No charges in rental property water breach
Trending
EAST LIVERPOOL -- City police have released a report into allegations that a city councilman bypassed a water meter to gain free municipal water in one of his rental properties for the last several years.
Detective Captain Darin Morgan said there was insufficient evidence regarding who installed the straight pipe -- thus bypassing the disconnected meter -- in his two-page report that was released Friday.
The report did not name a party since nobody was charged. But the address in question is 746 St. Clair Ave. which is currently listed as belonging to Thomas E. Dennis Jr. and Dawnyelle E. Dennis. They acquired the property in October.
Columbiana County property records show that East Liverpool councilman Ernest Peachey Sr. previously owned the property. It had no water service since August 2017 when the city suspended service.
On Nov. 20, 2020, notations made to the front of the rental property file read: "Home sold to Thomas Dennis on 10/8/20. Water bill still in (previous) owner's name. Water account has been suspended and no water usage since August 2017. Letter to be posted stating uninhabitable due to no water."
Additional notes on the interior of the file folder chronicled the subsequent investigation, which had been triggered after then-city housing inspector noted the property transfer in a local newspaper. He had dealings with both Dennis and Peachey through his housing inspector duties, so he went to the St. Clair Avenue property to make sure that the issues would not continue at the new house that had at a St. George Street property.
Upon going to the property in December, city housing inspector Bob Smith found a large amount of trash outside, according to Morgan's report. He also was told by Dennis that the property had water service, despite officials having shut it off service several years previously --when he tried to deem the property uninhabitable due to unsanitary conditions and the lack of potable water.
According to another notation to inside front of the fire folder on Dec. 2, "As of today, there will be an investigation of theft of city water by Peachy (sic) -- straight pipe to house by bypassing the meter (see pictures)." Copies of the file were then forwarded to Morgan.
Smith estimates that the value of the stolen water based on monthly water charges could exceed $2,000.
In the meantime before the investigation was concluded, the city and Smith parted ways. On Dec. 11, a frustrated Smith sent a text message to the personal cell phone of Mayor Greg Bricker, reading: "I am going to use my vacation time up etc (sic) by the end of the year and I'm done. We don't have enough fortitude as a group to deal with the harsh issues that it will take to change this, once and all. Start looking for my replacement." A flurry of texts over days indicated that he was expressing disgust because he believed the city was not including him in "important" meetings for problem houses within the city.
The entire text could not be published due to the colorful language.
Shortly after sending the text "as an angry friend" to Bricker, Smith said that he tried to rescind the resignation. The city administration chose not to allow him.
The city announced last week on its Facebook page that it was hiring another housing inspector for its health district. For more information about the position call 330-385-7900 or email health@eastliverpool.com.
After investigators forwarded the case to the county prosecutor's office for review, they also agreed that there was not enough to go forward with charges against either party (Dennis or Peachey) involved.
When reached for comment Saturday afternoon, assistant county prosecutor Christopher Weeda commended Morgan for his thorough investigation. But he added that the evidence was not enough to prove anyone guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
When contacted for comment this past weekend, Smith said that he had no political agenda when acting as housing inspector.
"I did my job to help people. I admit that I am not the most politically correct person, but I don't think (our) politicians are strong enough to take care of this." He expressed a desire to bring East Liverpool back to its former glory like when he grew up here.
As of Monday, Peachey has not filed petitions to seek his at-large council seat again unlike his colleagues, Fred Rayl, Scott Barrett and John Mercer. The filing deadline is 4 p.m. today. He had sought the post as a Republican in 2019.