×

Steubenville Council, administration at odds over sanitation

Jefferson County Health Department Administrator Bruce Misselwitz told Steubenville City Council members Tuesday night he and the city health department are in contract negotiations that will see the county take over environmental services. Misselwitz noted that once that is completed the two health departments will start talking about combining nursing services. — Dave Gossett

STEUBENVILLE — City Council members continued to call for a change in sanitation collection procedures, while city administration officials said Tuesday night those changes will mean more costs.

Third Ward Councilman Eric Timmons and 2nd Ward Councilman Mike Johnson have been lobbying for sanitation crews to pick up large trash items and garbage they see when they are working the daily routes.

“I was on Kendall Avenue and a bag of garbage I turned in a work order for to be removed was still sitting there. It is attracting rodents and dogs and it smells even worse. I believe it is our responsibility to pick up the trash and garbage that is in our neighborhoods. We have to take on the costs and pick the trash up,” stated Timmons during a council safety and health committee meeting.

“We should pick up the garbage and trash and cite those responsible. We should issue a warning to the offenders and pick it up five days later if it is still there. We can’t quit on the neighbors who are taking care of their properties,” added Johnson.

“Not all of the trash and garbage is on private property. It is also being dumped on city property and we should pick it up,” Timmons noted.

“This issue has many layers and a lot of nuances. It is an enforcement issue first. Without the enforcement issue first it becomes a subsidized cleanup effort on the backs of the citizens we are trying to protect. Can we pick up all the trash and garbage we see and stay on a scheduled route … no,” replied Street and Sanitation Superintendent Bob Baird.

“Without holding people accountable, the idea of accountability will almost immediately disappear. It becomes an issue of how we spend a lot of money cleaning up after people. I don’t have a simple, clear answer to this,” Baird concluded.

That prompted 6th Ward Councilman Bob Villamagna to volunteer to search for identification of the trash offenders.

“If the trash is on city property I will volunteer to dig through the garbage to find a name. But someone better be arrested,” said Villamagna.

Council members heard a report on crime statistics for the past three years, and Timmons expressed concerns about shots fired in the LaBelle neighborhood.

“The police have apprehended several subjects and we just saw one individual sentenced to five years in prison. We believe we have gotten several of the people involved,” City Manager Jim Mavromatis said.

Johnson also questioned the enforcement of the city’s criminal activity nuisance law.

“When a drug dealer is arrested in Dayton and Trotwood, Ohio, the house he was living in is boarded up for a year. We passed that legislation here but I don’t believe it is being enforced. They also put the names of the arrested drug dealers on the city’s website for landlords to check. Landlords need to do their due diligence. We should push this and be aggressive,” said Johnson.

“It is so frustrating to listen to all of this. We have to find a way to accomplish things. We have to come up with a serious way to do this. We can’t keep coming here and discussing why trash is in the street,” said Villamagna.

During the regular meeting, council members heard third and final readings for several ordinances, including authorization for the finance director to transfer $323,429 from the general fund to the general reserve fund, and:

¯ Language for the code enforcement ordinances to crack down on furniture and material stored on residential porches.

¯ An amendment to an existing ordinance governing demolition procedures.

Several ordinances received a second reading, including a zoning request from River Rail Development.

Legislation for neighborhood conservation districts for the 2600, 2700, 2800 and 2900 blocks of Whitehaven Boulevard and Devonshire Road as well as Crestline Drive and Central Avenue received a second reading.

Villamagna introduced a resolution to congratulate Steubenville native Rich Donnelly for being named bullpen coach for Team U.S.A. in the World Baseball Classic set for next month.

Villamagna commended Law Director S. Gary Repella for his coming induction into the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference Hall of Fame this year.

Council met in executive session to discuss the job evaluation of Mavromatis and personnel in the recreation department.

(Gossett can be contacted at dgossett@heraldstaronline.com.)

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

Starting at $4.73/week.

Subscribe Today