September 5, 2023 Council Minutes
Once approved, a link to the official council minutes will be at the bottom.
September 5, 2023 Meeting
Jim Velas, Council President Kathryn Thalman, Mayor
Don Vincenzo, Council, 1st Ward Jeremy Greenwood, Public Service/Safety Director
Kristi Lipscomb, Council, 3rd Ward Don Smithberger, Super. of General Services
Terra Butler, Council, 4th Ward Annette Whealdon, Finance Director
Linda Jordan, Council-At-Large Matthew Arbenz, Chief of Police
Beth Oprisch, Council-At-Large Tom Murphy, Planning & Zoning Administrator
JC Thrash, Council 2nd Ward Elizabeth Glick, Law Director
Mike Smith, Council-At-Large
The meeting was called to order by Council President Jim Velas at 7:00 pm. President Velas led Council in the Pledge of Allegiance. Members of the public were thanked for their attendance.
ROLL CALL:
Butler HERE Smith HERE
Jordan ABSENT Thrash HERE
Lipscomb HERE Vincenzo HERE
Oprisch HERE
Six (6) Present One (1) Absent
MINUTES: Council President Jim Velas confirmed all Councilmembers received the minutes from the July 17th Council Meeting. Councilwoman Butler made a motion to approve the minutes from July 17, 2023, Council Meeting; motion seconded by Councilwoman Lipscomb.
Butler ABSTAIN Smith YES
Jordan ABSENT Thrash YES
Lipscomb YES Vincenzo YES
Oprisch YES
Roll Call Vote: Five (5) YES Zero (0) NO One (1) ABSTAIN One (1) ABSENT
Motion Carried
NEW BUSINESS: The St. Clairsville Homecoming Committee sought the Council’s permission to host their annual Homecoming Parade on October 4th at 7 pm.
Councilwoman Oprisch made a motion to allow St. Clairsville High School to host their annual Homecoming Parade on October 4th at 7 pm, seconded by Councilman Thrash.
ROLL CALL:
Butler YES Smith YES
Jordan ABSENT Thrash YES
Lipscomb YES Vincenzo YES
Oprisch YES
Roll Call Vote: Six (6) YES Zero (0) NO Zero (0) ABSTAIN One (1) ABSENT
Motion Carried
Wendy Anderson of the St. Clairsville Chamber of Commerce requested three specific dates for the closure of Main Street. The first date is October 27th for the Halloween Bash, which will occur from 5-8 pm. The second date is November 18th for the Tree Lighting Ceremony, which will take place from 2-10 pm. Lastly, the Christmas parade will be held on December 3rd, with street closures from 1-6 pm.
Councilwoman Oprisch made a motion to close Main Street on October 27th for the Halloween Bash, which will occur from 5-8 pm, seconded by Councilman Thrash.
ROLL CALL:
Butler YES Smith YES
Jordan ABSENT Thrash YES
Lipscomb YES Vincenzo YES
Oprisch YES
Roll Call Vote: Six (6) YES Zero (0) NO Zero (0) ABSTAIN One (1) ABSENT
Motion Carried
Councilwoman Lipscomb made a motion to close Main Street on November 18th for the Tree Lighting Ceremony, which will occur from 2-10 pm, seconded by Councilman Thrash.
ROLL CALL:
Butler YES Smith YES
Jordan ABSENT Thrash YES
Lipscomb YES Vincenzo YES
Oprisch YES
Roll Call Vote: Six (6) YES Zero (0) NO Zero (0) ABSTAIN One (1) ABSENT
Motion Carried
Councilwoman Oprisch made a motion to close Main Street for the Christmas parade, which will be held on December 3rd, with street closures from 1-6 pm, seconded by Councilwoman Lipscomb.
