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Steubenville City Council members draw 2017 wish lists before digging into budget

Steubenville council members write 2017 wish lists

Steubenville Councilwoman at large Kimberly Hahn took notes during a City Council budget workshop meeting Wednesday evening in the City Hall Pugliese Conference Room. Council members put together their own wish list before scheduling meetings with department heads starting next week. — Dave Gossett

STEUBENVILLE — City Council members continued to express disappointment in the operation of the Belleview Park pool and concern about overtime during a budget workshop Wednesday evening.

The seven council members spent nearly two hours listing their personal wish list items for the 2017 city budget and discussed plans for the future of the city.

Council members plan to meet with police Chief Bill McCafferty and Urban Projects Director Chris Petrossi at 6 p.m. prior to the Tuesday council meeting to discuss their tentative 2017 budgets.

“I don’t buy the need for the amount of overtime at the wastewater plant. I would like to see significantly less overtime in the 2017 budget and maybe they will hire one or two people. There is something wrong there to have that much overtime,” 4th Ward Councilman Scott Dressel said.

“If we are going to keep the Belleview Park pool open, we need to replace the slide that can no longer be used. A slide attracts more kids. A pool should make money,” added Dressel.

“We also need to open the pool on Memorial Day and keep it open until Labor Day. Maybe we can approach Franciscan University about managing the pool,” suggested Councilwoman at large Kimberly Hahn.

For 1st Ward Councilman Gerald DiLoreto, the issues in 2017 include dilapidated houses and weeds.

“We need more help in the maintenance and repair department. Everyone wants something, but no one tells us how to fund it. We can’t continue to spend 80 percent of our funds on salaries and benefits,” stated DiLoreto.

“The health department, the staffing numbers for the fire department and vacant houses are my issues. We also need an ordinance for code enforcement that is stronger,” noted 3rd Ward Councilman Eric Timmons.

Hahn asked for $10,000 from the recreation department to be used for the city marina.

“We can put that money with money we will seek from the Jefferson County commissioners in 2017 for our biking and hiking trail plan. I also want to work on code enforcement. I understand there used to be a pride committee of different city employees who would meet regularly. I have a seven-page plan that we can use to start cleaning up the LaBelle hilltop and then move to all of the neighborhoods in the city,” shared Hahn.

“I also believe we need an ordinance setting a timeline for people to replace broken windows. And, we need to talk to Municipal Court Judge John Mascio regarding code enforcement cases or take the cases to common pleas court. And, I want to work on a new sign and a flower garden for the hilltops once the Lawson Avenue bridge is replaced next year. And I would like to see a sidewalk installed on Wellesley Avenue leading down to University Boulevard,” concluded Hahn.

She questioned the use of a police sergeant for code enforcement work.

“Do we need a police officer to check on weeds?,” she asked.

Sixth Ward Councilman Bob Villamagna called for more manpower in the maintenance and repair department and moving the police department out of its current facilities in the Municipal Building.

“If we can merge the city health department with the county, that will free up that space and we can move the police department there. Their current office space is deplorable. The plaster ceiling is coming down. We could seek funding to turn the Municipal Building back into its original use as a market building like the Wheeling Center Market. We also need to increase manpower for the building department,” stated Villamagna.

According to 2nd Ward Councilman Mike Johnson, council will have to budget money to print the 2017 city code books.

“I would like to find out if we can just print one or two books and update the ordinances online. I don’t see the need for hard copies,” Johnson told his colleagues.

“I would like to see a permit technician for the building department and a part-time code enforcement officer, but we will also need to see a drastic change in code enforcement,” commented Johnson.

“If the county doesn’t want to merge the health departments then we need to budget for the state-minimum required programs for the city health department. That may mean a part-time health department. A complete merger would benefit the city. We have to balance our budget. And I agree with Bob. We need to move our police department into the health department offices,” said Johnson.

“We need to add at least three people in the maintenance and repair department. We need to continue to reduce the fire department through attrition, and I am going to pursue using the sanitation fund for the demolition of more dilapidated houses in 2017. We also have a lot of dilapidated cinder block garages on LaBelle that our employees could take down. And I would like to see at least nine seasonal employees hired to cut grass and weeds,” ended Johnson.

Fifth Ward Councilman Willie Paul said he agreed with the need to budget for a building department permit technician.

“Maybe we could use a firefighter as a code enforcement officer. The firefighters are trained to look for certain things when they enter a building. That might work for everyone. I also want to see three more people in the maintenance and repair department and the seasonal workers,” Paul said.

“I also would like to see a board created for local residents to be our eyes and ears in the community to keep us abreast of what is going on. They would answer to Chris about issues in their area of the city,” cited Paul.

“We need to get a handle on the swimming pool and market it better. Another of my goals is to add one or two police officers. Maybe we can use some of the safety fund for new radar equipment,” added Paul.

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