has also been charged in connection with the theft. According to a criminal complaint filed by detectives the Groveport woman told detectives that she picked up the Lockbourne man in her Chevrolet Avalanche pickup truck and late dropped him off in the area of the Columbus Division of Fire Training Academy the woman parked her pickup truck at a parking lot across the street from the training academy and waited there for around two hours serving as a lookout while the man broke into the facility The woman said that the Lockbourne man later returned with the Columbus Division of Fire van loaded with stolen firefighting equipment the woman told detectives that the Lockbourne man led her through Franklin and Pickaway counties and to a home on Fontaine Road in the Blacklick Estates neighborhood on the city's Southeast Side The Groveport woman said that the Lockbourne man was the one who planned the burglary and coordinated the movement and distribution of the stolen property The Groveport woman was ordered held in the Franklin County jail in lieu of a $750,000 bond Reporter Shahid Meighan can be reached at smeighan@dispatch.com, at ShahidMeighan on X, and at shahidthereporter.dispatch.com on Bluesky The city of Columbus released a report on the city's aquatics facilities which points out the city is lacking a necessary number of pools for a city with a population of over 900,000 The city's final aquatics capital improvement plan points out several "deserts" with lack of access to pools in northern Columbus the far southeast and the far southwest area of the city The report identified nine potential locations to close the gap and supplement the city's eight outdoor pools and single indoor pool WOSU obtained the final plan on Friday afternoon The city paid Legat Architects almost $500,000 to develop the plan with public input The plan also includes concept drawings and recommendations to repair or replace several aquatic facilities The most pressing needs are at the Glenwood which the report said are past their usable life The report also said the city's only indoor pool The plan said city aquatics face other challenges like overcrowding a lack of awareness of amenities and programs and facilities being too far from where residents live The lack of pools also creates problems for minorities president of the Forest Park Civic Association said he agrees the area is in dire need of a pool and other recreational opportunities The nearby Woodward Park Recreation Center is one of the city's oldest recreation facilities and has no pool "Any improvements to our city parks is greatly appreciated There used to be multiple aquatic pools in the area which requires a membership," Vanasdale said One metric the report used was from the National Recreation and Park Association which recommends two pools per every 100,000 people Columbus currently has one pool per every 100,000 people The Columbus metro area is projected to grow from 2.2 million to 3 million people by 2050 Another key finding is that despite the population nearly doubling since the 1960s the aquatics program has not expanded equally across the city leaving Columbus with many underserved areas especially further out from the city center Vanasdale said several private pools have closed over the years and now it is not very feasible for residents in Forest Park to walk or bike to a nearby facility He said the YMCA does partner with the neighborhood for events and is a stellar resource despite the cost to join The other deserts center around the Hilltop neighborhood and the area around Blacklick Estates and Pickerington Ponds Metro Park "Anything that the city can do for our young families to have outdoor recreation is greatly appreciated and immediate," Vanasdale said A year-long accumulation of guns confiscated from drivers or passengers suspected of drug or alcohol use kept Madison Township Police officers on their toes and the community safe in 2023 Most of the firearms were confiscated north of U.S in Blacklick Estates and other areas surrounding the township’s jurisdiction “This is a very high number of firearm- related incidents that our officers are dealing with on the streets today,” said Madison Township Police Commander Victor Boyd they were able to remove these firearms from individuals that were intoxicated and operating motor vehicles on the streets of Madison Township.” Officers stopped vehicles due to probable cause whether on the body or transporting in a motor vehicle the first thing an officer is trained to do when a gun is observed during a traffic stop is to loudly instruct the driver and passenger to put their hands in a visible position Other officers are notified about the situation and provide assistance The driver and any passengers are then asked to step out of the vehicle and handcuffed and the vehicle is searched The firearm is then secured by the officer and ownership is determined “The person will be told they are under arrest and then transported back to our department for processing,” said Boyd then the suspect is transported to the Franklin County jail.” After a gun is confiscated by Madison Township officers and all information about the gun collected to determine if it is stolen It is then photographed and placed in a secure property room until the court case is finished it is up to the prosecution and judges to determine if the defendant is allowed to have the firearm returned to them or if the firearm will be destroyed,” said Boyd The operator or passengers in a vehicle can have a loaded firearm