November 6, 2023 Council Meeting Minutes
Once approved, a link to the official council minutes will be at the bottom.
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 HERE Thrash HERE
Lipscomb HERE Vincenzo PRESENT
Oprisch HERE
Six (6) Present One (1) Absent
MINUTES: Council President Jim Velas confirmed all Councilmembers received the minutes from the October 16th Council Meeting. Councilman Thrash made a motion to approve the minutes from October 16, 2023, Council Meeting; motion seconded by Councilman Smith.
Butler YES Smith YES
Jordan YES Thrash YES
Lipscomb YES Vincenzo ABSENT
Oprisch YES
Roll Call Vote: Six (6) YES Zero (0) NO Zero (0) ABSTAIN One (1) ABSENT
Motion Carried
NEW BUSINESS: None
CITIZEN HEARING: None
CORRESPONDENCE: None
REPORTS:
Mayor Kathryn Thalman reported that the past three weeks have been very busy since the last council meeting. Halloween kept the Rec Department, and herself occupied. The event was a joint effort between the Belmont Soil and Water, the Rec Department, St. Clairsville Volunteer students, Belmont Savings Bank, the library, the fire department, and the police department. They had a very successful evening, and they estimate that around 500 to 600 kids attended. The Rec center did an excellent job, and they had all the inflatables in the tunnel, making it spooky. The weather was beautiful, around 70 degrees, so it worked well.
Mayor Thalman attended the laser tag event put on by Officer Wheeler and his company, Eric, at the Rec center, and the Junior Fair building was cleaned up and transformed into a spooky place for the kids to have a great time. The Mayor’s court was held. With cooperation from the police and Cumberland Trail Departments, they sent their football team off in style for their playoff game in Columbus, where they played Bishop Hartley. Although they lost, the kids and their coaches made them proud and represented them with hard work, class, and sportsmanship. She thanked Coach McLean and the staff for that. The next day, their band members also got a 24-karat sendoff with cooperation from the police and Cumberland Trails, and they came back from Medina with a superior rating again. They were so proud of their kids and thanked Mr. and Mrs. S for caring for the band and making them remarkable.
Mayor Thalman attended a presentation of a substantial sum of money for the renovation of the Junior Fair Building at the Rec center. She was excited about that and thanked Unified Bank, Mr. Scott Everson, Randy Greenwood, and Don Finnerty for their generous donation to make the vision of the Junior Fair building a reality. In another wonderful presentation, she was part of a generous check from Gulfport that they gave them; they will soon have a basketball court down at Central Park, next to the volleyball court. She thanked the Rec Department for all their hard work and all the corporate sponsors and hard work Jeremy put into this, too.
Mayor Thalman acknowledged the fall season of their St. Clairsville Red Devils, the Fall Sport, and Band. They all played beyond the regular seasons and played in championship or state-level championships. The cheerleaders were at each football game, and she mentioned each sport and the band for soccer, both the boys and the girls, girls’ volleyball, golf, girls’ and boys’ cross country, football team, and the St. Clairsville marching band. She unofficially declared November Red Devil’s Month and thanked all of them for making them very proud.
Lastly, she recommended appointing Ms. Audrey Brahler to the Board of Architectural Review. The Mayor noted that she brings much experience and a solid educational background. She is a merchant in town, co-owner and operations of Bare Necessities, candy, and Soda in the mall, and owner-operator of Giacinta’s Gelato and Cafe. She manages the staff, does the scheduling, and brings a lot of dedication and investment into the town and youth. Mayor Thalman thinks it’s great to get some of the young people involved in business on board.
Councilman Thrash made a motion to approve the Mayor’s appointment of Audrey Brahler to the Board of Architectural Review; Councilwoman Jordan seconded the motion.
