(PHOTO BY JESSIE DAVIS / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
FIRE PREVENTION WEEK … Swanton Mayor Neil Toeppe presents Fire and Rescue Division Chief Cuyler Kepling with a copy of the proclamation declaring the week of October 6-12 as Fire Prevention Week.
By: Jesse Davis
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jesse@thevillagereporter.com
Swanton Finance Director Holden Benfield reported to the village council on Monday that a decreasing balance in the sewer fund will require several increases to sewer rates for residents.
The recommendation to increase rates was originally presented to the council by Senior Rural Development Specialist Matthew Kline with the Rural Community Assistance Partnership at a meeting last December.
Kline initially recommended worst-case scenario increases of 15 percent in 2024 and 2025, 7.5 percent in 2026 and 2027, and then back to the village’s standard annual increase of 5 percent in 2028.
After reviewing updated information with Benfield and Village Administrator Shannon Shulters, however, he suggested 12 percent in 2024, 10 percent in 2025, 8.5 percent in 2026, 7.5 percent in 2027, and 5 percent in 2028.
At Monday’s meeting, Benfield recommended rate increases of 10 percent in 2025, 2026, and 2027, 8 percent in 2028, and 5 percent in 2029.
Swanton sewer rates are determined based on how many thousands of gallons of water are used. If an in-village resident uses 1,000 or fewer gallons, they pay the minimum of $30 per month, with designated rates every 1,000 gallons more, going up to $261.28 per month at 40,000 gallons with an additional $6.03 for every thousand higher.
For someone being charged the minimum rate, they would see their rate under the plan go to $33 in 2025, $36.30 in 2026, $39.93 in 2027, $43.12 in 2028, and $45.28 in 2029.
Benfield pointed out he was not yet asking for a vote by the council, only that he wanted it on their radar for a vote in the future. Councilwoman Dianne Westhoven asked Benfield to bring back an example chart breaking down exactly what people at each level of usage would pay each year through the increases so, if the council approves them, they can provide the most transparency possible to residents.
WRRF PLANT PROJECT
Superintendent of Water Resource Recovery Facility Joe Tillison requested roughly $152,000 for the installation of new control panels for the trickling filter plant to replace the original panels, installed in 1956.
Tillison said those panels are tripping out during wet weather flows leaving him unable to run all the plant’s pumps.
The other reason he wants to pursue replacement of the panels now instead of in January is because delivery of the panels would be 16-20 weeks out from whenever they were requested from the manufacturer.
The only alternative to replacing the panels would be installing another oxidation ditch at a cost of between $8 to $10 million.
“The advantage of doing this now is that I can get these panels built and installed while the contractors are still on site [for the current project]. There’s other SCADA and computer work that are going to be done throughout the plant, so if I can have these panels here, I don’t have to bring the integrator back with additional cost to program and commission these panels,” Tillison said.
According to Benfield, the village had already planned on supplying $1 million to the WRRF from the general fund for a headworks project next year which would include the control panels, and that he considers this funding the beginning of the spending of that money.
Benfield reported that any funds remaining from the $1 million at the end of the future project will revert to the general fund. The council unanimously approved the expenditure.
PARKING DEARTH DISCUSSED
Business owners Shannon Messenger of Main Street Trading Post, Heather Schneider of Curated Chaos, and Haadia Amin of Swan Creek Vision addressed the board on the lack of sufficient parking in the area just south of the railroad tracks on South Main Street.
“It is becoming a hazard at this point now that all the businesses have kind of come together, all the buildings are full. We basically have to limit our hours at this point to kind of allow for parking,” Messenger said.
Messenger added that she recently had to break up a screaming match in the street between one of her customers and a patron of the VFW post.
She explicitly stated the VFW was an important organization whose patrons were just as entitled to parking as her customers while also noting that when the VFW holds events, they basically have to close their doors due to a lack of parking.
There is also an issue with getting elderly clients in wheelchairs and with walkers safely in and out of the eye clinic, she said.
“I’ve had customers call me that are coming in 45 minutes away saying ‘Oh, I circled the block three separate times. I can’t find a parking space,’ and they leave,” Messenger said.
She said all three businesses want to stay in Swanton, but they can’t operate if there is no parking. Mayor Neil Toeppe said the village was aware of the issue and had already looked into the issue once, but they did not believe the quote they received accurately reflected what the cost would be. He said they will seek new quotes in an effort to solve the problem.
OTHER BUSINESS
Shulters reported that Airport Highway will be reopening to all traffic in the coming days, although South Main Street will remain closed as Hillabrand & Sons Construction continues to work on that road.
The council briefly discussed the need to construct additional facilities in which to store village vehicles and equipment, both new and existing equipment currently left to sit in the elements due to a lack of covered storage space.
West Garfield Street resident Ken Najarian asked what the village’s plans are for his street – such as potentially adding flashing lights to the stop sign near his home – due to unsafe drivers.
Toeppe reported they are looking at flashing lights as well as potentially changing traffic flows during drop-off and pick-up times for the schools.
The council approved the appropriation of $4,157.24 for the purchase of rescue task force gear for, among other scenarios, active shooter situations. The village has been approved for an Ohio EMS grant that will reimburse the village for the full amount.
Toeppe read a proclamation declaring the week of October 6-12 as Fire Prevention Week. Independence Day fireworks for 2025 were scheduled for June 28. The 2025 Corn Festival was scheduled for August 8 and 9.
The next regular meeting of the Swanton Village Council will be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, October 15 at 219 Chestnut Street.
