Council President Cathy Murphy read a Resolution of Appreciation at the Sept. 8th Council meeting, lauding newly retired George Wilson for his 32 years of service to the city.
Wilson had a cheering section of family members in attendance.
Mayor Scott Coleman later reported that he was in the process of interviewing possible replacement candidates and would request an executive session in the near future, to "discuss compensation" for the position.
HELLO PATROLMAN JEFFREY BALDREY
The mayor swore in the city's newest patrolman at the same Council meeting.
He is new to us, but not new to the profession.
Mr. Baldrey began his career with the Painesville Police Department in 2002.
After listing some of our newest patrolman's many accomplishments, Police Chief Jim Cook commented:
We are lucky to get him here.
He's an example of why we wanted to move the (qualification) age up from 35 to 40.
HELLO GLEAMING BEAUTY
Sitting in the parking lot outside the Council Chamber was the city's newest snowplow.
It's a brine truck---outfitted to spray a liquid salt solution as road salt is dropped, allowing better salt adhesion to winter roads.
Service Director Thom Evans did not disclose whether he's still seeking to spray processed frack drilling refuse "production water" on city streets this winter or whether he'd settle for using regular old salt & water brine.
The fancy new plow brought to mind a newspaper article I read recently, discussing one downside of the frack drilling craze.("Regulators Act to Ease Quake Peril in Oklahoma", N.Y. Times, 8/5/15).
Frack drilling uses lots and lots of water, sand and chemicals to fracture shale rock deep underground.
That results in lots of contaminated "production" wastewater that needs to be disposed of.
Some energy companies have been pumping the stuff in "disposal" or "injection wells"---which, in some areas like Oklahoma and our own Youngstown, has triggered earthquakes.
Affected states are trying to put an end to that practice.
That has pushed energy companies to try to come up with other ways to (cheaply) get rid of frack drilling wastewater----including selling purportedly "purified" production water as snow removal liquid brine.
Is that something you want our Service Department to be spreading on your street this winter?If not, you need to talk to your favorite Council person ASAP...
Otherwise that stuff may be seeping into your tree lawn come spring