in a vehicle if they are not under the influence of alcohol or drugs and follow gun laws established by the state A business owner can restrict employees from carrying a firearm while at work but they cannot restrict an employee from having a firearm in their personal vehicle as long as they follow state laws Madison Township laws for carrying a firearm either openly or concealed are the same as the State of Ohio “The continual professionalism and efforts that our officers put forth each day to serve the citizens of Madison Township are very evident in the number of arrests and prosecutions that happen due to the officer’s efforts,” said Boyd “I also think the positive atmosphere that has developed within our department in the last couple of years is largely due to the hiring practices that we have adopted We have been very fortunate to find and hire those officers that are truly driven and motivated each day to go out and perform the work they were hired to do.” and website in this browser for the next time I comment Canal Winchester and South - Covering Canal Winchester and entire Canal Winchester School District Covering all of Obetz and Hamilton Township Groveport - Covering Groveport and the entire Groveport School District & Madison Twp Grove City - Covering all of Grove City and Commercial Point Madison - Covering Madison County including: London Carmichael says the customer backlog keeps building "I want us to open and I need the money cause I have bills I have kids and not being able to pay my regularly scheduled payments they back load even when they do let us out I'm still in the hole," said Carmichael The father of four says he took out a personal loan to survive His barbers and their financial fears are also weighing heavily on his mind They're independent contractors who rent space at his shop "I feel if this keeps going a lot of barbers are going to change different jobs and go on they have to feed their families," said Carmichael Carmichael says he's trying to hang on until his industry reopens Governor Mike DeWine says he wants to look at the numbers from the first wave before deciding on the fate of salons and barbershops Carmichael would like clarity on health and safety guidelines for one-on-one businesses like his where a six feet rule isn't conducive to cutting and trimming The biggest thing is how are we going to detect the people that come in if they have it or not," said Carmichael He says his family would rather him not be in the shop at all and they're not understanding but also my family understands they want me alive," said Carmichael salons were set to rake in more than 5 billion dollars in revenue There are more than 1.2 million salons in the United States and most of them are now closed They employ more than 1.7 million workers and 80% of the money they take in usually goes to rent and labor Madison Township Administrator Susan Brobst said approximately $500,000 is being invested in Brobst Park for drainage improvements paving of the parking lots and walking path “The playground equipment is all original (new swings will be installed prior to the end of this year) and the front shelter was built in 1990,” said Brobst “Playground equipment and the basketball courts were added over time and the concession stand building and football field were added in the spring of 2009 after the additional property was purchased the change in the land around the park has created additional drainage issues to the point the park has to be closed or the use restricted from the back half after rains and large snow falls due to the flooding and water covering the parking lots and green spaces The drainage work will begin as soon as possible this spring.” She said the playground improvements are expected to begin as soon as the drainage work near the playground is completed and the township has approval from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to proceed with the project The grant for the playground improvements fall under ODNR coordination/approval process Regarding the parking and walking path paving work “The additional parking lot has been excavated and stone base filled already Until the drainage work is done and the playground area is completed Brobst said the Ohio Capital Project Grant awarded for the playground is for $200,000 “That money can also be used for the mulch and soft-play area which we are doing,” said Brobst “The township staff will do the excavation of the new area and removal of the one smaller unit that is being replaced The township will also be adding funds for additional equipment until we have completed the drainage work and have that final cost She said the cost of the drainage improvements between the Franklin County Drainage Engineer’s estimate and the materials needed that the township public works staff will install The cost of the paving work is still to be determined Other monies are coming from the American Rescue Plan Act and township general fund money Township officials expressed thanks to State Representative Rich Brown and State Senator Michele Reynolds for their support of the projects and the township fire and police departments they recommended speed humps be installed in sections of Harbor Boulevard Watkins said the humps would be a maximum of 500 feet apart to be effective with driveways and intersections being taken into consideration The humps would be 12 feet long with a 3 inch gradual rise The estimated cost per speed hump is $700 and it would take four to six weeks to install the 20 to 21 speed