Former Westerville city manager Dave Lindimore dies at 80
George David “Dave” Lindimore, the city manager who helped guide Westerville’s growth and the development of what became Westar, died July 30. He was 80.
Lindimore spent 32 years with the City of Westerville, rising from finance director to city manager. During his tenure, Westerville pushed north into Delaware County and laid the groundwork for commercial development that would reshape the city’s tax base.
In the late 1990s, the city annexed 941 acres in southern Delaware County, land that Lindimore and city leaders saw as an opportunity to attract commercial development. The strategy required the city to make substantial public investments before private development arrived.
Liebert Global, now Vertiv, opened in 1999, becoming an early anchor in Westar. Over time, the area attracted corporate offices, medical facilities, hotels and other businesses. The development marked a significant shift for a community long known largely as a residential suburb surrounded by farmland.
Born in Zanesville and raised in McConnelsville, Lindimore attended Utah State University and later earned a degree from Ohio University.
Before coming to Westerville, he worked for the State of Ohio Auditor’s Office. He joined the city in 1976 as finance director, as residential growth was placing increasing demands on city services.
After becoming city manager in 1985, Lindimore oversaw years of expansion and infrastructure investment. Westerville extended roads and utilities, moved farther into Delaware County and pursued commercial development to strengthen its tax base. Westar became the clearest example of that strategy.
By the time Lindimore retired in 2007, the city he had served for more than three decades had changed substantially. The commercial development taking shape in northern Westerville would continue to grow well after his departure.
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