T-L Photo/GAGE VOTA St. Clairsville Councilman Lucien Murzyn and new Councilwoman Audrey Brahler listen as St. Clairsville Recreation Director Eric Gay updates council on the Unified Bank Jr. Rec. Center.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — St. Clairsville City Council named Audrey Brahler as its newest member.

Brahler was sworn in by council President Jim Velas on Monday evening. She fills the seat of former council member Holly West, who resigned in March because she believed her voice was not being heard by the rest of the council.

Brahler is the owner of two businesses in downtown St. Clairsville, Audrey’s Kitchen that opened in July 2024 and Giacinta’s Gelato & Caffe that opened in 2021.

“For the last few years, I’ve owned a couple businesses here in St. Clairsville with my main goal being to improve the community,” she said. “This is something I thought about for a while to maybe get involved in in the future. Since the opportunity has presented itself, now just seemed like the logical step.”

Brahler added that she is most looking forward to being more involved with the community now that she is on council and wants to hear from residents about what they believe will make the city a better place to live. She added that she wants to know how council can improve things in general for businesses and residents within the city.

Following Brahler’s swearing in, Recreation Director Eric Gay provided council with an update on two of the large projects he’s been working on for the city.

He first discussed the St. Clairsville Jr. Sports Complex turf project. Starting in October, with the help of ForeverLawn from Canfield, Ohio, the Parks & Recreation Department brought artificial turf to the upper two fields with lights at the Jr. Sports Complex at the park.

Recently one of the two fields was completed, and now Gay said that the second field is nearing completion.

“The excavating company that has been working on the fields has left. They are done with their side of it. The turf work started today, and they’re telling us about 14 days to completion. It’s been a process, but we finally see the light at the end of the tunnel for that second field,” Gay said. “I’ll keep you guys updated with an official opening day, but the turf side did start today, which will be much easier than the excavating part.”

The second project Gay updated the council on was the Unified Bank Jr. Rec. Center which began construction in 2023.

​​”We’re about 99% done with that, so we are anticipating a second week of May ribbon cutting,” Gay said.

Gay previously said the complex will have over 7,000 square feet of artificial turf for teams to use as a practice facility during inclement weather, as well as new bathrooms, heating system, batting cages and golf simulators.

“I’m hoping everybody’s really proud of it. I know that I am, and I know that my staff is. These things are very important to us, so thank you again for your continued support. It truly is a blessing, all the support that the rec department has from everybody sitting up here. So thank you guys very much,” he told council.