Marietta City Council met predominantly in executive session Wednesday to discuss active plans for litigation concerning the failure of the Marietta River Trail at Duck Creek.

The failure, a slip which has continued to grow since June 2020, necessitated additional appeals by the city administration for allocation authorization to permanently provide power to the sewer line bypass Wednesday.

Council is anticipated to vote upon that and other financial change order requests lobbed Wednesday, today during its regular business meeting if enough members support a suspension of the rules, dispense with second and third readings and pass the necessary ordinances.

But also invited into the executive session of legislators were:

¯ City Law Director Paul Bertram.

¯ Mark Evans, an attorney with Bricker and Eckler, and legal counsel for the city.

¯ Mark Welch, vice president of construction for Pickering Associates.

¯ Beth Thornton, project manager for the Mannik Smith Group.

¯ Tina Lones, the city clerk for the engineering office.

¯ City Wastewater Superintendent Steve Elliott.

¯ Public Works Director Jim Wark.

¯ Mayor Josh Schlicher.

Out of the executive session, the legislators took no specific action pertaining to the litigation.

But it appeared via the teleconference that Safety-Service Director Steve Wetz also joined the executive session.

Retired Councilman Roger Kalter also submitted the following questions to the committee Wednesday which Wetz has directed to Bertram to answer.

1. What accommodations are being made for the safety of people forced to walk on Ohio 7 across I-77 entrances for access to minimum wage jobs and groceries? How can some of the $400,000 in CARES money be used to improve safety?

2. What is the status of the Marietta Rowing and Cycling Club’s request that $5,000 of CARES money be used for immediate (weather permitting) trail repairs on Phase 1,2 and 3?

3. What is the time frame for reopening the collapsed River Trail Phase 5?

4. Is it true it is costing $300 per day for sewer operations to bypass the crushed line with the portable equipment near Duck Creek Bridge? If not accurate, what is the cost?

5. What are the steps required to get River Trail Phase 5 reopened and timeline guesses for each step?

6. Why is the Mayor’s Alternative Transportation Committee not meeting during a pandemic when we know many, many more people are relying on alternatives for transportation and health? When was the last MATAC meeting? Why?

City Engineer Joe Tucker said exact costs to continue running the bypass could also be provided by Elliott who did not remain on the call following the return from executive session.

The remaining questions will also to be continued to be pursued by the Times.

Lands, Buildings and Parks Committee

Chairman Bill Farnsworth also welcomed 17-year-old Marietta Boy Scout Zachary Stachera to introduce his proposal to honor veterans this year on Memorial Day with an unfurling of banner flags on city light poles in the city’s downtown.

Stachera was guided to also coordinate his planning with the downtown business cheerleading nonprofit Marietta Main Street before returning for final approval from the legislators via resolution.

Council next meets at 7:30 p.m. today.

Janelle Patterson may be reached at jpatterson@mariettatimes.com.