STEUBENVILLE — Members of Steubenville City Council were updated on the ongoing search for a new city manager and were advised they will be asked to consider leasing city property for underground drilling.

Council granted a request from Councilman at large Joel Walker to call an Oct. 14 meeting for council to review information submitted by 10 applicants for the position.

The meeting is slated for 7 p.m. in the Municipal Courtroom of the City Building.

Walker chairs a committee formed to review information submitted by the applicants.

He said each member of the panel, which includes two other council members and two citizens, has been charged with verifying the qualifications and references submitted by two of the applicants.

The committee also includes current City Manager Jim Mavromatis, who has announced he is retiring in March.

Walker said the intention is for the committee to present its findings at the meeting to council, which then may determine how many candidates it wishes to interview.

He told his fellow council members, “The seven of us will pick the next city manager.”

Walker was asked how a proposed charter change, to be decided by voters in the Nov. 4 general election, will affect the selection.

Under the current charter, council may consider candidates for city manager who have an undergraduate degree in public or business administration, accounting or a related field and at least two years’ experience in management or administration of a municipality or county or five years’ experience as an executive or chief fiscal officer of a business or government entity.

If approved by voters, the charter would be changed so a potential city manager could have either the educational background or the work experience but not necessarily both.

Walker said if a new city manager hasn’t been selected when the election is held, council will abide by the voters’ wishes moving forward with the selection.

Following the meeting, Walker said he’s more concerned that a suitable candidate is found than pushing for a selection before the election.

He said the goal is to name one before Mavromatis’ departure to ensure a smooth transition.

In other business, City Law Director Costa Mastros advised at next Tuesday’s regular meeting, he will present an ordinance pertaining to the leasing of city property for its mineral rights.

He stated the proposed ordinance is to be sunshined at that time, meaning it will be made publicly known but no action will be taken by council.

If approved, it would involve about 95 acres under Beatty Park and a few acres under a city landfill near county Road 26 that was closed more than a dozen years ago.

Mastros said more than one entity has expressed interest in the mineral rights so if council agrees to lease the property, the city will need to advertise it to other potential interested parties.

First Ward Councilman Dave Albaugh asked Mastros whether the ordinance would be good or bad for the city.

Mastros said it will be for council to determine that while conceding it would generate revenue for the municipality.

He said any revenue from leasing the landfill property must go to remediation ordered for it when it was closed.

Fourth Ward Councilman Royal Mayo asked, “What could go wrong that could negatively affect the city?”

Mastros said an agreement with the lessor would include clauses offering protections to the city.

But Mayo said clauses wouldn’t prevent things from going wrong.

Mastros stressed the leases would involve property that is underground and not on the surface, and he wouldn’t allow any activity to take place in the park.

Asked whether council could prohibit such activity in the city, Mastros said the Ohio State Supreme Court has ruled only the Ohio Division of Natural Resources cam do that.

Mastros told council he has worked on the proposed legislation for some time.

“I’m going to set you up to be in the best position I can,” he said.

At a budgetary meeting held prior to the council meeting, the subject of funding for community events arose.

Mayor Jerry Barilla said he expects many events to be held on Independence Day 2026 in celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday.

He said the cost for fireworks already rose this year by a few thousand dollars, to about $28,000, and he was told that was because of tariffs on foreign-made explosives.

Barilla said it’s difficult to say how much the cost will be next year and whether it will be more difficult to book a pyrotechnics company in light of the many celebrations.

Walker questioned a proposed expenditure of $5,000 for the steubenville Cultural Trust, an organization behind the Nutcracker Village.

He suggested the allocation sets a precedent for requests from organizers of other events.

Sixth Ward Councilman Mike Hernon said he will defend the allocation because of the enormous number of people the event brings to the city not only from this region but from other states and countries.

Following the meeting, Barilla confirmed Historic Fort Steuben also had received $5,000 from the city for its part in the Christmas festivities but said the money was returned because it didn’t seem fair to other local nonprofit events.

During the meeting, it was noted $10,000 was allotted for Juneteenth events organized by volunteers at the north and south ends of downtown though there was said to have been talk of combining the two next year.

Mayo said he sees the two as a continuous celebration, fitting for the occasion, and would like to see a concert held at the fort’s amphitheater to complement them.

Also on Tuesday, Walker and Mayo asked about a complaint last week that former water customers were continuing to be billed for sewer service.

Mayo said he’s learned of customers who were billed for the service months after they had requested their water be turned off.

Mastros said council can adopt an ordinance to prevent that but should probably run it through its utilities committee first.

He said city officials also need to ensure that a caller requesting a water termination is the customer on the account.