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CHELSEA – The Chelsea City Council at a regular meeting on Jan. 19 took care of several items of business, one of which related to an annexation request approved during a special called meeting on Jan. 18.

A day after approving more than 40 property annexation requests, the council approved a resolution to agree to not interfere with airstrip operations for Tri L Acres Airpark LLC, which was included in the annexations.

“Last night, we annexed in an airstrip, a 3,700-foot grass runway,” Mayor Tony Picklesimer said. “The owners of the airstrip requested we would let them maintain their operation the way they are, as a private airstrip.”

Picklesimer said the annexations totaled about 5,000 acres of property and helped Chelsea establish its southern city limits relative to neighboring city Columbiana.

“Our population grew and our land mass grew,” he said. “This will make more people contiguous to the city of Chelsea than there have ever been, and it will give more people an opportunity to annex into our city who decide to do so. We’re glad to see it all happen, and I appreciate all the work that went into it.”

In other business, the council approved a resolution authorizing the mayor to execute a copier machine lease agreement.

The agreement will allow for a copier in City Hall to be moved to the Chelsea Community Center to replace its malfunctioning copier.

Programs Director Jane Ann Mueller said the community center is open regular hours: Monday-Friday 6 a.m.-9 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m.-8 p.m. and Sunday 1-5 p.m. Face mask and social distancing guidelines are being followed.

The council also approved a resolution to authorize the mayor to execute a Spire agreement committing to utilizing natural gas as the primary energy source for city-owned buildings in the Chelsea Business Park.

Another special called City Council meeting will be held on Monday, Jan. 25 at 5 p.m.