> ---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
> Subject: Legislative Alert - Update - Requests for Info
> From:    "Heidi Fought" <[log in to unmask]>
> Date:    Fri, January 8, 2010 6:13 pm
> To:
> Cc:      "Matt deTemple" <[log in to unmask]>
>         "Michael Cochran" <[log in to unmask]>
>         [log in to unmask]
>         [log in to unmask]
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Dear Township Officials:
>
> Please find below information pertaining to several matters before the
> General Assembly, as well as some other township-related matters.  I
> strongly encourage you to read this entire alert.
>
> GENERAL ASSEMBLY ACTIVITIES
> The General Assembly will be back in action next week after a few weeks
> off for the holidays.  It is expected that they will take up the
> implementation of the constitutional amendment pertaining to casinos and
> the Livestock Care Board.  Committees in both the House and Senate will
> pick up hearings that will likely include township related bills.  As of
> today, next week a House committee will take up an election reform bill
> (SB 8) that at this time does not have anything which would negatively
> impact townships.  The State Association will continue to monitor
> happenings on this and other township bills and report information as it
> becomes available.
>
> State Association staff has met or will be meeting next week with
> legislators and the Governor's staff on the following matters:
> collective bargaining for township fire departments (HB 271), snow
> removal (SB 184), local government funds/estate tax revenue, and TPP
> reimbursement.
>
>
> LOCATIONS FOR PUBLIC RECORDS TRAININGS IN 2010
> The Ohio Township Association, along with other local government
> organizations are working with the Auditor of State's office on
> regionalized certified public records training in 2010, similar to what
> we did in 2007.  If you have a location in your township that is easily
> accessible from an interstate or major state route, has ample parking,
> has audio/visual capabilities, and can hold approximately 100 people,
> please contact Heidi at the State Association office. Our goal is to
> provide certified public records training (3 hrs) at 7-8 different
> locations around the state.  Location information will then be forwarded
> to representatives at the Auditor of State's office, which will handle
> room logistics and registrations.
>
>
> LGF
> The State Association received word from the Department of Taxation that
> recently-enacted legislation (HB 318, 128th General Assembly) can be
> expected to augment the amount distributed in CY 2010 from the state LGF
> to all county undivided local government funds. The legislation delays
> the final step of a five-year reduction in state income tax rates,
> thereby generating additional state GRF tax revenue designed to fill a
> FY 2010-11 state budget gap. Because the LGF receives 3.68 percent of
> all state GRF tax revenues, the additional state tax revenue will
> automatically increase the amount of revenue placed into, and
> distributed from, the LGF.  Taxation expects the recent legislation will
> generate about $16 million for the LGF during CY 2010. Of this amount,
> slightly below $15 million will be allocated among the 88 county
> undivided local government funds.  The additional distributions
> attributable to HB 318 are expected to roughly equal the size of the
> forecasted year-to year decline thus, CY 2010 LGF distributions are now
> expected to be fairly close to the CY 2009 distributions. That being
> said, the State Association is still recommending townships budget 3-5%
> less in 2010 than in 2009 relative to the LGF distribution for your
> township.
>
>
> PUBLICATION AVAILABLE
> Effective Policing and Crime Prevention is a great new management
> oriented document on policing and crime prevention from the Office of
> Community Oriented Policing.
> http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/files/RIC/Publications/e070915216-EffectivePol
> icing.pdf
> Effective Policing and Crime Prevention: A Problem-Oriented Guide for
> Mayors, Township Administrators, City Managers, and County Executives,
> is intended to help local government executives understand how local
> government in general, and local police in particular, can more
> effectively meet this challenge of establishing public safety. It
> provides information on general approaches to crime and disorder
> (including community policing), specific responses to crime and
> disorder, and the local government executive's role in policing and
> crime prevention.
> Published October 2009
>
> REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION (please respond to person listed below each
> request)
> Swancreek Township, Fulton County - Definition of Indigent
> Do any townships have an established definition of an indigent and if
> so, what is that definition, as well as, how do you prove the person is
> in fact an indigent and who has the burden of proof?  Any assistance
> would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thank you for your consideration,
> Chris Lauch
> Administrative Assistant
> Swancreek Twp.
> 419-822-4371
> [log in to unmask]
>
> Portage Township, Wood County - Township Employees that also serve as
> Firefighters/EMTs
> Our township is trying to come up with something for our handbook that
> addresses employees (such as road workers, office staff, zoning staff,
> etc...) who are also volunteer EMS & Fire Fighters. We have no problem
> with them taking the time off but we are concerned about them receiving
> pay while they are gone. Does your township have anything that addresses
> this issue?  Any insight on this matter is greatly appreciated.
>
> Sincerely,
> Janet Shaffer, Fiscal Officer
> Portage Township, Wood County
> [log in to unmask]
>
>
> REQUEST TO RESPOND TO SURVEY
> In an alert sent out last month, the OTA requested townships in the
> following counties to respond to a survey being conducted by the
> Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission. (Delaware, Fairfield, Fayette,
> Franklin, Knox, Licking, Madison, Marion, Morrow, Pickaway, Ross & Union
> Counties)  If you have not participated in the survey, please do so.
> Here is the information again.
> Shaping our Future is a plan the Mid Ohio Regional Planning is
> spearheading for 12 counties in central Ohio. Expected to be completed
> in 2012, Shaping Our Future will integrate elements that impact the
> region including the transportation system, land use patterns, air
> quality, energy security, water quality, food production, and economic
> development. The mission is to have a regionally accepted plan that
> ensures major public infrastructure expenditures and public development
> decisions are made with a focus on sustainability to secure a
> competitive advantage for central Ohio.
> The survey takes 10 minutes. There are questions about energy,
> environment, transportation, the economy and your neighborhood. Most
> importantly, it's an opportunity for you to say what you like about
> central Ohio and what you think would make it better. It's anonymous,
> it's fast, and it's important. Get involved in Shaping Our Future! Use
> this link: http://regionalplan.questionpro.com/
> Responses by County Thus Far:
> Delaware         368
> Fairfield           156
> Fayette           14
> Franklin           3255
> Knox               38
> Licking            169
> Madison           69
> Marion             27
> Morrow             32
> Pickaway         38
> Ross                70
> Union               73
>
>
>
> Heidi M. Fought
> Director of Governmental Affairs
> Ohio Township Association
> 6500 Taylor Road, Suite A
> Blacklick, OH 43004
> (614) 863-0045
> (614) 863-9751 Fax
>
>
> NOTICE: This electronic mail transmission is for the use of the named
> individual or entity to which it is directed and may contain information
> that is privileged or confidential. It is not to be transmitted to or
> received by anyone other than the named addressee (or a person
> authorized to deliver it to the named addressee). It is not to be copied
> or forwarded to any unauthorized persons. If you have received this
> electronic mail transmission in error, delete it from your system
> without copying or forwarding it, and notify the sender of the error by
> replying via e-mail or by calling the Ohio Township Association at (614)
> 863-0045 so that our address record can be corrected.
>
>
>
>
>