Steubenville Council gets briefed on police contract details
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STEUBENVILLE -- City Council got its first look Tuesday at a preliminary contract agreement with Steubenville Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 1.
City Manager Jim Mavromatis briefed council on the details of the proposed agreement during a closed-door meeting. Afterward, he stressed nothing has been finalized and until it is, he can't discuss the details.
"I can't comment on (it) until it's been voted on by council," Mavromatis said.
The proposed agreement reportedly calls for a 3 percent pay raise each year of the three-year deal.
A second executive-session was held to discuss the city manager and city clerk's contracts.
Council, meanwhile, voted 1-6 to scuttle the final reading of Fourth Ward Councilman Royal Mayo's proposal that the city commit up to $6 million to North End development. Before the vote Mayo lobbied for the measure's passage, reminding council HUD wants to see a "serious commitment" before it commits to pumping between $30 million and $50 million into its chosen communities and reiterating that HUD expects communities to bet on themselves.
"Mr. Mayo is correct, they want to see a positive impact from the city," Mavromatis said. "But we have to be realistic about this -- we have to base it on where we are financially. We don't have $6 million, it would bankrupt the city. We have to be smart with what we do and we don't have $6 million to commit to it."
Finance Director Dave Lewis pointed out minimum fund balances have to be maintained and they have to have money set aside to cover expenses in an emergency. He told Mayo he couldn't even hazard a guess as to what the city could live with because he hasn't even been able to go over year-end numbers with council.
Mayo, though, insisted it's crucial that council "make a serious commitment" to the North End so the city can be in serious consideration for HUD's implementation grant.
"There's no amount of money we shouldn't be willing to commit to get that money," he said. "We should mortgage the house if we have to to get that money."
Sixth Ward Councilman Mike Hernon called for a planning committee meeting to bring new members up to speed on the status of the planning process "and for all of us to come up with a united vision" for the project, while Second Ward Councilman Tracy McManamon said they also need the consultants working on the project "to come talk to us, tell us what's the number (we need to commit) and what are the projects they want us to go forward with."
"Before we ... go off in 16 different directions, let's get the consultant in here and tell us what they'd like us to do," McManamon said. "How did we come up with the $6 million? I don't see any detail, any numbers in any of this."
But Mayo told council it was the consultant who actually came up with the $6 million financial commitment he'd proposed.
"I didn't make that up, I didn't pull it out of the sky," he said. "I got it from the experts we hired to help us."
McManamon scheduled the finance meeting for 6:30 p.m. Feb. 6, while Mavromatis emphasized he'll do all he can to assist the North End project, reiterating that, "There is money we can commit, we just don't have $6 million (for it.)"
Law Director Costa Mastros, meanwhile, told Mayo his proposal to do away with neighborhood conservation districts wasn't on the meeting's agenda because it would entail a zoning change. Before council can vote he said it must first go to the planning commission for a public hearing and recommendation.
The public hearing is set for March 4.
"It's just a procedure you have to go through to change zoning," Mastros said.
Mavromatis also told council he attended the soft opening of the new family gaming center in the old Sears store at the Fort Steuben Mall, calling it "a beautiful facility." He said he's also been contacted by a company that is considering putting a skating rink in the old Macy's store.
Both of those storefronts are now privately owned.
Mavromatis also reported a notice of violation has been sent to the owner of the mall property itself due to the badly potholed roadway around the mall. If the owner doesn't comply, Mastros said the matter would "go through the court process."