Wirick named interim JC police chief

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JACKSON CENTER — After an executive session at the Jackson Center Village Council meeting Monday night, the council announced Lt. Chief Chuck Wirick would be the interim police chief while Joseph Cotterman is on administrative leave.

Cotterman was placed on leave following the filing of a criminal complaint, which is being investigated by the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, Jackson Center Mayor Scott Klopfenstein confirmed Sunday.

At the meeting Monday night the council also voted to leave Cotterman’s pay intact as well as his K9 stipend until the first council meeting in March when they would revisit it. They voted to increase Wirick’s pay as well, until further notice, from $1,477.77 bi-weekly to $1,686.54 bi-weekly.

In an emailed statement Sunday, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy James Frye said, “We will remain professional as we would with any case and will not confirm or deny that there is an investigation against Chief Cotterman. As with any investigation we would only release information when we close the case out due to lack of evidence or when we file official charges. We do not as with any case want to falsely accuse someone prior to obtaining all the facts in the case.”

Cotterman, Klopfenstein said, was placed on administrative leave because “we felt he needed that time” to deal with the situation.

“We thought it was best that he didn’t respond to calls in Jackson Center,” said Klopfenstein.

Wirick has been acting chief since Friday.

Also at the council meeting Monday night, council read four ordinances for the second time, meaning they will all come up for a vote at the next meeting.

The safety committee reported the fire department had five runs in January and 51 runs for all of 2015. Village Administrator Bruce Metz reported that the village is in the process of trimming and removing trees around town to protect power lines and other areas where trees branches could cause problems.

Metz said they are looking into a replacement program which will mean that for every tree they remove, they would plant a new tree in an area that wouldn’t be in the way.

He also reported the Waste Water Treatment Plant project is underway and bidding opens Feb. 25. They have started advertising and have gotten a few calls from companies inquiring about the project.

Wirick
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2016/02/web1_Chuck_Wirick_0-2.jpgWirick

Cotterman
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2016/02/web1_Cotterman-Joe13-1.jpgCotterman

By Alexandra Newman

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Reach this writer at 937-538-4825; follow on Twitter @SDNAlexandraN

 

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