Council Meeting Minutes-February 20, 2024
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 Thrash HERE
Lipscomb HERE Vincenzo HERE
Murzyn HERE West HERE
Smith HERE
Seven (7) Present Zero (0) Absent
NEW BUSINESS: None
CITIZEN HEARING: A representative from Horizon Telecommunication requested permission to install new fiber attachments to city poles. They plan to reach the Cedar Ridge Behavioral Health Solutions Office at 118 West Main Street by accessing eight city poles and attaching to about 16 poles. In total, they will install 2000 linear feet of broadband fiber. Mr. Murphy mentioned that one of the areas where they plan to install the fiber is the Plaza West development. Donnie has reviewed their proposed route and is satisfied with the plan.
Councilwoman West made a motion to approve Horizon Telecommunication’s request to install new fiber attachments to city poles, seconded by Councilman Smith.
ROLL CALL:
Butler YES Thrash YES
Lipscomb YES Vincenzo YES
Murzyn YES West YES
Smith YES
Roll Call Vote: Seven (7) YES Zero (0) NO Zero (0) ABSTAIN Zero (0) ABSENT
Motion Carried
CORRESPONDENCE: None
REPORTS:
Mayor Kathryn Thalman congratulated the St. Clairsville cheerleaders for winning a national cheerleading award in Florida. Secondly, she expressed her gratitude towards the hardworking individuals who work in the street, water, and wastewater departments. During the cold snap, they worked tirelessly around the clock to fix broken water lines that were popping up like popcorn. Mayor Thalman urged everyone to appreciate these individuals’ hard work and dedication by witnessing their work firsthand. She expressed frustration at the lack of tools and personnel and the recent flu epidemic that had affected the workers and made it difficult to keep up with the demand. Eric Gay had asked Mayor Thalman to suggest someone for the council to consider for the Recreation and Parks advisory board. She recommended Debbie Michaels, a graduate of WVU with a major in rec administration and extensive work experience in the field. She was the program director for the city of Wheeling and a rec instructor for Northern Community College, specializing in swimming, tennis, and aerobics. She is most proud of starting the Ohio Valley Girls Softball Association in 1974 when there were no organized sports for girls. If appointed, she looks forward to working with Eric and the board to grow existing programs further and help start new ones.
Councilman Murzyn made a motion to approve the mayor’s appointment of Debbie Michaels to the Rec Board, seconded by Councilman Thrash.
ROLL CALL:
Butler YES Thrash YES
Lipscomb YES Vincenzo YES
Murzyn YES West YES
Smith YES
Roll Call Vote: Seven (7) YES Zero (0) NO Zero (0) ABSTAIN Zero (0) ABSENT
Motion Carried
Service/Safety Director Jeremy Greenwood reported that there have been nine water line breaks in the city. Three of them were caused by the Water Distribution Project contractor. Two different valves and two different hydrants have been replaced. Recently, someone hit a hydrant near the diner, and it has now disappeared. Nobody knows where it went, but it will be replaced soon as part of the distribution project. The city has experienced 15 water nodes this year, and they have already ordered $30,000 worth of replacements. There was a notice of violation (NOV) for disinfectant byproducts. When added to the water system, chlorine can stagnate and produce these byproducts. The EPA required the city to send letters to residents to notify them of the issue, but there is no danger to the water. The city needs to turn over the water more frequently. However, some areas have yet to be able to flush water due to ongoing construction, so they are working on that. Regarding upcoming projects, the city is working on culverts in different areas. They recently found a culvert with a six-inch gas line running through it, which will delay paving the street until the gas company can be contacted. The water distribution project is ongoing, and they are doing code reds when necessary. They have finished the water line on Orchard and are still working on connections at the curb boxes on Locust Lane.
Police Chief Matt Arbenz announced that they have replaced one of their cruisers. They could purchase a 2018 model from the same place they bought their previous cruisers in Chicago. The new cruiser only had 25,000 miles on it, a relatively low mileage. In exchange for the new cruiser, they traded in an older one that had 125,000 miles and needed to be replaced. The older Crown Victoria cruiser was waiting to be auctioned. The cost for the new cruiser with 25,000 miles was $11,500.
Finance Director Annette Whealdon reported that the finance committee had a meeting tonight to discuss the budget. If anyone has questions about the budget, they can call her to set up an appointment.
Planning & Zoning Administrator Tom Murphy informed the council members that a planning commission meeting had been scheduled for Monday, April 8th, at 6:00 PM. The discussion at the meeting will revolve around temporary, seasonal businesses and the new food truck section of the code. Everyone is welcome to attend, including council members. The meeting will mark the first step in setting up a public hearing. Tom also mentioned that demolition crews will mobilize at the Trinity site this week, where the security fencing has recently been set up. Although they might not demolish the structure this week, the site will be prepared for the building process. JH Wilson has been hired to clean the site. Tom expressed his gratitude to the council for approving Horizon’s fiber improvement plan, which will create more job opportunities in the community.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Finance Chair Don Vincenzo shared that they had reviewed the permanent budget, now available to all members. He requested everyone look at the line items and be prepared for discussions. The committee also discussed the GIS position and grant writing possibilities and received Jeremy’s list of fleet vehicles. They briefly discussed junior sports issues with the building and grounds and invited anyone interested to attend the next meeting for further discussion.
