AW residents share concerns about potential data centers
ANTHONY WAYNE – Lyn Cox opened up a folder and extracted several maps of the Anthony Wayne area, pointing out to other Waterville-area residents the tracts of land just beyond Mill Creek subdivision’s southern boundary.
“If I had known this was in the background, I wouldn’t have put an offer in on our house,” said Dan Nonnemacher, who is moving into Mill Creek. “I don’t want to come out of my subdivision and see a data center.”
When Cox obtained, through a public records request, maps and pitch decks created by the Lucas County Department of Economic Development (LCDED) to show areas that have the land and infrastructure for a potential data center, she got concerned. She began sharing copies of the documents on her newly created Facebook page AW-CRAP (AW-Area Community Response Awareness Group), fueling questions, opinions and speculation.
“I started the Facebook page so people know that the county is targeting 1,000 acres in the Waterville area. It fundamentally changes everything,” Cox said, noting that property owners are being approached with offers of $125,000 to $200,000 per acre.
Last week, sitting around a picnic table with Nonnemacher, Cindy Celusta and Lisa Haberstock, Cox stated that the maps show not only potential building locations but the resources needed by a data center: a 36-inch Nexus gas transmission pipeline, electric transmission lines, water basins, proposed water and sewer lines, and a potential layout for energy centers near the Farnsworth Business Park on Waterville Monclova Road and along U.S. 24.
A data center’s potential impacts on water, electric rates, sound, lighting, vibrations and property values are among the group’s concerns.
“I’m pro-growth and pro-development. I’m anti-destroy-small-towns. What’s important to me is to preserve what is precious – what is special about small towns,” said Cox, who grew up in Waterville Township, moved away and returned for the small town charm.
She’s been sharing information from residents in other communities who have written about the downside of data centers, and pressing for more information from those leading the data center charge locally.
“I want to better understand the repercussions. I need to know more. I’m not against data centers. I’m just against the output,” said Nonnemacher, adding that it might be possible for a smaller facility in a less-dense area to reap the economic benefits without disturbing the community.
He also noted that Gov. Mike DeWine is pushing for more economic growth, and that includes data centers where they make sense. If he were in charge, Nonnemacher said he would put together a plan and get the questions out to the public and be prepared to address concerns.
And that’s exactly what LCDED director Matt Heyrman has been working on – a town hall meeting with experts sharing data centers’ potential impacts on electric and water, for example, and to answer community members’ questions. The details on that meeting have not yet been announced.
Heyrman and his staff, along with Regional Growth Partnership (RGP), have been working with Lucas County leaders, developers, landowners and communities to attract centers that hold data for multinational corporations like Google, Chat GPT or Meta.
“We’re targeting larger companies because they will make a more significant investment. That leads to more valuation and potential revenue for our community,” he said.
Attracting a data center is part of an overall strategy to diversify the economy so the county isn’t so reliant on manufacturing and distribution, said RGP executive vice president Gary Thompson. RGP focuses on attracting new business and industry to a 17-county northwest Ohio region. He envisions a healthy mix of manufacturing, construction, agriculture and technology so the economy is on sound footing and communities are able to bring in enough revenue to provide services such as police and fire.
“There is no data center today. There is a lot of concern about a secret plot. That’s not true,” Heyrman said. “What we are trying to do, together as communities, is start a dialogue to see if this is something we want – if it’s viable.”
The packet obtained by Cox was not meant for public distribution, Heyrman said. It was created to pitch the idea to potential customers and to show areas where all of the boxes are checked, Heyrman said, referring to the core needs of available land, access to water and power, correct zoning and a willing community.
“The packet is to show data center developers and users to gauge their interest in the region and show the potential,” Heyrman said. “We’re also working with communities about whether this could potentially happen. This is a community discussion…to find out if the community wants it and if the pros outweigh the cons. And then, if the data center wants us. The LCDED is the matchmaker – we match end users with communities that want them.”
Waterville Mayor Tim Pedro said he understands that the materials shared by Cox have alarmed some in the community, but that the LCDED had to start somewhere and put ideas on paper to move forward.
“These are just concepts. No one has come to the city with a plan to go through the zoning process. I think some folks got ahead of this and grabbed a nugget of information and ran with it,” he said.
As mayor, Pedro said he gets calls about all types of development opportunities, and these take time to flesh out, usually in confidence so potential developers don’t let their competitors know what they’re doing.
