Financial impact of virus still unclear in Steubenville
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STEUBENVILLE -- Questions about an equipment purchase and staffing dominated discussion during Tuesday's City Council meeting, the fourth to be livestreamed during the statewide coronavirus lockdown.
Utility Director Chuck Murphy told council a $443,000 vacator truck is crucial to wastewater and water department operations.
"It's very important in terms of cleaning sewer lines," Murphy said, adding it's vital to water operations as well. "It's very much a public health and safety question."
Legislation authorizing the acquisition of the truck through a lease-purchase arrangement with Huntington Bank was introduced by 5th Ward Councilman Willie Paul.
Murphy said the deal calls for the city to pay roughly $63,000 a year for seven years.
Because it is being purchased through the state, he said there's no budget requirement.
He told 1st Ward Councilwoman Asantewa Anyabwile that the youngest of the two trucks already in service is seven years old.
"We need to have two," Murphy said.
"Every day we have both machines out working."
Finance Director Dave Lewis, peppered with questions about unfilled positions in the city's Table of Organization, said they were "holding (them) as long as we can so we can determine our revenues."
"The biggest revenue unknown we have right now is income tax collections," he added.
City Manager Jim Mavromatis said it could be late in May or even June before the revenue picture becomes clearer.
Council had previously expressed a desire to hear three readings of its new tax budget, but Lewis told them that, given the revenue disruptions caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, that's not going to be possible this year since they don't have the information they need to calculate the impact the lockdown is going to have on finances.
A few months down the road, he said, "We'll know much more than we do today."
Former Councilman Gerald "Yonk" DiLoreto was reappointed to the Jefferson Metropolitan Housing Authority board by a 6-1 vote, with Anyabwile casting the lone dissenting vote.
Sixth Ward Councilman Bob Villamagna sunshined resolutions designating May 15 as Police Officer's Memorial Day and the month of May as Motorcycle Safety Awareness month.
Villamagna and Anyabwile commended city workers for their efforts during the lockdown.
Council also heard the second reading of ordinances authorizing Mavromatis to execute agreements for the Dresden Avenue resurfacing project and another with the Ohio Department of Transportation for a Sunset Boulevard resurfacing project.