By Emily Chesnic
Is now – during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic – the right time to buy a fire truck for the Northfield Village Fire Department?
According to several members of Council, it is past time to replace an almost 30-year-old engine with a new one for the safety of the community and the village’s firefighters.
However, some Northfield officials caution that making an expensive purchase, while COVID-19 cases continue to rise, may not be appropriate financially for the village.
“Safety has to come before everything else, and we have already pushed the limit on this engine. It already is a liability. I am not in favor of putting this off,” said Councilwoman Jenn Domzalski.
Prior to the Nov. 11 regular meeting, Council convened for a second Safety Committee meeting to discuss the pending fire engine purchase.
Last month, Chief Jason Buss gave Council a presentation on a proposed engine 3513 replacement project, as Engine 3513, which the village obtained in 1992, no longer is reliable. He has said the current standard is to place an apparatus in reserve status after 15 years and retire a vehicle after 25 years since technology constantly is changing.
The village is looking to buy an American-made fire engine from Pierce Manufacturing, with the price tag not to exceed $600,000. Buss said the village can defer making payments for a year after the vehicle arrives, with the first payment likely being due, at the earliest, in October 2022. He said Finance Director Jennifer Potvin is exploring a “variety of options to pay for the project,” with the expected interest rate now around 3 percent.
Buss said following last month’s committee meeting, some changes to the originally proposed engine were made by adding power locks and windows, a command zone electrical system and transverse cab storage.
While he sees the need for the new truck, Councilman Nick Magistrelli said he remains hesitant to recommend the purchase considering the pandemic.
“What if casinos shutdown until July? We could not afford this truck,” he stated.
Mayor Jesse Nehez also cautioned Council about the purchase, referencing the current spike in COVID-19 cases as a reason to wait to commit to buying the engine. He also expressed fear MGM Northfield Park could have to close again, greatly impacting the village’s financial situation.
“I think we need to pump the breaks a little bit," the mayor said.
If the village does not commit to the purchase, the cost of the engine would increase by 3 percent at the end of January, though, Buss said.
Councilwoman Renell Noack said residents are asking her why the village still is waiting to replace the outdated engine.
“We can’t just put a bandage on this. We cannot put this off. It must go through for our village,” she said of the truck purchase.
She requested legislation regarding the engine purchase be drafted for the Dec. 9 regular meeting so the truck can be ordered before the end of the year.
Magistrelli stated, however, he does not make purchases when there is “a question mark about the future.”
“We don’t know what is going to happen here,” he said.
He told Council he does not want the village to have to lay off any employees during the pandemic, stating the budget already has had to be cut “to nothing to keep people getting paid.”
Magistrelli asked if the purchase could be cancelled after it is made. Buss said the village would be obligated to pay some amount for it, depending on how far along the company is in the process of building the engine.
“We would owe 30 percent of the cost once it is on the line getting built and the fee can increase as it goes through the production line,” he said.
Councilman Gary Vojtush said the village will continue to do what it needs to do but it cannot cancel this purchase for the well-being of the citizens and firefighters.
Since the fire department was just able to purchase needed turnout gear and a new ambulance with CARES Act funds, Buss believes it is manageable for the village to eventually make the payments for the new engine.
Of the current engine, Vojtush said it is “not up to current codes,” and the village cannot wait any longer to make the purchase.
At the regular meeting, Council did move forward with a vehicle purchase for the Northfield Village Police Department, agreeing to purchase a Chevy Equinox for $22,515. Chief John Zolgus said the vehicle is needed for the investigation unit. He said the department is getting a $2,100 trade-credit for the department’s 2009 Impala. The chief said it was best to replace the vehicle, as it needs repairs, so the village is not “throwing good money after bad” in maintenance costs.
Department Head Reports:
Police Department – Chief John Zolgus
In his report, Zolgus reported there were 814 calls for service in October, with there being no reported problems on Halloween.
He also said the department’s two newest full-time officers, Officer Pistone and Office Caporossi, were sworn in Oct. 31.
Fire Department – Chief Jason Buss
Buss discussed, in his report, a Nov. 9 structure fire at 144 Rosewood Avenue.
“Sounds of crackling and the smell of smoke initially woke the residents up and alerted them to the fire in the home,” he said. “Northfield Village firefighters arrived on scene on Rosewood Avenue to find a two-story home with fire and smoke showing from the side and back of the home. Fire attack water lines were deployed to begin to extinguish the fire in the home, preventing it from spreading to the nearby garage.”
Buss said the department was assisted by firefighters from the Macedonia, Oakwood and Valley fire departments in bringing the fire under control, and he thanked them for the support.
He said three residents were able to evacuate the home prior to the fire department’s arrival. A pet cat was successfully rescued from the fire, and there were no injuries reported by firefighters or the residents, said Buss.
The home experienced significant damage due to the fire so the residents now are staying with other family, he said.
“The cause of the fire is under investigation currently, but it does not seem suspicious at this time,” said Buss.
In addition, Buss told Council the new storm warning siren has been 90 percent installed in the village. Once the work is complete, he said he would announce when it initially will be tested and monthly testing will occur.
Buss also told Council his department currently has three part-time firefighters out on sick leave with positive coronavirus infections, with all doing well at this time. He said contract tracing efforts have shown many cases are spreading through social gatherings, including weddings and parties, and not due to workplace exposure.
He additionally announced his department would not be able to put on the annual Santa Claus event it has in years past due to the pandemic situation. Nehez added the village must set an example, as a governmental agency, and follow the request of Gov. Mike DeWine by not holding gatherings of more than 10 people.
“We don’t want to cancel anything, but we need to follow his order,” the mayor said.
Engineering Department – Richard Wasosky, P.E., P.S.
In his report, Wasosky said Summit Soil & Water Conservation District will do an annual inspection in the areas of the Houghton Road Service Department and the Chestnut Avenue Treatment Plant on Nov. 24.
He also told Council Summit Soil & Water said inspections are not yet complete at the new Dollar General, as the detention pond on site has not yet been approved because of inadequate grass growth.
Wasosky additionally reported a video inspection of the sanitary sewer in the Beach Avenue and North Plaza area revealed some issues due to the dumping of grease and debris, including rags, into the system. The issues were resolved. However, he said the village should investigate to see which businesses are dumping grease, as well as debris, into the system to avoid having to clean the sewer more frequently.
Other Meeting News:
• It was announced leaves are being picked up around the village, with all wards being addressed. Pickup efforts will continue on a rotation, with the program ending on Dec. 4.
• Council approved an invoice from Mid-Ohio Asphalt & Concrete, in the amount of $7,600, to pay for the emergency repairs recently needed on Houghton Road due to a watermain break.
• Nehez announced the fee schedule for graves at the Northfield Macedonia Cemetery is going up $100. Also concerning the cemetery, he said a new web site for the facility is being developed, and fence work is taking place on site.
• Council approved a new collective bargaining agreement with IAM workers, with officials reporting the agreement as being “fair and equitable.”
• It was announced applications for banners to honor veterans are being accepted in the village. The signs are being displayed on polls to show appreciation for their service. Those who purchased banners previously also can have them put up again in the village at no cost.