Steubenville City Council discussed messages, ATVs
Trending
STEUBENVILLE -- City officials are monitoring profanity-laced messages being left for health department personnel and also are looking into complaints ATV riders are disrupting neighborhoods.
During Tuesday's City Council meeting, City Manager Jim Mavromatis said health department workers have been receiving "a lot of aggressive and harassing calls from business people and some citizens."
"It just shows you the temperament of people today," Mavromatis said, pointing out the local health office merely enforces state mandates regarding the COVID-19 response and when businesses can reopen.
Mavromatis said surrounding counties have been harder hit by the coronavirus than Jefferson County has: Columbiana County has 286 confirmed cases and Mahoning County, 978. Belmont County, meanwhile, has 181 confirmed cases.
As of Tuesday, Jefferson County reported 46 confirmed cases.
Fifth Ward Councilman Willie Paul said he's been getting "nothing but complaints" about people riding ATVs in his ward.
Paul said he's had numerous calls about noise, "but it's not just that. They're urinating in public and also drinking."
"I've been hearing about it for about five months," he said, pointing out the odds of catching the ATV riders on city streets are slim. " I think it's annoying, I really do. I need help with this situation."
Sixth Ward Councilman Bob Villamagna said he's also been fielding complaints from people in his ward.
"The last two weeks it's been almost unbearable," he said, saying it's "becoming worse and worse. ATVs are becoming more popular every day."
City Solicitor Costa Mastros said he'll review applicable city ordinances, "and if we need to amend our ordinance because it doesn't deal with the situation you're confronting, we'll go ahead and deal with it accordingly."
Villamagna, meanwhile, told council the Planning Commission received $1.4 million in project proposals but only has $987,239 in Community Development Block Grant funding for them -- and $365,667 of that is earmarked for COVID-19 spending. "(That leaves) $621,572," he said, "but some of the projects can be done with the COVID-19 money."
"They're sorting that out now," he said.
Villamagna reported structures at 414-416 Maxwell and 1513 Pennsylvania Ave. have been demolished, with structures at 365 Terrace, 438 Linden, 1276 Lincoln, 1420 Oregon and 1431 Pennsylvania Ave. are next on the list.
He added he's working with the Fraternal Order of Police to hold a ceremony to commemorate Peace Officer Memorial Day, though it will have to conform to state guidelines on social distancing.
Councilwoman at large Kimberly Hahn reported adult fitness units are being installed at Jim Wood and Belleview parks, and said no one knows if the Belleview pool will be open this summer.
"There's no definitive answer on the pool," she said. "In many ways that conversation is just beginning."
First Ward Councilwoman Asantewa Anyabwile, who took office in January, requested information about candidates being considered for various commissions and committees ahead of time.
"I'd like for us to be able to discuss who we're putting on commissions and committees," she said.
"That's the mayor's choice, who to put on committees, then it goes to council," Mayor Jerry Barilla explained.
"Council can only approve or deny them, we don't appoint them," 4th Ward Councilman Scott Dressel said. "It's his prerogative who he (chooses)."
Hahn sunshined a resolution authorizing Mavromatis or Parks and Recreation Director Lori Fetherolf to sign off on a funding agreement with the Community Foundation for the Ohio Valley. Mastros said the foundation "is the arm that will allow the park board to raise money and receive grants."
"It can do things we can't do," he added.
Barilla reminded council today is Tuskegee Airmen Day, and said a descendant of Steubenville's own Jerome Edwards has been notified the government will provide a new tombstone since his original marker has deteriorated significantly. Edwards' granddaughter, Helen Edwards, also received a message from the president.
Edwards was killed May 7, 1943, when the P-40 he was piloting crashed on takeoff. His younger brother, John, single-handedly shot down two German Messerschmitts, earning himself the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Both served with the Tuskegee Airmen.
Paul introduced a resolution declaring the week of May 10 as National Hospital Week in the city, while council approved the Dresden Avenue resurfacing project, agreed to work with Ohio Department of Transportation to resurface a section of Sunset Boulevard and approved a lease-purchase agreement for the purchase of a vactor truck through the state purchasing program.
A resolution proclaiming May as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month was approved.