Let us pray for our city to have compassion and unity for our well-beings.

Amen.

Of the United States of America.

And to the Republic for which it stands.

One nation under God and the movable with liberty and justice for all.

We now call the Hidden City Council meeting of January 6th 2026 to order.

And we're going to ask the clerk, please call the roll.

Mr.

Asara.

Here.

Ms.

Kane?

Here.

Mayor McGruder?

Here.

Mr.

Palmer?

Here.

Mr.

Seidler.

Here.

Mr.

Skalvanakis.

Here.

And Mr.

Thorngate.

Here.

Quorum is present.

Thank you.

We do have the city council minutes of December 16, 2025 in front of us.

Is there a motion to accept those as received?

So moved.

Second.

Any discussion?

Changes, additions, deletions.

If not, I'd ask all those in favor to signify by saying aye.

Aye.

And those opposed.

And so the minutes will be approved as received.

We now have a public hearing on the Wheeling Island Marina Lease.

Is there a motion to go into uh hearing status?

I will make that motion.

Second.

Any discussion?

All those in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

And all those opposed.

And so at this point, we will open the public hearing for the island arena.

I have no one signed up to speak.

Are any comments?

Uh city manager, please.

Any comment box?

So this is a private sector initiative to create a um private uh kayak uh rental uh and pontoon rental as well as other equipment associated with uh using the river.

Uh it's a small area to the left of the uh boat launch as as you're looking at it towards the back channel.

Um the the lease uh is for this year will be for a nominal amount and hopefully uh this business will be successful uh going forward thank you.

Uh do we have any other comments from council or questions of the city manager?

Yeah, I would say that uh this is a great idea.

Uh we've invested a lot of money um down there at the marina over the last few years.

Um obviously we have new docks down there.

We also put a kayak uh launch down there, a new launch.

Um so you know our our our marina is uh a really busy place in the summer.

I think it's gonna be a great motion down there.

Thank you.

Any other comments?

If not, I'd ask for a motion to return to regular session, please.

I'd move to exit the um public hearing and return to the regular order of business.

Second.

Any discussion on that?

If not, all those in favor signify by saying aye, aye and those opposed, and we now return to the regular session.

Uh takes us down to the mayor's report.

Number one, this being the first meeting of 2026.

I just want to make sure that uh on behalf of council, we wish all the citizens and staff a very happy and prosperous new year.

Uh number two, I just want to comment that we have set the date for the state of the city address.

Uh this year that will be on Tuesday, February 10 at high noon out at the White Palace.

And so I I think reservations are open now, and you can contact the city clerk.

Uh there'll be more forthcoming on that, I'm sure.

But please put that on your calendar.

Uh that concludes the mayor's report for this evening.

Clerk's report.

There is no clerk's report this evening.

Unfinished business.

An ordinance authorizing the city manager to expend funds in the amount of 449,999 and 78 cents with duke's route control of Elgin, Indiana for the purchase of route control to be charged to water pollution control division.

I'll move to adopt the ordinance.

I'll second.

Is there any discussion?

Hearing none, I'm just gonna note that since we've been in these temporary quarters.

Uh we no longer do the uh the click vote, but we're gonna ask the clerk to please call the roll.

So clerk, please call the roll.

Councilor Arsara, aye, councillor Kane, aye, counselor Seidler, aye, councillor Sklavonakis, aye, councillor Thorngate, aye, councilor Palmer, aye, mayor McGruder.

Aye.

Uh that motion is approved.

An ordinance authorizing the city manager to expend funds in the amount of 15,000 with Esmal Corp of Mogador, Ohio for the rental of Skid Mountain Multi-Disc screw press system to be charged to water pollution control division.

Move for adoption of the ordinance, second.

Are there any questions or any discussion?

Again, hearing none, I'd ask the clerk to please call the roll.

Miss Kane.

Aye, Mr.

Siler, aye, Mr.

Asaro, aye, Mr.

Palmer, aye, Mr.

Thorngate, aye, Mr.

Sklavonakis, aye, Mayor Magruder.

Aye, and that motion's approved.

