Post-meeting Release, Aug. 29, 2024
Seneca County Commissioners declare August 29, 2024 as Janet Schueler Day
By Sheri Trusty, Seneca County Media Relations Coordinator
The Seneca County Commissioners declared Aug. 29, 2024, as Janet Schueler Day in Seneca County. Schueler, an Attica resident who was named Seneca County Outstanding Senior by the Area Agency on Aging on Aug, 7, has impacted hundreds of local residents through her work at the Attica Community Food Pantry, Our Lady of Hope Catholic Church, Senior Stretch and the Attica Ministerial Association. Schueler has been a friend and supporter of many.
State Representative Gary Click and Tiffin Mayor Lee Wilkinson presented Schueler with proclamations during the meeting, and State Senator Bill Reineke sent a proclamation in her honor.
“Janet told me before the meeting that she doesn’t think she deserves this honor,” Click said. “The people who are the most deserving are the people who don’t see themselves as deserving.”
Schueler was overwhelming grateful for the recognition, explaining that she has a lot of support in her work from the residents of Attica.
Kelli Clark, the founder and director of Project Noelle, attended the commissioners’ meeting to talk about the organization’s work in Seneca County and beyond.
“Our mission is to help kids who have suffered because of the opioid epidemic. Most of the kids we help have lost parents to overdose death,” she said.
Clark’s daughter, Noelle Maschari, died of an overdose in 2017, and Clark lost her son, Michael Maschari, to an overdose in 2021. Clark is raising Noelle’s children, and she founded Project Noelle to help other children impacted by the loss. Project Noelle offers Christmas and Easter support, emergency childcare supplies, kids’ support groups, school sports fees assistance and fun events for families.
The Ohio National Guard Counterdrug Program recently partnered with Project Noelle and has provided a fulltime support person. Project Noelle, which is based in Sandusky, has a presence in Florida and several counties in Ohio, including Seneca County. Dylan Churella is the Seneca County Project Noelle director.
For more information, visit www.projectnoelle.com.
During his commissioner’s report, Commissioner Bill Frankart said that, among his other work for the county this week, he attended the Behavioral Health Summit hosted by the Mental Health and Recovery Services Board of Seneca, Ottawa, Sandusky and Wyandot Counties at North Central Ohio Educational Service Center in Tiffin Monday. Among the topics discussed was the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Frankart was impressed to learn that callers typically have a brief 25-second wait time to connect with help.
“That quick response time could save someone,” Frankart said.
Frankart also attended the ribbon cutting hosted by the Fostoria Chamber of Commerce for Fostoria’s new recycling center. The center was built due to the efforts of Fostoria Mayor Don Mennel and the support of the OSS Joint Solid Waste District. All three Seneca County commissioners sit on the OSS board.
In her report, Seneca County Administrator Barb Patterson said she received a letter from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) informing the commissioners’ office that Carmeuse has requested permission to extend a mining project in Liberty Township by 80+ acres. The commissioners have the opportunity to direct any concerns or questions to the ODNR.
In other business, the commissioners approved 15 supplemental appropriations and passed three resolutions.
During the public comment period of the meeting, Tiffin resident Ken Baker asked for the commissioners’ support for upcoming events tied to National Native America Heritage Month in November. Baker said he believed the events would be a good tie-in to Seneca County’s bicentennial this year.
Baker said that nationally certified historic presenter, Taylor Moyer, will present a talk entitled, “History of the First Nations People of Northwest Ohio,” at Heidelberg University on Nov. 6, and a talk entitled, “Traditional Culture and Arts of American Indians in the Great Lakes Region,” at St. Francis on Nov. 13.
Mayor Lee Wilkinson talked about the city’s new iceless skating rink that will be installed at Oakley Park this winter. The rink will open on Dec. 8, after the downtown tree lighting. Wilkinson said the rink was funded by donations through Tiffin Community Foundation and private donations.
“What great community support,” Frankart said. “We do live in a great community, to have people come together for this.”