Waterville City Council recently adopted language that would allow data centers in M-1 zoned properties, of which there are few sites with enough land for a data center. Nearby Waterville Township has more available land and recently changed its zoning to allow data centers in agriculturally-zoned land with a conditional use permit – mirroring the same process adopted by Monclova Township in March.
Waterville City Council member Wayne Wagner said he plans to ask council, during its Monday, Oct. 13 meeting, to repeal ordinance 7-2025 and to place a moratorium on data centers. Wagner questions why Pedro was having “closed door meetings” with Heyrman, realtor Reichle Klein and others, without consulting with council.
“I am deeply concerned with the amount of overstepping we’re seeing from the LCDED. The LCDED is supposed to help cities achieve their economic development goals, not force feed unwanted development into our communities,” he said. “Waterville City Council has not asked for assistance in marketing our area for data center development.”
Pedro calls accusations that he’s being accused of negotiating deals behind the backs of residents as “hurtful” and untrue. During the Oct. 13 meeting, he plans to address those concerns. He also noted that council, and the community, would have several opportunities to weigh in if a data center development was proposed. That process includes a referral to the city’s planning commission and a recommendation to council, which would hold three separate readings and a public hearing.
“I would welcome factual debating then. Right now we don’t know what we’re debating because there’s no deal,” Pedro said.
Waterville Township trustee Julie Theroux shared that sentiment during the trustees’ Sept. 29 meeting, where she answered Haberstock’s question about data center development.
“As of right now, there is no real project we’re talking about,” Theroux said. “I’m happy that the residents are aware of it. We, as trustees, want to get their emails, letters and opinions. This would affect the lifestyles of a lot of people – it would change life forever.”
With just a few residents speaking in opposition during its August meeting, the board of trustees approved the addition of data centers to the township’s zoning code. They also agreed to hire, on retainer, a Columbus law firm that specializes in large developments to represent the township’s concerns in the event of a data center proposal.
Both Waterville Township and Monclova Township would require a potential data center developer to obtain a conditional use permit to build on agriculturally-zoned land. The permit process includes review by the county’s planning staff, recommendation by the county’s planning commission, and public hearings by the township.
“If we’re involved in the decision making, then we will have the usual process, and that involves the public,” said Monclova Township trustee Barbara Lang.
That “if” hinges on whether the land is in the township or Maumee. Since a Sept. 24 report by WTOL – a Toledo Free Press media partner – that an agreement between Mike White of Buckeye Real Estate Group and Steve Mitchell of Mitchell Development to purchase 95 acres between the Shops at Fallen Timbers and Black Road from Isaac Land Investments fell through, some mall-area property owners are nervous. Instead of single-family homes that have been planned for the area, the future for that property is now unknown. Isaac Land Development did not share plans for what’s next.
One Black Road property owner, who wished to remain anonymous, wondered whether ILI had plans to use that land, as well as nearly 200 acres west of Black Road, for a data center. The land on the east side of Black is nearly all Maumee, although the homes and a business – along with a 28-acre triangle of land at the corner of Black and the Wabash Cannonball Trail South Fork – are in Monclova Township.
The mall-area property is zoned C-N, which would allow a data center. Maumee law director Alan Lehnbauer said data centers have been listed as a permitted use in the city’s zoning code as far back as 2010. Unless a property owner is seeking incentives, the city would not need to hold a public hearing to allow a data center on that land. If a public meeting is held, a guest – meaning a non-Maumee resident – would be allowed three minutes to address council about concerns.
The city has not received a formal application or proposal for a data center, said city spokesperson Nancy Gagnet.
“The city is committed to the redevelopment of the Shops at Fallen Timbers. Our focus is squarely on creating lasting economic and community value for our residents,” she said.
Falcons best Rockets in a historic comeback win
TOLEDO – Rivalry games bring energy and passion to sports, and Saturday’s Battle of I-75 certainly met that expectation.
Saturday marked the 90th match-up between the Bowling Green Falcons and Toledo Rockets, and it was Bowling Green State University’s first sold out game of the season. For historical context, the very first meeting between these two teams was in October of 1919; on Saturday, BGSU tied the record at 43-43-4.
While the final score portrays a shoot-out, this was not the case. The Rockets marched right down to Bowling Green’s end zone in approximately four minutes. Toledo Rockets’ senior running back Chip Trayanum started up the scoring on a 14-yard rush early in the game. After a long Falcon drive, Toledo prevailed on the defensive end to take back possession of the ball. Late in the first quarter, Rockets senior quarterback Tucker Gleason took matters into his own hands for a 12-yard rushing touchdown. At that point, the Rockets were dominating.
