Struthers council honors member for 26 years of service

By Sarah Lehr

slehr@vindy.com

STRUTHERS

Officials honored Ronald Mathews, Struthers’ longest serving lawmaker, Wednesday night during his final city council meeting before his retirement.

Mathews, a councilman-at large and former 4th Ward councilman, spent a total of 26 years as an elected official in the city. He is retiring in 2016.

The office of U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Howland, D-13th, recognized Mathews’ long tenure with an American flag flown over the U.S. Capitol, which was presented to Mathews during the meeting.

Mathews thanked the residents of his native city and quipped, “Like I always said, the capital of Ohio is in Struthers, not Columbus.”

Additionally, council approved legislation to establish a paid position for a part-time dispatch trainee at $9 an hour for no more than 28 hours a week. Previously, those training for the dispatch position were not paid, which made it difficult to recruit and maintain dispatchers, Safety Director Ed Wildes said.

Council also moved to adopt a collective bargaining agreement between the city and the Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association Dispatch Unit.

In other business, the lawmakers approved a series of year-end budget transfers and set salary for the clerk of council at $28,903 a year through 2017.

Council will have a reorganization meeting for next term at 6 p.m. Jan. 6, followed by a 6:15 p.m. finance and legislation committee meeting.