DeeDee's Talk of the Township

Sylvania Township Update - Fiscal Restraint in Action

2009-10-28T10:31:00.001-04:00

With the election less than a week away, I wanted to touch on one final topic regarding the improvements and changes that we have made at Sylvania Township - fiscal accountability.

Hanley & Liedel Pledge: No New Taxes!

2009-10-28T10:29:00.002-04:00

As a community and country, we are experiencing an economic downturn that we have not seen in more than a generation. Families and businesses are having to make do with less - business revenue and personal income are down, and we have less discretionary money to spend. Meanwhile, the price of everyday items such as gas, groceries, utilities and the like are at least holding steady if not increasing.

The Sylvania community is nearing one of the highest taxed communities in Lucas County. While taxes are necessary to support quality services such as: the school system, senior center, safety services, infrastructure, recreation and park systems - it is equally imperative that Government Leaders provide quality service at a reasonable cost and successfully plan and save for future services, so as not to create an undue tax burden for its citizens.

Over the last few years we have improved service efficiencies, implemented cost saving and spending control measures throughout the township. As a result our reserves have increased over $6 million in the last three years and the Township was awarded the highest financial bond rating in Lucas County placing us in the top 10% in the State! Our annual budget process now includes a rolling five-year projection, enabling us to see year-to-year the status of necessary funding to maintain township services. With this level of 'savings' we can commit to maintaining excellent services in Sylvania Township while not increasing your taxes.

We are committed to helping you make it through this economic downturn - we will not raise taxes in the next four years. Your family has to live within its means, our families have to live within our means, it's about time government does the same.

While others may say they are against tax increases and may even promise not to raise taxes, look at what has been said and how people have voted. It is easy to make a promise based on someone else's hard work. But it is Pam and I who have actually followed through on fiscal restraint and lowering taxes, putting the township in the position of being able to not raise taxes for at least four years (and maybe longer).

(Disclaimer: I will note that the pledge of no new taxes does not apply to special assessments when petitioned for by a segment of residents for things such as street lighting, etc.)

Fiscal Restraint In Action

2009-10-28T10:28:00.001-04:00

Prior to my election, one of my concerns with Sylvania Township was the drastic increase in spending, including spending increases four times the rate of inflation. I campaigned on fiscal restraint and accountability and now I want to show the results of what can be done fiscally, while maintaining quality services in Sylvania Township.

(Note: the following numbers exclude any capital transactions especially those related to the fire department's voter-approved capital plan).

Fire Fund: 11.5% Increase

2009-10-28T10:27:00.002-04:00

Fire Fund: Since 2006, spending in the fire department has increased 11.50% compared to a Consumer Price Index increase of 10.24% (from December 2005 to December 2008; I'm using December because that is realistically when we finalize our budget and what we expect to spend for the following year). The 11.50% increase includes the addition of 5 new firefighters as per the March 2008 Levy Proposal approved by voters. That means we will increase manpower without going significantly outside of inflation.

This was possible through diligent review of expenditures, careful planning and fiscal restraint. With cost efficiencies and fiscal discipline, we were able to 1) stop the borrowing the fire department had become dependent upon; 2) hire 5 new firefighters; 3) begin to repay the general fund the monies the Fire Department had borrowed and perhaps most importantly, 4) maintained the quality service our community expects and deserves.

Police Fund: 12% Increase

2009-10-28T10:26:00.002-04:00

Police Fund: Spending increased 11.85% in the police department compared to an inflation rate of 10.24%. The one-and-one-half percentage difference is relatively negligible, and amounts to less than $100,000 of a $6.7 million annual budget. Service has remained constant, training has increased drastically, and the 2005 Police Levy which was originally projected to last only until 2009, is now projected to last until 2013. The extension of the 2005 levy is in addition to the trustees' taking a tax holiday on an older police levy, saving township property owners $2.7 million.

Road & Bridge Fund: 33% Increase

2009-10-28T10:26:00.001-04:00

Road & Bridge Fund: Spending on roads and our infrastructure has increased dramatically in the last four years and this is a good thing for our community. The Road and Bridge funds have seen a 33.20% increase in spending since 2006. Initially I'm sure this seems contrary to my position of fiscal discipline. But as I mentioned in prior discussions, we have returned the focus of the Road Department to our infrastructure in order to maintain quality roads and drainage systems. For example, in 2003 and 2004 the Township only repaved 1 mile of road. We need to resurface 6-7 miles a year in order to stay on a 20 year maintenance schedule (the typical life-span of residential roads). We have resurfaced over 30 miles of road since 2006.

