Union County's first fatality of 2025. YMCA reopens after fire. A manhunt in Richwood. And Fairbanks is looking for new leadership
Give us a few moments and we'll serve up what matters in Marysville on Saturday, March 1, 2025
In today’s edition:
The first traffic fatality of 2025 in Union County
The YMCA planned to reopen Saturday after a fire Friday
A manhunt in Richwood results in an arrest of a Marion fugitive
And Fairbanks is looking for a new superintendent
Fatal accident at Rt. 347 and Lunda Friday afternoon
Union County recorded its first fatal accident Friday afternoon west of Raymond.
The Marysville post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating the crash that occurred on Friday at approximately 4:30 p.m. at the intersection of State Route 347 and Lunda Road.
The preliminary investigation shows an orange 2020 Honda HRV driven by Micheal Lee Shroat, 55, of Ostrander was traveling eastbound on State Route 347.
A black 2010 Mazda CX7 was traveling southbound on Lunda Road, approaching the intersection, when the driver—Matthew W. Kauser, 39, of Marysville—failed to stop at the stop sign, striking the Shroat’s in the driver’s door.
Shroat’s Honda then traveled off the south edge of State Route 347, striking a tree. The Mazda traveled off the east edge of Lunda Road before coming to final rest.
Shroat was pronounced dead at the scene by the Union County Coroner.
Kauser, 39, of Marysville and was transported by Northwestern EMS to Memorial Health in serious condition.
The Union County Sheriff’s Office advised motorists to avoid the area as fire and law enforcement responded to the scene. The road was reopened around 7:45 p.m. Friday evening but investigators were still on the scene late into the evening piecing together what happened.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol is leading the investigation.
Richwood manhunt results in capture
Authorities used a drone to finally locate a Marion man who was running from the law in Richwood on Friday afternoon.
Richwood Police called in reinforcements to help search for 27-year-old Colton Gamble of Marion after he fled authorities. Gamble was wanted in Marion County on felony charges.
The manhunt started during the noon hour, according to Richwood Police Chief James Hill.
He says Gamble was finally located via drone around 2:45 p.m. and apprehended on the TCI Industries property on Ira Bean Parkway.
Union County Sheriff’s deputies, the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office all assisted in the search.
Union County YMCA reopens this morning after Friday fire
Above: Smoke from the fire at the YMCA (Source: MPITK)
The Union County YMCA will reopen this morning at 7am following a fire that damaged two vehicles and a bus on Friday.
Marysville Fire Division crews responded to a very smoky scene around 10:40 a.m. on Friday morning. Smoke could be seen in the sky from a mile away and the gusting winds caused concerns for first responders who suspected chemicals being involved.
The fire was contained to an outside shed area and a bus.
Marysville Fire personnel quickly arrived on the scene to find two outdoor storage sheds, a bus and a car on fire beside the YMCA, according to a release from Fire Chief Nathan Burns.
“Due to the fast actions of the crews on the scene, the fire was extinguished, limiting the amount of fire damage to the sheds, vehicles and outside of the structure. The occupants inside the YMCA were evacuated upon the arrival of emergency crews. After the Marysville Fire Community Risk Reduction Bureau investigated the cause of the fire, it was determined to be an accidental fire caused by smoldering debris,” he said.
No fire department personnel or citizens were injured during the incident.
“Thank you to the Marysville Fire Department and all other responding departments for their quick response in containing the fire,” the Y posted on its Facebook page.
Traffic was snarled in the Coleman’s Crossing area for the better part of the morning on Friday. The road was closed at the intersection of Charles lane until just after noon.
The YMCA was closed the remainder of the day on Friday to assess damage and clean up after the blaze.
The pool will remain closed until deemed safe.
Swim lessons will be rescheduled but other programming was expected to resume Saturday morning.
Schirg leaving Fairbanks for Rocky River
Fairbanks School Superintendent Adham Schirg announced on Friday that he is leaving to become the new leader of the affluent Rocky River City School District next school year.
In a note to parents, Schirg said sharing the news was bittersweet.
“It has been an incredible honor and privilege to be a part of this remarkable community,” he wrote. “There are countless individuals to thank who have profoundly impacted our lives and shaped the direction of Fairbanks Local Schools.”
He will start the new job at Rocky River on August 1, pending board approval.
Schirg said the Fairbanks Board of Education will be sharing its plans regarding the superintendent position in the coming weeks.
“In the meantime, our focus will remain steadfast on our students, our community, and the continued progress of the district.”
A published report in early February indicates Schirg was also interviewing for the superintendent position in Pickerington.
“Public schools have influenced my life in innumerable ways,” Schirg wrote on his application, per a Cleveland.com story.
“Being able to serve the Rocky River community would truly be an honor and one that would never be taken for granted. Developing strong community relations, instructional leadership, open communications, and vision/mission establishment are just a few of the premier qualifications I offer that match the Superintendent role available with Rocky River City School District.”
Schirg has been with Fairbanks since 2019.
County outlines road funding woes
Union County has a funding problem brewing when it comes to road maintenance and construction.
County Engineer Jeff Stauch’s staff outlined the challenges at a Chamber of Commerce gathering on Thursday morning focused on area transportation updates.
Stauch’s staff said that the two main funding sources for road maintenance and new construction—gasoline tax revenues and license plate fees—are not keeping up with demand. And that’s despite Union County’s status as Ohio's fastest growing county over the past five years.
