COLUMBIANA Council discusses police's concerns

One councilman suggested the law director not seek reappointment.
By NANCY TULLIS
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
COLUMBIANA -- City council spent the bulk of its meeting discussing how complaints about City Manager Keith Chamberlin and City Finance Director Mary Louise Dicken have been handled since they were issued two weeks ago by the police union.
After much discussion, all but Councilmen Devin Witt and Don Leonard said they approved of a press release written by Chamberlin stating that the council had considered the allegations and expressed confidence in Chamberlin and Dicken.
Members of the police union faxed a two-page document to area newspapers June 5 stating that council should investigate actions by the city manager and finance director resulting in the loss of some $200,000 since 1999. The police said the loss had a direct impact on the police budget.
Among their concerns was a U.S. Department of Justice grant. They said the city was awarded a $75,000 Community Oriented Policing Services grant to hire an additional officer in 1999. They said the city has not received the grant because the finance director did not submit the required quarterly reports.
Salary reimbursement
Chamberlin said Tuesday he checked with the justice department earlier that day and the city is to receive a $55,000 reimbursement for the salary of the officer hired under the COPS grant. Chamberlin said the justice department wires the money to the city and is to do so within 48 hours.
The police addressed several other budget issues not directly related to the police department.
Chamberlin said that he addressed the police department's questions at the June 8 special council meeting. He said he prepared the press release and presented it Tuesday at council's request.
Leonard said he did not approve of Chamberlin's press release and did not like the tone of the June 8 special meeting where council was to gather information about the allegations.
He said City Law Director Dan Blasdell acted as a defense attorney for Chamberlin and Dicken rather than as a representative of the city council.
Leonard said Blasdell has been city law director for 26 years and has become "the seventh member of council" rather than simply advising council on legal matters. Leonard suggested Blasdell not seek reappointment.
Blasdell did not comment Tuesday.
The minutes of the June 8 meeting, however, state that Blasdell said he will advise Chamberlin, council or other city representatives about council meeting agenda items if they ask before council's meeting.
He said he did not advise council before the June 8 meeting because none of the council members asked for his advice.
Witt said he was not present at the June 8 meeting to hear Chamberlin and Dicken's responses to the police concerns and so could not agree to the press release statement expressing council confidence in the manager and finance director.
Learning from past mistakes
Witt said it's too late for the current council to address many of the concerns raised by the police. He said, however, that the current council should learn from past mistakes.
Councilwoman Pat Keylor said she was satisfied with Chamberlin's explanation. She said council should stop fanning the flames, quit bickering and move on. Councilman Bill Kimpel said the problems he sees that the current council can address are those of following the chain of command and improving communication among employees, council members and managers.
He said everyone is busy and mistakes will be made. Using a football analogy, Kimpel said everyone will drop the ball now and then, but someone has to be there to pick it up.