The Ironton City Council met on Monday instead of Thursday this week, because of the Thanksgiving holiday.

And it was a short meeting, just five minutes from the invocation to adjournment.

Councilman Jacob Hock ran the meeting, since chairman Chris Haney was absent. The city charter states that whoever came in second in the election, the 2109 election in this instance, takes the place of the chairman and that fell to Hock.

“So, this may be my last time chairing,” Hock said. “I got the third spot in the most recent election.”

But he did get to run what was the city council’s shortest meeting ever.

“I think it was just long as it needed to be,” he said with a laugh.

The reason for the short meeting was that there were only two items on the agenda and there was no one from the community was present to speak if they wanted to.

Minutes from the previous meeting and the finance committee were approved and accepted and then it was onto items on the agenda.

• The first item on the agenda is raising the rents of the suites inside the Ironton City Center.

– The rent on Suite No. 144 (Patrick Insurance Agency) and 145 (Travel Dreamz Travel Agency) is currently $235 a month. Beginning Jan. 1, it would go up to $397. On Jan. 1, 2025, it would go up to $315. On Jan. 1, 2026, it would go up to $397 and on Jan. 1, 2027, it would go up to $477.50.

– Suite No. 146 (Morford Law Office, the rent would be $502 beginning Jan. 1. On Jan. 1, 2025, it would go up to $652. On Jan. 1, 2026, it would go up to $805 and on Jan. 1, 2027, it would go up to $955.

– Suite No. 148, which is empty, the rent would be $235 beginning Jan. 1, 2024. On Jan. 1, 2025, it would go up to $315. On Jan. 1, 2026, it would go up to $397 and on Jan. 1, 2027, it would go up to $477.50.

– Suite No. 150 (Adult Parole Authority), the rent would be $302 beginning Jan. 1, 2024. On Jan. 1, 2025, it would go up to $396. On Jan. 1, 2026, it would go up to $487 and on Jan. 1, 2027, it would go up to $581.

The ordinance had the first of three readings. Once it is read a third time, council members can vote on it.

With only five of the seven council members present, there was no supermajority present to declare an emergency and have it read three times before coming up for a vote in the meeting.

“If we had voted on it and it didn’t have a supermajority, that would put the legislation in jeopardy of getting passed,” Hock explained. 

• The next item on the agenda was a resolution authorizing the city to have a memorandum of understanding with the Ironton-Lawrence County Community Action Organization act as lead applicant entity for proposals to the State of Ohio Appalachian Community Grant. The CAO would administer any grants from the agency and the city, as subrecipient, would use the funds for improvement projects such as proposed trails, riverfront and downtown development activities.

It was approved.

The next meeting will be 6 p.m. on Dec. 1 and is an organizational meeting.

Councilman Craig Harvey said that at the organizational meetings, the mayor and new council members are sworn in.

One new councilman is Robby Brown, who won with 1,528 votes. The other winners in the three-seat race were incumbent Chris Haney who retain his seat with 1,924 votes and incumbent Jacob Hock who got 1,378 votes.

“Anything the council is responsible for, like the finance director, clerk, city solicitor, we vote on that,” Harvey explained. “It organizes the council.”

This was the final meeting for incumbent Mike Pierce who placed fourth in the recent election with 1,253 votes.

Harvey thanked Pierce for his service over the past four years.

“It has been a pleasure to meet you and you have served the citizens well,” he said. “You have really been an asset to this council.”

Pierce thanked him.

“I have enjoyed it,” he said. “And I appreciate all that you folks have done for me.”