And now the 490 with Gretchen de Bakker.

Matt.

Kill em, and Kevin Mullin.

Welcome into the 419.

Powered by and presented by Retro Wealth Management.

I'm Gavin mullen, Gretchen de becker.

My killing it is our special, surprise guest episode, here on the 419, part of our throwback to the original podcast.

But also something that we just fully, admittedly stole from, the podcast.

Marvelous.

That's right.

So totally lifted.

Yeah.

And it's we bring one of us, bring someone on, and the other two don't know who it is, and we just sort of have a organic, in theory conversation with the person when when we started the podcast and you guys would explain to people what we were doing, was there ev moment of like, shame that like, we stole this, like, blatantly from somebody else?

No.

Yeah.

Me neither.

That's why man, I've never had original idea in my whole life.

No, I defend people of theft every single day.

So I can't have a problem with it.

Oh, well, that's an interesting way to put that, Gretchen.

All right, but they.

But the people that you defend didn't actually do it.

That's right.

Yeah.

As far as you know.

Yeah.

That's right.

Okay.

Perfect.

All right, so this is your guest.

Yes.

Which for folks that are new to the show are going to learn.

So when I was growing up, we'd go to church on Sunday and they would always say, like, you know, today is Charity Sunday.

Every Sunday was charity Sunday.

So when we say like when we say one of the three of us is going to bring on a surprise guest, what we really mean is the majority of the time Gretchen is going to bring on a surprise.

That has been exactly what it is.

Yeah.

Although the momentary panic, when I think it's me.

Yeah, you're like, oh, I didn't text someone yesterday as I passed people or I headed to Speedway.

I'm like, which one of these people do I think is be the big streetwalker?

Surprise.

Yeah, exactly.

Yeah.

Well, I have a good guest for you today.

It's yesterday.

And a woman.

So that.

Sure that cat is out of the bag.

Yeah, but I'm going to.

I'm going to give some clues that that I had the other bag I that it just as a second that expression didn't even know the etymology as I'm look at your faces, I realize that this is not a guy who put a cat in a bag.

Yeah, that's out of them.

Sorry, sorry.

Okay, so this person, there's a couple of things that I have in common with this person.

One is that short, definitive statement we both, used to own a coffeehouse.

Okay, okay.

In Toledo, the second is used to.

Yes.

Well, I don't own a coffeehouse now, and neither does she.

All right, now I'm out.

Okay.

The second is that we both worked for the city of Toledo.

Okay, okay.

Our offices were right adjacent, next door to each other.

Shared a wall, shared a wall.

Shared a hallway than a wall.

But anyway, that's the matter.

And then the third is adjacent.

Mean to you?

Well, it's not a share.

Yes.

Out of the bag.

You're all right.

I mean, is that right?

Your offices weren't exactly just juxtapositions.

That's right.

They weren't juxtaposed.

Yeah, that's.

Yeah, that's not a thing.

And also we both, this is the one that's going to get you is that we both, again, to varying degrees of success, but we both swim laps at the University of Toledo rec center.

Okay.

So if you hang out of the pool, I do not know this.

Yeah, I don't have any idea who this is.

No.

Yeah.

I my so excited.

My rolodex of coffee shop owners.

Yeah.

Is limited to two me but no.

So do your former.

So three.

All right.

It's a three.

But both of them are current coffee shop owners, so I don't know that.

I know any former coffee shop owners.

Yeah, it's out of the bag, but you.

But you think that we do in the bag.

You think that we do know this person?

I think you do.

All right.

And we just may not realize we don't know these cool things about her.

That's sure.

That's right.

All right, all right, all right.

When we come back, we will meet Gretchen's surprise guest.

That and more on the 419, powered by CTE and presented by Retro Wealth Management.

Support for the 419 comes from Whetro Wealth Management, where we understand that your financial path is personal.

Advisory services are offered through capital investment advisory services LLC, securities offered through Capital Investment Group member Finra, SIPC.

More information at whetroadvisors.com The 419, powered by WGTE is made possible in part by supporters like you.

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Introducing The Local Thread, a community news series uniting voices and storytellers from across the region in partnership with La Prensa, the Toledo Free Press, the Sojourner Truth, Toledo Public Schools, and veteran journalist Jerry Anderson.

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Welcome back into the 419, our surprise guest edition of the 419.

It's Gretchen's surprise guest.

And I am so mad at myself.

I am as well.

Yeah.

I love the fact that you both got stumped.

The the hints were.

Owns a coffee shop owner owned owned a coffee shop.

Let me highlight some of the prompts.

Worked in, Government City Toledo and swims laps at UT.

And I actually as soon as you walked around the corner, I knew two of the three facts about her, very obviously.

And we've like we've spoken in the last I said, I've spoken to like both of you.

Yeah, yeah.

Well, let's make sure I get over here this morning.

Our audience.

Yeah.

I didn't know what for, but knows that we've been joined by Sandy Spang, who is the executive director of the newly named.

And we'll get to it.

Lake Erie West Regional Council, formerly known as team Acog.

But thank you for for being my surprise guest.

Goodness.

This is a this is a life goal to be on this show.

Thank you.

We need to talk about your life goals.

Yeah.

Okay.

Sorry.

Are you a morning person or like.

Oh yes.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Well I, I've been actually also swimming at Sylvania Masters, which is kind of a little misnomer for me because I'm in lane one.

And if, if you're thinking is lane one the best or the slowest, it's the slowest.

But I've been with them for about two and a half years.

You're coached I've never been coached in my life.

Now, of course, being me, I take it way too seriously.

It sounds right.

And we swim Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5:30 a.m.. Okay.

And I'm a South Toledo.

And so that's a long drive hike.

So I'm up really early.

And then on Saturdays we do a 90 minute swim at 615 in the morning.

So what got you into swimming?

You know, my my, my kids were swimmers.

They were age group swimmers, Saint Francis swimmers.

And then one of them even swam college.

