Fulton County Ohio Media

The Athletic Department of Swanton Local Schools has sent a letter to local businesses soliciting for donations as part of an effort to raise funds to finance the construction of a baseball/softball complex on the grounds of the high school.  There are 11 Donation Support Tiers ranging from $100 to $250,000 with naming considerations attached to each tier.  The letter reads as follows:

To Whom It May Concern:

As part of the Swanton community and surrounding area, we wanted you to know about exciting things happening at Swanton Local Schools, in particular with our sports facilities.

Since 1939, the Swanton Bulldogs’ home baseball field, located in Memorial Park in Swanton, OH, has been owned by the Village of Swanton.  Set nestled between a WWI Monument, Main Street, Swan Creek and a playground, the surrounding environment creates an unmistakable ambiance.  This vintage atmosphere, however, has created problems.  In twenty-five years, there has been minimal upgrades due to funding priorities within the Village park expenses.  The baseball and softball fields are in dire need of upgrades, such as infield tiling and rebuilding of mounds, dugouts and bullpens.  In addition, the park setting creates sometimes dangerous obstacles, particularly in regard to handicap accessibility and lack of parking space.

As you may be aware, it has been the goal of Swanton Local Schools Administration to, one day, get all facilities on a centralized campus.  We have started a fund to build our own baseball and softball complex on the high school campus, bringing all sports facilities used by Swanton High School into one location.  We have decided to apply for several grants in addition to the fund to help us bring this dream to fruition.  We are asking interested parties to donate to this worthy cause.  Any type of donation would be greatly appreciated.  We are asking local businesses to lend a hand in making our dream a reality by either sponsoring a part of our project, donating an amount of your choice to our field complex fund, or donating building materials or labor toward the project.

We hope you are just as excited for our new adventure as we are.  We would love to set up a time to discuss your potential sponsorship of our project and answer any questions that you may have.  Please contact the Board of Education at 419-826-7085 to set up a time to meet with our team.  If you like to donate directly, checks can be made out to Swanton Local Schools with “Baseball and Softball Complex in the memo line and dropped off or mailed to the Swanton Board of Education, 108 N. main St., Swanton, OH 43558.

Thank you for your consideration in supporting Swanton Athletics.  We look forward to partnering with you.

Sincerely,

Swanton Baseball & Softball Complex Committee

Chris Lake (Swanton Superintendent), Wade Haselman (Swanton Athletic Director), Joshua Siewert (Swanton Head Baseball Coach), Becky O’Shea (Swanton Teacher and Parent), Amy Remer (Swanton Community Member and Parent)

Amy Lawson, Swanton High School Class of 2021, has been awarded a $1,000 college scholarship from the Swanton Chapter of Lions Club International.  The primary criteria for consideration are community service and high school grade point average (GPA) along with other smaller factors.

Amy was a member of the Swanton Leos Club, a Lions Club youth organization, through all of middle school and high school.  She was able to complete over 400 hours of community service in the Swanton area and other parts of Northwest Ohio.  “Community service brings a sense of togetherness and a bond to the people around us.  It brings people of all backgrounds in a community together for one common goal; to make the community better for everyone,” she explained in her essay that was submitted with the scholarship application.

In the classroom, Amy was an outstanding student, achieving a 3.9 overall GPA and garnering top-level honors for 11 quarters, scored high on all state tests and received the Teacher’s Award for Physics and Government.

Her performance in extra-curricular activities was equally impressive.  Playing the trombone, Amy was a member of the Marching, Concert and Pep band all four years of high school, serving as a section leader for three years.  She also played softball for the Lady Bulldogs and was on the bowling team every season. 

Amy’s career as a bowling Lady Bulldog was legendary.  She was First Team All Northwest Ohio Athletic League (NWOAL) three consecutive years after being named to the Second Team as a freshman.  As a sophomore, Amy won the NWOAL Tournament Individual Championship and, as a senior, helped lead her team to the NWOAL Tournament Team Championship.

Ms. Lawson will be attending Bowling Green State University (BGSU) this Fall and will major in Adolescent Earth Science Education.  She plans on becoming a teacher upon graduation.

