Seneca County Commissioners honor wrestler Kiera Depinet
By Sheri Trusty, Seneca County Media Relations Coordinator
The Seneca County Commissioners honored 15-year-old Seneca East High School wrestler, Kiera Depinet, with a proclamation during the Aug. 15 commissioners’ meeting. Depinet has made a name for herself in the world of girls wrestling.
During her first three years in the sport, when girls wrestling was new and unsanctioned in Ohio, Depinet only wrestled boys.
“I lost a lot,” she said. “I didn’t care that I was losing because I was having fun.”
Nevertheless, she kept heading to the mat, and today, she is a successful wrestler with many wins. Ohio sanctioned girls wrestling in 2023, thanks in part to young women like Depinet, who proved, over and over, that girls have a place in the wrestling world.
Depinet is a three-time Ohio Athletic Commission state champ for girls junior high wrestling. As a freshman, she placed high in competitions in a state tournament in Columbus, a Greco-Roman style tournament at Ohio Northern University, a National Duals Tournament in Indiana, and a U.S. Marine National Championship in North Dakota.
Depinet said she gained confidence and friendships through wrestling.
“I had no idea how much I would learn as an athlete and a person,” she told the commissioners. “Please encourage young girls you know to wrestle.”
During their reports, Commissioner Bill Frankart said he was a guest with Seneca County Apiary Inspector, Barrett Zimmerman, on WTTF with Operations Manager Mike Roca. The interview can be heard at www.wttf.com. Commissioner Anthony Paradiso reminded the public that a ribbon cutting will be held for EMS station #4, located at 9428 E. US 224 in Bloomville, on Saturday, Sept. 14 at 10 a.m.
Seneca County Administrator Barb Patterson announced that the Seneca Conservation District (SCD) will host a 75th Anniversary Celebration on Aug. 29 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the SCD parking at 3140 S. SR 100 in Tiffin. Smokin’ Sows Barbeque food truck will be at the event.
In other business, the commissioners accepted a tentative agreement with Seneca County Job & Family Services and AFSCME Local 1685, SERB Case 2024-MED-02-0153. The commissioners also discussed options for utilizing Seneca County’s OneOhio Recovery Foundation opioid settlement funds. The commissioners will decide at the Aug. 22 commissioners’ meeting on the possibility of earmarking 2/3 of the money for the Seneca County Common Pleas Court PIVOT program and 1/3 for Seneca County EMS services.
“Oftentimes, EMS receives drug-related calls,” Paradiso said.
The commissioners approved three resolutions, including a resolution supporting the Ohio Commission for the United States semiquincentennial celebration, known as America 250-Ohio.
During the public comment portion of the meeting, Tiffin-Seneca Economic Partnership (TSEP) Economic Development Manager, Adam Gillmor, introduced the organization’s new Community Development Coordinator, Noah Paris. Paris, a Heidelberg University graduate, formerly worked at TSEP as an intern.
“This is a great community, and I’m excited to work here,” Paris said.
Paris fills a hole in the staff left by former Operations Manager Corrina Eidt.
“Corrina is leaving, and we’re going to miss her greatly,” Gillmor said.
Also during the public comment section, local resident Tom Breidenbach praised the landscaping around the Seneca County Commissioners’ Office, which was recently updated by Dean Distel of the county maintenance department and local volunteer, Ted Willman.
“I’ve never seen the building look so good,” Breidenbach said.