ROLL CALL:
Butler YES Smith YES
Jordan YES Thrash YES
Lipscomb YES Vincenzo ABSENT
Oprisch YES
Roll Call Vote: Six (6) YES Zero (0) NO Zero (0) ABSTAIN One (1) ABSENT
Motion Carried
Service/Safety Director Jeremy Greenwood reported attending 12 meetings since the last council meeting. He updated the council on several completed projects, including the AFSCME contract, which was formed and is currently being reviewed by the union. There will be a signing soon. The Route 40 water line and the hot tap were completed. The water line is from 1929, and it was replaced to supply the hospital and the new development on the west end of town. Paving and patching have started, and the sidewalks will be replaced before moving to the driveways. The north side of Route 40 East is all done, and everyone is hooked up. They are working in Walnut on the south side of East Main Street. The tornado siren was tested, and everything seemed okay with that. The electric requirements for the new Get-Go gas station on the east end of town have been completed, and they are waiting for the fiber optic and phone companies to move their stuff so that they can remove their poles. Upcoming projects include leaf pickup, which is scheduled for the week of November 13th to November 17th. The junior rec building, and the athletic court are currently being worked on, as well as the Christmas tree, which will be put up on Monday, weather permitting. They are still waiting for the HVAC unit for the rec center and the wastewater department. They are also working on easements for the distribution and getting the bearings for the third screw pump at the water plant. They are mapping out the last ten years of water line breaks and having the engineer create a map so that they can work on paving streets that have yet to have water line breaks. They also work with the engineers on the sinkhole projects and the bypass road.
Police Chief Matt Arbenz reported that in October, the department had received 429 calls for service. They also dealt with eight crashes, made 24 arrests, served two warrants, and handled three domestic cases and 95 traffic stops. Trick-or-treat night went smoothly, and he thanked the city staff for providing excellent food. Additionally, he noted that an active shooter drill will occur at St. Clairsville High School on November 15th between 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM. Therefore, it is advisable to avoid traveling through or around that area.
Finance Director Annette Whealdon reported that the audit report for 2022 is now available for public viewing. The report has come back clean with no significant findings. Annette wanted to express her gratitude to her team, Tom, Matt, Anita, Don, and Dana, for their hard work and dedication to ensuring the audit was successful. It takes a whole team to achieve a clean audit, and Annette appreciates everyone who has helped her department accomplish this. Although there are some recommendations, the report has no significant findings.
Planning & Zoning Administrator Tom Murphy expressed gratitude for approving the Mayor’s appointment of Audrey Brahler. She has been appointed to the Board of Architecture Review and owns a property and a business within our downtown district. Audrey has a positive outlook towards the community, especially the historic downtown district, is expected to be a valuable addition. The Board of Zoning Appeals meeting was held last Wednesday, and some council members were in attendance. The Rec Center signage was approved, and Frosty’s was approved until Labor Day 2024 with the agreement of the business owner.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Finance Chair Don Vincenzo [ABSENT] No report.
Utilities Chair Terra Butler reported on a sewer request that was discussed. The committee also explored options to lower utility bills, but it was emphasized that reducing salaries of city employees would not result in lower utility rates. Councilwoman Butler wanted to clarify that this has been brought up a few times and it is not a viable solution.
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 No report.
Planning Commission Chair Kristi Lipscomb reported a DORA committee meeting on October 17th at 6:00 PM; public comments were made. After the meeting, it was decided that because the city does not currently meet the requirements to apply for a designated outdoor refreshment area, the committee’s next meeting should be held after the November general election to see if the voters approve a new liquor license in that precinct. Therefore, the next meeting will be Tuesday, January 23rd, at 6:00 PM in Council Chambers. Furthermore, Councilwoman Lipscomb reported that the Planning Commission will meet on Monday, November 13th at 6:00 PM in Council Chambers to discuss temporary uses, seasonal uses of food trucks, and the need to update and review the current planning and zoning code applicable to those matters. The Planning Commission will also meet on December 11th at 6:00 PM here at Council Chambers, where the Cumberland Trail Fire District will be before the Planning Commission requesting the final site plan approval on their project at the firehouse.
Fire Chair Linda Jordan No report.
Recreation Chair Kristi Lipscomb expressed her gratitude to Unified Bank for their generous contribution towards the junior rec building. The donation will enable the transformation of the building into a multi-use recreational facility both inside and outside. The project is expected to make a huge improvement in the area. Gulfport Energy also deserves thanks for their donation of $40,000, which will be used to build an outdoor court. In addition to the basketball court, there will also be two pickleball courts, which is a popular sport. The new courts will be located in Central Park by the volleyball courts. The new softball field is currently under construction and is progressing well. The footers for the new dugouts have been poured, and excavation work is complete. The new fence will be installed this Wednesday. In other news, the second annual gobble till you wobble Thanksgiving morning 5K will be held on Thursday, November 23rd, commencing at 9:00 AM. Last year, Eric worked tirelessly to make the event happen, and he is doing it again this year for the city and its residents. The proceeds from the event will go towards the purchase of a scoreboard for the girls’ softball field that is currently being constructed on the city’s property. The event requires council approval, and it will follow the same route as last year. The police department has approved the event again, and many volunteers, including city employees, are expected to participate.
