By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com
Another request for the mayor of Crestline to step down came during Crestline’s Village Council meeting Monday night, while a member of Council resigned.
During the new business portion of the meeting Councilman Kevin Taylor read in a prepared statement that due to inconsistencies, and leaving the village of Crestline in a financial hole, Mayor David Sharrock should resign from his position, while Taylor himself announced his resignation effective at the end of the year.
Taylor alleged that while investigating facts with the police and fire department that he began receiving personal threats to himself, his employer and his family. He added that with the more unfavorable the information requested the more often the personal attacks occurred.
“With all of these inconsistencies and the current state of finances it should be mandatory that the mayor resign so that Crestline can work out of the mess that you left us in,” Taylor said.
“Lastly, I want to thank everyone who took the time to support me throughout this past year. To those who elected me to council. I want to thank those who entrusted me to with their complaints and problems, and I am truly sorry I wasn’t able to accomplish to fix all of them. I have served my country, my state, my county, and my home town for 18 years,” Taylor continued. “With that I want to say that December 31, 2014 will be my last day on Village Council. With the personal attacks that I suffered on almost weekly basis, the attacks on my job, and most recently the gross personal attacks on my family, I do not feel it is worth it anymore.”
A transcript of Taylor’s statement can be found at the bottom of this story.
Crestline Council unanimously approved establishing temporary appropriations for the 2015 fiscal year Monday night. The appropriations totaling $5,098,011 will be finalized no later than March 31, 2015.
Council also approved a future smooth seal pavement treatment project by ODOT for 1.67 miles of work on State Route 61. The project is scheduled for the summer 2016 construction season. By approving the project Crestline will give consent for the improvement. No funds are required from the village unless there are added construction items requested by the village and are not necessary for the improvement as determined by the State and Federal Highway Administration.
Conforming to enactments of the Ohio General Assembly, Crestline Council approved to update their Traffic and General Offenses Codes to comply with the General Assembly.
During the unfinished business portion of the meeting Councilman Clayton Herold announced that Darren and Jamie Earls of 1046 N. Washington Ave., Crestline were selected by the Crestline Community Development Team as the Eye Candy Holiday House this past Thursday. The Earls were presented with a Certificate of Recognition and gift certificates to the Depot Deli in Crestline.
Councilman Kevin Taylor’s prepared statement at the Dec. 22, 2014 Crestline Village Council meeting:
“I want to take this time to address the Crestline residents, the media, and my fellow council members. The past year has been an eye opening opportunity on Council, but I want to take this time to put speculation to rest.
Over this year two individuals have begun a crusade first trying to change the council rules, and then attempting to get me into trouble for investigating them for the facts. Those individuals then tried to get me removed from council by contacting the council saying I violated the law. Then when that did not work they tried spreading rumors and lies about me that I wanted to get rid of the fire department and police department.
I investigated the facts strictly with the police department and fire department. The fire department wasn’t billing enough for crashes on certain calls Mr. Milliron and I both saw it. It was another sad attempt to discredit and turn people against me.
When this failed they then used councilmen to attempt to change the rules of council. They told councilmen to investigate items on their own and bring forth items on their own and use progression when needed. It is very odd that only certain rules are only enforced when it is used by those individuals and a couple elected officials
Next the individuals tried to separate council members and stated on more than a few times that they want certain councilman not to be re-elected. To me it truly appears that when you don’t fit the good ole boys network that actually investigates the facts, you are not welcome here, you are definitely not welcome to the facts.
When all this didn’t work my two other employers were called and they tried to get me in trouble with my employers. The more unfavorable the information I requested and asked for the more often both my employers were called.
Case in point the K-9 fund and a few other items that included getting a few complaints to the administrators by you the citizens; I was investigated thoroughly by both my employers and was found to not have violated anything according to policy or against the law. Once again to smear my name and integrity; even after I brought this up to our administrator.
I was reminded by several people that the mayor was elected by the people. I say yes, yes he is by the people and for the people. Under strictness of due diligence and the law to do the best job that the position demands.
I say that he is not doing the job that Crestline demands because we are failing. In the next few months you will all find out how bad of financial problems we are in. We have lost 27 employees in the police department, because he takes the side of the police chief, who was currently appointed by the mayor, who never passed any exam for the position, and is living with the mayor’s best friend’s daughter. There again the good ole boys.
We were told that they wanted to clean house and that it would only take a few short phone calls to see how those 27 police officers are doing at their respective places. Every answer that I ever received they hired our next supervisor, our next detective or we’ve hired our next chief. Not bad employees as someone put it.
It has permitted Crestline deeper in the hole financially by appointing people and his friends who are not the most qualified. Being elected and working for the taxpayers means to go above and beyond what. your job entails. Stop willing to make the mistakes to learn, and learn before you make mistakes, Crestline deserves this. Stop promising employees positions that pay, and start working with Council. Mr. Crokie, and Mr. Duncan have both brought up points not to be as forthcoming as he should have in the past.
I will add the committee to appoint the new Councilmember would have been continued had Mr. Herold not called the village law director. Maybe we should have allowed this to happen, but then we would have all been just as guilty as him.
With all of these inconsistencies and the current state of finances it should be mandatory that the mayor resign so that Crestline can work out of the mess that you left us in.
Lastly I want to thank everyone who took the time to support me throughout this past year. To those who elected me to council. I want to thank those who entrusted me to with their complaints and problems, and I am truly sorry I wasn’t able to accomplish to fix all of them. I have served my country, my state, my county, and my home town for 18 years.
With that I want to say that Dec. 31, 2014, will be my last day on Village Council. With the personal attacks that I suffered on almost weekly basis, the attacks on my job, and most recently the gross personal attacks on my family. I do not feel it is worth it anymore.”