Experience and Integrity
ue Community Leadership
Swanton Twp School circa 1920
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Welcome! Thank you for stopping by my website. I hope you find it helpful and informative. Please feel free to contact me with your suggestions. ***** A link to more information on our historical marker has been added beneath its photo, in the left margin below. ***** I am greatly pleased and proud to report that decorum and civility have been restored to our township trustee meetings. While the three trustees may have differing opinions on certain issues, we are able to discuss them openly with each other at our meetings, before coming to a consensus and moving forward. Since the beginning of the year, Mr. Zielinski, Mr. Michael and myself have been working toward specific goals for our township, while monitoring and minimizing unnecessary expense - which means better service for our residents with less tax money being spent. As I write this, our fund report shows a $1 million dollar surplus. A portion of that will be used on our planned road projects for the year. I encourage our residents to attend trustee meetings to see their elected officials in action. Our meetings are held on the second and fourth Tuesday evenings at 7:30 p.m. at the Township Hall. ***** Costs of gasoline and electricity have increased for the township, just as they have for you. We continue to monitor our activities to ensure that we make the best use of tax dollars received, while continuing to provide necessary services to our residents. ***** My focus continues to be the implementation of policy that preserves the rural residential lifestyle that is so important to all of us. Specifically, we will re-energize our block-watch program, promote and encourage neighbors to look out for neighbors, and continue our efforts to beautify the township through fair enforcement of our zoning resolutions and expansion of the Adopt-A-Roadway program. ***** Our township residents in the Swanton Local School District had a decrease in their county tax bill. That's because they are no longer paying the Toledo/Lucas Co. library tax. State law provides that only one library tax may be assessed on a property, and I'm pleased to report that talks with the County Auditor's office have finally fixed this issue for Swanton Local School District residents in our township. ***** Last fall and again this spring, members of my college fraternity picked up four miles of trash along Airport Highway. Thanks, Sig Eps! My church Youth Group picked up four miles of trash on Shaffer Road this spring and last fall - including areas in adjoining townships - and then North on Wilkins Road. Thanks to a great group of kids and their parents for all the help. Other groups, such as the Wilkins Rd. Methodist Church, have also agreed to adopt a road for trash pickup in our township. My plan is to institute a bi-annual schedule, to keep our township looking good. Adopt-A-Road signage for the Sig Eps and Wilkins Rd. Methodist Church has been installed on their respective roads. I'm thankful for all the hard work and time donated by these two organizations in the northern portion of our township, and I will be looking for similar cooperation in the southern portion next Spring. ***** In December, we finalized a new 5-year fire and rescue contract with the Village of Whitehouse for the southern portion of our township. Whitehouse is also the site of Life Squad 9 - one of several established by Lucas County. It is fully manned 24 hours per day and operates out of the Whitehouse Fire Department. ***** Repairs to the twin chimneys of the Township Hall have been completed, at a cost less than having them removed. Money has been set aside for a new roof, and the plan is to move forward as weather permits. Multiple independent studies have proven the cost advantages of maintaining an existing building rather than adapting a different one or building new. We will continue to conserve tax dollars while keeping all of our structures in good shape. ***** One of our goals for the Swanton Township website ( http://swantontwp.org ) was to make useful information readily available to our residents. If you need information or a document that you can't find on our website, please send me an email and I will respond as soon as possible. j.irmen@swantontwp.org ***** Please click the Contact tab above to send me your questions, comments, and suggestions concerning township issues that are important to you. Or, if you like, you may give me a call at home at 419-825-1625 or on my cell phone at 419-367-7123. I appreciate your support and encouragement. I look forward to meeting you personally, and I hope our paths cross soon. ***** All the best,
James H. Irmen - 12775 Shaffer Rd - Swanton, OH 43558 Copyright © 2005-2011 All rights reserved.Paid for by Irmen4Trustee Campaign - C.
Irmen, Treasurer
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