Northfield council approves police-station change order, emergency pay changes and evidence-locker purchase

The Village of Northfield council on Feb. 26 approved a change order for the construction of the new police station, adopted emergency pay-rate adjustments for certain nonunion employees and authorized buying evidence and equipment lockers for the department.

Engineer Daniel Collins told the council he has a meeting scheduled with FirstEnergy to upgrade electrical service at the new police station to 600-amp service, with the new line to be installed on the building's Magnolia side. Collins said work was required to establish a main sanitary-sewer connection and that the architect is finishing design work on Phases 1B and 2; the change order for Phase A1 was on the evening’s agenda and was later approved.

Service Department Superintendent Jason Walters reported the new sewer line for the police-station site is installed and that the property now has a clean connection. He said the required excavation cost $2,500 less than expected and, "at the current pace of construction, the Department will be able to move into the building by the end of May." Walters also reported heavy salt use this winter: the Village has received its full 600-ton allotment, with about 150 tons remaining, and an additional $15-per-ton order was cancelled when the vendor determined the allotment was filled.

Councilmember Renell Noack moved — and Alan Hipps seconded — a motion authorizing the purchase of evidence and equipment lockers from Patterson Pope of Charlotte, North Carolina, in an amount not to exceed $75,000. Noack told the council the current quote is $72,615 and that the purchase is pursuant to a Sourcewell bid contract; she said there is an approximately six-week lead time for delivery. The motion passed on a roll-call vote of those present.

Law Director Brad Bryan read three pieces of legislation on the agenda. Resolution No. 2025-06, an emergency resolution amending rates of pay for certain nonunion employees for 2025, was read and adopted after the council voted to suspend the three-reading rule. The council similarly read and adopted Ordinance No. 2025-07, an emergency amendment to Chapter 244 of the Administrative Code related to the Police Department, and Resolution No. 2025-08 authorizing the mayor to execute Change Order No. 1 to the Oct. 23, 2024 agreement with S & S Interiors, Inc. for Phase A1 of the new police department facility. All motions to suspend readings and to adopt each measure passed on unanimous roll-call votes among those present.

No other new business was presented. The council adjourned at 7:49 p.m.