After approving eight pieces of legislation, four ordinances and four resolutions, the Delta Village Council, after a brief discussion, voted to table the ninth and final piece of legislation on the agenda, the first reading of Resolution 22-17. This Resolution authorized the Mayor to execute an employment agreement for economic development services for the Village of Delta.
Language in the Resolution read, in part: The Village of Delta has a vested interest in maintaining an aggressive program promoting economic development and viable growth of the Village. Village Council has considered retaining the part-time services of Brad Peebles to continue serving the Village in the capacity of Economic Development Director.
No salary or conditions of employment were contained in the Resolution.Currently, Mr. Peebles serves as the Village Administrator but is expected to retire at the end of the calendar year.
After the title of the Resolution was read into the record by Director of Finance Stephanie Mossing, a motion to approve was made and seconded. When Mayor Frank Wilton called for any discussion, Councilwoman Lynn Frank said, “I would like to table this at this point in time until after executive session or until the next meeting.”
Law Director Kevin Heban considered Ms. Frank’s request to be an official motion. “The motion to table has to be seconded. The motion to table takes precedent over the motion to approve so, you vote on the motion to table,” explained Mr. Heban.
Ms. Frank further stated she wanted to table the motion until the next meeting so she could discuss it in detail during the executive session. The motion was then seconded by Councilwoman Ashley Todd. Mayor Wilton asked for the roll to be called and the motion passed 5-0. Council voted to go into executive session to discuss personnel issues and the Council meeting was adjourned.
After a first game 25-17 Lady Bulldog win over the Liberty Center Lady Tigers, Senior Katie Floyd, recent Ohio Northern University volleyball commit, opened the second game with 10 consecutive serving scores. She later finished what she started by closing out the game with the final three serves for a 25-8 Swanton victory. The Lady Tigers played well in the final game before falling 25-21, giving the Lady Bulldogs a 3-0 sweep.
Swanton’s win moves their overall match record to 21-2. They now move on to face fellow NWOAL foe the Evergreen Lady Vikings. The match will be played at Fairview High School on Wednesday, 10/19/22, at 7:30 PM.
Note: Swanton Junior Maddie Smith recorded her 300th “Kill” for the season during the match.
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 for NO CHARGE courtesy of the fultoncountymedia.com website.
Pictured below: Katie Floyd serves to Liberty Center
Katie Floyd, a four-sport athlete for the Swanton Lady Bulldogs, has signed a National Letter of Intent to continue her education and athletic career at Ohio Northern University (ONU) where she will play volleyball in the Fall and compete on the track team in the Spring. A four-year starter on the varsity volleyball team, Katie also plays basketball, softball and throws discus and shot in track field events.
“I’m very excited for Katie. She’s been a four-year player for me and for her to get to play a game she loves, I can’t be any happier for her,” said Kyle Boer, long-time Head Volleyball Coach at Swanton. “She’s done a lot for our program. Her game has grown every year. The last two years she played defense in the back row and she has been a force for us in the front row. She has been a big weapon for us. It’s going to be a tough day when we don’t have her anymore.”
In addition to playing for the Lady Bulldogs, Katie has been playing club volleyball in the “off season” and honing her skills since the sixth grade, a choice her father, Scott, says has helped develop her overall ability. “My recommendation is (to play club) for any young girl coming up through the ranks and has a passion for the sport, any sport for that matter. As long as you love it and put in the time and effort, what you put in, you get out,” said Mr. Floyd.
Playing a sport in college is always challenging and playing two sports will be even more so, but Katie also excels in the classroom as evidenced by her membership in the National Honor Society. Like many incoming Freshmen, she is currently undecided about a course of study, but she is happy about choosing ONU and the Lady Polar Bear athletic program.
“The people there are very welcoming and I just had a great experience visiting there,” said Katie explaining her college decision. It’s such a good school and it feels like family there. I’m excited.”
Katie is also very appreciative of her experiences playing for the Lady Bulldogs. “I’ve had a very great coaching staff that has helped me progress my abilities. They always want what is best for me and they have helped me achieve this step in my life,” she said.
Click on the link above to access photos from the signing ceremony. Photos are in the jpeg format to allow for editing and con be downloaded for NO CHARGE courtesy of the fultoncountymedia.com website.
Picture below: Katie Floyd signs with coaches Ryan Boer (left) and Kyle Boer (right). Back Row: Parents Scott and Kim, brother Derek and grandparents Kathy and Hal Yunker
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 for NO CHARGE courtesy of the fultoncountymedia.com website.
Swanton Senior Ethan Hensley drilled a 42-yard field goal with two seconds left in the first half to give the Bulldogs a 10-7 lead heading into the locker room. However, Bryan responded with four second half touchdowns to beat Swanton 35-17.
The Golden Bears, who move to 3-3 in the NWOAL and 5-4 overall, will host the 6-3 Wauseon Indians next Friday. The Bulldogs drop to 0-6 in the league and 1-8 on the year and will travel to Evergreen next Friday to take on the 2-7 Vikings.
