Uhrichsville council approves appropriations, some members criticize mayor

UHRICHSVILLE — In a meeting that saw some City Council members make accusations against Mayor Mark Haney, council members unanimously approved appropriations for the current year.

The $5.1 million spending plan passed Thursday. The mayor said the document was late because council failed to hold a year-end meeting to close the books so the amount of money left over from 2021 would have been known, and added to the total available for 2022.

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The year-end balance could have been established a Dec. 27 meeting, which council cancelled when it met Dec. 9.

Criticism bounces between Uhrichsville council members and mayor

Council President Robert "Buck" Cottrell said at the end of Thursday's council meeting that three attempts to schedule an emergency meeting in December were unsuccessful due to Haney's interference. Cottrell said Haney told three council members not to attend the meetings, resulting in the lack of the needed quorum.

"The failure to hold the customary year-end meeting put the city in jeopardy," Cottrell said.

Haney said he did not tell council members to stay away from the emergency meetings.

Councilman Michael Huff, one of the three, said he was unable to attend the emergency meetings because he had to work. He is the general manager in a restaurant, which was busy in December.

Law Director J.J. Ong said the state auditor will probably cite the city for failing to perform the year-end reconciliation on time. In response to a question from Councilman Matthew Fox, Ong said he did not know whether the city would be fined.

Councilwoman Amy Myers accused Haney of selling two pieces of city equipment, an ambulance and a pothole patcher, without council authorization. She also said Haney had spent more than $2,000 without the needed approval from council.

Cottrell told Haney he spent money that he should not have spent.

Haney said prior council action permits the mayor to spend up to $10,000 without council approval.

Haney produced affidavits from former city officials who backed his claim about the $10,000 spending limit and authorizations to sell the ambulance and patching equipment. He said the 1996 ambulance was unused, but the city was still paying for its insurance.

Ong said there was no evidence of a $2,000 or $10,000 spending limit in city ordinances.

After council concluded its business Thursday, Cottrell made a series of accusations against Haney, including the charge of interference with council attendance.

"I believe the actions of Mayor Haney contributed greatly to the problems experienced by Uhrichsville council in 2021," Cottrell said.

Cottrell said Haney pushed former city auditor Jessica Young from her position by pressuring her not to make disputed income tax payments to Dennison, despite council voting to continue to pay the tax. The payments would give Dennison 37 percent of Uhrichsville city income taxes collected from Claymont High School employees under terms of a 1998 agreement between the two communities.

More: Uhrichsville City Council demands Dennison meet to renegotiate tax-sharing agreement

Cottrell said Haney told Young she could be cited by the state auditor for making the payments.

"He has overstepped his authority," Cottrell said.

He said Haney wrongly sold the ambulance at the pothole patcher, and spent money without council approval. After the meeting, Cottrell said the excess spending was for the repair of police cruiser.

"This is called deflecting from the real problem, which is that he can't run council," Haney said after the meeting.

Haney said he has filed a complaint with the Ohio Ethics Commission over council's Dec. 9 action appointing Fox to a council vacancy that occurred at the same meeting.

More: James Zucal resigns from Uhrichsville City Council, immediately replaced by Matthew Fox

In other action Thursday, council:

• Authorized the administration to buy buy emergency medical equiment with a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The city will buy power cots that relieve the strain on paramedics who lift patients, and cardiac equipment that incudes defibrillators and heart monitors. The grant will pay $109,555. The city will pay $5,478.

• Agreed to continue to ban the use of fireworks by private individuals. The decision overrides the effect of state legislation that permits consumer fireworks use on certain days.

• Learned that Haney had appointed assistant auditor Becky Carpenter to replace Young, who resigned from the auditor's position Jan. 6, citing a hostile work environment. The auditor's term runs through 2023. Carpenter is to be paid both the salary of the auditor and assistant's wages until an assistant is hired.

Myers made a public apology to Young for the allegedly hostile work environment in the municipal building.

Service Director Belle Everett said Friday that Cottrell’s accusations at Thursday’s meeting were "extremely disrespectful and inaccurate."

"Neither Council President Cottrell or Councilwoman Myers have approached me, either personally or electronically, to discuss or to inquire the alleged ‘hostile work environment,’" Everett said in a prepared statement, "It is my understanding that Mayor Haney was not approached by Cottrell or Myers. The city did not create a hostile work environment. We had no knowledge of Young’s intention to resign prior to Ms. Young tendering her resignation to Law Director Ong on January 6th.

"While I had received several complaints of Ms. Young’s behavior and action toward others, I had never spoken to Ms. Young about the complaints. I chose to speak off the record because I did not want to embarrass her. It is clear to me that this matter has gotten out of hand. It is unfortunate that Ms. Myers and Mr. Cottrell chose to take the low road at last night’s meeting. They do not know the depth of the situation nor does it seem as if they care to know.

"Mayor Haney and I have have done everything in our power to operate the city in an effective and proficient manner," Everett wrote. "We are professional and work with the public, council members and the city employees in a respectful manner. It’s a shame that Myers and Cottrell only choose to grandstand while they are streaming live."

Thursday's council meeting was shown live on the city's Facebook page.

This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Uhrichsville council and mayor tangle over spending issues