Skip to content

Sharon’s mayor expresses concern over departmental spending

Story by Megan Dame Press Reporter
Many residents of the City of Sharon appeared before the city’s mayor and board of alderman at its February meeting.
During the time earmarked for comments from the mayor, Strickland expressed concern regarding departmental spending. She informed the board that the city had already exceeded the budgeted costs in several areas.
Strickland explained that the city’s operational budget was set by the previous administration, giving the current board very little insight into the financial planning for the 2022-23 fiscal year.
She told the board that the department heads would have to pay close attention to their spending as the fiscal year is only in its seventh month leaving around five more months to remain.  She also said most of the overages would be covered thanks to the American Rescue Plan Act funding.
Strickland applauded the city’s department heads for the work they had done to ease the burden by applying for grants and attempting to sell some of the city’s excess heavy machinery to cover the expenses.
This effort would be demonstrated during the time set aside for the delivery of each departmental report.
The floor was given to the citizens to make requests, ask questions and hear possible solutions to issues they brought forth.
Sharon resident, Susan Steffens was on the agenda to discuss the city’s animal control problems but also brought up the topic of the city’s drinking water. Ms. Steffens asked if the city has fluoridated water and expressed her concern regarding the chemical.
According to Steffens, fluoride is an unsafe neurotoxin that can cause many terminal illnesses and several states have been fighting to keep fluoride out of their drinking water systems. “I’m not saying it is the city of Sharon’s fault, but the powers that have been poisoning us for years and years through our water. We are the only people who can get it changed, and until it’s brought to people’s attention it won’t change,” Steffens said.
Sharon’s public works director, Greg Evans, assured Steffen that the city’s water system is perfectly safe. Evans went on to say that the training and information he has received from the state government say that fluoride in the city’s water is only dangerous when used at extremely high levels. “The chemicals you feed into your system can go up to a level seven, but I keep our water fluoride at a level three or four. They do say if you use chemicals at higher levels, like level 10s that is when you start having trouble,” Evans explained.
Steffens said that the actions of the city are not where the problems lie, “It’s not anything he is doing wrong, it’s the powers that be,” she said. Strickland told Steffens that while her claims may be valid, the city of Sharon can’t alter state mandates on using fluoride. She said, “It may not be our fault, but we have to answer to those ‘powers that be.”
Steffens acknowledged that the conversation on the topic was finished stating, “I know you have to do what you do, but I just wanted to make sure the public is aware that their drinking water is dangerous.”
Steffens was given the floor once again regarding the large number of stray animals running loose in the city.
She said she understands that the city’s pound is full of stray pets, but there are more and more showing up all the time. “I know that there are owners who move and leave their pets behind or just dump them out on the road,” Steffens said. She said that she would like to see these animals taken care of and hopefully adopted. “It just seems like nothing is being done about it,” Steffens said.
Sharon chief of police Mark Kimsey addressed the concern and explained that while the city is trying to catch these stray animals, it is very difficult due to insufficient equipment.
Strickland explained that there are state regulations regarding a city pound and no room. She said in the past, animal adoption businesses and programs have worked with the city, taking on animals when the city had no room to accommodate the animals legally.
She said the problem is widespread in the area, not just in the city of Sharon. It is such a large issue, all of the local animal shelters and pounds are full. She said one kennel operator was housing around 140 dogs at one point.
According to Kimsey, he is currently fostering a dog at his home that was dumped out by a mortgage company. He said they are trying to contact the company but as of that time, they had not been able to reach anyone at the company.
Steffens accepted what she was told, and the board said they would look into any possible grants to establish a better pound and in the meantime, encourage citizens to foster some of those stray animals and help the city.
Kimsey delivered the police department’s report which included that the 20-mile-per-hour school zone located on Woodlawn St. has been extended up to Woodlawn Cemetery.
Kimsey also reported the police responded to 66 calls for service over the previous month.
Kimsey also asked for the board to consider establishing a hunter safety course. He told the board that he had been approached by several women requesting a firearm instruction program.
Sharon fire chief Gary Eddings informed the board that the city’s fire department responded to seven calls for service last month. Eddings also shared that he is closing up a grant application that would allow the department to purchase new turnout gear and another grant that can be used to construct an oxygen-filling station. He explained that this would allow firefighters to recharge their oxygen tanks as needed.
Eddings also appeared before the board to request permission to place the department’s obsolete radios up for sale. He said that the department had upgraded its radios to digital radios. He said that the city should sell the analog radios to offset budget overages. The board agreed with a unanimous vote giving Eddings the authority to sell the outdated equipment.
The next meeting of the board is set for March 13 at Sharon City Hall at 6:30 p.m. All citizens are invited to attend this meeting.