humps The trustees were in support of installing the speed humps Watkins said signs could last up to 20 years while painting curbs is labor intensive and would have to be done in phases over three to four years The cycle would then have to be repeated to keep the paint fresh and visible Aqua Ohio is asking ask state regulators to raise rates for water and sewer customers in Franklin and Marion counties For water customers, the company is asking for a 12.87% increase; for sewer customers according to records filed with the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio the average sewer bill for a Franklin County customer would go up by $5.21 per month while the average water bill would rise by $7.42 per month The increases would go into effect this year if approved by state regulators The actual increase for a household would depend on water consumption An Aqua Ohio residential customer with water and sewer service would pay $124.06 per month That's based on a customer using 4,000 gallons of water a month but the company says most customers use less than that Aqua said increases are necessary to finance improvements needed to maintain service reliability water quality and compliance with federal and state regulations the company said it expects an anticipated $61 million in water treatment plants improvements along with replacing main water lines Aqua also says operations and maintenance expenses have increased substantially the company serves 8,187 water customers and 6,882 wastewater customers Aqua serves five subdivisions − Blacklick Estates The company provides water service to all five subdivisions and sewer service to Blacklick Estates The company has 18,239 water customers in Marion County and serves the city of Marion along with several townships and villages sewer and natural gas service in 10 states The $128.4 million project proposes to add through lanes with construction expected to begin in the summer of 2026 and end later in 2026 Widening Project began as part of the Southeast Corridor study The project area is located in southeastern Franklin County on U.S 33 from State Route 104 to Hill-Diley Road and aims to reduce congestion Key objectives include maximizing operational efficiency for through traffic and integrating access with the local roadway system A feasibility study is underway to determine alternatives to meet the purpose and need of the project which would require no or minimal new right-of-way which would require some new strip right-of-way •Bixby Road – Left turns would be restricted from U.S Access would become right in and right out to and from Bixby Road 33 and Bixby Road currently permits left turns from U.S but restricts through movements and left turns from Bixby Road This segment of Rager Road would terminate at a cul-de-sac Access to and from the south segment of Rager Road would be utilized as a right in and right out Environmental studies for the project are underway Impacts to streams and wetlands are anticipated with either alternative Temporary impacts to Blacklick Creek Trail are also anticipated with either alternative and other actions required by applicable federal environmental law for these projects are being 327 and a Memorandum of Understanding dated Dec Visit www.transportation.ohio.gov for information to 3 p.m.) – Help make apple butter (stirring or help with any last minute craziness that occurs Visit the Levy Estimator online at audr-apps.franklincountyohio.gov/LevyEstimator After selecting your home’s location or entering a parcel number the estimator will show both your current and estimated taxes To watch, visit: www.facebook.com/groveportsportsnetwork Games to be broadcast: football (all 7 p.m.) – Oct at Canal Winchester; boys basketball (all 7:30 p.m softball (all 5:15 p.m.) – March 25 at Newark; April 2 •Franklin County Children’s Services proposed levy (renewal and increase) for the purpose of providing services to abused and neglected children and their families It is a 10 year levy renewal of 1.9 mills and an increase of 0.6 mills for a total of 2.5 mills $53 for each $100,000 of the county auditor’s appraised value •Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) proposed sales and use tax to provide revenue to support additional infrastructure It would be an increase of one half of one percent to a rate not to exceed three-fourths of one percent for a continuing period of time The north and south legs of the roundabout will be closed Eastbound traffic on State Route 317 will follow the posted detour north on Alum Creek Drive to Groveport Road and east on Groveport Road to State Route 317 Westbound traffic will follow the posted detour in the opposite direction Aqua Ohio will ask state regulators to raise rates for water and sewer customers in Franklin and Marion counties the company will ask for a 12% increase; for sewer customers The average sewer bill for a Franklin County customer would go up by $4.95 per month while the average water bill would rise by $5.53 per month The rate increases would go into effect in 2022 if approved by state regulators.  The actual increase would depend on water consumption An average Franklin county Aqua customer pays $96.23 a month for water and wastewater service.  