And I had sat through so many swim meets and doing crossword puzzles, usually missing my kids swims.

You know, there's a t shirt I've seen at a swim meet.

It said, If God said you only have one day left to live, make it a swim, meet you last forever.

Yeah.

But I, you know, you break a few things, you sprain a few things.

Pretty soon, what's left?

And I was never a runner, so I took some classes, and at first I could only make it down one lane.

Sure.

And, I had.

Well, you are three feet tall, so in fairness, there is that.

Yeah.

Oh, my goodness, you're a tiny person.

Yes.

You know, look at Michael.

And body shape and height makes a difference.

But last year I went on a swim track trip.

Swim track can take you anywhere in the world at any level of swimming.

And I went to America and for a weeklong and our final day, we swam a 4K in the ocean.

We every day we swam a couple of in the ocean.

Yeah, a couple of 2 or 3 k's.

But the last day we did a 4K and you know, that's different.

It's such a metaphor for life because when you're swimming open water, you you have to keep sighting, you have to keep lifting your head and keeping your eye because everybody had watches.

Some people swam 3.2km at one particular swim.

Somebody else only swam 2.8.

What was the difference?

How they cited?

Sure.

It's like that Family Circus cartoon where they go, you know, Billy goes everywhere.

Yeah, yeah.

And so that was such a learning experience for me.

I came in last of every single swim, but it was an international group of people, and they were so supportive, and I just kept doing it sheer will I did what did it sounds like you.

That is.

Oh it was.

That's amazing.

So I will tell you soon about the ocean.

It's really, really salty.

And this is not a science show, but that's helpful.

Yeah, yeah.

And as you're swimming you're like, oh my gosh.

And they'll throw you your boat.

There's a boat accompanying you.

They'll throw you your bottle water bottle.

But it doesn't help.

It is so no, no.

So how long does that swim take for me.

Hours every day.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Sandy, I, since Kevin and I both embarrassingly missed our c here, which I am shocked at as well, I don't feel seen it all bizarre.

Well, I do want to know what you should, because I. I loved both of your coffees.

Coffee shop.

Me as well.

Yeah, absolutely.

And adore you.

It's the, You, started play 21 with your son.

I believe it's actually my daughter.

My son was in college.

My daughter a pretty much the vision of a 15 year old.

So that's some trust.

That's how people describe Gretchen.

Well, yeah.

Today.

And, you know, it was 2009.

We were still very much in the throes of the recession.

But, I bought that building and nobody else was going to rent it.

And I said to my husband, I think I want to do a coffee shop, because everywhere I ever traveled, I was always looking for independent coffee houses.

I was a study abroad student.

I had my first cappuccino in Italy.

I really loved that independent coffee scene, and third wave coffee was just really kind of coming on.

And, she was so instrumental.

She became a really adept, barista.

She did latte art competitions.

Oh.

You're kidding.

Oh, no.

And I will tell you, I was I and she introduced me to Toledo because she's like, she's working on the tea menu.

And she says, you know, I really think we ought to we ought to get on this matcha thing.

It's it's so healthy.

And I was like, it kind of tastes like I mean, I love it, but I said, I don't know if we can do that.

And she came up with a recipe that people loved, and we did kind of did it frozen.

And then we started doing lattes and we were way ahead of is the, the, the, the competition.

Also in the oceans of New York.

No, no no, no, no big cities really big scene.

Okay.

So that was a location, South Toledo.

And then you had a second location in, in downtown in your old fishing grounds location.

So, yeah, so plate 115 years old when I sold it now, I think 17 years old, sold it to a former employee, her husband.

And they brought another couple in, and they are killing it.

Yeah.

It's really it's it's different, which it should be.

It's evolving, but it's still very much a part of the neighborhood.

And I'll tell you, the name always confused people because I found an old plat book.

The city, all government and agencies used to have these books like before CAD.

And if they were going to, you know, reroute the garbage route or something, they would look, where is Rugby Drive and they go back and it would say that it was on plate one, like a color illustration.

And these were hand drawn and hand water colored.

The city still has tons of them in their archives.

And so I found one at an antique shop and I and so I had that plate and it showed the whole neighborhood.

It was it's a plate of plates.

It's all the plants that make up the name.

It's a plate of plates, a plate, a plastic.

It's not a plate of plates.

No no no no, don't.

And so the bag of chips, that was the name.

And then when we opened downtown in the Ohio building, that's plate one, which is really cool.

And so now that is I never knew that was the background story.

And yes.

And so now that is also being operated by a wonderful family and house of coffee.

And it's, it's it's got a kind of a, Lebanese feel to it.

Great pastries.

So, they're both still in, you know, that makes you really happy that they're both still serving their neighborhoods, and they're both for 12 years and 15 years is, an amazing accomplishment.

And for Gretchen, coffee shop years.

Like dog years.

Yes.

That's like 100 years.

Yeah.

And people say to me, business is.

Yeah, it is any business.

Absolutely.

And it's gotten harder.

You know, I say show grace to locals because it's harder.

Everything's harder, everything's more expensive.

And, we just said to our friends at the everything's been easy peasy, right?

Go.

There we go.

When you opened the coffee, so you had the idea to open this coffee shop, you open it.

When was the moment that you realized, like, that this was actually going to work?

Oh, that is so when you sold it.

So we.

So we had a grand opening.

Yeah.

Mayor Finkbeiner came and cut the ribbon.

We had everybody who had worked on the place and all the news that came said, because of course, a business opening in the recession, very strong.

Right.

And they just kept like, sort of like, why are you doing this?

And I was, you know, just my usual positive self.

The next morning I get there at like five in the morning.

And now we'd had the usual problems overnight or at the end of that opening, the one of the grinders broke my husband actually, like, made the part.

He pulled the part overnight for me to get there in the morning.

We had like a line.

I think it was just of its moment.

It was the right moment and that perfect spot.

Big day and well, and, you know, people thought it was a terrible spot because it was in a neighborhood.

