Haugh Makes History In Wellsville

Friday – December 30: There were tears of joy, smiles of hope and hugs galore for well wishes as history was made yesterday afternoon. Mrs. Susan A. Haugh was sworn in as the Village's newest Mayor. Peggy Miller's little girl Susan became the first female ever elected Mayor in the history of Wellsville. According to Wellsville historian Brass Beresford, prior to Mrs. Haugh's election this past November, the highest elected female Wellsville official in the past was a President of Council several years ago. That was when Wellsville was classified as a city. Mayor Haugh is the daughter of Peggy Miller.

Mrs. Haugh was the top vote getter among four candidates running for Wellsville Mayor in the November General Election. Haugh ran as an independent and is the wife of Jeffrey T. Haugh. She is a native of Wellsville and was serving as a member of Village Council at the time of her election.

Columbiana County Sheriff Ray Stone officiated for the swearing in ceremonies that took place at Village Hall Friday afternoon. Also sworn in were newly elected Council members Don Brown, Diane Dinch and John Morrow.. Brown & Dinch have prior Council experience. Morrow is new to the Village political arena. Re-elected Councilman Tony Cataldo was not present at yesterday's swearing in ceremonies.

Councilwoman Rosie Goss was Master of Ceremonies. Canton, Ohio music teacher Sandy Larsuel offered an opening prayer and sang the song “My Grown Up Christmas List”. Mrs. Larsuel is the sister of Councilwoman Goss and was assisted by Bria Larsuel.

Mayor Haugh reported that one of her first goals is to meet with CC Port Authority Tracy Drake to determine how Wellsville can help in developing the Intermodal Park into a more active, prosperous river terminal facility. In the mean time she said she will be setting up the Mayor's office over the holiday week-end in order to be ready for the first day of her new administration when the doors open on Tuesday morning. Tuesday, January 3, will also be the first Council meeting she conducts. That meeting is scheduled to begin at 6 PM at Village Hall. She be able to use that new gavel that was gifted to her in honor of the historic occasion.

ole nib

Team MOJO's Pittsburgh Penguins Date

The Team MOJO Foundation is giving you a chance to have a Penguins date in early March. The lucky winner will get two tickets to the Penguins hockey match at home, gas money to get there, dinner included, and a gift card for Penguin souvenirs.

It's a fund raiser to benefit the Foundation's mission. For more information on Team MOJO visit their web site at www.mojofoundation.org. Check the flyer shown above for additional info on how to get your chances.

Chances are $5 each, or three for $10, for a great time for you and your best friend. That's cheap at twice the price!

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Marathon Oil Donates To Wellsville Volunteer Fire Dept.

Once again Marathon Oil provided a helping hand toward the Wellsville community. On a recent tour of the Marathon Oil terminal a $500 donation was presented to Mayor-elect Susan Haugh toward the Volunteer Fire Department.

The Wellsville Volunteer Fire Department have purchased most of the old Sterling China property with the intention of building a new Village Fire Station. When built the new, larger station will include both the regular Village station along with the volunteers, the same as it is today. The development will be done in stages and will eventually include a banquet hall, recreational facilities and a small park as funding becomes available.

Shown here presenting the Marathon donation, from the left, is Marathon District Manager Angela Brown, Haugh and Marathon Terminal Manager Don Koch.

Neighbor helping neighbor... it's what makes Wellsville some place special.

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Wellsville Men's Basketball At 3&4 Going Into Holiday Break

It took the all senior classmen from East Liverpool nearly three full quarters to realize that the much younger Wellsville Tigers were not going to simply hand them a win. East Liverpool started five seniors in last Thursday's basketball game in the Tiger'S Den. The Tigers had one senior and four sophomores making up their starting five. At times there were five Tiger 10th Graders on the court.

The Tigers made a game of it. At the end of one quarter they only trailed by a score of 21-18. In the second they matched the Potters point for point with 19 each. Going in the locker room at the half the Tigers were only trailing a team that came to town undefeated on the season by 3 points. In the first part of the 3rd the Tigers pulled ahead of the Potters by a slim margin a couple of times before the Blue & White woke up. Before the quarter closed out the Potters out scored Wellsville 24-13 in the third. It took them that long for all that experience to pay off.

East Liverpool held on to that margin plus one to win the game by a final of 80-65. They only out scored Wellsville by one point in the fourth. The Tigers fought to the final buzzer. Except for Senior Josh Carter they may be young playing at the Varsity level but they are competitors. They don't quit.

The Reserves also lost to East Liverpool by a score of 52-46. A couple of more minutes it may have been a different outcome in that first game.

Wellsville returns to action Thursday, January 6, when they host Western Reserve. The JVs tip-off at 6 PM.

Good Luck Tigers...

ole nib

Wellsville BOE Closes Out 2011

Monday – December 19: The Wellsville School District Board of Education met Monday evening in the Superintendents office. Present at the meeting was Board President Tom Brophey and Board members Ed Bauer, Karen Dash and Bill Miller. Also in attendance was District Superintendent Rich Bereschik, Treasurer Coleen Wickham and Garfield Principal Lisa Ferguson.

