LORDSTOWN — Village council has approved paying $400 to a consultant to do research and prepare information for a presentation on data centers at a future meeting.

Councilman Mark McGrail, chairman of the moratorium committee, said at Monday’s meeting that Brian Frantz, who is the director of planning, zoning and economic development for Richfield Village in Summit County, has agreed to come and speak with Lordstown officials on data centers, but requested a consultant fee of $400,

McGrail said Frantz has 30 years experience in city planning and zoning and has dealt with data centers.

“The issue of data centers can be very complicated. We want to have someone who has information on data centers speak to us so we have the correct information. None of us have the experience to do this on our own,” McGrail said.

He said after hearing from Frantz on data centers, council may consider hiring him on a consulting basis.

With a 180-day moratorium put in place in January on any new data centers, the new moratorium committee is looking to gain information and hear from experts in addressing the facilities.

He said the committee will provide the council as a whole with information and then make a recommendation on what to do about the data centers. McGrail, along with councilmen Robert Bond and Jamie Moseley, will serve on the committee.

LAWSUIT

Bristolville LLC is fighting the village in court because it wants to locate a data center in Lordstown. In a lawsuit, their attorneys claim the application was filed on Oct. 20 before the ban, and then later, the moratorium was put in place by council.

The issue is being addressed by the Ohio Supreme Court.

McGrail said during the 180 days, the committee needs to gather as much information as it can on data centers.

Ries had suggested the committee speak with Frantz about legislation or planning/zoning laws the village may want to create on data centers.

McGrail said the committee also will seek outside counsel to advise it as it prepares something by the end of the 180 days to present to the entire council. He said he has been doing research on other communities that have data centers and their effect on the health, safety and welfare of their residents.

THRESHOLD FOR PURCHASES

In other business, police Chief Brent Milhoan asked the finance committee to review increasing the threshold from the current $1,000 cap for department heads to get approval for a purchase.

Milhoan said too often, especially with police vehicle repairs, the cost is often more than $1,000 and the work needs to be done in order to have a cruiser.

He said a recent situation had brakes that needed fixed on a Ford vehicle that cost more than $1,000, which Klaben Ford officials agreed to lower the cost to below the $1,000 to help the police department get the vehicle fixed.

He asked the finance and safety committees to look at increasing the amount to up to $2,000 or change the amount for vehicle repairs for all village departments since there are many service costs that are increasing.

“We are finding with increased prices of things it is not hard to get to $1,000 or more. We are facing more situations where the cost for work is more than $1,000,” Milhoan said.