Incoming Vermilion Mayor-Elect Russ Owens says the rising cost of living is one of the city’s most pressing challenges, and one he plans to face head-on with a mix of business sense, collaboration, and creativity.
Owens called affordability “the $64,000 question,” acknowledging that residents have felt squeezed by higher utility rates, taxes, and housing costs. “People are taxed out,” he said, stressing that Vermilion can’t simply raise rates or rely on new levies to solve every financial problem. Instead, he wants the city to think like a business, identifying new ways to bring in money without passing the bill to its citizens.
His plan starts with finding new, sustainable revenue streams. Owens intends to work closely with both Lorain and Erie County officials to uncover funding opportunities and grant programs that may have been overlooked. He questioned the value of hiring a full-time grant writer, suggesting instead that city department heads take on a more proactive role in locating federal, state, and county grants relevant to their areas. “It’s incumbent on everyone in city leadership to look for ways to strengthen their own budgets,” he said.
Owens is also thinking beyond traditional funding sources. He’s exploring ways to generate modest revenue from Vermilion’s busy tourist season, which brings an estimated half-million visitors between May and the Woollybear Festival. Owens said he has discussed the idea of working with Lorain and Erie counties to explore a vehicle that could involve consumption or tourism-related revenue during the summer months. He said such an approach could help relieve financial pressure on local families while preserving the small-town character that draws visitors in the first place.
“Our greatest asset isn’t the river, the lake, or even the property. It’s the summer season,” Owens said. “Visitors get to experience everything Vermilion offers, but right now they do it for free. It’s time we think about ways for that tourism to help sustain our community.”
Owens admits that implementing new ideas will not be easy. Creating new funding mechanisms or partnerships will require City Council’s approval and careful planning. Still, he believes the city can make progress by combining financial discipline with practical innovation.
“I understand what people are going through,” Owens said. “They’re choosing between groceries and water bills, between taxes and electricity. My goal is to ease that burden, not by asking them for more, but by managing smarter and finding new ways to make Vermilion stronger.”
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