ROLL CALL:
Butler YES Smith YES
Jordan ABSENT Thrash YES
Lipscomb YES Vincenzo YES
Oprisch YES
Roll Call Vote: Six (6) YES Zero (0) NO Zero (0) ABSTAIN One (1) ABSENT
Motion Carried
CITIZEN HEARING: None
CORRESPONDENCE: None
REPORTS:
Mayor Kathryn Thalman took a moment to honor attorney Charles Bean for his contributions to St. Clairsville. Charlie Bean generously volunteered his time and expertise to help improve the City. The Mayor thanked Charlie Bean’s family for sharing him with the community. The Mayor discussed at the meeting the ongoing project from the Attorney General’s office regarding veterans and PTSD, as well as how police officers interact with veterans. Chief Arbenz shared new information, and the Attorney General’s office provided updates on upcoming programs. The Mayor reported that the City was fortunate to avoid power outages during the night of August 25th. The crews responsible for completing the I-70 project worked tirelessly, often pulling all-nighters to get the job done. Mayor Thalman thanked them for their hard work and even brought them food from restaurants to keep them fueled. The Mayor also had a mayor’s court with several speeding cases resolved.
Service/Safety Director Jeremy Greenwood provided updates on completed projects during the past week. The City received a workers’ comp grant of $40,000 for equipment, which will be combined with the $10,000 grant already received. With this, the City will purchase a vacuum trailer and valve exerciser, allowing them to access equipment much more efficiently than before. 217 water nodes and meters have been replaced so far, and six to ten requests for replacements are received monthly. The team is working to replace them. The 1982 light bulb tank and the 1929 witch’s hat were cleaned internally last week, and the team is awaiting a report from the company. The paperwork from the owners for the negotiated construction easements for the West End Waterline is still pending. All hook-ups for the I-70 project are complete, and the traffic control has been removed. The residents in Spring Park are now hooked up to the new service lines, and pavement patching is underway. The team is also working on the water line project on Walnut Street and Barton Road and will have a construction meeting this week to work out any remaining details. A new HVAC unit has been ordered for the recreation center, and the team is still working on some of the easements for the water distribution project. They are also preparing the second pump for the sewer pump station installation. Some old pipes on Walnut Street need replacing, and the team is currently working on this project. A grant for the Central Park sinkhole project has been submitted, which is anticipated to cost around $630,000. A grant for $226,000 has been submitted, and the rest will be a low-interest loan. The team is working on additional Culvers for Spring Park and will begin the Route 40 water line extension project as soon as the contractor finishes up with the I-70 project. Citizens are notified of updates through door hangers, utility bills, and Code Red. The team is working on the county water agreement and ASCME contract negotiations. Copies of the ASCME contract have not been made available for public review since the union has not approved them. A meeting can be set up if the council wants to see them or have conversations about it.
Councilwoman Oprisch asked what the status was of the Dorthy Water Tank. Mr. Greenwood stated that he is still trying to get some clarification from the EPA; he answered the NOV by saying they would disconnect the tank from the system. He asked them for a little more time until the end of last month because of the tank cleaning and the I-70 project. Councilwoman Oprisch asked if the City would still proceed with legal action. Mr. Greenwood confirmed he would still get the City to pursue legal action.
Police Chief Matt Arbenz reported that in August, there were 378 calls for service, ten crashes, 21 arrests, five warrants served, three domestics, and 73 traffic stops. Chief Arbenz reported that two officers were involved in a high-speed pursuit; unfortunately, both got dinged up. They were treated and released at Wheeling Hospital with concussions and should be cleared to return to duty next week. The cruisers are in the process of getting evaluated, uh, by the insurance company, and estimates should be back soon.
Finance Director Annette Whealdon reported that she is still waiting to hear back from the State Auditors with the audit report.
Councilman Smith asked if there would be a post-audit meeting after receiving the report. Ms. Whealdon stated they could discuss post-audit during the Finance Committee meeting.
