The changing of the guard, the end of an era, the sad goodbye.

All the above cliches were undoubtedly overused in Worthington in 2007, which saw some of the community's most tenured leaders retire or resign.

Top among the newsmakers who stepped down was Dave Elder, who was Worthington city manager for 26 years, and had worked for the city for 36. His last day was in mid-November.

A few weeks later, veteran Worthington City Council member Lou Briggs sat in her council seat for the final time. She had been on council for 31 years, and had begun working for the city 10 years earlier. She had chosen not to seek re-election in November.

Bill Poling, director of the city's parks and recreation department since 1974, also retired.

In the schools, treasurer Jonathan Boyd resigned to become treasurer of the Cincinnati public schools, and Rich Littell stepped down as Thomas Worthington High School principal. Bob Horton also chose not to run for another term on the Worthington Board of Education, after board member Gary Tyack stepped down to return to the bench in Franklin County.

The Rev. Philip Hazelton also retired as senior pastor of Worthington Presbyterian Church.

John Butterfield joined the exodus, announcing in October that he would resign in March following 11 years as director of the Worthington Area Chamber of Commerce.

All of the exits, of course, resulted in new blood in the community's leadership positions.

Matt Greeson of Volusia County, Fla., became the new city manager in December.

Dave Foust was elected to council in November.

Lynda Chambers was appointed as the new director of parks and recreation.

Charlie Wilson was named to take Tyack's board position in January, then was elected in November, along with Julie Keegan.

Former Dublin assistant treasurer Jeff McCuen was named board treasurer, and Jim Gaskill took over at Thomas Worthington.

The Rev. Jeff DeYoe became senior pastor at the Presbyterian Church.

Finally, in December, Kathryn Paugh was named director of the chamber of commerce.

Other top stories of the year included the opening of the district's first alternative middle school, The Phoenix School; the approval of plans to build a CVS and two other retail buildings on the site of the old Jubilee Foods; and the naming of Worthington Libraries as the top library system in the country.

Work also continued on the Worthington Arts Center. Near the end of the year, planners said groundbreaking could happen as early as June 2008.

This is the way events unfolded.

January

Twenty-six district residents applied for a vacant position on the Worthington Board of Education after board member Gary Tyack stepped down to take a seat on the Franklin County Court of Appeals.

The school board and public were presented with four options for alternative middle school programs: a school for kinesthetic learning, a global experiential middle school, a Worthington experiential middle school, and the Phoenix project. All were designed by Worthington middle school teachers.

February

Charlie Wilson was appointed to the vacant school board position.

City and Worthington Area Chamber of Commerce representatives negotiated the lease of the 752 building to the chamber.

March

The Phoenix School was chosen by the school board to be the district's first alternative middle school. The program was to open to approximately 80 seventh-graders in the Perry Middle School facility in August.

A 12-member charter review commission began looking at Worthington's city charter for possible revisions. The charter must be reviewed at least every 10 years.

The Municipal Planning Commission turned down a subdivision of 14 upscale houses proposed for 6188 Olentangy River Road.

April

Construction began on replacement of sidewalks at intersections on the Village Green and throughout Old Worthington. The $1.2-million project was done to meet handicap-accessibility requirements, as agreed to in a settlement of a suit brought against the city eight years earlier.

Following five months of debate and public scrutiny, the city approved plans for a new CVS and additional retail space to replace the old Jubilee building at North and High streets.

School treasurer Jonathan Boyd announced he would resign to become treasurer of the Cincinnati Public Schools.

Faced with declining enrollment west of the Olentangy River, the school board merged the athletic teams at Perry and McCord middle schools.

May

Council denied a subdivision plat for the proposed 14-house development on Olentangy River Road.

Bill Alsnauer was named Small Business Person for 2007 by the Worthington Area Chamber of Commerce.

June

Dave Elder announced that he would retire as city manager in November, ending 36 years of service to the city, 26 as city manager. Council president Lou Goorey called it a "sad day in Worthington."

It was announced that the popular farmers market would move indoors for the winter months.

