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Halloween is here, and throughout Franklin County porches are decorated with spooky creations, gourds and pumpkins.
Earlier this month, Auditor’s office Weights and Measures inspectors visited Oakland Nursery Dublin to certify the scales for the 2021 National Pumpkin Weigh-Off. This year’s winner, a green squash, weighed in at 2,164 ½ lbs., reportedly a world record for a green squash. It’s just one of many farmers markets and weigh-offs where scales are checked and verified by the Auditor’s office.
As your Franklin County Auditor, one of my responsibilities is to regulate the county’s weights and measures (outside of the city of Columbus, which has its own Weights and Measures department). One of the most high-profile examples is fuel pumps, which Weights and Measures staff inspect to verify that consumers are getting every gallon they pay for. Auditor’s inspectors also check the pumps for credit card skimmers, protecting consumers from fraud.
But Weights and Measures inspectors certify much more than just fuel pumps. From the scales that measure pumpkin weigh-ins and produce at farmers’ markets to the UPS scanners in grocery stores, Auditor’s office Weights and Measures staff are out in the community inspecting it all to ensure accuracy for Franklin County consumers and businesses. The largest scale the office inspects is a rail scale, used for measuring railroad cars, which can weigh up to 400,000 lbs. On the smaller side, the office’s inspectors check jewelry scales, which measure minute amounts of precious metals and gemstones down to the fraction of an ounce or gram.
It’s a big job: In 2020, the Auditor’s office conducted more than a thousand inspections and tested 12,676 devices like gas pumps and point of sale scanners.
From deli scales to scales that weigh enormous green squash, your Auditor’s office is dedicated to protecting consumers and serving the residents and businesses of Franklin County.
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Michael Stinziano
Franklin County Auditor |
2021 Me and My Pal Drawing Contest Kicks Off
In advance of the annual dog license renewal season, the Franklin County Auditor’s office is launching the 2021 Me & My Pal Drawing Contest for students throughout the county. The contest for K-6th grade students promotes responsible pet ownership and the advantages of properly licensing dogs.
For the contest, students are asked to draw a picture of themselves and their dog on a letter-size (8 ½" x 11") white sheet of paper using crayons, color pencils, pens, markers or paint. Entries will be judged by an Auditor’s office panel in December, with an awards ceremony later that month.
Winners receive an award certificate, a commemorative photo taken with the Auditor, and will have their artwork featured in an all-new 2022 Me & My Pal Calendar. In addition, the overall winner receives a free 2022 dog license and will have their drawing used in promotional materials and on Auditor’s office social media.
For information about the contest and an entry form, visit the Auditor’s office website.
Licensing dogs is required by state law and also ensures that if your dog becomes lost they can be returned quickly to their owner. Dog license renewal season begins Dec. 1, and residents can buy or renew a license online at doglicense.franklincountyauditor.com.
Auditor’s Office Holds Inaugural Shred Hunger Event
More than 164 residents participated in the inaugural Shred Hunger event, a combination food drive, document shredding and electronics recycling event held at the Hilliard Food Pantry.
The Auditor’s office joined the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO) in hosting the free event, which was also sponsored by the Hilliard Kiwanis Club and the Rotary Club of Hilliard.
Residents donated 2,150 lbs. of food and household items for the pantry. In addition, staff and volunteers collected more than 5,800 lbs. of documents that were shredded, and numerous TVs, computers, cell phones, batteries, and other electronics were recycled in a safe, secure, and environmentally friendly way.
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Staff Spotlight: Derrick Bradley, Weights & Measures
One of the inspectors certifying the scales at the Pumpkin Weigh-Off was Deputy Sealer Derrick Bradley, from the Auditor’s office Weights and Measures section. Derrick, who has been on the job for nine years, spends his workdays crisscrossing the county and inspecting fuel pumps and other scales and scanners and interacting with residents and businesses. Every day is different, he said.
"I want to let (the public) know that we are out here for them, protecting their money and making sure they get what they pay for."
Derrick is one of five staff members who comprise the Weights and Measures section, which is responsible for certifying scales and scanners in Franklin County outside Columbus. The biggest challenge they face, according to him: cold weather. “Sometimes it’s freezing cold when we are working outside,” he said.
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Auditor's Sale of Forfeited Properties to Be Held in November
The Auditor’s office will hold its annual Auditor’s Sale of forfeited properties Tuesday, November 9.
There are nine parcels that are being auctioned at this year’s sale, all of which were seized because of nonpayment of real estate taxes. A complete list of properties for sale including pictures is available on the Franklin County Auditor's website. The auction will be held at the county courthouse, 373 S. High St., 1st Floor Auditorium beginning at 9 a.m.
Potential bidders may pre-register on the Auditor’s office website, or may register on the day of the sale starting at 7 a.m. in the courthouse.
Successful bids up to $500 have to be paid in full on sale day, including recording, transfer and deed fees. Sales over $500 will require a deposit of $500. All deposits are non-refundable and all sales are final.
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Yasmin International Market wins October True Transactions Award
Yasmin International Market has won the October True Transactions Award for its perfect record of using accurate scales and scanners in its sales of international foods and goods.
“I want to congratulate Yasmin and its staff for their excellent use of accurate scales in serving their customers,” Stinziano said. “Weights and Measures works closely with Yasmin staff to ensure their scales are accurate and customers get what they pay for,” Stinziano said.
Yasmin International Market has two locations and sells international foods, produce and dry goods. It is located at 5444 Cleveland Ave. on the North Side and 5228 E. Main St. in Whitehall.
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2021 TIRC Report Released
Auditor Stinziano released a new, more comprehensive 2021 Tax Incentive Review Council (TIRC) Report this October detailing the use of tax incentives by municipalities throughout the county.
The report is accompanied by the Tax Incentive Hub, an online tool that launched earlier this year with detailed information on every incentive in use throughout Franklin County.
The revamped report, which is available on the Auditor’s office website, includes analysis from a report by economists on the TIRC data as well as detailed statistics and maps showing the impact of incentives in every municipality that uses them.
Tax incentives remain widely used both in Franklin County and across the country to encourage economic development and improve our communities. In 2021, 25 municipalities throughout Franklin County had active tax incentives that required review. The review analyzed 294 abated projects and 242 TIF projects.
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Community Hours
Franklin County Auditor Michael Stinziano continues to hold weekly Community Hours meetings where residents can stop by and visit, or join virtually via Facebook @mstinziano, and share firsthand their feedback and ideas about the Auditor’s office or any concerns they have.
Community Hours will be held at the dates and locations listed below.
Monday, November 1st @ 12pm (Virtual)
Featuring Fox in the Snow Café
Wednesday, November 10th @ 11:30am (Virtual)
Featuring Schneider’s Bakery
Monday, November 15th 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
In person YMCA of Central Ohio
Hilltop YMCA Huntington Room
2879 Valleyview Dr., Columbus, OH 43204
Wednesday, November 24th @ 12:30pm (Virtual)
Featuring Joseppi’s Pizza
Tuesday, November 30th 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
In person Columbus Metropolitan Library Meeting Room
1402 Brice Rd., Reynoldsburg, OH 43068
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