Wintersville — Council received updates from regional representative Robert Lockhart, heard mayoral remarks about potential marijuana-tax revenue, and approved routine minutes and bills during the meeting.

Robert Lockhart, the village representative to the BHJ (regional planning body) Technical Advisory Committee, reported several items affecting the area. He said the state representative could not provide an updated timeline for a bridge replacement project but noted an $87,000,000 expenditure timeframe tied to that work. Lockhart described a planned sidewalk repair project in Wintersville that BHJ advanced through the ODOT TAP (Transportation Alternatives Program) process: a roughly $440,000 project that will replace damaged sections of sidewalk from the Caddis Road/Dunkin' Donuts intersection through to the corporation limit past Park Drive, and make intersections ADA-compliant. Lockhart said Wintersville's local share would be about $40,000, describing the grant as roughly a 90/10 match via the TAP program.

Lockhart also relayed transit-system details: Steel Valley Transit has seen ridership declines, with Wintersville down about 8 percent compared with the same month last year. He said five new buses have been ordered, electronic fareboxes will be installed on old and new buses, and a new bus-washing system modeled on Jefferson County's system was selected to replace higher-priced bids.

Mayor Mike Picciello offered a rough, unofficial estimate of what the village might have received if local marijuana sales-tax proceeds were flowing to Wintersville. Using March sales figures reported to him (one dispensary with about $2.2 million in March sales and an assumed second dispensary with about $1 million), he calculated roughly $3 million in gross sales, a 10 percent tax of $300,000, and said the village's 36 percent share would be roughly $108,000 for March. He characterized those numbers as rough and noted state legislation is still pending and the village is not yet receiving the tax.

Announcements and routine business: the council posted local event notices including the Steel Valley Antique Car Club show on May 18 at Indian Creek High School and the Wintersville Summer Parks program running June 23–August 1 at Walnut Park for ages 5–13. The transcript includes the council’s spring bulk pickup schedule for the first four Mondays in June (June 2, 9, 16 and 23) and routine municipal updates (roof work, crack sealing, public bathroom plumbing repairs).

Votes at a glance (routine items): Approval of special council meeting minutes (03/11/2025) — motion passed (recorded: Merryman, Mattern, Scarpone, Estefano yes; Mrs. Damron abstained). Approval of council meeting minutes (04/03/2025) — motion passed (recorded: Merryman yes; Mattern yes; Dr. Scarpone abstained; Estefano yes; Mrs. Damron yes). Motion to pay bills — passed by recorded vote. Motion to adjourn — passed.