(PHOTO BY JESSE DAVIS / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AWARENESS MONTH … Swanton Mayor Neil Toeppe (right) presents a copy of a proclamation declaring March Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month in the village to Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities Superintendent Michele Myerholtz (left).
By: Jesse Davis
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jesse@thevillagereporter.com
The Swanton Village Council gave initial approval to the final 2025 budget during its regular meeting Monday evening. The roughly $15.5 million budget is an increase of just $79,420.55 from 2024’s budget.
According to Fiscal Officer Holden Benfield, the only notable change is the movement of $191,076.36 received under the “permissive tax” on vehicle registrations.
Although the village was aware of the funds, it was only recently discovered that those funds can be used for major road projects. The movement of the money will allow for its use.
Benfield said part of the cost of work on Hallett Avenue has been switched from the streets fund to the permissive motor vehicle tax fund in order to effectively use the money and to take some pressure off the streets fund.
A second reading where the budget will be given a final vote under an emergency will take place at the council’s next regular meeting.
STATE ROUTE 64 CLOSURE
Village Administrator Shannon Shulters provided an update on the upcoming Ohio Department of Transportation project that will close portions of Waterville-Swanton Road/State Route 64 South beginning March 24.
According to information provided to Shulters by ODOT, the project includes rehabilitation of the bridges over Swan Creek and Neiss Ditch, full replacement of a culvert, and resurfacing of 3.5 miles of roadway.
A full road closure of both lanes is expected at each bridge, first at the ditch for approximately 50 days and then at the creek for another approximately 50 days.
The proposed detour route involves taking US 20A and State Route 295 in order to connect from State Route 2/Airport Highway at the north end to State Route 64 south of the construction zone. Pavement resurfacing will be done in stages beginning in May.
Shulters also reported the southbound lane of Hallett Avenue will be closed between Chestnut Street and Airport Highway beginning the week of March 31 and lasting roughly four weeks.
POLICE DEPARTMENT
Police Chief John Trejo shared the first accounting of officer activity from its new system, indicating the department handled 450 calls for service in February. The previous reporting system captured only major incidents, Trejo said, while the new system includes all activity.
When asked to provide a comparison, he said Swanton handles roughly the same number of calls as Wauseon, despite that city having roughly double Swanton’s population.
He pointed out that a large portion of their interactions are not with village residents, but with residents of the Toledo metro area and Williams County.
Trejo requested and the board approved the termination of full-time officer Michael Welch due to what Trejo called a “violation of policy” that occurred in the station he was unable to overlook.
He reported a recent meeting with the supervisory special agent from the Toledo FBI field office as well as the supervisory special agent of the Joint Terrorism Task Force for Northwest Ohio regarding some information he said they were very interested in.
Trejo said he attended a sentencing hearing for Edward Polansky Jr., who will serve a minimum of 16 and maximum of 21 years in prison followed by 2 to 5 years of “post-release control” under the Ohio Parole Board.
Polansky was initially charged with murder in the death of Holland resident John Wolf, found dead in a vehicle in Swanton with gunshot wounds to his abdomen and shoulder. He eventually pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, as well as drug and weapons charges.
A 2011 Chevrolet Silverado and two firearms belonging to Polansky were forfeited to the Swanton Police Department, and Trejo said the vehicle will be sold while the firearms are either used by officers for training at the shooting range or destroyed.
OTHER BUSINESS
The council approved on final reading an ordinance putting the same restrictions on sheds on business and industrial properties that already exist on residential properties.
The council approved the resignation of Water Resource Recovery Facility full-time employee Bennett Stamper effective February 28, 2025.
After brief comments from Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities Superintendent Michele Myerholtz, Mayor Neil Toeppe read a proclamation declaring March Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month in Swanton, presenting a copy to Myerholtz.
The council approved the resignation of part-time firefighter/EMT Colin Fessenden from the Swanton Fire & Rescue Division effective March 14. Chief Cuyler Kepling reported Fessenden had accepted a full-time position with another agency.
The next regular meeting of the Swanton Village Council will be held at 6 p.m. on Monday, March 24 at 219 Chestnut Street.
