Neighbors give Timberview proposal thumbs down. Joe Chapman reflects on selling the historic car dealership. And how the state budget may impact MEVSD
Give us a few moments and we'll serve up what matters in Marysville on Wednesday, July 2, 2025
In this edition:
Timberview residents showed up in force at City Planning Commission Tuesday night
A man accused of shooting at local police remains in the hospital
Joe Chapman reflects on the sale of Chapman Ford to Coughlin Automotive
How the state budget may impact MEVSD
And a primary is officially shaping up to replace Tracy Richardson at the State House
Neighbors give a big thumbs down to proposed Timberview development
A full house was in attendance on Tuesday evening at the Marysville Planning Commission.
“It’s not usually this crowded,” said Planning Commission chair Mike Nickoson when one resident stated she had never been to a Commission meeting before.
Drawing the crowd was a proposed sketch plan to develop multi-tenant housing at Timberview Golf Course called the Golf Village at Timberview.
The sketch plan proposes 260 new housing units along the north side of the property and in the southeast corner of 105 acres along London Avenue.
“I just don’t have it in my make-up that I would be able to sit in front of so many people…that are saying they don’t want this to happen,” one resident said of the developer proposing the plan. “But the almighty dollar happens to be a powerful aphrodisiac.”
The resident questioned the design of a 9-hole executive golf course and and 9-hole 3-par course. He noted that no one would play the course, and he expressed concern that it would wind up being developed in the future.
Residents are concerned about the impact on their property values, impact on existing creeks and green space, and traffic, among other things. Others questioned who was going to develop and manage the properties if they are approved.
Concerns were also expressed about the impact on the schools, which the developer acknowledged had not been consulted on the plan.
The opposition isn’t new. The developer had met with some Timberview neighbors in private meetings earlier this year and met similar opposition, per individuals I’ve talked to who were in the meetings.
“It just doesn’t fit,” said another resident. Others pointed out that the sketch plan runs counter to the City’s comprehensive plan.
The new owners of Timberview also own Rolling Meadows Golf Club on Industrial Parkway. They purchased the course for $3.667 million in May 2024.
”I would have never bought in there if I knew this was going on,” said one resident who moved to Timberview in the past few years.
According to a new website published by the City last week, Marysville has 3,890 residential units in the pipeline that are pending, approved, or under construction.
“When is it going to stop?” said another who commented.
Planning Commission members asked the developer to consider resident concerns and include any residents in the neighborhood in future conversations.
The sketch plan was tabled for further review.
Dustin Ohm remains hospitalized
The man who was shot by a Union County Sheriff’s deputy a month ago remains hospitalized.
Dustin Ohm is recovering from gunshot wounds suffered in an altercation with Marysville Police and the Sheriff’s Office on May 30. That is according to an update from Sheriff Mike Justice on Wednesday morning.
“He is still recovering from his injuries,” Sheriff Justice said. “When he gets to the point where he gets stepped down, we will take custody of him.”
Ohm fired a gun at point-blank range at a Marysville Police officer, missing her head by inches. He fled the scene and was stopped on US 33, where he was shot by a deputy and shot himself in the neck.
Ohm faces 9 counts, including attempted aggravated murder, following a Grand Jury indictment handed down on June 6.
Joe Chapman reflects on the sale of historic dealership
Chapman Ford was the first Ford dealership in Ohio and the oldest—until it changed hands on Monday.
Joe Chapman confirmed that he sold the dealership to Coughlin Automotive Group in a transaction that was completed on Monday.
What happens to the 45 employees of the dealership?
“100 percent of the employees were offered a position. That was part of the transition,” Chapman told me on Tuesday afternoon.
The dealership not only served local customers, it was in the catbird seat with state bids for municipalities and the purchase of government fleet vehicles.
Chapman said the timing was right for him.
”We've been very blessed to be in business for 112 years in a town we love and admire," said Chapman, who purchased the dealership from his father in 2008. "In my 35-year career, I've been honored to be the dealer and honored to take that challenge and be close to my father. It's the hallmark of my whole life so far."
He said the transaction is happening at a good time for him and for another dealer to take over.
“The business was doing better than ever,” Chapman said noting the current staff is the best he’s assembled. “An incredible culture and showing love to one another is essential to the longevity of any business, and certainly businesses in the retail space.“
Chapman Ford was Ohio's first Ford dealer and the longest running, starting the business in Plain City in 1913.
“It was an honor to be a business in Marysville. I really appreciate everyone. I love my customers. I love Ford.”
It’ll be a big change for him. He’s worked at the dealership since he was 14 years old.
“I will be a part of this community, maybe in a different capacity. I’m loyal to Union County. I’m excited for what I’m going to be able to sink my teeth into. You’ll hear more from Joe Chapman before too long.”
Case of Richwood man bound over to Grand Jury
The Union County Grand jury will consider the case of a 65-year-old Richwood man who is facing felonious assault charges after an altercation on June 22.
65-year-old Richard Baker allegedly shot a 9mm handgun at a car driven by his son following a domestic dispute. The two had been involved in a physical altercation. As the son was fleeing, Baker fired one shot, which investigators allege hit the driver’s door jam of the vehicle.
Baker claimed it was self-defense.
He was released on bond until the Grand Jury can determine the next steps in the case.
