To the editor: Perrysburg misled on Eckel rezoning

Apparently, the Mayor Mackin administration in Perrysburg does not believe in transparency or full disclosure to its residents. Case in point is the proposed rezoning for the Bethel Assembly of God Church property on Eckel Junction Road. Despite the fact this property is bounded by residences, the church wants to change the existing zoning from R2 (residential) to C4 (commercial).

Brodin Walters, the city’s zoning and planning administrator, initially denied knowledge of what this transaction involved even stating he didn’t know if the church intended to sell this property after it is rezoned. What is going on, is this a secret military operation or a rezoning that could affect residents for a lifetime?

Aside from lack of full disclosure, the residents have two other significant hurdles. One is Mr. Walters’ planning logic in which apartments and or condos should buffer single-family homes from commercial property. Why shouldn’t condos be treated the same as single family homes? The other hurdle is the fact the city has been very aggressive, including the Mackin administration, in approving new home building. The Roachton Road corridor has had well over 1,000 homes built on farmland in the last several years. For whatever reason the city didn’t foresee the financial crisis that would result from the overcrowding of schools. There is pressure on the city to now push commercial development to alleviate the funding crisis.

Unfortunately, with all these problems it is highly doubtful that this rezoning request will be determined on an objective basis. If that is the case, the residents in the neighborhoods surrounding this parcel will only have the option of aggressively opposing any councilman that voted in favor of this if they decide to run for re-election. Perhaps with a new council the residents can receive fair treatment.

RON PARRY

Perrysburg

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Maumee makeover creating safety hazard

Maumee invested lots of money to plant trees, put in new sidewalks, create bike paths, reduce the speed limit on Anthony Wayne Trail, add new lighting, reduce lanes on Conant Street from four lanes to two lanes, add medians, close off some roads, and add new signage welcoming people to Maumee. The purpose was to give Maumee the small town feel, increase the quality of life, and slow traffic down.

While some of these improvements may have won wide support, some decisions were short-sighted and to the detriment of people who pass through Maumee. Conant Street is a major thoroughfare where you have to cross over the bridge to get to your destination. Drivers are stuck in traffic. At the South Detroit and Anthony Wayne Trail intersection, Maumee closed the South Detroit portion by Parkway Plaza and put in a cul-de-sac forcing drivers to turn onto Town Street to continue onto southbound South Detroit. Adjacent to Parkway Plaza is a vacant commercial oasis that could have been developed into retail and residential. With South Detroit closed off, it is a detriment to development.

Maumee would have been better to put a roundabout at the intersection of South Detroit and Anthony Wayne than to close off South Detroit and change the traffic pattern on northbound U.S. 25 and westbound U.S. 24 at that intersection and a confusing arrow from the Trail to Detroit with having to yield to oncoming southbound traffic on from the trail crossing the intersection. It has created a safety hazard.

BOB HAYMAN

South Toledo

Harris is playing trick about her past policies

Deception is the act of convincing one, or many, recipients of untrue information.

This is what Kamala Harris’ campaign is all about. There is video proof of what she believes: defund police, bail for criminals, ban fossil fuels, open the border, ban firearms.

But now, with Election Day coming, a different tune. “We need a strong border.” “I’ll be tough on crime.” “Fracking is good.” “I stand with law enforcement.” “I own a gun.” To that, one must ask, what kind and caliber?

It’s all a deception. An alternative description would be it’s all a lie. Don’t be fooled by this.

LOU STEFANONI

North Toledo

STRS disasters affect health of retirees

The article in Sunday’s paper (“Ohio teachers’ pension fund board cuts ties with executive director”) describes new developments in the administration of the State Teachers Retirement System, further proof of instability on the board. What has not come to light is the handling of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services mandate that prescription drugs for retirees with chronic illnesses should be free. People with diabetes would get free insulin and oral medications. The mandate occurred in January, 2024.

Six months later, Superscript (part of STRS) decided that they had to follow the law. Checks however came from another entity — Caresource, in late August. How can STRS explain this long delay to those who may have declared bankruptcy, died from lack of medicine that they couldn’t afford or even took their lives? How many millions did STRS spend on lawyers to fight the law? STRS has a lot to answer for besides changes in their board.

ANGELE MCGRADY

Sylvania Township

V.P. can’t answer this one or other questions

There is a lot of conversation by pundits and politicians concerning Kamala Harris’ answer to whether the country is better off than it was four years ago. I don’t think her answer matters.

Look at the war in Ukraine, the war in the Middle East, the issues with immigration, the crime rate, the prices at the grocery store and at the fuel pump, Iran getting closer to a nuclear warhead, her answer to me is irrelevant. She can spin and obfuscate her answer all she wants, but to the average American taxpayer answer is obvious.

PATRICK SEITZ

Oregon