Politics & Government

Bath Residents Urge Trustees to Rehire Administrator Snow Aug. 31

Two residents at Monday's Bath Township meeting told trustees hiring anyone but current Administrator Bill Snow would be a mistake.

To protect his pension, Administrator at a June 18 trustees meeting, but said he was willing to come back if trustees would rehire him.

Snow's retirement takes effect Aug. 31, he said, and the trustees have already begun reading over applications — 32 including Snow's, said Trustee Becky Corbett.

At Monday's trustee meeting, two residents spoke in favor of the trustees rehiring Snow and said not doing so would be a huge mistake.

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"The problem (with state pension changes) is we're losing the more esteemed employees," said Jack Bonsky. "He's been a value to us that you can't measure."

Snow has more than 30 years of service in the public sector, and started his career in Bath Township as a fire fighter in 1982.  

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Snow said he is not retiring because of anything that is happening in the township, but because he has to protect his best interest with the changes in Ohio Public Employee's Pension plan happening at the state level.

The state wants to make the following changes to "maintain the fund's financial strength, according to OPERS: increase retirement age, increase years of service and reduce the cost of living adjustments.

"We've got to find a way to help our employees," Bonsky said. "People say 'It's great here in Bath,' and it is, but why? The employees. I'm nervous about where this is going."

Dick Sutherland agreed.

"Without Bill, this township wouldn't been in the state it is now," Sutherland said. "Without his support and knowledge (in several projects) we would have been in a hell of a mess."

Sutherland said the trustees should not hire someone from outside the township because they are unfamiliar with the territory.

"When he offers to come back at a reduced salary, that is win-win," Sutherland said. "Please consider rehiring him without any argument. If not, this will rest solely on your shoulders."

Corbett said this has not been an easy process.

"It's not an easy thing the board has been wrestling with," she said. "These changes put good people in a bad position and local government in a tough situation."


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