In swift response to state legislation, Mount Gilead Council approved the establishment of a volunteer peace officer dependents fund board at its April 19 meeting.

The state legislature approved, Senate Bill 11 designates that every municipality in Ohio with volunteer peace officers is to create a fund board to oversee state funding that would go to volunteer officers disabled or killed in the line of duty.

“We had to move quickly to meet their (the state’s) guidelines,” Mount Gilead Mayor Mike Porter said. “We’ll probably see communities all over the state following suite.”

Council appointed members Keith Strait and Chris Sherbourne to serve on the newly established board. They will join Mount Gilead Police Chief Brian Zerman and Mount Gilead Police Officer John Hicks, as well as retired Mount Gilead Fire Chief Don Staiger.

The bill stipulates that the dependents’ fund board is to meet promptly after the being organized, and members will not be compensated.

Additionally, Council approved a measure to second reading that will correct a typographical error in the previously passed “Good Neighbor” ordinance.

Council members also agreed to be included in a newly updated Morrow County hazard mitigation after newly appointed Morrow County Emergency Management Director John Harsch presented the measure to the legislature.

The county-wide plan is set to be fully updated by the end of 2017.

Set to participate in Morrow County hazard mitigation plan

By Zach Jones

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Reach at 419-946-3010 ext. 1803 or on Twitter @zJones_1239