T-L Photo/LENNY WITTENBROOK Mayor Jake Hershberger presents Barnesville junior high wrestler Ladyn Hines with a certificate of recognition for recently winning the Junior High Girls Wrestling State Championship at the 2025 OAC Ohio Wrestling State Championship, making her a five-time OAC girls state champion.

BARNESVILLE — Village Council on Monday discussed moving ahead with repairs to the roof of the B&O Depot despite the fact that funding options are still being explored.

Councilman Tim McKelvey, who while having long served the village in various roles was only recently reappointed to fill one of two open council seats, inquired about the agreement between the village, the B&O Depot Committee and Cast and Baker Construction, which is using the depot building as an office and the area around the building as a laydown yard while working on the Rails to Trails and Tunnel Project on which construction recently began.

Mayor Jake Hershberger responded that the construction company was paying $1,000 rent plus $300 in utilities monthly for what is expected to be a 10-month period, with the money going to the depot committee.

McKelvey said he felt that those funds should be used to help get a long-awaited roof repair done.

“The longer that roof leaks, the more it’s going to cost us to repair the inside,” McKelvey said.

Hershberger, who also serves as president of the B&O Depot Committee, said the roof is a priority and that the committee had secured $75,000 in capital funding from the state of Ohio and another $5,000 from Belmont County Tourism Council with another $10,000 in the committee’s bank account and just over $5,000 in the Community Foundation account.

Hershberger went on to point out that the committee would have over half of the quoted $196,000 to get the roof repairs done by the time the tunnel project was finished.

McKelvey expressed his desire to move forward with the roof repairs.

“I’m in favor of getting it done. That (depot) is such a gem, and when they get all that work done on the tunnel and the work out Railroad Street, I think it’s going to become more of an asset.”

A discussion about the details of the work needed and what the $196,000 quote was for ensued, with Councilman Terry McCort suggesting they look at using a synthetic tile alternative like what was used on the Presbyterian Church several years ago.

Hershberger said he had looked into the synthetic tile, but that it would be more expensive.

Depot committee member Bruce Yarnall said they were still seeking additional funding for the project and the $196,000 quote was for the total roof repair, but not for any interior plaster or carpentry work. He added that the $75,000 in state funding has to be spent by September 2026.

Yarnall also insisted that the tile roof is “the distinguishing characteristic” of the Spanish Revival-style structure, and that Durable Slate is the “premiere company in the country that does this type of work.”

McKelvey agreed with Hershberger’s assertion that it would be a good idea to get in a contract and on a schedule with the project.

Meanwhile, council discussed details of a contract with CTI Engineering for design work on an upcoming wastewater plant upgrade, eventually opting to hold the first reading of a resolution to enter the contract to give Hershberger time to check on whether the village would be bound to a $383,000 construction administration fee contained in the contract since, as of right now, they only need an updated design so they can seek funding for the project.

Council passed a resolution agreeing to use the Washington County Board of Commissioners to provide non-residential plumbing inspections in the village.

Council suspended the rules requiring that ordinances be read three times before passage in order to adopt an ordinance amending the village administrator’s spending limit without council’s approval from $25,000 to $50,000, with a provision that the administrator can spend up to $75,000 if a purchase is deemed to be an emergency.

Councilwoman Robyn Misner announced that the American Legion Riders were kicking off a Hometown Heroes Banners Project to put up banners honoring village veterans throughout the community. She expressed her appreciation for those helping out with the project.

“I want to thank Art Works. Justin Hudson has worked so hard on this project with me and Amy. This keeps everything local,” she said,later thanking Village Administrator Roger Deal and his crew for installing the hardware and banners.

Misner said those interested in getting a banner can stop by American Legion Post 168 on South Street or Art Works on Main Street with a picture and hopefully they can have a bunch of them up by Memorial Day.

Deal announced that he had finally assembled a crew of five to mow village cemeteries, and council approved Deal’s request to purchase 300 tons of road salt through a contract with the Ohio Department of Transportation for next winter.

In response to a question from McKelvey, Deal said he had the hardware needed to allow the bulk water machine on Church Street to accept credit and debit cards as well as cash and that he would make a public announcement of when that would be installed to give customers a chance to stock up beforehand.

Warren Township Trustee Jim Greer announced that the J.B. Green Team-sponsored Barnesville and Warren Township Cleanup scheduled for May 3 would be held at the Watt Center this year due to construction activity around the B&O Depot, and that they were still in need of volunteers to help with the event.

Fire Chief Tim Hall reported run totals for the month of March, saying the fire department was dispatched 22 times while the EMS answered 104 calls and performed one transport for WVU Medicine Barnesville Hospital.

Hershberger announced Mayor’s Court figures for March, saying the village had received $1,959, the state $717.50, and the county $28.50 for a total of $2,705.

In other business, council approved paying bills in the amount of $103,626.85, and approved building permits for Jefferis Real Estate to install a new rubber roof at 123 N. Chestnut St., for Melissa Luyster to construct a new wood privacy fence at 201 Railroad St., and for Michael Muffet Jr. to construct a new house at 412 Mulberry St.

Also during the meeting, Hershberger presented Barnesville junior high wrestler Ladyn Hines with a certificate of recognition for recently winning the Junior High Girls Wrestling State Championship at the 2025 OAC Ohio Wrestling State Championship, making her a five-time OAC girls state champion.

Barnesville council’s next meeting will be held at 7 p.m. April 21 in the Municipal Building on Arch Street.