The Plain City Police Department has welcomed its newest member to the force.
At Monday night’s village council meeting, Mayor Darrin Lane swore in Dorian Martin.
Police Chief Dale McKee said Martin was selected as the strongest candidate after an extensive hiring process that began in August.
The hiring process started with written and physical exams before Martin participated in panel interviews with PCPD command staff, council members and citizens. He then passed an in-depth background investigation.
Martin was offered a position on Nov. 8, which he accepted the same day.
McKee said Martin is a Delaware native and a Hayes High School graduate. He then attended Notre Dame College.
Afterward, he attended the Ohio Police Officer Training Academy. He served as an officer at the Shawnee Hills Police Department for several months before being hired as a PCPD officer.
According to a statement from PCPD, Martin is also involved in local youth athletics. He is currently the Dublin Jerome High School track coach and previously filled that role at Grizelle Middle School.
Martin will officially begin his role with the department Friday.
In other business, council:
– Canceled the Dec. 11 work session. If the need for a work session arises, council agreed to meet an hour prior to a December regular council meeting, on Monday rather than Wednesday, which will be announced later if necessary.
– Voted unanimously to pass as an emergency an ordinance to place an issue regarding the formation of a charter commission on the March 2020 ballot.
Although the third reading was heard at Monday’s meeting, Village Administrator Nathan Cahall pointed out that the 30-day period until legislation is officially enacted would push the issue past the Board of Elections filing deadline, Dec. 18.
Passing the ordinance as an emergency avoided the issue.
– Tabled an ordinance that would increase Plain City water and sewer rates beginning Jan. 1, 2020.
Council is currently considering an ordinance that would increase water and sewer rates by 2% annually for a period of three years.
To help offset the increase, the sewer surcharge will be decreased by $0.50 annually for the same three-year period.
Cahall initially asked council to increase the rates by 5% beginning in 2020, at the recommendation of village staff.
Council agreed that a rate increase is necessary to cover operational costs, but asked that it could be implemented gradually.
The third reading and vote on the ordinance was scheduled for Monday, but council member Darren Lee asked it to be tabled until Cahall mails a letter to residents detailing the change.
Cahall said he will provide council with a draft and allow members to provide feedback by the end of this week.
The letter will be sent to residents at the end of this month, before council votes on the ordinance.
– Passed two ordinances accepting public improvements constructed for Darby Fields sections one and two, as well as section three.
– Heard the first reading of a resolution to authorize a new contract for the collection of waste and garbage, with recycling services.
Cahall specified that Local Waste Services offered the best, lowest bid and the village plans to contract with them.