MARTINS FERRY — Mayor Robert Krajnyak is looking forward to a chance for him and other city leaders to speak on the Ohio Senate floor.

During a regular Martins Ferry City Council meeting held Wednesday at the Liberty Fire Station on Center Street, Krajnyak said he and other local city officials got the chance to meet with Sen. Frank Hoagland, R-Mingo Junction, about issues plaguing communities in East Ohio.

He added Hoagland invited some in attendance to speak on the Senate floor about their issues.

“One of the big topics was the severance tax that Columbus is taking. We’re trying to get that changed. … Because it’s coming from our counties, we should get a portion of that money — Columbus is getting everything,” Krajnyak said.

The need for local government funding to be restored in some form also was discussed, he said.

“Senator Hoagland seems to be on board with that. He understands that because of some of the decisions of our governor (John Kasich) that it’s affected not only the cities, but the townships,” Krajnyak said.

Krajnyak noted communities need to band together with the Belmont County Commissioners Association and push for change in Columbus.

“Senator Hoagland even invited some of us to speak on the Senate floor about some of our issues. So I think we’re going to take him up on that,” he said.

Since local government funding cuts made by the state occurred a few years ago, cities such as Martins Ferry have struggled to balance budgets, maintain services and repair infrastructure.

In other matters, the city is closer to taking another step toward selling its old city garage and the Floto baseball field beside it on First Street. Council heard the first reading of an ordinance that calls for the city to transfer the properties to the Belmont County Port Authority, which would then sell them and give the money back to the city.

Krajnyak said there is a company interested in buying both properties for expansion. He declined to name the company, but noted they already operate in Martins Ferry.

The baseball field is no longer being used by youth sports groups because they apparently did not like the location and were tired of the large amounts of goose excrement on the field. To be stipulated in the planned sales contract is the construction of a new field near the Martins Ferry Schools complex by the company, he said.

Meanwhile, council also appears to be moving forward with having some different pieces of property surveyed for possible sale. The first is an old basketball court located near the Jaycee Manor Apartments that apparently has fell into disrepair. The other is a plot of land in the Crawford Heights area where a city sewage line runs.

It was noted there already are people interested in buying the properties. City Law Director Paul Stecker said the city can advertise for bids for the properties, setting a minimum price for each. It was noted the Crawford Heights property contract would have to include language preserving the city’s right to do work on its sewer line, as well as monitor what the new owner could do with the lot. For example, the city would not want them to build something atop the sewage line.

Council also gave permission to Service Director Chris Cleary to use money to expand the North Ridge Road repaving project to South Ridge. Since the bids came well under the original estimate, there is about $50,000 available to expand the project.

After the council meeting, Cleary noted the Martins Ferry Lions Club is constructing a new pavilion at the City Park playground on Zane Highway. It will be situated beside the swing set and provide shade when it is complete.

In other business:

∫ Councilman Rick Rodgers inquired whether the city could make a parking meter enforcement position a full-time one. A city worker who has been assigned to the position temporarily has been enforcing overtime parking on the meters and writing tickets.

“He’s doing a job that needs to be done,” Rodgers said.

Rodgers said after the meeting, since the worker has been doing the job, extra money has been flowing into the city’s coffers. During the meeting, Krajnyak said the police department’s part-time employees would take over the task, and he did not believe a new position needed to be created.

∫ Krajnyak said the street sweeper is out of service again and will not be in use for the remainder of the season. Residents are not required to move their vehicles to the opposite side of the street on their roads’ respective days for the remainder of the season. The city is hoping to purchase a new sweeper next year, as repairs to the old one are becoming too costly.

∫ A Cemetery Road resident complained about the state of her road, inquiring about when repaving was going to happen. Cleary said the contractor hired to do the job is expected to have the work started and completed in about the next 60 days.

∫ Another resident, Roger Blinco, asked that a large pothole on Catawba Street be filled soon because motorists have been driving into his yard to avoid hitting the hole.

∫ North Eighth Street resident Carmen Prati-Miller asked the city to clean up couches and mattresses that have been left on sidewalks in her neighborhood. She also expressed concern about people leaving their grass clippings on the street, noting the city should enforce the related ordinance.

Miller said she also was concerned about people parking on both sides of Mackey Avenue during the winter, making the road difficult to navigate during snowy months.

∫ Resident Susan Sutak thanked the city for remedying the low water pressure issue at her home. She said since it has been fixed she and her husband, Andy, can now do more than one household task involving water at a time.

∫ Krajnyak asked council approve funding in near future for the demolition of a dilapidated house on North Seventh Street. He said it is a safety issue and is in danger of toppling onto adjacent homes. Krajnyak said he did not have an estimate for demolition yet. No action was taken by council.

∫ Councilman Ben Neiman noted several potholes on the road through the Riverview Cemetery have been patched, and the grass is being maintained.

∫ Resident John Applegarth said a house on Zane Highway needs city signage warning people it is blighted. Krajnyak believes the property will eventually be torn down via the county land bank program. Six such houses have been razed in the city this summer via the program.

∫ At the start of the meeting, Council President Kristine Davis thanked the Liberty Fire Station for allowing council to meet there. The station’s firefighters set up the necessary tables and chairs for the meeting. They also provided a meat and cheese tray and drinks for those in attendance to enjoy.