Lou Briggs, who served the city for 41 years, 31 of them on city council, announced she would not seek re-election in November.

The Worthington Libraries were named the 2007 Library of the Year by the Library Journal. The prize goes annually to the library judged to be the best in the country.

Bill Poling, who had been with the city for 33 years, announced he would retire as director of Parks and Recreation.

July

Back before the Municipal Development Commission and City Council with a pared-down eight-lot subdivision, developer Pat Bigler won support for his proposed Michaela subdivision on Olentangy River Road.

Dave Foust announced he would be a candidate for city council.

Allen Davis was sentenced to 19 years in prison for shooting Thomas Worthington High School cheerleader Rachel Barezinsky as she and four friends drove past his house after "ghost hunting" in his yard on Aug. 22, 2006. The sentencing was part of a plea bargain agreed to after the trial had begun before Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Julie Lynch.

Rich Littell stepped down as principal of Thomas Worthington High School. He decided to return to the classroom as a journalism teacher at Worthington Kilbourne.

The Worthington Libraries Board of Trustees announced plans for a branch library to open in 2008 in the Worthington Park shopping center at Worthington-Galena and Park roads.

The Ohio Chautauqua drew large crowds on the lawn at Thomas Worthington High School.

James Edwards, local veterinarian and member of the Municipal Planning Commission, died at age 69.

Lynda Chambers, an employee of the Parks and Recreation Department for 30 years, was named its director.

August

Jeff McCuen was named treasurer of the Worthington Board of Education. He was formerly assistant treasurer of the Dublin schools.

Jim Gaskill was named principal of Thomas Worthington High School.

The Phoenix School opened its doors to 81 seventh-graders and six teachers at Perry Middle School.

Charlie Wilson, Julie Keegan, and Geoffrey Scott filed for election to the school board. Two seats were to be filled in November.

Foust, Dave Norstrom, Bob Chosy, and Bonnie Michael were to run unopposed for city council seats.

September

The Ohio Ethics Commission issued an opinion that John Butterfield cannot participate in negotiations for the lease of the 752 High Street building to the Worthington Area Chamber of Commerce. The city owns the former school administration, which is vacant. Butterfield is a Worthington City Council member and the director of the chamber of commerce.

Fifty-five applicants from across the country applied for the city manager's job.

Nineteen seniors from Worthington's high schools were named National Merit semifinalists.

October

The Rev. Dr. Philip Hazelton retired after 13 years as senior pastor of Worthington Presbyterian Church.

Council declared a six-month moratorium on subdivisions on Olentangy River Road, south of West Granville Road. A committee was to use the time to make decisions about how the stretch of roadway would be developed in the future.

Butterfield announced he would step down as chamber director.

The Worthington Christian High School community was rocked when girls soccer coach Jason Crary was charged with felony sexual assault by officials in Wisconsin, where he formerly worked as a teacher. A week earlier, Dwayne Smith stepped down as boys soccer coach after a Columbus Dispatch story reported that he acknowledged fondling a female student in 1996.

Matt Greeson was named city manager. The 36-year-old deputy county manager for Volusia County, Fla., was appointed by city council.

Thomas Worthington High School had several bomb threats and other threats of violence.

November

More than 50 cases of whooping cough were reported in the Worthington schools, mainly at the two high schools.

Charlie Wilson and Julie Keegan were elected to the school board.

Bob Chosy, Bonnie Michael, Dave Norstrom and Dave Foust were elected to city council.

Voters approved Issue 66, which included six amendments to the city charter.

About 500 people turned out at a reception to bid farewell to city manager Dave Elder.

An indoor farmers market debuted at the Griswold Center.

The old Jubilee building at North and High streets was demolished to make way for a new CVS complex to be built in 2008.

December

After 14 months at the bargaining table, city council and the union representing Worthington police agreed upon a new labor contract. Salary increases were to be 3 percent in 2007 and 2008 and 3.75 percent in 2009.

Kathryn Paugh, a local business owner and resident and active community volunteer, was named director of the chamber of commerce.

The Architectural Review Board began looking at a new design for the Worthington Arts Center. Construction may begin in the summer of 2008.