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MARTINS FERRY -- Eight members of Martins Ferry's governing body were sworn in Wednesday evening just prior to the first City Council meeting of 2022.
President of Council Kristine Davis thanked everyone who ran for re-election and said she was glad everyone was back at the table.
"There's a lot of things on our plate this coming year, but I'm glad we're all getting the group together again. I think it's a good council," she said. "I think we do work together pretty well and it's not always easy, but we all do our best for the citizens and that's why we're here."
She announced some "housekeeping" business to begin the meeting with the re-hiring of Clerk Kay McFarlan. She was voted in by council after Councilwoman Suzanne Armstrong made the motion.
The next order of business was to reestablish Councilman Rick Rodgers as president pro tem after Councilman Tom Burns' motion. The voting for those two positions was unanimous.
Next was Mayor John Davies' report, in which he addressed the possible snow season. He said city crews were ready to deal with winter weather, just in case it materializes as predicted this evening.
"Even though we all know there's not a lot of snow in the city of Martins Ferry, we're prepared for it if it comes," Davies said, adding that the city's trucks were tested and all were ready to go.
Also, he announced two test wells were drilled "for the expansion of our well fields." He said one was near the old waterworks building, which is the farthest to the south the city has drilled. He said officials have discussed using it as a test well for water contamination, since the Ohio Rover flows from north to south past the well field.
"It's a safeguard for us," he said.
Davies also said the chlorine gas used to purify the city water at the treatment plant will be changed to liquid chlorine.
"I believe the gas increased 30 percent this year," he told council regarding the cost.