An ordinance authorizing the city manager to expend funds in the amount of 81,675 dollars and six cents with Tyler Technologies of Dallas, Texas for the purchase of annual system software maintenance to be charged as follows.

$20,033 and 66 cents charged to water UAR, $10,929.82 WPCD and $50,711.58 to the general fund.

I would move for adoption of the ordinance.

Second.

Are there any questions or discussion?

Hearing none, I'd ask the clerk to please call the roll.

Mr.

Seiler.

Aye.

Mr.

Sklavonakis.

Aye.

Mr.

Thorngate.

Aye.

Mr.

Palmer.

Aye.

Mayor McReader.

Aye.

Councilor Sarrow.

Aye.

Miss Kane.

Aye.

That motion's approved.

An ordinance authorizing the city manager to expend funds in the amount of 149,042 dollars with GHA Technologies of Phoenix, Arizona for the purchase of cybersecurity enhancements to be charged as follows.

110,348 and 40 cents to the general fund and 24,840 and 33 cents to water and $13,853.26 cents to WPCD.

I'll move to adopt the ordinance.

I second.

Again, any questions or discussion?

Hearing none, once again, I ask the clerk to please call the roll.

Mr.

Splobonakis.

Aye.

Mr.

Thorngate.

Aye.

Mr.

Palmer.

Aye.

Mayor McGreater.

Aye.

Mr.

Osaro.

Aye.

Miss Kane.

Aye.

Mr.

Sidler.

Aye.

That motion's also approved.

And that concludes unfinished business.

Thank you.

Okay, we're we're now moved down.

We do have the trapping commission units from November 13, 2025 that have been held over.

Is there a motion to accept those as received?

So moved.

Second.

Any discussion?

If not, all those in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Aye.

All those opposed.

Uh thank you.

They will be accepted as received.

Remarks from members of council tonight.

Uh I would ask Vice Mayor Slavonakis to begin force.

Happy New Year.

Nice to see everyone.

Um I know there were some questions I received about the Washington Avenue bridge fire.

That was it was an incident that happened with the crew.

It had something to do with the welding.

Uh the contractors there are well aware of the issues and their making and ensuring that that doesn't happen anymore.

For what I understand, uh, it has not created a setback in the time uh for the um completion of the bridge.

And if there's anything I got wrong, I'd ask the city manager to please correct me.

But from what I understand, that's right, right?

Yes, that's right.

So it didn't create any kind of delays and everything's fine and safe.

So that's all I have for now.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilor Thorngate.

Nothing for me anyway.

Thank you.

Councillor Palmer.

Nothing for me, Claire.

Councillor Sorrow.

I have nothing this evening.

Councilor Sidler.

Nothing.

Councillor Kane.

I just want to say happy new year, and we are ready to roll in 2026.

Thank you very much.

Uh we have some reports of committees on the desk.

We have the development committee minutes from December 16, 2025, and the finance committee amendments from December 16, 2025.

Is there a motion to accept those as received?

I'll make that motion.

I'll second.

Uh is there any changes, questions?

If not, all those in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

And those opposed.

And both sets of those minutes are accepted as received.

Uh report of the city manager, Mr.

Harron.

Okay.

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh, under original propositions this evening, uh, item number eight, which is the uh CDBG substantial amendments for fiscal year 21, 22, and 24.

As I mentioned at the uh last uh council meeting, and I think there was also a public hearing, that this is for a road resurfacing uh project on 12th Street and Grandview Avenue.

Uh it's fairly significant.

Uh assuming that uh council uh approves the resolution.

Uh there is some urgency to this project because these are funds that have been uh go back several years, so we want to get them uh spent as quickly as we possibly can.

Uh at any rate, that project will be out to bid on January 14th with a bid opening on February 25th, uh and then hopefully bring that to council in March with construction in April.

So we're gonna move as quickly as we can again, assuming that the uh resolution passes this evening.

And I'm happy to report that the Gaywood uh storm sewer project has been completed, as has the uh Valley View Sanitary Sewer Project.

Uh both those have our were ARPA projects and are now uh complete.

And uh as for uh our temporary uh quarters here on the second floor courtroom.

Uh we're still a couple of months away from uh moving back down to the first floor.

