December 4 2023 Council Meeting Minutes

November 20, 2023-Council Meeting Minutes

November 6, 2023 Council Meeting Minutes

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 16^th Council Meeting. Councilman Thrash made a motion to approve the minutes from October 16, 2023, Council Meeting; motion seconded by Councilman Smith.

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  

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.

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 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.

October 16, 2023 Council Meeting Minutes

Jim Velas, Council President                                             Kathryn Thalman, Mayor

Don Vincenzo, Council, 1^st Ward                                 Jeremy Greenwood, Public Service/Safety Director

Kristi Lipscomb, Council, 3^rd Ward                                Don Smithberger, Super. of General Services

Terra Butler, Council, 4^th 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 2^nd 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                  HERE                                         Thrash                  HERE

Lipscomb           HERE                                               Vincenzo         HERE

Oprisch               HERE

Seven (7) Present                          Zero (0) Absent

MINUTES: Council President Jim Velas confirmed all Councilmembers received the minutes from the October 2^nd Council Meeting. Councilwoman Butler made a motion to approve the minutes from October 2, 2023, Council Meeting; motion seconded by Councilwoman Lipscomb.

ROLL CALL:

Butler                   YES                                        Smith                   ABSTAIN       

Jordan                  YES                                                 Thrash                  YES

Lipscomb           YES                                                  Vincenzo         YES

Oprisch               YES

Roll Call Vote:    Six (6) YES    Zero (0) NO    One (1) ABSTAIN    Zero (0) ABSENT

Motion Carried  

NEW BUSINESS: None

CITIZEN HEARING: Newly appointed Clerk of Courts, Laura Zupko, addressed Council to discuss her recent appointment and background. She also mentioned her candidacy for the upcoming primary election.

CORRESPONDENCE: None

REPORTS:

Mayor Kathryn Thalman reported a line break on Sugar Street last Friday, which crews fixed by 11:30 PM. Additionally, she noted that she met with Eric and Tom Murphy to discuss some paperwork that needed to be filled out and some concerns in the City. Mayor Thalman reported she attended. The art walk in town was a huge success, and she thanked the Chamber for organizing it. The Mayor also participated in a party at the governor’s residence, where she had the chance to inform him about what was happening in the City and pitch ideas for future developments. She participated in the Rosary rally at St. Mary’s Church, a beautiful opportunity to pray for the country and the world. Don Smithberger asked the Mayor to mention that the paper bag cleanup will begin shortly. There are still a lot of leaves on the trees, so a route has yet to be set. Please call Jen at the city building for more information. I want to address the issue of the Mayor’s court. She has received questions from people about why we are not doing Mayor’s court. She noted that she regularly holds the Mayor’s court every third Wednesday at 4 PM. In 2015, the Mayor’s court brought in $19,000, and they are currently on track to bring in $13,494.50 this year. In 2022, they brought in $12,362. However, the Mayors reminded everyone that the police department is not a profit-generating entity. With the recent increase in drug crimes, they are dealing with a lot of work.

Councilwoman Jordan asked for clarification that the Mayor Court was not generating around $45,000 annually like in previous years.

Mayor Thalman invited Councilwoman Jordan to look at the books to see the money generated from Mayors Court. She also noted that her information needed to be corrected and that the Mayor’s Court did not generate $45,000 annually.

Councilwoman Jordan stated she had figures from previous years that showed the revenue generated from the Mayor’s Court and that she would be happy to provide that information.

Service/Safety Director Jeremy Greenwood [ABSENT] No report.

Police Chief Matt Arbenz provided some important reminders about upcoming events that will affect traffic on certain streets. On Wednesday, the 18th, there will be a domestic violence march on West Main Street from 6:00 to 7:00 PM, which will result in the street being blocked during that time. On the 27th, the Chamber Halloween Bash will take place on West Main Street between 5:00 and 8:00 PM, which will also result in the street being closed. Additionally, on the 27th, there will be a Memorial Park run, and the gate will be closed at 5:30 PM until the run is concluded. Finally, on the 31st, trick-or-treating will take place from 5:30 to 8:00 PM, and while officers will be present to manage traffic, you can still expect some slowdowns.

Finance Director Annette Whealdon No report.

