Fulton County Ohio Media

On Monday evening, the Swanton Village Council held a special meeting at 7:00 PM with an immediate executive session.  Upon reconvening at 8:34 PM, Shannon Shulters, Village Administrator, read a letter, informing the Mayor and Council members of her Formal Notice of Resignation.  The letter, in its entirety, is below.

Dear Mayor Toeppe and Members of Council.  Please accept this letter as my formal notice of resignation from my position as Village Administrator for the Village of Swanton. Unless significant and meaningful changes are made regarding the expectations, authority, organizational support, and respect afforded to this position, my final day of employment will be September 14th, 2026.

First and foremost, I would like to thank Mayor Neil Toeppe for the opportunity to serve the Village of Swanton over the past four years. It has been one of the greatest honors of my professional career. When I accepted this position, I did so because I believed in this community and its future. Every decision I have made has been guided by what I believed was in the best interest of the Village, its employees, and its residents.

Over the last four years, I have given this position everything I had. I have worked early mornings, late nights, weekends, holidays, and remained available whenever the Village needed me because I understood that leadership in local government does not end when the office closes. I accepted those sacrifices because I believed in the work we were doing.

Looking back, I am proud of what we accomplished together. We successfully managed millions of dollars in infrastructure improvements, secured and administered grant funding, completed significant road, water, sewer, and wastewater projects, guided the Village through operational and financial challenges, responded to emergencies—including the Municipal Building fire—and continued moving Swanton forward despite numerous obstacles. Those accomplishments required commitment, perseverance, and an unwavering dedication to this community.   

I leave knowing I have always done the very best job I was capable of doing for the Village of Swanton.   Unfortunately, dedication without boundaries eventually becomes exhaustion.

Over the past several months, I have reached a level of burnout that I can no longer ignore. Time is the one thing none of us ever gets back, and this position has required me to sacrifice an extraordinary amount of mine. I have missed time with my family, evenings, weekends, holidays, and countless personal moments because I believed the Village came first. While I accepted those sacrifices for a season, they cannot become a permanent expectation.

One of the greatest challenges facing the Village today is not a lack of qualified professionals willing to serve, but rather our inability to remain competitive in today’s employment market. We Page | 1 continue attempting to recruit executive-level talent using compensation structures that no longer reflect the realities of 2026. We are attempting to fill 2026 positions with 2019 wages. Until the Village is willing to invest in attracting and retaining qualified professionals, vacancies in key leadership positions will continue to be difficult to fill.

When the Fiscal Officer position became vacant, I willingly stepped in because the Village needed someone to ensure operations continued uninterrupted. I never hesitated to do what was necessary. However, what began as a temporary necessity has become an ongoing expectation. Even with the additional compensation approved by Council, I am not compensated to perform two executive-level positions.

More importantly, no amount of temporary compensation justifies asking one individual to indefinitely carry the responsibilities of two full-time executive offices. Equally challenging has been the environment in which I have been expected to lead. Throughout my tenure, I have faithfully carried out the direction provided by Council while managing the daily operations of the Village. Yet too often I have found myself navigating conflicting direction, changing priorities, and contradictory expectations. I have been expected to implement decisions only to later be criticized for following those same directives. It is incredibly difficult to effectively manage an organization when expectations continually shift and accountability is expected without consistently providing the authority and trust necessary to lead.

Leadership requires consistency. It requires trust. Most importantly, it requires allowing your Administrator to administer.

Perhaps the most disappointing realization throughout this process is that it has taken my resignation for the seriousness of this situation to be fully recognized. The long hours, the increasing workload, the responsibility of carrying multiple executive functions, and the obvious signs of exhaustion did not develop overnight. They existed for months. I wish meaningful conversations about sustainability, support, staffing, and workload had taken place before I reached the point where resignation became the only responsible decision, I felt I could make.

No employee should have to reach the point of complete burnout before their workload and struggles are acknowledged.

This decision has not been made impulsively, nor has it been made out of anger. It has been made because I have reached my limit. I have given this Village every ounce of my energy, professionalism, commitment, and heart. I simply have nothing left to give under the current circumstances.

If the Mayor and Council genuinely wish for me to remain as Village Administrator beyond August 31, those discussions must result in meaningful, measurable, and lasting changes, including: • Compensation that allows the Village to recruit and retain qualified executive staff. • The successful hiring of a permanent Fiscal Officer so the responsibilities of two executive offices are no longer placed upon one individual. • Clear and consistent direction from Council. • Respect for my personal time and reasonable work-life boundaries. • The trust and authority necessary for the Village Administrator to effectively manage the daily operations of the Village without constant contradiction or second-guessing.