Click on the links above to access photos from the game. Photos are in the jpeg format to allow for editing and can be downloaded for NO CHARGE courtesy of the fultoncountymedia.com website.
Pictured: Ethan Hensley connects on a 42-yard field goal attempt as Xander Wiemken holds.
The Swanton High School Marching Bulldogs recognized their 12 Seniors from the Class of 2023 prior to the football game against the Bryan Golden Bears.
Click on the link above to access photos from the ceremony. Photos are in the jpeg format to allow for editing and can be downloaded for NO CHARGE courtesy of the fultoncountymedia.com website.
Following a Public Hearing on the issue, held just before the October 11, 2022, Swanton Village Council meeting, Council approved the first of three readings of Ordinance 2022-XX, creating a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area in Downtown Swanton, Ohio. A Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area or DORA is a specifically designated area that allows patrons over the age of 21 to purchase alcoholic beverages from an establishment and carry them in an open container within a clearly defined area within the City. The motion to approve received four “YES” votes and two “ABSTAINS”. Voting “YES” were Council members Dave Pilliod, Sam Disbrow, Patrick Messenger and Mikey Disbrow. Voting to “ABSTAIN” were Council members Dianne Westhoven and Derek Kania.
Prior to the Public Hearing, where Public testimony was solicited, a notice of the filing of the DORA Application was published in a newspaper of general circulation in the Village of Swanton on October 4, 2022 and October 6, 2022 according the Ohio Revised Code (ORC) Section 4301.82(B)(1-5).
Noted in the language of the Ordinance; approval of the proposed DORA will serve to enhance the experience of the patrons of the business establishments and special events in Downtown Swanton, Ohio.
The following are key provisions in the Ordinance which refer to “Exhibit A” and can be found on the Village of Swanton website under Government/Legislation/Swanton DORA:
Section 3 – In order to ensure public health and safety and in accordance with Section 4301.82(F)(1)(b) of the ORC, the number, spacing, and type of signage designating the DORA boundary shall be similar those set forth on Exhibit A, attached hereto and made a part hereof.
Section 4 – The hours of operation for selling a DORA beverage shall be Sunday through Thursday from 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM and Friday/Saturday from 12:00 PM to 11:00 PM with all DORA beverages to be consumed no later than 12:00 AM in accordance with Section 4301.82(F)(1)(c). The hours of DORA may be subject to modification and/or suspension during special events occurring within the DORA boundaries upon reasonable notice provided by the Chief of Police. Additionally, if during special events, the Chief of Police determines additional law enforcement support is necessary within the DORA boundaries, the cost of the additional law enforcement shall be borne by the special event organizer.
Section 5 – The Public Health and Safety Plan as described in Exhibit A, is hereby approved as meeting the requirements of Section 4301.82(F)(1)(g) of the ORC including the number of personnel needed to carry out the plan shall be determined.
Section 6 – The Sanitation plan that will help maintain the appearance of public health of the area as described in Exhibit A, is hereby approved as meeting the requirements of Section 4301.82(F)(1)(d) of the ORC including the number of personnel needed to carry out the plan shall be determined.
Section 7 – As is required by Section 4301.82(F)(1)(g) of the ORC, beer and intoxicating liquor shall only be served in plastic bottles or other non-glass containers, which shall be provided by the qualified permit holders in a readily-identified container as approved by the Village’s Police department.
BOURNDARY MAP OF PROPOSED DORA:
In accordance with the ORC 4301.82(B)(l)(a) and F(l)(a), the boundaries of the DORA are depicted below. The specific boundaries of the DORA, including street addresses, are attached hereto and incorporated herein.
The DORA are approximately 14.15 acres. The map can also be found in Exhibit A in the Swanton DORA Application Addendum. Proposed DORA Boundary – DORA Street Boundary Listing
· The northern boundary of 202 N Main St East the East side of the Alley
· Up the East Side of the alley from Church Street to the South property line of 111 Lincoln Ave.
· To Lincoln Ave south to Zeiter Way
· From Zeiter Way (corner of Lincoln) to the NE corner of the property line of 217 Chestnut St.
· To Chestnut St
· West on Chestnut St to the NW corner of the property line of 108 Chestnut St
· Behind the businesses South to E. St Clair St
· To the SW corner of 116 S Main St and behind the businesses going North behind the Main Street Businesses to the northern boundary of 123 N Main St. to Main St.
· To the Northern boundary of 202 N Main St.
Council discussions to consider the opinions expressed by members of the public during the Public Hearing will take place before a vote is taken on the Second Reading of the Ordinance. That vote is scheduled for the next regularly schedule Council meeting on October 24, 2022.
A video recording of the Public Hearing and the Council meeting that followed can be seen on the Village’s Facebook page.
In the final league match of the season, the Delta Panthers and the Evergreen Vikings each needed a victory to win the NWOAL Boys Soccer Championship, the Panthers outright and the Vikings sharing the title with the Archbold Blue Streaks. Unfortunately for both schools, an exciting and hard fought contest between two highly talented teams finished deadlocked at 0-0 and ended their opportunity to be crowned champions. The tie dropped Delta from first place to second behind Archbold and Evergreen from second place to third behind Delta in the final standings.
