Sheffield Village mayor: Ford plant expansion bringing up to 300 more jobs than expected

SHEFFIELD — The number of jobs Ford Motor Company will bring to its plant in Avon Lake, Sheffield Village and Sheffield Lake is now looking to be around 1,800, Sheffield Village Mayor John Hunter told Village Council on Monday. The initial estimate when the expansion was announced in November was that 1,500 or more jobs would be brought. Hunter said he spoke on the phone with a Ford representative a few days ago, and the representative said the number would be "closer to 1,800." That is consistent with what the United Auto Workers union is saying, he added. The November announcement of the $900 million investment in the Ohio Assembly Plant came alongside a new agreement between Ford Motor Co. and the United Auto Workers union. A new product is set to be built in the expanded plant, but Ford is keeping the details under wraps for now. Hunter said he has been in contact with Ford officials and UAW union representatives both nationally and locally, and he has not been informed of any product details. "They're still not ready to release what the product line is, but they do plan on doing it in the very near future," he said. It is also not clear what parts of the expansion will be built in the boundaries of which municipalities, and consequently where most of the additional workers will be located. The mayors and service directors of the three communities included in the Ford plant's footprint — Avon Lake, Sheffield Village and Sheffield Lake — met on Friday to discuss what is known about Ford's plans. There is an agreement between the communities to share the income tax from the plant based on where employees work. Hunter said it would be more beneficial for a municipality if Ford decided to build, for example, the new body shop in its boundaries rather than the paint department, where there are fewer employees. Hunter said the village is seeking a meeting with himself, Mayor Greg Zilka of Avon Lake, Mayor Dennis Bring of Sheffield Lake and Ford representatives to discuss matters involving the plant in more detail. Water, sewer rates increased Earlier in the meeting, Council unanimously passed ordinances that will increase water and sewer rates in the village. The new minimum water rate will be $41.04 for up to 7,000 gallons. The current water rate is a minimum of $40 for up to 7,000 gallons. The price per thousand gallons decreases as more water is used. Water rates were last raised in 2018. Sewer rates will be increasing by about 4 percent, from a base charge of $3.92 per month to $4.08 per month. Village residents will pay about $6.54 per 1,000 gallons, up from the $6.29 they pay currently. The increase comes after the French Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant raised the wholesale rate it charges the communities that use its services by about 4 percent. The plant is located in the village but owned by the city of North Ridgeville. Contact Dylan Reynolds at (440) 329-7123 or dreynolds@chroniclet.com. Follow him on Twitter @drey1357.