DISCUSSION: ANOTHER STARK CO TOWNSHIP IN A TUSSLE WITH EMPLOYEE, IS THERE SOMETHING IN THE TOWNSHIP WATER? TUSCARAWAS, LAKE, MARLBORO & NIMISHILLEN

Things are not going well with Stark County Boards of Trustees over the space of the last several years.

Not long ago Tuscarawas Township trustees fired a couple of Road Department employees for fighting on the job and the township is now in a litigation mode vis-a-vis those employees (so far, losing).

A few years ago Lake Township Trustee Ellis Erb stirred up a hornet's nest with guess who? Yes, Road Department employees with allegations of abusive language but more so with administrative types with Township Administrator Carolyn Casey accusing Erb with employee harassment.

In early January (the 6th), we had the Marlboro Township trustees (at least Trustees Wise and Wolf) going off the deep end. They decided to put highly respected Police Chief Ron Devies on "paid administrative leave." Here it is nearly two months later and no results from the investigation. Investigation into what. Nobody seems to know.

Last week, Plain Township trustees got into fuss (but not with employees; rather each other) over the refusal (up until that meeting) of Trustee Pam Bossart since the beginning of 2009 to make motions or second motions.

Now it's Nimishillen Township's turn.

The STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) recently obtained a copy of a State Relations Employment Board (SERB) Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) decision on an "unfair labor practice" charge filed by former Road Department Superintendent Chris Peterson against Nimishillen Township.

The finding, if affirmed by the SERB board and appellate courts (assuming the Township will file appeals), could cost the township taxpayers in excess of $100,000.

And who is responsible for

The following except from the ALJ decision summarizes the case, to wit:


Chris Peterson, (brother of Nimishillen Twp Fire Chief Rich Peterson) according to the judge's decision has been employed in various fire department capacities for 27 years as well as Road Department Superintendent from January 27, 2006 through November 9, 2006 - when he was fired by the votes of Lynch and Lisa Shafer with then Trustee Todd Bosley voting no. Bosley is now a Stark County commissioner.

Judge Jewell singled out Trustee Michael Lynch as the culpable trustee in generating the "unfair labor practice."

Here is language from the ALJ decision focusing on Lynch:

In the end here is what it will cost Nimishellin Township, if they cannot turn around this decision. Again, from the ALJ decision:
A reliable public official, who is close to the Nimishillen Township political situation, says that this fuax-pas together with others, make Lynch (a Republican) and Shafer (a Democrat) unelectable come November. But the source did indicate that Lynch probably will not run again.

Some readers may remember Shafer for her "Boycott Louisville" move a couple of years ago. Couldn't be thought out very well, since a number of Nimshillen Township residents work - guess where? Yes!, Louisville.

So far, former township trustee Russ Goffus has taken out a petition as has Brenda M. Jorday.