Bellaire Mayor Retracts Resignation as Martins Ferry Police Levy Advances

Bellaire Mayor Robert Dodrill backed away from his resignation after hearing from residents who wanted him to stay on and finish the job. Dodrill, who had said Friday that he would step down effective April 15, announced Monday that he would remain in office and complete his term.

Dodrill said the decision came after many people in Bellaire urged him not to leave. He also pointed to the village’s ongoing audit and financial review, saying he wanted that work to continue without interruption. With Ginny Favede already gone and Bellaire still looking for a new fiscal officer, Dodrill said transparency remains central and that his focus is on serving all people in the village.

The reversal comes only months after Dodrill took office. He was elected in November 2025 and sworn in at the end of December, then found himself in a tense environment with village council members and the fallout from Favede’s departure. Dodrill had said the strain made it hard to get things done, including infrastructure improvements. He said Monday he does not plan to resign again.

Elsewhere in the Ohio Valley, Martins Ferry voters are heading toward a May 5 decision on whether to renew the city’s 5-mill police levy. Police Chief Vincent West said the levy is not a new tax or a tax increase. It was first approved in 2016 and renewed in 2020, and it helps cover payroll and overtime for the Martins Ferry Police Department.

West said the department is operating with 11 officers, a staffing level he warned leaves little room for losses. He said if even one position disappears, response times could suffer and cuts could follow. For a small department that relies on a tight roster, the levy renewal will determine whether that staffing level holds.

In Weirton, city officials are moving toward raising the municipal service fee from $2 to $5 per week for people who work in the city. Mayor Dean Harris said the added revenue would go into the general fund and help pay for six new firefighters and equipment as the County Road Fire Station project nears completion.

The proposal drew pushback at a March hearing, when residents said the increase would amount to about $260 a year and asked for more detail on how the money would be spent. City leaders argued the budget cannot support six firefighters without a sustainable new revenue source. Together, the three fights show how quickly leadership stability, staffing and public trust can become intertwined when communities are trying to keep basic services funded.