Bad move? City says yes and fires cop

Print Story

Email to Friend

Discuss this story

The mayor said court action will follow arbitration no matter who wins.

By PATRICIA MEADE

VINDICATOR CRIME REPORTER

YOUNGSTOWN — It's official: Daniel Tickerhoof has been fired as a city patrolman because he moved out of the city.

Mayor Jay Williams said that he signed a letter Monday (dated last Friday) that recommended Tickerhoof be fired. The letter, once received by Tickerhoof, states that the termination takes effect immediately upon receipt.

The firing recommendation came after a predisciplinary hearing, held last week, that followed an investigation by the Internal Affairs Division. Fire Chief John J. O'Neill Jr. served as hearing officer.

Lt. Rod Foley, head of internal affairs for the police department, said O'Neill determined that Tickerhoof violated a civil service rule that requires him to live in the city and the city charter that requires him to maintain the residence.

New state law

A new state law that allows city residents to live no farther away than a contiguous county took effect May 1. Since then, Williams has said employees who move will be terminated, and the city has filed a lawsuit challenging the law's constitutionality.

Municipal workers hired after 1988 have been required to live in the city. Tickerhoof, 32, was hired on June 15, 2001.

Tickerhoof submitted a change-of-address card July 6 that shows his new home is in Canal Fulton in Summit County.

Williams said Monday that Tickerhoof's termination shouldn't come as a shock to anyone because all city employees were told to maintain a residence in the city, and they agreed to that when hired. The mayor said he believes the new law is unconstitutional, but if it is deemed constitutional the city will abide by it.

Seeking comment

Patrolman Ed Colon, president of the Youngstown Police Association, the patrolmen's union, said Monday that he would speak to the union executive committee to see if they want to comment about the firing.

The Tickerhoof termination will proceed to an arbitration hearing, Williams said. He said court action will follow no matter who wins.

Some city employees, the mayor said, lose sight of the fact that the residency requirement was voted upon.

"It's not the administration versus city employees," Williams said. "It was the citizens who voted, and they could vote to change the charter."

meade@vindy.com

Monday, September 18, 2006