The Board approved payment of the bills and accepted the Treasurer's report as submitted. For the month of November the district had $629,275 in receipts and $618,891 in expenditures leaving a balance of $1.6 million. Wickham reported there has not been any expenditures out of the General Set-Asides and that balance remains at $719,477. Current year to date interest earnings totals $32,884. There will be a Budget Hearing open to the public on Thursday, December 29 at 10 AM in the Board Offices at 929 Center St. The budget is for Fiscal Year ending June 30, 2013.

Garfield Principal Lisa Ferguson offered kudos to Aaron Bunfill and the Garfield Elementary students for the outstanding performances at both Wellsville's Light-Up Night and the Christmas concert.

Ferguson congratulated the parents and guardians for their family support of the Garfield students. There are 273 students in the elementary grades, including the 34 preschoolers. At the recent Parent Teacher Conferences they had 239 people attend.

The Daw Middle School student of the month is 5th grader Regan Pierson, the daughter of Kara & Sam Pierson.

Karen Dash was named President Pro-Tem for the annual organizational meeting which will be held Monday, January 9, 2012, at 6 PM in the Superintendent's Office. It will be followed by the regular monthly meeting. State law requires that the organizational meeting be held by January 15. The regular monthly meeting was moved up one week because of this requirement.

The high school Music Department field trip planned for next March to Nashville was canceled. It will be replaced with an overnight trip April 13 & 14 to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.

Melissa Logan was named mentor for Jenna Vallera as a grade 3 teacher at Garfield. Nikki D'Atri and Miranda Travers was approved as Temporary Short-Hour Professionals at Daw Middle School through the end of the school year. An agreement with Youngstown State was approved for two student teachers at Garfield. Julie Lawrence will student teach kindergarten and Sara Hienerman the 1st grade. Mr. Dave Ewing was reappointed to another term on the Carnegie Public Library Board of Trustees.

The resignation of 7th Grade Girls Basketball Coach Jasmine Richardson was accepted with wishes for good luck. Richardson accepted a full time position on her other job. Coach Allen Dingey will finish the season coaching both Middle School girls teams. Volunteer coaches Robbie Long for high school wrestling, Allen Bergert for high school bowling and Barry Keller for Middle School Girls basketball were also approved.

The contract with Bricker & Eckler LLP of Columbus was renewed for legal services. A service contract for a resource officer three days a week was agreed to with the Village of Wellsville for this school year. Bereschik noted the duties will be split between Police Officers Marsha Eisenhart and Shawn Bloor. The final order of business was to approve the minimum wage rate of $7.70 per hour effective with the first of the year to be in compliance with Ohio Wage Law.

With wishes for a Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year from all the members present the meeting adjourned at 6:51 PM. The next regular meeting will follow the organizational meeting on Monday, January 9, 2012. That meeting will begin at 6 PM in the Superintendent's Office at 929 Commerce St.

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"Growing Up in Wellsville" Is Hot Seller

If Wellsville had a Top 10 Book list for sales the newly released “Growing Up in Wellsville” would be at the top of the list...hands down. The book was written by Wellsville High School Class of 1949 alumni Ron Price as a memoir of his growing up years in the village. Price recalls the booming years of the 1940s & 1950s when Wellsville was a very prosperous town with the rail, pottery and steel industries all up and down the valley.

Price retired after a career with Westinghouse, Inc. His Westinghouse career took him all over the country but he never forgot his roots or lost his love for Wellsville. Although no longer a Wellsville resident his heart is still with his hometown. He presently serves as a member of the WHS Alumni Scholarship Foundation and frequently returns for visits. At the encouragement of family, friends and especially his high school classmates he put together a very enjoyable book about his younger years. The book was underwritten by the Class of 1949 and any proceeds from the book are earmarked for WHS scholarships. It was recently released by the printer, The Wooster Book Company.

Classmate Earl Betz reports that since the article in the local newspapers last Friday the phone has been ringing off the hook with calls from all over the tri-state area. According to Betz nearly 50 books have been sold so far. The books that the Wellsville Historical Society had are completely gone. Since then a new shipment has been received and distributed Monday. Books are now only available at Center Pharmacy, the Wellsville Carnegie Library and Air Waves. All three places are located on Main Street in the village. Delivery of additional books is expected next week.

The books are $20 each. Mail orders cost an additional $5 for shipping and handling. Due to the late date there are no guarantees that delivery can be made before Christmas.

For more information inquires can be made by calling Betz at 330-532-2143.

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Santa Gets Some Last Minute Wish Lists

For more years than we can remember the Wellsville Volunteer Firemen have given Santa a ride around town for youngsters to get in some last minute requests. This year the tradition was brought back. We rode along this past Saturday evening and just hearing some of the squeals of delight by some made the trip all worth while.

Thanks to the firemen that made this possible and a special thanks to the firemen who took time out of their busy schedules Saturday night. It really meant a lot to a lot of children.

ole nib