Pictured:  Swanton Lion Past President Richard Notestine presents a $1,000 scholarship check to Amy Lawson

The Defiance College baseball program has added recent Delta High School graduate Hunter Hamilton to its list of incoming talented recruits for the 2021-2022 academic school year.  Hunter manned the shortstop position for the Panthers the past three seasons after playing third base during his freshman year.

He waited until about one month after the high school baseball season to make his decision on which college to attend to continue his education and baseball career. “They really sold me.  I like the culture they have over there and I think I can help them out,” said Hunter, explaining his reason to become a Yellow Jacket baseball player.

This summer, to help prepare for competition at the collegiate level, Hunter is playing American Legion baseball for the perineal state Legion powerhouse, Napoleon River Bandits.  The Bandits have just returned from a tournament in Minnesota where they won four games and lost just one.

In the classroom, Hunter will be majoring in Education with a minor in Sports Management with the end goal of becoming an athletic director.

Pictured:  Hunter Hamilton signs with Defiance College alongside mother Roxann and father Brian

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Click on the link above to access the photos. This Google Photos folder has photos from different parts of the festival including some of the baseball tournament, basketball competition, bands and rides. Any or all photos may be downloaded onto your computer for no cost.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/yztrjGHKM3AcoE5q7

Click on the link above to open the file in Google Photos. Any or all photos may be downloaded to your computer at no cost. Photos from the rest of the festival will be available soon.

What may be unprecedented in the history of Swanton politics, a grass roots movement took seed just less than a year ago, organized by Swanton citizens and local business owners, as a response to a Village Council that was too often unresponsive to the concerns and needs of the Swanton community.  This is a Village Council whose all six members gained their position by either running unopposed or being appointed and voted to strip the mayor, who did actually defeat an opponent and was truly a choice of the people, of most of his authority, his voice and his influence. 

However, we need to be honest with ourselves.  The good people of Swanton bear some of the responsibility for allowing certain Council members, who do not have the best interest of the Village at heart, to occupy those seats of power.  No one stepped up to challenge them.  But those days look to be over if this well-organized and committed group of community activists are successful in educating the voters on the real issues and provides them qualified choices at the ballot box.  All indications are that the citizens of Swanton have awakened.

With four Council seats up for reelection this November, this group is petitioning to place four candidates, Derek Kania, Sam Disbrow, Patrick Messenger and Mikey Disbrow on the ballot to help bring the Village of Swanton forward as a community with a focus on economic development and transparency in government.  There are also two petitions being circulated that will create ordinances to establish an all-volunteer Economic Development Commission (EDC) as an advisory board to the Council and to make the live-streaming of Council meetings available to the public.

At a recent petition signing event sponsored by Benfield Wines on Main Street, a large number of voters showed up to sign all six of the petitions which will eventually allow them more control in November over how the Village is run and how their lives are affected.  “I think it’s time for change,” said long-time Swanton resident and military veteran Rick Maynhart who attended the event.  “This whole community has been stifled the last two years.  We need to move forward, not backward.” 

Mr. Maynhart’s sentiment was echoed by Tara Shaver who lives and works on Main Street. “I think it’s important for us to be embracing change right now within the Swanton community.  We’ve had so much positive change,” said Ms. Shaver referring to the increase in downtown economic activity generated in large part by the Swanton Small Business Group and the Swanton Chamber of Commerce.  “There’s a lot more that could be done if we had some open minds and updated opinions.”

What might help the stimulate the local economy and expand the tax base to help counter rising costs would be an EDC as mandated by the voters on one ordinance petition, not the Council, which would work to bring in new businesses into the Swanton community.  The second ordinance petition, the live-streaming of Council meetings, would allow all citizens to view Council proceedings and ensure their concerns, interests and overall welfare was being taken into consideration by Village officials.

“We are circulating the petitions in order to give our residents a chance and a voice as to how things are run within the Village Council and the Village,” said Swanton resident and Federal employee John Schmidt who is spearheading the committee working on the two ordinance petitions.  “Council refuses to have an economic development commission.  The Mayor, Neil (Toeppe), has advocated for that for a number of years.  They continue to refuse and they will not video live-stream Council meetings.  We want to see it where everybody has the opportunity to participate including the elderly and disabled.”