Aqua says the increases are necessary to finance its operations and maintain its water and sewer systems The company has 18,000 water customers in Marion County and serves the city of Marion along with several townships and villages Aqua serves five subdivisions — Blacklick Estates Aqua Ohio is part of Essential Utilities based in suburban Philadelphia. Essential Utilities provides water sewer and natural gas service in eight states Aqua Ohio customers will pay more for water and sewer service State regulators this past week approved a 5.7% increase in water rates or an average of $3.55 per month for a customer that uses an average of 4,000 gallons a month New rates will appear on customers' next water bill or an average of $8.30 per month for customers who use 4,000 gallons of water a month the typical water bill for a customer using 4,000 gallons of months will go to $65.48 per month and the average bill for water and sewer service to $119.74 The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio noted that the increase was less than what the company had sought while supporting the utility's obligation to provide safe drinking water and sanitary sewer systems to its customers “Assuring safe drinking water and sewer systems is a crucial aspect of Aqua’s responsibility to their customers,” agency chair Jenifer French said in a statement Aqua says the increases are necessary to finance its operations and maintain its water and sewer systems will increase the amount of money going to its customer assistance program The money is available for Aqua Ohio customers at or below 175% of the federal poverty level Aqua serves five subdivisions — Blacklick Estates Essential Utilities is based in suburban Philadelphia sewer and natural gas service in nine states Electric customers of AEP Ohio will pay more in transmission costs The basic transmission cost rider is scheduled to go up $10 in April from about $33 a month to about $43 a month for an average residential user of 1,000 kwh a month The rider increase was approved earlier this month by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio The fee allows AEP to recoup charges for transmission costs that the regional grid operator charges the electric company The company said the increases are needed to recover higher costs and provide reliable service "Providing reliable service relies on a resilient energy delivery system As AEP Ohio has continued its commitment to invest in new transmission lines and replace aging infrastructure to better serve customers of all classes costs have gone up," a statement from the company said There will be a "new substantially lower" rate for electricity starting in June after higher-than-normal energy costs drove the rates up for customers last year That rate is decreasing by about $30 in June but anyone using the standard service office will total monthly bills for non-shopping customers will be about $20 less beginning in June 2024 than they were in June 2023," Blake said Representatives at watchdog organization the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel aren't happy about the changes to the transmission fee The organization wanted AEP's request to be thrown out because the decision from the PUCO also shifts the burden of paying the fee more toward residential customers than commercial ones This is how the OCC worded their opposition in a statement: "The PUCO last week socked AEP residential consumers with a $154 million transmission charge bill the PUCO and AEP agreed to transmission charge increases to residential consumers via the (basic transmission cost rider) that amount to about $10 a month more beginning in April AEP is reducing transmission charges to big businesses and forging ahead with an expanded pilot program that allows certain big businesses to opt out of paying for the transmission charges under the BTCR rider This is not good news for AEP residential consumers." Residential customers will have to pay 32% more for the rider than before while the commercial and business consumers will pay $114 million less "The shifting of cost responsibility within Rider BTCR causes residential consumers’ share of the rider costs to balloon from 43% to 53% The large increase in BTCR charges to residential consumers coming from a reallocation of Rider BTCR is unfair unjust and unreasonable to residential consumers who are already being squeezed by other utility rate increases,” the statement continued "Residential customers used a larger share of the transmission system at peak demand resulting in a larger rate increase for residential customers." The company stated the formula used to calculate transmission rates has been approved by state and federal regulators But the OCC thinks the PUCO made the wrong move AEP’s residential consumers will pay higher electric bills Ohio utilities’ transmission spending that receives no regulatory review for need or prudence continues to be a problem for Ohio utility consumers that foot the bill," OCC Director Maureen Willis said The company was allowed to collect funds in earlier cases to improve their infrastructure A case in 2021 increased the fixed delivery costs consumers pay in exchange for promises of improvements to grid technology The OCC filed a complaint with state regulators about how AEP Ohio is paying for its transmission costs we do not think about such things as our 50 year class reunion in our youth the thoughts are of the promise of the future ahead All the while time rolls on relentlessly until suddenly it is 50 years later and with it are incorporated the joys and sorrows Over these years some classmates remain close and some drift apart as life presents its choices and distances But there always remains within the members of the same graduating class a little spark of shared experiences from the time of