T-L Photo/ROBERT A. DEFRANK Paul Stecker is hired Thursday as Bellaire’s new village solicitor. He provided legal advice on several issues.

BELLAIRE — Village Council welcomed Paul Stecker as the new village solicitor Thursday.

Stecker was hired after council went into a closed-door session for about 25 minutes.

Stecker also serves as law director for the city of Martins Ferry. He said these are the only municipalities where he gives legal guidance.

“It was an opportunity. I was available to help out, that’s why I came in,” Stecker said. “I think Bellaire faces a lot of the same problems as all of the river communities, and I think we all go stronger together and I’m excited to help out.”

He said the position is a part-time one with a yearly salary of $20,000.

The village has been without a solicitor for about two months following the resignation of T.J. Schultz, who had replaced Michael Shaheen at the beginning of the year. SHaheen stepped down after several years of service.

“I think it’ll just be the typical city issues or village issues that come up,” Stecker said.

Stecker offered legal advice at several points during the meeting. Councilman Mike Doyle suggested the village offer assistance to private or business projects to connect to the water system to expedite work, and other council members asked about the liability issues. Stecker said this concern could be settled through a contract with the private entities. He also will also look into requirements for providing burials for indigent residents.

In other matters, Councilwoman Janet Richardson and others raised some issues surrounding the village parking lot on Belmont Street that is used by farmers’ markets. Council members said a system is needed to keep track of who has paid to park and that violators must be ticketed.

“What they’re going to do is patch the asphalt, go through and mark the parking spaces and number them. It hasn’t been done for two terms. We’re still working to clean this place up and get it up to date,” she said. “Developing a system to identify what spaces people are renting and a sticker to put on their car so that we know those spaces are being used by paid patrons.”

The parking fee is $10 per month per space, or $120 per year.

Clerk Mary Hagiloizou said it would be necessary to determine how many parking spaces there are in the lot. She added that there are more than 66 spaces.

“The whole lot belongs to us, except for four spaces on the end that belong to (local businessman) Dan Frizzi,” Richardson said. “It’s on his property.”

Doyle said no exceptions should be made when ticketing violators.

Talk also turned to the four village water tanks, which are in need of upkeep.

“The last time repairs and upkeep were done on these was over 20 years ago, so we’re looking at draining, painting, sand blasting, adding some (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)-required things to each one of those tanks,” Richardson said.

The estimated cost is close to $2 million. Council is exploring a wide variety of potential grant sources for assistance, and the city may present the project to grantors by October.

Councilman Jerry Olack also said a water-related ordinance needs to be updated. In the event that water meters are frozen or broken due to a resident’s fault, the fee is $149. Olack said replacement costs have increased.

A special meeting will be held at 9 a.m. Tuesday at the village office, 3197 Belmont St., to approve the budget.