2015 Villages Caucus

The village caucus members spent the majority of their time discussion interest in park and trails and what funding is available to improve facilities.

Facilitator: Gordon Bowman, Mayor of Pemberville. TMACOG staff: Kurt Erichsen, vice president of Environmental Planning

Election to the Board of Trustees:

Trustee:     Paul R. Gies – Mayor, Village of Haskins

Trustee:     Gordon A. Bowman – Mayor, Village of Pemberville

Trustee:     Edward A. Kolanko – Mayor, Village of Walbridge

Trustee:     Jeffery C. Rae – Council Member, Village of Berkey

Trustee:     Michelle K. Tippie – Council Member, Village of Whitehouse

Alternate:  Matthew Damschroder – Mayor, Village of Elmore

Alternate:  Jordan Daugherty – Administrator, Village of Whitehouse

Alternate:  John D. Dierksheide – Council Member, Village of Risingsun

Alternate:  Ronald J. Liwo – President of Council, Village of Walbridge

Alternate:  Jan A. Shull – Council Member, Village of Berkey

There is much interest in what is available for funding for parks and trails

·        ODNR – Nature Works Program

·        Clean Ohio Fund – must include acquisition of property

·        Lucas, Wood, and Sandusky counties have active park districts. Other counties have fewer options.

·        Sharing of park facilities with schools

·        Would like to develop more village parks

·        Money is needed through grants etc. for playground equipment, and development of parks

·        Discussed funding possibilities from NatureWorks (ODNR), and federal fund Land and Water Conservation Fund (also ODNR).

Northcoast Inland Trail

Village caucus members including Genoa would like to participate in regional trail planning, even if the trail in question is mostly outside of the planning region.

State Legislation
General discussion of current legislation. HB 5 concerning tax policy of workers who don’t live in a jurisdiction is a concern. Villages see it at loss of local control and revenue. In general, centralized tax collection is opposed by villages. HB 490 didn’t advance. It would have banned the spreading of manure or commercial fertilizer in the Western Lake Erie Basin when conditions are conducive to nutrient runoff.

Shared Services

Discussed the pros and cons of Share Ohio

Schools leaving the communities

·        Loss of revenue

·        Loss of business

·        What to do with vacant land

·        Takes a few years to re-coup

Pressing Problems

·        EPA regulations on water and wastewater

·        EMS volunteers on the decline

·        Cross training for fire/EMS very beneficial and important in order to apply for grants

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