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Steubenville rec director, law director positions will be vacant as of Friday

STEUBENVILLE — City Manager Jim Mavromatis will sit down Wednesday evening with the parks and recreation board members to review 15 applications for the soon-to-be vacant recreation director job.

“We will review the applications and resumes and discuss the next step in the process which will be bringing in several of the candidates for an interview,” explained Mavromatis.

The closed-door meeting will be held in the City Hall Pugliese Conference Room.

“I hope we have a successful candidate for the recreation director’s job hired within the next few weeks,” added Mavromatis.

Parks and Recreation Director Mary Beth Sills will step down from her job on Friday after a mutual agreement was reached with Mavromatis.

She has served as recreation director since May 2014.

The person hired by Mavromatis and approved by the recreation board immediately will face several issues, including the immediate future of the Belleview Pool.

City Council members toured the pool last week and heard Mavromatis recommend closing the pool for a year for major renovation work.

“This is not the pool we grew up with. Times have changed. You have to look at our population. I have talked to people who told me why they don’t come here. It all goes back to discipline in the home. There is a lack of supervision here and a lot of maintenance that needs to be done. The slide needs to be taken down. Maybe we can put up portable basketball hoops so people can play basketball or volleyball in the pool. We have a baby pool that has not been used for several years. The pine trees need to go. Landscaping is needed. And we have to decide what we are trying to accomplish here,” Mavromatis said.

The city manager has cited low attendance as one reason to close the pool this year for renovations.

“I look at the pool and the ballfields and I see a lot more people using those ballfields than using the pool. Do we close the pool for a year and fix it up or do we put a band aid on it just so we can open it. I came here when I was a kid and it didn’t look like this,” Mavromatis remarked.

The next recreation director will work with recreation board members who have indicated they want to see more sporting activities organized at the city’s parks and facilities.

There is a push to upgrade the city marina and create a biking and hiking trail from the marina to the Historic Fort Steuben.

In addition to hiring a new recreation director, Mavromatis must select a new law director.

S. Gary Repella will retire from the job effective Friday after nearly 31 years.

“We have three candidates for that position. They are all good attorneys, but the successful applicant will have to give up their private practice. I also hope to have a new law director in place within the next two weeks. I will make a selection soon and will ask City Council to approve the appointment,” Mavromatis stated.

“Assistant Law Director Costa Mastros will handle the law director duties until an appointment is made and confirmed,” noted Mavromatis.

“These are two key positions in the city administration, and we must make a good choice as we move forward,” Mavromatis said.

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

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