Tuesday, December 12, 2017

How Many Bikes?

TMACOG member communities who are planning new bicycle infrastructure might want to document how many bikes are using their roads. If you need a traffic count of bikes, call TMACOG and request one. We have cool new counters that can record bike and pedestrian traffic. 

Unless snow becomes a problem, counts will continue all winter.  Contact TMACOG Transportation Technician Marc VonDeylen with requests: 419.241.9155, ext. 1136. 

-------------------

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

Student Summit - Student Watershed Watch

 More than 130 students from upper elementary school to high school met at the University of Toledo Scott Park Campus for the annual Student Watershed Watch Summit on Friday, November 3. They presented results of their water quality testing research and explored careers in environmental science.

TMACOG Celebrating 50 years at the 2018 General Assembly


Join fellow TMACOG members to celebrate 50 years of TMACOG history and to plan for the future.

General Assembly
Monday, January 29, 2018, 8 a.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Holiday Inn French Quarter, Perrysburg

Registration is open

Monday, October 16, 2017

Supply Chain Analytics at BGSU - October 27


Bowling Green State University is hosting a large scale Supply Chain Analytics symposium on October 27th. The half-day event will feature:
  1. Carlos Londono, VP of Global Supply Chain at O-I will deliver a Keynote discussing “O-I’s Analytics journey”
  2. A Panel discussion by leading Supply Chain executives from across the country discussing challenges and opportunities in analytics: Amanda Christian, Vice President and Corporate Director of Procurement at CACI (Arlington, Virginia);  Dan Hurry, Chief Supply Chain Officer for Mercy Health (Cincinnati, Ohio); Nita Stith, Senior Manager at EY’s Supply Chain and Operations Advisory practice (Irvine, California)
  3.  Case competition finalist presentations by BGSU’s top Business students

The event is hosted by BGSU’s College of Business Center for Business Analytics and Supply Chain Management Institute.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN ABOUT OUR OCT 27th SUPPLY CHAIN ANALYTICS SYMPOSIUM!



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

Friday, September 29, 2017

Education and Economic Development

A unique career center at Toledo Public Schools is graduating students who can walk directly into high-paying transportation jobs in the military, in industry, and who can choose from jobs around the world. In many cases, the three-year Aviation Center graduates students with a high school degree, a two-year college associate’s degree, and two FAA licenses. And it’s all free.

Instructor Brad McDonald led a tour of the TMACOG Freight Committee in September at the TPS Aviation Center which is in a hangar at Toledo Express Airport. While jet fighters from the 180th Fighter Wing of the Ohio Air National Guard roared in and out of the field just outside,

 

Rain Gardens in Destination Junction

Elected officials, neighbors, and interested citizens joined a bus tour of the Junction Avenue neighborhood September 29. They saw “blooms on Blum”, part of a greening plan on Blum street, heard about plans for a possible new City of Toledo park at the site of the unofficial Kwanzaa Park, and learned about a large sewer replacement program on Tecumseh and nearby streets that will include a large water control garden that crosses a street and will connect two blocks.  




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

TMACOG Tech: Agricultural

Agricultural Actions for Clean Water in the Western Lake Erie Basin
Wednesday, November 15, 2017, 12:30 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Monroe County Community College

Please plan to join educators, water and agricultural researchers, and elected and appointed government officials for this TMACOG Tech session at Monroe County Community College.
The program will include a keynote presentation from Christopher Winslow, the Director of the Ohio Sea Grant College Program, on the current condition of Lake Erie water and how state and federal agencies are addressing challenges.

Additionally, representatives from local and state agencies, universities and the farm community will highlight research, conservation practices and policies that are effectively improving water quality.

There is no charge to attend but registration is required. Please contact Joy Minarcin at 419.241.9155 ext. 128.

For more information on the program and on sponsorship and exhibit opportunities, contact Kris Barnswell, Water Quality Planner, 419.241.9155, ext. 123.


______________

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

TMACOG Tech: JobsOhio


JobsOhio 101
Wednesday, October 11, 10 a.m. – noon
Grand Lobby of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Plaza, Toledo

Learn how JobsOhio, a private nonprofit corporation, works for government and industry in northwest Ohio. Speakers Glenda Bumgarner, senior director of JobsOhio, and Tyler Yaple, government affairs manager of JobsOhio, will show how JobsOhio operates, who they are, and how they are structured. Learn about programs and resources that are available to local governments and businesses. You’ll take away the latest tools and resources and strategy updates from Ohio’s job growth team.


