City sets aside chief's severance pay

EAST PALESTINE -- With the retirement of Fire Chief Merle Stewart in October, Connie Robinson, city finance director, is setting aside money for Stewart's severance pay from the emergency medical services revenue.
Stewart has been chief 35 years and Robinson told city council Monday that his severance pay due in October will be about $50,000.
Robinson said that normally the revenue from ambulance runs is divided with 55 percent to the general fund, 40 percent to the capital replacement fund -- which is for fire equipment maintenance -- and 5 percent for training.
She said council agreed last fall to begin in January to instead put 20 percent to the capital replacement fund and 20 percent into a compensated absences fund for Stewart's severance pay.
Robinson said she anticipates that by year's end, 40 percent of the EMS revenue would be about $100,000.
She said 20 percent of the revenue should be close to the nearly $50,000 needed. The fund could fall short, however. The balance needed to pay Stewart would then come from the general fund, she said.