FINAL MEETING — Steubenville Mayor Jerry Barilla presided over his last regular meeting as mayor on Tuesday, pausing afterward to remember the moment with members of City Council and members of the general public — several of whom are regulars at the meetings — who were in attendance. -- Linda Harris

STEUBENVILLE — City Manager Jim Mavromatis told members of City Council last week that while he’s still waiting for a final accounting, Steubenville “is going into 2026 solvent.”

“But the one thing I can’t tell you until next month is (how much we’ll carry over),” he said. “Once we finish scrubbing all the books, we’ll see what’s left over.”

He said it’s “not a designed surplus, there’s no way to tell you exactly (what it will be), but I can tell you that in the 10 years I’ve been here we’ve been anywhere from a half-million to a million dollars (but) that’s based on a good year.”

Second Ward Councilman Tracy McManamon told council plans for the inclusive playground at Jim Wood Park are progressing, explaining that they’d added more elements offering shade after public comments had pointed out “one of the issues that we had was the (rendition) before didn’t have enough shade.”

He said the entire complex, to be located inside the track at Jim Wood Park, will be wheelchair accessible throughout. Because plastic slides can cause static electricity that can “blow up” cochlear implants, they’re planning to go with a cement one, “but don’t ask me how that works,” McManamon said.

They’ve also planned a zip line activity that will include one modified for children who are wheelchair bound.

“It’s a pretty expansive playground. There are all kinds of elements everywhere on this thing,” he said. “Everything has a purpose. Every device inside this playground has a purpose.”

McManamon said they’ll be starting the fundraising stage in the new year and told Mayor Jerry Barilla, in his final days in office, he will need his assistance.

In other actions Tuesday, City council:

•Heard the final reading of an ordinance authorizing the city manager to enter into a water supply revolving loan account for the Belleview tank rehabilitation work;

• Passed emergency legislation enacting a new table of organization for the city. The ordinance included pay raises for a handful of secretarial employees. It was adopted 7-0 after Mavromatis assured Fourth Ward Councilman Royal Mayo there would be an amendment forthcoming in the new year;

• Passed emergency legislation enacting a a cybersecurity policy, payment and re-direct and business e-mail compromise policy;

• Heard the first reading of an ordinance authorizing the approval of expenditures of more than $3,000 without a purchase order; and

• Heard first reading of an ordinance amending roughly 10 parcels owned by Franciscan University of Steubenville from general commercial and industrial to public and semi-public.

Council will return from its Christmas hiatus on Jan. 6.