It wasn't on a street with 20,000 cars roaring by where you would find a lot of the.

It's also an interesting, layout from the perspective of city planning.

It's like a it's a unique little angle.

It's a weird little is everybody says it's on Detroit Avenue, but rugby kind of.

That's right.

Yeah.

So I have to tell you, people ask me all the time, well, what you know, what do you miss?

And of course I miss the people.

Sure made made a million friends.

We we were there.

We were mentioned in people's obituaries.

We help them find lost dogs.

We celebrated good things, and we celebrated tough things like tests.

It came back that.

But we became a very important part of that.

Yeah, that family.

And I'm glad that's still happening.

But I will say the number one thing is I don't get constant text anymore day and night, that we're almost out of milk.

Yeah.

You know, so that's the pay off.

Someone called on our staff.

Yeah.

We need a place to say someone's somebody to show up.

At one point.

People may also remember that you served on the City council.

You were an independent, elected member of council.

At what point in that run at play 21 did you.

So they were they actually were related because I had, gone to Bossier High School and lived in the same neighborhood.

And he used to say, you had to run for council Typekit like, no, Rob, many things I should do, but that is not what I should do.

You know, we're raising our family rental properties.

We were, you know, my husband worked in the trades Local 55.

All right.

55.

And so it was like, no.

But my experience going, through the we gutted that place.

And I mean, every wire, every pipe, everything.

And I learned so much about code upgrade that when you change the use of a space, you have to bring it up to new construction codes.

I learned so much about sign code, which became a major issue for me.

And I, you know, we all we wanted to do was put an awning with our logo.

Very simple.

Not allowed by the sign code.

Yeah.

And so we had to go to the Board of Zoning Appeals.

We were delayed months in opening.

It cost a lot of money.

So, this sign code held you up from opening?

Oh, yeah.

What a nightmare.

Yeah, but but that code upgrade, realizing that if we wanted to preserve those buildings that are part of placemaking, that are part of the fabric of the neighborhood, we had to support the code upgrade because it makes the return on investment impossible.

You know, you have to put sprinklers in firewalls.

You have to turn it into an accessible space, which we want safe buildings, accessible buildings.

But if you're going to do that, you've got to support it.

Now we have the vibrancy initiative with the city has supported.

Council has supported that.

Does the white box program for first floor, which is a green spaces the and we've got a new and upgraded facade program.

I used an old I was the last person to use an old facade grant during the Bell administration and I it was a very small grant.

But what I did is all the businesses on that little strip in that really nice neighborhood, but they were all like, vacant.

Yeah.

They looked scrubby and went and found all the owners and said, hey, I got this grant from the city and I can give you some of this money, because I'd already funded my project.

I wanted them to join me.

And they said, how about new awnings, new new storefront glass?

What about it?

And now that whole strip.

Yeah.

You know, we have all these great little businesses.

That's right.

And so I wanted that's what, you know, that statistically that it shows that when women choose to run for office, it's because they want to fix a thing.

And I wanted to fix that thing.

And those systems are just so directly tied to the inspection system.

The code compliance departments, like you said, the sign code people, they're all different people.

Yes.

In many municipalities, they're all different departments.

Yes.

Sometimes they don't talk to each other.

And so it really can be the effect that that has on businesses and small businesses can either be allow them to flourish or really be a detriment.

Also, the more often than not, the people.

And this isn't necessarily a criticism, it's just about experienced people who are in those roles.

I have not been small business owners and understand how it functions.

Yes.

So the practicality of payroll, or the immediacy of being on a, in a cash day to day business is awesome.

Right?

And again, it's just what, you know, I do want to, go back to Sandy.

I'm embarrassed to say this, but other than what you just said about growing up in the South End, I don't know, about your upbringing.

Your folks were home.

What did they do?

How did they know?

Sandy?

Yes, I know, so what's your maiden name, Schank.

Gotcha.

So I barely changed.

Yeah, sure.

Once, you know.

Yep.

Short.

Just a little change?

Yes, a little change.

I am a Toledo girl.

I think I was voted most likely to leave Toledo in my senior class, and I am so glad that I didn't.

Yeah.

But, I grew up in South Toledo.

My dad worked for Toledo Edison.

All right.

And, all his his life, he worked there, and my mom was home with us until she went to work for the Chamber of Commerce.

And, Yeah, she loved it.

But one of the distinct lives of growing up for me was that, my oldest brother, Steve, had down syndrome, and so I was the youngest of three, two older brothers.

And I would say that that had such an influence shaped my life.

I grew up in the developmental disabilities community.

You know, it's people think of mainstreaming now.

Mainstreaming came after my brother graduated from Lark Lane.

I don't know if people know this, but Lucas County is the national pioneer in developmental disabilities.

We were the first county in the country to offer families, educational and employment services at no charge.

People moved here for that.

And so we were pioneers, and I hope we always keep that.

And that was because one person just seen a lot.

And I would say, I think I knew her name before I knew Santa Claus.

His name.

And so, my brother was in that first group that went to first, just a lot school Hefner.

But then when Lark Lane was built, because of the levy to support, it wasn't called developmental disabilities at that time.

It was the levy for retarded children.

And, but my mom that because that was because the state did not give educational dollars the per student dollars.

If you weren't educational.

Can you believe that?

And that's, in one lifetime.

Yeah.

Come so far.

Yes, ma'am.

And so, so my mom used to take me over the moms did everything over there, and she used to take me and put me in the activities class.

Well, she did things at the school.

And so when I got to kindergarten, I thought I entered the master race.

I couldn't like everybody was like, you know, nobody had, like, braces, nobody what it was.

But that shaped me.

And, at a pretty young age, I became my brother's guardian.

And, really, Interesting.

Yes.

And so it really colored me, and he he influenced me so much.

I think it made me I think I was a really idealistic kid, but I also think that it made me kind of a fighter and want it, you know, want to advocate.

