Local News

ABINGTON TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE INVESTIGATED OVER FIRE EQUIPMENT DONATION

(Abington, IN and Pickaway County, OH)--An investigation is underway by a central Ohio police agency into the actions of an Abington Township trustee in Wayne County.  In public documents obtained by Kicks 96 and 101.7 The Point News, Scioto Township, Ohio, donated a used firefighting vehicle and some equipment to the Abington Volunteer Fire Department at the written request Abington Fire Chief James Ausmus last fall.  But, the letter -which is full of spelling and punctuation errors and written on fabricated letterhead – was actually allegedly authored by Abington Township Trustee Steve Kaiser.  As a result, Abington was awarded the vehicle and equipment.  But now, five months later, the fire company still has not received the vehicle.  It sits Tuesday morning on Kaiser’s personal property, and one Abington firefighter says that Kaiser is refusing to give it to the department.  Ausmus indicated Monday that he did not write the letter.  The investigation into Kaiser is currently being handled by the police department in Commercial Point, Ohio with cooperation from the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department.  Kaiser was reached for comment Monday, but indicated he did not have time to talk until Thursday, which is one day after a Board meeting of Abington Township's Board of Trustees.