Property Purchase, Administrator Contract Extension Follow Lengthy Executive Session
Article updated Wednesday, August 27
Following an executive session of 1 hour, 12 minutes, Barnesville’s six member village council returned to public session to approve two measures that were not on the published agenda for Monday’s meeting, nor shared publicly previously. The session lasted less than 15 minutes.
Recent council agendas included the following entry
“Executive Session – To Consider the Employment and/or Compensation of a Public Employee ORC 121.22 (G) 1 and (G) 2 To Consider the Purchase of Property for Public Purposes”
Both actions relate to matters discussed privately in executive sessions.
Purchase of Property
First up was the purchase of property outside the corporation limits. While no public discussion for the move was ever mentioned in a public council meeting, village resident Mark Lucas, who is a candidate for council this November, did ask members at a recent meeting what they were looking to purchase. No details were shared with Lucas at that time.
On a 6-0 vote, council authorized the mayor to enter into a purchase agreement with Capstone Holding Company of Bannock to purchase approximately 406 acres of land located in Wayne and Goshen townships near state routes 26 and 148. The property, once owned by R & F Coal Company, includes a large water impoundment. The motion was made by council president Tony Johnson.
Capstone Holding is a land holding company established in 1999 that also sells and leases properties, commercial and residential and recreational according to a listing on the Better Business Bureau website. John P. Dutton is president of the firm and Danny E. Taylor, treasurer.
Addressing Lucas’s question as to why the purchase, Brad Hudson explained it was a large reservoir R & F Coal built in the 80s. “It’s a concrete spillway dam that’s pretty decent. It has more water flow per day than Slope Creek has.”
“We’re looking at it for a future investment,” Hudson said, acknowledging the village does have three other reservoirs.
“Water in the future is going to be one of the most important commodities. It is four miles from the water treatment plant.”
“It’s a future thing. We can buy it at a decent price,” Hudson added, suggesting the village can do water sales from the reservoir.
The proposed purchase agreement will provide one year for the village to explore grants and other funding sources to help pay for the purchase, Mayor Hershberger shared.
“Not every seller would do that,” he said.
Richard Myser, village solicitor clarified council was asking that the village adopt a resolution to purchase the property for $1.725 million and authorize the mayor to enter into a purchase agreement and sign all necessary documents to complete the transaction.
Jeannie Hannahs, village fiscal officer, said the next ordinance number is #4022, prior to council voting to suspend the rules requiring three readings and pass the measure as an emergency.
Myser requested a $25,000 earnest money check to forward to the seller. If the sale fails to close, the village will forfeit those funds.
The official copy of the ordinance is currently posted on the village website. Resolution #4022.
Purchase Questions Answered
Contacted Wednesday, Mayor Hershberger said the impoundment holds 30 million gallons of raw water.
While there is some debate if the water that supplies the reservoir from strip mined land can be treated for use by humans, Hershberger said “the data says otherwise.”
While the current treatment plant is not set up to treat sulfates in the water, “experts state mixing it with other water” will take care of the issue.
“The water is better than many others in the county but not as good as Slope Creek,” the Mayor added.
The village is currently seeking two grants, one through the Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization (AMLER) Program, and a second one through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
Hershberger hopes to secure around $1million from the two grants.
As far as getting the reservoir set up for bulk water sales to the oil and gas industry, Hershberger noted raw water is currently sold by Capstone but acknowledged “a valve needs replaced and the access road improved”.
A major issue for the village selling raw water in 2024 was the water level at Slope Creek was down below a three-foot state drawdown limit due to the severe drought. In 2023, the village sold approximately 500,000 gallons of raw water to firms.
Hershberger supports the purchase based on the possibility of “future growth”. We never “know if additional communities will be added to the Barnesville system like Quaker City and Switzerland”.
Administrator Contract Extension
Councilmember Terry McCort then said, “I want to make a motion to renew and extend Roger’s contract as village administrator effective immediately with whatever paramaters have already been discussed.”
Myser called for the first reading of Resolution #4023. McCort countered requesting a suspension of the “three-reading process”.
McCort moved for the suspension and councilmember Robyn Misner seconded the motion prior to a 6-0 vote.
The same two members moved and seconded approval of the contract. A 6-0 vote followed.
Deal responded, “Thank you, council”.
Earlier this year the village advertised for candidates for the postion after Deal, 65, indicated he would retire at the end of his current contract on January 31, 2026.
Two closed door executive sessions were held as the council and mayor interviewed prospective candidates on June 30 and July 14.
No explanation was given at the meeting by Deal or council as to why the change of heart or why it was necessary to extend a contract at this time that expires in early 2026.
Following the meeting, Hannahs and Myser confirmed the new contract extends Deal’s employment with the village through January 31, 2029.
Update
Contacted Wednesday, Hershberger said there were several good candidates considered to fill the job while Deal was planning to retire but council members felt otherwise.
He also acknowledged he was not included in the contract negotiations between the two parties.
The provisions of the new contract take place immediately. It sets the administrator’s salary at $100,000, up approximately $18,000. The new contract also establishes a four-day work week for the position.
This is a developing story that Barnesville Area News will update as details develop.
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