Yes.

Absolutely.

Not just for him, but for everybody I knew who didn't have a strong family relationship or guardian.

So, he actually, near the end of his life, he actually worked at plate 21.

All right.

He would get on tarps, and, he would he would come over with his plate, 21 shirt, clean the tables from lunch, talk to everybody, fired.

My first and best hired barista, who then would make him his hot chocolate just the way he liked it.

That's right.

And then he would rehire them and.

And then, actually, Josh, the that individual became a pastor and gave the eulogy at Steve's funeral.

And so it was.

I'm sorry for his passing.

Thank you.

But, you know, he lived, to be honest, 62.

And when he was born, his life expectancy was 29.

Yeah.

And we've come so far.

And now we have self-advocates.

Now, people with developmental disabilities are advocating for themselves, as it should be.

And that is it's a one life time.

I also think we all have a dear friend who talks a lot about their child and how they were warned about a quality of life, quality of life, and their brother had it and the real quality of life.

Right?

Yeah.

We're talking with Sandy Spang, Gretchen's surprise guest here on a Friday edition of the 419.

When we come back, I do want to dive into, like, the present.

Right.

So, you left city government?

You got promoted to get away from the chaos of people complaining about their trash not being picked up for their roads not being plowed or their sidewalks breaking down.

And all of the other issues that that come with the joy of elected office.

But but you now lead, the Lake Erie West Regional Council, which is the brand new name of what people long may know as team Acog.

Yes.

The Toledo Metropolitan Area Area Regional Council, Council of Gravity.

That's part of the problem, right?

That's right.

Yeah, sure.

Be easy.

But then you're like, wait, what's what's it say?

Yeah, yeah.

So easier to remember the Lake Erie West Regional Council.

That makes a lot more sense.

We'll talk a little bit more about what that is and what I guess why that is as well.

When we come back here on the 419 with our special guest, Sally Spang.

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I'm Dani Miller and welcome to the Point.

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Welcome back into the 419, powered by ZTE.

We're talking with Gretchen's surprise guest, Sandy Spang.

Before the break, we talked about the Lake Erie West Regional Council.

What?

What is that?

So, you know, a lot of people, if they think that they know what we do, they know it because they've touched us in a certain way.

One area that we work in, it's actually I, we actually have created a document to show what we do, and we call it The Onion, because it's like peeling an onion and everything that we do, we shapeshift.

We have a different geographic area for each area of work, which really makes it even more confusing.

But what we are as a regional council, those formed in the 1960s, as did team Acog, and they formed in response to the federal government wanting to see regions stop competing with each other and start making decisions together.

And most notably, that would be with metropolitan planning organizations, which are how federal highway funnels money to regions.

So money will that's meant for us.

We're in district two for Odot.

Money that's meant for us will come from Federal Highway through Odot to us, and we get planning dollars for transportation planning and we receive money for projects.

But we don't decide.

Democratic staff does not.

Lake Erie West staff does not make the decision about how that money is allocated.

Members of the you know, stakeholders in the region, elected officials and folks who work in the engineering department, administrative departments come together first.

Communities submit projects and then the technical advisory committee.

That's where a lot of your engineers and people who work in those transportation offices, they score it based on a rubric that the region decided on.

Right.

We're actually looking at some of our rubrics now and kind of updating them for how the scoring works.

And then that goes to the MPO policy board, which is elected officials throughout the region.

And also like organizations that don't elect, like Tada and the Port Authority's and they make the final decision on how that money is allocated and they determine what is going to make our traffic or transportation network safer.

What is going to even, even, air quality.

You know, if you ask yourself, why are there so many roundabouts?

They score very high.

Not only do they improve safety, but they improve the air because you don't have vehicles idling, stopping and starting especially, you know, trucks.

And so that's one of the reasons they score.

So interesting.

Yeah.

So does a city municipality make application to the the state for funding.

The state says here's your because they bring the application to us.

And and so that that work is for Lucas and would and a little bit of Monroe Michigan those those townships over Monroe Michigan the so we do that work.

But we also in that work do long range planning.

We're required by federal highway to look out 25 years.

We just completed our 2055.

And it looks at passenger rail.

It looks at trails and it looks at at just every kind of transportation, in our region.

And we were commended by Federal Highway.

We had 700 public comments on that report about them.

So we want to extend that work now further into there's now a movement for rural, trans or regional transportation planning organizations, which serve rural areas in the same way.

So we're working on an expansion into our rural counties.

So all together we serve Monroe County, Michigan, Fulton County, Lucas Wood, Ottawa, Sandusky, and we do some work now in Seneca.

So that's transportation, very important.

But we also do water quality work.

We are the Ohio EPA's 208 Water Authority.

2HA chapter in the Clean Water Act that was enacted in the 70s.

And it's waste water.

So we make the waste water plan for our region where areas Seward, where they're not that sort of plan.

And when a project is presented, whether it's a new manufacturing site or more housing, we determined that it meets the requirements, the plan, and we assign it to the facility that's going to treat it.

We also work on the other side on stormwater.

So that is really important.

Yes, we're flat and stormwater can do a lot of damage.

So we have a lot of communities throughout the area we serve that have an Ms4 permit.

That's a stormwater permit from Ohio.

EPA, and we help them meet the requirements of it.

They have to educate their staff.

They have it have to educate people in the community who work in water, and they have to educate the public.

So if you ever see a commercial saying pick up after your dog mat or don't put too much salt on your sidewalk, that's us helping all those communities collectively meet the educational requirements of those permit.

So we also work for the general health of our waterways and, work throughout the watershed.

But we also have just started doing economic development, which was really what attracted me.

Sure.

Because, we have never been designated as an economic development district with the economic Development Administration.

There are 400 of those Eds throughout the country.

Half the population lives in, one half is out.

But those kids get 71% of the EDA grants, 79% of the construction grants, and three times per capita, the dollars.

