Orange Township residents were given no reason why their township administrator was suspended last week, but emails from Administrator Andrew King, trustee chairman Ben Grumbles and others that were acquired by the Dispatch show ongoing conflict.
King accused Grumbles of micromanaging, bullying and nepotism in documents from last month, among other leadership faults all of which Grumbles denied. I can refute the bulk of what is in there, Grumbles said of a March 24 email from King.
Grumbles called the assertions political retaliation that he believes has since prompted an investigation by the Office of Inspector General in Columbus into whether his township work has interfered with his government job with the U.S. Department of Defense.
The Orange Township trustees voted 2-1 Monday night to suspend the township administrator, a 43-year-old former assistant prosecutor who previously had given legal advice to officials there and at other Delaware County entities.
No reason was given for the suspension of Andrew King, who was appointed a year ago. He had been given a 3-month raise in July and good evaluations, officials in the township had said. I m not going to give a reason right now, board chairman Ben Grumbles, who voted for the suspension, said after the meeting. Before we make contractual decisions we need to get lawyers to assist us.
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High commodity prices hit Ohio restaurants hard
Early in the coronavirus pandemic, Taranto’s Pizza in Lewis Center had problems acquiring two staple pizza ingredients: pepperoni and cheese.
“We had a shortage of pepperoni at one point, and then the price went up, and then cheese prices went sky high,” owner Debbie Taranto said. “It made a noticeable dent” in our revenue.
Restaurants throughout Ohio experienced similar shortages and price increases through the coronavirus pandemic, as the ingredients they need are either more difficult to find, or rising in price, leaving restaurant owners with two less-than-ideal options. They can either absorb that price at a time when many are already strapped for cash thanks to the economic downturn brought on by the pandemic, or they can pass the cost to customers in the form of higher prices.
Restaurants throughout Ohio are buying ventilation and air filtration systems to better circulate the air inside their eateries, hoping the purchases make customers and workers feel safer during the coronavirus pandemic.
Infectious disease experts largely approve, although they, along with some restaurant owners, say a ventilation system is not a panacea against the virus, which has killed more than 8,000 Ohioans since March.
Coronavirus is known to linger in the air, but outdoor spaces and well-ventilated rooms are generally thought to be safer because clusters of the virus are diluted faster. However, better circulation should still be combined with mask wearing and social distancing, experts warn.