Fulton County Ohio Media

At the beginning of tonight’s Swanton Village Council meeting, Mayor Neil Toeppe made the following statement:

I want to make my position regarding Administrator Shannon Shulters very clear. I have the utmost confidence in Shannon’s ability to lead and manage the day-to-day operations of the Village. For more than four years, I have had the opportunity to work closely with her and have seen firsthand her commitment to this community, her professionalism, and her willingness to devote significant personal time to the advancement of the Village.

During that time, Shannon has strengthened our administrative team, improved the operation of our departments, taken on difficult and complex projects, and helped build an organization that I believe is second to none for a community our size. Her knowledge, experience, work ethic, and commitment are valuable assets to the Village.

After discussions regarding her decision to resign, Shannon and I have reached an understanding that she will remain as Village Administrator.

Her decision to stay does not mean that we simply return to business as usual. She has appropriately identified several areas that need attention if we are going to make this position sustainable for the long term. Those include maintaining a clear administrative chain of command, establishing appropriate expectations for Council and committee meetings, supporting the transition of our new Fiscal Officer, improving communication, and establishing reasonable boundaries around the Administrator’s workload and personal time.
Over the next six months, Shannon and I will work with Council to reassess and evaluate how our administrative structure and working relationships are functioning. This is an opportunity to establish greater clarity, better communication, and a stronger understanding of the respective roles of Council, the Mayor, the Administrator, and our department heads.

Council has an important role in establishing policy and providing legislative oversight. The Administrator has an important role in managing the day-to-day operations of the Village. Those roles are complementary, and the Village is best served when they work together with mutual respect, clear communication, and a common understanding of their responsibilities.

My expectation—and my hope—is that this next six-month period will result in a stronger, healthier, and more productive working relationship between Council and the administration. Most importantly, I believe Shannon wants to continue serving this community, and I believe the Village is better because she has chosen to stay. She has made it clear that she is willing to continue giving the Village her leadership, experience, work ethic, and commitment. Our responsibility now is to create an environment in which she can do that effectively and sustainably.

I believe we have an opportunity here—not simply to resolve a personnel issue, but to strengthen the way our Village government works for the benefit of the entire community.

Following the Council meeting and the subsequent Executive Session, Ms. Shulters issued the following statement:

“After careful consideration, I have formally withdrawn my resignation as Village Administrator for the Village of Swanton. My decision to withdraw my resignation is rooted largely in my loyalty and commitment to the leadership team we have built and to the Village as a whole. We have a strong team in place that works well together, and there are important responsibilities and initiatives currently underway that I believe deserve continuity in leadership. I am committed to seeing our team through the upcoming budgeting process, supporting the transition within our fiscal operations, and ensuring that other outstanding projects and priorities are brought to completion. As Fiscal Officer Elmore continues to grow and become established within her new role, I will remain actively involved in providing the support, institutional knowledge, and leadership necessary to ensure a smooth transition. Establishing stability within the fiscal office and successfully navigating the budgeting process are priorities for both the administration and the Village.

The concerns and time constraints I previously expressed remain important. Mayor Toeppe and I have had productive conversations regarding those concerns and will continue working together to ensure those boundaries are respected while maintaining the needs and responsibilities of the Village. A majority of those considerations will naturally evolve as Fiscal Officer Elmore becomes more established and independent within her position. I have a great deal of respect and loyalty toward the employees and leadership team who continue to show up and serve this community every day. Ultimately, I believe withdrawing my resignation is the right decision for the continuity of our team and for the Village of Swanton at this time. My focus remains on supporting our employees, completing the work currently before us, strengthening the transition within the fiscal office, and continuing to move the Village forward.’’

Photo: Village Administrator Shannon Shulters

https://photos.app.goo.gl/CQoKptEcNVHLQhB36

Click on the link above to access the photos of the Swanton Marching Band and Cheerleaders from the football game at North Central High School. 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.

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Swanton placekicker Brenden Upham drilled an extra-point kick over the defensive line, through the thickening fog and between the uprights to give the Bulldogs heart-stopping 13-12 victory over the North Central Eagles on their home field in Pioneer, Ohio.  The win ended almost four years of frustration, disappointment and unrewarded effort, that had festered into a school record 37-game losing streak, the longest running streak in the state of Ohio at the conclusion of the 2025 season.