One large project—like a roundabout or a bridge—could blow a hole in the county road budget.
Some projects are currently paid for by a fund fueled by fees required of developers who build in Union County. But that pot of money has more projects that it can cover on an annual basis.
Stauch told us recently that his staff may have to put any county road paving and chip/seal projects on hold this year, simply because there isn’t enough financial resource.
His staff told the group gathered on Friday that they are working with the Commissioners and others to explore solutions that are fair to everyone.
Delays in projects that accommodate growth in the near term could force the County’s hand to invest in much more expensive solutions in the future.
“If we don’t make this happen," the group was told, “it pushes more expensive projects forward.”
LoParo selected as new Bunsold principal
Heidi LoParo has been named the new principal of Bunsold Middle School, effective August 1, 2025. She will be replacing longtime principal Michelle Kaffenbarger, who is retiring after years of dedicated service to the district.
“We are thrilled to have Heidi transition into the lead role at Bunsold,” said Superintendent Diane Allen. “Her passion for student success and commitment to building strong relationships will help for a smooth transition. Heidi’s can-do attitude, relentless advocacy for students, and connection with staff provide a strong foundation for success”.
Kaffenbarger, who has served as both assistant principal and principal since 2011, has made a lasting impact on Bunsold Middle School. The district thanks her for her years of service and dedication to students and staff.
LoParo brings extensive experience in education and leadership, most recently serving as the BMS Assistant Principal for the past nine years. She is committed to fostering a supportive and engaging learning environment for students, staff, and families.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to continue working alongside the talented and amazing staff at Bunsold and to support the students and families of the Marysville Community.” said LoParo.
Will new community authorities become the “new TIF” in Marysville?
Many residents are familiar with concerns about TIFs in Marysville.
Twenty years down the road, will that same type of concern exist for a new mechanism being used to pursue development?
The issue was discussed at City Council last Monday night.
New residential developments being planned for the Marysville North and Marysville East projects will include the same type of infrastructure support mechanism being utilized for industrial development in the city.
It’s important because future residents in those areas will be required to help reimburse developers for public infrastructure and amenities through a property charge levied by the pending new community authorities (NCA).
A proposed NCA for Marysville Southeast will help reimburse developers for $112 million in proposed infrastructure investments to prepare more than 1,200 acres for development. The arrangement is primarily business-to-business in that situation.
But for Marysville North and Marysville East, future residents in the development will be paying the tab.
That’s a concern for at least one City Council member.
Donald Boerger expressed hesitation about transparency for future residents.
He’s concerned about a lack of understanding in future on how the homes and services came into existence, and the challenges it could create for future property tax levies for schools, parks, or other service that may be needed.
“It could create heartburn where residents say, ‘I already pay so much, I don’t understand,’” Boerger said. “In the long run, a future council will have to work with the same issues that we’re trying to fix now.”
Boerger was referring to existing confusion among local residents over TIFs the City created 20 years ago that helped fund roads, water and sewer for the newer parts of town residents occupy today.
Bart Barok, who represents the developer for the residential portions of Marysville North and East, acknowledged his concerns.
He said builders will be required to be transparent up front on the NCA and its fees with a signed agreement.
'“You have to define the benefits for those individuals as to why they are paying more,” Barok told Council.
The challenge then becomes educating real estate agents and brokers to maintain that same transparency on the resale of future homes in the developments.
“There’s ways you can help address that issue,” he said.
For instance, MLS listings now notate NCA charges to increase transparency with homebuyers.
Council will continue to discuss and debate the NCAs for Marysville North, East and Southeast in the months to come.
Gas prices edging down
Gas prices are dropping as we move into the first weekend of March.
The lowest price in town could be found at Walmart on Coleman’s Crossing where regular gasoline was selling at $2.83 a gallon on Friday afternoon.
Statewide, the average price was down to $2.78 per gallon.
The lowest price was $2.23 at a Clark station in Sidney.
Clock is ticking to challenge your property value
Earlier this year, property tax bills for tax year 2024 were sent out and so far, only 11 requests for review have been received, according to County Auditor Andrea Weaver
In Ohio, you are not able to challenge your property tax rate. The Board of Revision, which Weaver oversees, only has the authority over taxable property value, and that Board has the authority to raise, lower or make no change to a property’s value.
The Board has no jurisdiction over taxes or tax rates, according to the Auditor's website.
“Do not file a complaint if you feel your taxes are too high,” it states. “You can certainly file if you feel your market value is incorrect.”
The deadline to file for review by the Board of Revision is coming up on March 31.
“It really seems to be cyclical,” Weaver said.
Since tax year 2024 was not a county-wide update on property tax values, Weaver isn’t surprised with the low volume.
Last year the office recorded more than 250 revision requests. The vast majority were filings by school boards pursuing higher values resulting from recent sales.
Thanks for reading Marysville Matters!
Friday started like any other day, but then things became very active.
First, we heard confirmation that Fairbanks was losing its superintendent, confirming media reports in northeast Ohio from early February. Then flames broke out at the YMCA. And sadly, the day ended with Union County’s first fatal accident of 2025.
I want to thank tipsters from across the county for filling me in on events as they happened.
I also want to take a moment and recognize the talented and professional first-responders we have in Union County. We are blessed to have them!
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-Joe C.