By Jennifer Edwards
The Cincinnati Enquirer

LIBERTY TWP. - Trustees made an offer late Tuesday to their zoning supervisor and acting township administrator, Barry Tiffany, to be the new township administrator.

A formal vote will take place following an executive session Monday at 6 p.m. before the regular trustee meeting, Trustee President Christine Matacic said Tuesday.

Trustees still need to negotiate Tiffany's new salary and decide whether he will hold the jobs of administrator and zoning supervisor, or if a new zoning supervisor will be hired.

They chose Tiffany, she said, because they are pleased with his performance since he took over the job on an interim basis after former Administrator Nell Kilpatrick resigned in March.

His experience, particularly in zoning, will provide Liberty Township with direction and vision as the fast-growing township continues progressing, Matacic said.

They also were impressed with his handling of a situation with residents in Four Bridges subdivision, who recently requested and received increased buffering and landscaping between their subdivision and the proposed eastward interchange off the Michael A. Fox Highway at Interstate 75.

"He came in the middle of everything and came up with a better solution so that everyone wins in the end," Matacic said. "Since the first of the year, we haven't skipped a beat much. We are continuing on and taking care of the needs of the people in the township."

Tiffany, who began working for the township in December, formerly worked in West Chester Township as a code enforcement officer and also is a certified housing inspector and property maintenance inspector.

He is past president of the Ohio Code Enforcement Officials Association and former vice chairman of the planning commission and former chairman of the board of zoning appeals for the city of Springdale.

Tiffany said late Tuesday he was thrilled to receive the offer and looked forward to continuing to oversee the booming township, whose population shot up 147 percent in the 1990s and now stands at 25,000 residents.

"We still have to work some issues out, but I am very happy to receive the offer," said Tiffany, 42, of West Chester. "We will work this thing out and move forward and get on with business."

Tiffany earns $42,500 annually; the administrator's position has been advertised at an annual salary of $47,000 to $50,000.

Tiffany's new role as administrator would come after a job search that originally generated nearly 50 candidates.

Trustee Bob Shelley, however, said Tuesday he wants to go back through the pool of candidates again and will vote on Monday against the hire.

"All the finalists bring very different things to the table; but I think in order to have the person that is best suited for the job, we ought to look a little further," he said.

E-mail jedwards@enquirer.com.