T-L Photo/SHELLEY HANSON MAYOR VINCE DiFabrizio, left, shakes hands with the village of Bellaire’s new law director, Michael Shaheen, after a regular council meeting Thursday.

BELLAIRE — The village of Bellaire has a new law director — Michael Shaheen of St. Clairsville.

Village Council approved hiring Shaheen during a regular meeting on Thursday. Shaheen, a St. Clairsville-based lawyer, also serves as the village of Bridgeport’s solicitor.

Shaheen previously worked as Bellaire’s law director from 2004-07. In 2007, he was appointed chairman of the Ohio Liquor Control Board and was not permitted to continue as Bellaire’s law director, he said. He served on the liquor board until 2013.

Shaheen’s contract is for two years. The village will pay him $18,000 the first year and $19,500 the second.

“Having previously served as law director in Bellaire and given my many professional relationships in Bellaire, I’m appreciative and humbled to serve the village again. I look forward to working with the mayor and council. It seems like they have a lot on their to-do list and I am anxious to help,” Shaheen said after the meeting.

After a closed-door session for personnel matters, Shaheen’s hiring was unanimously approved by council. Councilman Mike Doyle abstained from voting.

Shaheen has been practicing law for nearly 30 years and is a native of Eastern Ohio. He is a graduate of Duquense University in Pittsburgh and received his law degree from Capital University School of Law in 1989 in Columbus. He founded the Shaheen Law Group in 1997. He and his wife, Robyn, have two children, Hannah and Mikey.

Previous law director Joseph Vavra’s term had expired and he apparently decided to not pursue another with the village.

Council also unanimously approved making Councilman Jerry Fisher mayor pro tem this year. Also, Councilman Dan Brown said he wanted council to start discussing whether the village should hire a new village administrator or instead have a board of public affairs oversee village matters.

“I think this is a different time and people want to be on it,” Brown said.

Mayor Vince DiFabrizio has been filling in as the administrator since Scott Porter left the position last year to work for the city of Martins Ferry. On advice from Shaheen, council voted to officially make DiFabrizio the interim village administrator until council decides how to move forward.

DiFabrizio said he did not want any compensation for the administrator work he is doing for the village. There was a short debate about the merits of having a board of public affairs, but no decisions were made Thursday.

Doyle said he wants the village to keep better track of its spending, to treat the village more like a business. He said expenditures should be subtracted as they are made, which would give council a better idea of what is available to spend on needed items in the future. Treasurer Tom Sable said he would talk to department heads about their spending. They already have been reminded to always do purchase orders, he said.

In other matters, Bellaire Volunteer Fire Department Chief Josh McMahon informed council about an opportunity to learn more about firefighting via the Ohio State Fire Academy’s Feel the Heat class. He said public officials can take the class. A couple council members said they were interested.