A quarter of the way through the game, Toledo was leading the Falcons 14 to 0, but they weren’t finished yet. Gleason took his offense down to the red zone and completed a pass to Jacob Petersen for a 17-yard reception and touchdown.
Before the athletes headed to their respective locker rooms, conversations were buzzing about leaving early, the Falcons feeling despair. With 13 seconds remaining in the half, Head Coach Eddie George’s offense called for the screen pass. Sophomore quarterback Lucian Anderson III threw the ball to Redshirt freshman Cameron Pettaway, who turned the short pass into a 45-yard touchdown, breathing a little bit of life back into the quiet Doyt Perry Stadium. The Falcons had found some momentum, a renewed hope for a win.
The third quarter was entirely silent for the Toledo Rockets, while the Falcon’s Anderson completed a second touchdown pass to sophomore tight end Jacob Harris to cut down on the deficit and create a 21-13 score. Junior Jackson Kleather added on the extra point to make the score 21-14 heading into the final quarter.
Tension was building for the Toledo defense, while Bowling Green kept rolling, opting to pull off some trickery for their third touchdown. Anderson took the snap, pitched it back to RJ Garcia II, who threw a 73-yard touchdown pass to Pettaway. An extra point attempt was again made by Kleather and Eddie George’s Falcons tied it up at home.
Not even a full minute later, the junior running back Chris McMillian punched the ball in for a one-yard rushing touchdown to give the Falcons their first lead of the night, with 6:07 remaining in the fourth quarter.
In these last six minutes, Bowling Green held the Rockets away from the end zone. This last stand was led by junior cornerback MJ Cannon who intercepted the ball of a Toledo receivers back after a dropped pass. Now on offense, with under 10 seconds left, Falcon quarterback Anderson took the snap, booking it toward the Rockets’ endzone. This decision took 23 rushing yards away from his game and added a safety to Toledo’s score, but sealed the win for the Bowling Green Falcons, who got to keep the trophy of I-75 for a second year in a row. The final score of Saturday’s game was 28-23.
As a result of this stunning win at home, the stands emptied as family, friends and fans rushed to the 50-yard line to celebrate with the Falcons.
End of life care: Planning for the future
If you get any type of serious illness diagnosis, your world is thrown into turmoil. How sick am I? How will I be treated? Can I afford this treatment? But a terminal diagnosis brings an entirely different level of concern and panic. Who will take care of me? Of my children? How do I take care of things financially now, much less when I’m gone?
A first step after getting such a diagnosis is to talk to your health care provider directly, and frankly, according to Kathy Valtin, vice president of marketing, communications and strategy with Hospice of Northwest Ohio.
“They can help you explore all the options” for the care you need, now and in the future, she said. Most health care providers can also provide social workers to help patients navigate their options for care.
There are a variety of other providers that can help with supporting patients’ care and financial needs. They include:
- Local churches, which often can recommend services and funding for members.
- Hospice of Northwest Ohio. According to Valtin, it doesn’t turn anyone away for services, and can also provide resources to help with other family issues.
- Medicaid, after meeting the state’s criteria, can be used for medical needs.
- United Way of Greater Toledo and the City of Toledo can help connect patients with services and resources.
- The Area Office on Aging of Northwest Ohio, if the patient qualifies, can provide support.
“It’s important to break up the costs (of palliative care and funeral services), so you’re not trying to take on everything at once,” said Molly DeMaison, manager with the Cremation Society of Toledo. “Do the most pressing at once and then take care of other details later.”
The pandemic illustrated the importance of family and friend connections. “COVID empowered families to celebrate their lives, and to do it on their own,” DeMaison said. The Cremation Society’s basic service is affordable, she said, and families and friends often come together to cover the costs.
But where possible, individuals should create a document – well in advance of any health crisis – to handle any preferences for potential long-term emergencies. The plan can include employers, health care professionals and other contacts who can be called upon for assistance and information. It can designate health care and personal wishes, including an advance directive for medical care decisions, who to contact about caring for children, and other people and organizations that might be available to help.
These documents can also highlight the type of remembrance preferred and other actions upon death. Even a basic, hand-written document can give family and friends a pathway for getting you the services and assistance you need – as well as piece of mind.
