By: Jesse Davis
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jesse@thevillagereporter.com
The village of Swanton is no longer pursuing a new ordinance on food trucks and other mobile food vendors after council members voted to withdraw the ordinance at their most recent meeting.
Councilman Derek Kania, who did not run for reelection and finishes out his term this month, said he didn’t think it was fair that he and the other two outgoing council members would vote on a second reading on such a contentious matter.
Kania said the goal was not to make things hard for food trucks to operate in Swanton. “Food trucks are a huge benefit to a town like Swanton,” he said.
“Once you start hammering fees on top of it, you lower the opportunity for that food truck to make it profitable to come out here. So. there’s a very fine line that the village has to walk between where we’re protecting residents and we’re protecting what the future holds.”
Two residents commented on the ordinance later in the meeting after it had been withdrawn.
Dave Mills, owner of the Birchwood Meadow wedding and event venue, said the council should, if addressing the subject in the future, find a way to present it in a more positive light to the public in a way that doesn’t become negative or a black eye for the village.
Hot Dogs 2 Go, owner Tara Shaver said she agrees there should be regulations but recommended the creation of a food truck committee to determine the best course of action.
RECOGNITION OF SERVICE
Departing council members, a retiring police officer, and the fiscal officer were all recognized in different ways for their service to the village.
Toeppe began the meeting by recognizing Kania, Councilwoman Samantha Disbrow, and Councilman Derek Messenger for their four years of service on the council, as it was their last meeting.
“In a relatively short period of time, you have made a lasting impact on this village. Your collective leadership, thoughtful decision-making, and commitment to transparency have helped move the village forward,” Toeppe said.
He said the trio had – along with the rest of the council – instituted livestreaming of meetings, established an economic development commission, opened council meetings to public comment, conducted multiple public hearings including “the great chicken debate,” established the Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA), restructured the public service department, implemented consistent pay structures across all village departments, and approved the purchase of critical fire apparatus.
During his normal report, Police Chief John Trejo introduced his “very special guest,” Officer Rick Martin. Martin began his law enforcement career in 1985 and has been with the village for 36 years.
Trejo said Martin had a full-time job as an engineer but took time out of his day to help the village however he could – on the road, at special events, at parades, at the Swanton Corn Festival, or at the Independence Day Fireworks, no questions asked.
Trejo requested that the council approve Martin’s promotion to sergeant (with no adjustment to his wages) to honor his service and dedication to the village, then also approve Martin’s retirement, effective that day. Council members unanimously approved both requests.
He also presented Martin with a plaque commemorating his 36 years of service to the village. Later, Councilman Noah Kreuz recognized Fiscal Officer Holden Benfield’s “exceptional work on the village finances.”
“He’s taken a proactive approach with department heads to review ops, plan strategically, and give them real-time access to their budgets.
“Because of his efforts, we expect department budgets to be reduced by over $100,000 in 2026,” Kreuz said. And he’s also reworked our village savings accounts, generating nearly $200,000 per year in interest growth.”
He said Benfield had done even more, but he didn’t have time to write it all down. Kreuz recommended Benfield be given a one-time bonus of $7,500 to acknowledge his “outstanding contributions to the village.” The recommendation was unanimously approved.
JOINT TERRORISM TASK FORCE
Trejo reported that he attended the Northwest Ohio Joint Terrorism Task Force meeting in Toledo at the Valentine Theatre on December 10.
“We went over current events that have been taking place with domestic terrorism, also kind of discussed unclassified information regarding some of the attacks that were – had been planned and were sought out and stopped before they actually took place, and some of those did have some reference to northwest Ohio, so they want us to be aware of those things also,” he said.
COMMUNITY CENTER
Council members discussed a proposal by Village Administrator Shannon Shulters to cease rentals of the community center.
According to Shulters, the village loses money on the rentals, having spent roughly $13,600 of the just over $42,500 collected in fees since 2016 on cleaning supplies, not taking into account supplies, maintenance, equipment replacement, utilities, and more.
She said the facility was rented 43 times in 2025, with 23 of those coming from non-residents.
Toeppe said he doesn’t like being in competition with other businesses renting space, such as the Swanton Sports Center, Benfield Wines, and the American Legion, especially if the fees being charged by the village are significantly lower.
Shulters proposed that the space be used as a new home for the police department, which will need to move out of its current location within the next few years.
The move would also enable the department to bring all its records – currently filling a building at the public service department – on-site.
Kania recommended changing the rental rates for one year to be equal to or just below what other venues are charging, and taking the resulting change in usage into account, which may provide better justification for using the building to house the police department.
OTHER BUSINESS
Council members approved a pair of planned increases to the wastewater collection and treatment rates and water distribution rates. The increases were approved in 2024 and 2017, respectively.
Council members passed on final reading an ordinance increasing the required deposit for usage of the village’s fire hydrant meter.
Council members approved on final reading an ordinance including temporary appropriations for current and other expenditures for the fiscal year ending Dec. 31, 2026.
Council members established the maximum amount for blanket certificates, allowing the purchase from any vendor for a particular purpose within a spending limit, by the fiscal officer.
Council members approved the hiring of Amos Boysel as a lieutenant in the police department at an annual salary of $77,000. When asked by a council member, Trejo confirmed the position already existed and was already budgeted for.
Council members approved the retirement of part-time firefighter/EMT James Zywocki, effective December 31. Zywocki joined the Swanton department in 2015 and has had a 42-year career in northwest Ohio.
Council members approved the resignation of part-time janitor Callie Kozak, effective December 17. Council members approved the resignation of full-time public service operator Mikey Disbrow, effective Jan. 8, 2026.
Council members approved the retirement of Joe Slawinski, effective December 28. Slawinski started working for the village in 1992.
A retirement celebration for Slawinski will be held from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 17.
Council members approved the submission of an application for land bank funding to the Fulton County Commissioners, Maumee Valley Planning Organization, and/or the Ohio Department of Development, for the purpose of acquiring the properties at 116 and 118 N. Main Street.
Council members approved a request to the Fulton County and Lucas County auditors to certify the current tax valuation of the village and the amount of revenue that would be generated by a 1.5-mill levy. The levy would replace an existing, expiring levy of 1.2 mills. Council members approved the sale of surplus village property.
Fire Chief Cuyler Kepling reported there were 105 calls for service in November, making 1,278 year to date. It is 40 calls fewer than 2025, which was their busiest year on record.
Trejo reported the police department responded to 330 calls for service in November. Trejo reported that the department was approved for an Army surplus grant and will be obtaining equipment through a distribution center in Columbus.
Shulters reported the village will need to have the electricity in Pilliod Park and Rotary Park rewired in 2026, after it fried some of this year’s Christmas lights and decorations, which had to be removed.
Toeppe reported he will be recommending the creation of an ad-hoc park committee in 2026, as well as a grant committee, to be led by a council member and run a new grant program created to bring together the existing downtown facade enhancement grants and sidewalk grants, as well as a potential future matching grants for businesses that want to contribute to the park.
Toeppe reported he met with representatives from the state auditor’s office, who told him the village had complied in all material respects with their audit.
Shulters reported a courier was finally able to make contact with the owner of the former Elks building after doing an eight-hour stakeout.
He has since responded to the village solicitor, and an agreement is in the works, which would eventually give the village ownership of the property, allowing the pursuit of demolition grants.
Shulters reported that an annexation of the Hallett Avenue bridge will be coming to council to qualify the village to apply for grant funding for needed deck and structural repairs, with the village paying up front and the county reimbursing the village for the cost.
The next regular meeting of the Swanton Village Council will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, at 219 Chestnut Street.