GALION, Ohio — During Tuesday’s regular city council meeting, council member Susan Bean spoke out against hiring a Public Information Officer — a position that, according to Mayor Tom O’Leary, is highly needed.
“I think this is something that is not needed in a town this size,” said Bean. She said the need exists for someone to maintain public records requests and maintaining the city’s website, but that the scope of the PIO position has grown from its original responsibilities as the city’s website facilitator.
She continued, “I feel that it is an irresponsible use of city funds to create from this position.”
Council member Sarah Capretta responded to Bean’s concerns.
“How do you get information out to people? How do you get the information out to citizens when you’ve got articles on Facebook, people putting their own spin on things, how do you get the right information out to the citizens of Galion,” Capretta asked.
According to Mayor Tom O’Leary, the information officer would be in charge of disseminating accurate information to the people of Galion. He said there have been discussions over the last two weeks about the PIO working around 25 hours per week.
Council member Michael Richart said the PIO position will be paid through the city’s budgeted money, meaning there will be no new money created for the position.
Ordinance 2015-77, commonly referred to the staffing ordinance that includes the hiring of a PIO, was passed after a 6-1 vote for a third reading.
Also heard during Tuesday’s meeting were concerns brought to the council by community member Roberta Wade and Treasurer Paula Durbin.
Wade alleged that council member Richart miscalculated the Power Cost Adjuster back earlier in 2015. Wade said she asked for copies of the calculations in July and never received them from Richart.
Wade made a records request for the PCA calculations.
“My public records request is for the PCA calculations from Mr. Richart, the ones he talked about his utilities meeting, and for Mr. Treish (City Auditor) since he’s the records custodian. I will be back at the next council meeting to pick them up,” said Wade.
Durbin made allegations that a fire truck was not properly purchased under Ohio revised code and directed blame at Law Director Thomas Palmer for not undergoing the proper procedure.
Durbin, who is running for a council-member-at-large position in Galion’s general election, also wanted to “put to rest” assertions that she is required to attend council meetings as the city’s treasurer.
She read Ohio Revised Code 733.06, which states in part, “the mayor, the directors, and the several officers provided for in Title VII [7] of the Revised Code shall attend the meetings of the legislative authority of the city when specifically requested by such legislative authority …”
She also asked O’Leary if he had authorized the dumping of road construction grindings on a private property earlier in the summer of 2015 without approval from the owners.
“That decision was made at the [safety] service department level, so the short answer to your question is no — didn’t know about, didn’t approve it but when we checked to see if there were problems with it, that’s where it ended up,” said O’Leary.
The next regular city council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 10.