Lisa Meadows, 46, is a single mother in Toledo facing terminal cancer and the inspiration for this article. She is working with AngeLink, an online fundraising service, to raise the funds she’ll need to help cover cremation services, modest clothing for her farewell celebration and “a dignified, peaceful remembrance” that her children shouldn’t have to shoulder financially. AngeLink employs AI-driven campaign setup and optimization, as well as support through the effort, especially for medical, emergency, and memorial causes.
Meadows says she doesn’t “want family to stress about cremation or even clothes for the celebration of life.” Read more about her story at her donation page on AngeLink.
Michigan family takes Jeep parent Stellantis to court
Their hybrid allegedly shut off on I-75
A Monroe family is taking Stellantis to trial over a faulty Grand Cherokee 4xe, citing safety issues after the vehicle allegedly shut down in traffic.
Story by Michael Sandlin, published on WTOL on Sept. 26, 2025
MONROE, Mich. — A Monroe family is heading to trial against Jeep’s parent companies, FCA US and Stellantis, after months of problems with their 2023 Grand Cherokee 4xe, including an incident they said left them coasting in fast-lane traffic when the SUV suddenly shut off.
PJ and Carley Phillips said they chose the hybrid Grand Cherokee last summer as a safe upgrade for their growing family.
“This is a family car and it’s unsafe, and I’m doing what’s best for my family,” PJ said.
Early glitches with the infotainment screen and backup camera gave way to bigger failures that winter, the couple said, including a loss of heat and repeated camera outages. The SUV then spent roughly 30 days at the dealership for repairs, according to the family.
Michigan’s lemon law generally deems a vehicle defective if it has four or more repair attempts for the same problem or is out of service for 30 or more days during the warranty period. The Phillipses said they began the arbitration process with FCA after compiling stacks of service invoices.
“I don’t know if people will think this is normal, but for a car that’s less than two years old, these are all the service invoices from all the work it’s had done,” PJ said.
The company first offered a “customer retention payment,” the family said, and they continued driving the SUV. But the problems returned, and in May, Carley said the vehicle lost power at highway speed near the Newport exit on I-75.
“I was going 70 miles an hour in the fast lane and then all of a sudden the car shut off on me,” she said. “It started showing me all of these error codes. Traffic was light, thank goodness, and I was able to get over to the right edge.”
After a second arbitration push, the family said the case was accepted, but the award appeared to include offsets tied to the earlier payment and mileage. A Michigan judge later vacated the arbitrator’s ruling, calling it an improper application of law, clearing the way for a jury trial.
The Phillipses said they’re seeking a full refund under the lemon law while still paying more than $700 a month on their lease.
“We haven’t seen it since May,” the Phillipses said, noting the SUV remains in the shop.
The legal fight comes as Stellantis last month announced a recall of about 92,000 Grand Cherokee 4xe SUVs from model years 2022 through 2026, citing software issues that can cause a loss of power while driving, including the same model owned by the Phillips family.
Stellantis provided WTOL 11 with the following statement:
“The safety of our customers is a top priority, and the Company is actively deploying a remedy for this campaign. FCA US is voluntarily recalling an estimated 91,787 U.S.-market vehicles to update their hybrid control processor (HCP) software.
An internal investigation determined that some 2022–2026 model-year Jeep® Grand Cherokee plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) may experience an intermittent communication issue between the battery pack control module (BPCM) and the hybrid control processor (HCP). In certain instances, the HCP may misinterpret a signal from the BPCM. If this happens, it could result in the propulsion system shutting down without warning and increase the risk of a collision.”
The company said it is unaware of any related accidents or injuries.
Affected customers will be advised when they may obtain service, which will be provided free of charge. Customers with additional questions or concerns can call 1-800-853-1403.
AW Voter’s Guide: Three Vie For Two Seats in Monclova Township
MONCLOVA TOWNSHIP – Three candidates are on the ballot for two positions as Monclova Township trustee: Barbara Lang, Debbie Stevens-Laux and Trudy Yoder Vicary. The Free Press asked these candidates about their motivation to run, goals and priorities for the township.
Barbara Lang
Experience matters when it comes to representing a township of more than 15,000 residents, said Lang, who is seeking her sixth term in office.
After conversations with residents, county partners, fellow elected officials and her family about running for re-election, Lang said she found a consensus – that her experience and leadership are needed in guiding the township forward.
