(PHOTO BY JESSE DAVIS / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
DELAY AVERTED … Construction work on Airport Highway at South Main Street, seen here, was nearly put on pause when Hillabrand & Sons Construction reported to the village that they would be pulling off the project for more than a week to complete a different project. Village Administrator Shannon Shulters ensured they did not stop their work, which she said was more important as it is restricting a major thoroughfare.
By: Jesse Davis
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jesse@thevillagereporter.com
A further delay to the completion of roadwork on Airport Highway has been averted, thanks to the efforts of village staff.
Swanton Village Administrator Shannon Shulters reported to the Swanton Village Council during its meeting Monday evening that when Hillabrand & Sons Construction reached out to notify them, they would be pausing the project for a week and a half to work on a different project, she put an end to it.
“I threw a huge fit about that, and needless to say, they have not pulled off of it,” Shulters said. “I said if you are going to pull off this project at all you need to be done with Airport Highway.”
She also said the Hallet Avenue project is being delayed until work on Airport Highway is complete. Shulters also reported a recent meeting she had with Swanton Chamber of Commerce Director Delray Busch regarding community events as well as to seek a quote on a redesign of the village website to make it more useful.
Busch, through her own company separate from the Chamber, has completed new websites for several local municipalities including Swan Creek Township.
Shulters also met with individuals regarding the conditions of the pickleball court and the baseball diamonds. She said upgrades to the diamonds would cost roughly $300,000 and be out of the realm of possibility in the village’s budget.
Finance Director Holden Benfield said he had become aware of an EPA grant for outdoor and/or tourist facilities that may be large enough to cover the cost.
SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER
Police Chief John Trejo reported on ongoing meetings with the Swanton Local School District on reimplementing a full-time school resource officer and the school’s ongoing safety assessment. Currently, Swanton schools is the only one in the county without an SRO.
Trejo said the scope of the officer’s work, scheduling, and other details are already well in hand, it is only the funding for the position that is being determined.
“This is something that hasn’t taken place in about two or three years, that we haven’t had a dedicated SRO,” Trejo said.
“A lot of it was with everything going on with the world and with finances, it was an issue of getting an extra guy because obviously if we take one off the road to be in the schools we have to replace one.” With the police department now at full staffing, he said that is no longer a concern.
FIRE DEPARTMENT
Fire Chief Cuyler Kepling provided a variety of updates to the council, including a recent meeting with Swan Creek Township officials and officials from other local government entities regarding the township’s contract negotiations.
According to Kepling, there was a lot of good discussion regarding the wants and needs of the township and the capabilities of partnering agencies, but he pointed out that his department’s next contract negotiation with the township is not until the end of the second quarter of 2025.
Kepling reported the department received 123 calls for service during August, including 102 EMS calls and 16 fire calls. That number is six percent below the annual average but eight percent above the 10-year average, he said.
Among other service provided in August was a busy fair week with a bevy of calls as well as one 16-hour day where the department was in charge of all emergency services at the fairgrounds.
The department recently received an Ohio EMS grant in the amount of $4,157.24. The grant will reimburse the department for rescue task force gear it is looking to purchase for active shooter situations and the like.
Kepling said the department has a goal of October 19 to officially put its new engine into service, the same date as the upcoming public safety open house.
Upon prompting from Mayor Neil Toeppe, Kepling related the story of a refrigerator truck crash his department responded to, which resulted in them getting a free supply of novelty ice cream bars, saying they are now stocked with ice cream for a long time.
OTHER BUSINESS
The council voted to increase Finance Director Holden Benfield’s salary to $70,008.52. Benfield reported a regularly scheduled state audit was upcoming. He said the audit does look at some numbers but is largely an overview of policies and procedures to ensure the village is not running a risk of any issues, with deeper digging into specifics where there are concerns.
The next regular meeting of the Swanton Village Council will be held at 6 p.m. on Monday, September 23 at 219 Chestnut Street.
