BELLAIRE - When the chairwoman of the JB Green Team board of trustees resigned from the board at an emergency meeting she had called last week, she cited infighting among board members as the primary reason for vacating the position.
Board secretary Bruce Misselwitz read the letter of resignation from Belmont County Commissioner Ginny Favede to the board.
The board then moved quickly to replace Favede during their regular meeting Monday evening in Bellaire. After being nominated by Mayor John Abdalla, the board voted unanimously to name board member Robert Chapman, chief executive officer and president of KMC Corp. in Mingo Junction, to the post.
Article Photos
ROBERT?CHAPMAN was elected as chairman of the JB Green Team board of directors Monday evening in Bellaire replacing Belmont County Commissioner Ginny Favede who resigned last week.
T-L Photo/MIKE?PALMER
"Now we need to look forward, we do not need to look back," stated Chapman addressing the statement by Favede that the board had "lost our focus on what our duty and mission is."
"We need to move forward and get back to the plan which we were executing which was our strategic plan," said Chapman. "It is sad that Ginny basically resigned, she did an excellent job and I have the upmost respect for her, but I understand her situation and her frustration but we need to move forward."
The vote was called after vice chair Cathy Davison told board members that as City Manager of Steubenville she could not move up into the chair. Davison, who ran the meeting Monday will remain as vice chair.
The board also addressed the other vacancy which had allegedly sparked the controversy which had surfaced following Mark McVey's decision to not accept the job as executive director.
McVey, a member of the board of trustees, is serving as part-time interim executive director of the organization had stated that he decided to decline the job offer, because we couldn't come to an agreement on a contract.
The board had split on whether to move on to the second candidate interviewed for the director's job or to restart the process by advertising once again for candidates.
The motion to re-advertise the job was discussed and then put to a vote passing by an 8-4 vote count.
"Whoever the final candidate is; there was some discussion about the fact that in 18 months they may not have a job" commented Board legal adviser John Mascio stating clarity on salary and benefits may have contributed to confusion about McVey's contract. "We need to make this very clear, because the last thing you want to have happen is someone either quit a job or have to relocate their family thinking they are coming down to take a job they are going to have for an extended period of time only to find out in 18 months or less they are unemployed."
"So in fairness to them and also from the standpoint of liability we need to make that really clear to applicants," added Mascio referencing a state senate bill that may eventually consolidate solid waste authorities in Ohio into eight districts..
"I think this time we should have a set procedure in place for the process," commented Tom Bottorf. "I think we should outline this time how the personnel committee or whoever should do it and we should also talk to candidates we negotiate with the first one so if that falls through we don't have to re-advertise it."
"We seem to have a problem." said board member Terry Bell, Salem Township Trustee. "Solid waste is on a steady uphill climb and making progress, all brand new equipment we are being brought to a much higher level of recycling in the two counties and I would just hope that in the next 30 days or less we clear all this dust and smoke. I would like for all of us to come to see if we can't come to a change in what is going on."
Abdalla then brought up the issue of replacing the Belmont County Commissioner post on the board. Mascio told members that the commissioners have two choices, "They have to assume that position or there is a provision in the bylaws where they have to name a designee," stated Mascio. "Just to say I'm not going to participate is not an option, by statute they have to do one of those two things."
Martins Ferry Mayor Paul Riethmiller asked what the qualifications would be for a designee, "Would this have to be an elected official, is there any criteria if they have someone else do it other than themselves?"
"I think they just need to notify the board by letter," replied Mascio. "There is no specific resume required."
Mascio added that if Belmont County should designate a person to fill the vacant board post, that the appointee will have the same voting powers as the commissioner's on the board.
In other business: The board agreed to a request from Mayor John Geddis to donate 4 containers to the village of Toronto for recycling.
The board also approved granting the contract for recycling electronics to ERC of Bellaire. The company spokesman Dan Brown stated that his company would recycle these items for the JB Green Team for no charge. This action will save the board approximately $51,000 from their prior contract. The board discussed holding a future meeting at the ERC facility to tour the facility and view the recycling process.
Palmer can be reached at mpalmer@timesleaderonline.com.
