By Mark Coddington
mark.coddington@theindependent.com

Shrader's resignation was approved Monday by the city council, effective April 25. He will begin May 1 as the environmental health and safety coordinator at the Abengoa Bioenergy ethanol plant east of Ravenna.

Shrader said the move was prompted by several events in his personal life, including the death of his wife, Laurie, in a car accident in December.

"I just felt it was time. I needed a change," Shrader said.

Shrader has served with the department since he graduated from the Law Enforcement Training Center in 1985. He began as a part-time officer, became a full-time officer in 1987 and became chief in 1991.

During that time, Shrader earned respect throughout the community, Mayor Gerald Reimers said.

Reimers said the city will miss Shrader, who he said was often its "voice of reason."

"We can fill the position, but it'll be difficult to find somebody who can do everything Tim did," Reimers said.

The city is advertising for a new chief, and Reimers encouraged the two remaining full-time officers to apply for the job.

There is no deadline for hiring a new chief, Reimers said, and Shrader will not be entirely gone from the department, either. He will continue as a part-time officer while he works at Abengoa.

"I just couldn't go cold turkey after so many years," Shrader said.

Shrader said he's most proud of the four consecutive Outstanding Law Enforcement Awards his department received from Mothers Against Drunk Driving from 2003 to 2006.

During his time as chief, he estimates he worked under five mayors, 17 council members and oversaw 10 officers.

But one thing stayed constant during that time his concern for Ravenna, his hometown.

"I still care about what happens in this town," he said. "If I didn't care about what happened, I wouldn't have stuck around for 21 years."