AUSTINTOWN TRUSTEES Edwards refutes Oles' plan to rehire cops

Trustees raised objections to remarks Oles made during her campaign.
By IAN HILL
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
AUSTINTOWN -- Township Trustee Rich Edwards has some strong words for those who believe the township can afford to rehire laid-off police and firefighters without cutting other jobs.
"You can talk all you want and bulls--- all you want, but money talks and bulls--- walks," Edwards said during Monday's trustees meeting.
"You don't have the funds."
Edwards recently lost his bid for re-election to Lisa Oles, who said she thinks the township can rehire the police and firefighters without cutting jobs elsewhere.
Trustees have said the township is facing a deficit and they've made several budget cuts and laid off two police officers and seven part-time firefighters.
Oles said she thinks other budget cuts can be made to free up money needed to rehire safety forces.
Clearing the air
Trustees aired their views on Oles' statements and on the contentious race between Oles and Edwards at their first meeting since the Nov. 4 election.
"There has been nothing to justify the type of accusations that have gone on in [Oles'] campaign," Trustee Bo Pritchard said.
Pritchard and Trustee David Ditzler took issue with contentions that trustees had hidden township money.
"I do have a very big problem when someone tells me I've committed a felony, and that's what hiding funds is," Ditzler said.
"I hope that people will either prove their allegations or retract their statements. We're all accountable for what we say."
Oles said she never said trustees had hidden funds.
Executive sessions
Edwards also addressed residents who criticized trustees for meeting in private executive sessions.
He stressed that he believes trustees shouldn't discuss disagreements during public meetings.
"To make an a-- of yourself in public and in front of the camera doesn't make sense," Edwards said.
Despite the discussion at the meeting, however, Oles and Pritchard expressed willingness to work together to improve the township. Ditzler has expressed similar sentiments in the past.
Trustees also said they were disappointed that voters didn't approve a 2.5-mill levy for police. They had said the money would allow the township to avoid a deficit and future layoffs.
"The public spoke on election day," Pritchard said. "They voted on the police levy knowing the consequences they were going to accept."
Edwards and Clerk Michael Kurish added that the township won't be getting more tax revenue from several new businesses and homes being built in the township.
That's because under state law, the amount of property tax collected through local tax levies does not increase with property values or new construction.
Voters have to pass new or replacement tax levies for a township to benefit from increased property values.
Edwards said local residents should contact their state legislators and push for a change to that law.
hill@vindy.com