PHOTO BY BRENNA WHITE / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
INCREASING ELECTRIC RATES … Brock Zuver gave a thorough explanation on why electric rates have increased within the Village of Pioneer, noting PCA and transmission charges are largely to blame.
By: Brenna White
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
The Pioneer Village Council met on March 9, 2026, to discuss an ordinance canceling their fire engine purchase and declaring necessary improvements for several streets in the town.
In attendance: Alan Fiser, Bryan Gendron, Trevor West, Dean Frisbie, Joe Nickloy, and Brock Zuver. Mayor Ed Kidston and Administrator Anthony Burnett were also present.
Ordinance 14-2026 introduced the cancellation of the previously purchased engine, provided that the village receives a full refund of the deposits paid.
The purchase of the new truck was first approved in late 2023 through village funds and a state-sponsored investment account.
When the truck was first ordered, the current equipment was being used significantly. Mayor Kidston provided statistics that showed the Pioneer Fire Department had 303 runs in 2024, averaging 25 runs per month.
In the last six months, the department had a total of 28 runs, averaging nearly 5 runs per month. The use of the current fire truck has decreased by 80%. In 2025, Engine 71 only saw 24 hours of use time.
The proposed ordinance was moved to suspend the rules, but the motion failed 3-3. Now it must go through the three-reading process before being officially approved.
However, the first reading also resulted in a 3-3 tie. Members West, Frisbie, and Zuver voted no, while members Fiser, Gendron, and Nickloy voted yes.
With a split tie, the mayor is authorized to cast the deciding vote. Kidston shared some comments before casting his vote in favor of canceling the fire truck purchase.
“We’ve gone to an average of 25 per month, about one per day, to the five per month. We’re not using the equipment anywhere near what we thought we would,” he stated.
Kidston also shared that 2,000 hours of use time is considered the minimum necessary before selling: “Engine 71, which is the one we want to get rid of, as of today has 1,337 hours. Far, far below the 2,000.
“That means that we have 663 remaining hours on that truck before we could even consider selling.”
“In Pioneer, we’ve built one of the finest fire departments and first responders departments in the county… and we didn’t raise taxes.
“We did it without raising taxes. So, we had a really, really good fire department and first responder department.
“And then, a year ago… we decided to subsidize all of that to the county. So, that’s why our runs have gone way, way down,” Kidston said.
“We didn’t turn our fire department, we only turned our first responder department,” said Zuver. “But it is still staffed by the same people that ran it through Pioneer.
“Now we are using the county vehicle, and wages are being paid by the county instead of the village.” The mayor agreed with his statement.
Kidston then compared the equipment from the surrounding departments of Millcreek, Madison, Northwest, Waldron, and Woodbridge: “If you take all of the surrounding departments, Pioneer’s equipment today is better than any of those other departments.
“So even if we keep our existing equipment, we are keeping our people safe.” The first reading passed 4-3. The ordinance will return for its second reading at the next village council meeting.
Related to the fire department, a resolution was passed approving Burnett to sign a grant agreement with the Ohio Division of State Fire Marshal.
This is for a small county volunteer fire department grant totaling $50,000. The funds will be used for a new roof, siding, and general replacements to the Safety Building’s exterior.
The project bid was $59,985.40. The remaining nearly $10,000 will be funded by the village.
Two resurfacing projects were introduced for High Point Drive and Lakeshore Drive.
For High Point, the project will begin at the west edge of Lakeshore Drive pavement at the High Point intersection and continue to the west end of High Point Drive.
The resurfacing covers 234 linear feet and includes improvements to the cul-de-sac and intersection radiuses.
For Lakeshore, the project will begin at the southernmost end of the Toledo-Western Parkway curbing at the Lakeshore Drive intersection and continue for 2,233 linear feet.
The project area also extends to include the center of the intersection of Lakeshore Drive and U.S. Route 20.
In other business, a discussion was held during the payment of bills. A payment of $1,915.03 to Nickloy’s Fix & Fab was questioned by Zuver.
Nickloy explained it was the cost of repairs and general maintenance on several vehicles the village was selling. The motion passed with Nickloy abstaining.
Lt. Randy Mills gave the police report and announced the hiring of new full-time officer Josh Arvay. The department’s “Explorer Program” will begin March 25, 2026, with four participants.
Administrator Burnett asked for several motions, which were approved as follows:
-A camera surveillance system for the splash pad, shelter house area, and ball field area. The quote was $8,700.
-Transfer a liquor license from Jim’s Carry-Out to Pioneer Main Stop. There were no objections and no public hearing will be held for the transfer.
The owner of Schmucker’s Antiques requested assistance with his water and sewer bill.
There was an unnoticed leak in the basement that led to 69,000 gallons of water being used. His monthly bill jumped from $80 to $500.
West made a motion to reduce his bill to his regular average rate, with Frisbie seconding. Members Gendron, Zuver, and Nickloy voted no, with Fiser abstaining. The motion failed 3-2.
Gendron then made a motion offering the shop a payment plan, with Zuver seconding. The motion allowed a six-month payment plan with no interest offered to help Schmucker’s Antiques pay its bill.
Burnett announced a partnership with the Pioneer Community Church to hold an event in celebration of “America’s 250th and One Nation Under God.”
A drone show is scheduled to take place May 17, 2026. He continued with his closing of the H2Ohio Rivers Grant for the Salt Storage Building. Originally awarded $75,000, Burnett submitted a total of $57,446.70 for reimbursement.
Only $45,421.90 was reimbursed, shorting the village a little over $12,000. “In the end, we got a nice salt storage facility out there, concrete, fence relocated, a new gate and zero cost to the village,” he commented.
Burnett reported 181 children had signed up for the village’s summer recreation program for baseball and softball.
“Due to the generous donation from the Pioneer American Legion of $7,500, we were able to do all T-ball signups free of charge,” he said.
The American Legion’s veteran banner program is well underway with 59 orders for banners to be hung around town.
The village only had setups for 40 banners around the town, and will be splitting the cost of ordering 44 more banner arms with the Legion. The total cost of the expense was estimated to be around $11,000.
A nuisance yard sign was introduced to the council to handle any nuisance properties in Pioneer.
A letter will be hand-delivered to the property owners if applicable. If not answered, the yard sign will be placed in their yard and the residents will have five days to correct the issue.
Cemetery clean-up days will run from April 15, 2026, to May 1, 2026. Any flowers or decorations will be removed for cleanup after this time.
“We ask that you get out there, get your decorations, and then we will be getting it cleaned up for spring,” said Burnett.
Zuver then addressed the room by explaining the recent utility rate surge affecting Pioneer residents. “Mainly we’re seeing electricity has increased in price, that’s the big one, the other one that we here in Pioneer did raise recently was the water, sewer, and garbage.
“We did raise the rates to accommodate the cost of the actual service itself, and the supporting infrastructure to keep the service,” he stated.
He then gave an explanation that much of the electricity rate increase is outside of the village’s control. The village draws 60% of its power from investments in several energy-producing sources. “The cost of producing the electricity has been rising,” Zuver explained.
The remaining 40% comes from a PCA charge, or power cost adjustment, when the village purchases energy off of the open market. The rate changes regularly and has been increasing for years.
Transmission costs for energy have also increased.
With no further business, the council entered into executive session at 8:50 p.m. for potential property acquisition. No action was taken afterwards and the meeting was adjourned.