SIDNEY — Police Chief Will Balling honored Detective Tim Kennedy by naming him Sidney Police Department 2017 Officer of the Year at Monday’s Sidney City Council meeting.
“Detective Kennedy is a team player and gives all that he can for the police department and the city,” Balling said. “From following up on background checks to working on a homicide, he is always willing to go the extra mile. He brings a unique style to the investigative section.”
Balling said Kennedy embodies the Sidney Police Department’s vision statement of exceeding the “expectations of our community, to adapt to the ever changing challenges, and to provide the highest level of service and protection to our officers” and displays its “core values of professionalism, integrity, courage and compassion every day.”
Kennedy was hired in 2007, by former Police Chief Steve Wearly, and transitioned from patrol to the detective section in 2016. He serves on the Salvation Army Board and volunteers by coaching youth sports. Kennedy and his wife, Angie, have six children.
“I’m blessed to be here. I’m blessed to be in this city …” Kennedy said. “This is a blessing and an honor. And I thank you, captain — both of my captains — and the officers; I appreciate all that you do. I can’t do my job without you, and thank you for everything you have done for me also.”
In conjunction with Kennedy’s award, Balling also formally presented the second place Officer Wellness Award to the Sidney Police Department. Retired Lt. Dan Kimpel and Capt. Bill Shoemaker accepted the plaque, which will be kept in the department’s weight room.
The National Officer Safety and Wellness Awards program is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance’s VALOR award program. Departments are honored for excellence in four categories: general officer safety, officer traffic safety, officer wellness and comprehensive safety.
The Sidney Police Department implemented the fitness part of its wellness program approximately 18 years ago. Recently the mental wellness part was added for officers to debrief following a tragedy.
Past winners include the Indianapolis Police Department, San Diego Police Department and the New York Police Department.
“We did not win the award; however, we did finish second,” Balling said. “Some of the past award winners … are bigger departments by all means. …but I felt very honored because of the individual work these officers are doing.”
Of the officers currently working with the department, Balling specifically recognized Shoemaker, Sgt. Jeremy Lorenzo and Officer Mike McRill, as well as Reserve Officer Woody Goffinett. Balling said Kimpel was instrumental in starting the physical fitness program in 1999. Shoemaker and Lorenzo have been “the driving force” of the physical fitness part, and McRill is “heavily involved” with the mental aspect, Balling said.
Goffinett began working with officers when the department partnered with Wilson Health in 2015. Balling said he is also a certified physical fitness trainer, and developed a physical therapy program for the city’s first responders. He utilizes Wilson Heath’s equipment to evaluate and treat first responders’ injuries.
In other business, council adopted an ordinance, 5-1, for the vacation of a portion of North Street right-of-way from Royan Avenue to the western terminus of North Street.
Vice Mayor Mardie Milligan abstained from voting, as her husband is on the board of directors at the hospital. Council member Janet Born voted no. Born told the Sidney Daily News she voted no because she felt it will “cause more problems than it will help things in the long run.” She expressed concern for emergency vehicles having adequate access on the street.
The section of the North Street right-of-way stubs into Wilson Health property’s driveway.
Community Services Director Barbara Dulworth said the city would normally not grant the vacation of a right-of-way that is developed as a street, but because the area is basically an access drive, there is no need for it to be publicly maintained. She said the city’s only concern is to ensure the area is maintained for the fire department’s access.
The Planning Commission reviewed Wilson Health’s petition on June 19 and resolved to recommend that council approve the request.
Council was introduced to an ordinance to amend the zoning code to prohibit the dispensing, cultivation and processing of medical marijuana in Sidney. Dulworth said if the city wants to allow one of more uses of medical marijuana later, the zoning code can be amended.
Council members Darryl Thurber and Steve Wagner voiced their opposition to the amendment. Thurber said council “should be going in a different direction” to allow the sale and distribution of medical marijuana. Wagner agreed and said he feels council is doing the “citizens a disservice” by having them go elsewhere to obtain it.
The ordinance will get further consideration at the July 24 council meeting.
Council was also introduced to an ordinance for the amendment of the traffic control map to establish a no-parking zone in front of Whittier School on the south side of Belmont Street, between Broadway and East avenues.
Whittier School has requested the no-parking zone to ensure the safe drop-off and pick-up of students, Monday through Friday, from 8 to 8:45 a.m. and from 2:45 to 3:30 p.m. The school has agreed to pay for the no-parking signs.
It was noted that neighbors of the school often park along that stretch of roadway, which inhibits the smooth drop-off and pick-up process of students.
The ordinance will get further consideration on July 24.
Council adopted two resolutions, one re-certifying a nine-block area downtown as slum and blighted and the other for the 2017 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program allocation.
The downtown nine-block area includes North Street, West Avenue, South Street and Miami Avenue. Slum and blight designation is required for the distribution of CDBG funds, other than for an identified, low- or moderate-income person/group.
Sidney is eligible for $150,000 of the 2017 CDBG allocation funding. The grant will provide funding to low- and moderate-income households for repairs to their sanitary sewer laterals and for the replacement of storm sewers in the slum and blighted nine-block area downtown.
