Raise is second within last year

CHESAPEAKE — The village of Chesapeake has voted to give officers on its police department another pay raise.
The council approved the increase of $1.50 an hour at Monday’s meeting of council, bringing pay to $12.50 an hour, council member Danny Burd said.

It was the second raise in less than a year for the village’s police department.

Mayor Tommy Templeton pushed for and the council approved a raise in July 2018.

Before that, the village had the lowest pay for police in the county at $10 an hour and, at the urging of interim police chief Randy Thompson, the issue was taken up.

Burd said the village is also looking for a new street department supervisor, as Earl Hamlin, who was hired in March had to resign for medical reasons.

Burd said the mayor told him there are a number of interested candidates.

“He has about 20 or so people lined up,” he said.

In other business, the council:

• Heard from County Commissioner Freddie Hayes Jr., Union Township Trustee Cole Webb and Stephanie Helms, of the Lawrence Scioto Solid Waste District, who spoke about clean-up efforts of Project First Impression.
Burd said there has been an increase in citations and fines for those dumping illegally.

“Hayes was adamant in his commitment to clean up Lawrence County,” Burd said.

• Burd also said that county officials and Templeton had also been working on North Huntington Heights, issuing citations for trash violations.

The area had been a concern raised by resident at recent council meetings.

• Heard from former council member Paul Hart.

“He gave a little talk on the economy of the future and our children’s future,” Burd said.