Uh the project is progressing, uh, but they are putting the final touches on uh uh all of the first floor, which includes the council chambers as well as the um uh finance department and the water and sewer uh accounting department on behalf of the city as well as the health department uh for the county.

So that project is moving it forward.

We had hoped that we would uh be able to move back in February, but it looks like it's going to be sometime in March, early April.

That's my report.

Thank you.

Do we have any questions of the city manager?

Uh thank you, Mr.

Heron.

Reports of other officers.

There are none.

Petitions of redress or grievance.

There are none.

There are none.

Uh we'll move then to original propositions.

An ordinance authorizing the city manager to expend funds in the amount of $18,105 with Spartan Fire Hydrants of Simpsonsville, Maryland, for fire hydrant upgrades to be charged to water.

An ordinance of the Council of the City of Wheeling vacating and abandoning that portion of the unopened alley designated on the map of Elmwood along the southeasterly side of lot 16 through 21, and authorizing the city manager to execute such quick claim deeds to implement this abandonment.

An ordinance authorizing the city manager to expend funds in the amount of $15,190 with Atlas Environmental Management of Youngstown, Ohio for the rental of two temporary fract tanks to be charged to water pollution control division, an ordinance designating Truist United Bank, Community Bank, West Banco Bank, First Choice America Community Federal Credit Union, Chase Bank, and Main Street Bank Wheeling as banks within the city, which shall be city depositories for calendar year 2026, and authorizing an agreement between the city and each such depository, which shall fix all terms and conditions of the deposit of public money in accordance with Article 185 of the codified ordinances of the City of Wheeling.

An ordinance authorizing the city manager to expend funds in the amount of 59,000 with MG architects and engineers of Wheeling, West Virginia, for engineering services for demolition of existing structures related to the 14th Street Development Project to be charged to West Virginia Water Development Authority Economic Enhancement Grant.

An ordinance of the Council of the City of Wheeling to create a two-hour parking zone on National Road in between Cole Avenue and Junior Avenue Bridge.

An ordinance of the Council of the City of Wheeling relocating the bus stop on National Road across from Junior Avenue Bridge to the west, closer to Cole Avenue.

A resolution of the Council of the City of Wheeling, Ohio County, approving and authorizing the submittal to the U.S.

Department of Housing and Urban Development HUD of substantial amendments to the fiscal year 2021, 2022, and 2024 annual action plans for the use of community development block grant funds.

I make a motion to adopt the amendments.

All second is there any questions or discussion?

Hearing none, I'd ask the clerk, please to call the roll.

Mr.

Asara.

Aye.

Mr.

Seidler?

Aye.

Ms.

Kane?

Aye.

Mayor McGruder.

Aye.

Mr.

Squavanakis.

Aye.

Mr.

Thorngate.

Aye.

Mr.

Palmer.

Aye.

And that resolution is approved.

A resolution of the council of the city of Wheeling authorizing the city manager to further negotiate and execute a lease with Joseph Bonds and Trips Fund Zone for portions of parcels of land located at Wheeling Island Marina in the city of Wheeling to be used for recreational purposes.

Move to adopt the resolution.

Second.

Is there any discussion?

Yeah.

Uh city city manager.

Um I meant to ask you about this.

Um, is it just going to be some kind of like shed that it that's removable if a floodwater comes up?

You know, absolutely.

We can't put a permanent structure in that area.

Yes.

That's okay.

Any other questions or discussion?

If not, I'd ask the clerk again to please call the roll.

Mr.

Siler.

Yes.

Ms.

Kane.

Aye.

Mayor McGruder.

Aye.

Mr.

Slobinakis.

Aye.

Mr.

Thorngate.

Aye.

Mr.

Palmer.

Aye.

And Mr.

Asaro.

Aye.

And that resolution is adopted.

And that concludes the original propositions.

Thank you so very much.

The next item on the agenda is those wishing to be heard, and no one has signed up to be heard this evening.

So there's uh no more business on the table.

Is there a motion to adjourn?

I'll make that motion.

Second.

Thank you.

All those in favor, Sigueba saying aye.

Aye.

Meeting adjourned.

Thank you.