City staff reported updates on parking, traffic control and police recruiting during the council meeting.
Public works staff said four new handicap parking spaces were added at the Gold Star Families Memorial, Big Splash, Indian Trails Park on Buckeye Parkway and Friar Park, coordinated with recent repaving and striping work.
Traffic changes completed this week include installing a three‑way stop at Southwest Boulevard and McDowell to ease northbound morning traffic and a three‑way stop at Demarest Drive and Windcrest Lane to address speed and traffic calming concerns. Staff said engineers previously found the Southwest Boulevard/McDowell intersection fell just short of needing a traffic signal and that they will monitor the stop sign’s effectiveness.
The police division provided a recruitment and training update. Staff reported two recruits from the Westerville Police Academy arriving this Friday, seven at the Columbus Police Academy due to graduate next month, two enrolled in the Delaware County Police Academy and one in the Ohio State Highway Patrol academy with a graduation next year. The director said the nine officers scheduled to arrive this year will bring the force to full staffing, and additional recruits in academy pipelines would cover retirements and turnover.
Council members asked for graduation dates and thanked staff for recruitment efforts. The city will continue to monitor intersection performance and staffing levels as new officers complete training and field training programs.