Retired Botkins firefighter honored

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BOTKINS — Recently-retired Botkins firefighter, Ed Burden, was honored, Tuesday, Aug. 14, during the Botkins Village Council meeting.

Burden, a 40-year veteran of the Botkins Fire Department, was presented a plaque by Mayor Steve Woodruff and received a round of applause from village council members.

Burden took a moment to reminisce about his time at the fire department.

“We had the phone system and siren back in the old days,” Burden said. “A call would come in and a siren would blow so (the firefighters) who weren’t at home could hear it and go.”

Burden also spoke about the difficulties that come with being a firefighter.

“A lot of people do not understand what some of these volunteers go through,” he said. “I’ve seen some people on the fire department leave because the stress was too much for them. I’ve been through a lot of different things, and not everybody could do it, so I have to give credit to the people that can.”

During the mayor’s notes, Woodruff addressed a persistent rumor that has spread regarding alleged inappropriate behavior by Botkins Police Chief Tom Glass.

“I’ve had several phone calls, text messages, and people stopping (by), asking me about Chief Glass evidently doing something inappropriate while on village time and in a village building,” Woodruff said.

“At this time, I have no proof nor validity to that story at all; I would have to say I would base it as a rumor.”

“If this story were true about any of my village employees, and we had any concrete evidence of it, they would be terminated immediately,” he said.

Council also discussed the robbery of the village pool, which occurred late Thursday night into Friday morning. One hundred dollars was stolen from the pool’s lock box. This is the second robbery of the pool this summer, the first occurring in June. Both robberies are unsolved as of yet.

Woodruff said the school has assisted in the investigation by providing video evidence of the crime.

The pool is also officially closed for the year. With most of the lifeguard staff consisting of either high school or college students, the beginning of the new school year has left the pool without adequate lifeguard coverage throughout the week.

Council noted Botkins Local School has contracted with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department and have hired Deputy Josh Spicer for the school’s resource officer position.

The next Botkins Council meeting will be held Aug. 28, at 7 p.m., in the Village Office Building.

Botkins Village Mayor Steve Woodruff presents a plaque of appreciation to retired firefighter Ed Burden at the village council meeting, Tuesday, Aug. 14, in honor of his 40 years of service with the Botkins Fire Department.
http://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2018/08/web1_burden1.jpgBotkins Village Mayor Steve Woodruff presents a plaque of appreciation to retired firefighter Ed Burden at the village council meeting, Tuesday, Aug. 14, in honor of his 40 years of service with the Botkins Fire Department. Aimee Hancock | Sidney Daily News

By Aimee Hancock

[email protected]

Reach the writer at 937-538-4825.

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