Walbridge: Code officer on council’s agenda

By: 
Larry Limpf

An ordinance establishing the position of code enforcement officer in the Village of Walbridge may be approved Wednesday by village council.
Mayor Ed Kolanko said last week he expected council to approve the position at its meeting this week.
A job description for the position as well as the duties and physical requirements has already been prepared, he said.
The code enforcement officer will report to the village administrator and investigate violations of local and state laws, conduct property inspections to determine if there are health hazards, nuisance violations, unsafe buildings or land use violations. The position also calls for the officer to assist property owners abate nuisances.
The pay rate will be $13.50 per hour for the part-time position.
Other duties include:
-Keeping right-of-ways free of non-permitted signs
-Tracking progress of compliance
-Assisting building official with inspections
-Compiling reports and documentation for hearings
The mayor said he also expects council to approve an ordinance authorizing the village to rent 54.2 acres of village-owned land to Sanders Farms.
Under the rental agreement, the land would be rented for five years for $170.50 per acre.
The property is located near the intersection of Walbridge Road and E. Broadway.
During their organizational meeting last week, council members were unable to choose between Sue Hart-Douglas and Vicky Canales-Pratt for president of council and deferred to the mayor to break the 3-3 tie vote.
The mayor voted for Hart-Douglas.
“I think it’s very important for council to vote for a member to represent them and it shouldn’t be me. But that’s the way the rules work,” he said. “Sue has the most experience on council and my vote was based on that. Either one is very capable.”

Administrator resigns
James Bishop, the village’s part-time administrator, has submitted his resignation to the village.
Bishop, who has a private law practice, was recently disciplined by the Board of Professional Conduct of the Ohio Supreme Court and prohibited from practice for two years. The second year is suspended on the condition he doesn’t engage in further misconduct.
The Toledo Bar Association filed a complaint against Bishop, alleging he violated conduct rules when he prepared a beneficiary form for a client’s annuity. He also failed to disclose a material fact to the disciplinary board.
“Even though there is no correlation between his private law practice and the village, Jim decided to not put the village through any undue stress. We have multiple safe guards in place for signatures on checks and such. He just didn’t want to deter from the good things we’re doing here,” the mayor said.

Category:

The Press

The Press
1550 Woodville Road
Millbury, OH 43447

(419) 836-2221

Email Us

Facebook Twitter

Ohio News Media Association