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Steubenville council finance session includes discussion of rejecting fire grant

Steubenville City Council members, including, Councilwoman at-large Kimberly Hahn, 2nd Ward Councilman Mike Johnson and 6th Ward Councilman Bob Villamagna listen to City Manager Jim Mavromatis during a City Council finance workshop Saturday morning. — Dave Gossett

STEUBENVILLE — Second Ward Councilman Mike Johnson served notice he and what he said is a majority of City Council members will oppose a fire department application for another Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grant for manpower in the department.

“Last November Fire Chief Carlo Capaldi said he would cut his numbers through attrition. Now he wants to apply for another S.A.F.E.R. grant and that will mean he will have to hire new firefighters to meet the grant requirements. I believe City Council is against the S.A.F.E.R. grant and I believe the council will deny that grant if it is awarded to the city,” Johnson said during a Saturday morning council finance workshop meeting.

“You have to understand we can refuse the S.A.F.E.R. grant, but the fire department has a contract with minimum manning language,” City Manager Jim Mavromatis responded. “If you don’t have the S.A.F.E.R. grant and lose nine people you still don’t save money. The true issue is what we need for staffing.”

Johnson said, “I look at Weirton who is a city of a similar size as Steubenville and they have 23 firefighters and pay $900,000 less than we do in salaries.”

“Our goal is not to have anyone laid-off,” noted 6th Ward Councilman Bob Villamagna.

“I believe the six youngest people in the fire department should test for other jobs if they are holding out hope for another S.A.F.E.R. grant. Only the fire department has minimum manning in their contract. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union doesn’t have that and the police department doesn’t have that. We should start negotiations with the fire department as soon as possible because I believe we will end up in arbitration,” declared Johnson.

“We need to bring in the fire department to discuss these issues. I want to put this to bed and not keep discussing it without them here,” said 5th Ward Councilman and Finance Committee Chairman Willie Paul.

“I just want the young guys in the fire department to know where we are coming from,” replied Johnson.

Johnson also discussed the city health department.

“We need to move on the health department as quickly as possible. It appears the county health department is not willing to consider a union of the two departments and if that is the case, then we need to enter a contract of services as soon as possible. But that may also mean a reduction in services at the city health department to save money. I propose we be ready to spend substantially less so we can put more people in the street department,” Johnson commented.

During the finance workshop the council members heard a detailed report from Street and Sanitation Superintendent Bob Baird on plans to modernize the sanitation department that will include new equipment and a new process for collecting trash and garbage every week.

According to Baird the city is preparing to order 96-gallon containers with wheels that residents will use to place household waste at the curb for the weekly collection.

Baird also said he will order new sanitation trucks and will adapt the current trucks to allow the new containers to be picked up mechanically and dumped into the truck.

“We have a plan and we are ready to move forward. Our biggest issue will be educating the public on the new trash and garbage collection procedures. Every residence will receive a container and we will have stickers available for purchase if residents need to put additional trash at the curb,” said Baird.

Baird said he is hoping to see the new system in place and in operation in 2017.

Mavromatis said he is ready to move two recreation department employees to the street department in the near future.

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