Pictured from left: Building Committee Member Joe Hirzel, Freedom Township Fiscal Officer Julie Getz, Rex Huffman of the Wood County Port Authority, Trustee David Bruning, Trustee and Building Committee Chairman Rick Rahe, Township Trustee Chairman Kent Schuerman; Building Committee Member Bob Rentz and Building Committee Member Dave Meismer.
supplied photo
PEMBERVILLE — A new 6,000-square-foot maintenance/office building for Freedom Township is expected to help it achieve greater operational efficiencies when completed in September, township officials said at the groundbreaking.
The pre-engineered building will be built by Rudolph Libbe Inc. of Walbridge, according to a news release. It will be located on Front Street next to the current leased township hall.
In 2020, township residents approved a 1.75-mill 10-year levy, which is expected to collect $1.3 million.
It will house the township’s tractor and 1-ton and 2-ton dump trucks, as well as offices for the fiscal officer, trustees, the zoning board officer, the cemetery office and have a kitchenette and a meeting room.
Freedom Township Trustee Rick Rahe, who chairs the building committee, said that in addition to consolidating operations, the new building will provide relief from the flooding the historical township building and garage gets from the nearby Portage River during severe storms.
‘When the river is out of its banks, our building is underwater,” Rahe said.
