Belpre City Council President Larry Martin discusses the amendment to an ordinance regarding the annual adjustment of rates at Monday night’s regular council meeting. (Photo by Gretchen Dowler)

BELPRE — Belpre City Council met Monday night for its regular meeting, during which they held the first readings for two ordinances.

The readings were held for an ordinance adopting the annual appropriations for the 2026 calendar year and for an ordinance that will correct a sentence in the second paragraph of 939.08 regarding the annual adjustments of rates. The correction states that the Safety Service Director and the City Auditor may raise the sewer and water rates up to 4%, which applies to the base and usage rates, according to Fourth Ward Councilman John Ambrozy, who is assigned to the Utilities Committee.

The ordinance was created to help with the possibility of raising water and sewer rates to go toward the repair of the city water tower.

“They are saying that it will take around five million to fix the water tower,” said Belpre City Council President Larry Martin. “I’ve assigned Mr. Ambrozy to look into this and decide how we should go about the four and two dollar monthly fees.”

Ambrozy requested a combined meeting with the finance/audit and utilities committees where they can discuss who the rates will apply to and if they should increase the rates among other business.

“Due to the cost, we come up short by 60 some thousand and would need to dip into the general fund,” Martin said. “So we don’t dip into the general fund, we need to figure this out and remember future administrations after us so their general fund is intact.”

In other business, Martin and City Law Director Tom Webster discussed an issue with the book of ordinances adopted in 2025. According to Martin, the company that compiles the books overwrites ordinances that have been corrected or adjusted and an overwrite was caught and needs to be fixed. Webster will be writing a new piece of legislation for the missing ordinance that was adopted in 2021.

Council-at-large member Dave Ferguson, who is the finance/audit committee chairman, said the review of the 2026 budget has been finalized and council approved the bill adjustments for 2026 from City Auditor Erica Campbell.

In his report to council Monday night, Belpre City Safety Service Director Brian Rhodes announced the city received the rest of its salt delivery; another water line was found during an inspection at the water main at Stone Bridge, and two city workers have completed snow plow training.

“I’ve talked to (Streets Supervisor Chris) Barringer about fixing the potholes in the pavement around the city and they’ve been doing a great job,” said Webster. “They’re working on the worst ones first and then they’ll get to the small ones. He said that they’ve used about 10 tons of coal mix already.”

Webster also said that if the public knows of any more potholes, to let the Belpre Streets Department know so they can get put on a list and they will take care of it.

Belpre Mayor Susan Abdella was absent from Monday night’s council meeting.

The next meeting of the Belpre City Council will be at 6:30 p.m. March 9 at Belpre City Hall in Council Chambers following a finance/audit committee meeting at 6 p.m. and a finance/audit and utilities committee meeting at 6:10 p.m.