ORWELL – A $2.5 million loan from ErieBank was approved during a Monday, June 15, Orwell Village Council meeting to cover the cost of a 2025 Rosenbauer ladder truck for the fire department and for the purchase of the former Bob Sumerel Tire Co. for us as a new municipal building.
A purchase agreement in the amount of $885,000 for the former Bob Sumerel Tire Co. franchise location to serve as a new municipal building was unanimously approved during a Tuesday, May 19, council meeting.
The former auto repair shop, located at 413 E. Main St., will come with several forklifts, four vehicle lifts and several amenities in the breakroom along with the building, according to Christopher Ruks, council president.
Village Manager Dr. Sean Ratican presented the location as an alternative to a proposal to build 60-by-124 square-foot building with full utilities near the current fire station to house village vehicles and equipment.
The truck is a demonstration model that will be displayed at Orwell first, then toured around the Midwest over the following six months. It will then have all its hoses and other accessories replaced and be turned over to the village at a cost of just over $1.5 million, according to Ratican.
This process will also allow the village to “jump the line” in securing a ladder truck, a process that normally takes several years. The new truck will replace one that is almost 35 years old, according to Ratican.
In legislation:
—Authorizing the village manager to solicit bids for the purchase of backhoe loader and related equipment for the street department.
—Authorizing the village manager to prepare and submit application for the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant for the fire department.
—Approving the annual tax budget, including anticipated revenues and expenditures for tax year 2027, for submission to the Ashtabula County Auditor’s Office.
—Declaring surplus of equipment and authorizing the village manager or fiscal officer to list and sell the same on GovDeals.
—Creating a port authority and port authority board for the village.
In administrative reports:
According to council member David Hartz, the delivery of a new ambulance to South Central Ambulance District has been postponed until July.
Ratican has a meeting scheduled with the Grand Valley Local School District to discuss the future of the school resource officer.
The next work session meeting of Orwell Village Council is scheduled for Tuesday, July 14. The next regular session meeting will be on Tuesday, July 21. Meetings are held at 5 p.m. at Village Hall, 179 W. Main St.
