(PHOTO BY JESSE DAVIS / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
FRESH NEW FACE … Mayor Neil Toeppe (left) swears in new Swanton Village Council Member Neil Kreuz (right) during Monday’s council meeting.
By: Jesse Davis
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jesse@thevillagereporter.com
Swanton Fiscal Officer Holden Benfield said certain funds the village receives annually can be used for road projects and reported on a large increase in interest revenue during Monday’s meeting of the Swanton Village Council.
According to Benfield, roughly $40,000 per year is received from the Permissive Motor Vehicle Tax, and the fund it goes into currently has a balance of about $247,000.
He said the funds are not “additional” money, but that it has not been used much since 2019 and could take some pressure off the streets fund.
Benfield also reported that after restructuring the village’s accounts with F&M Bank in December 2023 with the approval of council, interest revenue climbed from between $20,000 and $90,000 over the prior three years to more than $313,000 in 2024.
“The overarching benefit of a significant revenue increase is that the village does not have to charge anything for this money,” Benfield wrote in his report to council.
“Ultimately this money comes from the banks and the larger market of the state/country, so our constituents do not need to ‘pay’ for it.”
He told the council that even with the Fed planning to continue cutting rates, he doesn’t expect the village’s interest revenue to drop below $100,000 in any given year so long as other variables – such as account balances – remain constant.
EMERGENCY SERVICES UPDATES
Fire Chief Cuyler Kepling reported there were 97 EMS incidents and 14 fire incidents in December for a total of 111 calls for service, bringing the total for 2024 to 1,343 incidents. He said that was 14 percent higher than 2023 and 21 percent higher than the 10-year average.
Due to a focus on improving training opportunities, the department completed more than 1,400 hours of training across the year.
Kepling also said he expects the department’s ISO rating to improve following an upcoming assessment, which has the potential to reduce homeowners’ insurance rates.
Part of his expectation comes from the dual classification of a new truck and the amount of training hours completed, but he also mentioned 122 fire inspections completed in 2024 compared to a previous average of only one or two per year.
He anticipates providing his annual report reviewing all of his department’s activities for 2024 at the next council meeting.
Police Chief John Trejo said his department launched a new reporting system at the beginning of the new year which better tracks reports and calls.
As an example, he said there were 238 calls for service counted in December, and already 137 calls in the first 13 days of January. Trejo said that was not due to an increase in call volume, but to the improvement in making sure all calls are counted.
He also gave an update on School Resource Officer Troy Stewart. According to Trejo, Stewart has begun his work at the school and has been submitting time sheets and activity logs.
“There is not a day that goes by that he is not busy with three or four incidents at the school,” Trejo said.
“A lot of stuff that we probably never knew about, but since he’s there now he’s kind of helping them work through that. It gives them more time to go teach and do things that they need to do.”
Stewart also participated in the recent school vulnerability assessment conducted by the Ohio State Safety Center. “Everything seems to be going really well there,” Trejo said.
After an executive session at the end of the meeting, the council voted to increase the annual salaries of Trejo and Kepling from $81,689.30 to $85,000.
Council members also voted to increase the base part-time rate for the Swanton Fire and Rescue Division employees to match the equivalent base pay of full-time employees, an increase of more than 2 dollars, varying depending on individual classifications.
PARKING RECONSIDERATION
Black Canyon Drive residents Heidi Smigelski and Victoria Palenske asked the council to reconsider parking restrictions placed on their road at its intersection with Waterwood Drive three years ago.
The restriction – which eliminated parking on the south side of the street near the intersection – was instituted due to congestion causing issues for school buses attempting to pick up students.
Now that the parking causing the congestion, which they said was due to high school upper classmen who have now graduated and moved, is no longer a concern, they have asked that the parking be allowed again in order to make things easier when they have gatherings at their homes.
TEMPORARY ROAD CLOSURE
Village Administrator Shannon Shulters reported Hallett Avenue will be closed from January 20 through 22 for a sewer connection.
The post office will be accessible from the south and access as far as the American Legion will be possible from the north during the closure.
OTHER BUSINESS
The council voted to name Councilman Derek Kania as president pro tem for 2025, a role which he also filled last year.
The council approved their rules for 2025, which included no changes. The council authorized the submission of an application to the Ohio fire marshal’s fire equipment grant program.
The council authorized the submission of an application to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Volunteer Fire Assistance Grant Program.
The council authorized the submission of an application to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Assistance for Firefighters Grant Program.
The council authorized the submission of an application for Walmart and Sam’s Club’s Local Community Grant.
The council authorized the village administrator to sell surplus property in 2025 as outlined in Ohio Revised Code 721.15 by internet auction.
The next regular meeting of the Swanton Village Council will be held at 6 p.m. on Monday, January 27 at 219 Chestnut Street.