BARNESVILLE — Village Council recently approved an estimate from Ackerman Builders to complete the widening of West South Street.

During a council meeting held June 17, Village Administrator Roger Deal asked Adam Ackerman to explain what he planned to do. While the amount of the estimate was not announced during the meeting, Deal said it was under the $75,000 threshold that would require the village to go through the process of advertising the project and bidding it out.

Ackerman, who has been developing properties and building homes around the village said that he planned to re-concrete what was “torn up” when the street was widened previously, saying that several culverts had been installed and water taps moved.

“We definitely need a curb on the lower side to catch and channel water to the new catch basins and keep it from going over the hill like it did before and eroded the bank,” Ackerman said.

Ackerman also said workers would be putting down a thicker layer of concrete than they did last year on Church Street due to heavier garbage trucks using that street. He noted there is a fire hydrant that the village is planning to replace before they proceed. Deal said they would need guardrails added as well.

Councilman Brian Yarnall asked whether they should get more estimates. Council President Tony Johnson replied that he was good with Ackerman’s plan since there was already doing extensive work.

Council unanimously approved the work.

Mayor Jake Hershberger asked Deal about the storm drains on Leggett and East Pike streets that had been discussed at a previous meeting.

“We are working on both,” Deal answered, adding that recent heavy rains had ruined some of what crews had already done.

Deal said that the storm had caused flooding in areas he had seldom seen flooded and that he appreciated how understanding residents were as village crews cleaned up.

Fire Chief Tim Hall said there was a turnout of over 60 kids for the department’s annual fishing tournament at Rotary Lake in Barnesville Memorial Park. He said that having the extra help from the American Legion and VFW made the event run smoothly.

Hall relayed a story from the tournament, saying that a young boy who had won a new bicycle at the event had given it to his buddy who didn’t have a bike.

“That really impressed all of us. It does your heart good to hear stuff like that,” Hall said.

Hall also announced run totals for the month of May, saying that the emergency medical service was dispatched 85 times and performed four transports for WVU Medicine Barnesville Hospital, while the fire department answered six calls.

Council approved Police Chief Rocky Sirianni’s request to hire Austin Mayhew as a full-time officer, saying he had just completed his training at his academy and wanted to take advantage of Barnesville’s Academy Reimbursement Program.

A resident asked about the possibility of paving McGee Drive, saying there were 10 residences and two businesses located there. Deal informed council that it would have to be done with village funds due to the nature of the project.

Yarnall suggested the village chip and seal that roadway to see how it works since officials have been discussing using that method on other streets and alleys.

Council also approved transferring a village-owned property, 115 Arch St., to the Belmont County Port Authority so it can be sold to Neely Wilson for $3,000. Wilson owns the adjacent property and has been maintaining the lot for years.

Council previously had advertised and taken bids for the property with a $5,000 reserve. The lone bidder who had met the reserve later retracted their bid, according to Deal.

Wilson had bid $3,000 during that process, and council ultimately decided to go through the port authority to complete the sale rather than accept a bid that was less than the reserve.

While performing the second reading of an ordinance amending the village ordinance dealing with animals and fowl within the village, Yarnall moved to suspend the rules requiring that ordinances be read three times, which passed before council voted in favor of adopting the amendments.

Councilman Terry McCort congratulated Deal for being appointed again to the Ohio Public Works Commission District 18 Executive Committee.

Barnesville Village Council will meet again at 7 p.m. today in the municipal building on Arch Street.