Council suspends rules, approves large package of ordinances including engineering contracts and salary updates

Struthers City Council voted to suspend its rules and adopt a package of ordinances covering contract amendments, personnel classifications and pay provisions, and multiple part‑time and seasonal positions.

The action followed a series of readings where council members grouped items and moved to pass them together. Council read and acted on ordinances authorizing contract amendments with engineering firms for bridge and street projects, creating or updating positions and salaries across several departments, and establishing part‑time and seasonal job classifications. Councilors moved to suspend the usual three‑reading rule and vote on the items the same night; the motion carried and council voted to approve the ordinances listed below.

The larger package included: an ordinance authorizing the tax commissioner to charge off certain uncollectable city income taxes in compliance with Ohio Revised Code 718.12; amendments to an engineering services agreement for the Mah Wetmore Drive Bridge Replacement (PID 118677); professional services agreements for 2025 street work; and a set of ordinances (Nos. 7–18) that updated positions, salary and employment provisions retroactive to Jan. 1, 2025, for a range of classified and unclassified city employees. Council also approved ordinances creating or setting hours and pay for several part‑time and seasonal positions (Nos. 19–25).

Votes at a glance - Motion to suspend the rules and place ordinances up for passage (ordinances 1–25): motion moved and seconded; council voted to approve. The transcript records affirmative roll‑call responses from council members present. (Motion and roll call recorded in the meeting transcript.)

- Ordinance (Tax write‑offs / Chapter 171 / Ohio Revised Code 718.12): approved under suspension; emergency declared.

- Ordinance authorizing amendment No. 1 to the agreement with Environmental Design Group (24003‑1501P) for Mah Wetmore Drive Bridge Replacement (PID 118677), retroactive to July 1, 2024: approved under suspension; ordinance 24054 repealed where noted.

- Professional services agreements with MS Consultants Inc. for 2025 street design, bidding and construction administration (two separate ordinances covering different street programs): approved under suspension; emergency declared.

- Ordinances 7–18 (full‑time positions / salary and employment provisions): each read by heading, moved and passed together under suspension; each ordinance repealed specified prior ordinances and stated retroactive effective dates to Jan. 1, 2025.

- Ordinances 19–25 (part‑time and seasonal positions, hours and wages): read by heading and passed together under suspension; several referenced repealing earlier ordinances (for example, 24048–24051) and declared emergency where specified.

Council procedure and outcome Council followed the typical council procedure of reading ordinance headings, asking for motions to suspend the rules, and calling for votes. On multiple occasions the assembly moved to “suspend the rules” and then approved the listed ordinances on the same night; the transcript records the motions, seconds and affirmative roll‑call responses. No recorded vote tallies against passage appear in the transcript excerpts; council members present responded “Yes” during roll call on the motions to suspend and pass the measures.

What passed and what to watch for - Engineering/contract items: amendments and professional services agreements for bridge and street work were authorized; one amendment was retroactive to July 1, 2024. These items direct staff to finalize agreements and proceed with design/administration work. - Personnel/salary ordinances: a broad set of ordinances updated positions and pay scales retroactive to Jan. 1, 2025, for multiple classified and unclassified roles (department heads, executive assistant to the mayor, building maintenance, wastewater superintendent, street department positions and others). Several earlier ordinances were explicitly repealed. - Part‑time/seasonal positions: council created and set rates/hours for dispatch clerks, seasonal park and street laborers, part‑time drivers for an elderly van program, and other part‑time assignments.

The transcript does not show detailed legislative debate on the substance of each ordinance; council instead read many headings, sought suspension of rules, and voted to pass the package. Where emergency language was used, council declared an emergency in the ordinances as read.

Ending Councilors directed that these adopted ordinances be recorded in the city’s codified ordinances where applicable, and city staff were authorized to execute agreements and implement the employment changes described by the passed measures. The meeting transcript shows the actions and roll‑call affirmations; specific implementation steps (attachments, contract amounts, or hiring start dates) were not provided in the transcript excerpts.