FR chief Hartings resigns (05/17/06)

FORT RECOVERY — Maggie Hartings will be leaving her position as Fort Recovery’s police chief, but she won’t be leaving the village.

Citing a desire to spend more time with her family, Hartings submitted her resignation to the Fort Recovery Village Council Monday night, effective July 31. Hartings and her husband, Ken, have two small daughters.

Hartings, who has served as this Ohio community’s chief for the past five-plus years, will be taking a position as secretary at the Fort Recovery Middle School on Aug. 1.

The village will now start the application process to fill her position.

“It wasn’t an easy decision. I love being a police officer,” Hartings said. “I love this community.”

Hartings joined the department 11 years ago as a patrolman, and became chief when former chief Jeff Gray was elected Mercer County Sheriff.

The department also includes Jared Laux who has been a full-time patrolman for the past two years.

In other business Monday night council members heard village administrator Randy Diller give an update on projects.

He said the Buck Ditch project is nearly complete, except for some paperwork, and that water line material has been ordered for the Fremont Street reconstruction project. That work should begin shortly, Diller said, and will take about six weeks to complete.

The project, which will replace water lines as well as curbing and paving along the 300-foot long street between William and John streets just west of Fort Recovery High School, is estimated to cost about $100,000 and will be paid by village funds, Diller said.

He also told council members that the Fort Recovery Lions Club has pledged $25,000 to help purchase lights for Fort Site Park’s baseball field.

He said the town is expected to pick up the balance of the estimated $40,000 project. The replacement will include six new poles and 18 to 25 lights.

“Those lights are old, old, old,” Diller said of the current lighting system at the park.

Council approved a request to rezone lots 2 and 3 in Industrial Park West along Ohio 49, from I-1, light industry, to C-2, commercial.

Jutte Electric has proposed the construction of an office and warehouse in the park and in the future may place a day-care center near the warehouse.

The business currently has offices in a second-floor downtown business, Diller said. The shop and offices will both now be located in the industrial park.

The council also continued discussion on the creation of a sidewalk replacement policy. There has been none in the past, Diller explained. A policy would help maintain current and future sidewalks, he said, adding the town would work with residents concerning costs where sidewalks would be replaced.

Diller reminded residents that clean-up day in the town is set for Saturday and residents should have items placed at the curb by 6 a.m. that day.

“They (trash collectors) will make one swipe through town,” he said.[[In-content Ad]]