Sandy, can I ask you this potentially might, offer up criticism of others, which is not your style of yours.

Why?

I'm asking, but how come we have not had that distinction or what?

How?

Well, you know, that's great, because I've gone through our archives 30 years ago.

It was a decision that they were going to pursue it.

The board voted to pursue it.

I don't know historically why they didn't got it.

It would have been easier then.

But part of the requirement for that is that we do an economic development.

They call it a comprehensive economic development strategy.

Interesting.

And Lucas would and Ottawa have had one of those.

This is the third iteration.

Every five years you update it.

It's the first time that we've conducted it.

But our state rep from the EDA said, you know, you'll have a better chance if you're if you're a full region.

So we brought Sandusky and Seneca into that five county sets now.

So we're really excited about that.

It's a blueprint for economic development and community development going forward.

But that work and helping, we're really trying to help communities find resources on a one on one basis.

So that's been that's exciting in the economic development work.

So you are you have now take it held two roles to me that have always been wildly intimidating for somebody like myself in terms of just processing information in the two roles of city council and now this, you know, there it the I guess I've got two questions.

First of which is how do you find time to operate the day to day team cog?

The former team of cog is a small but mighty group.

And that by mentioning that because you are still having to make sure that the day to day things are functioning so that you can hand these things off.

Although you have a great staff, you're small, but you are learning all of this information and then walking into rooms that you had to fly them right away.

Same with city council, right?

I always thought of myself as an example.

We have a monthly board meeting.

The packet is fairly thick.

I'm involved in 80% of that.

Packets work, and I still have to look at it and reread because I have to remind myself, how do you how do you?

When I would expand that question, if I could briefly to to to talk about Sandy's role in the economic development department.

Sure.

Which was a pivotal role then to get to the role that you are now.

But but I saw firsthand so many times that processing.

Yeah.

Of that information I would ask the same question how you do it because it it's this ability to absorb it, read it, absorb it.

But then also related to these other all these other things that you have learned.

Is it a laptop open from.

Oh no, 7 p.m.

till midnight.

How does this how do you function?

Do you ever talk to your husband?

Is really the question I do.

Are you trying to drown yourself?

Is that way for me?

That's no, no.

You know, I think, I think it's important to know your strengths and your weaknesses.

And we could make a whole show out of my weaknesses.

I could share all the things that I love to be better at.

But one thing that I think that I do well is assimilate information very quickly.

And I have my kids would tell you I have a low threshold for, for, for, boredom and a very high threshold for risk.

But, we have 83 governmental members and in our Council of governments, which is my favorite part of the work that we do, and we work to meet their needs.

But I will tell you sometimes on council, you're right.

We would have a 38 item agenda.

And it would range from the Arts Commission to sewers 100%.

You had to be a generalist.

And I, I feel I always went in prepared and knew how knew the direction I would.

I would call people, I would gather information.

Yeah.

But see, for me, that's not work.

I love that if it were the same information every day, I would struggle.

Yes.

This is.

And so I'm guess I'm made for that kind of work.

When I determined over curious on a molecular.

Yeah, absolutely.

When I decided I'm going to open a coffee shop, I had absolutely right.

No reason to think I could do that.

Yeah.

And the first thing I did is I went to I like what where are the national conferences?

Oh, coffee fest.

I'm going to go to Coffee Fest.

That's where they do the latter.

Got it.

So you go and you stand next to people who are successful, and you listen and you learn and you develop the expertise.

I attend about eight conferences a year because think about it.

I have to go to a conferences for each of the different areas of work that we're all anime conferences, and that's all we do.

That's all.

But but I love it because you're learning, you're finding out what other people are doing.

And one of the things about regional councils is that everybody is is very open handed in sharing, because we all have defined geographic areas we serve.

So we're not competitive.

If somebody has got a good idea, we share it.

So I think I don't think you're giving yourself enough credit in terms of leadership that it doesn't happen that naturally.

Go ahead.

We're talking with Sandy Spang.

We've got a couple of minutes left.

I want to get to our our quiz here in a minute, but okay.

Real quick what is your dream for the Lake Erie West Regional Council?

Yeah, there are two distinctive of what we do.

One, we're apolitical.

People leave their politics at the door.

I don't even know the political affiliation of some of my members that are very active.

It's not what we do.

We make regional decisions.

The other thing is we always look at the regional view.

That's the two things that make us different than any other entity within our area.

And so my goal is really that we learn to move as one on things that affect us all.

We're doing that on the route 23 bypass.

Give us, you know, we're the only part of Ohio that doesn't have a free flowing route to the 12th largest market in the country and one of the fastest growing.

And so that's Fremont, right?

That yes, getting to free I love Fremont.

We're opening a satellite office in Fremont.

Good, right.

It's a great town.

But I think the idea is that really that we learn our muscles, we get stronger muscles for regionalism.

We learn 100%, do that better so that we are able to compete with the other kids who are doing that.

You're the perfect person to lead.

Thank you that I love the work.

I love the work.

All right.

It's now time for Gretchen's wacky quiz.

I'm going to give you four rapid fire questions.

Gretchen is asking for your favorite thing in Toledo, and Matt is asking you to describe the region in exactly nine words, not eight.

Or you're penalized, not ten.

Or you have to stay on the show longer.

Yeah.

That is how Gretchen got here.

Yeah.

What if I talked a lot and I feel like, skip this, but.

Nope.

Okay.

No chance.

No chance.

All right.

What, household chores do you dislike the most?

Who?

Well, I like I like to cook.

I would, and I, I suppose probably anything boring and repetitive.

You know, that's all of them.

All right.

I do a lot of books on tape while I'm doing laundry and things like that.

And I am married to MacGyver.

Yeah, I've told you this, but your clothes are so tiny.

How come I am cumbersome?

But I don't have to fix things.

My husband is is truly the my guy.

If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, which song would you pick?

Great question.

Up on a roof.

Yeah.

All right.

What's the one thing the rest of your family loves but you hate?

