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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014
Your Community Press newspaper serving Amelia, Batavia, Batavia Township, New Richmond, Ohio Township, Pierce Township, Union Township, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Township
BECAUSE COMMUNITY MATTERS
Two trustees bid an emotional farewell By Jeanne Houck jhouck@communitypress.com
Pierce Township Police Chief Jeff Bachman, right, and Lt. Edward Dye are both eligible for retirement but want to stay employed with the township. Trustees adopted a new policy to address the re-employment of township employees who are able to retire, and it was effective immediately. LISA WAKELAND/THE COMMUNITY PRESS
Pierce Twp. police chief retires, rehired Trustees say move will save twp. money By Lisa Wakeland lwakeland@communitypress.com
Pierce Township employees who retire can now keep their same job with the township, even as they collect retirement checks. Trustees unanimously approved a new policy regarding employees who are eligible to retire but want to stay employed with the township. The impetus behind the change is two police officers, Chief Jeff Bachman and Lt. Edward Dye, are eligible for a full, unreduced retirement with the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System, said Township Administrator David Elmer. However, Elmer said, both Bachman and Dye want to remain active and continue to work for the township. “We did not have a policy (that addressed) re-employment after retirement,” he said. “We have hired retired people in the past, from both the public and private sector, but we never had an employee retire amongst us and then continue (employment).” In subsequent motions, the Board of Trustees accepted the resignations of Bachman and Dye, effective Dec. 31, and then re-employed both officers, effective Jan. 1. State law requires a re-hired employee to forfeit his or her pension for two months, but once the Pierce Township employee begins receiving pen-
sion checks, he or she must take a 10 percent base salary reduction, according to the policy conditions. Trustee Christopher Knoop, whose term ended Dec. 31 because he did not seek re-election, said not only does the township save money on salary by rehiring the employees, but there also is no added cost of finding a replacement. “They have earned the right to retire,” said Trustee Bonnie Batchler, who began another term Jan. 1 after winning reelection. “It’s not like the township is giving them something – they’ve paid into their retirement. And that’s almost 30 years of experience you’re keeping in the township.” Bob Pautke, who was elected to fill Knoop’s seat, said the policy makes sense to him because it’s a savings to the township. Trustee Richard Riebel added, “I think it’s a great deal.” Bachman’s salary before retirement was $84,585, not including benefits, and he will make $76,127 when the reduction takes effect. Before coming to Pierce Township in 2002, Bachman worked for the Cincinnati Police Department for 15 years. He was promoted to a lieutenant for Pierce Township is 2007 and police chief in 2011. Dye’s salary before retirement was $74,505, not including benefits or overtime. He will make $67,055 when the salary reduction takes effect. Dye has been with Pierce Township since 1987 and was a patrol and school resource officer before his becoming a lieutenant.
UNION TWP — . Some people may believe politicians are cardboard characters in suits, but departing trustees Tim Donnellon and Robert McGee proved at their last board meeting that they are as human as the rest of us. Donnellon and McGee stood and smiled for the cameras when they were presented with plaques honoring them for their 13 years and 12 years, respectively, of service on the Union Township Board of Trustees. The trustees who lost reelection bids in November also graciously accepted resolutions declaring Wednesday, Jan. 1, “Tim Donnellon Day” and Thursday, Jan. 2, “Robert McGee Day” in the township. But after they sat back down, the trustees spoke from the heart and their farewell speeches were in turn proud, humble, defensive, grateful – and perhaps a bit snarky. McGee complained at the recent meeting that “our opponents have beaten us to death” over investments to help Jungle Jim’s International Market open and expand at 4450 Eastgate South Drive. “My answer to all you doom and gloomers who have opposed this venture is, ‘Look around’,” McGee said. “Eastgate has been revitalized by Jungle Jim’s moving into the township. As a result, the township workforce has increased by over 1,000 new positions. “We have placed $3 million in profit from that venture into the general fund of the township as of Nov. 27 from this socalled scandalous deal,” McGee said. “Empty stores are now occupied and Eastgate businesses are happy. “Put a smile on your sour face and move on,” McGee said. After voters approved a 2.95-mill levy for fire and police services in November 2009, Donnellon said, the board of trustees kept to its pre-balloting promise not to cut jobs or services for five years and instead concentrate on raising money through economic-development initiatives. Donnellon said citizens also were concerned about rumored shady financial dealings and openness in government and trustees responded by, for example, requiring every purchase order to be brought before trustees at a public meeting and increasing the number of monthly meetings from one to two. “We had a job to do, and we’ve done it,” said Donnellon, who last served as board chairman. Other accomplishments
FOOD
HOPE
Rita’s pizza recipe features healthy greens plus two kinds of cheese. Full story, B3
The sixth annual “Evening of Hope … a Celebration of Life” was recently conducted to benefit Cancer Support Community. Full story, B1
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Tim Donnellon says at his last meeting that he is proud of the things accomplished during his tenure on the Union Township Board of Trustees.JEANNE HOUCK/THE COMMUNITY PRESS Robert McGee says he and Tim Donnellon are leaving the Union Township Board of Trustees with a general fund balance of more than $10 million.JEANNE HOUCK/THE COMMUNITY PRESS
during their tenure touted by the trustees included the: » Opening in 2004 of the Union Township Civic Center at 4350 Aicholtz Road, which holds the trustees meeting room, administrative offices for the township and for the West Clermont Local Schools, a U.S. Post Office, a branch of the Clermont Senior Services, six public meeting rooms, a gymnasium, and an amphitheater. » Construction of two new firehouses. » Development of two new parks. » National accreditation of every department in the township. While other communities have been struggling with cuts in state appropriations, McGee said, Union Township has used tax-increment financing and joint economic-development districts to attract business and residential developments. “With the help of these tools, we have kept Union Township’s head above the water,” McGee said. “We did not come to you asking for a property tax or a new levy. Instead, we repealed a fire tax levy from 1976, returning funds back to our constituents. “We were constantly criticized by certain tea-drinking (Political Action Committee) organizations of the use of these funds made available to us (by law),” McGee said. “Without the use of these tools made available to the township, we would be in finan-
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cial distress at this time. “We are leaving the township with a general fund balance of over $10 million to continue the moving forward that the township has been involved in for the past decade under our watch,” McGee said. Trustees-elect Lloyd Acres and John McGraw, who were elected to four-year terms in November, will join Trustee Matthew Beamer, whose term ends in December 2015, at an organizational meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 2, at the civic center. One of the first things they will decide is whether Union Township Administrator Ken Geis, whose contract ends Feb. 1, should stay on. As a parting gift to Geis, Donnellon said the economicdevelopment initiatives pursued by Geis were “not of (Geis’) own volition,” but “at the direction of the board.” At meeting’s end, both Donnellon and McGee told Acres and McGraw, who were in the audience, that they should feel free to call upon them for any help they may need in the future. “Thank you. Appreciate that,” Acres said from his seat. For more about your community, visit www.Cincinnati.com/Union Township. Get regular Union Township updates by signing up for our email newsletter. Visit Cincinnati.com/ UnionTownship.
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