6-year officer replaces retired sergeant in Oregon

City to seek grant for sewer project

Oregon has a new police sergeant.

Officer E.J. Materni was promoted at Monday's city council meeting before a throng of family and friends. His appointment becomes effective today.

The six-year veteran of the police department will be paid $62,918.44 annually. He is 37 and replaces Sgt. Tim Zale, who recently retired.

Mayor Mike Seferian administered the oath, and officials praised the new sergeant and expressed confidence that he was equal to the job.

"It's good to see such a turnout of family and supporters," Councilman Jim Seaman said. "This tells me we made the right decision."

Paul Magdich, assistant police chief, recalled that during an interview Officer Materni told him he was interested in politics. "I decided to keep an open mind," he joked.

Police Chief Mike Navarre noted that Sergeant Materni was "very much respected among his peers and supervisors."

The new sergeant, for his part, acknowledged his parents "for teaching me the value of hard work."

In other business, council authorized the mayor to apply to the Ohio Department of Development for a $60,000 Community Development Block Grant that would be used to help pay for sewer and drainage improvements.

The total cost of the improvements would be $98,600.

The main component would be $61,000 for sanitary sewer work in the area of Portland, Arthur, and Olivewood streets.

The community block grant money also would be used for drainage and storm sewer upgrades.

Council also approved giving the board of zoning appeals another duty.

The Oregon Municipal Code stipulates that anyone with a disagreement with the division of building and zoning inspection has the right to appeal its decision to a residential building board of appeals, but until now such a board did not exist. Council decided that giving the duty to the zoning board was preferable to creating a separate board.

Council also approved hiring Underground Utilities of Mon- roeville, Ohio, for the second phase of the city's sanitary sewer rehabilitation project.

The company's bid -- $2,278,920.75 -- was the lowest of five received for the project.