CENTERBURG — Hilliar Township trustees told Centerburg Village Council on Monday they plan to pass a resolution of no-confidence in Central Ohio Joint Fire District Chief Mark McCann.
A core issue is a salt barn the trustees built two years ago. Trustee Gary Ross said that McCann recently told the trustees they needed an occupancy permit for the barn.
Additionally, Trustee Jason Rogers said the trustees have received a number of complaints from community members about regulations being put on them that are “not really to the letter.” Both agreed that safety was not an issue in the no-confidence vote.
“He’s just done things to cost the taxpayers money,” Ross said. “Instead of life-saving issues, it’s more of get-in-your-pocket issues.
“It’s his ability to read and interpret regulations that we have a serious problem with, not safety,” Rogers said, adding that the trustees were also concerned about McCann’s decisions relating to plans of local developers coming before the Regional Planning Commission. “We’ve seen it first-hand as trustees.”
Rogers said the trustees have not received good answers from the chief, just a reference to broad sections of code. Additionally, he said McCann did not accept the trustees’ invitation to return to a township meeting to review the issues.
Councilman Tom Stewart said the issues were brought to the COJFD Fire Board and discussed.
“He’s doing it correctly,” Stewart said of McCann’s interpretation of the regulations. “He’s being pretty open about what he’s doing, and we have been informed.”
Stewart said he was surprised that the fire board was not made aware of the resolution. He noted that Centerburg Mayor Greg Sands provided a list of concerns to the board, and Stewart, Sands, and McCann went over the issues one by one.
“After that meeting, I felt that the mayor and myself had a better idea of the matters brought up,” Stewart said.
According to Stewart, the Damascus Catholic summer camp brought 46 issues to the fire board. They discussed the issues with the chief and allowed the chief to explain his actions.
“We felt comfortable with his explanations,” Stewart said.
Referencing the upcoming Intel development in Licking County, Stewart said, “We are not prepared for the growth that is coming to this township and village. If we do not have the proper fire codes in effect and enforced, we are going to be in trouble.
“When developers find out we are not enforcing, they will come in and take advantage and cost us more money,” he added.
Stewart said he stands behind the chief and his decisions.
“I advise you to call the chief or sit down with him and find out what these issues are or were,” he told the trustees.
Milford Township trustee Richard Litzenberg said he heard about the issues in Hilliar Township and attended the meeting to learn more.
“Milford Township stands squarely behind the chief,” he said.
Mayor Sands said the chief is put in an awkward position because the state of Ohio has dropped enforcement of commercial structures onto fire chiefs.
“We are lacking and have suggested strongly to our [county] commissioners that we have a building code in this county,” he said, noting that having a code similar to Licking or Delaware counties would lift an enormous amount of weight from the chief. “If we had those, all he’d have to enforce is occupancy, not structure.”
McCann said he did offer to come back to the trustees’ meeting and that he also expects pushback for enforcing the regulations.
“Safety is not to be taken lightly,” he said, adding that the fire code is written at a low standard to make it least costly yet still safe.
At McCann’s invitation, Steve Riser and Mike Stephens with the Ohio Department of Commerce spoke during the meeting via Zoom. The men provided information about the state building and fire codes.
Specific to the trustees’ salt barn, Riser said that while the barn may not have occupancy, there are significant things structurally, such as electrical and materials, that make the building code applicable.
Parade route
Regarding council’s earlier desire to change the route for the farming festival and Fourth of July parades, council withdrew from all planning activities. Management of the parades will fall to the festival committees, including ensuring signage, insurance, set up/removal of blockades, and consistent distance/pace between entrants.
Festival committees must provide the name of a person in charge 60 days in advance of the parade. The parade route will remain the same as in years past.
Legislative action
As far as legislative business, council members tabled until May an ordinance authorizing the purchase of property, casualty, and liability insurance. Village Administrator Joe Hardin has not yet received a quote.
Council passed two pieces of legislation as emergencies:
•An ordinance granting a right-of-way easement to Del-Co Water Company on Croton Road parcel 17-00675.002, the pump station grounds
•A resolution to participate in the Region 18 governance structure under the OneOhio Memorandum of Understanding. The MOU relates to distribution of settlement proceeds from opioid litigation.
Reports
• Joe Hardin, village administrator: A sewer line review for the new Knox Community Hospital facility was completed. He will review to make sure all requirements are satisfied. The South Hartford Phase 2 design work is delayed; he will present plans at the May council meeting.
• Shawna Humes, fiscal officer: Humes requested clarification of payment policies for public attendance at the village’s revitalization and sidewalk committees. Solicitor Kyle Stroh will research and respond.
• Kyle Stroh, solicitor: Pending receipt of reports and approved inspection of the sewer lines to the KCH building, the village can proceed with annexing the property. Nuisance letters have gone out to residents. Stroh is clarifying water bills with the county prosecutor.
• Councilman Greg Myers, Regional Planning Commission: Jeff Gottke of the Area Development Foundation presented information about the effect on Knox County with the pending arrival of Intel. RPC approved revisions to Jefferson Township’s zoning code and denied a rezoning request in Howard Township.
• Councilman Dave Beck, sidewalk committee: First meeting was held March 15. The committee is setting standards and looking at funding and public education. The committee meets the second Thursday of the month at 6 pm.
• Council member Saundra Dove, steering committee: Knox County Career Center students are rebuilding the fountain at Memorial Park. A bike rack, donated by Knox Public Health, will be installed at the fountain.
