MARTINS FERRY — After a month and a half since former city council member Ben Neiman stepped down from his position due to health reasons, Melissa Yeso was sworn into council to serve out the remainder of Neiman’s term.

Yeso, sworn in by Mayor John Davies at a special council meeting held Tuesday afternoon, said she’s excited to serve the city. Yeso’s parents, Mike and Constance Yeso, own the Deluxe Toy & Hobby store at 501 Hanover St.

“I’ve been a lifelong Martins Ferry girl; my parents own the toy store,” Yeso said. “I’m excited and honored to have the opportunity to step in and support Martins Ferry.”

She believes the current city council is the most dedicated group of individuals she’s seen.

“We’re the Purple City, and at the end of the day, it’s just about helping to reenvision and inspire Martins Ferry to grow, develop, and be the amazing city that its residents want us to be,” Yeso said.

She added that her addition to council will be a fresh outlook and she can’t wait to help Davies and council think of new ways to help the city’s residents.

After Davies swore Yeso into office, Service Director Andy Sutak informed council that it must decide whether it wants to commit to the road repairs of Northridge Drive, Overlook Drive and Beretta Road.

Northridge and Overlook drives are bundled into one project and Beretta Road is its own project.

Sutak said that Northridge Drive and Overlook Drive had storm damage which resulted in both roads beginning to slip over the hill.

He added that the city applied for funding through Belmont County Emergency Management Agency, which was granted.

The city got 75% of the funding needed for the project but will be responsible for paying for the other 25%, which will roughly be $1 million.

Sutak said that Beretta Road is also slipping and is to the point where part of the guardrail is no longer on the road, which could be incredibly dangerous.

The Berretta Road project will be funded partially by a loan through the Ohio Public Works Commission. To receive the load the city is responsible for up to $100,000, which would be paid for through the city’s general fund. Once the city puts up the local funds required, the Ohio Public Works Commission will then give the city a grant.

Before either project begins, council must vote on whether it would like to proceed with the project.

Sutak said that council needs to decide if it wants to go ahead. If it doesn’t commit, the funding won’t be available forever.

He added that during the winter season, snow plows travel these three roads and if the problem isn’t addressed, then it is possible that somebody could die.

Council member Robert Hunker asked city fiscal officer Jack Regis what he thinks the city should do regarding committing to paying the money.

Regis said that before he says either way he would need to know more information. He said that he can’t answer questions about a subject he isn’t informed about.

Sutak interrupted Regis and told him that he has spoken to council about these exact road projects multiple times and have spent countless hours working on informing everyone on council as well as Regis about the matter.

“Council has to make a decision with the fiscal officer, that’s it,” Sutak said. “You have to come up with the money. However, that has been discussed. It’s been brought up on this floor for a long time now. I don’t know what else you want to do. If not, then that money goes away, then you don’t have any funding at all.”

Hunker then made a motion for the council to move forward with both repair projects, which passed unanimously.

Sutak said that bids for the Beretta Road repair project went out August 1 but he does not have a date for when the Northridge Drive and Overlook Drive repair project will bidded out.