Fulton County Ohio Media

The Ohio Northern University (ONU) Polar Bears football program has officially added Swanton Bulldog senior Lathan Pawlowicz to their list of incoming recruits for the 2022-2023 academic school year.  Lathan signed his National Letter of Intent yesterday in front of family, friends and fellow Bulldog athletes at Swanton High School.

“They’ve been talking to me since my junior year.  The coaches there really believe in me.  Ever since I went to their camp back in May of last year, they knew I was going to be their guy.  That’s what they kept telling me,” said Lathan, explaining his decision to attend ONU.  From his discussions with the Polar Bear coaches, Lathan believes he will be playing the tight end position as they look to expand their passing game.

Moving on to play at the next level allows Lathan to realize a life-long dream.  “Ever since I was a little kid, I wanted to play college football.  It was my dream,” he said. 

When Lathan heads to Ada and the ONU campus this summer, he hopes to reunite with Swanton alumni Xavier Williams who also went to ONU to play football and is still involved with the program.  Lathan plans on majoring in Manufacturing Technology.

Pictured:  Lathan signs with his parents, Dale and Erin, to his right and brother Carson to his left.

In 2009, the Swanton Village Council approved an ordinance establishing a Street Tree Commission.  Ordinance 2009-24 also established planting and maintenance guidelines, laws and penalties for all trees or shrubs within the Village limits on both private and public property.  Work has been done to update and clarify this ordinance to give residents a better understanding of what is expected from tree ownership.

“I have, along with Rosanna (Administrator Hoelzle) and the agreement of the Tree Commission, have drafted a new Tree Ordinance and a new Tree Commission,” said Mayor Neil Toeppe.  “Currently, the Tree Ordinance and the Tree Commission are inextricably intertwined.  My objective is to separate the Ordinance (law) from the Tree Commission (advisory group).  I plan to present this to council in the near future.”

At their March 14^th meeting, Council members also discussed dangerous trees on private property that had been determined by the Tree Commission to be removed or trimmed in the interest of public safety.  In cases where property owners do not comply, the Ordinance gives the Village the legal right to remove the tree(s) and bill the owner.  It also allows the Village to impose a fine equal to the cost of the tree removal.

Under Section Six: PRIVATELY OWNED TREES, Paragraph Three, the Ordinance reads, in part: Should the property owner or occupant fail to comply, it shall be lawful for the Village Administrator or his agent to enter upon the property and cause such action.  The property owner or occupant shall be charged double the cost of the work and cash payment shall be made within thirty days or double the actual cost of the work shall be assessed to their property taxes.

 A situation recently occurred where the Village contracted to have a dangerous tree on private property removed at the cost of $2,500.  Subsequently, the property owner was sent an invoice of $5,000.  In previous Council meetings, the fine was referred to as “excessive” and even “punitive”.

In determining what may be a fair and reasonable fine, Councilwoman Diane Westhoven recommended assessing a fine of five to ten percent of the work cost to cover administrative expenses incurred when managing the issue.  After more discussion, Council voted to levy a 10 percent fine which will be spelled out in the new ordinance.

According to the Nation Fire Protection Association (NFPA), there are approximately 1.1M firefighters today “manning” America’s almost 30,000 firehouses and of those million-plus first responders, only eight percent, or about 88,000 are women.  From that small nation-wide group, the NFPA estimates that only 150 women have been chosen to pin the brass badge of leadership on their uniforms.

In December of 2021, Jessica Geer joined the ranks of that elite group when she was promoted to the position of Fire Chief of the Metamora Amboy Volunteer Fire Department (MAVFD) after serving for three months in that position on an interim basis.  For the American firefighting community, the hiring was rare but not unprecedented.  For Fulton County, however, it was historic.  Jessica, Evergreen High School Class of ’98, a wife, a mother of two, and a 17-year veteran of the MAVFD become the first women appointed to the position of fire chief in the history of Fulton County, Ohio. 

