Six new Girard officers were sworn in Monday night

Staff report

GIRARD

Six new faces who have been serving the city for two months were officially recognized and sworn in during a Monday city council meeting.

Full-time police officers Anthony Weibel and Garrett Bass and part-time officers Patrick Demski, Maura Malvasi and Jenyia Anderson were sworn in by Mayor James Melfi. David Oaks is another new part-time officer, but was not present for the ceremony.

Councilman William Ryser noted two of the new officers are women and one is black, and contended the police force should be more reflective of the general population.

“It adds great value to our force, credibility to our city and makes our force more approachable for the public,” he said, adding that they are Girard High School alumni.

The part-time officers work no more than 29 hours a week and get paid $15 an hour with no benefits, and the full-time officers start at about $32,000 a year and have benefits, Melfi said.

Donna and Bill Stasko of East Liberty Street returned to the meeting and updated council about another sewage flood in their basement, and asked what the city will do about it.

Melfi reiterated that the wastewater system has been overwhelmed by heavy rains, and said that any kind of remedy on the city’s part will likely require grants to be obtained first.

The city checked the sewage lines recently and determined they weren’t blocked or malfunctioning, he pointed out.

Also at the meeting, Treasurer Mark Zuppo reported the general fund in August was $2,716,457, a 6.82 percent increase from last August, when the fund was at $2,543,015.

Council approved having the Ohio Department of Transportation resurface a portion of state Route 304 within the city’s limits.