Sugarcreek council discusses Grove resource officer proposal

Posted By: VenangoExtra.com March 22, 2018

By WILLIAM STEVENS

Staff writer

The issue of security was brought up at Wednesday’s Sugarcreek Borough Council meeting when borough Police Chief Matt Carlson mentioned the proposed addition of a school resource officer within Valley Grove School District.

“We have a meeting with the mayor next week and we want to meet with the (Valley Grove) superintendent (Kevin Briggs) too,” Carlson said. “Everything is in the preliminary stages right now.”

Carlson said interested council members could attend that meeting, at which point councilman James Speth spoke up.

Speth expressed his desire to be present at the meeting, and he asked if there was a way for Carlson to bring up the issue of arming the teachers within the school district.

“I don’t mind arming certain people as long as they go through the correct training,” Carlson said.

Council vice president Larry Baughman and borough solicitor Brian Spaid both pointed out that arming the teachers falls outside council’s jurisdiction.

“Police wouldn’t be able to train the teachers, and we can’t be involved in the training process at all,” Spaid said.

Carlson said he also plans to sit down with Briggs to further discuss the proposed addition of a school resource officer.

Mayor Charlie McDaniel said he wanted to discuss the issue further in executive session, and the panel held an executive session at the close of business.

Dirty water concerns

In other action Wednesday, borough resident Donna Dunkle brought the issue of dirty water to council’s attention.

Dunkle said she noticed a problem roughly two weeks ago and began to monitor the issue since she and her husband use a water filter on their property on Rocky Grove Avenue.

Baughman asked if any of Dunkle’s neighbors had experienced a similar issue but she said she hadn’t asked.

Borough manager Joe Sporer said he thinks the issue is a build-up of silt on the bottom of the Oak Hill water tank that wouldn’t be noticeable unless someone was using a filter.

Sporer also said that since that water tank is scheduled to be rehabilitated over the summer, the issue would be fixed when the tank is cleaned.

In the meantime, Sporer asked Dunkle to continue to monitor the matter and let the borough know if the problem persists beyond April.

Council will next meet Wednesday, April 4, in the borough administration building.