KPD gets MARCS radios thanks to health department

The Kenton Police Department will be using two MARCS radios purchased through the Kenton-Hardin Health Department.
Nurse Mindy Hensel told the health board Tuesday the purchases come through the funding for the Emergency Preparedness Grant. While the units will belong to the health department, they are providing them to the police for their use.
Chief John Vermillion said today the hand-held radios will be available for officers to carry with them to maintain communications with the sheriff’s office. The Hardin County Sheriff’s Office uses the MARCS radios, but the change hasn’t been within the city’s budget, said Vermillion.
“This is a big benefit to us,” said the chief. “It’s very much appreciated.”
Hensel said the grant to Hardin County was increased for 2012 by an additional $18,000. The county received $87,681 this year and will get another $69,600 in 2012. She asked the board to approve the hiring of a person to oversee the grant funding using the recevied funding for that person’s salary compensation.
“The grant would pay for everything,” said Hensel.
The board approved for Hensel to advertise for applicants for the position.
Later in the meeting, the board learned a family given a sewer variance is not living up to their agreement.
In a report to the board, Sanitarian Gary Shields told the board the property, located on County Road 35, was given board permission last year to bring a mobile home onto the site.
Shields recently discovered the trailer has been placed near the house at the location, but is tied into the sewer system of the home and is getting water from an outside source. These are violations of the agreement, said Shields, and is in violation of local and state regulations.
The board gave the unidentified property owners two weeks to come up with a plan to meet the requirements. If not, they home could be condemned by the health department.
Also at the meeting, Director of Environmental Services Shane Lotts reported to the board the owner of a home at 824 W. North St. in Kenton has not cleaned up his property to an acceptable level. The City of Kenton has provided the owner with recycling bins and trash bags in an effort to address the problem.
“He is still not where he needs to be,” Lotts told the board.
The 30 days given the owner by court order to clean up the mess is set to expire Thursday, said Lotts.
In other action, the board:
– Agreed to explore a proposal for the health department to provide a nurse for the Upper Scioto Valley Schools next year.
– Learned the Ohio Department of Agriculture has placed an Amish family on its “watch list” for selling unapproved canned items.
– Was told the owner of a shed at 307 S. Wayne St. in Kenton has been given until May 10 to remove the trash from the structure.
– Heard Shields report he has completed his portion of the investigation at Fairground Road and U.S. 68. The OEPA has required the residents in that area to address a sewer issue. A meeting is being set up to determine a course of action, said Shields.

By DAN ROBINSON
Times staff writer

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Posted by Kenton Times on April 25, 2012. Filed under Local News,Recent Headlines. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry