Area leaders give update on Wyandot County

CAREY—Carey mayor Chad Kin, Wyandot County Commissioner Steve Heinlen and Greg Moon of Wyandot County Economic Development and Regional Planning Commission gave updates to the community during the Carey Chamber of Commerce's 31st annual meeting Monday. Kin shared an annual State of the Village address, starting with some history about Carey. According to Kin, the village was recognized by the state approximately 166 years ago and the first business in Carey was a hotel, with an electric and water system installed towards the end of the 19th century. "Twenty-twenty-four saw several multi-phase projects with some still underway… while some projects may not have been easy or convenient, our little village kept moving forward," Kin said. In 2024, a new clinic opened with three providers and a pharmacy, as well as a Dollar Tree, an antique store and several other new businesses within village limits. Kin later said the village is lucky to have a dedicated workforce that keeps the village running every day. "It is you who run the day-to-day operations," Kin said. "The seven elected officials may be front and center, but it is all of you behind the scenes that are making things happen, often without thanks." Kin reported the village police department is the only department not currently fully staffed, though recently sworn-in police Chief Jeff Conley, is "working diligently" to remediate the situation. In 2024, Kin reported the Carey police had a budget of $1.5 million and responded to 3,392 calls for service which included vehicle crashes, traffic stops, 911 calls and several golf cart inspections. The Carey Volunteer Fire Department had 198 calls for service in 2024 including fires, assisting other departments, odor investigations and training exercises. He later said the 2024 village budget was approximately $24 million with 94% expended and the 2025 budget is approximately $25.5 million, with the general fund sitting at $662,229.00 by the end of 2024. Kin also said the village is in debt $20.9 million with $13 million of this debt currently in two ongoing projects: an electrical upgrade and a culvert maintenance project. In 2023, the village's debt was approximately $16 million. Kin said the village pays $1.4 million on this debt annually. Looking forward, Kin said several more village infrastructure projects are planned for 2025, including installing inclusive playground equipment, continuing street maintenance projects, installing a grant-funded bike path, continuing an ongoing safe routes to school project, among many other projects. Kin also said he was born and raised in the village and has stayed to raise his own family because of his personal love of the community and the village. "That pride is what continues to keep the village strong," Kin said. Also at the meeting, newly elected Wyandot County Commissioner Steve Heinlen gave an update on ongoing county-wide projects. Heinlen said work is still being done on a soybean and lecithin production facility in Upper Sandusky after The Louis Dreyfuss Company announced the project in late 2023. He later said a brownfield grant application was in progress to demolish buildings in Upper Sandusky that were destroyed by fire. Also in 2024, the Wyandot County Board of Commissioners asked all county departments to reduce budgets by 10%. With costs only projected to increase, Heinlen said everyone is tightening their belts for the good of the county. "Some departments did really really well," he said, while other departments struggled. "... We're trying to balance that budget. We have a couple years of deficit spending so we're looking to get that under control." Heinlen later advised the search was still on for an EMS coordinator after the recent resignation of Dale Risley, but an interim coordinator was in place. He also gave an update about ongoing plans for a new jail facility saying the county had considered building it next to the Wyandot County Sheriff's Office but had found what they believe to be 48 burial plots, which would cost $2 million to move. Greg Moon, director of Wyandot County Economic Development, then presented more statistics about the county in the last year. Moon advised VanCrest had recently purchased the Fair Haven skilled nursing facility in Upper Sandusky and was investing $18 million to expand the facility. Also expanding was Kalmbach Feeds, which will create 40 new full-time jobs and increase payroll by $2.6 million. Moon also said the county is a net exporter of workers, but that number is starting to stabilize, with similar amounts of people entering the county for work as leaving for work. In 2023, according to U.S census data, the median household income in Wyandot County was $$69,913, compared to $67,873 state-wide and $77,719 nationally. Also in 2023, according to data coming from Bowling Green State University, Moon reported Wyandot County was among the top five highest county job growth in Northwest Ohio and is projected to stay in the top five until at least 2028. Moon also reported as of November 2024, Wyandot County has the 10th lowest unemployment rate in Ohio, but the highest labor force participation in the northwestern region of Ohio. Finally, he reported moving forward, several challenges are facing the county, including a tightening of the housing market in the county, due to lack of inventory and increasing pricing as well as a local and state population decline. Local, state and federal budgets are expected to tighten. Carey Director of the Chamber of Commerce, Cassie Miller, announced several upcoming chamber events and offered several ways for local businesses to get involved with the chamber, including sponsoring these upcoming events.