EAST LIVERPOOL – The East Liverpool Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) voted during Thursday’s full board meeting to allow the East Liverpool Flag Football League to use CIC owned property on Maryland Avenue for practice.

The property is at 500 Maryland, which is the former site of the old East Liverpool Junior High School which was demolished in May of 2023.

The request to use the property for practice was forwarded during a March 30 CIC meeting to the Property Committee for consideration.

The Property Committee met Thursday immediately prior to the full board to consider allowing the use of the property for practice and, after discussion, voted to recommend it to the full board for consideration.

The approval was granted with the stipulation that the East Liverpool City Flag Football League be required to sign a full waiver of liability, and they be responsible for keeping the area clean, as the city will not maintain it for their practice, according to CIC President Scott Shepherd.

The board also discussed the current loan balances for several business loans made by the CIC to local business owners.

According to Shepherd, D’s Crafts and Cravings will be getting a letter from the City’s Law Director Office regarding the past due balance on the business loan. Shepherd noted that the business has not made a payment since August, which has a current principal balance of $4,604.94.

Shepherd said the CIC is planning to meet with Ray Stevens, who is looking to have his three loans readjusted for smaller payments. Stevens has three loans for $17,4021.20; $22,578.74 and $11,481.21. The request for smaller payments stems from the loans for the Sixth Street Deli which closed last year after a water line break that was too costly for repair.

Shepherd also noted that the CIC has reached out to the owners of the recently closed City Soup to see if they are interested in reopening in another location within the city. City Soup, even though closed, has remained current on the payments for their loan, which has a principal balance of $816.25.

The CIC currently has a total of $136,391.25 in outstanding loans to area businesses. The other loans include Coppa’s Mutts and Cuts with a principal balance of $26,599.73, Kerr (M&K Wine Co.) with a principal balance of $19,711.93 and True North with a principal balance of $33,197.25.

There will be CIC Finance Committee meeting on April 16 at 5 p.m. in council chambers at East Liverpool City Hall, 126 W Sixth St.

It is not known yet if a full board meeting will follow the committee meeting.

Kgarabrandt@mojonews.com