Madison Township hires new zoning inspector after resignation of Amanda Harris
Madison Township will continue to have someone heading the zoning department after the end of this year.
Township trustees voted following an executive session at a special meeting Wednesday to hire 39-year-old Paul Smith as the township’s new zoning inspector and code enforcement officer effective Jan. 1.
Smith will replace Amanda Harris who submitted her resignation earlier this month, effective Dec. 31. Harris gave no specific reason in her resignation letter for leaving after just seven months on the job.
Smith was one of five people interviewed in June when Harris was hired. He was one of two people interviewed on Wednesday. The other had not previously applied.
Although Harris’ resignation was accepted at the trustees’ regular Dec. 4 meeting, Trustee Jim Houser said it took several days to schedule a meeting to find a replacement because trustees sought an opinion from the Richland County Prosecutor’s Office about whether they could go back to the previous candidate pool or would have to re-advertise the position.
Smith said he originally applied to be Madison zoning inspector because he wanted to be active in the community. “I’ve been in the area my whole life, 39 years, and I just wanted to help out the community and be a better part of it,” he said.
New zoning inspector lives just outside the township
Smith lives in Mifflin Township just outside of Madison Township, about “three minutes” from the township offices. “I’m really close to the office and can be responsive and check the phones more,” he said.
The zoning inspector is not required to live in the township.
Smith is an independent insurance agent who owns Paul Smith Family insurance in the Richland Mall in Ontario. He said he also has “a bit” of construction experience hauling construction equipment for Sunbelt Rental and spending time on job sites.
Smith said his insurance background will help with the zoning job because he deals with a lot of homeowners insurance and field underwriting on homes. “The flexibility of being a business owner also helped with the job given that the hours can be flexible if needed if a contractor has to come in late,” he said. “We have to be open to the public for a certain amount of time.”
Smith will be paid the same as Harris ― $600 per month plus 25% of all permit fees and $12.50 per hour for time spent in court. Trustees did not set any weekly or monthly number of work hours.
Hopes to 'shadow' current zoning inspector
Smith said he hopes to be able to “shadow” Harris before she leaves so he can “hit the ground running."
“She did a very good job. I spent time with her going through what she’s doing and what’s going on,” he said. “She has a very good system in place.”
Harris said in her letter of resignation that she will continue to work “thoroughly and diligently” through the end of her tenure and will be available to the trustees in 2024 for questions that may arise while training her replacement.
Houser said Smith will be formally introduced to the public and the trustees’ regular meeting Dec. 18.
In other business at Wednesday’s special meeting, trustees gave Ohio Edison the OK to replace six street lights in the Harpcrest Lighting District in front of the Madison Middle School at a cost of $1,254 because the area was dark. The board also held an executive session to discuss employee negotiations.
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: New Madison Township zoning inspector starts job Jan. 1
