February 6, 2020 Council Minutes (Special Meeting)
Once approved, a link to the official council minutes will be at the bottom.
COUNCIL MINUTES
SPECIAL MEETING of February 6, 2020
St. Clairsville City Council met in Council Chambers on Thursday, February 6, 2020 with the following present:
Jim Velas, Council President Kathryn Thalman, Mayor
Perry Basile, Council, 1st Ward Jim Zucal, Public Service/Safety Director
Mark Bukmir, 3rd Ward Elizabeth Glick, Law Director
Terra Butler, Council, 4th Ward
Linda Jordan, Council-At-Large
Beth Oprisch, Council-At-Large
Frank Sabatino, Council 2nd Ward
Mike Smith, Council-At-Large
The meeting was called to order by Council President Jim Velas. President Velas led Council and attendees in the Pledge of Allegiance. Mr. Velas thanks everyone for coming on short notice and asks the Clerk to call the roll.
ROLL CALL:
Basile Here Oprisch Here
Bukmir Here Sabatino Here
Butler Here Smith Here
Jordan Here
Council President Velas announces that the purpose for the meeting is to make some sort of decision for the Chief of Police. He states that Acting Chief Mike Troullos decided to step down as Acting Chief because it was in the best interest of everything to do so. President Velas adds that we are without a police chief at this time. He [Mike Troullos] is still with the department, but we do not have a chief. So, the decision tonight is: do we appointment him as a temporary, until the third reading [Resolution Number 2020-4]; we can do a second read tonight? Or, we can go to the emergency legislation [Resolution Number 2020-4], bypass the third reading and appoint Matt [Arbenz] as Chief of Police this evening and finalize it.
[Resolution Number 2020-4: A Resolution Confirming The Hire Of Matt Arbenz As The Chief Of Police From And After February 3, 2020 And Declaring An Emergency] to name Matt Arbenz the Police Chief; or consider this legislation on an emergency basis.]
Council President Velas Does anyone have anything they want to bring up or ask about that?
Councilman Sabatino For Ms. Glick or Mayor Thalman: The current ad in the paper about the officer, is that to replace Jeff Henry, that open position?
President Velas Frank, I don’t think we can talk about that tonight.
Councilman Sabatino All right, all right.
President Velas I don’t think we can talk about that tonight.
Councilman Sabatino I was just asking. That’s what I thought.
Law Director Glick Yes.
President Velas I think we can clarify that after the meeting.
Councilman Sabatino All right. Lieutenant, Mr. Troullos, will he retain his status as Lieutenant?
Mayor Thalman Yes.
Councilman Sabatino Ok. Good. And, I know there has been conversation. Do we need anything in writing from Lieutenant Troullos that he is resigning?
Mayor Thalman I received something from him.
Councilman Sabatino Ok. Good. And, my last question, with the resolution – and I want to congratulate Matt [Arbenz] – uh, I noticed on the resolution, is there any provision where it says there is a 60-day probationary?
Law Director Glick There is no provision in this resolution for that, but then I wasn’t given that information. If Council wants that clause added in there, we can add it.
Councilman Sabatino I just kind of thought that was a standard clause for all.
Law Director Glick Right. The examples that were provided were for six months and a bump in salary.
Councilman Sabatino And, the salary, that’s base, right?
Law Director Glick Yes.
Councilman Sabatino OK. That’s all the questions I have.
President Velas Does anyone else have anything that they want to say or propose? At this time, we will have the second reading of appointing [Matt Arbenz].
Councilwoman Oprisch moves that the rules requiring Ordinances and Resolutions to be read on three separate readings be suspended and declaring an emergency.
President Velas asks for the second reading. The Clerk reads the title of the legislation. RESOLUTION NUMBER 2020-4: A RESOLUTION CONFIRMING THE HIRE OF MATT ARBENZ AS THE CHIEF OF POLICE FROM AND AFTER FEBRUARY 3, 2020 AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.
Councilwoman Oprisch I want to say, shouldn’t we change the date to the 6th [of February]?
Law Director Glick Correct.
Councilwoman Oprisch moves that the rules requiring Ordinances and Resolutions to be read on three separate readings be suspended and declaring an emergency to consider Resolution Number 2020-4
President Velas OK. We have a motion, do we have a second? Councilwoman Butler seconds the motion.
Law Director Glick I do have one question before you vote. Do you want the 60-day probationary period added to the resolution?
Councilwoman Oprisch I’m fine with that [probationary language], and the 6th as well for the hire date.
Law Director Glick So, we will add the 60-day provision. I will get that to Roberta. And, appointing him as an emergency measure with that additional change.
President Velas 60-day probation.
Law Director Glick Right.
President Velas requests a roll call vote.
ROLL CALL:
Basile yes Oprisch yes
Bukmir yes Sabatino yes
Butler yes Smith yes
Jordan *yes
Roll Call Vote: Seven (7) Yes Zero (0) No Motion Approved
[*Councilwoman Jordan states “her position has not changed but the circumstances have” before casting a vote in favor of passage of Resolution Number 2020-4 on an emergency basis.]
President Velas OK. The third [and final] reading will take place now. And, we are going with emergency legislation. He asks the Clerk to read. RESOLUTION NUMBER 2020-4: A RESOLUTION CONFIRMING THE HIRE OF MATT ARBENZ AS THE CHIEF OF POLICE FROM AND AFTER FEBRUARY 6, 2020 AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.
ROLL CALL:
Basile yes Oprisch yes
Bukmir yes Sabatino yes
Butler yes Smith yes
Jordan yes
Roll Call Vote: Seven (7) Yes Zero (0) No Motion Approved
President Velas We have a 7-0 vote. The resolution passes. [Applause] Does anyone else have anything that they want to bring up? [No member offered any additional questions.]
President Velas Technically, that was the reason the meeting was being held. Can I have a motion to adjourn?
Due to President’s Day, a federal holiday which falls on Monday, February 17, the next meeting of City Council is Tuesday, February 18, 2020, in Council Chambers.
Councilwoman Oprisch offers a motion to adjourn, and Councilwoman Butler seconds the motion.