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Public Safety Committee responsibilities spark debate




BUCKEYE LAKE – A conflict between a committee’s responsibilities outlined in council’s rules and a change in those responsibilities last year by Mayor Clay Carroll and then Council President Jeryen Peterson led to a heated discussion during Monday night’s Buckeye Lake Village Council meeting. New Council President Kitty Zwissler decided not change the chairs of the village’s various committees with the new year. “In respect for your education and experience,” she said, “I left you on the committees you served on before.”

Council member Peggy Wells noticed the duties assigned the public service committee, which she chaired, did not reflect changes put in place last year. She said the 2016 committee list shows the public safety committee’s duties as: “Acts as a liaison between the village council and the police and fire departments. Researches public safety concerns brought up by residents and makes recommendations to council.”

Wells said last year Carroll and Peterson changed the committee’s responsibilities to focus primarily on safety concerns related to Buckeye Lake’s 4.1-mile earthen dam, which the state is currently replacing.

Council clerk Valerie Hans said the committee description on the 2016 document is an error, and it should reflect changes pertaining to the dam.

“I actually like it” the way it’s listed on the 2016 document, Wells said.

Zwissler said she believes the public service committee, not the public safety committee, currently acts as liaison between council and police and fire departments.

“We’re not following the (village) charter if we continue to do this,” Wells said. To make the changes, the charter or council rules should reflect the change in committee responsibilities before the committee assumes those responsibilities, and neither the charter nor council rules reflects those changes.

Wells said she was fine chairing any other committee, but, “I’m not going to chair a committee whose definition…is not in line with our charter or council rules,” she said. Wells said Mayor Clay Carroll and former council President Jeryne Peterson changed the public safety committee’s responsibilities last year.

“I was party to that, thinking it was a better fit,” Carroll said. He said all the committees’ responsibilities could stand to be reviewed and adjusted. “We should revisit it,” Carroll said.

“I don’t understand the problem,” said council member Robert Masone.

Hans said the public safety committee’s new responsibilities were not printed on the 2016 committee list; it was simply a typo. “I missed that change,” she said, adding that the 2016 committee lists reflects how council rules describe the public safety committee’s responsibilities, but it does not reflect Carroll and Peterson’s changes.

Wells said the process to make those changes was never followed, and neither the charter nor council rules currently reflect those changes.

Zwissler said the typo was unfortunate and she wished Wells would agree to serve as public safety committee chair. “I think Peggy contributes too much stuff not to have her be involved,” Zwissler said.

Clay said last year he and Peterson tweaked the public safety committee’ duties, but council never officially voted to enact them.

“I still can’t find the conflict,” Masone said. He said the committee’s responsibilities were never officially changed.

Zwissler asked Wells why she agreed to chair the committee last year with the proposed changes.

“Last year, I was pretty beat up (by council),” Wells said. She also protested in writing last year the conflict between the committee’s responsibilities outlined in council’s rules and the changes enacted by Carroll and Peterson. Wells hoped the village could revisit the situation later.

“There seems to be nothing to discuss,” Masone said. The public safety committee’s responsibilities are as listed in council rules, period. Council never voted to change the rules, so the 2016 document is correct.

Council member Arletta Ruton said the conflict is between Wells and Buckeye Lake Fire Department members. “There’s a lot of people on the fire department who have a problem with Peggy chairing that committee,” she said.

Wells disagreed. “I have a really good relationship with a lot of people on the fire department now,” she said. However, Wells said she would chair the rules committee if everyone were more comfortable with that appointment.

Zwissler said Wells would do a fine job chairing the rules committee.

“I hope we can all stop living in the past,” Wells said.

In other council news:

• Council will hold a special meeting 6:30 p.m. Thursday to appoint a new council member to fill the two-year position left when council member Thomas Wolfe accepted a four-year position following the November election. The Personnel Committee will interview the two candidates first. Peterson and Buckeye Lake Region Chamber of Commerce secretary and Boat Boys owner Tim Figgins applied for the position.

• Hans said a company called Paske, LLC would take over the Bangkok City restaurant, which recently closed. She said the new owners would reopen it as an Asian cuisine restaurant. Bangkok City’s liquor license is likely being transferred to the new owners.

• Masone said there are many dogs being exercised along the top of the Buckeye Lake dam, but the current dam reconstruction efforts limit the area to exercise them. “Sanitation has become a problem,” he said, adding that something must be done to control animal waste on the dam.

Masone said the Buckeye Lake Area Civic Association and the State of Ohio have interest in keeping the dam clean and providing disposal stations at various places long the dam.

Zwissler wondered if the village could fine people who don’t clean up after their pets.

“Really, it is a state park problem,” Masone said, but he will continue seeking a solution.



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