Swanton Village Council voted last week to stop collecting a fire levy. Council had previously promised to rescind the levy if a new Fulton Township fire levy passed, and it did on Nov. 2.
On Nov. 8, Council passed the third and final reading of the ordinance to notify the Fulton and Lucas county auditors that the levy will no longer be collected. The ordinance passed 4-1, with David Pilliod voting no.
The 2-mill Village of Swanton fire levy was last approved in 2019.
Swancreek Township and Fulton Township have both agreed to cover fire expenses. In Fulton County village residents are also township residents, so they had been paying taxes for fire services to both the township and village. The double taxing of village residents for fire services will end.
Also, a utility rate analysis was discussed during the Finance Committee meeting and change to billing is possible in the future. The village will look into “potentially changing a little bit of how we bill to smaller increments instead of 1,000 gallon consumption, smaller like per 100 gallons or thereabouts. It gives us the ability with the new system to accurately do that,” said Councilman Michael Rochelle.
The first reading of an ordinance authorizing the Village of Swanton to participate in the Toledo Metropolitan Council of Governments’ Stormwater Coalition was approved.
About five years ago, the village became a Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) when the system became more separated than combined. With that, certain regulations had to be followed.
Currently the requirements fall on various village employees in addition to the other tasks they already had complete. Administrator Rosanna Hoelzle recommended membership in the coalition.
The purpose of the coalition is to provide a forum for local governments to address drainage, erosion, stormwater pollution, and stormwater management regulations on a cooperative, watershed basis. This would allow Swanton to network and have resources available to help with certain MS4 regulations and situations.
The cost would be $1,156.32 for 2022.
Current members include Bowling Green, Toledo, Maumee, Northwood, Perrysburg, Oregon, Rossford, Sylvania, Waterville, Whitehouse, Ottawa Hills, Haskins, Millbury, Walbridge and multiple townships including Spencer, Monclova, Springfield, Sylvania and Waterville.
Other business
• Council passed an ordinance to dedicate an unimproved portion of Hickory Street.
• In her report, Hoelzle said that five of the six facade enhancement program projects in the village have been completed. The final project should be completed by the end of the calendar year.
• Council approved the third readings of ordinances authorizing an agreement for prosecutorial services and appointing a village solicitor and establishing compensation.
• The permanent appropriations ordinance was amended.
• The Water and Sewer Committee heard a presentation from Daryl Bowling of Suez on possible improvements to the village’s water tower.
“Obviously some work needs to be done on our water tower and we will proceed along those lines and consider the options he has laid before and we’ll go from there,” said Pilliod.
Reach Drew Stambaugh at 419-335-2010