Lang first won a seat on the board in the 2003 election and, after a two year break, again in 2009 and every election since. Before she ran for office, Lang attended meetings for a year, and that provided her the knowledge of the issues and how government works. Residents want someone who will listen, be accessible and make decisions in the best interests of the community, she said.
“I have made it a priority to listen to residents and ensure their voices are represented in decisions,” she said. “I remain easy to reach, open to questions and concerns, and committed to building consensus.”
Lang said she regularly attends neighborhood meetings and answers calls and emails promptly. She also pointed out the township’s work to remain transparent – including the My Monclova app, newsletters, public postings and open dialogue in meetings that are recorded and shared at monclovatwp.org.
“Decisions about zoning, roads and safety services are made openly, with a focus on how they affect our neighborhoods and families,” she said, encouraging residents to attend meetings.
Lang said she remains focused on managing growth with vision and accountability, ensuring that new development strengthens the community.
Zoning is one of the most important issues, and Lang said she is committed to policies that welcome business growth while protecting neighborhoods and preserving the township’s rural character. She points to the recent update of the zoning resolution and land use plan as strengthening those policies. Public safety is also a priority, and she supports partnerships with the Lucas County Sheriff and ensuring the fire department has the resources it needs.
“I stand for a common-sense approach to taxes, guided by conservative fiscal responsibility,” she said.
Strengthening the Joint Economic Development District (JEDD) and Joint Economic Development Zone (JEDZ) agreements and leveraging tools like Tax Increment Financing will help secure resources for roads, safety and other services without burdening taxpayers, she said.
Data centers are a growing topic of interest, and Lang said it’s important that residents clearly understand what projects are proposed and how they affect the community. The township shares updates and makes zoning information easy to access, with public hearings for residents to ask questions and voice concerns.
“Under my leadership, we have taken steps to increase transparency, including posting signage at zoning change sites so the community can be informed. We mail letters to nearby neighbors, and broadly announce meetings. I am committed to making sure that no decision moves forward without residents having the chance to be informed.”
A Defiance native, Lang grew up in Swanton and attended St. Richard’s Catholic School and Notre Dame Academy. She earned a B.S. in communications from Miami University and has worked for Mercy Health Foundation for most of her career. She has lived in the township since 1994.
During her tenure as trustee, Lang graduated from The Ohio State Leadership Academy and Leadership Academy 2.0 and became a National Incident Management System (NIMS) certified professional, which helps understand the importance of safety preparation. She is an active member of the Lucas County Township Association and serves on the Ohio Township Association Board of Directors and is president of the Monclova-Maumee-Toledo JEDZ.
Debbie Stevens-Laux
Stevens-Laux, a third-generation Monclova resident and co-owner of Stevens Gardens on Weckerly Road, wants to bring a different perspective to the board of trustees.
“Being a lifelong resident, small business owner and farmer, I am able to weigh issues from several different points of view,” Stevens-Laux said. “Living and working at Stevens Gardens offers me a unique opportunity to be available to the community. I interact with many residents on a daily basis and look forward to meeting some new faces.”
Stevens-Laux believes that the community expects trustees to act in their best interest, and that means transparency – making public all issues before a decision is made.
“Monclova residents need to have an opportunity to voice their opinion. This is especially true for a major issue such as data centers. All the information needs to be made public – pros and cons. A data center is an issue worthy of an effort to inform the residents before any zoning changes are made,” she said. “Trustees are obligated to act on behalf of the residents that elected them; they should never have a personal agenda.”
One of the top priorities for the township should be ensuring that growth is in line with residents’ expectations, she said. Whether living rurally or in subdivisions, these residents need to have a voice, she added.
“Maintaining a small town atmosphere that led them to live here is paramount to our residents and to me,” she said.
Stevens-Laux is a third-generation resident of the township. Her grandparents moved to the area in 1951 and her father, Joe Stevens, attended Monclova School with his siblings. In 1970, Joe and his wife, Brenda Stevens, purchased the family farm and raised their four children there. Stevens-Laux was in the first kindergarten class to attend what is now Monclova Primary School.
After graduating from Anthony Wayne High School in 1987, Stevens-Laux worked for Buckeye Cable System for 27 years, retiring as a line technician in 2014. In the years since, she’s dedicated her time to running Stevens Gardens.
In 2004, Debbie and her husband, Dennis Laux, purchased an acre of the family farm and built their home. Together they raised their six children, with two remaining in the township raising children of their own.
