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SALEM -- Perry Township's new police Chief Richard Kimble said he's looking forward to continuing to serve the residents.
A law enforcement veteran with 27 years experience, Kimble had been the acting chief since April 2 and on Monday was appointed to the position on a permanent basis, increasing his pay to $25.91 per hour.
Trustees had elevated Kimble from sergeant to acting chief when police Chief Mike Emigh stepped away April 1, with his retirement taking effect Thursday. Emigh used a combination of vacation time, medical leave and compensatory time for the period in between.
Trustees invited Emigh to their meeting to honor his retirement with an engraved award, thanking him for all of his years of dedicated service to the township.
"I've enjoyed it," Emigh said.
He joined the township police department part-time on April 20, 1991, then became a full-time officer in 1999. He was appointed sergeant and acting chief in September 2008 and then became chief in November 2008.
He leaves with 32 years in law enforcement, getting his start in Knox Township. His plans are to enjoy a quiet life with his family and do some traveling.
Kimble graduated from Oak Glen High School and from the police academy at the former Jefferson Technical College, now known as Eastern Gateway Community College, in Steubenville. He started with the Salineville Police Department in 1995 part-time, then full-time, then worked full-time for Lisbon, moved to Columbia, South Carolina where he worked full-time for the Columbia police department, then returned to Ohio and a part-time position with Perry Township in 2005.
Kimble was hired full-time with the Salem Police Department in 2006 and joined the Columbiana County Sheriff's Office as a full-time deputy in 2010 before returning to Perry Township full-time in 2018 and being named sergeant. Trustees used the past three months to evaluate him before naming him permanent chief.
"I'm excited they're giving me the opportunity to serve the township," Kimble said.
The trustees also named Kimble's replacement in the sergeant's position, appointing Jordan Reynolds as the new sergeant effective July 1 at a rate of $23.12 per hour. Reynolds has been with the department several years.
In other business, trustees voted to purchase a Scag mower from Hilltop Lawn and Garden for $10,039 for the road department to replace a 2002 Steiner they may advertise for auction. They also approved a new alternative method of apportionment of Local Government Funds for 2023.
The trustees entered into executive session for legal contracts, with no action to be taken.
The trustees heard noise complaints again from Dean and Patty Bosworth of West 14th Street regarding their neighbor peeling out and starting his vehicle engines at night, saying he has pipes on cars that make loud noises. They said they're tired of the noise and wanted to know if there was anything trustees could do to get it stopped.
"We're aware of the situation going on out there," Trustee Chair Steve Bailey said.
Kimble had already spoken to the neighbor and said he would speak to him again.
"You're tired of it, we're tired of it, everybody's tired of it," he said.
Bailey repeated that the police department was aware and the township was dealing with the issue.
Alyssa Lane and Jenna Rydarowicz, who want to put a daycare in the former Jehovah's Witness location on State Boulevard, explained their issue with the building being zoned residential instead of commercial, which is what they thought it was when they purchased it. They've been trying to work with the zoning department and trustees on the issue.
Trustee Tony Ieropoli suggested donating the fire department's old jaws of life equipment to Columbiana County's Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). The equipment is 30 years old and obsolete. The fire department just got new battery-operated equipment.
The next meeting will be 4 p.m. July 11 at the administration building on North Ellsworth Avenue.