These changes must be genuine organizational commitments—not temporary assurances made simply to postpone my departure.

Until August 31, I will continue serving the Village with the same professionalism and dedication that I have demonstrated over the past four years. I will do everything within my ability to ensure a successful transition and leave this organization positioned for continued success.

To the employees of the Village, thank you for your dedication, resilience, and friendship. Serving alongside each of you has been an honor.  Mayor Toeppe, thank you for believing in me four years ago and entrusting me with the opportunity to lead this organization.  To the residents of Swanton, thank you for allowing me the privilege of serving your community. It has been an honor that I will always be proud of.

I sincerely hope the Village continues to succeed. I also hope that future Village leadership is provided with the support, trust, resources, and respect necessary to successfully lead this organization.

Respectfully, Shannon Shulters Village Administrator Village of Swanton

As is evidenced in the letter, Ms. Shulters does leave open the possibility of withdrawing her resignation.  Mayor Toeppe voiced his support for Council to give strong consideration for the changes recommended by Ms. Shulters.

This meeting can be viewed on the Village’s Facebook page.  The next Village Council meeting will take place at 7:00 PM on Monday, July 20, 2026.

Photo: Shannon Shulters

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Despite the brutal heat of approximately 98 degrees along with high humidity, the Swanton fireworks attracted a large crowd to watch one of the best pyrotechnic displays in the area.

Click on the link above to access photos of some of the faces in the crowd before the bombs started bursting in air. Photos are in the jpeg format to allow for editing and can be downloaded and shared for NO CHARGE courtesy of the fultoncountymedia.com website.

The Swanton Area Chamber of Commerce is excited to celebrate a new chapter for a long-standing Swanton dealership with a ribbon cutting for Ballas Chevrolet.  Ballas Buick GMC has expanded into Swanton with the acquisition of McNeill Chevrolet, now operating as Ballas Chevrolet.

The Ballas family has built a strong reputation throughout the region for service, community involvement, and integrity, guided by their longtime principle of “Doing Business With Character.”  McNeill Chevrolet has been a respected part of the Swanton community for many years, and Ballas Chevrolet is looking forward to building on that legacy while bringing additional resources, support, and opportunities to local customers.

Ballas Chevrolet offers new Chevrolet models, certified pre-owned vehicles, repair services, a full-service department, and a dedicated parts department. Customers can expect trusted sales, service, parts, and support with the added strength of the Ballas family network.

Location: Ballas Chevrolet   Address: 220 W Airport Hwy, Swanton, OH 43558   Phone: 419-826-3701

We are grateful for their investment in Swanton and excited to celebrate this milestone with the Ballas family, their team, local leaders, Chamber members, and the community.

I am old enough to have a vivid recollection of America’s Bicentennial celebration that culminated in the biggest national party our country has ever seen on July Fourth 1976.  At the time, I was serving in the United States Air Force on a Strategic Air Command (SAC) base outside Great Falls, Montana.  The base was one of several in the country that housed readied missiles armed with nuclear war heads in defense of possible attacks from the Soviet Union and China.

However, the ever-present tension from the on-going Cold War did little to distract from the enthusiasm and Patriotic Vibe Americans were feeling and the energy they poured into celebrations all across the country for the 200^th anniversary of the founding of not just the United States of America but of a form of government the world had never truly experienced.  Technically, we are a Federal Republic, but we use the term “Democracy” interchangeably with the understanding that “We the People” elect our leaders and have the constitutional right to hold them accountable.

Ironically, that accountability was on full display as the country was led by unelected President Gerald Ford and his unelected Vice-President Nelson Rockerfeller.  When Vice-President Spiro Agnew shamefully resigned in 1973 after pleading guilty to tax evasion, GOP Congressman Ford, was selected by the Senate to fill the void.  In August of 1974, President Richard Nixon resigned under pressure stemming from his coverup of the Watergate Scandal during the 1972 Presidential Election.  The country along with both the Republican and Democratic parties worked in a bipartisan effort to oust two men who had broken the law and violated our Constitution.  The system had worked like the Founding Fathers had intended.  Nobody would be above the law.  America would not be a monarchy.  Ford used his authority to pardon Nixon and it cost him the election later that year.

