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"AROUND OUR TOWN"
By Mayor Chuck Haney

New Parks Director, Code Assistant

The City Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and City Administrator Dean Brookshier have been busy the past two weeks interviewing candidates for the parks director job in Chillicothe.
The list has been trimmed from 15 down to six and now to three finalists. A new director should be recommended by the park board and administrator to the full city council for approval sometime in mid-May.

Current parks director Ed Crawford had given unofficial notice to the city a year ago that he could be leaving. In March, Ed gave 60-day notice to Administrator Brookshier and the city council that he would be departing officially on May 30, 2008.

Board appointments by virtue of resignation or term limitation have been at a rapid pace in the past 30 to 45 days and re-appointments or new board members have been announced recently with more coming in the next couple of weeks. Sometime in the month of May, I will be making a recommendation to the full city council for a person to the parks and recreation board, the railroad advisory board, and the Hedrick Medical board of directors.

On the parks board, Ron Keith has reached term limitation. Kevin Cumby resigned from the railroad board after moving from Chillicothe, and the hospital board has made a recommendation to fill the vacancy held by the late Dean Herring who served for 15 years. Mr. Herring was a very dedicated board member for many years. Mr. Keith served for eight years and will be leaving sometime this month. Other recent appointments or re-appointments include Don Overton to the board of adjustments (he is also a member of the zoning and planning commission), Jody Case recommended for another term on zoning and planning, and Roger Crammer to the golf advisory board.

The efforts of the general public and tips supplied to the police department have resulted in the arrest of three persons in connection to vandalism at Edgewood Cemetery and the arrest of three persons involved in an armed robbery.

Two young men—Kameron Michael Lent and James (Bubba) Maxwell—of Chillicothe received letters of merit, plaques and gift certificates from Hy-Vee in an April council meeting for their effort in helping track the Hy-Vee armed robbers. It was only the second “City Hero” award in recent years given to persons going above and beyond. Chief of Police Rick Knouse said that tips also led to the apprehension and arrest of three persons accused of doing $25,000 in damage to monuments in Edgewood Cemetery. The general public being involved is a real asset for law enforcement “We appreciate people stepping forward,” Knouse said recently.

Our new city attorney Adam Warren is on the job and is currently handling all court cases for the city and attends all city council meetings and is carrying out all duties as our official legal counsel. Warren’s appointment was confirmed unanimously by the council late last month. The new city attorney’s telephone number at his city hall office is 646-5793.

Attorney Robert Cowherd and Livingston County prosecutor Mike Koenig had been handling the city legal duties since December when the council accepted the resignation of the former city attorney.

We recognized the family of the late Dale McKee and thanked his family for his dedicated service to the advisory board in a council meeting last month. McKee served for a number of years as a member of the golf advisory board. As has been expressed over and over, we all appreciate the dedication and time of our advisory board members. Their service goes far beyond the small amount of pay that board members receive. It was a real pleasure to work with Mr. McKee and we will miss him.

The administrator and mayor authorized Code Enforcement Officer Gil Gates to employ Christine Faubion as a part-time assistant last week. The vacancy was created when Joella Shiflett was officially given full time duties as an administrative assistant to the administrator and mayor.

We all welcome Mr. Warren and Ms. Faubion to our city family.

Many times each month I receive emails, letters or telephone calls within our state or somewhere throughout the United States commending our city departments or officials and commenting about this monthly column. One recent email received was from Deborah Frye, a former resident of Chillicothe who states that sometime in the near future she plans to return here. Her email follows:

The city airport has a new gas truck to fuel planes stationed at the airport or landing and taking off here. Airport Manager Bill Kieffer recently went to Ohio to return the 2004 gas truck here.

Joe Gilliland, Green Hills Golf Course clubhouse manager, and Gerry Gabel, director of course maintenance, recently reported that they had been working to prepare for busy times at the course now that warmer and dryer weather had been present. Mowing and other course maintenance is being done and league play opened with 108 golfers last Thursday.

General street maintenance is now underway after a delay by cold and wet weather; and the city’s cost sharing sidewalk program was moving along at a good clip in the city, according to Street Commissioner Hugh Musselman.

City Administrator Dean Brookshier, the city council and your mayor are preparing along with code enforcement personnel to carry out a strong enforcement of code violations such as tall grass, building violations, junk, unlicensed vehicles on the street and etc. Numerous complaints have been voiced to council members and by council members and a number of phone calls have been received at city hall. The violations are complaint driven and violators or violations should be reported to city hall to the code enforcement office 646-5636.

A couple of proclamations were authorized for the month of May—one for Poppy Days and one for Elks Youth Week. Also last week I signed a Proclamation for Motorcycle Awareness Week on behalf of the Freedom of Road Riders organization.

I am in the mayor’s office in city hall each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and my office door is always open to hear from you—either suggestions, comments or any complaint.

This monthly column is available each month through the Constitution-Tribune.

You may also call city hall and ask for administrative assistant Joella Shiflett, or email her. She will make arrangements to mail you a copy.