Trustee Melissa Petrea

09/04/2026

Sharing this post here as this is highly relevant to Middleton Township. The gas plant that will be powering Meta is going to be classified as a public utility from a property tax standpoint. This means personal property will be taxable, unlike for traditional commercial property, which will generate more local revenue.

However, with the passing of HB 15 by Columbus the rates public utilities pay on new facilities on personal property went from (25-88%) down to (7-25%). This is a huge loss in local property tax revenue from these businesses. It's a loss to schools, emergency services, and communities.

Who we have in office in Columbus matters and every house seat is up for election this November. Please research your candidates stances and voting history. My vote will be going to Rick Rettig for Ohio in our house District 75!

⚠️Big Tech remains whole, while local schools, emergency services, and communities take the hit.

You might have seen the news recently: Governor DeWine placed a "pause" on state sales tax exemptions for new data centers. That sounds like a win on paper, especially considering this tax break exploded into a $1.6 billion annual loss in state revenue.

But here is the shell game they aren't talking about:

📉Ohio lawmakers passed House Bill 15, which slashes property tax rates on new utility infrastructure (like power distribution, pipelines, and energy generation) from high rates of 25%–88% down to just 7%–25%. Who buys that utility power at massive, unprecedented scale? Data centers.

Here is how the math breaks down for Ohioans:

The State protects its own revenue by pausing sales tax exemptions. Corporations stay whole because their tax savings simply shifts from state sales tax to massive utility property tax cuts.

Local Municipalities & Schools get hurt. Unlike sales tax, utility property taxes directly fund local services, emergency responders, and public schools.

Ohio needs leaders who won't play accounting games that take money from local communities to protect state budgets and big corporations. It's time to put local schools and neighborhood services over corporate tax relief.

Vote Rick Rettig for Ohio on November 3rd!

09/04/2026

Middleton Township Zoning Update: September 3, 2026

Thank you to everyone who attended and spoke at tonight’s special Trustee public hearing regarding the re-zoning request for the 39.2-acre parcel on N. Dixie Highway (A. Schaller Limited Partnership / Liames LLC).

It was wonderful to see so many residents care so deeply about the future of our community and take the time to show up, ask questions, and share their input. Active community involvement is a vital part of local government.

Following the public hearing, the Board of Trustees took a vote on the application to re-zone the property from A-1 Agricultural to M-1 Light Industrial.

👉🏼 The re-zoning request was denied by a 1–2 vote.

These decisions are not made lightly and every voice was heard and valued. Thank you again to everyone who took time out of their busy schedules to attend.

08/28/2026

📢 Join Us for Middleton Township Safety Day on Saturday, September 12th!

This is a great opportunity to connect with local first responders from Middleton Township Fire Department & EMS, meet your township officials, explore emergency vehicles, and see safety demonstrations up close.

✅Date: Saturday, September 12, 2026
✅Time: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
✅Location: Middleton Township Building (21745 N. Dixie Highway, Bowling Green, OH)

Bring the whole family out for a fun, informative day, dedicated to community safety. We look forward to seeing you there!

08/24/2026

Big shout-out to our small but mighty Middleton Township road crew! 🚜

They received a complaint about a view obstruction at the Roachton and Hull Prairie roundabout and they got right to it. It was quickly assessed and the issue was resolved.

We truly appreciate their hard work and quick response to keeping our drivers safe!

08/23/2026

Mark your calendars for an upcoming public hearing regarding a pending re-zoning application:

📅 Date: Thursday, September 3, 2026

⏰ Time: 6:00 PM

📍 Location: Middleton Township Building (21745 N. Dixie Hwy.)

What is being requested?

The applicant, A. Schaller Limited Partnership (in contract with Liames LLC), is requesting to re-zone approximately 39.2 acres from A-1 Agricultural to M-1 Light Industrial. The stated purpose for this parcel is construction parking and staging.

Background & Voting Record:

Wood County Planning Commission (July 7): Voted 6–2 to recommend approval.

Middleton Township Zoning Commission (August 12): Voted 1–4 to recommend denial.

Final Decision:

This hearing before the Board of Middleton Township Trustees is the final step in the re-zoning process. The Board of Trustees will make the ultimate determination on this parcel following the public hearing.