During all of 1976, the colors Red, White and Blue were awash throughout America, finding their way on wearing apparel, vehicles, houses, barns, buildings and into virtually every marketing campaign for both foreign and domestic products.  Of course, Old Glory, the American flag, now with 50 stars instead of the original 13, was proudly unfurled and displayed outside millions of homes and private businesses as well as all government facilities and by Veterans’ organizations around the nation.  The Federal Government doled out grants to villages, towns and cities in every state to help restore and refurbish historical sites that identified a moment or event or an era in that community’s past and that served as a patch in the quilt that was America.  In bringing us together in 1976, the Bicentennial was also instrumental in helping us heal from the tragedy that was the Vietnam War and the misguided battle against the Civil Rights Movement fought mainly in the American South.

Today, 50 years removed from that unified national celebration, the once vibrant colors of the American Flag have faded in the eyes of millions of our citizens and much more so as we are viewed by the rest of the world, even by our closest allies.  Sadly, our flag no longer stimulates the same level of pride and patriotism that it did when it united us so closely in 1976.  No longer do our allies see our flag at our embassies and feel they that have a trusted partner in the leader of the free world.   No longer do our enemies take pause before triggering conflicts and even wars at the risk of seeing the American Flag crossing their borders to protect friendly but vulnerable nations.

The Red, White and Blue began to fade when Donald John Trump announced his intent to run for the office of the President of the United States, then easily defeated all comers for the Republican nomination and, subsequently and shockingly, accumulated more electoral votes than Hilary Rodham Clinton to become our 45^th President.  The optimists among us hoped and prayed we were not getting the Donald we knew, but a man who would shed his inglorious past and actually Make America Great Again.  Unfortunately, Donald 45 came as advertised and was able to enact enough damaging policies that led to his defeat in the 2020 election.  As a parting shot, he incited a riotous insurrection on our nation’s Capital in an attempt to stay in power.

It was here that America lost its collective mind.  We had the perfect opportunity to impeach and convict Mr. Trump, ensuring he would never be able to hold office again in this country.  Trump was impeached, for the second time, but Senate Majority Leader Republican Mitch McConnell refused to hold a vote to convict and Trump escaped justice.  Despite his destructive tariff-induced economic policies, despite his 34 felony convictions for campaign violations and despite his civil conviction for sexual assault, Trump maintained his incomprehensible grip on the Republican party.

When President Joe Biden made the ill-advised decision to run for a second term and his White House kept his failing health under wraps until it became too obvious, the Democratic Party had no time to come up with a viable alternative for 2024 and Trump was voted back into office with the support voters with short memories of his first term and far too many Evangelical Christians who had forgotten or even forsaken their religion.  With the continued capitulation of the Republican Party, which controls the House and the Senate, the most successful con man in our history has returned on a mission of revenge to punish anyone who stood in opposition to him or his policies and a goal to acquire as much wealth as possible for himself, his family and his friends.  Much like the monarchs and ruthless dictators of the past and today’s despot rulers of North Korea, the megalomaniac Trump is intent on placing his name and image on everything he can until he is out of office.

Trump learned from his Cabinet decisions in his first term to appoint only those individuals fiercely loyal to him and, with the help of the U.S. Supreme Court, expand his Presidential powers beyond any of those who came before him.  He has rendered both the foreign and domestic Emolument Clauses of the Constitution meaningless as he has accepted billions of dollars’ worth in gifts, all defended by the GOP Congress.  More billions have been raked in by the Trump family through stock transactions in companies made before he announced the awarding of major government contracts to those companies without a word from his weaponized Department of Justice.

Our current President guaranteed “No more wars,” a promise that evaporated after he went to war with Iran without the approval of Congress or the support of the American people.  The Iranians showed little fear of the American Flag and watched the Red, White and Blue quickly fade to virtually the white of surrender.  Billions more spent with little or nothing to show for it.   All as American families struggle to put food on the table and fuel in their vehicles.

There is no reason to go on explaining my position on Donald Trump and what has become of the Republican Party.  I have definitely said enough.  However, I will add that we only have ourselves to blame.  We the people put Donald and his friends in power.  There is still some color left in Old Glory.  It will be up to us in the next and future elections to see it is restored to its full Glory.

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On Friday at Valleywood Golf Club, the Swanton Athletic Boosters held their first ever split-session golf outing.  With the number of teams expected to be very high, it was decided to have one flight in the morning with an 8:00 AM tee-time and a second flight in the afternoon with a tee-time of 1:30 PM.  The format was a four-person team scramble on the par 71 course.

The morning flight had 15 teams and was won by Team Oaks (Joe Oakes, Eric Oakes, Gunnar Oakes, Ben Burke) with a score of 54 (-17).  Score for other categories was unavailable.