Chief Geer built a solid foundation of education and training followed by years of experience that made her an attractive and qualified candidate for such a post.  She did post-secondary studies at Lourdes University during her Junior and Senior years of high school, received an Associate’s Degree in Physical Therapy from Owens Community College and worked as a Rehab Manager at facilities in Sylvania and Toledo.

Jessica joined the MAVFD as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and many years later was promoted to Assistant EMS Director in 2018.  With that promotion came her desire to become more knowledgeable about the firefighting side of things.  “In that role I have a strong belief that you should have both sides,” she explained.  “If an issue comes from anyone you should be able to field it whether it’s EMS related or fire related.  So, I felt the need to know what the other side was doing.”  The Assistant EMS Director then completed her Volunteer Firefighter training quickly followed by becoming a certified Firefighter I.

In 2021, the Chief of MAVFD was experiencing some medical issues which left him physically unable to perform all the requirements of the job which led to Ms. Geer taking over on an interim basis.  When it was determined the Chief would not be returning, she was offered the position.

Starting a new job always comes with a little apprehension and when that job suddenly places you in a leadership role in charge of all your co-workers, it can present somewhat of a scary and daunting challenge.  It can be even more of a challenge when one of those co-workers happens to be your husband, as in Fire Captain Brent Geer.  Not only does the climate change at work but the family dynamics enter into uncharted waters.

“It does makes it a little bit interesting, said Chief Geer laughingly.  “But we’ve actually been married for 20 years, been together for 27 years.  We were high school sweet hearts so, it’ll be okay.  We come here.  We do what we have to do then we go home.”  Her family also includes her daughter Samantha who graduated from Evergreen last year and son Andrew, a junior at Evergreen who is showing an early interest in the family business of firefighting.

The challenges on the job for the new Chief will be many as she works to learn the position, then works to improve the department, all while keeping her community as safe and protected as possible.  Like every small municipality in the area, proper staffing is one of the largest issues that requires the most attention.  “Obviously, we’re trying to attract people to work for us.  Everyone is trying to make each individual department attractive so then you have to compete with your neighbor and that makes it a little more difficult,” explained Chief Geer.  To further complicate the situation, she also has to compete against the “big towns” like Toledo, Perrsyburg and Sylvania that can offer better wage and benefit packages.

The responsibility of maintaining fire engines and other related equipment and gear is another area where Geer is now fully involved.  “I have to make sure I know what is going on with those red fire trucks out there.  There’s lots of equipment here.  We have been very blessed by our supporters and our voters,” she said.  “They always are so gracious with our levies, which is great.”

Chief Geer says she has a lot of people within the department she can rely on to keep everything running smoothly.  “I have a good core group of dedicated people who are willing to be the full-time staff here, who come in every third day and do what needs to get done,” said the Chief.

She also has support from outside the department that is very much appreciated.  “All of the Fulton County Chiefs have been great,” she remarked.  “They have been willing to answer the phone and answer my questions.  Because not everyone does it the same way but everyone has the same rule.  So, how do you get to that rule?  How do you apply that and how do you get your people to do that as well?  They are a good group to work with.”

You do not work that many years on the same job within the same community and greater area without developing a reputation based on your job performance, work ethic and accomplishments.  This was quickly evident when, while attending January’s meeting of the Fulton County Fire Chiefs Association (FCFCA), she saw on the docket she had been nominated to be the groups’ President.  So now, Chief Geer can add the honor of being the FCFCA’s first woman president to her already impressive resume.

It is still very early in Jessica’s tenure as Fire Chief but she has been very busy actively planning the MAVFD’s future for the next few years to stay current with vehicles, equipment, gear and the ever-changing rules, regulations and procedures.  A major part of her plan will be communication and transparency of her goals and methods to ensure everyone in the MAVFD is on the same page with respect to providing Metamora and the rest of Amboy Township with the best possible fire protection and EMS service.