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 for NO CHARGE courtesy of the fultoncountymedia.com website.
The Eighth Annual Swanton Fine Art Exhibit (SFAE) and Sale was held last weekend, October 8th and 9th, at Valleywood Golf Club in Swanton as 54 artists from 14 different communities competed for special recognition and prize money in six different fine art categories. Students competed separately in four separate categories.
The winners are listed below. First Place (Blue Ribbon), Second Place (Red Ribbon), Third Place (White Ribbon), Honorable Mention (Purple Ribbon):
ADULT ENTRIES
Acrylic: 1st – Randy Bennett (Rudolph, OH), 2nd – Fred Lang (Perrysburg, OH), 3rd – Randy Bennett (Rudolph, OH), HM – Jennifer Sowders (Fostoria, OH)
Photography: 1st – Jack Myers (Grand Rapids, OH), 2nd – Bill Horvath (Toledo, OH), 3rd – Bill O’Connell (Swanton, OH), HM – Mary Frost (Swanton, OH)
Water Color: 1st – Jennifer Sowders (Fostoria, OH), 2nd – Cody Winter (Riga, MI), 3rd – Cody Winter (Riga, MI), HM – Lucille Smith (Swanton, OH)
Best in Show – Debra Buchanan (Toledo, OH) for Oil Painting titled “Toy Soldiers II”.
People’s Choice – Alexandra Lederman (Swanton, OH) for Oil & 24K Gold Painting titled “Brave Bronco”.
STUDENT ENTRIES
Drawing: 1st – Jordan Deaver (Swanton High School), 2nd – Elyse Renkel (Otsego High School)
Multimedia: 1st – Allena Cosgrove (Wauseon High School)
Painting: 1st – Amanda Byczynski (Swanton High School), 2nd – Riley Bateson (Swanton High School), 3rd – Paige Shiple (Swanton High School)
Photography: 1st – Elyse Renkel (Otsego High School)
Pictured: People’s Choice Award Winner “Brave Bronco” Alexandra Lederman
Click on the link above to access photos from the Exhibit.All photos are in the jpeg format to allow for editing and can be be downloaded for NO CHARGE courtesy of the fultoncountymedia.com website.
In April of 2021, a group of concerned Swanton citizens and business owners met to discuss the issue of a Swanton Village Council heavily populated and led by anti-business and anti-transparency members, most notably, the Council President. With four of six Council seats up for reelection in November, this group began a grassroots effort to find four candidates to challenge the incumbents and bring the Village of Swanton forward through difficult pandemic-related economic hardships. The group was also determined to keep the citizenry as informed as possible by increasing the transparency of their actions, a concept that the sitting Council was vigorously fighting against.
By the time the August deadline for filing with the Fulton County Board of Elections to run for office had arrived, the grassroots effort had produced four candidates, Mikey Disbrow, Sam Disbrow, Derek Kania and Patrick Messenger. Their shared platform was simple in its message, but powerful in its potential impact, Economic Development and Transparency in Government. Unsurprisingly and wisely, the four incumbents chose not to run.
Soon after being sworn in, the 2022 Council, which also included Dave Pilliod and Dianne Westhoven, began to fulfill their promises to the constituency. At their very first Council meeting they modified the Rules of Council to allow individuals the opportunity to address Council without needing to contact the Village Administrator more than four days in advance to be placed on the agenda.
The new Council voted unanimously to live-stream all Village public meetings. Equipment was soon ordered and installed and today anyone, anywhere can watch the meetings on Facebook live or at a more convenient time within the 12 months following each broadcast.
From there, the 2022 Council focused their attention to economic development in an effort to attract more business to Swanton and increase the tax base to ease the tax burden on its citizens while still maintaining strong Village services. Legislation was enacted to form an Economic Development Commission that would serve as an advisory board to the Council and Council members have pledged to work closely with business owners and business leaders to improve the local economy.
Currently, Village officials are working on potentially establishing a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) surrounding the Main Street business district. The DORA concept is designed to expand foot traffic in an area with several types of businesses, not just those that serve alcohol, and to expose and promote all the businesses within.
Technically, no public hearing is required before acting on the DORA legislation. However, this Council has shown it does not intend to do only what it is obligated to do, but what is right for its citizens. A public hearing was conducted and people’s voices and concerns were heard and will being considered.
The Railroad Project, which will consist of a two-tiered observation deck close to the tracks between Chestnut Street and Zeiter Way, is moving along at a faster pace now, with the hope it will also bring people into the downtown area who will patronize local business, downtown and Airport Highway as well.
Obviously, not every decision made by this Council will be popular with the voters. Many decisions, such as the Sewer Separation Projects, are mandated by State and/or Federal Government agencies and others are sometimes painfully necessary. However, judging by the first nine months in session, the 2022 Swanton Village Council has been a strong and productive voice for the people, unlike its predecessor.
Fulton County Ohio Media 