Planning & Zoning Administrator Tom Murphy reported that the Courtyard Apartments are located at the corner of South-North Marietta and West Main Street. The apartment owner is handling everything related to the structure, and they are looking for additional funding to renovate the interior. As part of the renovations, they may replace the windows and some doorways. If the Council opposes the project, it will need a majority vote to stop it. However, Mr. Murphy noted that it is a good project as it involves renovating an existing structure of rental apartment units. The Mayor and Jacob received a letter about the project. Mr. Murphy reported that Tom Simons, the managing member, was contacted to discuss the specifics. The renovation process will require approval from the city and the State Historic Preservation Office because of the funding proposal and the location of the historic district. Additionally, the DORA committee meeting will occur tomorrow at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers, and all are welcome to attend. Beth may not be able to attend due to personal reasons, but JC and Christie will be in attendance. Anyone else is welcome to attend. The Mayor will submit DORA guidelines to the state code if the Council decides to come up with them. The Board of Zoning Appeals will meet on November 1st at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers. Three items are on the agenda: One Care Funeral Home is requesting a fencing variance, Frosty’s Frenzy is requesting a condition of use to establish a temporary business in the drive-up window, and the Parks and Rec department is requesting a sign variance. All are welcome to attend the meeting.

Councilman Smith asked if there were any potential candidates for the open position on the Board of Zoning Appeals. Mr. Murphy stated that the Mayor has been receiving applications from potential candidates and that he would work closely with her since she is the one who ultimately makes the appointment.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Finance Chair Don Vincenzo reported that expenditures are at 51%, and the revenue is at 72%. Although there is no audit report, it is expected to be released soon. Annette discussed the 2024 temporary budget and explained that they needed to go line by line to identify the items the superintendents and others require. All council members will be involved in this process, and their thoughts will be reviewed. There was also a discussion about paving questions and the allocation of funds for next year. They will continue to work on this and provide updates.

Utilities Chair Terra Butler No report.

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 provided an update on their progress, saying there haven’t been any meetings since their last one. However, they are still in discussion and sincerely appreciate the support of this administration in working towards the betterment of junior sports. They are currently working with a small group of representatives from junior sports to update a contract that dates to 1983. They aim to present the updated language to the administration’s legal team and have it gone through the buildings and grounds committee for review. This will ensure that everyone involved in junior sports knows who is responsible for what. They are still working on figuring out the gas and oil rights that come with the properties, but they are hopeful that this is just the beginning of a productive relationship between the city and junior sports.

Planning Commission Chair Kristi Lipscomb announced that the Planning Commission had scheduled a meeting on November 13th at 6:00 PM to discuss the development of guidelines for temporary businesses, including food trucks and shed-type businesses. She urged council members to attend this meeting and provide their input and points of view. Additionally, the Cumberland Trail Fire District will seek site plan approval for structural additions and parking lot improvements. It will appear before the Planning Commission at the meeting scheduled for December 11th.

Fire Chair Linda Jordan No report.

Recreation Chair Kristi Lipscomb announced that the Rec Department Halloween event will occur this Saturday, starting at 6:30 PM. The event will be held at the amphitheater located behind the Rec Center. Pre-registration is required for the event, and it can be done through the Rec Center’s website. Thanks to Unified Bank for sponsoring this event. Boo at the Bike Trail will be on Tuesday, October 24th, from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. The Rec Department will hand out candy at the tunnel, and pre-registration is not required.  Registration is currently open for Bantam basketball, which is a program that is open to boys and girls in grades K through 6. The next Rec meeting is scheduled for this Thursday, October 19th, at 4:30 PM at the Rec Center.

Park District Chair Linda Jordan No report.

ORDINANCES & RESOLUTIONS: Law Director Elizabeth Glick

No Ordinances or Resolutions

Councilwoman Oprisch expressed her concern about Ordinance 2016-26. She pointed out that the Ordinance was limiting citizens from addressing the Council as they deemed necessary. Though she suggested repealing the Ordinance entirely, she sought input from other council members on their thoughts regarding the matter. After a lengthy discussion among council members and the Law Director, the Law Director agreed to draft legislation for the next meeting incorporating the changes desired by the Council. The Law Director also mentioned that the legislation could undergo a first reading and could still be adjusted, if necessary, without the need to start over.

ADJOURNMENT: With no further business to come before Council, Councilwoman Butler made a motion to adjourn; seconded by Councilman Thrash. The meeting was adjourned at 8:15 P.M.

The next meeting will be Monday, November 6, 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.