“I need to get it,” said Upham after the game, relating what was going through his mind before the attempt.  “It was a lot of pressure but I felt like I let down my teammates in the first and second quarter,” he added, referring to one blocked and one missed long field goal attempt earlier.  But this kick was true and the entire bench and Swanton student body stormed the field to celebrate the long-awaited win and the end of the agonizing victory drought.

The Bulldogs had almost no offense in the first half.  However, their defense was tight, allowing only a touchdown pass on a broken coverage that gave the Eagles a 6-0 lead at halftime.  Early in the second half, following a North Central fumbled snap while attempting a punt deep in their own territory, Swanton took over the ball at the Eagle’s 21-yard line.  Two running plays culminated in Lucas Fray stretching out over the goal line as he was being tackled to tie the game at 6-6 after the PAT was blocked.

Swanton tightened down on Central’s offense the rest of the half, keeping the Eagles from creating any real scoring opportunities.  The Bulldogs were also unable to put any points on the board, missing two field goals, and the game went into overtime.

The coin flip was won by Swanton and they chose to play defense first.  With the ball placed at the 20-yard line to start the OT, the Eagles put together a seven-play drive, scoring on a reverse running play.  Central attempted a two-point conversion but failed and led 12-6 with the Bulldog offense coming on the field with a chance to tie or win the game.

Facing a third down and 11 yards to go from the 21, quarterback Dennis Robinson found Julian Ramirez behind the Eagle’s secondary and hit him with a strike in the end zone for the tying score.  Upham, also a standout on the Bulldogs soccer team, put the kick over the crossbar, giving Swanton their first football victory since the third game of the 2022 season.

“Thirty-seven games is a long time to wait for a win.  But these kids bought into what we have been doing all summer.  They believed in themselves, fought to the very end and they pulled it out,” said first-year Coach Matt Horen.  “I commend Upham on that, the kicker, too.  We had missed a couple earlier in the game and for him to just walk in and everybody to get a good snap and get that thing down was awesome.”

The Bulldogs will return home for their next game against the Montpelier Locomotives, who also won their game last Thursday night to open the season.  It will be Senior Night for all the Swanton Fall sports teams.  Kickoff is 7:00 PM.

Click on the link above to access over 400 photos from the game. Photos are in the jpeg format to allow for editing and can be downloaded and shared for NO CARE courtesy of the fultoncountymedia.com website.

Photo: Bulldog Lucas Fray reaches the football back into the end zone for a Swanton touchdown

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The game wasn’t over before it started as it is sometime suggested in a blowout, but if you were five minutes late to your seat for the Swanton vs Rossford boys’ soccer match, the game was essentially over for you.  Swanton’s Brandon Upham scored in the first minute of the match and Eli Bolyard kicked in two of his four goals within the next two minutes and the rout was on as the hometown Swanton Bulldogs defeated the visiting Rossford Bulldogs 13-2.

Colby Sharrit matched Eli Bolyard’s four goals in the match.  Brendan Upham had three scores and Evan Reinhard and Jackson Rico had one goal each.  Rico also had two assists as did Landon Bolyard and Eli Bolyard added one assist.  The win evens Swanton’s record on the season to 1-1.  They will entertain the Whitmer Panther this afternoon at 4:30 PM.

Click on the link above to access photos from the match. 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: Colby Sharrit drives one past the Rossford goalie for one his four scores on the day

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A young Swanton Lady Bulldog soccer team opened the 2026 season at home against a very talented Rossford Lady Bulldog team and fell to the visitors 11-0.

Click on the link above to access photos from the match. 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.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/9ypMwJakLESr4hLV9

On Saturday morning, Tri-County Block & Brick, located in Swanton, held its annual golf outing at White Pines Golf Course to help raise funds for Courageous Community Services (CCS) in Whitehouse. Approximately 30 four-man teams competed in a best ball scramble. The event raised over $14,000 for the cause.

