If what was said at this past week’s Shadyside Village Council meeting was any indication of the future of that governmental body, smoother waters will be found ahead.

New Mayor Mike Meintel told those in attendance at the meeting that it would be a “new day in Shadyside.”

“In the last three years, we haven’t done anything for citizens in this town, me included,” Meintel said. “But we are moving forward. That is all behind us. We are moving forward and we are going to make Shadyside a better community and give the citizens and taxpayers what they want.”

There have been plenty of pockmarks on the village’s visage in recent years, much of it coming from infighting and acrimony from within city offices.

Now-former councilman Sam Carpino came under criminal investigation after he purchased a tractor owned by a public board. He claimed later that the Ohio Auditor’s Office exonerated him, but Belmont County Prosecutor Kevin Flanigan did not rule out later prosecution after his office received a full investigation report.

Another former council member, Nick Ferrelli, had been charged with menacing by stalking, accused by then-village administrator Erica Tamburin. Ferrelli ultimately pleaded guilty to misdemeanor disorderly conduct and received two years probation. Tamburin resigned and his now Wellsburg’s city manager.

In short, there has been plenty of controversy and not a ton of good news.

Now Meintel has set a new course for the council and city offices. That started with eliminating the village adminstrator position and creating a board of public affairs in its stead. That came, according to council, from a failed levy, which cut $94,000 from village coffers and left the administrator position too expensive to fill.

The council also held a first reading of a nuisance property ordinance that Meintel said would be strictly enforced — meaning no favors for those who don’t keep their properties up to code.

“I have to do what is right for Shadyside,” Meintel said. There are not going to be any side deals. The ‘good old boys club’ is done in the town,” he added. “I am going to support our boys in blue. If they write a ticket, if they write a citation or if our code enforcer brings somebody in front of mayor’s court, I am going to support them.”

The move to a board of public affairs, while disappointing, shows fiscal responsibility. The council isn’t going to financially strap the village just to maintain the status quo.

Meintel’s words on the nuisance property ordinance should comfort Shadyside residents tired of junk cars, high weeds and garbage piles. The new mayor said that ordinance will be enforced equally. No mutual backscratching. No backroom deals.

It’s the type of leadership from council that residents of Shadyside have always deserved, but not always received. Meintel and the council want the village to be a place where people enjoy living. These initial moves should go a long way toward making that happen. And they also could help Shadyside make headlines for some positive matters.