Howland to rehire 92 for 2009

STAFF REPORT

HOWLAND — In a wrap-up of a 2008 agenda, trustees met to approve the salaries of township employees and the transfer of project money for use next year.

At the administration building Tuesday afternoon, trustees authorized the rehiring of 92 township employees at their current rate of pay for the 2009. Members of both bargaining and nonbargaining units will receive a 3 percent pay raise April 1, Trustee Rick Clark said.

Clark noted that one employee will not return to work for the township next year. Karen Len-Hinely, Howland’s director of Juvenile Diversion, has led the program for 11 years. She works with troubled children and teens, providing counseling and tutoring services to curb misbehavior at school and home.

The township will not pick up the cost of her salary since all state funding for her position has been cut.

Trustees also approved the use of remaining funds in amount of $169,338.40 for sewer improvement projects next year. The leftover grant money by the Ohio Public Works Commission will go toward watershed and storm water sewer upgrades in three township areas.

Before the end of the meeting, Clark added a resolution to allow up to 40 hours of pay to be given to Police Chief Paul Monroe and assistant Chief Frank Dillon, who both spent their year-end vacations working on a murder case last week.

Clark explained that their contracts do not allow vacation time to be carried over into the next year, so the additional pay would compensate their lost time.