Since 1963 CCS, formerly known as Camp Courageous, has provided meaningful, inclusive opportunities for individuals with disabilities and their families through advocacy, education, and engaging recreational experiences while serving Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan.

Click on the link above to access photos from the 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

Delta High School senior Lane Lopez fired a school record 70 at White Pines Golf Course yesterday and his fellow golfers followed suit, combining for a team record 306 in an 18-hole tri-match against Fayette and Hilltop high schools.  The double record-setting performance led to a very easy 68-stroke victory over Fayette’s 374 and 108 strokes better than Hilltop’s 414.

In addition to the 70 shot by Lopez, Keegan Clapp had a 74, Brady Kile fired a 79, Luke Spiess with an 83, Dylan Funk finished with a 94 and Sullivan O’Brien came in with a 106. Congratulations Boys Golf Team and Coach Bob Schrock!

Photo: Lane Lopez is congratulated by Coach Bob Schrock for his score of 70. The 2026 Delta Panthers broke the school record with a 306

Earlier this year, the Shortland family of four from the United Kingdom (UK), England to be specific, travelled to America to experience the United States in a very up close and personal way.  Recently, they, husband Tom, wife Ros and boys, Lawrie, who is 10, and Wilfy, who is 4, stopped in the very welcoming community of Fayette in Fulton County Ohio.  They are an obviously adventurous family as Tom explains in his own words below:

We are from the south west of the UK in Devon but migrated to Portugal for a better quality of life for our oldest son in 2019.  Since we moved to Portugal, we have had another son and connected with so many people, travelled all the way up to Norway again, spent last winter in Sri Lanka then came up with the crazy idea of buying an RV in the USA and hitting the road with no real plan.  So far everything is working out great and we have fallen in love with the USA. We hope one day to be able to legally move here.  Specifically, to northern Idaho.  We absolutely love it up there!

So far on this trip we have travelled more than 8,000 miles through 18 states, visiting cities, small towns and communities across the country. We have met some wonderful people along the way, but after spending a few days in Fayette we felt we had to tell someone locally just how much this little village has stood out.

We originally came to Fayette because Mayor Dave Borer had added an overnight RV stop in the village through Harvest Hosts.  Fayette was somewhere we might otherwise have simply driven past, but we enjoyed it so much that we decided to stay another night.  The following day we met Dave and his wife Mary, who immediately made us feel welcome and gave us lots of suggestions for places to visit locally.

That evening, severe weather moved into the area and tornado warnings started appearing on our phones. Coming from the UK, tornadoes are not something we have much experience with, particularly while living in an RV.  We texted Dave to ask what we should do.  He came straight over.

Dave drove ahead of our RV and personally showed us the way to a local church, where we sheltered safely in the basement with around a dozen members of the community.  A lady at the church, whose name, unfortunately, we didn’t get, immediately made sure everyone was comfortable. She found pencils and pens for the boys to draw with and did a wonderful job of keeping everyone calm and in good spirits.

Dave was outside with the Fire Chief during the storm and, once the all-clear had been given, came back to the church to check that everybody was okay.  We already thought that was an extraordinary way to treat a visiting family, but the kindness continued the next day.

Mary had recommended a nearby thrift store where our four-year-old Wilfy found a child’s fire chief costume. Naturally, he wore it for the rest of the day.  Later we visited Normal Memorial Library. The staff were incredibly welcoming, the head librarian gave the boys dinosaur activity packs, and they spent a brilliant time playing with LEGO, looking through Minecraft books and reading in the children’s library.

Mary happened to come into the library and saw Wilfy dressed as a fire chief. She said she would try to find him a fireman’s hat. We told her not to go to any trouble.  About thirty minutes later she came back with fire-themed gifts and fire helmets for both boys.

Mary also suggested that we visit the Fayette Fire Department.  After lunch we went down and were given a fantastic tour. The firefighters showed the boys around, explained how everything worked and let them sit inside the fire engines.

The Police Chief then came down and let Lawrie hold a riot shield, sit inside his police pickup and turn on the sirens.  The Fire Chief also came to meet us and was wonderful with Wilfy, who was still proudly dressed in his little fire chief outfit. Before we left, he even gave the boys a fire-themed water pistol.

