NOAH KRUEZ
By: Jesse Davis
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jesse@thevillagereporter.com
After an executive session during Monday’s meeting of the Swanton Village Council, members voted to select Noah Kreuz to complete the term of Councilman Michael Disbrow.
Disbrow recently resigned from the council after being hired as an operator in training at the village’s Public Service Department, rendering him ineligible to continue being a council member.
Kreuz, a 25-year-old lifelong Fulton County resident, was selected from among three candidates who applied for the opening.
He currently works as a crop consultant for the agronomy division of the Gerald Gran Center. While a student at Evergreen High School, he was vice president of the Student Council, president of the National Honor Society chapter, and a member of the Fulton County Junior Fair Board and graduated as valedictorian of his class.
“I have always centered myself on wanting to be part of my communities and give back in any way I can,” Kreuz wrote in his cover letter.
“My grandfather, Al Kreuz, was a political figure for Fulton County, being elected for three terms as the county commissioner. I have always wanted to follow in his footsteps and being a member of this council seems a great way to start.”
Two additional candidates submitted applications for the position and another contacted Mayor Neil Toeppe to indicate their interest in the position, but all three missed the application deadline.
The council also approved Disbrow’s hiring at an hourly rate of $21 pending the passing of a drug screen and background check.
“NO BLOW” ZONE
According to Toeppe, Councilman Derek Kania is researching the possibility of a railroad quiet zone at the crossings of Main Street and Munson Road. Toeppe said a 2023 traffic study showed counts of 3,160 at the Main Street crossing and 708 on Munson Road.
Councilwoman Dianne Westhoven said there was a previous attempt in the late 2010s that was not pursued due to being cost prohibitive, and Village Administrator Shannon Shulters said she would try to locate documentation of the attempt and related information.
The cost of the designation and required ancillary actions, if successful, is expected to be as much as $100,000.
OTHER BUSINESS
The council approved an agreement with the Swanton Local School District for a school resource officer for school year 2024-2025 at a rate of $40,000 ($3,333 per month/$111 per day) to be paid by the school district during both school months and non-school months with an annual increase of 3 percent.
The council voted to increase the annual salary of Shulters by roughly $8,500 to $91,000 to bring her in line with the average salary for administrators of other communities the size of Swanton.
The council voted to approve on second and third (and final) readings the temporary 2025 budget. The council gave final approval to an ordinance increasing the wastewater rate 10 percent in 2025, 2026, and 2027, 8 percent in 2028, and 5 percent in 2029.
By the end of the increases, the total increase for users only paying the base fee (for 0-2,000 gallons) will be around $15, according to Fiscal Officer Holden Benfield.
The council approved updates to the employee handbook. The council approved incentive pay for Public Service Department employees of 25 cents per hour for welders and heavy equipment operators and 50 cents per hour for employees with commercial driver’s licenses. Councilwoman Samantha Disbrow abstained from the vote.
Westhoven was appointed to the Fire Advisory Board and the Fulton County Emergency Management Agency Board.
The next regular meeting of the Swanton Village Council will be held at 6 p.m. on Monday, January 13, 2025 at 219 Chestnut Street.
