Serving Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky and Wood Counties
A new era in Northwood has started as the trio of Andrew Dickey, Patrick McGaharan, and Terry Kretz has officially taken their positions on city council. Each will have a four-year term through Dec. 31, 2029.
The group replaces Louis Fahrbach, Randy Kozina, and Mark Stoner, while also joining the re-elected Patrick Huntermark, who will also serve a new four-year term.
At the Jan. 5 regular council meeting, mayor Ed Schimmel also appointed Matt DeWood to the city’s planning commission.
City administrator Kevin Laughlin then reminded everyone in attendance of the Night of Play Fundraiser, presented by First Solar, at the Northwood Community Center that is coming up on Jan. 31 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The event will help raise money for an inclusive playground planned at Brentwood Park. There are two tables available as of Jan. 5, and he urged those interested to RSVP as soon as possible.
Storage units discussed in Dec. 11 meeting
The final meeting of 2025 was highlighted by a discussion around storage units potentially being built at the site of the intersection of Arbor Drive and Oregon Road (adjacent to Arby’s) within the city’s limits.
It also involved a conversation about placing an emphasis on adding businesses that bring in more revenue for the city, as well as the possibility of having additional individuals coming forward wanting to add more storage units in the city should this one be approved.
After Schimmel urged discussion on the topic out of fairness to the applicant, councilman Mike Melnyk gave a background on the project, which is being held up by a moratorium.
“The way it was explained to us was the gentleman who bought the piece of property was moving forward (and) at the time of closing, the owner of the property said, 'I have another parcel, and I'd be willing to sell that.' So they were trying to work through that. And in that period of time, we instituted the moratorium. I would be willing to grant the exemption for that piece of property. I know it's a prime piece of property, but he started the process before we had the moratorium in place. I think to be fair, we need to go ahead and grant it for him.”
At that point, several council members said they wouldn’t be in favor of storage units.
Dickey, who actually took over prior to that meeting, asked for more info on the moratorium.
“Last year, there were a number of storage unit projects that were kind of swirling around at one time,” Laughlin said. “Mayor and I discussed it and felt that we can't have four or five of these projects going on at once. And so, mayor requested the moratorium for one year. These gentlemen had purchased some property at Arbor and Oregon, and the plans were kind of attached as part of that whole project.
“Around the time that they had closed on the project was around the time that the moratorium was instituted. So they've been working with city staff trying to figure out a way forward for the project, that if there's a moratorium in place, there's really not a whole lot (the city) can do until that lapses. The moratorium was extended a few meetings ago. They've requested an exemption from the moratorium. Council then referred it to the planning commission after that request. I think there's just a need for a clear answer to these gentlemen.”
Melnyk clarified that the moratorium went into place while they were at the closing table for the second parcel of land, both of which Laughlin said were intended to have storage units built upon them.
“If council is split on this, let's let them go through the process,” Schimmel said. “I just don't want them going through it if it’s going to be a definite no vote up here. They're going to have to go through thousands of dollars.”
Dickey asked if there’s been any interest in the land from other places.
“These are businesses that don't do much for the city's valuation or (in terms of) bringing in income tax revenue,” Laughlin said. “My perspective, at least, is that given future potential projects that will be coming to that particular area … there might not have been much interest in it over the past 20 years, but I think you're selling yourself short about what could happen there.”
Other council members then reiterated how there could be an influx of additional storage unit businesses being proposed if this one is approved.
“I'm not trying to be tedious, but (the proposed developer) gave us a very large valuation number, and when I looked at other storage units in Northwood, they didn't have close to the valuation number from a property tax standpoint that he was saying,” Fahrbach said. “(I’m) not saying he's not going to dump that much money into there, but I'm just saying from a valuation, or what does it actually bring back to the city, it’s very, very small.”
Laughlin said the proposal would add three part-time jobs and for the location that “doesn’t really comport with the proposed comprehensive plan revisions.”
“It's too valuable of a piece of property to allow it to be used for storage units,” Stoner said. “Once it's approved, if they approve it, you got storage units in there, and it's bringing very minimal income tax into the city, where if it's not allowed to happen, maybe they can sell it to somebody else that would bring more jobs and more income for the city. That's not what we had planned for the area.”
A motion was then made by Melnyk to start a vote on allowing them to go through the application for an exemption, and he voted yes. Dean Edwards, Jim Barton, Fahrbach, Huntermark, and Stoner all voted no. Dickey ultimately abstained.
Thus, it heavily failed.
“Let me thank you for making that motion,” Schimmel said. “We owe it to them to give them that.”
Certificates of appreciation
At the Dec. 11 meeting, certificates of appreciation were handed out to Timothy Strause for his 10+ years of dedicated service as a street laborer for the city, and to McGaharan for his service as the city’s first part-time parks and recreation director beginning in 2017 before becoming full-time in 2024.
“Through your leadership, Northwood’s recreation program expanded into a thriving full scale department serving residents of all ages,” Schimmel said. “Your lasting contribution includes developing youth and adult recreation programs, major park and facility improvements, creation of the community service award, community events, and an instrumental role in the opening and continued growth of the Northwood Community Center. Your commitment and vision have made a lasting impact on our parks program and community spirit. The city extends its sincere appreciation and gratitude.”
With his election to city council, McGaharan stepped down from that role. Anthony Harmon is taking over as the new director.
While it wasn’t part of the certificate portion, Kretz is similarly resigning from the planning commission to join council.
Columbia Gas rate increase possible
Laughlin reported that Columbia Gas sent a letter indicating there may be some potential minor rate increases coming down the pike. There’s a section of the Ohio Revised Code that allows them to offset their costs for infrastructure improvements, and Columbia Gas said it has invested over $29.5 million in Ohio over the past several years.
Thus, the city’s administration is figuring out exactly what that will mean for residents and will report back when more info is known.
Employee audit
The need for the city to do a comprehensive audit of its personnel and services was also discussed. With the resignation of Amy Stribney, who was a 22-year employee, it was felt that they lost her because the city didn’t do enough to help her in a timely fashion.
Council agreed and there are plans on doing an audit of the personnel and the services provided by an independent agency, which would help provide any recommendations for potential changes. It was estimated that the last one was done in 2001.
Laughlin will work on that.
Next meeting
The next regular council meeting will be Thursday, Jan. 22 at 7 p.m.