Pictured:  Metamora Fire Chief Jessica Geer

At their March 7th meeting, the Delta Village Council passed a motion to allow the Delta Chamber of Commerce (DCC) to relocate their “Dancing in the Street” event from the empty lot on the corner of Main and Monroe Streets to the Delta Community Park.  The request by the DCC for the change was brought about because to the reduced space of the lot due to the construction of the new Open Door facility and the limited downtown parking.

The general consensus of the Council, along with Village Administrator Brad Peebles, was that anywhere in the downtown area was no longer conducive for this particular event.  “My recommendation to this Council would be to consider use of the park,” said Mr. Peebles.  “It’s a Chamber activity.  We support the Chamber.  We support the activities that they do to support the businesses in town.  I think the park is more amenable for that type of activity.”

Much of the discussion on the issue centered around the sale and consumption of alcohol in the park which can only be allowed by the Council for special events.  Police Chief Nathan Hartsock said he would not object because the alcohol would be served and consumed in a contained area. The motion passed 4-1 with Tony Dawson voting against.  “I just don’t want to see alcohol in the park,” said Mr. Dawson.

In legislative news, Emergency Resolution 22-05, authorizing the Village Administrator to execute an agreement with Jones & Henry for drainage improvement preliminary design and estimated cost to petition the Fulton County Commissioners for drainage improvements needed to eliminate surface water flooding.

In his letter to Mayor Frank Wilton and the Council members, Administrator Peebles stated, “This office, in conjunction with the public services department, have been dealing with surface water flooding of properties along Taylor Street, north of Eastwood Avenue, for years.  As the primary source of surface water is generated from land outside the Village, a petitioned drainage improvement is required to assess the properties and acreage benefited by such an improvement.

Following discussions with the Fulton County Engineers office, part of the petition process requires the preparation of a design and cost for improvements.  To expedite the process, the recommendation is the Village have these items prepared in advance of a petition knowing the Village will have some financial liability in the improvement.  The cost of these services will be applied to the Village’s share of the costs.”

Mr. Peebles also reported that the Street Department staff have started patching potholes resulting from the winter freeze thaw temperatures.  This year appears to be the worst in the past several years.  With the preparation of this report, crews have distributed 7.5 tons of cold mix, with a significant portion of the Village still to be addressed.  This doubles the total used for 2021.

The next Council meeting will take place on Monday, March 21, 2022, at 5:30 p.m. in Memorial Hall.

At last night’s Village Council meeting in Delta, the Council members briefly discussed a letter sent to Village Administrator Brad Peebles from the Superintendent of Pike-Delta-York Local School District, Dr. Ted Haselman, regarding a potential medical marijuana (MMU) business locating within the Village limits.  The letter, dated February 23, 2022, read as follows:

Dear Mr. Peebles:

This letter is written on behalf of the Pike-Delta-York Local School District Board of Education. At the February 22, 2022 Board of Education meeting, board members conducted a discussion about the Village of Delta’s marijuana initiative, and specifically a document labeled “Ballot Initiative” provided to me around the end of October 2021 by Mayor Wilton.

This document states the Village of Delta will share the licensing/renewal fee paid to the Village by the marijuana businesses with the Pike-Delta-York Local School District. The Board takes issue with the Village’s unauthorized use of the Pike-Delta-York Local School District’s name and unexpected attempt to tie the District to the Village’s initiative.

The Board is expressing their wishes to the Village of Delta to not use the District’s name or any reference to the school district in your initiative.  Additionally, the Board is in agreement they would not accept the marijuana money as the use of this money “for drug education and awareness for student population,” as stated in the initiative, seems extremely hypocritical. Should you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to my office.

During previous Council meetings, in 2021, where the MMU issue was debated, Mr. Peebles stated that an annual licensing fee of $1M could be applied to any company operating an MMU business.  He suggested that the fee could be evenly split, $500,000 each, between the Village and PDY Schools with the stipulation that $100,000 of the school’s share would be used for substance abuse education for students.

