Village Of Valleyview

Chief Consolo To Be Fired

May 01, 2002

The Village Council is still planning on firing Police Chief Mark Consolo at the May 6, 2002 Council Meeting. Only generalizations were presented as to the reasons for his firing during the Mayor?’s earlier attempt to fire the chief illegally on April 6, 2002. No specifics have been presented to the public or the media.


As reported by the Westside Messenger (April 15, 2002), Chief Consolo has no complaints or reprimands against him in his personnel file with the Village. Chief Consolo believes that it might be a personal matter against him because he is a key witness in a lawsuit against Mayor Raylene Graves?’ husband, Councilperson Bob Graves.


Mr. Bob Graves is being sued in court for $15,000 for a personal character defamation claim. During last year?’s village council election Mr. Graves was allegedly making false accusations about a candidate in the election to residents in the village while his wife was seeking reelection. His statements could have had an influence on the election and hurt that candidate?’s election chances. The lawsuit was filed late last year after the election. As part of that lawsuit, Chief Mark Consolo is a key witness for the candidate that filed the suit.


Mr. Graves has let it be known that he wants the Chief fired. On the night he was sworn in as a councilperson (the February Council Meeting) he brought before the Village Council the suggestion of an executive session being held to discuss the future employment of the Village Solicitor and Police Chief (Westside Messenger, February 11, 2002). When asked to elaborate on his charges by Chief Consolo, Mr. Graves stated that on the advise of his attorney he was not to discuss that in public. No action was taken at that time.


Six days in to the term of Mayor Raylene Graves she fires Chief Consolo as reported by Channel 10?’s Angela An. At that time, Ms. An quoted Mayor Graves, ?“that she was running the Police Department.?” Over the following days the Mayor changed her story and said that she did not fire the chief though both Channel 10 and Channel 4 showed the termination letter that Chief Consolo had provided to them. The Columbus Dispatch (April 10, 2002) reported that the local president of the Fraternal Order of Police Union, Bill Capretta, believes that it is ?“old-fashioned politics?” because Chief Consolo has no citizen complaints against him.


Residents of the Village and those that have an interest in the Village are encouraged to attend the Monday May 6,