COLUMBIANA Council approves hiring of officer

The village will become a city April 29.
By NANCY TULLIS
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
COLUMBIANA -- Village council unanimously approved hiring an additional full-time patrolman, ending weeks of debate.
Council had discussed at length during several previous meetings the pending civil service requirements of the soon-to-be city, and the hiring of an additional officer.
Some members supported Police Chief John Krawchyk's belief than the additional help is needed immediately. Others believed it better to delay hiring until the civil service commission is in place and civil service hiring in effect.
Official notice: Village Manager Keith Chamberlin said Tuesday he has received a letter from the Ohio Secretary of State's office declaring Columbiana a city, effective April 29.
According to the 2000 census, Columbiana's population is 5,635, enough to give the village city status. A municipality must achieve or maintain a population of 5,000 or more to be recognized as a city.
Employees will be required to meet civil service hiring requirements, and have the option of collective bargaining.
Council approved Chamberlin's recommendation Tuesday to hire part-time patrolman Mark Edwards as a full-time officer.
Edwards, 26, has been a member of the department five years, the past two as a part-time patrolman, Krawchyk said. Edwards has also been a Columbiana dispatcher and an auxiliary police officer, he added.
Getting ready: Edwards is completing physicals and other routine testing this week, Krawchyk said. He explained because of some council members' concern about Edwards or any other patrolman being hired now as civil service implementation looms, Edwards is taking some tests not normally required until a patrolman's probationary period is completed.
Krawchyk said he saw no problem with Edwards meeting the later requirements now.
"He's been here with us. He wants to be here. He's loyal to this department, and he wants to stay," Krawchyk said of Edwards after the meeting. "He's trained and ready to go."
Krawchyk does not yet know when Edwards will begin his full-time assignment. He said Edwards will start at $9.93 per hour, the six-month probationary rate for beginning patrolmen.
Krawchyk has said an additional full-time officer is needed to increase the number of officers available to patrol the rapidly-growing community. With the current staffing, vacations and sick leave often make scheduling difficult, he said.
Adding a full-time patrolman will give the department 12 full-time officers and one part-time officer.