“I live and work in Monclova Township and look forward to a great future for my children and grandchildren here. I hope to be part of the future of this wonderful community as a Monclova Township trustee,” she said.
As trustee, Stevens-Laux said she will strive to represent the will and interests of all township residents with complete transparency.
“Running a business here and interacting with many of the residents affords me the opportunity to garner public opinion on our local topics,” she said. “That interaction will enable me to gain the knowledge to act in favor of the community as a whole, and not the interests of a few.”
Trudy Yoder Vicary
Yoder Vicary grew up watching her parents, Lowell and Marylin Yoder, be involved in their community.
“Coming from a civic-minded, service-oriented family, with my business background, I knew that I would be an asset to Monclova Township,” said Vicary, who is wrapping up her first term in office. “The steep learning curve of being an elected official is now behind me, allowing me to focus on challenges in the township.”
The duties of a trustee are specific: to maintain township roads, care for the cemeteries, and provide emergency services, she said. The trustees are also responsible for ensuring that the finances are handled correctly.
“About 11 percent of our Monclova property taxes go to the township. Trustees must account for the ‘where, why, who, what and how’ tax monies are spent. Fiscal responsibility is my priority,” Vicary said.
Among her goals in her second term are to see the completion of projects, including the upgrading of fire station facilities, parks and playground improvements budgeted for 2026, downtown Monclova connectivity, and plans that are in progress with the Toledo Area Metropolitan Council of Governments to identify priority corridors to boost safe connectivity.
She also wants to continue working with partners on the Monclova-Maumee-Toledo Joint Economic Development Zone, the Joint Economic Development District I with Whitehouse and the Toledo Express Airport JEDD with Swanton Township.
“Careful planning is necessary for the future oversight of Monclova Township,” she said.
Currently, Vicary serves as the trustee liaison for the Monclova Historical Foundation, which operates the Monclova Community Center. During her time as a trustee, she has been involved in the management of fire and maintenance equipment needs and in the decision to modify the scope of employment within the fire department to include full-time positions.
Vicary encourages residents to download the My Monclova app to find out what is happening in the township – from garbage pickup updates and meeting times to contact information for each person and department.
“The trustee meetings are open to the public, held on the first and third Mondays of the month at 5:30 p.m. They are also streamed live through the My Monclova app if you cannot make it in person,” she said.
Born and raised in Holland, Vicary graduated from Springfield High School and joined the family business, Yoder Machinery, where she handles all business aspects of the company. In addition, she holds a real estate license and helps manage their rental properties in the area. Married to Ken Vicary, they have two grown daughters who graduated from Toledo Christian School, where she is still involved. She attends CedarCreek Church in Perrysburg.
Libbey Glass strike one of the longest in company history
TOLEDO – A gray and drizzled day marked one month since workers at the Libbey Glass factory, 950 Ash Street, in north Toledo went on strike.
The looming edifice of glass production was a clear reminder for workers on the picket line of the power of their employer.
Strike captains managed workers walking in rain gear across the entrance of the mostly shut down production building.
“The company was saying to us, ‘If you don’t come toward the items in our last, best and final offer, then there’s really no reason for us to meet,’” said Donnie Blatt, the director of United Steelworkers (USW) District 1, Ohio and Michigan, who was trying to find a way to avoid a shutdown.
Management’s unwillingness to negotiate, Blatt said, left the union with no place to go except a strike.
“I gave them a proposal that would try to settle the issues, and was trying to find some middle ground,” he said. According to Blatt, after fifteen minutes of looking over the proposal, Libbey’s representation told him the company really only had one offer.
Union leadership said they could not accept Libbey’s offer, as it would dissolve the autonomy of the union and workers.
“We did take that back for a vote,” Blatt said. “We explained to everybody what was in that [offer], and the vote went down 302 to five [in favor of striking].”
Consequentially, at midnight on Aug. 23, workers from USW Locals 59, 700 and 65 went on strike along with workers from another union, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) Local 1297.
Unmoved, both management and the locals maintain their opposed stances, but with one main difference: union members are eager to get back to the negotiating table.
The Contract
“For the last probably six meetings, they had that same little contract offer: ‘Take this or leave it,’” said Allen Chatman, the recording secretary for USW Local 700, recalling negotiations with Libbey.
“We can’t do that,” he said emphatically. “No, they want total control of our whole contract. You know, they want total control.”
Blatt backed Chatman on the nature of Libbey’s proposed offer.
