Jefferson Police Chief Questions Paving Costs as Council Approves East Walnut Contract and Cybersecurity Policy

The Jefferson Village Council in Ashtabula County moved a delayed East Walnut Street project forward at its Oct. 5 meeting. Members approved a contract under emergency legislation so drainage work can begin before winter. Council also adopted a cybersecurity policy and backed a federal road safety plan. The meeting closed with Police Chief Chris Mackensen, speaking during visitor comments, asking for a full accounting of recent paving costs. All six council members were present: Nick Belden, Pat Bradek, Lon Damon, Steve Febel, Karen Roderick and Jennifer Skinner. Fiscal Officer Jamie Arcaro was absent, so council appointed Skinner to take the minutes. Police Chief Asks for a Full Accounting of Paving Costs Mackensen addressed the mayor and council during the second round of visitor comments, saying he was raising personal questions. His comments focused on the administrator’s Oct. 5 paving report. That report listed costs for two streets totaling $114,928.35. According to Mackensen, those figures exactly match the county engineer’s original estimates prepared before the work was done. Yet the report presents them as amounts paid, he said. Payment records provided to him document $35,500.44 in aggregate payments. Those records do not independently support the full reported total, the chief said. He asked for the final cold mix invoices and the final Ashtabula County Engineer labor and equipment invoice. Delivery tickets and material records were also requested to show how much aggregate was bought, used on each street and left over. Another concern was the report’s comparison of about 2 inches of cold mix resurfacing with a 2 inch hot mix overlay. Equal thickness does not prove equal durability or service life, Mackensen argued. A pricier project that lasts much longer could carry a lower annual cost. Fog sealing planned for next year also came up. No cost was listed for that work. The chief asked whether it is already contracted, included in the $114,928.35 or coming from the 2027 paving budget. “My request here is a complete financial reconciliation so council and the public can determine the actual cost of the paving work,” Mackensen said. Council did not respond during the meeting. Just before comments opened, Mayor Steven Sekanina reminded the room that council follows Robert’s Rules. Speakers address the chair and keep to five minutes. Council members should avoid back and forth, he said, though questions can be followed up afterward. East Walnut Street Drainage Comes First, Paving Waits for Spring Council passed Resolution 26-R-3464, authorizing Village Administrator Andria Manor to sign a contract for the East Walnut Street roadway improvements, Project No. 47429. Members suspended the rules and adopted it as an emergency on first reading. Manor explained the timing. The project had to be rebid, which put it behind schedule. Crews will handle drainage this year and leave the road in shape for plowing and salting through winter. Paving is now planned for spring. Village minutes from August list the project as an Ohio Public Works Commission effort with a grant award of $287,200. Cybersecurity Policy and Road Safety Plan Adopted Council adopted Ordinance 26-O-3460 on third reading. It sets a cybersecurity acceptable use, incident response and disaster recovery policy under Ohio Revised Code Section 9.64. Resolution 26-R-3462 also passed on third reading. It supports a safe transportation network aimed at eliminating roadway deaths and serious injuries. The measure ties to a roadway safety action plan funded through the Federal Highway Administration’s Safe Streets and Roads for All grant. Manor said the plan won’t be finished until next year. Council approved two more resolutions: Resolution 26-R-3461 , on third reading, declares a list of items owned by the village no longer needed and authorizes their sale as is to the highest and best bidder. Resolution 26-R-3465 allows the fiscal officer to buy an employee dishonesty and faithful performance policy through the Public Entities Pool, known as PEP, instead of individual surety bonds. Members also approved the Sept. 21 council minutes and accepted the Sept. 21 Finance Committee minutes. State Auditor Steps In to Help Close July Books Sekanina said July has not been closed yet, an issue noted at the previous meeting. He asked Arcaro to contact the Ohio Auditor of State, and the office is assigning someone to help. The village hopes to have it resolved by the Oct. 19 council meeting, he said. Police Report Shows 268 Calls in September Earlier in the meeting, Mackensen gave his department report. Police answered 268 calls for service in September, including 54 medical calls. Officers made 70 traffic stops, and 23 resulted in citations. Twelve of those citations were for speeding. Remaining stops ended in warnings, which the chief said are noted in call records rather than entered as written warnings. Officers also handled two roadway crashes and three pri