Councilman Thrash made a motion to allow the Rec Center to host its Second Annual Gobble Till You Wobble, Thanksgiving 5K; the motion was seconded by Councilwoman Lipscomb
ROLL CALL:
Butler YES Smith YES
Jordan YES Thrash YES
Lipscomb YES Vincenzo ABSENT
Oprisch YES
Roll Call Vote: Six (6) YES Zero (0) NO Zero (0) ABSTAIN One (1) ABSENT
Motion Carried
Park District Chair Linda Jordan No report.
ORDINANCES & RESOLUTIONS: Law Director Elizabeth Glick
FIRST READING
Resolution No. 2023-35 – A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING JEREMY GREENWOOD, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SERVICES FOR THE CITY OF ST. CLAIRSVILLE, TO ENTER INTO A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE BELMONT COUNTY LAND REUTILIZATION CORPORATION FOR THE DEMOLITION OF THE STRUCTURES LOCATED AT 129 AND 131 NEFFS STREET AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY
A motion was made by Councilman Thrash that the rules requiring three separate readings be suspended on Resolution No. 2023-35 and that the Ordinance, be passed on an emergency basis; seconded by Councilwoman Butler.
Butler YES Smith YES
Jordan YES Thrash YES
Lipscomb YES Vincenzo ABSENT
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 approve Resolution No. 2023-35, the motion was seconded by Councilman Thrash.
ROLL CALL:
Butler YES Smith YES
Jordan YES Thrash YES
Lipscomb YES Vincenzo ABSENT
Oprisch YES
Roll Call Vote: Six (6) YES Zero (0) NO Zero (0) ABSTAIN One (1) ABSENT
Motion Carried
Resolution No. 2023-36 – A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING JEREMY GREENWOOD, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SERVICES FOR THE CITY OF ST. CLAIRSVILLE, TO PREPARE AND SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND PROGRAM AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY
A motion was made by Councilman Thrash that the rules requiring three separate readings be suspended on Resolution No. 2023-36 and that the Resolution, be passed on an emergency basis; seconded by Councilwoman Lipscomb.
ROLL CALL:
Butler YES Smith YES
Jordan YES Thrash YES
Lipscomb YES Vincenzo ABSENT
Oprisch YES
Roll Call Vote: Six (6) YES Zero (0) NO Zero (0) ABSTAIN One (1) ABSENT
Motion Carried
Councilman Thrash made a motion to approve Resolution No. 2023-36, the motion was seconded by Councilwoman Butler.
ROLL CALL:
Butler YES Smith YES
Jordan YES Thrash YES
Lipscomb YES Vincenzo ABSENT
Oprisch YES
Roll Call Vote: Six (6) YES Zero (0) NO Zero (0) ABSTAIN One (1) ABSENT
Motion Carried
Resolution No. 2023-36 – A RESOLUTION AMENDING RESOLUTION NUMBER 2016-26 A RESOLUTION TO ESTABLISH RULES FOR CITIZENS OF THE PUBLIC TO BE PLACED ON THE AGENDA TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL AT OPEN MEETINGS AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY
A motion was made by Councilwoman Oprisch that the rules requiring three separate readings be suspended on Resolution No. 2023-36 and that the Resolution, be passed on an emergency basis; seconded by Councilman Thrash.
ROLL CALL:
Butler YES Smith YES
Jordan YES Thrash YES
Lipscomb YES Vincenzo ABSENT
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 approve Resolution No. 2023-36, the motion was seconded by Councilman Trash.
ROLL CALL:
Butler YES Smith YES
Jordan YES Thrash YES
Lipscomb YES Vincenzo ABSENT
Oprisch YES
Roll Call Vote: Six (6) YES Zero (0) NO Zero (0) ABSTAIN One (1) ABSENT
Motion Carried
ADJOURNMENT: With no further business to come before Council, Councilman Thrash made a motion to adjourn; seconded by Councilman Smith. The meeting was adjourned at 8:04 P.M.
The next meeting will be Monday, November 20, 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.