“They want to unilaterally be able to contract out our work,” he said. “They want to unilaterally be able to change start times and end times of shifts. They want to be able to unilaterally say how many people are working, if they’re working on a different machine, which causes some safety concerns for us as well.”
“They want to unilaterally be able to make any discretionary decision that they deem necessary for production. You might as well not even have a collective bargaining agreement.”
These discretionary decisions include things like mandatory overtime, elimination of premium pay for shifts over 12 hours and sending workers home without pay if work is finished early. To make these changes, Libbey also proposed changing jurisdiction and seniority within the factory.
Sacrifice
The overwhelming approval for a strike came on the heals of concessions the USW had already ceded during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Back in 2019, the company came to us…saying that they were in trouble, and wanted us to help them stay out of bankruptcy and liquidation,” Blatt said. “So we bargained an agreement with them.”
“In 2020, the employees gave up a 2.5 percent wage increase that was already negotiated for them, and in 2021 they gave up another 2.5 percent wage increase. And then on top of that, [employees] took a 5 percent wage deduction until the end of the the extended agreement in 2024.”
“We also gave up retiree health care in that agreement that the retirees never did get back. We froze the defined benefit pension, and they [the workers] also agreed to pay more premiums for their health care,” Blatt said.
Workers did all this with a “snap back” provision that said workers would have parts of what they ceded restored when production hit a certain threshold.
“This is the first negotiation since the employees made that sacrifice,” Blatt said. USW international estimated these concessions were roughly $30 million in savings to the company.
“Now the company has come back, and they want more concessions,” he said.
Union workers are not eager to continue making concessions to Libbey.
“We’ve already dropped a lot of stuff that we really wanted. And we didn’t want to, but we did. And they’re still not, they’re not budging,” said Adrian Martinez, the recording secretary for Local 59.
“It could be another month. Could be another two months, I don’t know. First we got to get back to the table. That’s the first thing we’re trying to do.”
Political attention
One month into the strike, Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz dropped off food supplies at USW Local 700 headquarters, 814 Ash Street, a brisk walk away from the Libbey factory and the picket line.
Later that day, Toledo Mayoral Candidate Roberto Torres met with workers on the picket line and delivered some political messaging ahead of the Nov. 4 election.
“We just stopped by there to drop off some food and water items for the workers and the families,” Torres said. “I ask for management to return to the bargaining table with a fair and equitable contract.”
Torres alleged Kapszukiewicz only stopped by earlier in the day because he heard Torres would be visiting the picket line that day.
This allegation resonated with some of the workers striking outside of the factory, who felt forgotten by the current mayor.
Strike Captain Gabe Mason was walking the picket line, and wouldn’t speak about the condition of the strike except that Kapszukiewicz hadn’t been to the picket line and had snubbed the USW strikers during the Labor Day Parade, turning away from the group during the march.
Chatman could not speak specifically to the events of Labor Day, but said he had heard the same story from other union members.
“We[‘re] on strike. We need all the help we can get,” Chatman said, and then asked the mayor for help. “Maybe you got some strings you can pull to get them [Libbey] to come back to the table with us.”
Mayor Kapszukiewicz later told the Toledo Free Press he would have walked with the USW if he had been asked to do so.
“I have a rule: I do virtually everything I’m asked, and nothing I’m not asked to do,” he said, and explained he came alongside other strikes in Toledo at roughly the same pace.
In terms of political pressure on Libbey, the mayor said, “Libbey certainly is risking their tax incentives from the City of Toledo,” but said it was likely the company calculated losing those incentives before allowing the strike to commence.
The long haul
Altogether, the roughly 650 workers at Libbey, not all USW, are now living off of their strike funds, and are accepting food donations.
Chatman and Blatt both mentioned a few stragglers who had crossed the picket line, and Blatt said he reached out to Libbey for a list of names of workers who were back to work already.
“The reason why we want to know that is because if we have members that have crossed the picket line, we don’t want them coming in and getting striking defense benefits during the strike from us,” Blatt said.
Regardless, Chatman said the workers who crossed were a “small fraction. It’s not hurting our drive at all.”
When asked why he thought management wasn’t budging on the negotiations, Chatman said, “Greed, corporate greed. That’s all I can say. For them to come, like they try to get a total rewrite of our contract. That’s greed.”
Workers said they are prepared to remain on strike for at least a few more months, but want to get back to the negotiating table.