After travelling more than 8,000 miles around America, what struck us about Fayette was that it wasn’t simply one or two people being friendly. It seemed to be everybody.  People wave as you pass. The park and splash pad are lovely. The library is fantastic. We enjoyed the local pizza. The police and fire departments were incredibly welcoming and proud to show the boys what they do.

Dave’s decision to put Fayette on Harvest Hosts also seems like a brilliant example of how a small community can encourage travellers to stop rather than simply drive through.  It certainly worked with us.  We arrived looking for somewhere to spend the night. We stayed longer, used local businesses, explored the village, met the people who live there and are leaving with a genuine affection for Fayette.  After 18 states, it takes something pretty special for a small village to stand out this much.

Photo: The Shortland Family – Tom, Larrie, Wilfy and Ros

At last Monday’s Swanton Village Council meeting, Mayor Neil Toeppe read the following statement, challenging the Council to focus on “Fiscal Responsibility” and provided the members with an expanded definition of the term as it relates to the Village and the obligations of their position.  Mayor Toeppe’s full statement is below:

Fiscal Responsibility: More Than Cutting Costs

This Council has rightly focused on the importance of operating the Village within our means.  At the same time, we have a responsibility to continue providing the services our residents expect and, in some cases, to meet unfunded mandates that place additional pressure on our reserves.  Fortunately, many of those major unfunded obligations have now been addressed.  We are in a position to begin rebuilding our reserves while continuing to provide essential services. We have accomplished this without borrowing, issuing bonds, or increasing taxes.

But fiscal responsibility is about more than controlling expenditures.  It is also about growing the economic base that supports the services our residents expect.  Over the past several years, the Village has taken important steps in that direction.

After a three-year process, we have finalized the annexation of the remaining 30-plus acres of developable land into the Village. Combined with land already available, we now have more than 200 acres with potential for industrial and economic development.  We have also established a Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) to make Swanton more competitive in attracting industrial and residential investment.  These actions are not simply about development. They are about the long-term fiscal health of the Village.

There are essentially two sides to fiscal responsibility:  1. Live within our means.  Control expenditures, prioritize services, manage debt responsibly, and protect our reserves.  2. Grow our means.  Expand the tax base, attract investment, encourage development, and create opportunities for future economic growth.  We cannot successfully focus on only one side of that equation.

This brings me to a challenge for Council:  What is your collective vision for the economic future of Swanton?  It is not enough to say that we need to reduce spending. Council also needs to identify where it wants the Village to go and what policies it is prepared to support to get us there.  There is an old saying: “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you there.”

Council sets the direction of the Village through its legislative actions. The administration is responsible for implementing that direction.  That becomes difficult when the administration knows what Council wants to avoid but does not know what Council collectively wants to accomplish.

To date, we have heard a great deal about operating within our means. That is important and necessary. But we have not yet seen a clearly articulated, collective vision for growing the economic base of the Village.  And Council should recognize that it already has a powerful role in shaping that future: Council approves the budget under which the administration operates.

So, the question is not whether Swanton should be fiscally responsible. We all agree that it should.  The question is whether fiscal responsibility will be defined solely as spending less—or whether it will also include creating the conditions that allow Swanton to generate more.  I challenge this Council to develop and articulate a collective vision for economic growth.

A Possible Council Vision Statement.  I think Council could ultimately work toward something as simple as:

“Our vision is to make Swanton a financially strong, economically vibrant, safe, attractive, and connected community—one that responsibly invests in its infrastructure, supports its residents and businesses, protects its quality of life, and creates opportunities for the next generation.”

The bigger question for Council.  I would challenge Council to move the conversation from:  “What can we afford to do?” to: “What do we want Swanton to become, and what will it take to get there?”  Then the financial question becomes:  “How do we responsibly fund that vision?”  That distinction is important. A budget tells you what you can do this year. A vision tells you what you are trying to accomplish over the next 10–15 years.

Tell the administration—and more importantly, tell the residents of Swanton—where you want this Village to be five, ten, and twenty years from now.  We have worked hard to put the tools in place: developable land, expanded corporate limits, a CRA, responsible financial management, and a strong foundation of municipal services.

