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FRANKLIN SQUARE -- Three residents spoke out in support of Constable Dan Valentine at the Salem Township trustee meeting Tuesday, saying he's needed in the township.
Tami Dennison indicated she wanted to show her support after seeing the negative comments made last month by a resident criticizing trustees for reinstating Valentine following a criminal case against him.
"We need him here. He's done so much good for the community. If they knew him, they'd know that," she said, referring to Ed and Dean Farmer, who also attended the meeting. "We really need him."
Ed Farmer had questioned trustees at the last meeting and again questioned them at this meeting regarding Valentine, along with Dean Farmer, who made known his displeasure with the reinstatement.
Dennison commented that the Columbiana County Sheriff's Office can't always be there as quickly while Valentine's right there.
"He knows all of us. He cares," she said.
Her granddaughter, Emma Jenkins, also spoke in support of Valentine, agreeing with everything her grandmother said.
"He's done a lot of good for the township," Dennison said.
Tony Waskiewicz, another township resident, told trustees he was there to get more involved in what goes on in the township.
"I like the way things are, everything seems good, got police around, sheriff's department here, everything looks good," he said.
After the meeting, he said he was also there in support of Valentine.
Trustees thanked them all for their support.
In October, Valentine was charged with theft, a first-degree misdemeanor, after being accused of pocketing five mini bottles of liquor at the Wine Connection in Columbiana. After being contacted by Columbiana police, he returned the bottles and tried to make restitution, telling the officer he just forgot to pay. He had purchased a case of beer, but didn't pay for the mini bottles.
Trustees placed him on paid administrative leave in November and then reinstated him to full duty in December after he pleaded guilty to an amended charge of disorderly conduct, which is a minor misdemeanor. The assistant prosecutor in Mahoning County Court in Canfield had filed a motion to amend the charge. Valentine paid a fine of $100 and was ordered to stay out of Wine Connection.
At the last meeting, trustees said that disorderly conduct is a misdemeanor and they had no power to dismiss him, per their legal counsel's advice. Trustee Bill Heston also said at the last meeting that trustees received three or four letters in support of Valentine, but received no letters of complaint.
Dean Farmer challenged Heston on the trustees receiving no letters of complaint, claiming a "play on words" because he had called Heston to express his disapproval. He also asked about Valentine serving as fire marshal and wanted to know if trustees knew he had not held firefighter credentials since 2009.
Valentine said he was aware, but he also said the fire marshal duty had been turned over to the township and because of his past experience in the fire service and continuing education, he was still qualified to serve as fire marshal.
When asked why his continuing education wasn't on file with the fire department, Valentine said everything is filed with the township. Dean Farmer wanted to know the cost benefit for the township. Heston pointed out that Valentine only gets paid as fire marshal when there's a fire investigation.
Dean Farmer also presented Fiscal Officer Dale Davis with a list of questions related to the constable position, such as salary, hours, fringe benefits, costs for the patrol unit and how the patrol unit is used. He said he tried to mail it before, but sent it to the wrong address. He said he wants to know the citizens' return on the investment for the constable position.
Ed Farmer raised the issue of the charge against Valentine again, saying they pledged allegiance to the flag at the beginning of the meeting, under God.
"Our God made 10 commandments. One of those is thou shall not steal," he said, asking if they should throw away the flag.
Heston said he spent four years in the service and didn't want to hear any talk about throwing away the flag.
In other business, Davis told trustees they received another check from the Bureau of Workers' Compensation, this time for $8,465 for dividends. He commented he would like to know who does the agency's investing, noting they received a return of recent premiums, too. The money will go into the general fund.
Valentine reported getting the police cruiser repaired recently for an issue. He also said he spoke to a couple of fire chiefs about the adoption of the fire code, suggesting trustees adopt the current code every year since it's constantly changing.
The next meeting will be 7 p.m. Feb. 9 at the administration building off of state Route 558.
mgreier@salemnews.net