Sammons made permanent police chief

CHESAPEAKE — The village council of Chesapeake chose a new fiscal officer at their regular meeting on Monday.

The council voted 5-0 (with one member absent) to confirm Jonathan Ascencio, of Huntington, to the position, council member Paul Hart said.

Ascencio was present at the meeting, where he made his pitch for the position, along with former Lawrence County Treasurer Stephen Dale Burcham. A third candidate was under consideration, but was not present for the meeting, Hart said.

The position of fiscal officer had been vacant since the fall, when Lennie Abrams resigned. The council had voted to bring Abrams back as interim officer until a permanent replacement was made.

Abrams had asked to serve in the interim in order to help the village with audits from the state of Ohio for the past few years of finances.

Abrams had served in the position since 2020, following the resignation of Theresa Lawless as fiscal officer.

The council also voted Monday to hire Josh Sammons as permanent police chief, Hart said. Sammons had been serving as interim chief since October, following the resignation of Steven Woodyard, who the council had voted not to keep in the position.

Hart said the requirement of residency in the village was being waived for Sammons and that all he needed for the position was to complete a physical.

He said the council also discussed filling the vacant position of a street crew worker for the village, but no action was taken on Monday.