BELLAIRE — Village Council hired two new employees Monday.

Council first passed an ordinance officially creating the position of wastewater collection operator followed by the resolution to hire. Michael Reese was officially approved at $30 per hour for five hours per week “in accordance to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) minimum,” as read by Councilwoman Janet Richardson.

Reese already had been working with an effective date of March 1, but the village could not pay him until an ordinance was passed as an emergency, which was done one day prior to the Ohio EPA’s deadline of March 15. Ordinance 2022-04 was passed unanimously by council members Robert “Bubba” Kapral, Richardson, Elizabeth Dugmore, Mike Doyle and Jerry Fisher voting in favor. Councilman Jerry Olack was not present.

Prior to approving the hiring of Lori Hannan for part-time water office clerk, Richardson said there had been some confusion between that position and wastewater collector.

Solicitor Michael Shaheen explained that only a resolution to hire was needed because the position of water office clerk already existed.

This vote was also unanimous, but Doyle expressed his wish to abstain because he said the information given to him regarding Hannan was the first he’d heard of it. He also clarified that he was not for or against her, or anyone else, but that he just hadn’t been informed of the particulars of her hire. When Richardson asked him what he would like to know, he repeated that he had no knowledge of Hannan prior to the meeting and wished to abstain.

He was told that Mayor Ed Marling posted the position and three individuals were interviewed for the job.

“They chose one,” Richardson said. “That person came to the finance committee in accordance with our ordinance to do the final interview. We think the woman’s appropriate for the position and has the experience necessary to do the work that’s needed down there.”

It was established that Marling had all that information prior to Monday and received his approval of the procedure after Shaheen had that clarified. After more information was provided to Doyle, he repeated that he was not questioning the procedure or the hire, but that he just hadn’t received any of the details until Monday and stuck with his wish to abstain.

“I’m just saying this is the first I heard any of that,” he told council. “It was never brought up in a committee report. And I don’t have anything for or against anything, I just don’t know enough, you know, I’m not against anyone.”

Doyle said he knew of the interviews but knew of no names and again noted it not being in the committee reports.

“I just don’t feel I can make an intelligent vote either way, so I prefer to abstain, that’s all,” Doyle told Richardson who informed him that they had just interviewed Hannan during a finance committee meeting last week and Monday’s council meeting was the first they had a chance to announce it publicly.

“If you say the procedures were followed, I’m good with that,” Doyle said. “I don’t care about that, I’m just saying for me to vote on a person without knowing anything would be dereliction of my duty.”

The hire passed with Doyle abstaining. Hannan was hired at $11 per hour to begin Wednesday for “up to” 30 hours per week.

The meeting had opened with Marling reading the official certification of the November election results sent to him by the Belmont County Board of Elections. When finished, he proclaimed he alone was the village executive.

“I want to let the people know, I am the mayor,” he told council. “Not anybody else.”

Asked later via text message what he meant by that comment, Marling replied, “It has been the actions that is going on. Too many bosses. That’s all.”