In the afternoon flight, the winning Men’s team was Team Rukieh (Sy Rukieh, Mazin Rukieh, Garret Swank, Riley Hensley) with a score of 53 (-18).  The Ladies team champion was Team RBPN (Renee Bardwell, Brittany Dickerson, Paige Mangotic, Nicole Mason) with a score of 67 (-4).  The Co-ed team winners was the Swanton Sports Center (Kevin Ford, Lindsay King, Brandon Walberg, Alyssa Walberg) with a score of 60 (-11).

Click on the link above to access photos from the golf outing. Photos are in the jpeg format to allow for editing and can be downloaded and shared for NO CHARGE courtesy of the fultoncountymedia.com website.

Photo: Team Rukieh

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Thomas Construction & Remodeling (TCR) celebrated the Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony of its new headquarters on Friday, June 12, marking an exciting milestone as the company honors 44 years of craftsmanship, service, and community support.  The event took place from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the company’s new location at 123 N. Main Street in Swanton, with the official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at 12:00 PM.

Community members, business leaders, customers, and partners were invited to attend and enjoyed: ● Ribbon Cutting Ceremony ● Facility Tours and Meet the TCR Team ● Food & Refreshments ● Networking/Employment Opportunities ● Giveaways.  Founded more than four decades ago, Thomas Construction & Remodeling has built a reputation for quality craftsmanship, trusted service, and long-standing community relationships throughout Northwest Ohio.

“This new headquarters represents more than just a building; it reflects the relationships, trust, and support we’ve received from the community over the past 44 years,” said Seth Thomas, owner.  We’re excited to celebrate this milestone and continue building the future together.”  The company’s grand opening theme, “Building the Future,” reflects both its continued growth and commitment to serving homeowners and businesses for generations to come.

For more information, visit http://www.thomasconstructionandremodeling.com or call 419-825-9902

Click on the link above to access photos from the event. Photos are in the jpeg format to allow for editing and can be downloaded and shared for NO CHARGE courtesy of the Swanton Area Chamber of Commerce and the fultoncountymedia.com website.

From the desk of NWOAL Publicist, Randy Roberts

The Northwest Ohio Athletic League (NWOAL) is pleased to announce the appointment of Diana Savage as its newest Co-Commissioner.

Savage brings a wealth of experience to the role, having served as Superintendent of Bryan City Schools for 12 years and accumulating more than 20 years of experience in educational leadership and school administration. Throughout her career, she has played a significant role in overseeing school operations and supporting athletic events and tournaments.

A longtime supporter of NWOAL athletics, Savage has served as the league’s wrestling tournament manager for more than 10 years and also brings previous coaching experience within the league. Her extensive knowledge of education and athletics, combined with her strong communication skills, make her well-positioned to help lead the NWOAL into the future.

“I am incredibly honored to serve as the next Co-Commissioner of the Northwest Ohio Athletic League,” said Savage. “The NWOAL has a long and proud tradition of excellence, and I am excited to work alongside our member schools to continue building on that legacy.”

As Co-Commissioner, Savage will work closely with the league’s athletic directors, support student-athletes, and help establish goals that will allow the NWOAL to continue growing and building upon its proud tradition of excellence.

“I look forward to collaborating with our administrators, coaches, student-athletes, officials, and communities to ensure the NWOAL remains a model for excellence both on and off the field,” added Savage. “Together, we will honor the league’s rich history while continuing to create meaningful opportunities for the students, schools, and communities that we serve.”

The NWOAL looks forward to Diana’s leadership and contributions as the league continues to provide outstanding opportunities for its member schools and student-athletes.

“Throughout my career, I have seen firsthand the positive impact that athletics can provide to students of all ages,” closed Savage. “The lessons learned through competition—teamwork, leadership, resilience, and sportsmanship—help shape students long after their playing days are over.”

Savage replaces Paul Yunker, who spent one year as commissioner. Yunker returned to school as he assumed the position of Athletic Director at Swanton.

Photo: Diana Savage

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On a comfortably warm Saturday evening in the Downtown Swanton DORA (Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area), the Swanton Area Chamber of Commerce hosted its first Block Party of the summer season.  Benfield Wines and Hub’s were happy to serve a long list of beverages and food trucks, Hot Dogs 2 Go and Madeline’s Smokehouse, were on hand to satisfy everyone’s appetite.  With “Kall Me Kendall” rocking the crowd of an estimated 300 people, it was a perfect time to kick back with family and friends and enjoy a great night in Smalltown America as we approach our nation’s 250^th birthday.

