POLAND Trustees hire an attorney after receiving bill for services

POLAND -- Township trustees have hired an attorney to perform services for which he's already billed the community $5,000.
At a special meeting Thursday, David Shepherd of Turner, May & amp; Shepherd law firm in Warren was hired retroactive to Jan. 1, 2001, officials said. A pay rate was not set and is to be determined at a later date.
Clerk Catherine Stacy said the new appointment was made after Shepherd had billed the township $5,161 for May to September work on projects he had not been formally hired to do. Upon appointing Shepherd, the trustees asked him for a breakdown of those charges and his rates.
Shepherd has provided legal service for the township since 1998, retained for certain projects, Stacy said.
His hiring at that time caused concern when Mahoning County Prosecutor Paul J. Gains questioned why the township was hiring a solicitor to do work the prosecutor's office is able to perform.
The prosecutor is legal counsel for the county's townships. Township officials at that time said a township attorney would provide quicker service.
Also Thursday, trustees:
U & raquo;Made a final bond payment of $83,880 to First National Bank to pay off the five-year bond used to finance the township hall addition.
U & raquo;Approved payment of $117,500 for the completed 2001 road paving project and $37,500 for the completed Poland Village Boulevard project.
U & raquo;Accepted bids for a salt dome and car port. Lowest bids came from Kreidler Construction. Other companies bidding were Hively Construction and S.E.T. Inc. They were forwarded to the Mahoning County Prosecutor's Office for review.