Honda’s June sales reflect trend toward trucks
Honda’s year-to-date sales through June are up 7.1% compared to 2024 during the same period.
The company released its latest sales report on Tuesday.
Car models continue to lag 8.1% so far this year, while the sale of truck models is up 14.6%. Both the Honda and Acura lines are reflecting the consumer trend.
In June, Honda sold 103,574 units, up 1.2% and Acura sold 10,912 units, up 5.4% month-over-month.
“The Honda and Acura brands continue to buck industry trends with sales increases in June and the second quarter as our strong sales momentum continues through the first half of the year,” said Lance Woelfer, vice president of Auto Sales at American Honda Motor Co. Inc. "Driven by the success of all-new products like the Honda Passport and Acura ADX, and record sales of electrified models we continue to meet customer needs and manage changing market conditions.”
Hybrid sales were down month-over-month for both Accord and CR-Vs, according to company data.
Governor vetoes school funding changes
With the stroke of a pen, Governor Mike DeWine attempted to make a substantial impact on the pocketbooks of Ohioans on Monday night.
Whether the change will be upheld or not remains to be seen.
The governor has “line item” veto power on the new two-year state budget, meaning he can carve out a veto for sections of the budget passed by the Ohio House and the Ohio Senate last week.
Among the 60+ line-item vetoes, the Governor cut out a proposal that would require Ohio school districts to give back to taxpayers any cash balances exceeding 40% of prior year ending balances. Such a provision would not have much of an impact on the Marysville schools.
However, another line item targeted by the Governor to make changes to the calculation of the 20-mill floor will have an impact on the district. The complex changes approved by the House and Senate would have negatively impacted the Marysville school district’s five-year forecast, essentially wiping out the financial gains realized by an emergency property tax levy that was passed by voters in May.
Now those concerns are moot, unless the House and Senate can muster the three-fifths majority votes to override the governor.
Additionally, DeWine axed a proposal that would require school board candidates to be identified with partisan labels on the ballot.
Also benefiting from the pen of Governor DeWine, local libraries. DeWine vetoed a proposal that would require public libraries to keep materials on sexual orientation and gender identity away from children.
And he vetoed a proposal to block future tax breaks for data centers.
DeWine signed into law a tax cut for every Ohio household that earns more than $100,000 per year. Now, all residents who make at least $26,000 per year will pay a flat tax of 2.75%.
DeWine also allowed a plan to use Ohio’s unclaimed funds account to pay $600 million toward a new stadium for the Cleveland Browns.
The General Assembly has an opportunity to override the vetoes between now and the end of the legislative session on December 31.
Vivek is coming to Union County
One loud voice upset with the Governor’s veto pen is the Republican who hopes to succeed DeWine in 2026.
Vivek Ramaswamy posted on the social media platform X on Tuesday morning:
Whether the post is pandering to the voter base or not, the property tax issue is certain to be a hot political topic.
Ramaswamy is the current favorite to win the GOP nomination for Ohio governor.
Ramaswamy has said he is on board with repealing Ohio’s property tax. A movement of residents across the state is circulating in petitions to amend the State Constitution to that effect. They want to put it on the ballot in November, but whether they can collect enough valid signatures is yet to be determined.
The proposed repeal is of great concern to local and county elected officials who predict chaos if a repeal is somehow enacted without an alternative plan to fund essential services.
Efforts by the General Assembly to cap school district carryover balances and updates to the 20 mill floor were direct attempts to squelch the movement to repeal property taxes.
Ramaswamy is slated to be a keynote speaker at the Union County Republican Party’s Farm Fest later this summer.
Primary race for state house seat is shaping up
It's still a way off, but the race to replace State Representative Tracy Richardson (R-Marysville) is starting to heat up.
Rep. Richardson is term-limited and cannot run again for the seat she has held for the past 7.5 years. Her final term began on January 1st and will expire at the end of 2026. Next year, voters will decide on her replacement, likely in the spring primary.
The early favorite is Jerome Township Trustee Wezlynn Davis, 40, who ran the last cycle unsuccessfully against Richardson in the primary. Davis is also a small business owner and a member of the Union County Republican Party Central Committee.
At least one challenger has emerged to challenge Davis. Ben Weber officially announced on Tuesday that he was throwing his hat in the ring for the seat. Weber positions himself as a constitutional conservative and local attorney. He’s also worked as a staffer at the State House.
City earns $1.6 million in interest through May
The City of Marysville earned $1.607 million in interest through the first five months of the year, riding the wave of higher interest rates.
That’s according to the May financial report.
Total bank deposits and investments were $108.266 million.
The City is earning anywhere from 3.93% to 4.47% on a variety of investments.
At the same time, the city carried forward $190.822 million in debt. That’s down from $192.729 million on January 1. The city’s debt portfolio is made up of short and long-term bonds. As of May 31, the balance of short-term debt was $4.770 million. Long-term debt obligations totaled $186.052 million.
And the City’s bond rating remains unchanged.
Thanks for reading Marysville Matters!
Who said holiday weeks are slow news weeks? Not in 43040!
On Friday and Saturday, we're planning a look back on the top stories so far in 2025 in Marysville, along with a look ahead to the second half of the year and what we can foresee in our crystal ball.
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Have a great Wednesday!
-Joe C.
I signed the anti property tax petition last week.
The petition taker didn't think they would be ready for November but could have it on a ballot in May