Falls police chief keeps job for now

NEWTON FALLS

For now, Eugene Fixler is still the Newton Falls police chief, and village council is still in a mood to talk to him about his overspending on police officers.

Council went into executive session for about 45 minutes Monday, then emerged to report that no action would be taken regarding Fixler’s employment.

Mayor Lyle Waddell said council intended to talk to Fixler during the executive session, but Fixler did not attend.

Village Manager Jack Haney has been critical of Fixler’s spending, saying Fixler has overshot his budget throughout the year and has been advised multiple times about it.

Fixler told reporters over the weekend that Haney had told him to quit or council would fire him, and council scheduled a special meeting Monday just to talk about Fixler’s employment.

Waddell said Monday night, “We need to figure out what to do. We’ve been trying to work with the chief.”

Asked if that means Fixler won’t get fired, Waddell said, “Not tonight.”

Asked Monday whether he told Fixler to resign or be fired, Haney declined to comment.

Fixler, a 39-year police veteran, left the village of Windham Police Department to become Newton Falls chief in October, after former Newton Falls Police Chief John Kuivila was fired the previous February following complaints by two female village employees.