Legislation for splash pad gets voted down by Steubenville Council
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STEUBENVILLE -- Legislation that would have funded a splash pad in Steubenville's North End was voted down Tuesday, despite pleas from residents who said kids there deserve better .
City Council deadlocked at 3-3, with Fourth Ward Councilman Royal Mayo, Fifth Ward Councilman Willie Paul and First Ward Councilwoman Asantewa Anyabwile voting yes, and Councilwoman at large Kimberly Hahn, Second Ward Councilman Tracy McManamon and Sixth Ward Councilman Michael Hernon voting no.
With Third Ward Councilwoman Heather Hoover unable to attend the meeting, Mayor Jerry Barilla had to cast the deciding vote and weighed in on the "no" side.
"I want to make it perfectly clear I am in favor of a splash pad in downtown Steubenville," Barilla said prior to casting his vote. "I am not in favor of (the North End) location, it's two miles from Beatty Park to North End field. The MLK Center is right in the center, one mile each way. There's adequate parking, indoor bathroom facilities and there are people there who can supervise."
Prior to the vote residents spoke in support of the legislation, urging council to "think about the kids."
"The kids in the North End don't have anything to do," resident Terri Dixon said. "This is essential to them. In summertime when they need to cool off they're not able to get to water or they're not able to afford it. These things, these little things we're asking, are because it's needed."
Mayo said the kids in the Fourth Ward "need this, they really deserve this."
"This is a long time coming, the splash pad," he said. "And it doesn't cost any money, anybody can come and cool off whenever they want in summer. It's off until someone walks up - you walk up and activate it, put your hand over it. Just give the kids in the North End something to do."
Hernon, though, said he thinks the money can be better spent addressing costly repairs looming at Belleview Pool.
"When I think about what's going to best serve our students, our kids in that age group, I think we need to invest in our pool," Hernon said. "It's not going to be cheap. And when you look at the limited resources we have as a city ... these are huge investments."
He said the "wisest and best use" of the money would be at Belleview.
"If we need a splash pad, let's put it at Belleview," he said, urging council to "prioritize our children by prioritizing Belleview."
But resident Daysha Wade told Council "the North End has been neglected for years" and said not many of them go to Belleview.
"The kids can definitely utilize the splash pad," she said. "
Hahn pointed out planning for the Choice Neighborhoods Grant proposal is in its infancy and there's a possibility that the consultants might recommend moving the park to a location that doesn't back up against railroad tracks with ample parking, so she'd rather "set aside $200,000 toward the North End Park, wherever that North End Park is and not hamper (those) discussions. "
"If we spend $200,000 now on a splashpad in the North End it will potentially alter that conversation," she said.
Mayo pointed out even if they are selected for the Choice Neighborhood Grant, "that won't be realized for seven to 10 years."
"Kids in my ward don't want to wait seven to 10 years," he continued.
He also pointed out that with about $1.4 million in federal American Rescue Plan funds remaining, "You know what the 4th Ward and 1st Ward have got so far? Nothing."
"We vote on it tonight" he said. "It needs to pass."
Before enumerating his objections, McManamon acknowledged the splash pad is a "very emotional" issue but said the facts don't justify the expenditure.
Specifically, he was critical of the location "next to a bar," prompting a man sitting in the public gallery to correct him.
"It's the American Legion," he said. "It's not a bar."
McManamon also voiced concern that the roughly $200,000 price tag for the splash pad was based on 2022 prices and actual costs almost certainly will have gone up. He also pointed out the city spends about $20,000 a year on water for the splash pad at Jim Wood Park, and there are "significant" health and safety requirements set by the Centers for Disease Control and Department of Health. "Who's going to manage that?" he asked, prompting one woman in the gallery to storm out.
"You're not a fair man," she said as she left. "I'll leave."
McManamon was interrupted several more times, prompting him to tell Barilla, "We're going to have to stop the meeting or excuse some people." After the crowd calmed he continued, pointing out his ward hadn't directly benefited from the ARPA fund windfall, either.
"My citizens are saying it would be fiscally irresponsible for us to devote this much money to a splash pad that we may eventually have to rip up," he said. "And we've got Belleview Pool, which is falling apart. We need to put our money into Belleview Park, where all citizens of Steubenville can go."
Before the vote, resident Tina Thompson told council what it boils down to is, "Do we support the North End or do we not."
Before his no vote, Barilla pointed out "children in the South End aren't getting anything, either."
"Why do we have to put it in in the North End and neglect the South End?" he asked. "My view is the South End needs representation as well as the North End ... My view is, vote this ordinance down and put it at MLK Center ... I would love to see another ordinance and put it at MLK, I would love to see that. So I'm going to vote no."