So although our spending in the Road department has increased 33%, our service delivery to township residents and businesses has considerably expanded and improved. No longer is the road department simply picking up leaves and plowing roads; they are focusing on the very infrastructure that upholds our quality community. Fiscal restraint isn't just about spending less money; it is prioritizing the money we do spend so that we are spending it wisely and with focused priorities.

General Fund: 23% Increase

2009-10-28T10:25:00.001-04:00

General Fund: The General Fund provides funding for any township services not covered by fire, police and roads such as our accounting department and zoning. Spending in the General Fund has increased almost 23%. (For my calculations, I did not consider loans to the Fire Department 'spending' from the general fund, as that would be double-counting money that was spent by the Fire Department). The Trustees approved this spending increase for several reasons.

First, we have stepped up enforcement in the Zoning Department, including adding one full-time employee and a Certified Planner to help address some of the zoning and planning issues the Township faces. We have also hired a full-time Budget Director. Sylvania Township is an entity with a $24 million budget and a $10 million capital plan and employs over 150 people. We need someone who can oversee our budget and investments on a daily basis, as well as help each department with long-term planning. We are no longer reactionary in our fiscal policy, we are proactive and that benefits every department in the Township.

Finally, the general fund has taken on the expense of leaf and brush pickups. In the past, these were expenses of the Road Department but state law clearly directs that these services can only be provided in townships if the money comes out of the general fund, not money dedicated to maintaining and improving roads. So while this is an increase in spending for the General Fund, it was money that was already being spent but was accounted for in another fund.

Also, a $500,000 loan from the Road Department to the General Fund was repaid, which increased spending in the General Fund. This loan was made several years ago (before I became a trustee) in order to keep the Fire Department afloat. While this money was not intended to be paid back when it was borrowed, we felt it was appropriate since the Road Department is funded off of revenue from the unincorporated township while the Fire Department provides services to the unincorporated areas and the City of Sylvania.

Increased Reserves Provide Future Service Stability

2009-10-28T10:24:00.001-04:00

Although spending has increased in the General Fund, we have been able to substantially build the township's cash reserves, from $675,000 to over $7.0 million. Some of this money is the result of estate tax receipts received by the township of $4.4 million during my term as trustee. But it is interesting to note that in the five years prior to my term, the Township had received $4.2 million in estate tax receipts - and the cash reserves were 1/6 of that. It is not so much that we received substantial estate taxes, but that we didn't spend them.

The cash reserves that we have built up are important because they will help insure quality services for the next several years as our community and region works its way through the bad economy, including a decline of property tax revenue of about $500,000 for the township due to a drop in property values. We can continue to provide quality services without going to the taxpayers for more money because we have built up these reserves. If we had not, if we have continued the prior practices of spending most of what the township had - we would be in the unfortunate position of having to ask for more taxes or reducing services. But because we have been diligent and conscious of our spending, we are ready - and I am committed - to making it through the next four years without raising taxes.

Result: Rate of Inflation + Levy

2009-10-28T10:23:00.001-04:00

In total, Sylvania Township's budget has increased about 16% (excluding capital items) over the last 4 years during a time when inflation increased just over 10%. This 6% difference equates to a total spending increase in excess of inflation of $1.2 million from 2006 to 2009, or basically the operational portion of the Fire Levy that was passed in March 2008. Maintaining government spending to the rate of inflation plus voter-approved levies is, in my opinion, the proper way to run government and defines fiscal restraint.

We also received an update of our spending through September 2009 at a recent trustee meeting. With 3/4 of the year over, departments have spent 65-70% of their annual budget. A few line items are over budget, but overall spending is below expectations.

2009-10-28T10:18:00.002-04:00

There are six days left before the November 3rd election, and it is important to get my message out to residents of Sylvania, so that we can remain a Quality Community You Can Afford to Live In.

Sincerely,

DeeDee Liedel
Sylvania Township Trustee

New Location for Fire Station #2

2009-10-20T03:08:00.002-04:00

Ever since the barrier dividing Central Avenue was put up by ODOT years ago, concerns have been voiced regarding the impact on fire and EMS response from Station #2 on Central near 475. These concerns were seriously considered when the Township Trustees began looking for new property to re-locate Fire Station #2. After an exhaustive search, our diligence has finally paid off.

I am very happy to announce that Sylvania Township's offer to purchase property to relocate Fire Station #2 has been accepted. Property located at 3004 McCord Road (between the two medical buildings on McCord just south of Central) was identified several months ago as meeting the specific needs of the Fire Department with regard to location, access to north/south and east/west corridors and lot size. With the cooperation of The Toledo Hospital, current owners of the parcel, the Township will be able to relocate Station #2 to a site which first and foremost, will maintain excellent response times in this area of the township, while at the same time is affordable and does not encroach upon residential areas.

