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Motion for new administration building approved

LACROFT — Liverpool Township trustees agreed during their regular meeting Saturday morning to move forward with construction of a new administration building.

A motion to proceed with advertising for bids for the administration building was approved unanimously by the three trustees, who also voted at the recommendation of police Chief Jayson Jackson to use revenue from traffic cam tickets to pay for the additional construction.

Chairman Mike Bahen pointed out this means the township is “not tapping into taxpayers’ money” for the new administration building.

The administration building will be added to the existing building currently under renovation as the police department headquarters, which will include two holding cells, interview rooms, office space, and a sally port. The administration building portion will include a meeting room, office space and restrooms.

Bahen pointed out this is the opportune time to proceed with the second phase of the project since contractors are currently preparing to install siding as part of the first phase and he would prefer not to have to tear off the new siding to make way for the administration building but rather do all the siding at one time.

Trustees were addressed by East Liverpool Municipal Court Judge Melissa Byers Emmerling who outlined plans for the new drug addiction recovery program she plans to implement into her court. The judge recently spoke to St. Clair Township trustees about the plan and will be addressing East Liverpool City Council at its next meeting with the same information. All three communities are in her court’s jurisdiction.

Byers Emmerling spoke of the Intensive Supervised Probation (ISP) program and the Vivitrol program her probation department has already initiated as ways to help defendants with addiction issues, saying they Vivitrol program especially is the “forerunner to the drug addiction recovery program.”

The new program will have various components, including intensive drug screening of defendants, medical, mental health, housing and activity components aimed at helping an addicted person recover.

Byers Emmerling said her court will be partnering with a variety of other agencies and organizations, such as The Ohio State University Extension, Community Action Agency, churches and libraries and individuals. She encouraged anyone interested in offering their knowledge or skills to mentor those in the program to contact her.

“How many of these people have had such positive influences in their lives? We have a lot of things in this community, but if you’re not raised to know what they are,, you’re not going to use them,” Byers Emmerling said.

She said the Ohio Supreme Court has said her plans for the proposed drug addiction recovery program “look good” but has asked for some language to be “tweaked” before it is certified, which could open up some additional funding sources.

Trustee Dennis Giambroni commended Byers Emmerling, saying, “I think it’s fantastic that you’re doing this.”

Among $240,080 in bills approved for payment during the meeting was one for $38,000 to Brittain Motors for a new 2019 Chevy Tahoe police cruiser which Jackson planned to pick up after the meeting. Trustees voted to authorize Trustee Keith Burke to sign the necessary paperwork at the dealership to seal the deal.

During the annual reorganizational meeting which followed the regular session, Giambroni was elected chairman for the coming year, with Burke elected vice chairman.

Jackson was returned as police chief, Dave Ward as fire chief, Jason Bahen as assistant chief at the LaCroft station and Donnie Danver as assistant chief at the Dixonville station. Chris Bosworth was returned as road foreman and Detective Jared Kinemond as juvenile officer and zoning inspector. All will be returned at their current salaries.

In liaison matters, Burke was retained as representative to the steering committee, Giambroni the Columbiana County Township Association and Bahen the township ad hoc committee. Giambroni was named to the Buckeye Water District Board.

Trustees will continue to be paid on a salary basis set by the state, with mileage of 58 cents per mile paid for travel on official business outside the township.

Regular meetings will continue to be held at 6:30 p.m. every other Monday beginning Jan. 14.

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