PHOTO BY JESSE DAVIS / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
NONE SHALL PASS … Signs and vehicles block the intersection of South Main Street and Airport Highway in Swanton, where a sewer separation project requires excavation of the roadway.
By: Jesse Davis
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
The 30-day closure of the intersection of Airport Highway (US 20A / State Route 2) and South Main Street (State Route 64) began the same day its first effects and future impact were discussed by the Swanton Village Council.
Mayor Neil Toeppe, Village Administrator Shannon Shulters, and Police Chief John Trejo were among those with comments on the topic during Monday night’s meeting.
“Initially this morning I had some good feelings because I didn’t see a whole lot of traffic right away, but that clearly changed. We’ve seen semis, box trucks, dump trucks, any type of vehicle going down Garfield (Street),” Trejo said of the first day of the closure.
Part of that issue was caused by insufficient signage, according to Trejo. He said while local traffic was being diverted down Garfield, trucks and through traffic were supposed to be diverted to US 20 via SR 295 and SR 109.
The closure is expected to complicate the already challenging parking situation for Swanton’s Independence Day fireworks, scheduled for this Saturday, June 29.
Trejo said the original plan was to control the flow of traffic leaving after the fireworks fairly strictly. After seeing the effect of the closure, that plan has changed.
“Please understand that there’s going to be a huge influx of traffic. We just want you to go away from the park, and if it takes you extra time to get home, so be it.”
“You might not be going the right direction; you might be directed the opposite way. We just want you away from there – get everybody away, get them filtered out into the smaller streets.”
Shulters reported she tried to get the contractor to push the closure off until after the fireworks but was rebuffed due to the project already being five weeks behind due to rain in April, among other issues.
RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA UPDATE
Toeppe provided an update on the state’s developing recreational marijuana regulations, sharing his own concerns as well.
According to Toeppe, the new regulations state that dispensaries may not be located within 500 feet of churches, schools, libraries, playgrounds, or parks, and may not be within one mile of another dispensary.
“Those restrictions severely limit the location of any dispensaries, and by and large wipe out Main Street as an opportunity,” he said, adding that churches on Airport Highway eliminate the shopping area on the north side of that road.
OTHER BUSINESS
Fire Chief Cuyler Kepling reported the search for a deputy fire chief has been narrowed down to three candidates, who will each be completing assessments prior to final interviews being scheduled.
Chief Trejo reported his officers were involved in a barricaded suicidal subject call in Wauseon along with several other departments.
Trejo said the county’s Special Response Team (which includes members from the Swanton department) responded with the MRAP armored vehicle, and that although the man threatened to slit his throat or make law enforcement shoot him, he came out and surrendered without incident after seeing the SRT and the vehicle.
New police radios and a base station have been delivered and will be programmed in the coming days.
The council voted to establish an official address for St. Richard’s Cemetery of 308 Dodge Street. The action was taken at the request of the county 911 coordinator for “public safety reasons.”
The council approved the hiring of Josh Anderson as a part-time firefighter/paramedic. The council approved the hiring of Sophia Koch as a full-time patrolman.
The next regular meeting of the Swanton Village Council will be held at 6 p.m. on Monday, June 24 at 219 Chestnut Street.