One of the major advantages of this location is its access to both McCord Road and Central Ave. For those familiar with the Central Park West Access Road, the new location is adjacent to the access road, providing access not only directly onto McCord Road south of Central, but will also provide convenient and quick access to Central Avenue at the traffic light at Central Park West. This is a marked improvement over the non-lighted access of the current station and thus improves the safety of not only our Fire Personnel but the traveling public as well.

The Toledo Hospital and ProMedica has made extensive investments in the Sylvania community, providing quality medical care to our residents and businesses, while providing valuable jobs and contributing to our solid tax base which funds our schools, parks, and safety services. I appreciate their willingness to help us improve the service of the Fire Department by making available to us this new location for Station #2.

Fire Department Update

2009-10-07T22:10:00.001-04:00

This installment of my Township Update will focus on the Fire Department, which has been extremely busy the last 18 months fulfilling the promises of the 2008 1.25 Mill Fire Levy. But first, a brief announcement about the Police Department:

Tax Holiday Extended in Police Department

2009-10-07T22:09:00.002-04:00

As we begin the 2010 budget process, the Sylvania Township Trustees unanimously voted to extend the tax holiday that I first introduced in 2007. In total, this tax holiday will save Sylvania Township taxpayers $1,050,000 in 2010 and approximately $2,700,000 over three years.

We took this step because the Police Department is on sound financial footing while maintaining quality service levels that the Township has come to expect. This was possible through the hard work and dedication of our officers and department staff in watching expenses, while at the same time we negotiated reasonable raises and bonuses for these employees, something that many other governments are unable to do during this economic climate.

Fire/EMS Response Time: Best in County

2009-10-07T22:09:00.001-04:00

I am proud to say that the Sylvania Township Fire Department has the best response time in Lucas County, with an average of approximately 4½ minutes. This response time is a testament to the dedication and training of our firefighters as well as the commitment of Sylvania taxpayers to the quality of our community. Response times natural fluctuate based on numerous factors, but we have consistently maintained average response times of 4:00 to 4:30 for the last several years. We meet the national standards set by the NFPA with 90% of our calls being answered in under 4 minutes.

Brief Fire Department History

2009-10-07T22:08:00.000-04:00

The last few years have not been easy for the Fire Department, starting back in 2005 when former trustees tried to increase the fire tax by over 200% while the department was consistently spending more than its revenue. I was part of C.A.T., Citizens for Accountable Taxation, which lead the fight against that huge tax increase, believing that we can maintain quality services without exorbitant tax increases. Following that defeat, Pam Hanley and I were elected at Trustees and we began the work of doing just that.

It took a while, but finally I was able to sit down with various stakeholders in the community, including City of Sylvania officials and members of Safe Sylvania, to help build consensus and a compromise on what the community can afford and what the fire department needs. Everyone was in agreement that new facilities and equipment were needed (due both to the age of the facilities/equipment and due to past neglect); we needed more flexibility in staffing; and we needed a volunteer force that supports the work of the full-time firefighters, especially in dealing with high-demand events such as extreme weather conditions or a large structure fire.

The end result of my efforts to find a compromise was the 1.25 Mill Levy which was approved by voters in March 2008. The levy will provide for four new fire engines (three of which we have already taken delivery of and are putting in to service); renovation of Station #4 and construction of three new stations; hiring of five new firefighters including adding a new day-shift to provide better flexibility and help address training/overtime issues; and a revamped volunteer force. Work has begun on each part of the levy promises, with some portions having been completed.

In looking back both at the failed 2005 Fire Levy and the successful 2004 Police levy which, as indicated by our continued tax holiday more than adequately funds the police department, it becomes apparent that prior boards thought we needed to spend more, a lot more, to maintain quality services and even expand those services extensively. Part of this can be attributed to population trends that indicated Sylvania Township was going to grow 10,000-15,000 people in the current decade. Such growth rates have not been realized. But beyond that, it is important to note that when asked to, better yet - when expected to, these departments can remain in budget; they can provide top-quality services at a price our community can afford.

Station #4: Renovations Complete - Open House Scheduled

2009-10-07T22:07:00.002-04:00

Renovations to Station #4 are complete and were brought in at 98% of budget. The renovations totaled approximately $822,000. Updates include moving the fire administration into new offices from their 70+ year old headquarters at Station #1. There is now new office space, meeting and training rooms and storage facilities at Station #4, as well as new facilities for the firefighters stationed there including new dorm, kitchen/day and workout rooms.

A Re-Dedication and Open House has been scheduled on October 19 from 2 to 4 p.m. for the community to see the renovated Station #4 on Sylvania Ave.

