EAST LIVERPOOL — The East Liverpool Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) during Tuesday’s Board of Trustees meeting discussed possible revisions of the bylaws and conducted interviews to fill the five vacant spots on the board.

Candidates interviewed include Norman Bulter, Liverpool Township; Jeannete Bailey, East Liverpool; Chris Desarro, Liverpool Township; Stuart Wallace, East Liverpool; Dan Williams, East Liverpool; and Anthony Puorro, St. Clair Township. A seventh candidate did not show up for his interview.

The discussion of revising the bylaws plays a huge role in the board being able to fill all the vacant seats due to the bylaws and Ohio Revised Code restricting the candidates they can currently select based on residency.

According to the city’s law director, Charles Payne, Ohio Revised Code currently limits board members with residency outside the city to 25% of the membership number set by the bylaws.

With the membership number being 18 board members, only four of them can reside outside the city, and the board already has four members who don’t live in East Liverpool.

There was discussion about seeing if the board size could be increased to 20 members.

Non-residents must operate a business within the city limits.

After discussion between board members and Payne, Payne will look into if the percentage number or the wording can be revised to allow more members who operate a business in the city but live outside the city.

The CIC conducted seven interviews during the meeting, but only three of the candidates reside in the city, leaving the board only able to fill three of the six vacant spots.

Following an executive session to discuss the candidates, board members returned to an open meeting at which time a motion was made to table all candidate nominations until the bylaws could be reviewed to allow the board to select the most appropriate candidates.

CIC Executive Director Scott Shepherd and Payne will be scheduling a meeting to review the board’s bylaws.

Board members also discussed the Third Street property the owner has been interested in donating back to the city. Shepherd said there has been no conversation on that lately, and he would be following up on it. The CIC has not taken ownership of the building yet.

It was also decided by Dan Wolfe, accountant, would again do the CIC’s financial statements.

The next meeting date and time will be announced after the board has had a chance to review the bylaws.

kgarabrandt@mojonews.com