No, it's the other way around them.

I love baseball, and except I knew that except for my youngest son, everybody hates it, so I hate that they hate baseball.

All right.

What's your middle name?

Lee.

All right, Sandy Lee Spang, I'm going to call you that from now on.

Thank you, thank you.

And you are a baseball junkie, by the way.

That is that is it just liking baseball?

She is a lunatic when it comes to baseball, I will.

You and Wade have a couple of witnesses, and I am going to Tiger spring training for the first time.

Wow.

And just to say something controversial, I have absolutely no idea why there are any Guardians fans in this region.

The Mud Hens are the taxi squad for the Tigers.

I was born a tiger.

I will die a tiger.

I do not understand this.

And I know that I've offended.

We're gonna have a debate.

There you go.

We only have two listeners and the both.

Oh, good.

Okay, good.

I'm okay.

Okay.

What's your number one?

Most, favorite thing about city Toledo or the region?

You know, I just love our history.

I share that with the mayor.

I love our history, and I love that we're building on it.

Not leaving it behind.

You know, you take it.

We're the Glass City.

We've we've been three iterations, I think, important iterations of the Glass City.

We were the Glass City when Libbey came here and established glass manufacturing, which kind of put the kibosh on, the, art glass movement.

But then we restored it at the art museum, and now we're leading.

We're leading the world in thin glass for solar glass, you know, so we build on our history and and we restore buildings and we we I think so many people, young or old, know about our history.

So I love that Jeep.

I mean, we're we're building on what we've what our past is.

All right, here we go.

20s nine words.

On your mark.

Get set.

Go.

Okay.

I knew about this.

I worked on it.

So maritime.

Got it.

Nice gateway.

Good start.

Glass I love it.

Artistic?

Yes.

Authentic.

Halfway home.

Welcoming.

Do it.

Sandy.

Collaborative.

Yes.

Entrepreneur All right, one more emerging.

Love it.

Nailed it.

Sandy Spang.

Thank you so much for joining us.

You're the best here.

Sandy 100.

Oh, no, no, this is very unfortunate, Sandy.

Never mind.

Sandy.

Spanx bag.

All right.

We'll be right back on the 419.

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Welcome back into the 419.

Wrapped up a conversation with Gretchen, surprise guest, Sandy Spang.

And we're joined now by one of our Lucas County commissioners, Lisa.

So, Becky.

Lisa.

Becky Funk of.

And thanks for being here all the way from 114th Street 117th.

I want to give you a real street.

Haha.

Everyone else knows so you guys, why not?

Yes, all my reports.

I appreciate that you went three blocks off.

Yeah.

That's like yeah, yeah.

You'll ever find her now.

Yeah, but that's the trick.

All right okay.

Yeah.

That's where the library is.

So is that.

It is.

Yes.

Yeah.

Well done Matt I love my library.

Oh, it's a Lisa.

Thank you so much for being on the team.

If if people don't know who you are.

What?

I mean, who, like you.

Are you okay?

Yeah.

No.

So how long have you been serving on the county commissioners?

I am sorry, my fourth year.

My first term.

So, people don't know who I am.

I'm Matt Killam, and, I get up very early in the morning.

Yeah, yeah, you're my.

You're my favorite.

Matt.

Killing me.

Dan.

Yeah.

Mine too.

Well, thank you, thank you.

Actually, no, but I am starting my, fourth year on the first term of being county commissioner, but, just really enjoy the job, really enjoy the people.

Just really enjoy the work.

Yeah.

Just most importantly, enjoy serving.

But this is not your first trip to play in terms of service.

You're a veteran.

What veteran?

Yeah.

So start me out.

I know this, but you're not from Ohio.

You're from the great state of Missouri.

Missouri.

Okay, but please, please, please, please.

Yeah.

She loves it.

Does not have an A. My.

Yeah, yeah.

But bring us, bring us from a little Lisa today.

Oh.

Little Lisa.

Okay.

We're start around first.

No, really.

I born and raised in a little town called Republic.

Sure.

Missouri.

And, I grew up in a household with four other sisters, so had a lot of debate.

And one bathroom.

Where are you in the lineage on the second.

But I'm really the first.

That's a no no.

The second.

But then the twins came along at the end and kind of ruined it.

Oh, yeah.

It took all the attention.

All the attention.

You know, the awkward that days in the bathroom, the curling irons and all those good things.

I live those this morning.

Yeah, a lot of fun.

Yeah.

So tell by the heritage.

I'll tell you where you're.

Thank you.

And that I. That is delicious.

But, graduated from high school, joined the United States Navy, spent five and a half years there.

Was the first female firefighter in the United States Navy.

I did not know that.

I didn't know that either.

How about that?

And, And where did you serve?

Where what area I served?

I was in Barcelo Bay, Cuba for three and a half years.

Really enjoyed it was a different Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, back then in the late 80s, early 90s.

It was like Epcot then.

Yes, absolutely.

Absolutely.

Yeah.

Learn how to scuba dive.

Because I actually but I went, yeah, I want to be a Navy diver.

Kidding me.

No.

Interesting.

Where that where did that come from?

Like, why what was it that drew you to the Navy?

Because I thought it would be kind of cool to be on the ocean.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, really?

You know, there was no no view of it.

You know, you women it.

Right?

Like.

That's it.

Sandy figured out how to just swim in the ocean.

Yeah, well, I don't have this list because I didn't make it as a diver.

This is not a judgment show.

But then this is by two pull ups, because you have to do an endurance test.

And to make that through, there, I miss it.

I had to pull up.

So I missed, to the point with Danny Miller by two pull ups.

Well, you know, I would have been able to let that show, but she beat me out.

She's very strong.

Would have been to the point with Matt Killam.

That's right.

The don't ask me to do a pull up today because I'm not going to do it, and that's none of it.

And, no airport to be anything I could do.

Well, we could have 50 minutes straight with you, but I don't want to miss out on the conversation about getting you to Toledo, Ohio.