Station #3: Construction Contract Awarded

2009-10-07T22:07:00.001-04:00

We are moving closer to construction of Station #3 at Whiteford near Monroe. This week, after careful consideration of bid requirements and qualifications of over 40 bids from 30 different companies, we awarded the contract to Harp Contractors, Inc. of Northwood, Ohio. This was a combination bid, meaning Harp will be responsible and perform all phases of construction, including general, plumbing, HVAC, electrical, and fire protection.

Of great impact is that the winning bid came in at $1,359,000, almost $400,000 below our architects' pre-bid estimate. Station #3 is the third of 6 major capital projects planned for with the approximately $10 million capital plan funded by the 1.25 mill levy. These first three phases (including the new fire engines, Station #4 renovations, and Station #3 construction) were estimated to cost about $4,596,000. Total bids/payments is under $4,200,000 or 90% of the expected costs. This, in my opinion, is a good indication that we can bring the entire capital project within budget if not below budget while making sure the needs of the Fire Department are met.

With property secured, easements filed, and contract awarded, we are ready to move forward. There will be a ground breaking ceremony at Station #3 on October 19 at 1 p.m. More information will be posted at the township's website at www.sylvaniatownship.com.

Additional 'Green' Initiatives

2009-10-07T22:06:00.002-04:00

When we began the process of building new fire stations, we had our architect/engineers include 'green' design elements in all four stations, including items such as rain gardens; minimized paving and building footprint; building material with recycled material content; natural lighting requirements; high efficiency HVAC units; and high efficiency lighting and occupancy sensors.

As we move through the building process and saw that the budget allowed for a certain amount of flexibility, additional energy efficient systems have been considered and for the most part added to our plans. Previously we authorized amendments to the plans to include solar domestic hot water systems. Earlier this week, we authorized design work and a test well for a Geothermal HVAC system at Station #3. The advantages of such a system are numerous, including reducing our annual energy consumption, reducing our carbon footprint, and guarding against operational cost increases in the way of increasing energy costs.

We were also the recipients of a Pervious Concrete Demonstration Project Grant of $40,000. "The Pervious Concrete Demonstration Project will address environmental water quality issues in the region and provide a model for other communities to follow. It will result in improved water quality within the Ottawa River watershed. The combined resources of [USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service] and [Sylvania Township] will result in enhancing the protection of land and water resources in the basis." Grant proceeds will be used to install a pervious concrete parking lot in Station #3 (and thus reduce our costs for the parking lot) and monitor the quality of water runoff (in conjunction with the University of Toledo) for several years.

Still to Come - Stations #1 & #2

2009-10-07T22:06:00.001-04:00

We are still working on securing new locations for Stations #1 and #2, including working with City of Sylvania officials for the location of Station #1. We could certainly move forward and build where the fire stations are currently located, but there are advantages to moving the stations even if just slightly within the territories each station services. We will move forward as soon as we are able to, but with the favorable bid/construction climate of present, I am not concerned that the process has been extended slightly while we review all location options available to us.

Firefighter Staffing Update

2009-10-07T22:05:00.001-04:00

With the passage of the 2008 Fire Levy, Sylvania Township committed to increasing our firefighter staffing level by five to 57. Several months ago, we authorized Fire Chief Welsh to hire four new firefighters, two to fill recent retirements and two to begin to fulfill our commitment to increasing staffing. After departmental training, those four Firefighter/Paramedics are now working full-time.

In the meantime, a third firefighter retired this year bringing our current staffing level to 53 firefighters. We will continue to hire firefighters to fulfill the fire levy promise, but are delaying that hiring authorization due to a pending SAFER Grant; hires made before award of any grant do not count and we do not want to miss a grant opportunity if possible. We hope to hear about the grant shortly and will be taken action as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, our volunteer force has several new faces, one of which successfully made the switch to full-time firefighter during our first round of hiring. The volunteer firefighters continue to play a vital role in our department, including responding to calls when needed, managing our Fire Hydrant Inspection Program and other activities that contribute to the efficient and effective operation of the Sylvania Township Fire Department.

Other Items To Note

2009-10-07T22:04:00.000-04:00

Those are the big items that are very visible to the Sylvania Community when it comes to the fire department. But there are a lot of smaller items that have added up to improve the service and create a more effective and efficient fire department, including:

• Increasing fire training, including new training facilities, live fire training exercises, and mutual training opportunities with surrounding jurisdictions;

• Increase mutual aid assistance with Springfield Township to provide safer highway emergency response;

• Introduce Fire Hydrant Inspection Program lead by our volunteer firefighters to confirm the availability and access to all fire hydrants within the service territory;

• Introduce Fire/EMS Dispatch Policy to the dispatch department to better meet the needs of the Fire Department;

• Inspecting every commercial building in the City of Sylvania and Sylvania Township each year.

