Local News

New year brings changing of guard in East Liverpool

EAST LIVERPOOL -- The years 2023 and 2024 have been and will be a time of change for the City of East Liverpool. A new administration has taken office and progress toward economic development growth has and will continue to take place.

While the city's former mayor Greg Bricker looks back at what has occurred in the city during 2023, new mayor Bobby Smith and new Safety/Service Director Bill Jones look towards the city's future.

For Bricker some of the major achievements for the city in 2023 include the demolition of dilapidated abandoned buildings, getting streets paved and the opening Chef Ray's Diamond Bar and Grill downtown.

Housing has been a priority for the former mayor over four years and while the city has seen 120 houses demolished there are still many more to go.

"That is to the credit of our county," Bricker said. "Our county commissioners have really helped us. The county land bank and our state senator have really helped us out in getting funding for those."

Bricker noted that another list of houses to be demolished was in the works with the County Land Bank who is applying for additional funding.

"That's definitely a win for the city to keep getting rid of the blight and addressing those issues," Bricker said.

In 2023, the city saw some road improvements such as the work done on Route 11. The $6 million project was completed at pretty much no cost to the city with Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT)'s assistance. ODOT also helped with other road issues by helping the city obtain millions of dollars in funding.

The city also saw the repair or replacement of all the traffic lights.

Bricker said the city was continuing to move forward with the car barn purchased to give city workers a safer place to work and store equipment.

Bricker also said that the pickle ball courts installed at the YMCA seem to be a big hit and the city was trying to figure out where they could put more courts to help bring more people downtown, because after people play, they stop at the restaurants to eat.

The water intake that was damaged by a barge seven years ago is expected to be replaced in 2024 now that the funding for it has been awarded.

New businesses such as the Diamond Bar and Grill and a hair salon on Fourth Street opened in the downtown area in 2023 and Bricker is hopeful a winery will open in 2024.

The city worked on two huge grant requests for the Appalachian Ohio Grant. The grants, if approved, will go toward turning the old Motor Lodge into a short-term living facility. It's a $12 million project that would take the old hotel which has approximately 69 rooms in it and repurpose it for short-term living for those in a workforce training program. Bricker said the city has a partner who agreed to be a part of the workforce training program.

The building would basically provide living accommodation that could help get the homeless off the streets, get them training, find them a job and then permanent housing.

The grant application is requesting $8 million in grant funding.

"I think overall it was a great year and I'm hopeful the momentum continues into next year," Bricker said. "I hope the city continues to progress and move forward."

Smith took a brief look back at 2023 before discussing his hopes for 2024 and believes one of the city's biggest accomplishments was obtaining funding for the Thompson Building.

One of the biggest challenges Smith sees for 2024 is labor shortages. Homelessness in the city is a challenge as well and an issue they would have to figure out a way to address.

As Smith and Jones settle into their roles, they plan to take a look at the city's low staffing issues and what the finances are like for the city and what they can do to address those staffing needs.

Jones noted that as far as staffing goes every department is hurting and that he and Smith plan to meet with every city employee to see what the needs are and get their input.

While there are no major staffing changes as far as cuts or eliminations planned, Jones noted that a change the employees will see is support from the administration.

"We are very conscious about the labor force that we have, and we want to boost that up and support them," Smith said.

Smith and Jones both noted that residents will see more transparency from city hall and business that affects the city.

Jones noted that he thought the budget looked good going into the new year and that they could work it. He also noted that there would be changes in the amount of money being spent such as how it's spent and where's it spent, but there wouldn't be any budget cuts.

Smith hasn't been in office long enough to generate plans for any new or additional projects yet for 2024, but said he wants to look at housing and also look at general cleanup and beautification of the city. He noted that clean-up isn't just cleaning up blighted homes, but also looking at the businesses and holding people accountable.

"There are a lot of problems in the city that we need to work on," Smith said.

Now settled into their respective offices, Smith and Jones are looking at the problems in the city and creating goals they would like to see accomplished in 2024.

Smith is hopeful to address the issues with the water department and make sure the water, police and fire departments are stabilized. He noted that these problems have been years in the making and many of them won't be solved in one year.

"Moving forward you will see more positivity from this administration, and we hope to have the employees more positive about the city," Jones said. "East Liverpool is a great town. There are a lot of outside forces that keep trying to kick us down, so we hope to change that and let everyone know that East Liverpool is a great town, we are here to stay, and this administration is going to do everything in its power to build the city and move it forward."