----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Christine Matacic" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, September 14, 2010 4:47 PM
Subject: [Fwd: News from the OTA]


> ---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
> Subject: News from the OTA
> From:    "Heidi Fought" <[log in to unmask]>
> Date:    Tue, September 14, 2010 10:39 am
> To:
> Cc:      "Matt DeTemple" <[log in to unmask]>
>         "Michael Cochran" <[log in to unmask]>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Recently Introduced
> HB 580 ANNEXATION (Snitchler) To require that a political subdivision
> owner be included in determining the number of owners needed to sign a
> petition for an expedited type-II annexation. Am. 709.02
>
> SB 302 AMBULANCE STAFFING (Carey) To revise the requirements for staffing
> ambulances and the priorities for distributing grants for emergency
> medical services. Am. & Rep. 4765.07, 4765.43, and 4766.03 and 4765.431
>
>
>
>
>
> OTA ZONING SESSIONS
>
> The OTA is pleased to announce that we will be offering zoning sessions in
> 2010.  The OTA will offer four different zoning sessions each Friday
> September 24 through October 15.  Please find attached details for each
> workshop, as well as a registration form.  Should you have any questions
> about the sessions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
>
>
>
> OPERS UPDATE
> Lame Duck Issue to Keep Eye On
> Proposed Changes to OPERS
> OPERS has proposed changes to benefits designed, according to OPERS, to
> strengthen the pension system and maintain adequate funding for retiree
> health care. These substantial, yet incremental changes, require passage
> by members of the General Assembly and support from the Ohio Retirement
> Study Council. OPERS is hoping for the passage of a bill as soon as
> possible. OPERS will achieve these goals with changes to retirement
> eligibility, the benefit formula, COLA and the calculation of final
> average salary. Additionally, OPERS has proposed increasing the monthly
> minimum earnable salary to earn full-time service credit from $250 per
> month to $1,000 per month and those officials that earn less than $1,000
> per month will receive partial credit.
>
> By altering the monthly minimum amount, more than 90 percent of township
> trustees will not be eligible to receive a full year service credit. The
> OTA believes that the proposed changes by OPERS penalizes those trustees
> and fiscal officers that have smaller budgets or that choose to be
> fiscally responsible by taking less salary than they are entitled to so
> that the revenue can be used for other township purposes.  The OTA is
> willing to sit down with OPERS and members of the legislature to come up
> with an alternative proposal. In fact, the OTA has proposed to OPERS'
> legislative staff that the monthly minimum earnable salary be altered from
> $250 to $500 per month and index the monthly minimum amount yearly at a
> rate of three percent of the CPI, whichever is lower. The indexing
> language is reflective of current township cost of living adjustment
> language in each of the township pay statutes. The OTA believes this is a
> fair compromise.
>
> Attached is a document that OPERS just released to explain why OPERS is
> seeking these changes.
>
>
> News From Washington, DC - NATaT
> Please find attached two documents from the National Association of Towns
> and Townships.  The first is the July-August update recapping activities
> in DC and at Congress over the summer.  The second document provides an
> overview of a grant for brownfields that is being offered by EPA.
>
>
>
> 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
>
>
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>