Public input is an essential part of local planning. Residents are invited to attend and share comments or questions.

08/23/2026

The deadline to register to vote for the November 3rd election is October 5th! Those not yet 18, but who will be 18 by election day can register!

It's back to school time across Ohio, and we just thought everyone should know that 17-year olds who are going to be 18 by Election Day, November 3, can register today. Like, right now.

Go voteohio.gov to get registered, or send the almost 18-year olds in your life that way before the October 5 voter registration deadline.

08/18/2026

This morning, I attended the Lake Erie West Regional Council Active Transportation Advisory Group meeting to represent our township and advocate for expanding our local multi-use trail network.

My primary goal was to check on plans for key trail connections, specifically looking at future links between Perrysburg and Bowling Green, as well as connections from Perrysburg to Waterville. Linking our township directly into these surrounding networks will create safer, better connected routes for walking, running, and biking across the region.

Lake Erie West plays a crucial role in bringing regional stakeholders together, assisting with long-range planning, and helping secure competitive grant funding to make these projects a reality.

How You Can Help:
There are several options currently being considered for these pathways, and community input directly shapes which projects move forward. The more residents who participate in the survey, the stronger our region’s voice will be when competing for future grant opportunities.

👉 See the post below to take the Active Transportation Survey

Visit here to see the current plan and interactive map: https://lakeeriewest.org/transportation/regional-transportation-plan

🏡🚗 Where you live, where you work, and how you get there shape the future of our region.

Lake Erie West Regional Council wants to hear from residents across Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan through a new commuter survey that will help inform future transportation, housing, workforce, and economic development planning.

✅ Takes about 11 minutes to complete
✅ Open to adults 18+
✅ Optional entry to win a $100 gift card (two winners will be selected in each county)

Your experiences can help us better understand the connections between housing, jobs, and transportation, and identify ways to improve access and opportunity throughout our region.

Take the survey today: https://tinyurl.com/2vfvkfxs

Please share with friends, family, and coworkers who live in Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky, Seneca, Wood, or Monroe counties.

08/17/2026

🚨Williams Power Generation Facility - Representatives Attending August 19 Trustees Meeting for Q&A🚨

This announcement was posted to the Township website, but sharing here as well.

Representatives of Williams are scheduled to be available at the August 19, 2026, Board of Trustees meeting to field questions regarding the natural gas pipeline and power generation project underway north of Route 582 and east of Mercer Road. The meeting begins at 6 p.m. and will be held at the township administration building, 21745 N. Dixie Highway.

Here is a link to the Ohio Power Siting Board case docket for this project 26-0837-EL-BLN: https://dis.puc.state.oh.us/CaseRecord.aspx?CaseNo=26-0837-EL-BLN&x=3&y=15

08/13/2026

From zoning meetings, to pulling weeds at my children's school, the work never ends. 😆

Wishing every student, teacher, and family a happy and safe back to school. ✏️🍎

08/13/2026

Middleton Township Zoning Board Recommends Denial of Rezoning Request - August 12, 2026

Tonight, the Middleton Township Zoning Commission held a public hearing regarding the request to rezone a 39 acre parcel on State Route 25 from Agricultural (A1) to Light Industrial (M1) for temporary Meta construction parking.

❌Following public testimony, the Zoning Commission voted 4-1 to recommend DENIAL of the rezoning request.

Community Input: A full room of residents attended to voice concerns. The primary issue raised was that rezoning land to Light Industrial is permanent. It remains M1 regardless of whether project plans or parking needs change in the future. Specific project site plans are not required as part of a rezoning request and this parcel was not included in the original project phase.

Applicant: The only proponent present to speak in favor of the change was the legal counsel representing Meta. Their request was stated as needing temporary parking to move the project along quicker and to harmonize zoning of land owned by Meta.

What Happens Next?
The Zoning Commission's vote serves as a recommendation to the Board of Trustees. The Trustees hold the final decision-making authority and will convene a special meeting to vote on the matter.

The date for that special meeting will be formally set during the regular Board of Trustees meeting on Wednesday, August 19th. Official notices will be made once the meeting has been set.