Lordstown council repurposes income-tax purpose, approves school payments and hires police officer

The Village of Lordstown council voted on a package of finance and personnel items that included a move to ask voters to change the permitted uses of the village's 1.5% income tax, authorizations for income-tax-sharing payments to local school districts, and approval of a new police hire.

Council adopted a resolution (transcribed as Resolution 11-2026) directing submission to the electorate of a change in purpose for the village's 1.5% income tax to permit the purchase and/or construction of a new fire department building. The council suspended rules and recorded a unanimous roll-call vote to carry the measure.

On finance actions, council approved ordinances authorizing the clerk to make income-tax-sharing payments under existing agreements. The council approved payment of $64,499.76 to the Lordstown Board of Education (Ordinance 43-2026, as transcribed) pursuant to the village's income tax-sharing agreement. The council also approved a separately transcribed payment of $9,558.56 to a local board under a similar agreement (transcribed in the record as 'Lower Time'). All payments were adopted after suspension of the rules and recorded roll-call votes.

Personnel: Council approved hiring Stephen Williams as a full-time police officer effective July 8, 2026, and immediately administered his oath of office following the meeting. The mayor invited refreshments after the oath.

Why it matters: Repurposing the income-tax purpose would send a question to voters that could let the village use its 1.5% tax revenue for a new fire station. The tax-sharing payments move tax revenue to local school districts under standing agreements; the police hire restores staffing in the department.

The mayor and committee chairs framed these actions as routine fiscal and staffing matters; council carried each item unanimously as transcribed.