Sharon names new chief

SHARON, Pa. — Michael J. Menster has been named the city’s new police chief.

Menster, 42, will officially take over the job when current chief Tom Burke resigns Feb. 8.

Burke announced last month that he was leaving to take a job in the private sector and would be using the remainder of his vacation through Feb. 8.

Mayor Bob Lucas swore Menster in as police chief at today’s city council meeting. Lucas said Menster’s salary will be set after Feb. 8.

Burke’s current salary is $60,000 per year, the mayor said.

“I pledge to you that I will deliver the professional service our citizens deserve,” Menster said after taking the oath with his wife Allison by his side.

Menster, who is considered acting chief until Burke formally leaves, previously was the police department’s captain of operations. The mayor said someone will eventually be named to replace Menster in that post.

The city also will hire another patrolman to replace the person who is promoted to Menster’s job.

Menster, who lives in Sharon, is a graduate of Jackson High School in Massillon and Kent State University. He also graduated from the Pennsylvania State Police Academy and the FBI National Academy.

He joined the city police in 1990 and started out as a patrolman. Menster also served seven years with the Ohio National Guard.

In other business, officials expect to learn next week if the city will receive a $30 million loan from Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority to pay for needed sewer plant upgrades. Officials said the loan process is competitive and they could receive less than $30 million.

The mayor said the loan will help city officials determine what sewage rates will be in the future.

He noted the city also is still talking with Aqua Pennsylvania to determine if the city will lease the sewage plant to the company.