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New Middletown receives grants for its safety forces
NEW MIDDLETOWN — The village has received nearly $70,000 in state grants for fire and police equipment.
Police Chief Vince D’Egidio has obtained a $53,000 grant from the Ohio Criminal Justice Services/Ohio Department of Public Safety for purchase of two new police vehicles this year, village council learned at its meeting earlier this week. D’Egidio told lawmakers that no local share is required.
Councilman Richard DeBucci said after the meeting that the money will be used to buy one sport-utility vehicle and one car. Currently the village’s newest cruiser is a 2008 model. Some older vehicles, dating back to 2002, will be sold once the new ones are delivered.
D’Egidio also announced the village has received a $7,640 Ohio attorney general’s grant to be used to help pay the salary of School Resource Officer Ken Goist as well as an OCJS grant to buy two Taser units for $815 apiece for the department.
The department already has one Taser but needs more so that all officers can have one when more than one are on duty.
And Fire Chief William Opsitnik reported the village received $3,100 for computers through a group grant applied for by the Western Reserve Join Fire District.
The computers will be placed in firetrucks and will map the village and mutual-aid areas and list contents of buildings.
Also at the council session, lawmakers opened bids for Sycamore Drive resurfacing and then referred them to Dave Bakalar of Thomas Fok and Associates for review. Bids included: $52,052 from Diorio Paving, Girard; $53,552 from Butch & McCree, Hillsville; $56,475 from Barbicos Construction, Akron; and $50,300 from R.T. Vernal Paving, North Lima.
Council members also agreed to send letters to residents who are not keeping sidewalks shoveled. If residents do not comply, they will be fined.
Councilman Dan Santangelo commented that schoolchildren are being forced to walk on the streets because of snow-covered sidewalks. “I’d hate to see a kid get killed,” he said.
D’Egidio reported on police activity for the month and said that in a recent incident in the village, a small child was found wandering outside at night. He noted that the family delayed calling 911 for a half-hour while they searched the area. He said they should not have delayed, adding that when a child is missing, residents should not hesitate to call police.
DeBucci provided council members with copies of a draft agreement of a contract with Springfield Township to provide fire service to the village. The township and village are working to form a joint fire district.
The draft will be discussed at the next meeting. No details of the cost of the department were released.
Mayor Harry Kale asked for residents to volunteer for two vacancies on the zoning board and two on the site design and review board. Both boards meet two or more times annually. For more information, send a letter of interest to Kale at the village administration building.