Responding to Dr. Haselman’s letter, Mr. Peebles, recognizing that the school was “adamantly opposed to it” and Village Law Director Kevin Heban said the ballot language regarding the MMU issue has been finalized and there was no mention of PDY Schools or any associated licensing fees.  The ballot language for the issue in the May 3, 2022, election reads as follows:  ADVISORY QUESTION – Shall the Village allow the cultivation, processing and/or wholesaling, retailing, and dispensing of medicinal marijuana in the Village of Delta.  Voters may select “YES” or “NO” or choose neither.

According to officials at the Fulton County Board of Elections, the purpose of the issue being labeled as an Advisory Question is to determine the Village’s next step in the process based on the outcome of the vote.  If there is a higher percentage of “YES” votes, more legislation will be required and, possibly, another issue placed on the ballot if the Village decides to pursue it.

It has been several years since a Farmers Market was held within the confines of the Village of Swanton.  The last one took place in the parking lot on the corner of Airport Highway and Hallet Ave.  This year, the Swanton Chamber of Commerce is resurrecting the once popular event, with several major changes including a new name, a new location and some new exciting features.

Beginning with the first Saturday in June and continuing with the first Saturday of the next four months, the new “Downtown Market” will be held in Downtown Swanton between a blocked-off section of Zeiter Way between Main Street and Lincoln Street.  The event will begin at 9:00 AM and go until 1:00 PM.

“We’re in the preliminary stages of looking for vendors right now,” explained Swanton Chamber Board Chair Julia Benfield of Benfield Wines who is spearheading the Market return.  In addition to the traditional fare of fruits, vegetables and flowers, This Market will include a variety of items including all types of baked goods, arts and crafts, honeys, jams and preserves and several others.

Entertainers are also welcome to perform.  “I plan on putting some music out there,” said Julia.  “If we have anyone that wants to play music for free, we would love to have them.  We just want to make it a fun community event.”  There will also be a food truck on all five Saturdays.

Applications are available by messaging through the Swanton Chamber of Commerce Facebook page to request one or by stopping into the Chamber located at 100 Zeiter Way.  Booths will be $10/week on an as available bases or $40 for all five Saturdays.  Vendors must submit the application to the Chamber by April 1st, 2022 and will be reviewed for approval at our April board meeting.

All vendors who wish to sell home-made baked goods, canned goods or other produced foods such as ready-to-eat items, contact the Fulton County Health Department to make sure you have the necessary licenses or are in compliance with the cottage food production rules.  A copy of all permits, vendor license, and other necessary paperwork must accompany the application.

The five Downtown Market dates are June 4^th, July 2^nd, August 6^th, September 3^rd, and October 1^st.  Parking will be available along Main Street and in the parking lot adjacent to Zeiter Way, close to the Chamber Building.

An Emergency Ordinance to appoint a new Village attorney was unanimously approved Monday night by the Swanton Village Council.  As stated in the Ordinance, that Kent Murphree, of the law firm Heban, Murphree and Lewandowski (of Rossford) be retained as Village Solicitor in all matters pertaining to the business and affairs of the Village of Swanton, for the period of March 1, 2022, until December 31, 2023.

The compensation payable to the Solicitor will be billable by the hour in the amount of $120 for partners, $100 for associates and $50 for paralegal time.  Mr. Murphree replaces Allan Lehenbaur of the McQuades law firm of Swanton, who resigned from the position in January to take a similar position with the City of Maumee.  Mr. Lehenbaur was on a $1,000 per month retainer in addition to his billable hours.

Where Mr. Lehenbaur was required to attend all regular and special Council meetings as well as executive sessions, Council has elected to use Mr. Murphree’s services only when required.  Also, with Council meetings soon to be live streamed, Mr. Murphree will occasionally be able to attend remotely, eliminating some travel expense charges to the Village.

Pictured:  Kent Murphree, Swanton Village Solicitor

At their February 28 meeting, the Swanton Village Council discussed a draft of the policy written for the live streaming of the Village’s public meetings as a standard practice.  The new and unprecedented policy will now be reviewed by Swanton’s legal counsel before a vote is taken to approve and implement.

