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STEUBENVILLE -- City Council paved the way this week for a downtown business owner to acquire a property he's maintained for the past 15 years.
Council voted 6-0 Tuesday to convey the property at 237 S. Sixth St. to the Jefferson County Port Authority, which, in turn, will sell it to Shawn Livingston. Livingston owns the lot next door, S.L. Quality Sales, at 235 S. Sixth St.
Livingston told council he's been cutting the grass at the 237 S. Sixth St. property for years and has done his best to control the weeds poking through his fence for years.
"The back portion is coming into my lot," Livingston told council members. "I'm just asking for you guys to vote for me to purchase it and I'll get the whole thing done."
The city had acquired the property at an auditor's sale years ago. City crews were supposed to maintain the property but, for whatever reason, didn't, so Livingston took responsibility for them.
Fourth Ward Councilman Royal Mayo, who introduced the legislation, had proposed a $250 purchase price, arguing he deserved special consideration since he'd taken on responsibility for maintaining the property.
Livingston said he's been told it will cost him between $1,000 and $1,200 to have someone clear the back of the overgrown lot, "completely clear it out."
"My family has owned property (there) for 100 years," he said. "This would just add more."
Second Ward Councilman Tracy McManamon voiced concern that they'd be setting a precedent.
"I have no problem with what you're doing," McManamon said. "What I'm concerned with is we pulled a number out of the air, now it's in the ordinance and we're going to vote on it. What kind of precedent are we setting?"
Law Director Costa Mastros told him he doesn't see it as a precedent.
"It's not being used," he said. "It's a policy decision, we have someone who wants to use it."
The deal includes a quitclaim deed. If Livingston wants a clear title he'll have to get that done himself.
In other business, Fifth Ward Councilman Willie Paul told council he'd hoped they could forego scheduled $1 increases on water and sewer bills set to take effect in October, but after talking with water and sewage directors it isn't feasible due to the big-ticket upgrades on the horizon, many of them mandated in consent decrees with Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.
Utility Director Chuck Murphy said the consent decrees "are not something we can back away from." Failure to live up to them will result in hefty per-day fines, plus higher costs to get the work done.
"We're not talking small money," he said, pointing out the price tag would spiral.
Water Supervisor Jim Jenkins ticked off a list of projects that have to be done, calling it a "constant battle."
"Unfortunately, if you take that dollar away it hampers all of (them)," he said.
Paul said after listening to what they said, he felt the smart move would be to "let it go this year."
Councilwoman at large Kimberly Hahn said four structures on the city's demolition list have been razed and at least 11 others are out for bid. She also sunshined a resolution honoring Carl White for his 47 years of service at Steubenville Fair Housing.
Council also was told the architect hopes to put the old city building upgrades out to bid within the month.