Linda Jordan

Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of three stories to be published this week profiling the candidates for mayor of St. Clairsville. The race will be decided in the Nov. 7 general election, when polls will be open 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Early, in-person voting is underway at the Belmont County Board of Elections office.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Councilwoman Linda Jordan joined the mayoral race to be decided Nov. 7 and is running against incumbent Mayor Kathryn Thalman and challenger Bill Brooks.

Jordan, who has served two terms on council and in other city service positions such as chairwoman of the Cumberland Trail Fire District board, said she brings the most governmental experience among the candidates.

“I have the temperament and disposition to handle certain situations,” she said. “Whether it be name-calling or a heated discussion, I can handle those things with grace and dignity and respect. That is something I’m looking to bring to the table. I’m able to get along with all of council.”

She said if elected, she will begin with a thorough look at city finances.

Jordan has disagreed with Thalman about the frequency of mayor’s court proceedings and the funds it has generated. She maintains that during the prior mayoral administration, mayor’s court was generating an average of $44,000-$45,000 yearly.

“These figures were provided to me by Lee Anne (Pytlak),” Jordan said. Pytlak had worked in the finance department before being dismissed in 2020. “She’s the one who provided me these figures.”

Jordan has pledged to hold regular mayor’s courts if she wins the seat.

She also criticized the current administration’s handling of the 4-year-old, 500,000-gallon St. Clair Commons water tank and disagreed that the tank could not be made an asset to the city. Earlier this year council voted to “mothball” the tank, which was constructed under the prior administration at a level 40 feet below the optimal elevation. This has caused difficulties in making full use of the tank. W.E. Quicksall, which did the work, speculated that the tank may be usable.

“I feel like I’m never going to get the answers about the water tank from the service director,” Jordan said. “I want to know why they’re saying we need to mothball this … if we used it this summer?

“I voted to mothball it because I knew that the thing worked,” she said. “We needed to decide whether to mothball it or tear it down, those were the two options that were given by the (Ohio) EPA. I definitely didn’t want it to come down, because I know there’s nothing wrong with it. … If you mothball, you can bring it out of mothball.”

Jordan also voiced concerns that mothballing the tank might create fire safety issues for the nearby Senior Suites retirement home.

Meanwhile, she said if elected, communication would be a feature of her administration.

“There’s been a disconnect between the administration and council. There have been a lot of things that have taken place and council has not been made aware of them,” she said. “I will definitely keep council informed. If there is a property purchase or an event of some sort being planned, council will be part of it. Council will be informed before it takes place.

“I will be following the charter. I am not a gray person, I am a black or white. It is either right or it’s wrong. There’s no gray area when it comes to governing,” she said.

A major ongoing project is upgrading the water distribution system. Jordan said the city should have more long-term planning for water rate increases, suggesting raising the rates on a multi-year basis rather than annually.

“There needs to be something that gives us a plan,” she said. “I want to restore the urgency to find some kind of solutions.”

She also disagrees with the administration’s stance that the water project must preempt street paving.

“It (paving) needs to be done. I realize we’re doing the water project,” she said. “Not every single, solitary road in St. Clairsville is going to be dug up for the water project. There are some roads that can be done. We’ll look into that.”

Jordan is married to Wayne Jordan and their daughter, Alicia Jordan, is a member of the Wheeling Symphony board of directors. Linda Jordan sings at area churches and is part of the yearly Bible reading at the Belmont County Courthouse leading up to the National Day of Prayer.