WELLSVILLE – Wellsville council is considering annexation action to capitalize on the proposed data center in Yellow Creek Township.

Mayor Bob Boley told council members Tuesday the village would benefit from possibly annexing the 20th Street Heights area.

Village Solicitor Chris Weeda said it would have to go through the Columbiana County commissioners. Council President Keith Thorn said the commissioners said both the village and the property owner would have to agree on it.

Boley said he is concerned that the owners of the proposed data center would be utilizing the village sewage system, and the village would not benefit from it unless they were annexed in.

Council member Aaron Smith said they should also look at annexing Russell Heights. Thorn said Smith may need to start a petition for that one.

Wellsville police Lt. Marsha Eisenhart said with all the talk of the action in Jefferson County she was wondering if council would consider getting a committee together to discuss annexation or work to get some of the construction revenue coming into the village.

In other business, Eisenhart told council members that she would be interviewing for another part-time officer.

Fiscal Officer Hoi Wah Yu said that she spoke to U.S. Rep. Mike Rulli’s office about financial assistance for demolition of the old Five and Ten which collapsed on Main Street and emphasized the urgency of the situation and that they would keep her updated on it.

She also noted she has a meeting with the Environmental Protection Agency on June 22 for the grant the village received for the Buckeye Water District’s Route 45 water tank.

The village received notice from Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Liquor Control of a Class D-2 liquor license permit for Shreee OM Balaji LLC Peps Carryout at 1800 Clark Ave., for which council opted to not request a hearing for the permit approval.

An estimate in the amount of $19,197.20 from Ed Wilson Services LLC for a submersible pump repair for a sewage pump was approved by council.

The minutes from the June 16 meeting payment of bills totaling $8,130.64 were approved.

There was some discussion among council members regarding payment of the invoice to CARE funeral and cremation for $1,4000 for an indigent funeral for a Wellsville resident. Yu noted that they were required under state law to cover the cost for an indigent resident.

Weeda said he reached out to CARE and questioned the bill, and they were able to knock some of the cost off and noted that East Liverpool has an ordinance that caps the amount to be spent for indigent funerals.

Council members are considering doing the same thing.

Wellsville Village Council meets the first and third Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. in council chambers at Wellsville Village Hall, 1200 Main St., Wellsville. The next regular meeting is scheduled for July 7.