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Thursday, October 4, 2018
Environmental Director resigns from Health Dept. We were warned about him from Tuscarawas County before we hired him. But we did anyway. Others should be made aware that he is a problem child. Board member Tom White
By NANCY SCHAAR
FPS Correspondent
The Carroll County General Health District Board of Health met and Board President Dr. Walter Scott Stine announced that Scott Lenigan, Environmental Health Director, had submitted a letter of resignation. The one line resignation was
submitted on Tuesday, Sept. 4 at 4 p.m. to Interim Health Commissioner Dr. Wendy Gotschall and effective immediately. “Due to circumstances beyond my control, I am resigning my position as Environmental Health Director……,” stated Lenigan. Lenigan was hired on June 18, 2015 for the position with the county health department.
Lenigan had been criticized in recent months because of the failure of a well that was dug for a county resident that he had approved. A well for Mary Passwaters was drilled in 2016. The well was inspected and approved by Lenigan, but collapsed. There was a one year warranty included with the grant but that time had elapsed when the well failed. A Stone Creek area company, American Drilling and Plumbing, was hired to drill the well. It has since been proven that the company did not follow proper rules and regulations. The first hole failed and was filled in but not reported to the health department. A second well was dug but that also collapsed when the pump fell into the well. Lenigan had signed off
on the first and the second well. Further inspection in recent months showed the health department that the wells were supposed to be drilled ten feet apart. But Lenigan evidently approved the second well which is only 29 ½ inches from the first well. Lenigan reported that the driller had not filed proper reports and had learned there were violations filed against the company that had not been resolved. Numerous attempts to contact American Drilling and Plumbing got the department nowhere. The State Health Department was contacted and nothing was accomplished through them either for several months. But finally progress was made recently when the state contacted the bond
Crowning Achievement
company with which American Drilling and Plumbing had left a $10,000 bond as required. The state is attempting to place a hold on that money, as they are permitted, in order to force the driller to make the proper restitution. With the bond canceled, the driller is not permitted to drill another well of any kind, anywhere, until he restores the $10,000 bond with the state. Passwaters has been using water holding tanks for the last couple of months but is very concerned that winter is approaching and she still has no water in her home. Board member Sean Speedy has criticized Lenigan and questioned Lenigan as to why he approved the well
See RESIGNS, PG. 2
Commissioners learn of county participation in Open Checkbook Commissioners received a presentation from Dan Risko, Deputy Director of Public Affairs for State Treasurer Josh Mandel. Risko was there with Carroll County Auditor Lynn Fairclough to present the launch of the OhioCheckbook.com program for the county. Mandel stated in a press release that Carroll County was the 42nd county to sign up for the program. “This sets a new national standard for government transparency,” stated Mandel. Risko demonstrated for commissioners how anyone can view any check that has been written, any expense or bill that has been paid by the county, online for residents to monitor. For Carroll County that totals over 56,000 individual transactions representing more than $305 million expenditures between 2015 and 2017. “I am excited for Carroll County to join the OhioCheckbook.com and increase transparency for our residents. This website is a great tool for our citizens and will provide them with a better view into the operations of county government,” said Fairclough. No account numbers or personal information is included on the program. Risko said that a check format is used but the address, phone numbers or account numbers of the recipient of the funds is not identified. The information can be sorted by departments or
See CHECKBOOK, PG. 12
FPS Photo | JORDAN MILLER
Alli Davis getting crowned by Kira Anderson.
Davis crowned 2018 Carrollton Homecoming Queen Miss Allison Davis was crowned Carrollton High School’s 2018 fall sports homecoming queen during pregame ceremonies Friday night at Community Field when the Warriors hosted West Branch. Daughter of Todd and Kim Davis of Carrollton, Allison is a four-year member oft he volleyball team, two-year member of the track team, four-year member of the FFA and Student Council. She also is a two-yea member of the National Honor Society. Allison served on the prom committee her junior year and has been a member of the Academic Hall of Fame three times. In track, Allison was a member of the state runner-up
4x800 relay team in 2017 and was also a member of the team that finished as the state runner-up in Division II. In FFA, Allison was the state runner-up in the 2017 FFA Job Interview contest. She attends Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church. Upon graduation Allison plans to attend The Ohio State University to major in anima science. She was crowned by Kira Anderson, the 2017 fall homecoming queen and received a football autographed by members of the CHS fall sports teams. She also received a bouquet of flowers donated by Bud’s Florist and a trophy donated by the Awards Center. Student Council members who took part in the
crowning ceremonies included Malina Moore, Lizzie McNutt, Kylie Smith, Abby Leasure and Jayle Solomon. Members of the queen’s court were: Chloe Glass, daughter of Denny and Michelle Glass of Carrollton; Sadie Green, daughter of Fred and Tricia Green of Mechanicstown; Rickee Stidom, daughter of Rick and Desiree Stidom of Salineville, and Miranda Stonemetz, daughter of Don and Tonya Stonemetz of Carrollton. The queen and court were also honored at an alumni dance held Saturday evening in the CHS gym.
