New officer hired by Portland

Portland is getting a new police officer.

Members of a local board voted Thursday morning to hire Coldwater, Ohio, resident Nathan Johnsman, 23, to work as a full-time officer for the Portland Police Department.

He will begin working for the department in January and is expected to complete training at the police academy in June. The Portland Board of Works voted Thursday to hire Johnsman, temporarily bringing the police force to 14 full-time officers.

It was also announced Thursday morning that Mark Heath, a 30-year veteran of the police department and current assistant chief, will retire in June.

Randy Geesaman, city clerk-treasurer, said Thursday afternoon that the city has had the salary for a 14th officer in the budget since 2004. Bob Sours, Portland police chief, said the city last had 14 full-time officers in 2004.

This summer, city officials announced that the city applied for federal stimulus money to pay for a 14th officer. Geesaman said Thursday that the city was not awarded the funds.

Johnsman, a graduate of Coldwater High School, has been working as a reserve police officer and a part-time dispatcher for Portland police since June, Sours said. He graduated from the Vantage Police Academy in Ohio earlier this year. However, since hasn't worked as a full-time police officer for a year, he will have to attend Indiana's police academy, Sours said.

If Johnsman had worked as a full-time officer for a year, he could have tested out of Indiana's academy, he said.

As a Portland police officer, Johnsman must sign an agreement with the city. The agreement states that if the city pays for him to attend the police academy, he must remain with the department for three years.

If he leaves after one year, he will have to pay back all of the cost of attending the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy, which would be about $4,000. If he leaves in the second year after completing the academy, he must pay back two-thirds of the costs, and he will have to pay one-third of the cost if he leaves in the third year.

Geesaman said that at this time, city officials have not discussed hiring a 14th officer after Heath retires. But Sours later said that he would like to eventually see the police force back at 14.

Also Thursday, board members

•Voted to award a contract for gasoline and diesel fuel for city vehicles to Fleet Sales (Village Pantry).

The company offered a price at 4 cents off the pump price in 2010. Murphy Oil, which is located at the Wal-Mart Supercenter, offered to take 1 cent off the pump price.

•Voted to accept all bids for asphalt, sand and gravel and oil. Bids were submitted by Meshberger Brothers Stone Corporation/Lica Construction, A. Landon Excavating, Ernst Concrete, Berne Ready Mix, AgBest and G&G Oil.

•Approved a request to adjust the sewage portion of a Portland couple's water/sewage bill.

Kevin and Terri Inman, 1460 West Tyson Road, had a water leak between the house and the meter. The sewage portion of their bill will be adjusted down to a three-month average prior to the leak.[[In-content Ad]]