Tuesday, July 31, 2018
LIBERTY
Trustees, residents and police officers bade farewell to police Chief Richard Tisone, who retired after 31 years of serving the township.
Trustee Jodi Stoyak gave Tisone a plaque of appreciation on behalf of the trustees and township staff at a Monday night meeting.
Tisone thanked the trustees and Administrator Pat Ungaro for their work, along with residents for supporting the police.
“You mean a lot to me,” he said to the police officers attending. “Keep your integrity, keep doing what you need to do – looking out for the citizens.”
Trustees voted 2-1 to appoint Capt. Toby Meloro, who’s been with the department for almost 27 years, as the interim police chief effective Aug. 20 for a six-month period.
“I’ve lived in this community almost my whole life, and from the time I was young I wanted to serve,” Meloro said.
Trustees Arnie Clebone and Greg Cizmar voted yes.
Stoyak said she voted no because Meloro was the only applicant and added there is an internal investigation involving Meloro.
The trustees said they couldn’t comment on whether the investigation was a type of background check.
The trustees also voted 2-1, with Stoyak voting no, on the proposed road levy and a resolution to apply for a federal grant to fix certain roads.
The road levy that will appear on the ballot in November is a renewal of the 1.25-mill road levy and an additional 1.25-mill levy, totaling 2.5-mills, for 12 years. For the owner of a $100,000 home, the levy would cost $88 a year as opposed to the current $44 the owner would pay, Clebone said.
The current levy expires next year. Stoyak stated the length of the proposed levy is too long.
Stoyak and Clebone also disagreed over whether the levy and possible state grants would cover road maintenance such as crack sealing.
Clebone argued if the township could pass the levy and get grants, it could repair all the roads more quickly.
Resident Richard Roth of Northgate Drive expressed concern over an increase of violence in his area, which he attributed to the condition of the roads. He said he hopes for an increased police presence in the neighborhood.