New Phila Police Department promotes 2, hires 1
Melissa Snyder, left, was sworn in as a new officer of the New Philadelphia Police Department. Also pictured are Police Chief Michael Goodwin; Mitch Gobley, who was promoted to sergeant; and Don Woods, promoted to captain following the retirement of Capt. Joe Skinner.
On Monday, Aug. 8, New Philadelphia Mayor Joel Day performed a swearing-in ceremony for one new police officer and two who were promoted. Don Woods was promoted to fill the captain’s position upon the retirement of Capt. Joe Skinner. Mitch Gobley was promoted to sergeant, and Melissa Snyder was hired as a new police officer.
Greg Popham, the city’s safety director, announced the changes at the Aug. 8 meeting of city council.
In his mayor’s report, Day made several announcements, beginning with the groundbreaking ceremony held Aug. 8 at Tuscora Park to begin construction of four pickleball courts. Day said the cost of the $220,000 project is being funded entirely by private donations, with $30,000 to come from the city parks department budget.
Day also announced the city will use the $6,600 monthly payments from Ohio's opioid settlement to help fund a second school resource officer for the New Philadelphia City Schools. He said the plan was a joint decision among the city’s safety forces, Law Director Marvin Fete, health commissioner Vicki Ionno and New Philadelphia School Superintendent Amy Wentworth. Fete said he believes spending the money this way will help stop opioid use before it starts by reaching younger people. The resource officer will be selected from the current city police force.
Reports to council
Councilman and park committee chair Mitch Pace said the new track at Woody Hayes Quaker Stadium should be completed in the next week or so. He also announced plans for a new high school baseball field being spearheaded by the Tuscora Diamond Committee and led by councilman Kelly Ricklic. The project will be done in three phases, the first phase being turf infield, new dugouts and a backstop. Pace and Ricklic will give a full presentation on the project at the Aug. 22 meeting of council.
Service Director Ron McAbier said there is still money available for repairing residents’ sidewalks, but applications must be received soon. The application form can be downloaded at www.newphilaoh.com by clicking on the red Take Action button under Hot Topics. The city will pay half the cost of the sidewalk replacement, up to $5 per square foot.
Last summer the city opened the new Schoenbrunn Meadows Cemetery. McAbier said 125 lots have been sold and 22 cremation niches, bringing in approximately $106,000 in revenue.
Ricklic asked McAbier for an update on repairs on Second Street near the Geib Funeral Home. McAbier said the manhole covers have yet to be delivered.
For the planning commission report, Day said discussion will take place at an upcoming meeting regarding rezoning a parcel of land on East High Avenue to business so county commissioners can build the new board of elections building there.
Dan Lanzer, councilman and chair of the public works and economic development committee, reported on an earlier meeting where it was determined the city’s ordinance regarding the regulation of telecommunications equipment placement needed to be updated. Lanzer asked council to pass a new ordinance on an emergency basis to establish procedures and standards for small cell facilities and wireless support structures coming into the city with the advent of 5G technology. Council voted yes on the legislation.
Finance chair Ricklic asked council to approve an emergency ordinance for increases in permanent appropriations totaling $86,000. Council approved the legislation.
Vote on potential redistricting
In a meeting of the Committee of the Whole prior to the regular meeting, council discussed whether or not to redraw the city’s districts in response to the new census figures. Fete said there were some changes in populations, but the city did not necessarily have to go through the redistricting process if there was a good enough rational basis not to. The committee recommended not redrawing districts due to COVID. The measure was passed by council, with council members Pace and Cheryl Ramos voting no.
The next meeting will be Monday, Aug. 22 at 7:30 p.m. at the John Knisely Municipal Building at 150 E. High Ave.