Staff Writer
ST. CLAIRSVILLE Water and wastewater issues were again front and center during Monday’s teleconference meeting of City Council.
An unexpected malfunction of neglected equipment at the wastewater treatment plant spurred city leaders to begin the search for someone to take a more active role in managing this service, which will mean creating a new position of wastewater superintendent.
Safety and Service Director Jeremy Greenwood reported an expensive breakdown during a finance committee meeting prior to the council session.
“We had a blower-motor down at the wastewater plant that basically blew up, and it blew up from lack of maintenance,” Greenwood said, adding the cost of a new one would come to about $49,000. “We’ll have someone there full time to make sure these maintenance items are being taken care of.
Times Leader Staff Writer
ST. CLAIRSVILLE A resident wrote a letter criticizing Mayor Kathryn Thalman for a social media post, and a councilman read that letter during a Monday teleconference meeting.
Councilman Frank Sabatino read the letter and also had several questions about the process of closing out the books for 2020 and setting up appropriations for 2021.
Thalman had shared a post that quoted conservative commentator Candace Owens referring to “liberals” as “communists.” It was deleted from Thalman’s personal page, but there have been numerous comments about the matter on a Facebook page devoted to the city.
Sabatino read the letter by resident Matt Berher, who also addressed a letter to the mayor. He wrote that the post was not a sign Thalman was attempting to end political division in the city.