BELMONT — Village officials on Thursday discussed possibly reopening a long-closed village alley but delayed taking action due to the opposition of a neighboring property owner.

Board of Public Affairs President Ken Davis explained that a property owner who is building a new home wants the village to clear out some bushes and at least partially reopen an alley between Brown and Steele streets that is adjacent to his property and has for years only been used by work crews to access the village water tower located there.

Beverly Tomolonis was at the meeting and said she and her husband were concerned since a mark made by a survey crew showing the alley path was in what they believed to be their yard.

They believe the alley would pass very close to their pool should it be opened all the way through.

Tomolonis questioned the propriety of reopening the alley and disrupting other residents in that area when it would only benefit the one person who was requesting the reopening.

Councilman Shaun Bruce said that the advantage of having the alley opened all the way through would be that village crews would plow snow all the way through; if it were only reopened part way, snow would be piled at the end. Mayor Ron Woods asked if the Tomolonis family would feel better having a survey done themselves to confirm their property boundaries.

In the end council agreed to table the matter until the October meeting so the Tomolonises could have their own survey done.

Woods noted that there are two properties, one on Market Street and one on Bridge Street that are in tax foreclosure and have become overgrown and neglected. He proposed contracting to have the yards cleaned up and attaching a lien to the taxes so the village could be reimbursed once the properties are sold.

Woods said he didn’t want to do this sort of thing on a regular basis, but that the current state of the properties is bad for the neighbors and would hinder the properties eventually being sold.

Councilman Derek Cain made a motion to have the work done, but Bruce balked at the $1,000 quote that had been received for the work. He suggested getting more quotes, and it was proposed that village crews could do the work once some recently departed employees are replaced.

Village Solicitor T.J. Schultz informed council that he had been in contact with Belmont County Land Reutilization Corp. Chairwoman Kathy Kelich concerning the long-awaited demolition of the former Belmont school building. He said the land bank is looking to apply for a grant through the Environmental Protection Agency to fund that project by the end of October.

Schultz added that an advertised, open meeting concerning the matter is required, and it was subsequently scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Oct. 8 at the Belmont gymnasium.

Council authorized Schultz to prepare the deed and transfer the school property to the land bank prior to that meeting, with the property to be transferred back to the village once the work is completed.

Concerning the Ohio Public Works Commission-funded paving project slated for this fall in the village, it was revealed by engineer Bryan May that the original plan submitted on the grant application could not be changed and that the idea discussed at the August meeting about changing the scope of the project to possibly include more streets was not permitted by the terms of the grant.

Bruce and Councilwoman Lori Grobb updated council concerning the status of upcoming community events being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. They said the annual Chili Cook-Off has been canceled for this year and that they plan on having trick or treat unlessl state and county health officials determine otherwise. They said the village should wait to see what other communities are doing before setting the date in stone.

They also said the tradition of handing out fruit baskets to village veterans for Veteran’s Day in November will continue with Nov. 7 as the scheduled distribution day. They asked that anyone who knows of any veterans in the village that are new in town or had been missed in previous years notify them.

They also said they are planning to have the Christmas tree lighting celebration on Dec. 5 at the community tree on Bridge Street.

In other business, council approved the appointment of William Pelish as an auxiliary police officer in the village and the hiring of Christopher Storm as a part-time police officer.

Storm previously served Belmont as an auxiliary officer and was given permission by council to set up a Go Fund Me account to raise donations to purchase some Christmas presents for those in need in Belmont.

Candidate for Belmont County commissioner Vince Giangeli addressed those in attendance at the beginning of Thursday’s meeting, seeking support in his bid for election.