Hello Worthington! Here's your recap of what happened at May 4, 2026's City Council meeting. Below are brief summaries of the most significant discussions. For those interested in the full details, we've included links to longer articles where appropriate.
OPOC's Expansion: Up to $750,000 Incentive in Exchange for 375 New Jobs
Council unanimously approved a venture grant of up to $750,000 over seven years for OPOC.us, the healthcare-and-benefits firm at 300 West Wilson Bridge Road. In exchange, OPOC has committed to keep its existing ~200 jobs and add up to 375 more, moves that would lift the company from a top-10 Worthington employer to a top-five employer and roughly triple its annual income-tax contribution to the city, from $270,000 today to about $925,000 by year seven. The grant is structured to pay only as the company actually hires.
Wilson Hill Playground Final Design Approved
Council unanimously approved Mid-States Recreation's design for the new Wilson Hill Park playground, replacing equipment that has been in place since 1999. The $350,000 design (chosen after surveys, an open house, and a tie-breaking vote by 45 Wilson Hill Elementary third-graders) adds inclusivity features such as a communications board, a wide transfer-friendly slide, a body-strap swing, and a turf climbing wall, plus monkey bars added late in the process based on community feedback. Staff also plan to convert the existing swing set into a hammock-style hangout area for older kids. Demolition begins in late August; the playground is targeted to open in October.
Stay connected to what's happening in Worthington, Ohio.
COTA Short-Range Plan: Public Comment Closes May 15
Several council members briefed residents on COTA's 2027–2031 Short Range Transit Plan after attending public meetings. The plan retires the existing Route 102; replaces it with a 15-minute Route 2N; adds a new east-west Route 35 along Wilson Bridge Road; doubles weekend service from hourly to every half hour; and adds overnight hours. The trade-off: with the 102 gone, southbound trips from Worthington to Ohio State and downtown will likely take longer. Residents can drop a Worthington address into COTA's interactive Service Proposals dashboard to see exactly how their neighborhood is affected. Public comment closes Friday, May 15; COTA staff are scheduled to present at the City Council Committee of the Whole on Monday, May 11.
In Other News
Around the City
The Whispering Page liquor permit transfer. Council voted not to request a hearing on the liquor permit transfer to The Whispering Page, one of two new bookstores opening in Old Worthington. The permit comes from Worthington's own Sahara Lux Entertainment LLC (formerly located above The Nine, off Selby), which is why the transfer did not require a TREX. Assistant City Manager David McCorkle said the new owners are targeting a late-summer opening.
Wolf's Ridge ribbon-cutting at the reopened Worthington Inn. Council members reported on the well-attended April 29 ribbon-cutting and grand opening for Wolf's Ridge at the Worthington Inn. Council members said the reopened Inn has drawn strong regional interest; one council member noted a single social media post about the opening drew 15,000 views.
Shift Studios reopens on High Street. The shop, formerly behind Kittie's Coffee, has reopened in a High Street storefront near Fritzy Jacobs.
Stay connected to what's happening in Worthington, Ohio.
Money & Spending
First readings on $4.7 million in bond ordinances. Council introduced three bond ordinances for public hearing on May 18, 2026: up to $2,500,000 for the new outdoor swim facility (Ordinance 11-2026), up to $1,000,000 for sewer improvements (Ordinance 12-2026), and up to $1,200,000 for water improvements (Ordinance 13-2026). The substantive votes happen at the May 18 meeting.
700 Morning Street rezoning referred to MPC. Council introduced Ordinance 14-2026, which would rezone 700 Morning Street (American Legion Leasure-Blackston Post 239) from R-10 (low-density residential) to VM (Veterans Memorial), and referred it to the Municipal Planning Commission for review.
Notable
Cemetery Board annual report: In their joint annual meeting with the Sharon Township Board of Trustees, council unanimously renewed the Union Cemetery inside-millage levy (Resolution 33-2026) and heard the Cemetery Board's report.
- Walnut Grove Cemetery has been accepted into the National Park Service's Network to Freedom for its Underground Railroad history: a designation Cemetery Board President John Oberle said is rare in central Ohio (only Westerville's Hanby House also holds it). Office Manager Elaine Russell led the 200-hour application.
- Cemetery Superintendent Tom Kayati will retire at year-end after 47 years, with successor Marcus Rose already in training.
- Rehabilitation of the Ozem Gardner House on Flint Road — the Cemetery's future permanent home — is "nearly complete," with a public opening, tours, and an open house targeted for this fall. Oberle credited former Ohio State Senator Stephanie Kunze, who represented Worthington's district through 2024, with helping secure state funding for the rehab.
Library funding under threat from Ohio property-tax reform. Council Member Amy Lloyd reported on the Worthington Libraries community breakfast (April 21), where library counsel Becky Princehorn warned that proposed Ohio property-tax reform could cut into library funding, an issue that would also affect the city. Both the Library Board and the Board of Education have recently been discussing this proposed change.
Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month poster on the Village Green. Council Member Joy Dong, the first Asian American to serve on Worthington City Council, worked with the Community Relations Commission on the poster going up for AAPI Heritage Month.
Crawford Hoying's vision for West Wilson Bridge Road. Russ Hunter of Crawford Hoying presented at the Worthington Partnership meeting on the company's planning for the West Wilson Bridge Road redevelopment.
Upcoming Dates
- Friday, May 8, 8:30 a.m. — Worthington CIC (Community Improvement Corporation) meeting at City Hall. The CIC is the city's economic-development board; recent work includes the Forge Fields at Rush Run brand identity and ongoing redevelopment-incentive discussions.
- Friday, May 8, 10 a.m. — Recycling Convenience Center ribbon-cutting at the Worthington Service and Engineering Building, 380 Highland Avenue (a quorum of council will attend, so the city issued a Special Council Meeting notice; no business will be discussed).
- Monday, May 11 — Worthington City Council meeting; COTA scheduled to present the short-range transit plan to Committee of the Whole.
- Tuesday, May 12, 4:30 p.m. — Charter Review Commission meets at the City Hall Training Room (6550 North High Street). The once-per-decade commission is on a tight schedule to make recommendations by July 1; additional meetings are set for May 26, June 9, and June 23.
- Wednesday, May 13, 8:30 a.m. — Coffee & Conversation returns at La Chatelaine, hosted by the Worthington Area Chamber of Commerce.
- Wednesday, May 13 — Comprehensive Plan public meeting.
- Friday, May 15 — Public comment closes on COTA's short-range transit plan.
- Saturday, May 16 — Parks and Recreation Foundation inaugural fundraiser at Cleverly's office space ($75 per person); also: Green on the Green and the Worthington farmers market's second Saturday of the season; native plant sale at the Griswold Center.
- Monday, May 18 — Public hearings on the $2.5M outdoor pool, $1M sewer, and $1.2M water bond ordinances.
- Around May 20 — Memorial Day Parade sign-up window closes.
- Monday, May 25 — Memorial Day Parade at 10 a.m.; Memorial Day service at the cemetery at noon.
Thanks for reading this summary of the City Council meeting, you can watch the original full video here