If all six petitions make it on the ballot it will then be up to the people of Swanton to go to the polls and vote their conscience as it represents the changes they support.  Just as important will be for unregistered voters to register and exercise their right to help shape how they will be governed.  August 4, 2021 at 4:00 PM is the deadline for all petitions to be filed.  After that, the voters of Swanton will decide their future.

Pictured:  John Schmidt (center) discusses Village petitions with Council candidate Derek Kania (left) and resident Rick Maynhart (right)

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Any or all photos can be downloaded to your computer at no cost. Start by clicking on the link above.

At the final June Swanton Village Council meeting, Village Administrator Rosanna Hoelzle presented Council three differently configured playground options that would be included in the Memorial Park Master Plan upgrade.  Ms. Hoelzle and Village Finance Director Jennifer Harkey have been working with DWA Recreation Works on playground equipment and layouts that will replace the equipment currently in Memorial Park.

“One of the things we really wanted to ensure that we encompass was the ability for all ages to enjoy it.  That was, for me, the most important.  I want anybody and everybody to be able to use this park, whether you have a disability, whether you’re in a wheelchair, whatever.” remarked Ms. Hoelzle.  “You will be able to come and enjoy ‘your’ park.”

There will be two separate sections for the playground equipment, a larger area for the older children and a smaller area for the younger children.  The overall area encompassing the playground equipment will be more condensed than the current layout, a security measure allowing parents and guardians to simultaneously stay within close proximity to both age groups.

The Village is conducting a public survey to assess what option the community prefers.  The survey can be found on the Village’s website under ‘Announcements’.  Based on which option is ultimately chosen, the estimated cost of the larger section will be $150,000 TO $175,000 and the small section will range between $40,000 and $50,000.  The project is expected to be completed sometime in 2022 following the completion of the drainage project slated for the northwest flood-prone portion of the park.

Pictured:  Swanton Village Administrator presents Memorial Park playground options to Council.

Generally regarded as the one of the best fireworks display in Northwest Ohio, big city or small town, the Village of Swanton had the bombs bursting in air on Saturday night after cancelling the 2020 show to help mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus.  Once again, as in past years, the Village turned into one big tailgate party as vehicles and their passengers, many from surrounding communities as well as Swanton, filled the grounds around Swanton High School, empty fields, front yards, back yards and the sides of many roads trying to position themselves for the best view of the pyrotechnic extravaganza.  Great job by the Village Administration and Swanton’s Police and Fire Departments and a great way to celebrate America’s 245^th birthday. Click on the link and check out the photos.

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The Village of Swanton is giving residents a unique opportunity to learn much more about the management of the Village through a program called the Swanton Civic Engagement Academy (SCEA).  Anyone interested in this program is encouraged to apply through the Village’s website or call 419-826-9515 for more information.  Details of the SCEA program provided by the Village are below:

Swanton Civic Engagement Academy participants will learn about the many responsibilities and functions of their local government, the relationships between Village Departments and Divisions and the community, and how services are provided.  The Academy’s goal is to educate the public through interactive sessions, increase awareness about what their local government does for them, and provide an inside look into government operations.

To apply for the Civic Engagement Academy program, you must:  Be at least 18 years of age.  Be able to attend seven classroom-style sessions for two hours (6:00-8:00 p.m.) per week from August-October.  Have an interest in learning more about your local government. 

There is no cost to attend.  The program is limited to 15 participants who will be selected based on the order in which applications are received.  The seven classes will be held in the Swanton Community Center located at 217 Chestnut Street, adjacent to the Swanton Municipal Office Building and are scheduled as follows:

August 26, 2021 – The Structure and Roles of Swanton Village Government

September 2, 2021 – Budgeting, Finance, and Governmental Accounting

September 9, 2021 – The Art of Community Development: Planning, Zoning, Code Enforcement

September 16, 2021 – Fire and Emergency Medical Services

September 23, 2021 – Police Services, Prosecutorial Services, Village Solicitor

September 30, 2021 – Water Treatment and Water Resource Recovery

October 7, 2021 – Public Service

October 12, 2021 – Certificate in Village of Swanton Governmentology during Village Council Meeting