To summarize, the Sylvania Township Fire Department continues to provide the best service in Lucas County, but at 1/3 the tax increase that was asked for back in 2005. Government can provide quality services at less cost; we just have to be work at it. That is work that I have been doing and am willing and committed to continuing.

2009-10-07T22:03:00.000-04:00

I know this has been a long update, but that just goes to the point that we have truly accomplished a lot in the Fire Department in the last few years while maintaining reasonable budget restraints.

Please, forward this email to other voters in Sylvania. With less than a month to go, it is important that I get my message out about a Quality Community You Can Afford to Live In.

Sincerely,

DeeDee Liedel
Sylvania Township Trustee

Zoning Department Improvements

2009-09-16T22:00:00.000-04:00

While police and fire are vital to the quality of Sylvania Township today, zoning and planning are vital to the quality of Sylvania Township in the future. This Township update will talk about the improvements in our Zoning Department which will help keep Sylvania Township a quality community.

Planning For Our Future

2009-09-16T21:58:00.001-04:00

For decades, Sylvania Township has been a center for immense growth and development. This growth has helped to fund our schools, the Senior Center, our parks and recreation as well as basic township services. At the same time, some of that growth has evolved based on an outdated strategic plan. Solid, up-to-date land use plans will improve the quality of our community while preserving our property values. For a growing community, a land use plan should be reviewed and updated every 3-5 years.

To help guide future growth, Sylvania Township has a Master Land Use Plan which helps to identify desirable areas for commercial, residential, and industrial development with the intent that new developments would compliment and blend well with nearby uses. When I was elected, our Land Use Plan had not been updated since 2001. In 2007, we went through the process of updating our Land Use Plan. We held public meetings and took surveys from residents so that you could tell us what you wanted Sylvania Township to look like including landscape, signs, building facades, etc.

One of the outcomes of updating the Land Use Plan was to identify areas of conflict between our Land Use Plan and our Zoning Resolution. We have been working to correct those conflicts in order to help clarify the intent of the Land Use Plan and better guide future zoning. The Land Use Plan Committee also recommended the adoption of various building standards in order to help preserve the high quality construction and architecture that Sylvania Township is known for.
We are working on these recommendations as well.

Although clearly the real estate market has slowed, I would anticipate revisiting our Master Land Use Plan again in a year or two, after we have resolved the majority of conflicts between the Zoning Resolution and Land Use Plan. This will keep our zoning laws progressive and supportive of quality development in Sylvania Township.

Setting Standards for Quality

2009-09-16T21:57:00.000-04:00

As just mentioned, our zoning department is working on drafting new provisions to help guide new development and redevelopment in Sylvania Township. This includes a sign code, landscape standards and design standards. While the majority of development that has happened in the township is of high quality and complements our community 'curb appeal', there is always that out-of-town developer that will only do what is minimally required in order to access the retail market that our community offers.

With that in mind, we have begun the lengthy process of drafting, reviewing, and walking through the process of implementing these standards. We will take comments and input from residents and businesses, as well as those involved in the development process such as developers, bankers, engineers and architects. Everyone's input is important. I do not want to make rules that are so restrictive that developers move to other communities but at the same time Sylvania has a right to expect a certain level of quality so that our community maintains its appeal and property values.

Working With Homeowners

2009-09-16T21:55:00.001-04:00

Today, as a community, we are seeing an economy that we have not experienced in more than a generation. Clearly, we have families struggling with the cost of living in Sylvania. For some properties, this struggle becomes evident with a less-than-desired level of property maintenance. This is disconcerting to the property owners and may be unsettling to neighbors who are concerned about the neighborhood and property values.

For properties that have high grass, overgrown weeds and the like, our Zoning Department works diligently with home owners, renters, mortgage companies and real estate agents as the situation calls for, to help our residents keep their properties maintained and our neighborhoods inviting. The majority of the time, this is effective and we continue to monitor situations as appropriate.

Sometimes our efforts to work with property owners to resolve zoning compliance issues are not productive. In those cases, we have taken the legal steps available to us to remediate the situation, which may be as simple as mowing the lawn every few weeks (and billing the owner) to more drastic steps such as physical removal of a burned-out house from the property (after appropriate public hearing and notice). Our goal is to maintain the integrity of our neighborhoods while using township resources appropriately.
If you have concerns about the exterior maintenance of a home in your neighborhood, I would encourage you to contact me or our Zoning Department.

