Mayor Breaks Tie on Special Event License
At the August 25 village council meeting, Blue Moon Tavern Owner Susan Lapham’s request to serve alcohol at a chili cook off was a continuing discussion from the last meeting.
Lapham told council she checked with liquor control and does not need a permit to serve for an event at the West Main Street parking lot as long as it’s adjacent to the tavern and council gives its permission.
The chili cook off will run until 3 p.m. Oct. 25. Lapham wants to sell alcohol from the Blue Moon Biergarten and allow visitors to take it into the parking lot during the event.
Lapham emphasized the event will have access control, monitoring and insurance.
All of the proceeds will go toward the State Theater project. Lapham believes more money could be raised if visitors can drink a beer while they enjoy chili tasting.
Some council members expressed hesitation, including Brad Hudson and Tony Johnson, while Tim McKelvey was on board.
The discussion included talking about limitations, village insurance exposure and how safe it would be.
Ultimately the vote came down to a tie, with council members Robyn Misner, Johnson and Terry McCort opposed, while members McKelvey, Leslie Tickhill and Hudson voted yes. Mayor Jake Hershberger casted the deciding vote – yes. Police Chief Rocky Sirianni added that he didn’t have a problem with it.
At the August 11 meeting, Lapham and chamber director Jill Hissom cited events from car shows along Wheeling Avenue in Cambridge to St. Clairsville Main Street gatherings as evidence other communities have not experienced issues at similar fundraisers.
Property Owner Addresses Maintenance and Safety Issues
Resident Denise Jackson Kozack attended the meeting to discuss property issues in the village.
She owns several rental properties and is currently renovating a house on Gardner Street where she has noticed increased activity in the neighborhood in recent weeks.
Kozack cited problems of how properties are kept that affects entire neighborhoods. She handed council members printed ordinances of the village’s property management and maintenance codes and told them she would love to see some help on getting properties cleaned up.
Kozack’s plea came before the fall issue of the village newsletter which shared that the police department is stepping up enforcement efforts in the community. Read it here.
Water Project Plans Moving Forward
A resolution authorizing fiscal officer Jeannie Hannahs to set up a capital project fund for enterprise improvement for the Hendrysburg-Fairview waterline extension project was approved.
Council declared it an emergency and voted to pass it. Following its passage, Hannahs also needed to amend budget appropriations by way of a second ordinance.
Ordinance #4020 to amend the annual appropriation by $568,845 was approved by suspending the rules of three readings.
2026 Paving Plans
Council passed resolution #4018, the Ohio Public Works Commission Street Improvements Program for 2026, by declaring it an emergency. Village administrator Roger Deal said he had to prepare and submit an application to participate in the OPWC program for capital improvements that was due the next day.
The total project cost is estimated to be $582,080, which includes a village match of $151,341 and a loan of $176,085 to mill and pave a number of streets.
Deal said streets targeted primarily include Park Street, North Chestnut Street, South Gardner Street from West South Street to Leatherwood Road, Grace Avenue to its dead end, Kirk Avenue, Robinson Avenue, Roosevelt Road and West South Street from South Chestnut to South Broadway.
In related matters, Roger Deal said NLS Paving is currently working on the paving project on SR 147 on South Chestnut and Leatherwood Road.
Cast and Baker will begin work on Sept. 8 on streets slated for paving this year. They include Walton Avenue, Cherry Street, Cole Street, Washington Street, Pultney Avenue, West Main Street (Pultney to the West Corporation), Clifton Street, East Church Street (Senior Citizens’ Center to the East Dead End) and Pine Lane.
Park Annexation Approved
A resolution annexing 13 acres the village owns was approved as an emergency measure. Village Solicitor Richard Myser said the village started the application for the annexation about six months ago, got approval from the planning commission, county commissioners and Warren Township, but had to change plans twice. The final step was for the village to pass the resolution. Myser said he’d take the resolution to the Belmont County engineer’s office Tuesday.
Depot Lease and Roof Project
Councilman Brad Hudson told council he would like to further discuss ordinance #4012, the depot lease, that was up for a second reading. He moved, and it was seconded, to table the matter on a vote of 6-0.
Chris Profumo, representative of the Durable Slate Company, attended the meeting to answer any questions council members might have regarding his company’s bid to “lift and relay” the tile roof , the single bid received during a second round of bidding.
Profumo brought photos of used tile mixed in on other roof projects completed by his firm along with a used tile example from the firm’s storage yard.
At the August 11 meeting, council voted 2-2 on the proposal meaning it failed.
Members offered no questions.
Downtown Banners
Deal said the project for military banners across the village has had a number of hold ups. By the time Deal and his crew were able to sort everything out it became time to take them down and put Pumpkin Festival banners up. They will be up until November when Christmas banners go up. The military banners will return next spring prior to Memorial Day.
Permits and Pay Schedule
Council approved two permits:
Sam Wells of Small Town Outdoor Services, Inc., 110 North Gardner Street for new metal siding and roof, sidewalk and parking lot.
David Kovalick, 434 East Church Street for new metal roof.
A pay ordinance of $86,631.89 was approved.
Upcoming Meetings
The next meeting for village council will take place September 8 at the municipal building at 7 p.m.
The following meeting date will move from Monday, September 22 to Tuesday, September 23. The change will allow members to attend the Eyes of Freedom ceremony at Barnesville Middle School.
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