There is no cost to attend but registration is required. Please contact Jennifer Allen (419.241.9155 ext. 107) to register. 

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

Monday, May 1, 2017

Recent News Coverage of TMACOG and TMACOG members

VIDEO
4.12.17. Distracted Driving Outreach to Students

PRINT
4.28.17. Highway funds for Perrysburg


4.27.17. Facilitator Approved, Timelines to be Confirmed

4.24.17 New Bike Paths in Bowling Green

4.15.17. Facilitator will be selected to manage regional water talks


4/12/17. Distracted Driving Focus of April Outreach






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

Water Education and Fun in Waterville



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

Contribute to a New Bike Map

TMACOG is developing a bicycle user map for Lucas and Wood counties and the southern three townships of Monroe County, Michigan. This map will use new crowd-sourcing technology that will help people plan their routes for travel by bicycle. The resulting map will help riders - from novices to very experienced cyclists - choose routes that are aligned with their level of skill. A version of the map will be printed in a travel-friendly size and it will be available online, too. TMACOG needs your input by May 31.

Help us understand your experiences riding on roadways in the TMACOG region. Whether you ride every day, or just occasionally, whether you ride to work or school, for exercise or for fun, TMACOG wants to hear from you! To provide your comments click this LINK. Begin by selecting “Proceed as Guest” and then follow the prompts to map as many routes as you like.

If you’d prefer to draw your routes and provide comments on a paper map instead, just drop into any area bicycle shop to get a paper copy. Or call 419.241.9155, ext. 119, or email Christine Connell to request a copy.

Cut and paste this link if you have trouble: 
http://tmacog.maps.arcgis.com/apps/CrowdsourceReporter/index.html?appid=6edafec686c943a2bdf192c9bb8e7ef5



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

It's Bike Month

"Active transportation" is transportation planner talk for biking, walking, rollerblading, or any form of locomotion that is self-powered. In May, we are celebrating the active and fun transportation available on a bicycle.

Northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan are flat which makes for easy cycling. There are more and more connected bike paths that are separated from roads, and more roads that include bike lanes. Bicycles can be an efficient commuting vehicle in our region. Try it this month. There are several opportunities to fix up your bike, to ride in a group, and to practice your road skills.

Friday, April 14, 2017

Clean Ohio Funds Awarded to Metroparks

The Metroparks of the Toledo Area is the single beneficiary of the most recent round of Clean Ohio grants to preserve open space in Lucas County. The Natural Resources Assistance Council (NRAC), which evaluates Clean Ohio applications, announced their recommendation April 13, 2017. NRAC will recommend that the Metroparks be granted $1,898,471 for “East Riverfront Restoration – Phase 1.” The entire restoration is envisioned as three phases. The Metroparks is providing a local match of $740,442.

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

Friday, February 24, 2017

Area Townships Eligible for Funding for Better Warning Signs

The 2017 Township Sign Grant application cycle is now open and will run through Friday, June 9th, 2017. For this year, the program has been provided an additional $1 million in funding, doubling the program’s available funding to $2 million. 

The Township Sign Grant Program provides funds to improve signs on roads where accidents are more common. Better signs can warn of sharp turns in the road, fixed objects (such as bridge abutments), bike path crossings, and hidden drives. 

Image result for road signs

The qualifying townships for 2017 in our region include:

· Benton (Ottawa)
· Cass (Hancock)
· Center (Wood)
· Clay (Ottawa)
· Clinton (Fulton)
· Danbury (Ottawa)
· Eden (Seneca)
· Freedom (Henry)
· Freedom (Wood)
· Harris (Ottawa)
· Liberty (Seneca)
· Loudon (Seneca)
· Middleton (Wood)
· Monclova (Lucas)
· Napoleon (Henry)
· Perrysburg (Wood)
· Plain (Wood)
· Portage (Wood)
· Ridgeville (Henry)
· Salem (Ottawa)
· Sandusky (Sandusky)
· Springfield (Lucas)
· Washington (Hancock)
· Washington (Henry)
· Washington (Sandusky)
· Washington (Wood)
· York (Fulton)
· York (Sandusky)

More information concerning the Township Sign Grant Program, including a link to the sign grant application, can be viewed on the program’s website at:

http://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions/Planning/LocalPrograms/Pages/Township_Safety_Sign_Grant_Program.aspx
Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments | www.tmacog.org

Monday, February 6, 2017

Ohio Stormwater Conference

Registration is now open for the 2017 Ohio Stormwater Conference. This year's event is May 10-12, at the Kalahari Resort and Conference Center in Sandusky. Visit the conference website by clicking here.

