T-L Photo/CARRI GRAHAM Bellaire Solicitor Michael Shaheen, left, stands with the village’s new solicitor, T.J. Schultz, who was appointed during council’s meeting Thursday evening. Shaheen opted not to renew his contract with the village last month.

BELLAIRE — As village Solicitor Michael Shaheen bid farewell to Bellaire, a new solictor stepped in to fill his shoes.

Bellaire Village Council unanimously voted in favor of hiring attorney T.J. Schultz as the community’s new solicitor to replace the outgoing Shaheen during its Thursday evening meeting.

Schultz was appointed after a closed-door session that lasted about a half-hour was called to discuss personnel. His term begins Feb. 1.

Schultz owns his own law firm Schultz Law Office LTD of Barnesville and is the solicitor for the village of Belmont, a position he has held for the past seven years.

Following the meeting, Schultz said he looks forward to getting to know council members and to getting acclimated to the village. He said he has worked with Shaheen through the villages and in civil practice, so when Shaheen contacted him about the opening he agreed to step in.

Shaheen informed council in December that he would not be renewing his contract with the village for this year. He has been the law director for the village for two separate terms, totalling eight years. Though Thursday was his final meeting as law director, he agreed to continue to assist the village with any pending issues.

Council members thanked Shaheen for his service to the village.

Also during the meeting, Shaheen said that attorney Cole Antolak, who filled in for Shaheen during council’s last meeting on Jan. 5, did some research regarding some concerns raised at that meeting pertaining to Ohio’s Sunshine Law. Mayor Ed Marling declined to fill the village administrator position during the Jan. 5 meeting, citing that he believed the personnel committee had violated the law when interviewing candidates due to additional council members being present at the interview.

Shaheen said after reviewing the research, they did not believe the law was violated.

When asked by Councilman Mike Doyle if he wanted to retract his previous statement, Marling said he wanted to review the law for himself.

Councilwoman Janice Richardson asked Shaheen for clarity regarding more than the three committee members being present during an interview. She asked if only the committee members should address the potential hires.

Shaheen said the committee members should enter a closed-door session to conduct the actual interview. Then, once it’s open, any resident can also ask a question. He said other council members can attend the interviews since they are village residents.

Another executive session was called toward the end of the meeting to discuss personnel; however, no action was taken afterward.

Meanwhile, Marling announced that the JB Green Team would be conducting a community cleanup day in the village from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 25. He said the dumpsters will be located at the marina.

The water committee will meet at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday at the municipal building.