Upcoming Events - January 2015

Lake Erie Algae – Sources and Solutions

Thursday, January 22, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Grand Lobby of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza

Contact: Kurt Erichsen, 419.241.9155, ext. 126

Water, Sewer, and Floodplains: Wood County Workshop

Thursday, January 29, 1-4 p.m., Newlove Realty, 336 S. Maine St., Bowling Green

Contact: Kurt Erichsen, 419.241.9155, ext. 126

Shared Services for Water and Sewer Resources Workshop

Friday, February 27, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Owens Community College

Contact: Kurt Erichsen, 419.241.9155, ext. 126

Transportation Summit

Friday, March 20, The Pinnacle, Maumee

Contact: Christine Connell, ext. 119

National Train Day Toledo

Friday and Saturday, May 1 & 2

Amtrak station and Grand Lobby of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Plaza

Contact: Diane Reamer-Evans, 419.241.9155, ext. 117

Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments | www.tmacog.org

Transit Resolution

The TMACOG Board of Trustees has voted to approve a resolution supporting the findings and recommendations of an Ohio Statewide Transit Needs study that was recently completed. 

Among other strategies, the study recommends creation of a dedicated transit fund to address the decline in transit funding through the state general revenue funds. In a related finding, the study report states, “Our analysis suggests that current level of investment in transit operations in Ohio – roughly $659 million – under invests in transit operations by roughly $172 million or by over 20 percent.”

Other recommendations, with accompanying strategies, include:

• ·        Encouraging regionalization of transit to better connect across jurisdictions
• ·        Use of creative strategies for raising more local transit funds
• ·        Coordinating human services transportation efforts and integrating these services with public transportation
• ·        Improving transit information systems
• ·        Creating a performance measurement strategy
• ·        Making investments in transit technology that can create immediate benefits for riders and transit operations.

Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments | www.tmacog.org

Save the Date for the Transportation Summit

TMACOG's Transportation Summit is an annual meeting of planners, researchers, elected officials, and business people who depend on an efficient regional transportation system. The 2015 Summit will be Friday, March 20. The forum will be held at The Pinnacle in Maumee.

Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments | www.tmacog.org

We have a date and location for the next Ohio Conference on Freight

Be the first to mark your calendar. The 2015 Ohio Conference on Freight will be September 14 & 15 at the Cincinnati Hilton Netherland Plaza. As befits the Cincinnati location, the states of Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky will collaborate on this year's program. Follow developments at ohiofreight.org. 

The Hilton Netherland Plaza is a National Historic Landmark in the heart of downtown Cincinnati.


Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments | www.tmacog.org

Lake Erie Algae – Sources and Solutions

TMACOG will host a comprehensive look at the problems with Lake Erie water at a special all-day meeting of the Environmental Council Thursday, January 22 in the Grand Lobby of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Plaza. The program will look at the latest research on the sources of phosphorus in the lake’s western basin, the economic impact on tourism and increased cost of water treatment. There has been a lot of attention on agricultural sources of phosphorus but presentations will also look at municipal and residential sources of nutrients, strategies for reducing nutrients that reach the lake, and educational outreach. Case studies will be presented on using green infrastructure as one solution to capturing and managing nutrients.  

Student Watershed Watch – Results of Student Summit 2014

The 25^th annual Student Watershed Watch (SWW) Summit was held November 19 at the University of Toledo Scott Park Campus. Sixteen schools participated in the first part of the SWW performing field work and evaluating water quality parameters.  About 150 students from nine schools were able to participate in the second part which is the Student Summit.

Directory of Public Officials

If you are on the mailing list for this newsletter, you have already received an important communication from TMACOG, probably by e-mail. TMACOG is producing the annual Directory of Public Officials and we are checking every piece of data in the 250-page reference book. Your response is critical to the accuracy of this directory which is a much-valued benefit of membership in TMACOG. Thank you for your timely response and we appreciate your clear handwriting! The new Directory of Public Officials will be distributed in March, 2015.

If you have any questions about the directory, please contact TMACOG Director of Communications Peggy Ricard at 419.241.9155 ext. 105. 

Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments | www.tmacog.org

Workshops Planned for Realtors

TMACOG and partners on the Portage River Basin Council have planned workshops for real estate professionals in Wood County and Ottawa County. The goal is to provide information and recommendations on real estate issues concerning water and sewage treatment. Each of the two workshops will cover a range of issues:

TMACOG General Assembly - “Educating for Innovation: How Colleges and Universities Create Entrepreneurs”

Registration for the annual meeting of TMACOG members is due by January 16. The General Assembly is Wednesday, January 21, 2015, 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., at the Holiday Inn French Quarter, Perrysburg. The program also includes the TMACOG business meeting, caucus sessions, and election of the Board of Trustees.

There are many school systems, colleges, and universities that are long-time members of TMACOG. At the 2015 General Assembly, these educators take the stage to show how they work with business and industry to educate the next generation of smart, nimble business leaders. In a panel discussion, representatives from the region’s community colleges and universities will discuss their workforce development initiatives with a focus on entrepreneurship.

The Bowling Green State University, College of Business will provide the keynote address. Speakers are Gene Poor, the Hamilton Endowed Professor of Entrepreneurship; and Kirk Kern, director of the Dallas-Hamilton Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership.

The cost for the General Assembly is $30 members, $60 non-members, $15 students. The agenda and registration is online here. For more information contact Jennifer Allen at 419.241.9155 ext. 107.

Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments | www.tmacog.org

UT to host U.S. EPA meeting

The U.S. EPA Great Lakes Program Office has selected the University of Toledo to be the host of the 2015 Great Lakes Area of Concern Conference which will be held March 11-12 on the university’s main campus.

An area of concern (AOC) is a term used in the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. It defines a location that has experienced environmental degradation and is a priority for restoration funding. The Maumee River is one of the 40 AOCs in Great Lakes states.

The U.S. EPA expects 300 or more federal, state, and local representatives will attend the conference. UT Professor Dr. Patrick Lawrence, chair of the department of Geography and Planning, said that the conference provides a “great opportunity for UT, the Toledo area, and the Maumee AOC to showcase our efforts and achievements.”

Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments | www.tmacog.org

Finalizing 2045 Transportation Plan

On December 16, the full 35-member Transportation Planning Committee will meet to finalize the ranking of projects that will be included in the new “On the Move: 2015-2045 Transportation Plan.” All meetings of TMACOG committees are open to the public and input is welcome.

Ranking the included projects is how people in the region identify their priorities. The final list shows what is most important to transportation professionals and the people in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan as we implement transportation system plans in the future.