Serving Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky and Wood Counties
The primary topic of conversation at the latest Walbridge village council meeting on Oct. 16 was the approval of a new job description for the police chief, as well as the exploration of potential midnight shift changes.
Council president Ron Liwo proposed two motions initially, which were passed. The first revised the job description for the new police chief, and the second was to make the position available to internal candidates for two weeks, or the end of October.
Mayor Ed Kolanko noted that the position will remain full-time, but it will require 50 percent road duties, which will be more defined in the description.
“We're just looking to try to consolidate it, make it a little bit more efficient, and work within what we have and utilize our staff in the best way possible,” Kolanko said.
With that, Kolanko asked council if they would approve of him exploring potential midnight shift changes to the police department, primarily exploring the option of outsourcing the midnight to 7 a.m. shift to Lake Township or Northwood.
In the most recent safety committee meeting, Kolanko shared statistics that as a village, going back two-and-a-half years or so, the village averages about two calls for service per week during that shift.
“Not that there is nothing going on, I don't want that to be an illusion, because there's still activity, but the activity for the most part is fairly low,” he said. “The reality is that having one person work that shift by themselves is difficult. I think anybody working a midnight shift is hard, and if you have a job that doesn't have a lot of activity by yourself, it's even more challenging. A lot of businesses offer shift differential for people who work midnight shifts. We don't do that, but there is a reason that's done.”
He added that the activity doesn't seem like it supports having a dedicated officer during that shift in the village of Walbridge, and that they would become a part-time department in that situation.
“When we look at the cost for the village of Walbridge, we have to look at the employee cost, we have to look at the OPF contribution, we have to look at the health insurance cost, we have to look at Medicare,” Kolanko said. “So having somebody working that time is costing us about $75,000 to $80,000 a year. No, that's not what they're making in their pocket, but that is what the cost is to the taxpayer. Can we get it done for less? I don't know.”
If the department is part-time, and there is a gap in policing service, the Wood County Sheriff’s Office is responsible for responding to calls.
“Obviously, they're a little bit further away than our neighbors to the south or to the north, but that is a responsibility of the sheriff, and it would be part of the service that they provide,” Kolanko said.
Kolanko said that he wants to do the due diligence and figure out if outsourcing is an option financially and logistically. He is not in favor of the sheriff’s office covering that shift, if possible.
“I would not support having nobody here and then have the sheriff's department, which is 30 minutes away, respond to calls,” he said. “I don't think that's what our residents would want. If we would utilize Northwood or Lake Township, they're right next door. They can drive to the village, still make patrolling efforts, respond to calls as needed. A lot of calls that happen at night are often backed up by Northwood and Lake Township because of the nature of the call.”
“I’m sure the sheriff's office does a great job. I just think that that duration is too long for my comfort level to respond to a call. But Lake Township or Northwood I think would be acceptable.”
Other business
Other items discussed included the second reading of an ordinance for the cutting of grass and weed-whacking at 208 Clayton, and the second reading – and subsequent emergency passing of – an ordinance that authorizes the village to renew a contract with Northwest Ohio Regional Information System (NORIS) for the 2026 calendar year in the amount of $4,910.
“This is something that we do renew on a yearly basis and provides the police the ability to get information that they need,” Kolanko said. “This will renew fairly soon. I would ask if we can pass this as an emergency, even though it’s a second reading. That way we can get this signed and paid so there's no disruption of service.”
Council also approved motions from the mayor to rollover a pair of CDARS CDs at State Bank, one for 12 months and another for six months.
In coordination with the Lake Baseball Association, council approved the purchase of the ABI Rascal Pro, a tow-behind infield groomer, for the village fields. That would be done with the association reimbursing the village for 50 percent of the total cost, which is $6,645.
“It will churn up the field a little bit and actually groom the field in a manner that's much more improved to what we're using as part of a raking drag that we pull around,” Kolanko said. “It will save time, and it will save probably overall money because we go through about two of those kinds of rakes a year, those drag-behinds.
“It’ll save our guys when they're doing the fields a lot of time. It'll make it look a little bit nicer and more professional, as well as we're starting to see some more softball groups come in. So I want to make sure that we're taking care of our fields as best and keep our parks are looking good. This is going to help everybody kind of do that.”
Councilman Thomas Urbina asked if the village would own the equipment, to which Kolanko said yes.
“If something would happen to it or a liability aspect, it would be covered on our insurance,” he said.
Kolanko said a small building commonly called the pump house, near Perry at Railway Park, will be removed.
“We are in the process of getting that cleaned out,” he said. “It’s become basically a graffiti haven. We don't really use it. We spend about $150 a month to provide electricity, and all that electricity that is supposed to kind of feed a sump pump, which wasn't working when I walked into four feet of water. We’re taking it down because there’s mold, and it's just gross.”
In the criminal justice and safety meeting, councilwoman Caryl Stone said cameras at the parks should be installed by the end of the year.