You work in Columbus and today.

So talk to us a little bit about that journey.

Things that you're proud of from Columbus.

And what we're doing today.

I'm going to back it up a moment, okay.

Because I started on Toledo Public School board for eight years.

Right?

Right.

Yep.

Yeah.

And, during, you know, a very difficult time in the school system being able to shape, but also at the same time, we were building 44 schools and renovating two 100 year old high schools.

Yeah.

So when I looked around, there was a date of that to remind me that your run on the school board was what time?

2008.

Okay.

And, so there were two terms I chose, not to run for a third term.

My boys were going into high school.

I feel like I need to practice what I preach, like stay in your kids lives in high school, because that's when they don't want you there.

Are you all experienced that saying?

Yes.

But is that, took a, you know, took a little break work, jobs, a family services for almost ten years and just a little break for a decade.

And stress.

Yeah, yeah.

Just put your feet up on the desk.

I'm sure that was intense.

No, but, you know, I really enjoyed that work, jobs and family services and really appreciate, our county workers that do that.

Absolutely.

And then, I was asked if I by me in the community about, hey, there's an opportunity to go to the state House.

So I said, why not?

Yeah, but is that was that really your an impulse?

I mean, you are, from Missouri.

You know, you are absolutely an advocate for all things, but never at one time in any of these parts where you're like, can I really do this or not?

Never intimidated.

You were just ready to belly up and do the work.

Didn't really care.

Well, let's do it, let's do it.

Let's have experience experiences.

So maybe an experience.

Yeah.

So I've spent two terms there, and then ran to be a county commissioner hearing today.

You have a much shorter commute.

Now, that's the thing.

Yeah, yeah, I've seen your driving.

It's about the same time.

Well, the people saw that today, and I was coming in.

But it is a shorter commute.

I still make the commute.

And on behalf of the constituents here, and, actually, my commute has gone to Washington, DC a couple of times on behalf of Lucas County.

So, really, commute is not the issue.

It's how I can better serve the people in Lucas County and our residents and getting our voices heard.

We have, a sort of a questionnaire we do with the group.

But I guess to sort of crib a little bit from that, when you think about the 420,000 people you serve, what?

Who how do you describe and what what's our region to you?

Who what are the people like?

How would you describe your constituents?

Our region constituents are a variety of people, and they're really like the people that I grew up with in Missouri.

Yeah.

So we have farmers.

Yeah.

We have, yeah, just a variety of folks.

We have small business, you have large industry.

And, you know, I look at everyone equally.

Yes, you do.

And, the stories listen to them, listen to concerns and how we can make Lucas County better.

So one of the first things I did when I came into the county was doing a strategic plan.

Yeah.

All businesses have plans and directions and so be able to bring that into the county.

And we're starting into the implementation stage of the strategic plan because the county had never had one.

And so I'm really excited for how we're going to be able to do that.

But here's the piece though is the citizens had an opportunity to put input into this new plan.

It wasn't just our internal people, it was external people.

And so I'm really excited for us to be able to have that direction.

And sometimes as electeds, we need a little direction because we're all going all over the different places.

But I think that's going to, you know, strengthen us and position us and, have us moving forward.

How do you tap into what some of the, mayors in the county are doing?

What's what's your communication like with those that are leading the cities as the county leader?

As I meet with the mayors.

Matter of fact, I'm not sure when this is actually going to air, but matter of fact, this week though, I last week I had just met with the mayor of Oregon when he first came, you know, coming in New, get to know a little bit better, asking what the needs are there and where the county can be helpful, but also let him know the direction of the county.

So we're all coming in as a team in a direction.

I've met with the mayor from Sylvania, I've met with the mayor of white House in Waterville.

And, so just really and the mayor of Toledo.

But if we're not all kind of rowing in the same direction, right.

Or at least a minimum not accessible to one another.

Right?

Absolutely.

That's good.

I'm curious.

I mean, the how you kind of approach this job, right?

So you say, you know, you meet with all of the mayors.

Well, there's three county commissioners, right?

So are all three of the county commissioners theoretically supposed to be doing that, or do you amongst yourselves, kind of divide and say, hey, I'm going to focus on this region.

You focus on that region, or I'm going to deal with these people, you deal with those people.

Or how does this, how does this work?

How does this work?

And that's a very good question.

It's like I asked it, I will I like yeah great question.

Thank you.

Yeah.

The fact is that, you know we all meet with them.

Yeah.

I think it's, important that we all have the same information.

Yeah.

So we don't really split it up.

You know, my colleagues, we we service all.

Yeah.

And we meet with all, and then we come, you know, we gather information.

And so that's how we're going to be able to continue to move and shape Lucas County.

Is there something that you think that, will continue?

Residents or constituents have the biggest misconception they have about the city county relationship or the fact that they are two distinct, entities of government?

Is that do you find there's some consistent thread that people don't understand about that relationship?

I don't think that people really understand how city and the county really operate.

Agreed.

And that's one of the, missions per se, that I have is really that distinction.

We don't set policy in the county commissioners.

What we do is we're an arm of the state government.

And so being that arm and how we, you know, operate within our county and how we move forward on that, but also is those, those communication skills and having relationships, it's just not with our government.

It's with the people that we serve and having relationships with folks so that they know that when they talk to you and what you say to them and what you're going to do for them, you're actually able to produce that.

And sometimes it's really hard to do that because there's lots of high expectations.

There's even a you know, a disconnect, I think, of understanding our role as a county commissioners and say, the sheriff, certainly.

For example, we've had some weather this year, and so people will be calling me just like when I was on school board going, can you cancel school?

Can you have you can you get a level three?

I'm just trying to get anybody that I know I can text to try to get a level.

So I apologize for that.

Yeah.

And that's in the spring and that's okay.

We'll work on that when it, that we're talking about.

It's sunshiny though.

But it is a real the sunshine.

