Centerville council supports pay increase for town manager

At their April 9 meeting, Centerville council members heard several updates.

• Council supported paying $2,000 from the utilities fund to Town Manager Kevin Slick after learning his salary is way below those of comparable communities. Council will consider an amendment to the town’s salary ordinance at its 7 p.m. April 30 work session. Future increases for Slick will be considered during annual budgeting.   
• In March, Centerville Police Department conducted eight criminal investigations. Two were for criminal mischief and one each for sexual battery, rape, civil dispute, death investigation, recovery of a stolen vehicle and counterfeit. A total of 27 arrests were made for disorderly conduct, resisting law enforcement, possession of a scheduled substance, marijuana and paraphernalia, dealing marijuana, driving while license suspended, operating while intoxicated, reckless driving, habitual traffic violator, criminal mischief, domestic battery, indecent exposure, false reporting, assisting a criminal, and warrant arrest.
• Police issued 41 state tickets, conducted 115 vehicle stops and investigated four accidents in March.
• New Centerville Fire/Rescue Chief Andy Aughe said the department received 36 calls for service in March (25 medical, eight fire-related and three others, such as rescuing a cat from a tree). 
• CPD will collect unwanted medications from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. April 27 in its parking lot during the national drug take-back day.
• Two new police officers attended a 40-hour training program through Reid Health Police Department and have begun field training.
• Slick said electrical upgrades on Mattie Harris Road came in under budget, so he’ll begin engineering for the Union Street project. Work will be done in stages if Centerville doesn’t receive grant money.
• Council approved the veterans’ parade, which starts at 6 p.m. May 18 (Armed Forces Day). Veterans from all around Wayne County and beyond are invited to participate. Call 765-855-5223 for more information.
• Centerville Youth League’s parade begins at 11 a.m. May 11.
• Council’s next work session is at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 30, at town hall, 204 E. Main St.