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CHESTERLAND CHESTERLAND EWS NN EWS Wednesday, October 27, 2021
Volume 53, No. 12
Your Community Newspaper Since 1967
Your Community Newspaper Since 1967
Chester Assistant Fire Chief Threatens Legal Action
Firefighters’ Union Passes No Confidence Vote in Chief, Asst. Chief By John Karlovec editor@geaugamapleleaf.com Chester Township’s assistant fire chief has threatened to sue the township, trustees and Clemans Nelson, an Akron-based human resource management and consulting firm hired to investigate whether or not any member of the Chester Township Fire Department violated state laws governing the department. Karen Moleterno, who has served the township for 34 years, including the last 15 as assistant fire chief, plans to pursue state and federal claims of sex discrimination, sex harassment, retaliation and violation of Ohio’s Open
Wargelin
Moleterno
Meetings Act, according to a Sept. 24 letter her attorney, Jack E. Moran, of Cleveland-based McCarthy Lebit Crystal & Liffman Co., LPA, sent to trustees Walter “Skip” Claypool, Joseph Mazzurco and Ken Radtke Jr., and Clemans Nelson Vice President Michael Esposito. Trustees had placed Moleterno on paid administrative leave on
July 16, 2021, following months of investigation and interviews of township employees, but reinstated her effective Aug. 31 with dramatically altered job responsibilities, according to Moran. “There is no record in the trustee minutes of this decision being made or a vote being held,” Moran said of trustees’ decision to reinstate Moleterno. “Bizarrely, Claypool told Karen that the demotion, which came with a relocation out of the fire station, was no ‘discipline’ — even though the trustees’ letter communicating the decision began with a discussion of allegations of misconduct See Fire Chief • Page 8
Farmers National Bank Opens in Chester
PAMELA J. MOLNAR/KMG
Farmers National Bank held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Oct. 25 for its newest location in Chesterland at 8389 Mayfield Road. Bank officials were joined by members of the Chardon Area Chamber of Commerce. The newest branch will offer traditional retail banking services as well as mortgage lending, trust services, commercial lending, business banking, private banking and wealth management services. To learn more about Farmers, visit farmersbankgroup.com. Pictured, from left, are Cathy Peters, Kerry Pizzulo, Karen Kenney, Jim Dean, Jim Dvorak, Kevin Helmick, Tonya Peto, Skip Claypool, Patricia Jarret, Ken Radtke, Joe Mazzurco and Marci Mondello-King.
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