BELLAIRE — Bellaire Police Department received a donated drone to help officers tackle drug activity, missing people and assist other departments on searches.

The new drone, which will soon be joined by another one donated to the department, would allow the department to do certain searches, assist the fire department with searches, assist other police departments along the Ohio River that don’t have a drone, help look for missing people and help with surveillance, such as looking for drug-related activity, according to Police Chief J.J. Watson.

Watson said with the drone the department will have something to put in the sky and look to see what’s happening from the building.

“There’s other departments in Belmont County that have them. I think the sheriff’s office has it, St. Clairsville PD has it. We want it implemented. Got a little bit of training and stuff we got to do with our guys, but I think it’ll definitely be a benefit to our police.”

The department will train three officers to become drone operators. St. Clairsville Police Department has a drone program, and Watson said the Bellaire Police Department will follow exactly what it has in its policies and procedures.

Bellaire Fire Department donated the drone to the police department.

Watson added his department will be able to check on the Kroger parking lot where children hang out to see what’s going on there.

Meanwhile, John Vasey came before council to discuss how his house and garage at 4295 Harrison St. were shot during the shooting Sunday that left a female juvenile shot in the leg and a male juvenile and 22-year-old man both charged with felonious assault.

Vasey questioned what is going to be done about the damage and what will be done to prevent it in the future. Vasey said a lot of drug-related activity goes on in his neighborhood on Harrison Street, and it’s not the first shooting that has happened there.

Watson and Vasey both agreed the drones will help to tackle that issue. Councilwoman Elizabeth Dugmore also asked Watson if the department could increase patrols in the area.

Vasey also discussed a portable basketball hoop on the corner of 43rd Street where children scream and yell down to 42nd Street. Vasey said people put the portable hoop in front of his house before he put it in an empty lot across the street.

Vasey wanted to know what will be done about children playing basketball in the middle of the night, walking the streets, throwing the basketball against the side of his house and destroying things.

Watson said it will take a lot of money to get more cameras around the village but noted he would look into it.

Council agreed that the issues will fall into Watson’s hands and the department will take care of them.

Another reason patrol will increase in the area is because the curfew in Bellaire for children under 18 is 10:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 11:30 p.m. on weekends, which will help the department tackle the problem, too.

Solicitor Paul Stecker discussed a property at 137 Second Ave. that the village is seeking to declare a public nuisance. Stecker said this is property owner Michael Longwell’s third offense violating property codes. At an earlier meeting, residents approached council with a petition signed by many people who want to take the public nuisance issue to Belmont County Common Pleas Court. Residents allege Longwell is in violation of the building, housing, safety and zoning codes of the village.

Finally, Dugmore, Councilman Mike Doyle, Councilman Jerry Olack, Councilwoman Janet Richardson, Councilman Bill Schmitt and Councilman Robert “Bubba” Kapral approved one ordinance at the meeting. Ordinance 2025-01 authorizes a one-time $10 credit to the utility bill of residents who participated in the lead and copper sampling required by the Environmental Protection Agency.

The Properties Committee will meet at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, and the Personnel Committee will meet at 10 a.m. that day. The Water Committee will meet at 8 a.m. Jan. 9.