LORDSTOWN — Village officials are looking at potential development of a safety service complex or new fire department in the future because of insufficient space for safety vehicles and fire staff.

Members of council and the administration met in a work session Monday with members of the fire, road, zoning and water departments to discuss options for various village buildings.

Mayor Jackie Woodward said everyone has different ideas for the village buildings, which include the fire/police building, former library building, road department, water department garage, recreation building and the Kunkel building.

“We need to start planning for this now. Prices are not getting cheaper. Everything is going up either to build or buy. A new building is inevitable at some point in time,” she said.

The fire department has limited space at its facility, with fire vehicles being stored at the Kunkel building. Woodward said there have been suggestions to either construct a safety service complex for fire and police, a fire department building or add on to the current fire station.

Woodward noted a larger building is needed for the fire department because of more vehicles and equipment needing to be stored inside and protected from the elements.

She said officials need to look at viable properties.

Officials said the idea of adding on to the current police and fire department building off Salt Springs Road is not possible with the park property nearby.

Councilman Lamar Liming said the size and cost of a building, regardless, will determine what can be done.

“We have to see if a new building is possible and feasible to do. Does council want to look into this?” Woodward said.

Fire Chief Travis Eastham said he has looked at different locations in the village for a possible safety service complex or a new fire department.

One location is off state Route 45 north of the intersection of Salt Springs Road and north of the former elementary school. Eastham also looked at a property off Route 45 south of the park near a dance studio and park gazebo.

He said a new fire department would need at least three acres for the building and parking lot. Eastham said other area fire departments, such as Bazetta, are on at least two-to-three-acre parcels. He said a safety services building would take at least four to five acres compared to a fire station.

Eastham said he prefers a central location in the village but also said a four-lane road has more issues for fire vehicles getting in and out compared to a two-lane road.

Officials said the fire department was able to pass an income tax levy in May 2023 to fund the village’s fire and EMS services, with the goal of hiring full-time personnel and maintaining equipment.

Eastham said the fire station does not fit the current needs for more space for staff, vehicles and equipment.

“The vehicles are bigger now than when the fire department was built in the 1960s when all the fire trucks were smaller. The garage door heights are too short for the new vehicles,” he said.

Eastham said there is more staffing at the department and the need for more beds.

Planning/Zoning Director Kellie Bordner said the current fire and police building is already at the property line to the park, so there is no room to add on to that building.

Woodward said if a new fire department is built the police and water departments can use the old fire department building.

Chris Peterson of the board of public affairs said the water department could use the current fire department for offices and vehicles.

“That would be a great way to utilize that building after it is vacant,” said Woodward.

She said the water department garage could be used to store items currently at the Kunkel building.

Woodward said if the Kunkel building were to be sold in the future, items stored there would need to be moved to a new location.

Asbestos testing has been done on the Kunkel building. Once testing is finished, Woodward said bids will be sought for demolition of the classroom part of the building. The storage portion of the building will be kept by the village.

As for the former library building, Woodward said Phillips Sekanick Architects Inc. in Warren will look over the building to see what it can be possibly used for and then make a report to council.