NEW FACE … Angel Fritsch joins the Montpelier Park Board as their newest member.
By: Brenna White
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
The Montpelier Park Board met on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, to officially announce the new Disc Golf Course coming to the Iron Horse River Trail.
In attendance: Angela Hillard, Brent Saneholtz, Matthew Reid, Kyle Long, and the newest member, Angel Fritsch. Director of Recreation Sandy Gordon and Head of Maintenance Nick Ramos were also present.
The board re-elected Angela Hillard as President, while also re-electing Kyle Long as Vice President.
Coming in 2026, the Iron Horse River Trail will be seeing a new project for families and residents to enjoy. After months of careful planning, a nine-hole disc golf course was officially approved for $10,000.
With goals of adding an additional nine courses in the future, the Park Board is excited to announce the first step of adding this new activity.
Once Phase One, which will include the first nine holes, is complete, Phase Two will see an extension of the course.
A detailed mapping of the area and course will also be put up after the project is considered completed.
“I feel like this (the materials) is something we can order as soon as possible. With weather permitting, we can start putting it up,” said Kyle Long. He had taken the helm of the project and is excited to see it come to fruition.
The minutes from the December 3, 2025 meeting were approved.The financial statement was presented by Gordon, who provided a detailed explanation of the previously passed 2026 budget.
She updated the board on the repairs and replacements they can expect to see throughout the year. “We are having continuing humidity problems in the concession stand, so we are going to try putting an exhaust fan in there,” she mentioned.
A $30,000 set-a-side was noted to resurface the football field parking lot, with an additional $60,000 planned for 2027.
The maintenance update was presented by Ramos. He comments that he was able to get new trash barrels for the park, given by Doug Summer, courtesy of Winzeler’s.
Most notably, plans for baseball field upkeep were discussed amongst the board. Quotes were received from Perry Excavating and Dura-Edge.
While Perry Excavating was more costly, they promised a quick turnaround for a playable field.
“I like the idea of it being local,” said Hillard. “They also did Archbold and Edgerton,” added Gordon. “I know it’s a five to seven grand difference,” admitted Saneholtz, “but I feel like the depth of the quality of the estimate and the scope of work, it’ll be a good decision.
“Within the last couple of years, we need to improve the quality of the fields, and I’d rather do it right.”
With the Friends of the Montpelier Park allotting up $39,000 for the project, the board heeded Ramos’s recommendation to go with Perry Excavating of Edgerton.
The recreation update was provided by Gordon. As part of her December 2025 monthly report, she stated that she met with Kelly Herzog at the Chamber of Commerce to discuss America 250 activities and Chamber events planned for 2026.
As a result of that meeting, a speaker from Fort Meigs is scheduled to discuss the life of a soldier during the War of 1812. The presentation is planned for Thursday, March 26, at 6:00 p.m.
Gordon also reported the completion of the Montpelier Area Foundation grant application for the Friends of the Park.
Additionally, Parkview Hospital approved the park’s application for the free lunch program, allotting $5,000 worth of funds.
Notably, she said that she is reaching out to planter and bench companies to obtain quotes for two replacement planters and one replacement steel bench for the downtown area.
The items were struck by a vehicle on Christmas Eve night and were destroyed. Planter quotes have been received and forwarded to the police department, with the bench quote still pending. The total estimate of damage caused was said to amount to around $4,000.
The January Park Board meeting was adjourned at 8:03 p.m.