T-L Photo/JOSIE BURKHART Bridgeport Village Council nominates Councilwoman Michelle Lucarelli, right, as president at its Tuesday meeting.

BRIDGEPORT — Brian May of May Engineering told Bridgeport Village Council on Tuesday evening that it looks promising that the community will receive a grant to create safety initiatives at the U.S. 40 crosswalk by the municipal building.

At the February meeting, May told council he had met with a representative of the Ohio Department of Transportation and walked along the street to survey the area and formulate a plan.

Because ODOT has a paving project set to take place this summer on U.S. 40, May asked if the project could include some sort of safety initiative for Bridgeport.

Now, May told council, his firm has successfully processed the application for the grant.

ODOT has funds available strictly for “safety and improvements” that would allow the village to bring the project to the crosswalk. May wants to reduce accidents by reducing the time pedestrians spend crossing the road and by alerting motorists at the same time, he previously said.

May said ODOT relayed that it looks promising that the village will secure the funds.

The grant would bring flashing lights; a concrete bump out, which is a sidewalk extension into a parking lane that narrows the roadway and shortens pedestrian crossing distance; and crosswalk painting.

The project was prompted by a fatal December accident on U.S. 40 near the municipal building. A Wheeling woman, 60-year-old Teri Marshall, died as a result of her injuries from the accident.

“A 2013 Dodge Durango driven by Denise Borsos of Martins Ferry was attempting to turn east onto U.S. Route 40 from a private lot north of the roadway,” the Ohio State Highway Patrol announced in a release at the time. “Two pedestrians … were attempting to cross U.S. Route 40 from the south side of the roadway to the north side of the roadway.

“As Borsos turned onto U.S. 40, she struck both Marshall and (George) Weekly.”

May also told council all of the design and planning loans the firm applied for are finalized for three or four different projects in the village, so May can take those projects to the final design stage and should receive the funding by the end of the month.

Those projects include replacement of a pump station in the village, replacement and rehabilitation of sanitary sewers to eliminate problems with flooding on Howard Street and reduce the amount of green water in the sanitary sewer system.

Meanwhile, resident Tim Smith came to council to tell members the village Rotary club is kicking off its USA flag project again this year, installing American flags from Wayne Bridge down through Bridgeport and in Aetnaville. Smith and his crew will put the flags in residents’ yards for $60 a year and take them down after holidays.

Meanwhile, council had to choose a president. Council again nominated Councilwoman Michelle Lucarelli and all members, including David Holmes, Robert Bennington, Joseph Lyle, Ben Lenz and Doris Dunkle voted in favor of Lucarelli. This means Lucarelli will take on additional duties and serve in the mayoral role when Mayor Norma Teasdale is not present.

Village Administrator Jesse Kosegi told council about the request for proposals for the village employees’ health insurance. Requests for prices have gone out on behalf of full-time employees.

Kosegi said the goal is to provide better health insurance, better rates and possibly packages for village employees based on their needs and prices for people who have families starting May 1.

Council went into a closed-door session to discuss personnel and the potential purchase of a property.

After coming back from executive session, Teasdale read ordinances and resolutions.

The first, 2025-08, is an ordinance modifying the water rates for the village and declaring an emergency. About Dec. 5, 2018, the village entered into a state of fiscal emergency, and the village’s financial planning and supervision committee has since made certain recommendations to eliminate Bridgeport’s debt.

The village has met and exceeded the recommendations of the financial planning and supervision committee to date, but now recognizes the need to increase water rates by 2.6% to comply with the committee’s recommendations. Council voted unanimously to increase water rates 2.6%, effective April 1.

Next, 2025-09 is an ordinance replacing Ordinance 2025-07 and any substantial amendment to the same, establishing the hourly and salary compensation for the village employees with overtime needing to be approved in advance and documented by the employees’ supervisor. Overtime is not to exceed 10 hours in a 40-hour work week, unless approved by the mayor or village administrator. It also was approved by all council members.

Resolution 2025-10 is for the hiring of Austin Taylor as a part-time basic EMT for the village, as recommended by the fire chief, effective March 18. Taylor will have a 90-day probationary period and be paid the rate of $15 per hour.

The next resolution 2025-11, approving the hiring of Jenna Tharp, a part-time advanced EMT for the village recommended by the fire department, is effective March 18. She will also serve a 90-day probationary period and be paid $15.25 an hour.

The last ordinance 2025-12 is to make the annual appropriation for the current expenses of other expenditures of the village during the fiscal year ending Dec. 31 and declaring an emergency.

Council, including Lucarelli, Holmes, Bennington, Lyle, Lenz and Dunkle approved of all resolutions and ordinances.

The next meeting will be April 15.