STEUBENVILLE — Ascent Resources has proposed putting a well pad on a 153-acre parcel just east of Lovers Lane — and is looking into what would be involved in widening a roughly 856-foot-long stretch of the roadway to accommodate the truck traffic it would bring.

During Tuesday’s council meeting, City Engineer Mike Dolak said Ascent initially approached him three years ago about the well pad, which, if it happens, would be within city limits, but he never heard back from them until last month.

“(It’s) in the very preliminary planning stages,” he said. “I felt it best to brief the city manager and council.”

But before anything could happen, Dolak said Ascent would need to have construction plans prepared and approved; the well pad would have to be constructed and a “RUMA” — road use maintenance agreement — would have to be negotiated and in place before anything moves forward.

Ascent would have to pick up the cost of the road improvement, Dolak said.

“If they do it they’d need a survey, some geotechnical work and they’d have to prepare engineering plans, then it could proceed to the construction phase,” he said, adding the road must be improved so it can safely accommodate the heavy trucks that will be coming to and leaving the well pad. “(But) we wouldn’t ask them to do anything we wouldn’t do.”

He said there are “probably 13 or 14 property owners in the vicinity.

“This is all new to us,” he said.

Council also met behind closed doors to discuss the city manager search. While applications haven’t closed yet, Councilman at large Joel Walker said he likes what he’s seen so far.

“I believe we have some very promising candidates,” he said after the meeting was adjourned. “We’re interviewing all the candidates.”

He said they’ll extend Incumbent City Manager Jim Mavromatis’s contract for 30 days “to make sure there is a smooth transition.”

“As of today, we have 10 candidates for the (position),” he said. “We have three more days for people to apply.

The interviews will be conducted during special meetings set for Jan. 29, Feb. 2 and Feb. 9, each beginning at 6 p.m. in the Pugliese conference room.

City Manager Jim Mavromatis also applauded the work crews did to clear snow from city streets during the storm. “Our crews did a phenomenal job. “And our police and firefighters were there answering calls.”

In other matters:

• Council signed off on legislation authoring Mavromatis to advertise for bids for Steubenville’s 2026 CDBG street improvement program.

• Second readings were heard for legislation that would authorize Mavromatis to seek bids for the city’s street sign replacement Phase 10 and the 2026 downtown alley resurfacing project. Council also heard the first reading for a conveyance agreement for a new six-inch waterline and dedication of a waterline easement between Franciscan University of Steubenville and the city.

At Law Director Costa Mastros’ request, third reading on ordinance rezoning property owned by Franciscan University of Steubenville from I-1 (general commercial and industrial) to P (public and semi-public district) was tabled for one week.

Upcoming committee meetings also were announced.

• Safety, 6:30 p.m. Feb. 10. The topic of discussion will be the need for emergency planning. “We need to come up with a plan for what we’re going to do for the ‘least of these’ (in the event of a crisis situation),” Councilman Royal Mayo said.

• Planning, 6:30 p.m. Feb 17, to review needed sidewalk updates. “We neet to prioritize which one we move forward with,” Dolak said.

• Transportation, 6 p.m. Feb. 24. Mayo said there’s a possibility “we may get passenger trains going through here. It’s not guaranteed, but there’s the potential for coming through.” The discussion will focus on the need for an intermodal center in the event the passenger train were to come through town.