Bethesda Solicitor Jeffrey Menoski swears inJosh Williamson, the newest part-time police officer for the village. Councilman Jay Van Horn, seated, observes, along with Patrolman Pete Busack, in the background. T-L Photo/ROBERT A. DEFRANK

BETHESDA — The village has taken on another police officer with the swearing in of Josh Williamson on Thursday as a part-time employee.

Williamson, a Barnesville resident, said he intends to work as a full-time officer when possible.

“I was born and raised in Cambridge,” he said. “As of right now I’m part-time.”

In terms of prior law enforcement experience, Williamson recently graduated from the police academy and added that he has worked as a Shadyside police officer since November. He now works solely at Bethesda.

He said he looks forward to further familiarizing himself with the village.

Mayor Martin Lucas said the community has no plans to hire any further officers at this time.

“We’re going to sit back and kind of re-evaluate things. We’re still in the process of rebuilding the department,” he said, adding that village leaders intend to move Williamson to a full-time position at some point. He said Williamson would join Patrolman Pete Busack, currently the village’s only full-time officer. Bethesda also maintains three other part-time officers.

“His performance so far has been very admirable,” Busack said of Williamson. “The citizens have come to me and told me he’s very polite with them.”

“He’s a good young officer, and we like him,” Service Director Dirk Davis said.

Bethesda has been rebuilding the department since council placed Police Chief Eric Smith on paid suspension in the spring. The Ohio Attorney General’s Office began an investigation of Smith after he allegedly misused the computer system police officers use to share criminal justice data. Several Bethesda officers, including those who had served as resource officers for the Union Local School District, have since resigned.

Also, the village continues to negotiate with Union Local about providing police protection for special events. Officers patrolled Friday’s football game at Morristown as a good faith gesture.

Williamson’s salary is $10 per hour. He was sworn in during a full council meeting with members Ruth Saffell, Cindy Foose, Jay Van Horn, Carol A. Merritt, Charles Little and Jordan Costello present.

In other police matters, Busack asked council to consider a dash-mounted video recording system for the village patrol cars.

“It’s an automatic download so the transfer of evidence is seamless,” he said, adding that this would replace the current, outdated system. He also suggested new body cameras with automatic download capabilities.

He was given permission to seek the sale of two police vehicles, the 2008 Ford Expedition and the unneeded 2017 Ford Explorer K-9 vehicle. The K-9 officer was donated to the Belmont County Sheriff’s Department following Smith’s suspension. Busack said both cars have interested buyers. He said he is looking at the purchase of a new prospective vehicle for $40,000, which would bring the current four vehicles to three.

In other matters, council unanimously approved the expenditure of $6,000 for an engineering study and permit to install for the extension of a 6-inch waterline by 2,800 feet. Zach Mason, a resident of the village, and two others have volunteered to pay for the extension of a waterline on North Johnson Road. Davis noted the proposal has been approved by the Belmont County Water and Sewer District. Davis added that the line will belong to the village’s water system.

“The citizens are willing to pay for the installment and material for such a waterline if approved by council,” Davis said, adding that the cost has been estimated at $30,000. “I think this will be a win-win situation for everybody involved.”

“I appreciate the village’s work,” Mason said. “I know that finances aren’t the easiest thing to throw around for a small village like ourselves. From the beginning, I wanted to build out there. … I think it’ll do good for the village for as long as there’s a village of Bethesda.”

“He’s just a village resident that’s going to be building a house outside the corporation limits,” Mayor Lucas said, “just a little bit west towards Barnesville. What he’s going to do is run an extension off of our waterline on old (Ohio)147 back to where he’s going to develop. … He’s building a home, and he needs to get water out there.”

Lucas added that there are several prospective home sites in that area.

Council also addressed the issue of water runoff from a ravine at Ohio 147. Davis said the galvanized pipe of a catch basin has rotted through and is concaving the ground.

“Over the years, with all the water running through there, it has taken a lot of debris, stone and dirt and filled the creek up,” Davis said, adding that Van Horn’s nearby property has suffered flooding after recent rains.

Last year, a new catch basin was installed. The state has agreed to install a 32-inch pipe from the catch basin to the creek in September. The village also intends to clean the creek and widen it. The cost of the project is $17,500. A total of $12,000 has already been allocated for material. Council approved the motion with the exception of Van Horn, who abstained. Work should begin in about two weeks. Gregory Williams Contractors out of Barnesville will be hired for the project.

The village solicitor will also contact the county regarding an issue of water fees. In 2013, Bethesda obtained easements from a property owner to have a waterline from the county brought into the village and promised a number of free taps to the property owner at the village’s expense in exchange. The village will determine if this would fall under the increased water rates adopted by the county July 1, 2017, as well as the capacity fee.

The village heard from Fred Holmes, representative with Volunteer Energy, presented the village with checks totalling $2,262.36 as a community reinvestment based on volume for the village’s continued participation in the aggregation program.

Trick or treat also was set for Oct. 27.