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MINGO JUNCTION -- The Steubenville field manager for U-Haul said that a neighborhood dealer located on a lot at 605 Commercial St. in Mingo Junction has permission from the landowner to be there, although members of Village Council expressed concern about trucks driving over curbs.
The field manager, who did not wish to have his name published, on Wednesday said Charles Fuller, an employee at the Mingo location, received permission to run the business out of the Commercial Street lot, which he said is private property.
The field manager said U-Haul is under contract with the landowner to do business there, and U-Haul would not do business there unless they had received permission to do so.
This situation comes following concerns expressed during Tuesday's council meeting about the U-Haul trucks driving over a sidewalk curb in order to park in the lot.
Mayor Ed Fithen said he and Police Chief Willie McKenzie had unsuccessfully tried to contact Fuller about the business, and they are continuing to look into the situation. However, Fithen said that he and Smith had discussed chaining off the curb to prevent the trucks from driving over it.
Councilwoman Pat Cramblett said of the trucks, "They're driving over our curbs and sidewalks. That's going to damage (the curb.)"
Later, McKenzie said trucks driving over the curbs could constitute a violation of section 331.37 (b) of "The Codified Ordinances of the Village of Mingo Junction, Ohio," which states, "No person shall drive a vehicle on a street lawn area or curb of a street, except upon a permanent or duly authorized temporary driveway or when otherwise lawfully authorized."
McKenzie said the U-Haul business in Mingo has not been authorized and would need to seek authorization from the village council's Safety Committee. As it stands, McKenzie said, the trucks driving over the curb could be a hazard, as cars could be struck by the trucks while the cars are parked along Commercial Street, a public roadway.
Fuller said he spoke with McKenzie near the end of July or the beginning of August, a claim supported by the field manager.
McKenzie said he first learned about the business when a sign was posted in the lot saying there would be a U-Haul business there. Mingo residents began to inquire about the business, he said, so McKenzie contacted Fuller, who McKenzie knew to be the operator of another U-Haul dealer on Fourth Street in Steubenville.
The conversation with Fuller, McKenzie said, only regarded how Fuller had permission by the property owner to operate the business on the lot and did not include any discussion about ordinances or driving over curbs at the time, as no trucks had been parked at the business.
McKenzie said that he and Fithen tried to contact Fuller again after trucks began parking on the property, driving over the sidewalk curb to get there.
In other business, council:
• Entered two executive sessions, the first for disciplinary matters and the second for possible employment;
• Approved and signed a resolution "accepting the amounts and rates as determined by the budget commission, authorizing necessary tax levies and certifying that to the county auditor," as read by Craig Allen, village solicitor;
• Scheduled three special meetings. The first meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday will regard an employee grievance. At 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, the Water and Sewer Board. The third will be a meeting of the Safety Committee at 6 p.m. Sept. 12, before the next council meeting;
• Discussed having a meeting regarding adding speed humps on West Boulevard following complaints. Councilman Adam Peeler expressed concern that adding one speed hump could lead to demand for more, and Councilwoman Jodilynn Fitzgerald said the humps could disrupt snow plowing;
• Heard about plans by Bobby Westfall, owner of the Brown Bag Diner, to convert a vacant lot at 615 Commercial St., across the street from his nonprofit's location, into an outdoor seating area. Currently, Westfall said, a U-Haul business is standing in the way;
• Heard an update via letter from Diane Pernick of the Mingo Junction Senior Activities Center regarding the center's Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October. The date of the specific event has not been confirmed;
• Heard a complaint from Fred Pernick about the use of engine brakes by sand trucks on Commercial St.;
• Heard a complaint from Cathy Stoddart regarding the exit from Murdock Avenue to Union Avenue, where she said "Through traffic, stay in the left lane" signs are ignored, and therefore the signs should be pushed upward; and
• Thanked Jeffrey Schuetz of Schuetz Funeral Home for his contributions to the community, following his 10-year anniversary event on Sunday.
Councilman Mark Baker was excused from the meeting.