T-L Photo/SHELLEY HANSON BELLAIRE COUNCILWOMAN Nikki Liberatore, left, and Councilman Donny Maupin talk outside the municipal building after Thursday’s village council meeting.

BELLAIRE — There was no mention of disbanding the Bellaire Police Department during village council’s regular meeting on Thursday, but there was plenty of discussion on how to get rid of drug dealers and the places where they live.

Council has discussed during past work sessions possibly using Belmont County Sheriff’s Department’s deputies to police the village, a move that could save the village $200,000 or more. But the idea was not brought up on Thursday.

The village is projected to have a $237,000 deficit at the end of this year.

Instead council members discussed ways they could possibly help drive out the dealers — by targeting the landlords who rent to them. They plan to have Village Solicitor Joe Vavra look into any possible laws Bellaire could enact, such as a nuisance law for criminal activity.

Councilman Dan Brown said during his upcoming travels he would to talk to other municipalities about their laws.

“Recurring nuisance properties should be dealt with swiftly. … Let’s work on this and try to get rid of them,” Brown said.

Councilman Donny Maupin agreed that houses with health issues also need to be regulated. For example, when he cuts grass on Harrison Street, there is property in the 4000 block that has a foul smell coming from it. He believes it has no running water, garbage is piling up and children are living there.

He believes Children’s Services already is aware of the situation. The house was condemned in the past, Maupin added.

When it comes to dealers’ landlords, Maupin also said he’s learned that some property owners do not care.

“For instance on Harrison, a woman I know well said there is a lot of illegal activity going on at a property. … She knows the owner and called him up. She said his response was, ‘I don’t care what they do as long as they pay their rent,'” Maupin said.

In other business, Police Chief Michael Kovalyk updated council on recent investigations in the village with the latest being a case of vandalism at the volunteer fire department building. He did not give many details, but noted some equipment was damaged.

Kovalyk is reviewing surveillance video from nearby businesses and he hopes to be able to identify those responsible. Those with information regarding the vandalism should call the police department at 740-676-3322, he said.

“The fire department does a valuable job for this village, and they need their equipment to do their job well,” he said.

Meanwhile, city workers are expected to install three signs soon related to autistic children in a neighborhood. The signs will state, “Caution: autistic child,” and are expected to alert drivers to slow down and watch for the children. The signs will be posted on 44th, 45th and Harrison streets. The Lego Museum in Bellaire, which is owned by Councilman Dan Brown, is paying for the signs, Maupin said.

In other matters, Brown inquired about the procedure for employees bidding on job openings within other village departments. He said a couple workers told him they believe all employees should be made aware of such openings, not a select few.

Council also:

∫ approved spending $1,999 from the Commerce Park Fund with Trusco Manufacturing Co. for a Trueline Striper Model 250EC to paint street lines and curbs in the village. Liberatore noted she wanted areas around the schools to be the first priority, as the repainting of the lines was requested by school principals;

∫ granted permission to the Bellaire Football Moms to use the fire station for a fundraiser steak fry from 5-10 p.m. July 27; and

∫ granted permission to the First Presbyterian Church to use the gazebo for an unspecified use from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 20, pending it not already being scheduled for use by another group.

Council’s next regular meeting is slated for 6 p.m. Aug. 17.