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COLUMBIANA -- The city should have a new police chief by the end of this month or in February.
City Manager Lance Willard said during this week's council meeting that the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) is assisting the city with the search for a new chief and the process takes about 90 days.
Former chief Tim Gladis announced his retirement on Nov. 4 after 11 years of service. Gladis had more than 40 years experience in law enforcement and was named police chief in July of 2009.
Since his retirement Sgt. Chris Dailey has stepped in until a replacement can be found.
The OACP is a non-profit organization offering professional, educational and informational services to its members and Willard said the organization was used by the city when Gladis was hired. Cost of membership in the OACP is under $200.
Applications for the positions were accepted through Dec. 7 and Willard said interviews will be conducted later this month or early February. Candidates will be interviewed by a committee that consists of Willard and council members Dan Bekar, Skip Liston, Rick Noel and municipal attorney Mark Hutson.
As for other positions in the city, the majority of council approved Bryce Miner to serve on the planning commission for the unexpired term ending Dec. 21, 2022. Miner was one of three to apply for the open seat. Other candidates were Tony Dolan and John Yenges.
Council also appointed Shawn Ebben to the vacant seat on the board of zoning appeals for the unexpired term ending Nov. 25, 2022, and reappointed Scott Jones to the planning commission for a new six-year term.
Other matters approved by council during the meeting were supporting a TREX application by El Paso Mexican restaurant to transfer D5 and D6 alcoholic licenses to Mexico City restaurant in the Firestone Farms Plaza, and legislation establishing a wage schedule for certain full- and part-time employees and
setting salaries and establishing positions and other conditions of employment for certain appointed personnel.
Willard was happy to announce during the meeting that despite the pandemic the city had a good year financially. "That was due to many things but I am guessing that the new families that moved in 2019 and 2020 through the Community Reinvestment Area did help that and I want to thank you guys for supporting that," he said.