STEUBENVILLE — City officials are taking steps to ensure flags will fly in front of the City Building.
At Tuesday’s meeting, City Manager Jim Mavromatis said a flagpole is going to be installed in front of the building near the handicap walkway. The 25-foot model they’ve been eyeing is low maintenance, he said. It won’t rust nor will it conduct electricity.
First Ward Councilman Dave Albaugh had been pushing for months to have the pole installed, but he points out he’s not the only person who has asked why they didn’t have one.
“It has been brought up before by previous council members,” he said. “I’m just very proud and happy it is finally being done.”
Albaugh said the city “needs to show honor to our country and for the ones that have given the greatest sacrifices so we can have the freedoms we have.”
“I’m extremely proud of our nation,” he added, “and proud that our city will be flying the American flag and the state flag in front of the city building.”
Council also moved forward with the second reading of an ordinance conveying three city-owned parcels in the North End to the Jefferson Metropolitan Housing Authority, which plans to construct new housing there.
JMHA and the city are vying for federal Choice Neighborhood implementation grant money–as much as $50 million–with which to transform the Steubenville North community, but if the grant isn’t awarded JMHA Executive Director Melody McClurg previously said they “have (every) intention to expand affordable housing.” She said they’ll be “working on a redevelopment plan, with or without the grant.”
Sixth Ward Councilman Mike Hernon relayed that information to council after Third Ward Councilwoman Heather Hoover questioned what would happen with the property if the grant falls through.
“Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s great,” she said. “I’m hoping we do get this grant, but if we don’t I’d like to see (the lots) turned into something.”
Hernon said the city has “owned the property and done nothing with it for a long, long time” and pointed out the donation of the three parcels will count as part of the city’s financial commitment to the Choice Neighborhoods project.
“I don’t think it’s our business to develop that land,” Hernon added. “It’s to put it in the hands of people who will develop it.”
Council also passed emergency legislation authorizing Mavromatis to enter into an agreement renewing the city’s participation in the Jefferson County General Health District. Members were told the fee is “less than what we were paying two years ago.”
“Because we’re with them, we just got about $40,000 in free exercise equipment (for the Martin Luther King Recreational Center),” Fourth Ward Councilman Royal Mayo pointed out. “And once it’s all (assembled and in place) there will be advertising dollars available” to get the word out about it.
“If we keep working with them … it’s almost like an investment,” Mayo said, adding the MLK Center is “going to be a really nice health facility.”
Council also approved the appointments of nine city residents to serve on the Charter Review Commission, which held its first meeting Thursday.
• Second Ward Councilman Tracy McManamon sunshined an ordinance to dispose of surplus property, and Mayo sunshined legislation giving Mavromatis the authority to enter into an agreement with the Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District for implementation of Phase 2 of the storm water management plan.
McManamon also reported Chipotle is moving forward with plans to open a location in Steubenville.
“There are some minor plan revisions they’re in the process of doing,” he said. “I think before October, we’ll probably see some movement.”
• Albaugh discussed mulch in city parks and getting outdoor sports courts lined, as well as the need to patch cracks in the Jim Wood Park walking path. Albaugh also reported the Dino Dash, held in conjunction with the Dean Martin Festival, drew “many, many people, a very good turnout.”
• Hoover rescheduled her Pride Committee meeting to 7 p.m. July 2, 30 minutes later than she’d originally planned. McManamon claimed the 6:30 p.m. slot for an economic development meeting. She also asked McManamon to consider rotating participation in zoom meetings with the city’s grant writing consultant.
“Sometimes it’s nice to be there firsthand to kind of jot down our own questions,” she said. “Is there a way (the consultant) can report more often or …a way all of us can attend those meetings or can we start a rotation?”
Mayo also requested rotating participation in the meetings “so everybody gets some input on it, and not just the same two people having input on the grants they want.” He insisted that target areas “should be discussed here first, then go out to department heads and then Aspire.”
Hernon said nearly all of the requests to seek out grants in specific areas come from department heads, not council members.
• Mavromatis updated council on the renovations underway in the old city building.
“Everything is moving like it should,” he said, adding crews will be moving to the second floor soon to do work that has to be done, like rerouting pipes, before they complete some of the first floor projects. He said the contractor has until March to finish the work.
“When this is all finished, I will say this council will have done its job,” Mavromatis added. “When you leave office, you will have done something for the city.”
•Albaugh contrasted plans afoot to set up bulk water sales as a revenue generator for the water department with the dozens of dumpsters stored on a lot “doing nothing.”
“We know the dumpster business we did before, if it wasn’t (profitable) the private companies would not be here,” he said, pointing out the private haulers tend to be from places like New Philadelphia and Youngstown. “We have to be able to do it cheaper than them,” he said. “If we’re going to try an make money, let’s make it everywhere we can.”
• Councilman at large Joel Walker questioned if anyone from the city had followed up on Wintersville’s request to take a couple of the currently unused dumpsters off the city’s hands.
Mayor Jerry Barilla reported on the success of the Dean Martin and Greek festivals earlier this month, saying they were “well-attended, people went away with a positive feeling.”
He said one of the visitors “came in from Australia for the Dean Martin Festival.”
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