Councilman Smith requested clarification from the Law Director regarding raises outside hiring negotiations. The City has a policy of giving a raise after the six-month probationary period, but any other raises need to be approved by the Council. The former Law Director’s opinion on this matter differs from what was previously understood, and the Council needs to know the correct procedure. The question is whether a raise can be given without coming to the Council for approval. This is especially important as there are discussions underway about potential raises. In the four years that Councilman Smith has been on the Council, every raise has been brought to the Council for approval. Therefore, it is crucial to receive clarification on this matter.
Utilities Chair Terra Butler No report.
Police Chair Mike Smith No report.
Streets – North Side Chair Terra Butler No report.
Streets – South Side Chair JC Thrash received a phone call this week regarding a sinkhole on Shepherd Terrace that had been repaired but then collapsed.
Mr. Greenwood reported a water line break that occurred on a Friday when the ground was frozen. On Tuesday, we were informed that the water line had sunk, and we immediately fixed it on the same day. However, since then, we have had to fix it four more times due to complaints from people about damage to their cars. We reported the issue to our insurance company, but they denied our claim, stating that there was no negligence on our part. They said that we had fixed the issue as soon as we became aware of it. Therefore, the insurance company refused to cover the damage.
Safety Chair JC Thrash No report.
Buildings and Grounds Chair Don Vincenzo No report.
Planning Commission Chair Kristi Lipscomb No report.
Fire Chair Mike Smith No report.
Recreation Chair Kristi Lipscomb announced that the city Easter egg hunt would be held on Saturday, March 30th, at 10:00 AM. The recreation center is implementing new software, including a new website. The new website is more user-friendly and is expected to be up and running by April 1st. Eric found the new website, and they will only be paying as much as they were previously. The tentative unofficial list of dates for the summer concert series was also shared. The series will begin on Thursday, May 23rd, with a Billy Joel and Elton John tribute band. The rest of the official list will be shared soon, but many fun things are planned for the summer, including a Fall Fest on Saturday, September 21st.
Park District Chair Lucian Murzyn reported that the Park Board is still discussing what to do with the Bath House remodel and no final decision has been made yet. They also talked about some upcoming projects and events, but nothing definitive was discussed. The board is still working on a splash pad project which is proving to be challenging. They are also considering getting more lounge chairs and umbrellas for the pool area, as there aren’t an adequate number of chairs for parents to sit and watch their kids. The next meeting is scheduled for March 11th, 2024. Overall, it appears that most of the discussed plans are still in their planning stages.
ORDINANCES & RESOLUTIONS: Law Director Joseph Vavra
SECOND READING
Ordinance No. 2024-02 – A ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE SERVICE DIRECTOR TO FIX
POWERLINE DAMAGE TORN DOWN BY CONTRACTOR WITH CHARGES TO BE REIMBURSED AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY
A motion was made by Councilman Thrash that the rules requiring three separate readings be suspended on Ordinance No. 2024-02 and that the Ordinance, be passed on an emergency basis; seconded by Councilwoman Lipscomb.
ROLL CALL:
Butler YES Thrash YES
Lipscomb YES Vincenzo YES
Murzyn YES West YES
Smith YES
Roll Call Vote: Seven (7) YES Zero (0) NO Zero (0) ABSTAIN Zero (0) ABSENT
Councilman Thrash made a motion to pass Ordinance 2024-02, seconded by Councilwoman West.
ROLL CALL:
Butler YES Thrash YES
Lipscomb YES Vincenzo YES
Murzyn YES West YES
Smith YES
Roll Call Vote: Seven (7) YES Zero (0) NO Zero (0) ABSTAIN Zero (0) ABSENT
Motion Carried
CITIZENS HEARING
Mike Brown addressed the Council regarding a water break on Shepherd Terrace at the end of January. The break was fixed and paved over, but it collapsed multiple times over four to five days. Eventually, the hole grew three feet by three feet over 18 inches deep. It was unmarked and had no cautionary measures put in place. While driving on the morning of the 30th, Mike hit the hole with his car, causing $4,400 in damage. He received an estimate from National Tire and Battery but cannot afford the repairs, and his car remains inoperable. He needs his car as a home health therapist to make a living. When he spoke to people from the city, they told him that he has liability insurance, but there needs to be a mechanism for him to file a report or any paperwork. Mike came to the Council to see if there was any way for him to receive compensation for the damage. He is not belligerent and would like a fair resolution to this matter.
Councilman Smith requested that the Law Director investigate and determine if there are any measures the Council can take to assist Mr. Brown.
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 7:53 P.M.
The next meeting will be Monday, March 4, 2024, 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.