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STEUBENVILLE -- The central business district will be getting a parking enforcement officer, but it took a tie-breaking vote by Steubenville Mayor Jerry Barilla to make it happen.
With second Ward Councilman Tracy McManamon unable to attend, council split 3-3 on the legislation, which changed the city's table of organization to add a part-time position in the police department that would be filled by the parking officer. The position, as approved, would allow City Manager Jim Mavromatis to offer the new hire $15 to $18 an hour, depending on experience and qualifications. Health care is not included.
Shoppers currently can park in the CBD for free for up to two hours, but it's been on the honor system and business owners in the 100 blocks of North Fourth, South Fourth and Market streets complain overtime parkers are keeping legitimate customers from patronizing their shops.
But, Fourth Ward Councilman Royal Mayo and First Ward Councilwoman Asantewa Anyabwile voiced reservations about potentially paying the new hire significantly more per hour than part-time employees at the MLK Center receive. Fifth Ward Councilman Willie Paul suggested setting the issue aside until budget time, when they can revisit not only what the parking officer should make, but whether the salary of other part-timers should be boosted and if the city ought to consider using other measures.
All three of them voted against the measure.
"We're never going to recoup the (additional cost) from the employee writing tickets," Mayo said, asking, "Is this more of a service to business owners in one block? We're going to pay $400 a week to someone to write tickets in that (small area)?"
Mayo also figures it's "pretty much the same people parking there over and over and over again."
On the flip side, Councilwoman at large Kimberly Hahn, Third Ward Councilwoman Heather Hoover and Sixth Ward Councilman Mike Hernon voted in favor of the hiring.
Hoover admitted some misgivings, saying the city "needs to pay decent wages (but) I also think we need to (consider) other part-time employees."
"I'm not a fan of free two-hour parking, anyway. I'd rather see meters put in," she said. "I want to make sure we're recouping the funds we're paying the employee to do this job."
City Manager Jim Mavromatis said he came up with the $15-$18 pay range after checking with other cities to find out the going rate for parking enforcement.
"You have to look at the responsibility this person has," Mavromatis reminded. “This is probably one of the most difficult jobs to have, with people writing tickets."
He said the city "has trouble hiring police officers, much less parking enforcement officers."
"They're out there every day, rain, snow or sleet," he said. "They're out there and they have to write up parking violations. And again, you're dealing with today's wage (scale)."
Mavromatis said it's impossible to compare the duties and responsibilities of a parking enforcement officer, who must document parking violations, write the appropriate tickets and appear in court, with other part-time city employees.
Mayo disagreed, pointing out, "We haven't had someone writing tickets in over a year" and they've stayed open, "But you can't keep MLK open with no one working."
Anyabwile suggested having a police officer walk a beat and ticket parking violators while they're at it, but Mayo said he doesn't want that to be their focus.
"I don't want police officers walking a beat to write tickets. I want them walking the beat to make neighborhoods safer," Mayo said.
"Do you want to wait until budget time and talk about it then?" Paul asked. "We can discuss parking, raising the rates, fines ... we can discuss (salaries). Or do you want to go forward with this -- I mean, we don't even have parking situation figured out yet."
Barilla thought briefly before casting his tie-breaking vote, telling council he'd "Spent 50 years on that street and the troubles we had as a retailer, it was paramount for us to survive to have parking."
"I think it's important to move this forward so we can talk about it," Barilla added. "So I'm going to vote yes."
Paul praised the city's electricians for "their hard work putting the military banners up."
"I think we have over 300 military banners now … you see them up and down Sunset," he added. "I want to praise them for the great job they've done."
Likewise, he said a Scenic Drive resident had nothing but praise for wastewater employees working on a sewer line problem on his street. "It wasn't his property but it affected him," Paul said. "He said they did an outstanding job, very professional ... that they were kind and courteous."
Paul sunshined legislation authorizing Mavromatis to apply for funding through the Governor's Office of Appalachia program, while Hahn introduced legislation authorizing him to seek proposals for professional engineering design services for the Belleview Pool renovation project.
With that, Anyabwile was reminded there were several items on a list of tabled items routinely added to the bottom of the council agenda dealing with MLK Center that she didn't think had been addressed, citing the roof, windows and blind replacements.
Hahn told her the roof was done and Parks and Recreation Director Lori Fetherolf is waiting for the final estimate on tinted windows, which negates the need for blinds.
Mayo, who had introduced those projects months ago and proposed paying for them with American Rescue Plan funds, said the splash pad he wants in the North End and upgrades to the MLK weight room were also on that list. He said he'd like an update on those proposals as well as pickleball courts.
Hahn also said the light at the marina entrance and state Route 7 intersection should be fixed by the end of August. The light was damaged several weeks ago in an auto accident.
Council also discussed problems on some city streets with overgrown bushes blocking street signs and sidewalks.
"Isn't that a safety issue if they're encroaching on the street view or sidewalk?" Hernon pointed out. "We don't necessarily need another ordinance" to address it.
Hahn also called an economic development committee meeting.
Council also told Mavromatis to contract with W.E. Quicksall and Associates for professional engineering services for the bulk water sales station project and accepted the amounts and rates as determined by the budget commission and authorizing the necessary tax levies and certifying them to the county auditor.
Second readings were heard of legislation that would authorize Mavromatis to seek bids for the Beatty Park bridge project and purchase necessary supplies for the service department in 2024.