Carey still in need of police chief

CAREY — The Carey Village Council is still in need of a police chief. During a heated village council meeting Monday, past Carey and current Richwood Officer Shawn Beckley was brought to the table as a possible interim police chief after the recent resignation of current Carey police Chief Ryan Doe. Carey residents in attendance lodged several complaints against Beckley, who previously worked for the village in 2021 until his resignation in June of this year. Former council member and current resident, Zach Wick spoke about why Beckley should not be allowed to take the position saying that he had concerns with the appointment. In a statement from a Carey employee, read by Wick at the meeting, the unidentified employee said, "Beckley and I have a past, I don't know what it is, I just feel like he undermines chiefs. He's been caught on bodycam badmouthing our prior chief, Shawn Taylor and I feel like he will do anything he can to get into Chief Doe's role." Wick also told council to look at other items in Beckley's personnel file before appointing him to the position but was not more specific about what items he was describing. After an executive session to discuss personnel and employment that lasted over an hour, Beckley was voted down by a majority vote with only councilmen Evaristo Hernandez and Robert Styer voting for the replacement. Mayor Chad Kin voiced his concerns about the possibility of having to move control of emergency calls to the Wyandot County Sheriff's Office if the department is not able to find an interim or replacement chief before the end of the year. The A-T later spoke with current county Sheriff Todd Frey who said he agrees it would be difficult for the village to recover if the sheriff's office is given control. "I hope the village of Carey comes to a resolution where they're able to maintain and keep their police department because I think it's very important that a village the size of Carey has a full-time police department," Frey said. "With that being said, if for some reason, as a last resort, they ask the sheriff's office to help them out, we would have to hire additional deputies to give them the service that they have had over the years as long as they contract with us." Frey later said that if the county has to step in, there is some possibility of current Carey Police Officers being offered deputy positions. Wick later presented the council with petitions calling for the resignation of Hernandez and Kin signed by approximately 100 Carey residents and taxpayers. In other related business, Carey village attorney Jim Gucker said he was quoted $5,000 by Clemans-Nelson and Associates in Columbus to conduct an investigation after several previous village council and staff members alleged complaints of bullying and overstepping roles by both Hernandez and Kin. Council later voted to hire the firm to complete the investigation, capping the payout at the quoted $5,000. Council also voted to approve Mike Roszman as village administrator with Gucker later giving him an oath of office. In other news, council later approved legislation: An ordinance of the village of Carey closing all parks from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. An ordinance amending an ordinance setting permanent appropriations for current expenses and other expenditures of the village of Carey for the fiscal year commencing Jan. 1 2024 and ending Dec. 31 2024 and declaring an emergency. A resolution approving the village of Carey fiscal officer's certification of certain then and now purchase orders exceeding the amount of $3,000 each and declaring an emergency. The next village council meeting is Dec. 2 at 7 p.m. at 127 N. Vance St. in Carey.