Planning & Zoning Administrator Tom Murphy remembered Charlie Bean as a valued member of two important boards – the Planning Commission and the Board of Zoning Appeals. Charlie always provided excellent legal advice and was respected by his fellow board members. He set a good example for new members by being honest and integral to the legal community of Belmont County. He will be greatly missed by the St. Clairsville community. The Board of Zoning Appeals will meet in the municipal building on Thursday, September 28th, at 6:00 PM. The only item on the agenda is the Cumberland Trail Fire District’s request for variances related to setbacks, structure, height, signage, and other site-related issues. All are welcome to attend the meeting. The DORA Committee met and has scheduled a meeting on October 17th at 6:00 PM. They encourage everyone, including city council members, to attend and gather information. This will help you make an informed decision later. Lastly, the home at 101 Woodrow Avenue that was destroyed by fire earlier in the year is being demolished. The project was delayed due to legal requirements and insurance matters, but it is finally underway.
Councilwoman Oprisch inquired about potential obstacles for the fire department expansion. In response, Mr. Murphy explained that the variances being requested are aimed at benefiting the neighborhood. For instance, a new or expanded parking lot is planned behind the existing firehouse, which is located near a residential area. To avoid disturbing residents, the parking lot will not be fully lit in accordance with code requirements. This is just one of the logical setback variances being requested, as many existing structures in the area are already pushing the need for variances due to the small lot size. Although public hearings can be unpredictable, Mr. Murphy believes that the expansion will move forward as it is a public safety structure. Moreover, the expansion is necessary to modernize and improve the inadequate facilities that currently exist within the structure.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Finance Chair Don Vincenzo No report.
Utilities Chair Terra Butler reported that in the Utility Committee meeting, AEP came in and gave a presentation on battery storage. There’s possibly some opportunity to save money, but more communication between Jeremy Donnie and AEP needs to be had. She suggests if anybody has questions about that, take them to Jeremy while they’re in conversation with the guys from AEP.
Police Chair Mike Smith No report.
Streets – North Side Chair Mike Smith No report.
Streets – South Side Chair JC Thrash No report.
Safety Chair JC Thrash No report.
Buildings and Grounds Chair Beth Oprisch reported that the Building and Grounds Committee met on August 22nd at 6 PM with the Junior Sports Committee. Matt King, Matt Lucci, and Justin Clifford represented the Junior Sports Committee Officers. The meeting was productive in bringing both groups together to discuss how City and Junior Sports can be good partners. One of the plans discussed was to review the 1988 contract to see if it needed updating. The City also uses the Junior Sports Complex and wants to continue an open dialogue with the committee. The focus was finding ways to support the Junior Sports Committee’s work. The next Building and Grounds Committee meeting is scheduled for September 16th at 6 PM. The goal is to continue the dialogue on how to work cooperatively with the Junior Sports Committee.
Planning Commission Chair Kristi Lipscomb reported that on August 23rd, the DORA Committee conducted a meeting, which was attended by some members of the public. As a next step, several committee members plan to connect with other municipalities of comparable size that have passed DORA legislation to gather more information and feedback. The next meeting is scheduled for October 17th at 6:00 PM, and Councilwoman Lipscomb encourages all council members to attend. The meeting will provide a platform to gain insights, ask questions, and seek answers.
Fire Chair Linda Jordan No report.
Recreation Chair Kristi Lipscomb reported that the Craft and Vendor Fair will be held on September 9th at the Rec Center from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. This event will take place inside the Rec Center. The Fall Fest will commence at 4:00 PM and last until 10:00 PM, featuring three bands, food trucks, and a beverage station. This will be the year’s final concert, and we hope everyone takes advantage of this wonderful opportunity. The last event did not receive a lot of attendees, which was due to the back-to-school events happening at that time. However, we assure you that these events are delightful, and Eric Gay has put in a lot of effort to make them successful.
Park District Chair Linda Jordan No report.
ORDINANCES & RESOLUTIONS: Law Director Elizabeth Glick
No Ordinances or Resolutions
ADJOURNMENT: With no further business to come before Council, Councilwoman Oprisch made a motion to adjourn; seconded by Councilwoman Butler. The meeting was adjourned at 8:27 P.M.
The next meeting will be Monday, September 18, 2023, at 7:00 P.M. All Councilmembers will be present at the City Building for the next meeting. Members of the public are encouraged to attend the meeting in the Council Chambers.
_______________________________ ________________________________
Jacob DeBertrand, Council Clerk Jim Velas, Council President