our youth in school So much so that when we meet up again decades later we easily reconnect with just a look the Groveport Madison High School class of 1974 is celebrating its 50th year of graduation in two ways – at the annual Groveport Madison Alumni Banquet in May and at a class reunion in September the new Groveport Madison Alumni Hall of Fame member will be announced It’s a strange feeling to outlive your high school – a school that was brand new in our youth and a structure that seemed so permanent – but we did Our old high school on South Hamilton Road was never beautiful with its beige brick and utilitarian architectural style and windows that looked back at you blankly (The rectangular windows also sort of look like the holes in old computer punch cards.) It was a building without ornamentation It took decades for the trees in the barren looking front lawn of its early years to grow into the wonderful leafy shade givers they became before they had to be cut down for new construction it took years for the grass to take root and thicken on the playing fields behind the building Even when the building was new the clocks throughout the school often did not synch up Leaks squirted through the flat roof from the start two “main” hallways in the sprawling building were really long The gym was smaller than at most other high schools The building is now a ghost that only appears in our personal and collective memories and in photos Those photos portray the energy and changes we experienced there as well as the joys Moments matter and the moments shared among classmates remain imbedded in our memory Along with its sister school next door – Eastland Career Center – our high school was a no nonsense place to work and learn State utility regulators have approved rate changes for Aqua Ohio leading to water-rate increases for most central Ohio customers served by the company The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio said the for-profit water company can charge customers $60.5 million per year for service The company serves about 138,500 households and businesses in 17 Ohio counties About 8,080 of the customers are in five Franklin County neighborhoods that now have several rate structures and are switching to rates that will essentially treat everyone the same The typical bill now will be $49.65 for monthly use of 4,000 gallons In two neighborhoods — Blacklick Estates and Timberbrook — the new bill total is an increase of $4.41 In two others — Lake Darby and Worthington Hills — there is almost no change Huber Ridge is the only neighborhood with a rate cut The bill totals and percentages do not include sewer costs which are part of the bill in some neighborhoods; sewer costs are not changing as a result of this case Aqua Ohio, a subsidiary of Pennsylvania-based Aqua America, had initially sought a larger rate increase It agreed to a lower number in a negotiated settlement with several city governments and the PUCO staff The PUCO’s board voted yesterday to accept that agreement The Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel raised concerns about the proposal arguing that the company had not justified the need to raise rates The previous increase was in 2012 and the company is saying it will not seek another increase for two years dgearino@dispatch.com @DanGearino Columbus City Schools has agreed to give the Groveport Madison School District a 40 percent discount on what it pays under the 1986 Win-Win agreement and signaled it is open to renegotiate the accord individually with eight other suburban districts with an eye to making current district boundaries permanent Groveport Madison intends to approve the change at a meeting Wednesday the Win-Win Agreement disproportionately impacted Groveport Madison Schools when compared with other area districts,” Warner said in a written statement was the need to provide stability for our families and to create greater equity of opportunities for our students.” The other eight districts would be required to allow the 30-year-old legal accord to renew for six more years or risk a collapse of the detente that allowed suburban districts to continue serving areas that were annexed into the city of Columbus in return for payments to Columbus schools They would pay Columbus City Schools their full payments the first year but Columbus schools would work toward individual agreements with each district for “orderly transition periods for the phase out of payments over a 5-year period,” the Columbus board resolution approved on Monday says Those negotiations would end by June 2017 and would “offer districts an opportunity to negotiate a withdrawal from the agreement in exchange for compensation and other terms and conditions satisfactory to the Board of Education.” The school board reiterated its position that as long as the eight suburban districts other than Groveport Madison renew the six-year pact by the end of this month Columbus City Schools will not seek to annex any land in the city of Columbus being served by those suburban districts Dublin City Schools was exploring ending its Win-Win agreement with the Columbus district said she doesn’t view the Columbus board’s action Monday as having closed the door on negotiations Dublin made Columbus a verbal proposal on Friday and officials from both districts spoke over the weekend “They have to go on the ballot just like we do” and have to show taxpayers they are going after all potential revenue The Dublin School Board has until the end of this month to pull out of