Struthers council honors school employees for identifying child abuse

March 11, 2016 at 12:05a.m.

struthers

Three Struthers City Schools employees have received “distinguished service” awards for their efforts to protect a child from abuse at home.

Council honored diversion officer Yvonne Wilson, kindergarten teacher Lindsey West and school nurse Maria Ginetti during a regular meeting this week.

“Their efforts went far beyond being a mandatory reporter,” Councilman at-large James Kosek said.

“Thanks to their work, and the work of city law enforcement, the girl was removed from a home involving severe physical abuse and neglect,” Mayor Terry Stocker added.

Earlier this year, school officials alerted police to concerns about a 5-year-old student. The girl had bruises on her body and had missed several weeks of school, officials said.

The girl’s mother Lisa Marenkovic, 27, and her mother’s boyfriend, Beau Geidner, 27, are now facing felony child-endangering charges. Officers searched their Fourth Street home on a warrant in February and found the girl, who was disheveled and bruised, according to a police report. She was transported to the hospital for severe dehydration and malnutrition.

In other business, council voted to extend an agreement through Dec. 31, 2018, with the Ohio Development Services Agency for a Housing Revolving Loan Fund. The previous agreement with ODSA expired Dec. 31, 2015.

Council also met for a workshop session to discuss the proposed 2016 budget, which must be passed by the end of this month. The proposed total budget is $10,320,057. A small fraction of that total includes $15,000 total in proposed raises for several non-elected city employees.

Council will meet in committee 6 p.m. Wednesday for further discussion of the budget and pending legislation.