Now we need the vision to put those tools to work.  The future of Swanton should not be defined simply by what we can cut.  It should also be defined by what we can build.

Photo: Mayor Toeppe reads his statement to Council

Swanton Village Councilman Deacon Dzierzawski, recently accused of micromanaging the Village Administration by several individuals, was called to task by fellow Councilman John Schmidt for similar issues during Monday night’s emotionally-charged and tension-filled Village Council meeting.  Mr. Dzierzawski’s demands on the previous Fiscal Officer Holden Benfield’s time were given, in part, by Mr. Holden, for his resignation in March of this year.  Similar demands on Village Administrator Shannon Shulters’ time were also given, in part, by Ms. Shulters, for her impending resignation which is scheduled to take effect on August 31^st.

Statements regarding the current state of affairs of the Council were read by Mayor Neil Toeppe, Administrator Shulters, and Councilwoman Westhoven.  Following those statements Mr. Schmidt spoke.  “I have been relatively quiet over the past few months regarding to recent events and comments made in the public gallery.  And I have reached a point where I can no longer maintain that silence,” he said.  Councilman Schmidt then read a prepared statement which is below in its entirety:

“Councilman Dzierzawski’s heavy reliance on the Ohio Municipal League over the Ohio Revised Code, the Ohio Auditor of State and the Ohio Attorney General’s office is misguided, without merit and simply wrong.  The Ohio Municipal League may be experts, but they are NOT the authority.  He has quoted precedent and accepted practice for his actions since winning the election in 2025. I question where “precedent and accepted practice” were established; certainly not here in the Village of Swanton.  Therefore, there can be no existence of “precedent” or “accepted practice” in Swanton.

Nowhere in the Ohio Revised Code does it state or delineate the authority of individual council members.  In fact, the ORC continually refers to the “legislative authority” which is the council body as a whole.  The only exception is the President Pro Tempore, and the duties that member carries out in the absence or incapacitation of the mayor.

Each member of this Council is a representative of the people, chosen by the electors to represent them in matters of legislation and oversight (side note: oversight does NOT mean management; it means supervision or watchful care).  That legislation and oversight happen only at meetings of the village Council.  No individual member has that authority outside Council chambers.  Once a meeting has ended and a member leaves the Council chambers, he or she is John Q. Public, with no more authority than any other citizen of the village, and with the same rights.

I’d offer Councilman during the emotionally charged and tension-filled Village Council meeting this advice:  Stay within the rules outlined in the Ohio Revised Code, the Village Officer’s Handbook, by the Auditor of State and the Attorney General’s office; stay within the boundaries of the Village Council; and raise questions and concerns during meetings of the Council. 

It is no secret that Councilman Dzierzawski’s aggressive and ostentatious nature has created a toxic environment within the village administration.  That environment has been filled with mistrust and apprehension.  He claims it is “absurd” to believe that the resignation of the Fiscal Officer and the Village Administrator can blamed on him or his position or his actions.

Councilman Dzierzawski campaigned last year on a platform of transparency, yet he has not released any emails or documentation he generated or received from any of the village administrative or department heads.

In that regard, I would make a motion that Councilman Dzierzawski release to every member of this Council any and all emails to Village administrative team, safety chiefs and department heads, any handwritten notes of phone conversations, any email responses from them, any reports or any other documentation in his possession regarding budgets, personnel, equipment and or operations before the next meeting of Swanton Village Council scheduled for August 24, 2026.”

Councilman Dave Pilliod spoke next, defending Mr. Dzierzawski’s questions to the Administration during business hours but did not comment on the overall quantity or the hours spent researching for answers.  He did encourage his fellow Council members to try and move past the recent disagreements and work together for the Village’s benefit.

Editor’s Note:  This meeting, like all Swanton government meetings, can be viewed on the Village’s Facebook page. 

Photo: Swanton Village Council (L to R) – Dave Pilliod, John Schmidt, Deacon Dzierawski, Shannon Shulters, Neil Toeppe, Dianne Westhoven, Pat Pilliod, Noah Kreuz