BELPRE — Belpre City Council approved two measures at its regular meeting Monday evening.

Council approved the final reading of a resolution authorizing the mayor to execute an agreement for management of the Belpre Senior Center.

Council also approved the first reading of the ordinance for the 2025 appropriations. Two more readings will be held at future council meetings.

In her report to council, Mayor Susan Abdella said she continues to participate in the “Meet the Funders” program with the Appalachian Regional Commission.

“I am working with them to present the water tank since it is a shovel-ready project. I will be creating a document about the project to take to my presentation. I will send each of you the material once it is created,” she said.

The city has been collecting data and information and making alterations based on feedback for the Civitan Park plan, including closing in on the financial component so the city can decide the best plan to move forward, she said.

Abella said a variance hearing was held Tuesday to review and approve a pair of variance requests by the Memorial Health System to allow the planned Women and Children’s Hospital to be built at the Belpre Medical Campus to move forward.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources will be in Belpre on Friday to review the trees that have been planted during phase one for reimbursement. The city has stalled phase two due to federal funding concerns, she said.

Abdella said the city is meeting with Kathy Davis from Washington County Soil Conservation District to review all previous construction projects.

“We have determined that we are missing several post construction certificates and maintenance and operations plans. We will be reaching out to businesses to get the necessary documents,” she said.

Abdella said she has requested the city’s website vendor create a couple of new pages that will allow more information from the city related to ” projects” to show a photo progression of each one as they occur. The other is a “legal notices” page. This will assist the city in publishing legal notices to the community instead of the current method of newspaper ads.

“This is the best practice method that is happening across the nation,” she said.