NEWTON FALLS — Village council will continue to accept applications for the police chief position until Jan. 17 and then plans to schedule interviews at the Jan. 22 meeting.

Council members Julie Stimpert, Patricia Benetis and Kevin Rufener voted in favor of the Jan. 17 deadline while Councilman Brian Axiotis voted against that date, wanting it extended to Jan. 31. He said he wanted the position advertised longer because of the holiday season just ending and to advertise it in more places, including on the Ohio Municipal League website.

Last month, three applicants were interviewed by council for the position.

The applicants were John Barco, who served with the Newton Falls Police Department; David Garvey, who also served with Newton Falls and the Ohio Lottery Commission; and Michele Mercer of the Lordstown Police Department.

A candidate’s name was listed on Monday’s agenda, but council decided to remove the item. Stimpert, council president, said council is in the preliminary stages of preparing for the future of the police department and was interviewing candidates to see who would be in charge if the department comes back.

Current police Chief Gene Fixler sat in on the interviews. He said he will help the village get the police department back.

“We need to proceed and not keep dragging this out,” Rufener said.

Mayor David Hanson said he does not want council to make a rushed decision for the chief decision.

“We are aggressively pursuing finding a new police chief and also looking at funding options to bring back the police department,” Hanson said.

Stimpert said the village has not had a police department for two years and council needs to move forward to get a chief in place.

Interim Villager Manager Mike Novotny said officials are discussing with the Trumbull County Sheriff’s Office a new contract for 2025. He said discussion will begin now that new Sheriff Mike Wilson was sworn in and began working Monday.

The sheriff’s office patrols the village and a school resource officer protects the school.

Hanson said council has looked at a possible police levy to generate funds or a possible speed camera program for school zones or state routes by the Ohio Turnpike.

“It will be up to the voters what they want, whether it be a levy or speed cameras to fund a police department,” Hanson said.

He said the sheriff’s office has done “a fantastic job,” but expressed the need for two officers on staff if the sheriff’s office is busy in Brookfield or another part of the county farther away from Newton Falls.