According to the conference website, this event will provide updates on environmental issues, new technologies, regulatory information and pollution prevention. 


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

Monday, January 30, 2017

What fellow members were talking about in their caucus sessions today

The TMACOG General Assembly was held today. Members met in caucus sessions before the business meeting. Here's what they talked about: 

Counties Caucus
Notes presented by Doris Herringshaw, Wood County Commissioner
  • Heroin/opiates epidemic and its influence on law enforcement and impact on families.
  • Insufficient funding for necessary infrastructure.
  • Water quality and supply discussion recognizes that we have made progress as a region in designing a safe and fair system.
  • County officials are anxious to see what’s in the new state budget particularly in the Medicaid sales tax issue.
  • They discussed if counties of northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan should create an emergency plan for zero carbon energy.


City Caucus
Notes presented by Mike Beazley, Administrator for the City of Oregon
  • Agreed that the water discussion was making progress.
  • Discussed a law slipped into a bill that allows microcell towers to be erected in right of way with little warning to the community. Cities are looking at legal options.
  • Like the counties, city representatives are worried about proposed changes to Medicaid which could cost millions.
  • The struggle to provide adequate public services (streets, legal services, criminal justice) is  Recommended that elected officials start talking to gubernatorial candidates now because it will be too late to be effective after an election.


Village Caucus
Notes presented by Gordon Bowman, Mayor of Pemberville
  • ·         Appreciated a presentation from TMACOG Vice President Kurt Erichsen on the regional water planning progress
  • ·         Noted EPA water requirements that are difficult for villages to meet
  • ·         Community policing is a big challenge: cost of training, getting enough coverage from officers, turnover among staff. Some village are having to change part-time to full-time to hold on to staff.
  • ·         Heard from First Energy about the role of Davis Besse to the regional energy grid and tax consequences of closing that facility.


Township Caucus
Notes presented by Mark Hummer, Lake Township Administrator
·            Thanked TMACOG for providing a forum for discussion.
·            Is grateful that townships are heard in the water policy discussion.
·            Noted that townships have room for growth and need to be part of economic discussions.
·            Noted that noise ordinances, zoning compliance are difficult to enforce.
·            Identified firing ranges as a source of complaints.
·            Noted lack of funding for road repair.

Schools, Colleges & Universities
Notes presented by Anne Theis, Dean, Business, Information & Public Services at Owens Community College
  • Community colleges and 4-year colleges are offering new programs in cyber security, agribusiness. Nursing continues to be strong
  • BGSU and the Toledo Museum of Art have been discussing a summer program in technology aimed at young people who live within a mile of the museum
  • The concept of coding boot camps was discussed as a strategy for training a lot of people quickly for jobs that are available now. Private partnership seems to make these successful.
  • Universities said that it is hard to keep faculty in coding and technology because the jobs for people with those skills are very well paid.
  • Community colleges are partnering with industry for non-credit training in pre-apprentice programs
  • New high school graduation requirements in Ohio are a source of great concern. Many current juniors are not on line to graduate.
  • Programs that give college credit to high schoolers don’t know how they are going to handle students who can’t graduate high school and move to college.


Special Districts
Notes presented by Joe Cappel, V.P., Business Development, Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority.
  • Special districts contribute to quality of life which keeps young people in the area
  • ·There are investments paying off right now: Overland Industrial Park, new Metroparks including one in downtown Toledo, Bike sharing program, new libraries
  • The regional water plan is the best solution
  • Regional planning and discussion is vital to economic development, road planning.


Non-governmental Members
Notes presented by Dennis McMickens, President & CEO, Safety Council of Northwest Ohio
  • Business are concerned with protecting their property and employees
  • Caucus members discussed creating emergency action plans including plans to address domestic violence that moves into the workplace.
  • Private industry is concerned about cyber security



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

Monday, January 23, 2017

It's Not Too Early to Think About Bike Month

Here are just a few of the events for May. Mark your calendar!


Bike Month Events

Wednesday, May 10
Bike to School Day

Wednesday, May 17
Ride of Silence
(6: 30 p.m. University of Toledo, main campus)

Friday, May 19
Bike to Work Day

Saturday, May 20
Bike Day at the Farmers Market
(9 am – noon, 525 Market St., downtown Toledo)


Other Highlights

TARTA
reduced bus fare (25 cents) for anyone using the bike rack Monday, May 15 through Sunday, May 21

Bike Repair Workshops at Toledo Bikes! Co-op
All Sundays in May, 2-3 pm
Final Sunday (May 28) is a Learn to Commute ride on city streets.




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