The document containing the policy is lengthy.  Below are some of the major points, as determined by the editor, spelled out in the document.

Purpose:  To provide community members with the most commonly requested information about Regular meetings and Special Meetings of Council (as well as Standing Committee Meetings, Boards and Commission Meetings).  Whenever the word “Meeting” is used the intent is to include all aforementioned meeting types.

Background/Content:  Council has adopted a number of procedural matters to be followed through its Meeting Procedures and Rules of the Council.  This governs the proceedings of all Meetings by prescribing the rules and protocols for proper meeting conduct and debate.  It is typical of meeting procedures used by local governing authorities.  By developing this policy, Council aims to provide timelier, cost effective and flexible reviews of certain provisions in Meetings, in particular, those that relate to the community engagement in Meetings.

Objectives:  Council intends to provide various opportunities for the community to participate, or to be acknowledged, and recognize improvements in technology and engagement practices at Meetings.  This policy also addresses the aspect of privacy in the provision of personal details at the meetings and outlines Council’s responsibility to be open and transparent in making material (including submissions, questions and petitions) available to the public.

Streaming Council Meetings:  Live streaming allows the public to view proceedings via the internet without the need to physically attend Meetings.  This gives greater access to Council debate and decisions and eliminates geographic barriers that may prevent the community from attending meetings.  By attending a Meeting, those present may be recorded or image captured, although all care is to be taken to maintain a person’s privacy as an attendee in the gallery.  By participating in a public meeting, those members of the public in attendance agree to be recorded.

The Chair has the discretion and authority at any time to direct the termination or interruption of live streaming if they believe it is advisable to do so.  Such direction will only be given in the exceptional circumstances, where the content of debate is considered misleading, defamatory or potentially inappropriate to be published.  Confidential Meetings are not recorded.

Access to Archived Recordings:  Meetings that are streamed live on the internet will later be archived and be available to be viewed by the public free of charge.  Archived recordings of meetings will be available for a period of 12 months.

Identified Risks and Mitigation Action:  Public Council meetings are an open forum of statements, questions and answers.  Occasionally, comments could be made which may be regarded as offensive, defamatory, inaccurate or contrary to the law.  By live streaming and publishing recordings of meetings, the potential audience is significantly increased, which also increases the likelihood and/or severity of potential liability.

It should be noted Council members, public officials and employees or the public may be held liable for comments made during meetings which are subsequently challenged in a court of law and determined to be inaccurate or slanderous.

Currently:  All Council meetings are recorded with audio only and are available upon request from the Village Administration.

At Monday night’s Swanton Village Council meeting, Administrator Rosanna Hoelzle informed Council that the date for the 2022 Independence Day Fireworks event would be July 2, 2022. A major change in the launch area was also announced. The fireworks display will be set off from the property of the new Faith Lutheran Church on Dodge Street/County Road H. The grounds and parking areas at Swanton High School will still be made available for viewing. More details will be announced at a later date.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/f9Ju5bVLZXpg3zfJA

The Archbold Blue Streaks found themselves in a 24-14 hole at halftime of the DIII Boys Sectional Championship game against the Genoa Comets but fell just short despite a furious second half comeback, losing 42-41 to end their season. Cade Brenner scored the first eight third-quarter points and the teams would finish quarter tied at 34, but the Comets were able to score just enough in the fourth to walk away with the Sectional Title.

Archbold had several chances to take the lead in the final frame thanks to poor free throw shooting, 3 of 12, by Genoa but were unable to capitalize on the opportunities. The Blue Streaks finished the season with a 15-8 record.

DJ Newman led Archbold with 14 points and Brenner scored 13. Ashton Kammeyer added six points, Alex Roth had four and Gavin Bailey and Ty Hurst each had two.

Pictured: Cade Brenner scores on a third quarter layup.

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