Zoning Is Not A Passive Activity

2009-09-16T21:54:00.000-04:00

Zoning is not a passive activity; it should entail the active engagement of our zoning personnel with property owners and developers in Sylvania Township. In the past, the township Zoning Department was very passive in its enforcement efforts in Sylvania Township, only reacting to direct complaints from residents and at times failing to require that the specifics of our zoning resolution be met by proposed projects. This created inconsistency in enforcement because the majority of property owners voluntarily complied with our rules while a few did not, giving the impression that enforcement was based on who you were or who you knew.

After restructuring the Zoning Department by hiring an experienced, educated and trained Director of Planning and Zoning, we have moved the Zoning Department in the right direction to help guide and support quality growth, development and redevelopment in Sylvania Township.

I do not envision the new structure of our Zoning Department to impede development but instead it is intended to help address the issues which come up with continued development and redevelopment, such as access management, traffic, transitional zoning (commercial near residential), construction standards and others. We owe it to those who are invested in our community to maintain our neighborhoods and zoning districts so that commercial, residential and industrial areas can thrive, co-exist and not negatively impact each other.

Permits Down; Department Activity Up

2009-09-16T21:53:00.000-04:00

As was reported to the trustees at our recent board meeting, building permit activity is down in the township, about 20% from last year with the value of new permits also decreasing, as more people are moving to remodel and add on to their current home as opposed to building new.

Although development in the township has dropped in recent months due to the economy, we have added a full-time employee to the Zoning Department because we have a significant increase in activity in the Department. We have increased enforcement activities in an effort to make sure rules are applied fairly across the board. We also have the work on the Zoning Resolution, Last Use Plan and construction standards which needs adequate attention else it will languish for too long. I am hopeful that the improvements and changes we have made to the Zoning Department will help add to the quality of our township in the near and long-term future.

2009-09-16T21:50:00.001-04:00

The primary goal of zoning is to preserve the value of your property whether that is your home, your business or your investment property. With the slump in the commercial and residential housing market, it is more important than ever that our Zoning Resolution is being complied with; that we implement design and landscaping standards so that quality construction is brought to our community; and that we work with homeowners who are facing difficulties.

DeeDee Liedel
Sylvania Township Trustee

Sylvania Township - Road Department Priorities

2009-08-28T16:53:00.001-04:00

This issue of my Township Update will focus on the work and priorities of the Public Works Department - road repaving, leaf pickup, flooding/drainage, etc. The Public Works/Road Department is vital to maintaining the infrastructure of the township, and making sure that our streets, ditches and storm sewers function as expected now and in the future. The Department also helps with the aesthetics of the township, by overseeing leaf, brush and general household pickup at various times of the year. So let's talk about the improvements we have made in the Public Works Department in the last four years.

Resurfacing More Roads

2009-08-28T16:52:00.000-04:00

I'll be the first to admit, most people do not get excited about road repaving unless they happen to be running late because they are stuck in the middle of a traffic jam because of road work. But repaving roads is a vital tenet of maintaining a quality community and I am pleased that Sylvania Township has finally made infrastructure maintenance a priority. One only has to look at a neighboring city to realize what happens when capital improvements are put off for too long.

In the last four years, we have resurfaced over 30 miles of township/subdivision roads. Compared to one mile of road repaved in 2003 and 2004, the 30 miles is a marked improvement. On average we need to repave about 6 miles a year in order to maintain a reasonable repaving schedule so that all roads are in good repair. Clearly, the prior board failed in this obligation when they only paved one mile in two years.

At the same time we are repaving roads, we are often repairing and replacing curbs and gutters that are crumbling and in disrepair so that the whole project is completed simultaneously. Our crews also have reconstructed numerous sidewalk ramps to appropriate handicap-grade, improving the accessibility of our community and neighborhoods while working on roads in the area.

While repaving a record number of miles, we have also strategically leveraged our road repaving dollars by working with neighboring jurisdictions and Lucas County on joint road projects and securing Ohio Public Works Commission no-interest loans and grants for repaving projects. Later this fall, we will submit a grant/loan application which we hope will provide 49% of the funding for resurfacing and drainage projects in the following areas next year: Silica Road (between Brint and Convent, a joint project with the City of Sylvania); Westacre Subdivision; Country Walk Subdivision; Country Meadow Court; and Oak Creek Subdivision. Utilizing cooperative efforts with our neighbors and supplemental funding has allowed us to do more with your tax dollars while making infrastructure maintenance a priority.

Improving Drainage, Reducing Flooding

2009-08-28T16:49:00.002-04:00

Along with neglected repaving projects, the ditch and drainage systems in the township had also been disregarded for several decades. Internal township records indicate that conversations regarding the flooding of Ten Mile Creek have taken place for over 25 years, and yet there was no physical effort to address the flooding caused by numerous logjams along the Creek. New housing continued to pop up in an area that has historically flooded for decades, adding to the situation by making access more difficult to areas needing maintenance.

