Commissioners meet Ohio EPA environmental leader at TMACOG meeting

Ohio EPA Environmental Response and Revitalization Chief, Melisa Witherspoon, is a Heidelberg grad

By Sheri Trusty, Seneca County Media Relations Coordinator

Seneca County Commissioners Bill Frankart and Brent Busdeker had the opportunity to meet Ohio EPA Environmental Response and Revitalization Chief, Melisa Witherspoon, who is a Heidelberg University graduate, when they attended the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments (TMACOG) 2025 Winter General Assembly in Perrysburg on Jan. 24.

Witherspoon was part of a keynote conservation with Sally Gladwell, Senior Vice President/Principal of The Mannik & Smith Group. Their talk, titled “Resources for Revitalization: Partnering with the Ohio EPA for Economic Development,” was hosted by TMACOG Executive Director Sandy Spang. The women shared stories of revitalization projects that turned environmentally blighted properties into progressive community sites that fuel economic growth.

Commissioner Frankart was happy to learn about Witherspoon’s connection to Seneca County as they chatted after the meeting. They discovered they have common friends, and they talked about the beauty of the area they both know so well. More importantly, the connection gave Commissioner Frankart the opportunity to present Witherspoon with a letter addressed to Ohio EPA Director Anne Vogel, as well as photos that tell Seneca County’s story of environmental fragility.

Witherspoon graciously offered to personally hand the letter and photos to Vogel, which can give the director a greater understanding of the county’s fight to gain more local oversight of the WIN Waste of Seneca County landfill. The TMACOG keynote talk spotlighted the many revitalization resources available to communities who partner with the Ohio EPA. The commissioners hope the Ohio EPA will partner with Seneca County so its residents won’t need those resources in the future. They look forward to hearing how the Ohio EPA can help prevent the west side of Seneca County from becoming one of the blighted communities highlighted in the talk, communities that were restored with millions of dollars in funding after years of neglect.