Buckeye Water District Special Meeting

Friday - April 2: The BWD Board of Trustees met in a special meeting this past Friday at the Water Treatment Plant. Present at the meeting was Board President Mike Ryan, Board Members Cal Carney, Tim O'Hara, Gene McGaffick, Bob Wines, Rick Williams and Dave Lloyd. Also present was BWD Legal Counsel, Attorney Fred Emmerling, District Manager Al DeAngelis and Asst. District Manager Todd Brown. The purpose of the meeting was for Personnel matters.

The first portion of the meeting was devoted to disciplining a BWD employee that had been arrested for "menacing and disorderly conduct while being voluntarily intoxicated" when he was on the clock. The employee was immediately placed on paid suspension pending a BWD investigation & hearing. Shortly after opening the meeting Ryan asked for a motion to go into Executive Session.

It was a lengthy session with Salineville Police Chief Tim LaClair and various BWD officials testifying before the Board. The employee and his wife, along with their legal counsel, also met with the Board during the session.

When the meeting was reopened to the public it was announced that an agreement between the Board and the employee had been reached pending that all conditions be met. The employee was given a 10 day suspension without pay and 30 working days leave to allow him to seek treatment for drug &/or alcohol abuse. In addition to that the employee must seek treatment for anger management and possible depression. The employee must submit reports from doctors and counselors that he is successfully being treated and that he is continuing treatment for up to two years. He will be subject to random drug or alcohol testing and will have to report any prescriptions being taken to his supervisors. After the initial 30 day rehabilitation he will be brought back to work in some capacity. The employee must use accumulated sick time for the rehabilitation.

Attorney Emmerling advised that the decision to give the employee a second chance was made because of significant mitigating circumstances in the employee's personal life. Prior to his arrest the employee was productive member of the BWD team and had a good attendance record. The employee has over 18 years with the district and over 20 years built up toward his retirement. He publicly apologized to the Board and thanked the members for the chance to redeem himself.

The second item approved at the Special Meeting was passing a resolution establishing a new position for a Part Time Distribution Coordinator. The successful candidate for this position will report to the District Manager and the position will not exceed 32 hours per work week. Being only part time there will be no benefits offered by the District other than the pay check.

The resolution also spells out a job description and nature of work to be performed. Qualifications and required skills are also spelled out. The successful candidate must have a Class II water distribution license and a minimum of five years experience with water distribution. The resolution will become part of the BWD Personnel Policy Handbook.

Following the meeting Board President Ryan remarked that two jobs are already waiting for the part timer. The first will be getting the Mobile Pump Station (MPS) on line and the second will be getting Variable Frequency Drives (VFD)installed over the system. The MPS from Hibbits Mill was recently relocated to the West Point area to boost water pressure to customers on the northern part of the water system. VFDs are fairly new devices used to monitor and regulate water pressure in different areas of the system.

There will be an Engineering Committee meeting at 10 A.M. tomorrow at the Water Treatment Plant. It is a Progress Meeting with the contractor for Part B of the Salineville waterline project. Once Part B is completed Salineville will become a BWD customer.

The next regular meeting of the Board of Trustees is scheduled for Thursday, April 15 at 9 A.M. at Wellsville Village Hall.

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