In reality, Ten Mile Creek is not the only ditch/creek that at times cannot handle hard and heavy rains. Numerous ditches throughout the township have been allowed to become overgrown and blocked and some subdivision drainage systems were improperly designed resulting in recurring street and basement flooding.

Starting in 2007, the Board of Trustees directed the Public Works Department to begin addressing the issue of flooding with a comprehensive and practical plan to remove log-jams, clean out ditches and evaluate subdivision drainage systems for potential improvements. Work began in 2008 and continues today, with significant progress on Hill, Smith and Schlicher ditches. Storm sewer work has been completed in one subdivision and is planned in several more. This year we also began removing logjams and other blockages in Ten Mile Creek.

At the county level, there has been talk about establishing a Storm Water Utility which is being discussed by the Storm Water Advisory Committee (SWAC). A Storm Water Utility will have the ability to assess a fee on each property in Sylvania Township, with proceeds to be used to monitor the water quality in our area. A final fee amount has not yet been determined, but figures range from $65 to $100 per year. Despite assertions to the contrary, Lucas County under the auspices of the Storm Water Utility does not have the authority to deal with flooding and can only address issues regarding water quality.

Regardless of whether a storm water utility can deal with flooding or just water quality, SWAC's activities have been put on hold for at least 6 months as our communities deal with the down turn in the economy and the related challenges this has created for our governments. In other words, SWAC has not and will not be an answer to the flooding in Sylvania Township any time in the near future.

Addressing the issue of flooding in Sylvania Township is not a small undertaking, and remediating all of the township's flooding will definitely not happen immediately. But we are making significant progress and will continue to work on flooding issues affecting the residents and businesses of Sylvania Township.

Improving Leaf and Brush Pickup

2009-08-28T16:48:00.000-04:00

Never before has leaf and brush pickup been as efficient and productive in the township. We now provide brush pickup four times a year, basically once every season. The service is comprehensive, efficient and productive, helping our residents maintain their property.

Leaf pickup basically takes place continuously between mid-October and Christmas, with continuous patrols cycling through township roads. By restructuring leaf pickup by utilizing seasonal employees and subcontractors in addition to our own crews, we have been able to make leaf pickup more efficient and we are able to react better to weather conditions that affect leaf pickup.

The last major change to leaf and brush pickup is the funding source. Prior to 2006, leaf and brush pickup was funded out of the road department budget. However, state law directly prohibits using funds collected to fund road repaving to pickup leaves. So, we have moved funding of leaf and brush pickup to the general fund, allowing us to use road funds on repaving township roads.

Updating Emergency Systems

2009-08-28T16:46:00.001-04:00

Shortly after taking office, we were advised by our Administrator that the emergency generator located at the Township Hall was not sufficient to sustain even minimal operations during a power outage; it's dependability was also questioned due age. The old 20 kWh generator would only supply emergency power to operate the garage doors and the fire department repeater signal. While our dispatch services for police and fire operate on a separate generator system and were not in danger of being interrupted, other services that may be called upon during a power outage may have been compromised by the aged generator system.

While the cost was significant ($153,500) and was not budgeted, we took immediate steps to correct this issue. We always hope such systems will not be necessary; but we cannot forgo our obligation to provide services at all times, especially at times where power to our facilities and possible the community as a whole has been interrupted. The new 300 kWh generator can power the entire administration campus, including our computers, phone system, welders, the mechanics garage, etc., allowing us to continue communication and service during sustained power outages.

Working With Our Neighbors

2009-08-28T16:45:00.000-04:00

Sometimes working with neighboring communities can leverage resources and provide cost efficient services. We are constantly looking for opportunities that will benefit not just Sylvania Township but our neighbors as well; a strong region will help support the quality of life we have in Sylvania Township.

In the last several years, we have worked with the City of Sylvania on addressing traffic issues in certain areas by installing speed bumps and setting consistent speed limits on roads that travel in and out of the city and township. We have also completed joint paving projects with Lucas County and Richfield Township, leveraging both of our resources to provide services to our communities. At times, we have loaned equipment or offered maintenance support, courtesies that may or may not be returned on a calculated basis but which engender cooperation and good will.

Miscellaneous Public Works Items

2009-08-28T16:43:00.002-04:00

A few other areas where we have improved services include:

Introduction of new brine application equipment which allows for preventative spraying of salt/brine prior to anticipated snow storms in order to prevent ice from forming on roads; this helps minimize our snow plowing and salting resources;
Under the guidance of a Capital Plan, we have purchased new, 'green' equipment which provide more efficient operation and lower maintenance costs; we have also liquidated obsolete and unused equipment in order to reduced personal property insurance and liability expenses;
Increased safety training in an effort to reduce workplace accident and improve the safety of residents, businesses owners, and visitors of Sylvania Township;
Repaid $500,000 borrowed from the Road fund in order to provide additional funding to the Fire Department via the General Fund;
Provided training opportunity for employee leading to having an Emergency Vehicle Technician on staff, one of nine techs in the State of Ohio, providing cost effective maintenance services to the Fire Department.

