WESTON—The Village of Weston Council met on April 6, 2026, to address a pressing agenda that balanced rising public safety costs with new opportunities for regional infrastructure support. The meeting, presided over by Mayor Rick Easterwood and Council President Jessica Susor, featured significant presentations from county and regional leaders alongside critical decisions regarding village personnel and park management.


Regional Collaboration and Funding Opportunities


The council welcomed Sandy Spang, Executive Director of the Lake Erie West Regional Council (formerly TMACOG), who detailed the benefits of the village’s membership in the 81-member governmental body. A primary focus of Spang's presentation was the push to establish a Regional Economic Development District (EDD). This designation would grant Weston access to a larger pool of federal Construction Grants that currently bypass many rural communities.

In a move particularly welcomed by the council, Spang emphasized the regional council's willingness to assist Weston with grant research and application support. This offer comes at a critical time for the village, which recently lost its dedicated grant writer due to sudden unavailability. Spang noted that the Lake Erie West team can help "shake the bushes" for funding and provide the data and mapping necessary to tell a compelling story in grant applications.

Spang also briefed the council on "Metropolitan Planning Organization" (MPO) services, which provide traffic studies and data at no additional cost to the village. Additionally, she highlighted House Bill 96 cybersecurity mandates due in June, noting that the regional council has identified affordable solutions to help small villages remain compliant.


Public Safety and Sheriff Contract Adjustments


A significant portion of the fiscal discussion centered on a rate increase from the Wood County Sheriff’s Office. The adjustment is part of a recurring challenge for the village; in 2025, the council was forced to reduce patrol hours from 40 hours per week to 26 hours per week in direct response to nearly annual billing increases.

Although Fiscal Officer Stephanie Monts was not in attendance, her administrative report highlighted that these rate hikes are particularly difficult to accommodate because they often arrive in the spring, well after the village’s annual appropriations and budgets have been finalized. According to the data provided to Council, the current budget would fall approximately $2,987.36 short for the year if the 26-hour schedule was maintained at the new rate.

The council debated the merits of further cuts versus absorbing the cost. Councilwoman Ashley Patel expressed visual concern and hesitation over the continued budget creep before ultimately casting the lone "No" vote against increasing the current budget to cover the billing changes. Despite her dissent, the motion passed. While the council agreed to maintain the current patrol hours, a formal ordinance to "adjust appropriations" will be required in a future session to officially legalize the expenditure.


Structural Changes to Parks and Recreation


Following the recent resignation of the remaining members of the Parks and Recreation Board, the council faced a crossroads regarding the management of village green spaces. The dissolution follows months of controversy regarding the board's perceived lack of transparency—not in regard to park operations, but specifically in the Parks and Rec Board operations.

Central to the conflict was the board's decision to side-skirt the established role of the Council Liaison. This assigned council member is intended to serve as a vital check and balance, providing the board with government insights while keeping the Council informed of board operations. While the liaison role was a point of contention in earlier sessions, the Council initially allowed the board to operate in "their own way" following the Mayor’s desire to grant the volunteers autonomy. However, despite promises from the board to provide regular updates to the Council in lieu of traditional liaison reporting, they fell short of that commitment on several occasions.

During the discussion, it was noted that the Parks and Rec board has "gone to zero" three times in recent years. The first instance was addressed by splitting the board's responsibilities, handing off youth sports to a village-based non-profit. This led to the establishment of the Weston Sports Initiative Board, now the Weston Sports Initiative Association (WSIA). This transition was intended to allow Parks and Rec to focus exclusively on family programming and events, while providing suggestions for park maintenance and expansion. However, maintenance ultimately falls to the Village Administrator, and major expansions require the participation of Council and other committees to secure grants.

Resident and former mayor Jeremy Schroeder questioned whether the board's structure truly needed a complete rework, asking Mayor Easterwood bluntly, "Do you have citizens that are interested in serving on Parks & Recreation?" Schroeder’s inquiry alluded to an open letter to the Mayor by resident and former board president Samantha Wick, which criticized the Mayor’s previous appointment choices and cited various procedural issues. The Mayor acknowledged he understood there was a willingness from Wick and others to serve again. However, he declined to officially accept the letter as a formal application, stating it was not submitted in a fashion he liked. The Mayor maintains the ultimate authority in seating board members.

The debate over the board's fate also revealed ambiguity regarding the final division of labor among existing committees. While the Council eventually voted to move the legal and strategic restructuring to the Administrative Process committee, day-to-day oversight remains a point of negotiation. The Community Development committee was tasked with facilitating immediate events and completing existing "progression" projects, such as the gazebo and playground upgrades. However, members Ashley Patel and Erica Rupp expressed significant hesitation, with Patel stating, "I don't want to touch that." Members argued that structural maintenance of the grounds more logically falls under Public Works, given the parks are village-owned land.


Additional Items Addressed


Guest Presentations

  • Judicial Candidate: Megan Newlove, candidate for Wood County Probate and Juvenile Court judge, introduced herself to the council. With over 25 years of local legal experience, Newlove expressed her commitment to understanding the specific challenges facing youth and families in Weston.

Infrastructure & Maintenance

  • Fire Station Drainage: A collapsed storm drain tile under the Fire Station drive remains a priority. In an effort to keep costs down, the village is attempting to keep the repair in-house. Aside from the initial jetting and camera work to identify the blockage, the Council agreed to allow the administrator to complete the necessary repairs as conditions permit.
  • Streetlight Upgrades: The village met with a project manager regarding the ongoing LED transition. New lights are planned for Beech Street and other sections of town, with the project manager stating these will take precedence due to the length of time the request has been outstanding.
  • Storm Cleanup: Maintenance crews recently completed a significant brush pickup following recent storms, removing two full loads of debris from the village right-of-way.

Committee Reports & Community Events

  • Village-Wide Garage Sales: Scheduled for June 11–14. The Community Development committee intends to invite food trucks to be stationed at park locations to support the event. It was clarified that the committee is looking to have the food trucks lined up for Friday and Saturday.
  • Tree Commission: The newly formed commission reviewed a draft Tree Care Ordinance, which has been submitted to the Village Solicitor for review. They are currently planning a small event for Arbor Day (April 24) to meet state requirements.
  • Cemetery Projects: The Cemetery Board is working on a signage project featuring QR codes for rules and has received a donation for a new beech tree to be planted in honor of the DeWitt family.

Personnel & Administrative

  • Part-Time Personnel Update: The village has filled a key part-time administrative position to assist with village operations. The new hire will maintain part-time office hours and will be available on Council Meeting nights from 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM. Official office hours are expected to be announced soon.
  • Zoning Enforcement: Zoning Inspector Ken Taylor reported sending out four notices of violation for items in the right-of-way. Residents are given 14 days to respond or correct issues.

Legislative Actions

  • Emergency Resolution 2026-3: Council passed a resolution to renew the annual contract with Wood County for Emergency Management Services.
  • Emergency Ordinance 2026-4: Council voted to adopt the 2026 Edition of the Ohio Basic Code, ensuring village ordinances remain up-to-date with state standards.