It is a real weird thing that it's that of all the government entities, that the sheriff is the one that declares the level three.

I mean, whatever snow emergency level it is, we're talking with Lucas County Commissioner Lisa.

So, Becky, what's the what's the worst part of this job?

Don't say this interview into something.

Now this is what the best part.

Yeah, yeah.

I really can't think of the worst part.

I guess it would be maybe.

And what we're not supposed to do.

I can think of comments.

Do you want me to say it?

Go ahead.

Please, please go ahead.

But no, there really isn't a worst part, but I would say, though, is you're not supposed to read the comments something.

Oh my God.

Yeah, sure.

It's heartbreaking.

Yeah.

And I've read the comments.

Yeah.

So I have a lot of hairstylists out there, a lot of makeup designers out there about the clothes designers out there.

So I know I take those for heart.

Yeah.

Too, I guess that is the emotional part of it.

Yeah, I guess it ties into this to my question is, the guest before you was, seen as being a friend and partner on crime of yours.

But I just I posed the same question to you.

How to you how do you keep the energy up?

How do you keep going at it with the fervor that you have?

I mean, you are a human being.

So comments sections and, the newspaper and things of that variety, hurt.

Right.

Because you don't operate this way without having an emotional investment in how do you tackle getting up every day and duking it out, and talk to me about the human component of this every day is a challenge.

Sure.

And, and so I meet that.

Yeah, I try to meet that challenge each and every day.

So if someone's upset with the decision I've made, I want to reach out and talk to them.

Now, let's just have a cup of coffee, all right?

Let's just have a conversation.

And usually by the time I end in that cup of coffee or that conversation with them, we could get on the same on the same accord, you know, and we could also walk away sometimes.

So agree to disagree.

Yes, ma'am.

And right now, where we are kind of as a country, we need to be able to display that.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

And so I toddling adult behavior.

Yeah.

Absolutely.

Yes, ma'am I would you have none of but thank you.

First of all, that's my role on the show to say things like that.

So I we've now found a replacement for that killing.

It's the other man.

Kill him.

It was between you and a puppet author.

There you go.

So one of our requirements on this program is for you to come on the show.

You have to bring a gift.

And I see that you did, follow Gretchen's very specific instructions, that you have to gift us something.

What did you.

What did you bring?

I'm not.

Oh, I'm not only brought one gift, I brought three a little.

And so, I've been watching the show because I want to make sure that I got here in time for a box.

Yes, you.

That I can put a display in it for you all.

But this is our Lucas County, frog.

And this really represents, you know, our county.

We're all mud made.

I may not be from here, but, I I've come in to be in mud made sweatshirt on that mat.

Has I shirt perfect.

I really didn't tell you about that.

You are awesome.

That's why I keep telling people that, you know, we are some mud made, strong, gritty people here in Lucas County.

So I want to present this for you all.

Want to thank you so much, Shay Carruth.

This is not done.

Oh, we're not done.

Okay.

Other gifts.

We also have a challenge coin that I want to give you.

Each of you one.

I just follow that.

No problem is not the challenge.

Do not take it.

Not chocolate wrapping for you, please.

Okay, but this represents Lucas County.

And if you look on the back of it.

And it's another thing that I brought in because this is from my military days.

And when people in your community go beyond the call of duty, of which each one of you have done by doing this show and getting the message out there and stay persistent.

On your third year doing this, I really want to present this to you because it you know, it just shows the, you know, the tenacity, the work that you're doing.

You're not giving up now.

So you're getting the message out.

Thank you.

Also is our Lucas County pins, the 250th anniversary and so I wanted to present that with you.

Also it's it's a display of Lucas County and, this really want you to take this as an opportunity to wear it.

Yes, ma'am.

This whole year.

So I'll be watching.

Okay.

If you're up for the challenge.

So thank you.

Thank you.

It's just so fun.

Yeah.

It is so nice to have.

We're going to find a good shell for our frog.

Yep.

She already told me where is going.

Okay.

Yeah, Lisa's picked out her own.

Yes.

She wasn't, going to move on it, so.

Yeah.

Thank you so much to Lisa.

So, Becky, when we come back, we'll wrap up this Friday edition of the 419.

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Welcome back into the 419 as we wrap up a Friday edition with our, surprise guest, Sandy sang.

Yep.

Surprise guest, Sandy Lee spank Sandy.

And also she does.

Yes.

Oh, yeah, she hates it.

Tommy's.

Yeah.

Sandy's bang.

Awesome.

Let's let's do more of that.

And Lisa and Becky as well.

Lisa presented us with a very kind.

Yeah, not just a really nice, couple of gifts, but also specifically picked out where she wanted it to go on the shelf.

And I love that couple of heavy hitters, some real local women that are leading our region.

What you got, you have.

And then Sandy, left with us.

This is world famous.

So this is a very world famous gift from Sandy bang.

It's her homemade, hot pepper jelly.

You put it on cream cheese with crackers.

It's delicious.

So she brought each of us, a little jar of that.

She went there was very hot.

It's very hot.

Yeah, I'm excited to try this.

This is not something that we should put on the shelf.

No.

Take this home.

Yeah.

Give it to your children.

Noted.

Surprise, surprise.

If you missed any part of the show, there's three great opportunities to enjoy at 7:00 am on YouTube channel 3 p.m.

on FM 91 and 6 p.m.

on channel 30.4.

Of course, all of our past episodes are also available online at dot org.

Slash the 419.

Huge thanks to, both Lisa.

So Becky and Sandy Spang for joining us on the program.

Gretchen.

Nice job Rachel.

Usual.

And when we come back Monday, it's President's Day.

And so we've got a special throwback edition of, Mayor Monday.

We'll we'll talk to some of our favorite mayors in the region.

At least of the ones that we've talked to.

So, that and more on the 419 powered by and presented by our friends at Retro Wealth Management.

The 419, powered by WGTE is made possible in part by supporters like you.

Thank you.