ORWELL – 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, meeting of Orwell Village Council.
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 a 60-by-124 square-foot building with full utilities near the current fire station to house village vehicles and equipment.
Council member David Hartz said the asking price was below construction costs for a new building, even without considering unforeseen cost increases during construction.
“When you start building a new building, cost factors start jumping out at you that you never expected,” he said. “We’re going into this with a bottom-line number.”
The four vehicle bays in the building will allow the village’s vehicles to be parked inside and under cover, out of the weather, according to Ruks.
“Future plans are, moving – hopefully – fire department, street department and village admin down there,” he said. “It suits the (village’s) needs kind of well and the items they were leaving were too good of a deal to pass up.”
In other business:
Finance Director Kimberley McKinley reported year-to-date village revenues of $923,642 and expenditures totaling $1,223,564.
In legislation:
• Authorizing amended village appropriations.
This measure was tabled during the Tuesday, April 21, village council meeting to give McKinley time to put together more information, according to Ruks.
• Authorizing annual funds transfers.
• Amending the village credit card policy.
The policy was updated to include the recently created position of director of public services, according to McKinely.
• Renewing the finance director’s employment contract.
Ruks said the new agreement is month-to-month.
• Amending the village sales tax policy.
This is a recordkeeping measure mandated by the Ohio Auditor of State’s Office, according to McKinley.
In administrative reports:
Hartz presented the South Central Ambulance District report, citing 29 calls for service during April inside the village and 103 on the year.
Districtwide, SCAD responded to 157 calls for service during April and 673 so far during 2026.
“(Call volume) is going up,” Hartz said.
