Most of fines money goes to police

Trustee Fred Bobovnyk voted against the measure.
By MARY SMITH
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
MINERAL RIDGE -- Weathersfield Township trustees, by a 2-1 vote, approved a resolution giving the township police department the bulk of $15,667 in fine money collected last year.
The fine money goes directly into a line-item account in the general fund called fines, clerk David Rouhan said.
David Pugh, township administrator said he learned the money in the account is a mix of zoning and police fines. Township officials expect the amount of fines for zoning last year to be around $1,000.
Voting against the measure was Trustee Fred Bobovnyk, who said there could be money in the account that does not belong to the police department.
He said he would not vote for the resolution until it was determined where the funds came from. "I don't think all the money should go to the police department," he said.
Pugh explained that under the previous police chief, the police department did pay a portion of its departmental operating costs when the department was growing.
The amount in fines also was much smaller. The previous chief then agreed to just put the amount into the general fund to cover the department's expenses.
Trustee Chairman John Vogel said the current cost of utilities for the police department is $67,000 a year.
Here's the concern
Police Chief Joseph Consiglio told trustees his concern was that the police department was getting into a dire financial situation, saying the department is trying everything it can to avoid putting a levy before voters. He added, however, "Someday we will have to go to the people."
Consiglio also said he has heard criticism of the township police department's two drug officers. He said the officers work added duties to their regular eight-hour day. He noted the officers in early February had six drug-related arrests that resulted in 13 charges after months of tedious surveillance.
He said the township will be receiving $500 in fine money to continue the drug unit, and the department has $1,100 coming from the sale of a vehicle.
"I won't tolerate [that] these officers are working as hard as they are and are not being appreciated," the chief added.
In other business, trustees:
Authorized advertising for bids for the installation of a flat roof over a portion of the administration building. Pugh explained one section of the roof is starting to leak.
Learned that the police department will receive a new $1,800 radar unit paid for by the state.
Approved increasing the rate for use of a township car when an officer has private duty to $7.50 an hour. Consiglio said most departments charge $5.