The Brimfield Board of Trustees voted to obtain an $800,000 loan from Huntington Bank to cover cost overruns on the township's fire station expansion and administration remodel project.

The trustees approved an amended motion to take a 15‑year loan, place the proceeds into a separate line item restricted to construction project expenses (outstanding payment change orders, PCOs under review, PCO denied claims, outstanding balances with Moody Nolan and QCI payments) and to use up to $100,000 for the general fund if available. The board read the final motion aloud before voting; Trustees Sue and Nick were recorded voting in favor and the motion passed.

The loan is intended to close out outstanding contractor bills and funded contingencies while township staff continues to negotiate remaining change orders and potential credits. John, the township fiscal officer, told trustees the project estimate had risen from about $8.1 million to roughly $8.9 million and that remaining possible overages ranged from about $430,000 (best case after negotiations and offsets) to $800,000 in a worst‑case scenario.

The fiscal officer said Huntington offered 10‑, 15‑ and 20‑year amortization options; the board settled on the 15‑year term during the meeting. Trustees discussed interest and prepayment terms on the record: an interest rate around 4.7% was referenced during the discussion and staff said early repayment could change the rate (discussion noted a potential increase to about 5.2% in a scenario with prepayment penalties).

Trustees pressed staff on how the loan would be repaid and how costs would be divided. Board members and staff described a plan to apportion loan repayments between the general fund and the fire department based on each fund’s share of project costs; the fiscal office will supply a post‑closing breakdown showing which costs are allocated to each fund. Craig and other trustees emphasized they want the loan proceeds tracked in a single line item so payouts can be audited and so the board can trace any settlement recoveries back to the loan account.

Trustees and staff described outstanding disputes that affect the final number, including denied change orders, liquidated damages (the board discussed a $71,000 liquidated‑damages figure that would reduce the liability), and items the township expects to pursue with Moody Nolan and Rycon. The board said QCI — the owner's representative the township hired late in the project — has been assisting with negotiations and punch‑list enforcement.

Trustee discussion also weighed payment‑term tradeoffs. One trustee noted a 10‑year loan would reduce total interest by roughly $230,000 compared with a 20‑year term but would raise annual payments by roughly $37,000, a burden the township’s current general fund could struggle to absorb. Staff recommended the 15‑year option as a balance between taxpayer cost and immediate cash‑flow strain.

After the vote, staff said they would forward the signed loan paperwork to Huntington and continue negotiations with contractors and the architect to reduce outstanding charges.

The trustees’ action does not finalize how any future settlements or credits will be applied; the motion requires remaining funds in the construction line item, if any, to be used to repay the bank following any settlement.