FPS Correspondent
Christopher Ericksen, 25, of Fable Rd., Sherrodsville received a sentence of 48 months in prison during proceedings Thursday before Carroll County Common Pleas Court Judge Dominick Olivito. Upon Ericksen’s release from prison, he will also not be permitted to have a driver’s license for a five year period. He will also have to pay a $1,000 fine and all court costs. The mandatory sentence was given after Ericksen changed his plea from not guilty to no contest on charges of aggravated vehicular assault, vehicular assault, and two counts of driving under the influence. He was sentenced for aggravated vehicular assault and the three other charges were
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combined. While Ericksen was driving he was involved in a two-car crash on Sept. 29, 2017, on SR 39 just south of Dellroy. 911 received the call at 1:34 a.m. and deputies responded only to find the driver of the second vehicle trapped inside. Kimberly J. Locker, 22, of Granada Rd., Dellroy, was rescued by deputies from her burning vehicle. Attempts by deputies to extinguish the fire were unsuccessful. Locker was transported to Dellroy Elementary School and flown by Cleveland Metro Med Flight to the hospital. Ericksen was transported to Aultman Hospital for minor injuries. A sheriff’s deputy was also transported to Mercy Medical Center for injuries he sustained while attempting to free
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Locker from the burning car. Locker was unable to be at the hearing due to her injuries, but more than 25 family members and friends sat together to offer each other their support through the difficult proceedings. Prior to the hearing, Locker had asked Olivito if he would permit her “to attend” the hearing via Skype. Olivito granted her request, and Steve Kadis, CEO of Serversim, who handles courthouse technical needs, set up computers and cameras so that Locker could see and hear the proceedings and face Ericksen. Locker’s parents chose not to speak at the proceedings and let their daughter speak for herself. Judge Olivito asked Locker if he could show a photograph of her right after the collision to those in the
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By NANCY SCHAAR
FPS Correspondent
courtroom. Locker said yes. The Judge personally showed the 8 x 10 photo of Locker in her hospital bed following the amputations of her legs to each and every person in the courtroom that day, including Ericksen. Olivito was asked by Locker to read her Victim Statement. Olivito tried. After only a few words, he became quite emotional and asked the Baliff to read Locker’s statement. Locker said the life she had planned now seemed like a distant dream. “I had a job I enjoyed. I was going to be a nurse. I had dreams of someday getting married, having children, and living happily ever after,” stated Locker. Locker said she is reminded every
Amy Rutledge, Director of the Convention and Visitors Bureau, was pleased to have Aaron J. Potts, better known as “Pottsy” unveil his latest creation on the square Saturday. Pottsy is well known for his metal creations of beauty. He designed a metal grouping of daffodils since it is the county flower. The grouping stands more than nine feet tall. The design and shaping took two days in his shop and was placed in the large flowerbed on the square. He is a mechanical engineer and does design work for many companies including Timken and UCLA, to name only two. This side career in metal flowers began in 2010 when his mom, Gwen Potts, saw a flower made of metal in Home and Garden magazine that was made basically of junk. She showed it to him and said he could make something better than that. And he did. He gave it to her on mother’s day; it was an orange poppy and she still has it. His crew works only a few months of the year on these flowers, but the results have become well known. They ship orders and have customers in Virginia, New York, Idaho, Cleveland, Pittsburgh — you name the state or city and he has probably shipped one there. “I have one lady in Texas that comes through once a year and always lets me know ahead of time so I can have an assortment on hand for her to buy,” said Pottsy. He connected with Channel Lock in Meadville,
See RECEIVES, PG. 14
See FLOWER, PG. 12
Sherrodsville man receives 48 months jail time By NANCY SCHAAR
Unveiling of Pottsy Flower on the Square
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