“All we want is a fair and equitable agreement,” Blatt said, and finished talking with the Toledo Free Press by saying, “Libbey Glass didn’t make Toledo. The workers and the city of Toledo made Libbey Glass.”
“For this company to be so disrespectful to the history of glass making in Toledo, to be so disrespectful to the workers who saved them and kept them out of bankruptcy and liquidation and actually had them in a profitable financial position based on the sacrifices they made…I mean, it really is disrespectful.”
The Toledo Free Press reached out to Libbey for comment, but has not heard back as of the publication of this article.
And there does not seem to be an end to the strike for the time being.
TFP photos by Gaven Hafner:
The story of Midstory: Young, innovative, talking up Toledo
TOLEDO – Some talk about bright, talented young people leaving Toledo – a brain drain, it’s called. Then there’s the four who left, earned degrees and started good jobs, but returned.
They’re on a crusade of sorts: to tell the story of Toledo specifically and the Midwest in general. Hence, in 2018, they formed Midstory. It’s not only “our” story, but theirs.
“We are a nonprofit. Our mission is to progress the Midwest narrative,” said Logan Sander, one of the four founding Midstorians. The other three are Samuel Chang, his sister Ruth Chang, and Alex Lim.
Sander explained the three branches through which Midstory does its work:
- Multimedia storytelling, from podcasts to written journalism to graphics.
- Solutions-oriented research, in partnership with universities and organizations on long-term projects.
- Programing it calls ThinkLab, in which interns from universities nationwide and locally spend a summer with Midstory.
In a sense, the internships speak to the original concerns fueling the “brain drain” talk.
“Through the internship programs,” Sander said, “we’re cultivating, retaining, and attracting bright young talent to places like Toledo to invest themselves in our region and envision what regions like ours could be.”
She said the interns range from Princeton, Harvard, Yale, Duke, Northwestern to the University of Toledo and Bowling Green State University.
While those interns – around 20 to 25 each year and about 200 in total to date – are here for only a summer, “we’ve put Toledo on their map,” Sander said. So much so that some have returned for Midstory’s year-long fellowship program, in which they develop projects and gain experience in nonprofit and multimedia storytelling, she said.
Sander added that when Midstory began, it had a high school intern program. The 2020 pandemic brought that to a close; the collegiate one continued virtually. However, the high school program will be rebooted in 2026, drawing from local high schools and those across the Midwest.
Speaking of Midstory’s beginnings, the concept wasn’t immediate. Sander said she is a Toledoan, the Changs are immigrants from Taiwan who grew up in Toledo, and Lim is from Kalamazoo, Mich. Each went to universities on the East Coast, graduated, and in some cases began their careers. They all came to know each other – Logan and Sam married; Lim was Sam’s roommate in Boston.
Then they all came to question where they were and why. “We grew up, left, and experienced life elsewhere,” Sander said, feeling as though they were at a crossroads, as was the country at the time. “The epiphany was for us to give back to the place that raised us.”
So the four moved back to Toledo and began brainstorming. “What does our community need, how can we contribute to solving some issues, like the brain drain,” Sander said. Some people questioned why they returned, but “we wanted to make a statement. We wanted to be the first among many, that we’d be able to draw other young people to follow suit.”
The Midstory concept arose, and the four became their own grant writers to seek startup and operating funds. The University of Toledo Business Incubator provided an office, and the arrangement grew to the point where today Midstory has more-permanent space at the university’s incubator to also accommodate its interns.
In 2019, Midstory had a fundraiser in which it showcased its mission and its collaborative outreach, attracting about 1,000 visitors to the city’s Downtown Train Station.
Now, Sander said, instead of such fundraisers, Midstory banks on grants – local, regional, state, and national – and partnerships in conjunction with collaborations.
Midstory is in motion. “We’ve got a couple of really cool things upcoming,” she said. There’s an online exhibit with the Toledo History Museum highlighting local manufacturing and innovation, a new podcast looking into brain drain and population loss, and in the fall, an exhibit at the gallery space at the Main Branch of the Toledo Lucas County Public Library downtown on adaptive reuse sites – historic buildings that are being reused creatively.
“We’re changing the way people think about Toledo and the Midwest,” Sander said.
Learn more about the nonprofit at midstory.org.
Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz: Toledo Mayoral Incumbent 2025
Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz sits down with Toledo Free Press reporter Stephen Zenner to unpack his experience in politics, how faith led him to serve, economic development and other relevant local topics.
