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Inspections department vacancy a concern for Steubenville Council

STEUBENVILLE — A sudden vacancy in the inspections department has Steubenville officials looking out-of-house for answers.

City officials say longtime commercial building inspector Anthony Bodo’s retirement will take effect Jan. 31. Since the city cannot be without the service of a commercial building specialist, City Manager Jim Mavromatis said he’ll be meeting tomorrow with a firm that specializes in commercial inspections.

“We’ll be without a commercial building inspector, we’ll have to contract it out,” he said. “I’ll know more tomorrow, after we have a conversation with (the) company.”

Concerned as they are about making the transition seamless, council members say the bigger issue is the greying of senior leadership: Urban Projects Director Chris Petrossi has already retired but is currently working on an interim basis while city officials look for his successor, who he plans to help train. A little over a year from now, Mavromatis’s contract will expire in March 2026.

“I think we need to set up a committee to start looking into it now,” Councilman Dave Albaugh said, pointing out the charter is very specific on the timetable for filling that position. “It doesn’t happen overnight. I think we need to put together a committee to start searching, it doesn’t happen overnight.”

Albaugh said they need to have a succession plan, “for all departments expect the police and fire because (their chiefs) come up through the ranks.”

“There are other people who can retire and we should be prepared for that,” Albaugh said.

Councilman Tracy McManamon said they weren’t entirely unprepared for Bodo’s departure. City officials briefly had expected it last year and kicked around the idea of hiring the work out, but Bodo reconsidered.

“We have been aware of this inspection company for quite some time in anticipation of a future retirement,” McManamon said. “We identified some contingency plans for that department so our developers and commercial businesses would not be impacted in any way.”

Councilman at large Joel Walker, meanwhile, said they “need to put things in place so this doesn’t happen to (future) councils.”

“(And) if we can’t find someone to replace him, we need to do what will keep us running,” Walker added.

Mavromatis, meanwhile, said with a recent spate of waterline breaks people are reaching out with questions and concerns, “(but) we do not have the funds to replace every line in the city. We fix them as we come across them.”

Councilwoman Heather Hoover updated council on plans in the works locally to mark the nation’s 250th birthday celebration in 2026, while Councilman Royal Mayo voiced concern for residents hit with hefty water bills after unexpected and undetected leaks

He cited the case of a woman with a rental property slapped with a bill to pay when she had the service disconnected between tenants, then found out that since she hadn’t canceled service she owed another $400.

“Those are the kinds of things I think we can improve on,” Mayo said.

Law Director Costa Mastros said employees look for community organizations that might be able to assist customers. He said customers also can appeal to Utility Review Board.

“It’s tough,” he said. “We try to follow policy so everybody knows (what to expect).”

Council, meanwhile, passed emergency legislation authorizing Mavromatis to ink a contract with the Ohio Department of Transportation for the Sunset boulevard resurfacing project.

First reading also was given legislation authorizing Mavromatis to contract with ODOT for the city’s State Route 7 resurfacing project and to seek bids for the 2025 Community Development Block Grant Resurfacing project; repealing and updating chapters of the city’s codified ordinances pertaining to storm water; amending the table of organization specifically for the Planning and Urban Redevelopment Department; and authorizing Mavromatish to apply for Water Pollution Control loan funds for the city’s CSO 12 project

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