As explained by the Chamber’s Executive Director, Delray Busch, “These events are presented by the Swanton Area Chamber of Commerce, Benfield Wines, and Hub’s.  A huge thank you to Benfield Wines and Hub’s for being such strong partners and helping make these downtown nights possible. I also want to thank our 2026 Block Party sponsors:  Skye’s Heating & Cooling for sponsoring the bounce house in memory of his beautiful daughter, Skyler, Swanton Corn Festival for their major sponsorship and making these events possible, Roth Plumbing, MSS Mastin Site Services, Tri County Block & Brick, and Tony at Ballas Chevrolet.  Because of their support, we are able to keep this event free for the community and bring people downtown to support our local businesses. We are so grateful for everyone who shows up, sponsors, volunteers, performs, serves food, and helps make Swanton feel like home.”

Four more 2026 Block Parties remain, July 18^th, August 15^th, September 12^th and October 3^rd.  All dates are on Saturday and the times are from 6:00 PM until 9:00 PM.

Click on the link above to access photos from the block party. Photos are in the peg format to allow for editing and can be downloaded for NO CHARGE courtesy of the fultoncountymedia.com website.

Photo: “Kall Me Kendall” blasts music into the Swanton DORA

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The Swanton Area Chamber of Commerce is excited to celebrate a new chapter for a long-standing local favorite, PizzAroma. On Wednesday, June 3 at 4:00 PM at the PizzAroma Swanton location, a Ribbon Cutting was held with family, friends, staff employees and others to celebrate Michelle and Chad Doyle’s ownership of all three PizzAroma locations, including Swanton, Maumee, and Holland.

For more than 15 years, PizzAroma has been a familiar favorite in the Northwest Ohio community, known for its great pizza, loyal customers, and local staff. Under Michelle and Chad’s ownership, customers can expect the same recipes, same great staff, and the same flavors they already know and love, with a few fresh ideas coming in the future. The team is keeping customer favorites like the sauce, dough, and classic menu items consistent, while also looking ahead to fun additions like specialty pizzas and pizza-of-the-month features.

Congratulations to Michelle and Chad Doyle and the entire PizzAroma team. We are excited to celebrate this next chapter with you and continue supporting a business that has been part of so many Swanton family dinners, team parties, quick lunches, and community memories.

PizzAroma Swanton is located at 133 E Airport Highway, in the strip mall next to the Goodwill Store.  Their phone number is 419-704-5945.

Photo: New owners Michelle and Chad Doyle cut the ribbon on their new and exciting venture

The recipient of the 2026 Swanton Lions Club Academic Scholarship is Hailey Frosch who graduated from Swanton High School this past May 17^th.  Hailey’s submitted application and resume showed her to be an outstanding and well-deserved candidate with high academic achievements and an incredible list of extracurricular activities, including many community service commitments.  With her application, an essay on Hailey’s efforts and experiences involving community service was required.  The essay read:

The word “service” is a complex word for many people.  Serving others can seem daunting or belittling to some people, but to me, it is the simplest way I can improve the world around me.  In everything I do, I try to serve others.  When high school started, I had a great desire to help my community in every way I could.  It started through the student council and my dream of becoming a doctor, but then it turned into something I try to accomplish every single day.  Whether through clubs based on community service, such as the National Honor Society or INTERACT, where I completed over 70 hours of community service yearly or something as simple as holding the door open for somebody, serving my community is something I pride myself on.

Even now, four years later and a senior in high school, I still hold service as one of my personal pillars.  I am involved with as many service projects as I can be.  I spend my free time working on different teams to improve student life at Swanton High School, as well as keeping the school as safe as I can.  I also volunteer with my church regularly as a children’s church teacher and a member of the Praise Team.

One of my favorite things about the groups I participate in is that the aren’t just things I have to balance; they are ways I can give back.  I love spending time with others and serving as someone who can raise the voices of others around me, I realize that I have privilege when it comes to certain things in life, and I use it to make a positive impact.

 I also dedicate a lot of my time to help take care of my great-grandparents, who have adopted me.  I chop wood for the fire, work to support us financially, do the dishes and laundry whenever I can, as they have a semi-difficult time maneuvering around our house.  I won’t say that it has been an easy task, as balancing service and all of my personal goals is definitely a challenge, but I won’t sacrifice one for the other.

Serving others has been built into my life through various circumstances, and it is one of the few things that I hope to never lose.  I truly love serving others with my whole heart and I want to continue serving others in the medical field as a missionary in my future.  I also hope to continue participating in Rotary groups throughout my college career.  Overall, service is a beautiful thing and I want my passion for it to inspire others to serve their communities as well.

Hailey has chosen to attend The Ohio State University to major in Cellular Biology on a Pre-medical track.

Photo: Hailey Frosch receives a scholarship check for $1,000 from Swanton Lions Secretary Holly Lawson