The village of Bellaire will soon have a new mayor, as Robert Dodrill who ran officially won the position after running unopposed in Tuesday’s election.

Dodrill will replace Ed Marling, who was elected mayor in 2021.

He said that his main goal is to beautify the village in hopes to attract new business to the community. He added that his plan is to fix the sidewalks, streets, light posts, on mainstreet as well as make the village more handicap accessible.

“I’m a lifelong Bellaire resident, I bleed red and black,” Dodrill said. “I’m all for the All-American town.”

He added that in order to attract businesses to come to Bellaire the infrastructure needs to be in place prior to those businesses coming into the community.

“We have to have the infrastructure, we have to fix the water lines, the fire hydrants and all of that stuff. It takes having the infrastructure to bring the people in. Because if a new business wants to come in and you’re always having water issues, you’re done, it’s a big snowball effect,” Dodrill said.

He added that another big plan for his tenure as mayor is to be as transparent as possible with the community.

“We’re going to be extremely transparent, it’s not going to be the he-said, she-said stuff anymore. I don’t believe in that,” he said.

Dodrill’s win was one of many in unopposed races around Belmont County.

St. Clairsville city council president Jim Velas also ran unopposed as well as St. Clairsville first ward city council member Don Vincenzo, second ward city council member J.C. Thrash, and third ward city council Kristi Lipscomb all ran unopposed.

Martins Ferry third ward write-in candidate Andrew Smay and fourth ward city council candidate Ryan Robey, Flushing village council member Jim Twarog, and Bridgeport village council member David Holmes all ran opposed.

Belmont board of public affairs Jerry McCombs, Powhatan Point board of public affairs member Richard Smathers, Pultney Township Trustee Rick Cervelli, and East Central Ohio Education Center Service Center board member Brett Merryman were also elected unopposed.