Marietta City Councilwoman Katie McGlynn, left, and Councilman Jeff Schultheis converse prior to the start of Thursday's council meeting. The agenda included emergency legislation to fund repair of a damaged 80-year-old sewer line that led to a sinkhole at Front and Greene streets. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

Marietta City Council suspended the rules and passed multiple ordinances after one reading Thursday evening, including an allocation of up to $211,972 to repair a damaged sewer line that caused a sinkhole to develop downtown.

Council voted unanimously to suspend the second and third readings, then to adopt the ordinance on an emergency basis, during its regular meeting Thursday.

The sinkhole was discovered at Front and Greene streets about two weeks ago, the result of a hole in an 80-year-old concrete sewer line, officials said. There was no way to determine if nearby work on the Ohio River levee may have contributed to it, Public Utilities Director Ryan Boley said Wednesday.

The chosen repair will not only address the hole but 500 feet of the line. Insituform Technologies, already in the city working on other projects, will reline the pipe, rather than digging 20 feet down.

“The sleeving process is the most prudent and safe alternative,” Law Director Paul Bertram III said during Thursday’s meeting.

Although the work is not part of the levee project, Bertram said, the goal is to get it done as soon as possible to avoid having to dig on or around the upgraded levee.

The funds for the work were allocated from unappropriated wastewater moneys in another ordinance for which the rules were suspended before being approved unanimously. It also included $1.4 million from a previously approved loan to upgrade the water plant to filter out so-called forever chemicals, $65,930 for a slip repair on City-View Drive and repairs to an East Norwood water tower damaged in an April 1 storm and money from the fire levy for general repairs, said Councilman Jon Grimm, chairman of the Finance Committee.

It also included money for a part-time consultant – outgoing Budget and Procurement Director Mitch Dimmerling – to assist his replacement. An ordinance authorizing his employment in that capacity was unanimously approved after the rules for second and third reading were suspended.

The move was made to “have Mitch ready to help out if we need to,” said Councilman Ron Wesel, chairman of the Employee Relations Committee.

The proposed tax budget for 2027 was introduced on first reading, but no further action was taken. Bertram said that after the second reading it will be available for public comment and would be taken up on July 2, following a public hearing, before it is to be submitted to the Washington County auditor’s office.

Bertram told council members some ordinances need amended following their adoption of an ordinance authorizing a contract with the Southeastern Ohio Building Department to provide zoning code enforcement, property maintenance code inspection and enforcement, and related administrative services. Bertram said the city will still maintain oversight of matters related to medical marijuana and dispensaries, and the amendments need to reflect that.

Councilman Harley Noland said the matter would be discussed at a June 15 Planning, Zoning, Annexation and Housing Committee meeting.

That same day, the Police and Fire and Finance committees will meet to discuss updating EMS billing charges to be more in line with state averages.

Evan Bevins can be reached at ebevins@newsandsentinel.com.