Resident addresses Malvern council over snow removal concerns

Malvern Village Council heard sharp criticism from resident and business owner John Champer during public comment at its Feb. 2 meeting, prompting an extended discussion on snow removal, street department staffing and supervision and village maintenance practices.

Champer, a longtime resident, told council he was frustrated with what he described as inconsistent snow removal, lack of visible maintenance and poor communication from the street department following a recent snowstorm. He cited delayed alley plowing, blocked access behind businesses and areas of town he said remained unaddressed days after snowfall.

Champer said he and others had hired private help to clear snow in some locations and questioned whether equipment was being maintained properly and whether staff responsibilities were clearly defined. He also raised concerns about staffing levels, pay structure and oversight within the street department.

Council members and village officials pushed back on portions of the criticism, emphasizing that street employees worked extended hours during the storm and that the volume and severity of the snowfall created difficult conditions across the region. Some workers worked a full 24-hour shift during the snowstorm.

Village Administrator Derik Kaltenbaugh, speaking by phone during the meeting, said crews worked long shifts during the storm and noted that equipment failures and staffing shortages compounded the challenges.

“I love this town, I lived in this town for 51 years myself and everybody knows when somebody complains to me about the town I come and say something to council,” said Council President Tom Holmes. “If you think we don’t care, you are wrong.”

“There is nobody sitting in this room who doesn’t care about Malvern,” said Kaltenbaugh.

Council members said comparisons to other towns were common but not always fair given differences in resources, equipment and staffing.

Council acknowledged, however, that some issues raised during public comment reflected ongoing concerns the village has been working to address, particularly employee attendance, supervision and prioritization of work.

Discussion followed on the need for clearer enforcement of existing policies, including requiring employees to properly report absences and use accrued leave rather than unpaid time off. Council members said the employee handbook does not need to be rewritten but must be consistently enforced.

Council also discussed equipment limitations, including the failure of an alley plow truck during the storm and the challenges of moving large volumes of snow without a functioning dump bed. Members agreed that equipment reliability and long-term planning remain key issues.

“We didn’t plow anybody’s drives in on purpose, we didn’t plow any alleys closed on purpose and we didn’t plow in or hit any mailboxes on purpose,” said Mayor Bob DeLong. “We had to deal with nearly 16 inches of snow.”

“Any time there is an issue with something give me a call at any time and I will make sure it is taken care of,” said Kaltenbaugh. Holmes confirmed anything he has ever called Kaltenbaugh about has been addressed by the street department.

In other business, council:

—HELD executive session from 8:08 to 8:33 p.m. to discuss the discipline of a public employee or official. No action was taken following the meeting.

—PAID the village bills of $24,049.57 approved by the Finance Committee Jan. 31 and $1,911.34 Feb. 2; and biweekly payrolls of $6,184.75 paid Jan. 29.