Win-Win or it automatically renews for six years May said the board will probably schedule a special meeting for later this week to discuss what to do with Win-Win “Bottom line," May said: "We appreciate Columbus City Schools’ willingness to continue discussions with us that may allow us to withdraw who was hired by the Columbus district this year to negotiate Win-Win told the school board that the district is giving Groveport Madison a special deal immediately because it pays the highest percentage of its total operating revenue to Columbus City Schools compared to other Win-Win districts “They legitimately raised the issue,” Coleman said adding that the new deal brings them more in line with what other districts pay “It seemed to be the fair thing to do and the equitable thing to do.” The urban district also agreed to allow Groveport Madison to protect the Blacklick Estates area a large assemblage of subdivisions that never annexed into a city from any future annexation attempt on the part of Columbus schools Half of Groveport Madison’s school buildings are in the area Coleman declined to answer questions after briefing the school board Superintendent Dan Good said that the new agreement with Groveport Madison Schools could serve as a model for others Columbus could agree to end payments if suburban districts instead transferred a small portion of their commercial areas to Columbus schools Columbus is “open to land transfers” that could help settle any disputes “Things are going to change,” said Columbus Board of Education President Gary Baker after the seven-member board voted 5-0 to approve the resolution concerning the eight suburban districts (one member and 6-0 to approve a special deal for Groveport Madison Member Eric Brown abstained from both votes but he has a daughter serving on the Gahanna school board one of the suburban school boards affected who also graduated within two years of each other from Groveport Madison High School have spent two decades serving the community where they spent their childhood Don Skinner moved into Blacklick Estates when he was three years old graduated in 1988 and started working for the township in 1995 Patrol Officer Randy Bates grew up in Madison Township graduated from Groveport High School and Eastland-Fairfield Career Center in 1990 and started working for the police department in 1995 While their career paths followed a similar direction and they knew each other in high school the road did detour at times for Skinner and Bates “I was a cadet in the Madison Township Police Department Explorer’s Program when I was in high school,” said Bates who also served as a reserve officer in Mifflin Township from 1994-95 “I remember I had to wait until I was old enough to be in the Explorer program I remember it as being a quiet place where most of the moms stayed at home the dads went to work and there was no crime.” Skinner attended Columbus State Community College where he earned an emergency medical certification before going to the Police Academy in 1992 and becoming a certified Ohio police officer I was a special deputy with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office,” said Skinner who has held a variety of positions with the township during his 20-year tenure including school resource/bike officer “Even though I was the first police officer in the Skinner family My 21-year-old son is in the same police academy  I attended and is expected to graduate in the fall.” Both officers have received recognition for their service to the department and the community Bates was presented an outstanding service award in 1997 and Skinner received the department’s highest award and a letter of commendation from President George W both men laughed when they remembered a call they responded to a few years ago “An 80-year-old woman residing in an assisted living center in Canal Winchester called 911 and reported she couldn’t get out of her bedroom because a deer was blocking the way after jumping through her window,” said Skinner “The deer literally had her pinned to her bed and she couldn’t get out of her room to get help threw a sheet over its head and pulled it down the hallway to release it outside.” Both police offers agree technology has changed the most and had the biggest impact on the way law enforcement is conducted today versus 20 years ago Skinner said when he and Bates began working for Madison Township but computer skills are now an essential part of the job “The computer in the car is probably the best thing to happen in law enforcement,” said Bates “We can access information and file reports a lot faster now.” Both officers expect to retire from Madison Township “This is the area I know and this is a calling for me The community and the department have been very good to me caring and down-to-earth policing every time I put on the Madison Township uniform I believe in treating people as I would like to be treated and make it my business to give back to the communities I serve.” This is a small department and it makes it easier to follow up on something if you need to and you get to know the people you serve.” Two of our finest and we are so lucky to have them watching over our neighborhoods interest and bios of individuals of our safety forces training and supervising these two fine officers through out their police careers was an honor during my tenure with the Madison Township Police Department All members of our safety forces are exemplary individuals and represent the finest to our citizens and are to be commended