T-L file Photo file Shadyside Councilman Nick Ferrelli resigned Wednesday. He gave no reason, but the resignation followed a two-hour closed-door session to discuss matters of personnel. This followed discussions of whether overtime policies were covered in the village handbook or if it needed to be updated.

SHADYSIDE — The village will be looking for a new council member during the Christmas season.

On Wednesday, Councilman Nick Ferrelli resigned following a closed-door session that lasted longer than two hours to discuss personnel.

After the meeting, Mayor Bob Newhart said Ferrelli gave no reason for his resignation.

“I would like to thank Councilman Ferrelli for his six years of service. He’s been a great councilman, and he will be missed,” Newhart said.

Ferrelli was present during the meeting but left when council returned to open session.

Ferrelli later emailed a statement to The Times Leader when asked for comment:

“I have been wrestling with my future at the village for a while. This is not how I wanted things to end but I realize tonight that my time is over. I am proud of the things we have accomplished over the last six years. I said when we made the decision to switch from a board of public affairs to a village administrator that I thought it would make the village much more efficient. Eight months later I stand by that assertion. I stand by everything I have done and we have collectively done in my time on council.

“We now have the best group of employees anyone could ever ask for and that starts with (fiscal officer) Jerry Elliott, Erica Tamburin, and (sewer operator) Zac Clift. They go above and beyond on a daily basis for the betterment of the village, as do all our employees. Hiring them was the three best decisions we have made in my time,” Ferrelli continued. “All of our decisions have been right. I’m sorry that I haven’t always made those decisions in the most tactful or proper manner and I’m sorry to everyone I’ve hurt along the way. It was never my intention to hurt anyone and I hope I’ll be able to make up for that and continue to help better the Village of Shadyside as long as I’m living. It has been an honor and a privilege to be your councilman and I sincerely thank the residents of the village for giving me that opportunity.”

Solicitor Tom Ryncarz said council has 30 days to appoint someone to serve the last two years of Ferrelli’s term. Anyone interested in the appointment should call the village office at 740-676-5972.

Prior to the closed-door session, council approved a $150 performance bonus for full-time village employees and a $75 bonus for part-time employees, but when council members suggested offering time-and-a-half for employees who work during the holidays, Ferrelli voiced concerns that this might contradict the village handbook and asked if the matter was already addressed in the handbook.

Ferrelli repeatedly said the village handbook needed to be examined to determine if updates were needed.

“We need to actually see what we had in the handbook before we can pass another ordinance amending that,” he said. “I just can’t see making any more changes to that handbook until we have an actual up-to-date copy of it and know what we’re actually changing.”

Ryncarz checked through the handbook, and council members discussed procedures regarding overtime and vacation or sick day use.

“I am going to vote ‘no’ on any legislation regarding that handbook until I have an up-to-date copy of it,” Ferrelli said.

Council went behind closed doors shortly after that.

After the meeting, Newhart said the handbook dates from 2007. He also said the issue of paying time-and-a-half had not been addressed.

“It can be addressed retroactively,” he said.

In other matters, Village Administrator Erica Tamburin reported that the village has reached an agreement with Litman Excavating for an extensive water valve replacement and water system upgrade project in 2022. In past meetings, village leaders had noted that Litman considered the project completed and asked for final payment, but council members including Ferrelli expressed dissatisfaction with the work. Tamburin said the village would make its final payment using a grant of about $300,000 through the Ohio Department of Development.

Afterward, Newhart said more work will be scheduled.

“Everything’s done,” Newhart said. “The fluoride has to be fine-tuned. We’re working on the north reservoir, it needs some repairs. It’s just going to be a continual process.”

Tamburin said with this resolved, the village can now turn its attention to exploring improvements to the sewer plant next year. She said equipment in the plant is “at the end of its lifespan.”

“We’ve got to the point where things break down and we can’t get parts because they’re not manufactured anymore,” she said.

Newhart elaborated.

“There’s equipment that needs replaced,” he said. “The sewer plant itself is fine.”

In other matters, Councilman Robert “Bushwacker” Gorrell reported that the state-level Ohio Public Works Commission in Marietta has approved a joint project involving Shadyside and Pultney Township. It includes extensive paving and drainage repairs on Central Avenue at the north end of the village.

The project will cost about $500,000. The village and township had sought $253,000 in grant funding from OPWC and a zero-percent, 19-year loan of $80,000 through OPWC.

Also, due to scheduling conflicts there will only be one council meeting in January. It will be held at 6 p.m. Jan. 10, a Wednesday rather than the usual second and fourth Monday, at the village office, 50 E 39th St, Shadyside.