EAST LIVERPOOL — The street department has received funds for a brine making machine.

Service/Safety Director Bill Jones told council members during their June 1 meeting that the street department received a $75,000 grant for a brine making machine and applicator which can help reduce salt use next winter and make it easier to plow the roads by reducing the ability of ice and snow to attach to the pavement.

Jones said the equipment was estimated to cost approximately $82,000, so the city might have to have a small match for the grant for the difference.

Jones also noted that the street department was in the middle of paving and it was a slow process, but manpower is a problem and that paving is getting done slower than anticipated, but it is happening.

Jones said that he has been working with the union and they created a memorandum of understanding to create some different positions, so they may have one or two more people to provide manpower to the street department.

Mayor Bobby Smith said the Ohio Department of Transportation meeting, which took place at the end of May, went well. About 20 residents attended a question-and-answer session with ODOT workers regarding the state Route 39 project.

Smith noted there were two new businesses coming to the city — a suit and tux shop, and a Goodwill store — and a new restaurant potentially going into the former location of Soup City.

Smith didn’t mention the name of the business, which remains anonymous at this time, but said the business has made a substantial donation to the city to tear a house down and redo the Welcome to East Liverpool signs along the highway.

Smith also said that several projects in the city, such as the clock project which will fix the clock in downtown and also put tables and benches around it, and the Revolutionary War Memorial, which will be unveiled during the America 250 celebration on July 11, are coming along well.

Smith noted that the anticipated opening day for the Thompson Park Pool is June 12.

Smith also noted the graffiti that has been happening around the city has been investigated and is under control.

Fire Chief Antony Cumo told council members that since an ordinance is already in place for it, the city and the fire department are considering bringing back full-time fire inspectors.

Cumo noted that the city hasn’t had full-time inspectors in years.

The inspectors would be able to go to abandoned buildings, inspect them, require the owners to register the buildings and pay the registration fees and then follow whatever instructions issued by the inspector, including placing placards on the buildings, making sure there is a key box located on the building, making the building lockable and more.

There will be further discussion on bringing back full-time inspectors to work out additional details.

Council Member Tom Clark thanked everyone who volunteered at Spring Grove Cemetery to get it ready for Memorial Day and noted that he took possession of the new zero turn mower purchased for mowing at the cemetery.

Council members unanimously approved three ordinances authorizing the auditor to pay certain vendors; an ordinance to amend the budget ordinance; the authorization of the police chief to purchase new body cameras and accessories, authorizing the mayor and police chief to accept a 2026 body camera grant from the Ohio Department of Public Safety; three ordinances authorizing the public utility director to enter into task agreements for technical services with Strand Associates, an ordinance to repel the ordinance creating the Board of Public Utilities and an ordinance to dissolve the Board of Public Utilities.

The financial statement was approved as presented and the meetings minutes from April 6, the special meeting held April 20, the May 4 and the May 18 meetings were approved as presented.

The Safety/Rules Committee will meet June 15 at 6:30 p.m.

The Finance/Labor Committee will meet on June 30 at 8:30 a.m.

The Licensing/Economic Committee will meet on June 17 Immediately followed by the Streets/Lands and Buildings Committee meeting immediately following the Licensing.

All committee meetings will take place in council chambers.

The East Liverpool City Council meets the first Monday of each month at 6 p.m. in council chambers at East Liverpool City Hall, 126 W Sixth St. The next regular meeting is scheduled for July 6.