NELSONVILLE, Ohio — The statutory Nelsonville City Council met at Hocking College on Monday to repeal legislation passed by what it calls the “Holdover Council” — the opposing Nelsonville City Council that is operating under the city charter.
Earlier this year, the charter-based council, meeting in Nelsonville City Hall, approved the following measures:
- Ordinance 01-26, appointing special counsel as Nelsonville city attorney and declaring an emergency.
- Ordinance 02-26, appointing a city manager and declaring an emergency.
- Ordinance 07-26, reducing the bond for the city auditor and declaring an emergency.
- Ordinance 08-26, hiring a city prosecutor and declaring an emergency.
- Resolution 2368, establishing a Polley Field Stewardship Program and declaring an emergency.
The statutory council introduced its own legislation Monday, Feb. 16, to repeal the charter council’s actions. In the documents, the statutory council referred to the charter group as the “Holdover Council.”
The repeal ordinances state that the other council “is not a legal city council which can transact business of the City,” and that decisions may only be made by the “elected city council.”
Currently, two groups are operating as Nelsonville City Councils. One group, the statutory council, consists of individuals who ran for new city offices based upon the abolition of the city charter and a transition to a statutory form of government.
The other group, operating out of city hall with authority over city finances and personnel, is known as the charter council. The charter council repealed the planned government transition last year.
The statutory council met Tuesday and Wednesday for second and third readings of the repeal measures.
Also on Monday, the statutory council went into an executive section to discuss pending litigation. Currently, a fourth case filed in the Athens County Court of Common Pleas seeks to resolve which council may rightfully govern the city.
The statutory council’s next meeting is next Monday, March 2, at The Lodge at Hocking College, 15770 SR 691,
The other Nelsonville City Council meets every other Monday of each month, at Nelsonville City Council Chambers, 211 Lake Hope Drive. Its next regular meeting will be at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 23. Meetings are live streamed on YouTube. Find more at cityofnelsonville.com.
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