Marietta City Council President Susan Vessels reads a response into the record regarding Resolution 85 at Thursday evening’s Marietta City Council meeting. (Photo by Gwen Sour)

Marietta City Council on Thursday opened its meeting with sharp debate surrounding Council President Susan Vessels, with some members introducing a resolution distancing the body from her recent comments during a downtown development tour that drew criticism from the Southeastern Ohio Port Authority.

Resolution 85 — sponsored by Councilmen Ben Rutherford, Jon Grimm and Bret Allphin — declares that Vessels’ personal views, opinions and actions “do not necessarily reflect” those of individual members or the council as a whole. The measure was read in its entirety after a split vote and will return for additional readings later this month.

The resolution follows a letter sent Nov. 3 by Port Authority President and CEO Jesse Roush to council members documenting what he described as an “incident” during the Oct. 23 Ohio Land Bank Association Fall Summit walking tour at the Glass Press buildings downtown. Roush said Vessels entered the tour uninvited, introduced herself as council president and began questioning the viability of a $12 million redevelopment project led by Ataraxia Properties. He characterized her comments as “disparaging” and said they “undermined one of the most significant downtown investments in recent memory.”

Vessels responded Thursday by reading a detailed statement into the record. She denied speaking on behalf of the council and said she attended as a nearby property owner and citizen. Her statement questioned the project’s financial feasibility and the Port Authority’s push to support it with taxpayer funds.

“I never said I was speaking on behalf of the City Council,” Vessels said after the meeting. “I was asking those questions.”

In her written response, Vessels described safety hazards she has observed at the vacant buildings and said her questions were about the responsible use of public money. She argued that “critical questions are essential to the wise deployment of public funds” and that such scrutiny “does not undermine a project.”

During council discussion, members said the resolution was not meant to censure Vessels personally but to clarify the distinction between her personal opinions and the city’s official stance.

“I think this resolution is important because I want to get the message out to any potential developers that would like to invest in Marietta that the actions and questions presented by Ms. Vessels don’t reflect this council,” Grimm said.

Rutherford added that it “ensures prospective investors know they are listened to.”

Council unanimously adopted Resolution 82 recognizing the Marietta Rotary Club’s long-term volunteer maintenance of Rotary Park and authorizing a memorandum of understanding for continued partnership.

Members suspended rules to approve Ordinance 252, creating a temporary three-month water reclamation operator position, and adopted Ordinance 256, an appropriations package that includes funds for sewer repairs described as “very costly.”

Council also approved Resolution 83, allowing the city’s development director to enter a pass-through agreement with Washington-Morgan Community Action for the 2025 Marietta On-Demand accessible public transit program.

First readings were held for:

* Ordinance 255, renewing the city’s annual animal control contract for 2026.

* Ordinance 257, setting 2026 salaries for full- and part-time non-union employees.

* Ordinance 258, authorizing the online auction of a 1998 International 4700 truck for at least $10,000, which was adopted after the suspension of additional readings.

Mayor Josh Schlicher reported that the area at Fourth and Marion streets where a sinkhole was repaired received a base coat of asphalt Thursday, with the top coat scheduled for today and reopening expected Monday, weather permitting.

Council’s next regular meeting is scheduled for Nov. 20 at 7:30 p.m.