GIRARD Court pays city for ambulance

Rep. Tim Ryan is getting involved in the Lower Girard Lake dam issue.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
GIRARD -- The financially troubled city will receive $215,000 from the Girard Municipal Court to pay for safety services for the balance of the year.
Safety Director Frank Rich said the money can be used to continue funding the city-operated ambulance service.
Mayor James J. Melfi, who did not attend Monday's city council meeting, had threatened to end the service that is operated by the fire department and furlough firefighters because of the lack of general fund money.
Melfi said earlier in the day the infusion of money will probably save the ambulance service until the end of the year and may offset fire department layoffs.
Rich explained that $125,000 of the total $215,000 will be deducted from what the court owes toward paying off the loan to construct the city justice center.
The remaining $90,000 will come from municipal court. Judge Michael A. Bernard anticipates being under budget this year.
Rich said the court money is the result of negotiations between Judge Bernard and Melfi.
Heated exchange
The announcement of money coming from the court came from Councilman Joseph Christopher, D-at large, after a heated exchange between Rich and Councilwoman Kathleen O'Connell Sauline, D-2nd, chairwoman of the finance committee.
Sauline said that Melfi does not have a realistic plan to get the city out of fiscal emergency and that the mayor continues to overspend, despite a projected $300,000 general fund shortfall this year.
She blamed the lack of a realistic financial plan for the "sorry situation." She also pointed out the administration has been depending on one-time transfers of money that will not be available in the future.
Rich acknowledged the city is overspending on payroll. He asserted, however, that paying employees is the only way to get them out to work.
Lower Girard Lake dam
In another matter, Rich said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has informed the administration that there will be no more money allocated to breach or repair Lower Girard Lake dam.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has given the city until Sept. 30 to come up with a detailed schedule of either breaching or repairing the dam. The ODNR set the deadline after the recent series of heavy storms.
ODNR said that if the city does nothing, it will breach the dam and send the city the bill.
The city has $1.14 million in federal funds for dam work and $575,000 from ODNR to maintain or repair the dam the agency had declared unsafe.
Councilman John Moliterno, D-at large, said U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-17th, will intervene on the question of what to do with the structure.
"We still haven't given up hope," said Councilman Charles Doran, D-4th, who has fought against breaching the dam. He wants to decrease its height and make repairs to retain the lake.
Councilman Joseph Lambert, D-at large, stressed that he doesn't want any more taxpayers' money going toward the dam's repair or breach.
yovich@vindy.com