2009-08-28T16:42:00.000-04:00

Operating the township is not just about maintaining the services that are most visible and obvious. We must balance all of the services provided by the township including infrastructure needs. Repaving 6 miles of road a year is manageable, but if we get drastically behind schedule, repaving 10, 15 or 20 miles in a year is financial almost impossible.

I have worked hard to return a proper balance to the mission of the Public Works Department - repaving roads, addressing drainage issues, and efficient leaf and brush pickup. This provides quality government services to our community, while using tax dollars efficiently.

DeeDee Liedel

Sylvania Township Trustee

DeeDee Liedel Announces Re-Election Campaign

2009-08-06T22:02:00.003-04:00

Today I filed petitions for re-election as Sylvania Township Trustee so I am officially kicking off my campaign with a Sylvania Township Update.

Over the last several years, the focus of discussions has mostly revolved around the Fire Department. While the Fire Department is vital to our community, so are other services provided by the township including our Police Department. For the most part, the Police Department operates with little controversy and within its budget. But I wanted to take the time to talk about the changes and improvements that have taken place in the Police Department over the last few years.

Increasing Training, Improving Safety

2009-08-06T22:02:00.001-04:00

We have a police staff of about 60 personnel. In my first year in office, 2006, as we began the process of reviewing police operations, those employees underwent less than 800 hours of training, for an average of about 2 days of training per person. That's not a lot, in my opinion, for people charged with keeping the residents, businesses and visitors of Sylvania Township safe.

So far in 2009, our police staff has undergone over 3,000 hours of training, an increase of 400% … and we're not done for the year. It is vital that our officers, detectives, dispatchers, records clerk, etc., have up-to-date information on the current status of the law, proper and new procedures for dealing with various situations, procedures for handling evidence, etc. Law enforcement is not a static environment. The processes and procedures are ever changing and the Sylvania Township Police Department must stay on top of those changes.

Along with the increase in total training hours, a structured training program has been implemented. No longer are only the 'favored' officers given training opportunities, but every employee is given certain basic training while advanced training opportunities are provided to those who wish to grow and learn more about their profession and how to provide better services and protection to our community.

A lot of this training is conducted in-house, a cost effective way to address the training needs of the department while controlling costs. The new training practice in the Sylvania Township Police Department will improve the safety of our community and our employees, an important step for keeping Sylvania a quality community.

Improving Fire Dispatch

2009-08-06T22:01:00.001-04:00

The Sylvania Township Police Department provides dispatch services not just for the Police Department but for our Fire Department as well. Our dispatchers work 24/7 to keep communications open between our officers and other safety personnel and it is imperative that the dispatch center works to the benefit of both departments. Making dispatch calls for both police and fire can have added complications. In the past, these complications were overlooked and ignored, sometimes making the Fire department's job more difficult.

This past year, the Fire Department and Police Department worked together to develop the Sylvania Township Fire Department Communication Manual, which contains dispatching protocol to help improve the efficiency of fire dispatching and guide training opportunities for the dispatchers. This manual is a vital component that will make sure the needs of the Fire Department are met when units are called to a fire or emergency medical situation.

City/Township Joint Strategic Response Team Formalized

2009-08-06T22:00:00.000-04:00

Sylvania Township and the City of Sylvania police departments have always cooperated when needed. However, earlier this year we formalized this relationship with the City, in order to provide better response in unusual circumstances by forming the Sylvania Metro Strategic Response Team to respond to high-risk situations jointly throughout the Sylvania community. This provides broader coverage for our community while minimizing the costs to both governments. Our officers will train together at times, and be available in both communities when the need arises.

While this is an improvement to services in Sylvania Township, in reality the departments work together on a variety of issues including sharing information about local crimes, training together, and in general working to make Sylvania safer.

Introduction of Citizens Volunteer Patrol

2009-08-06T21:59:00.002-04:00

For years, the Sylvania Township Police Department has had an active Police Academy Alumni - resident who have participated in a short training session about the department. These alumni have been active in fund raising and providing other support for our department. Last year, our Police Chief took that one step further and saw fit to create a Citizens Volunteer Patrol division.

Members of the Volunteer Patrol division volunteer their time to patrol neighborhoods and work during special events. They provide added eyes in the area to report problems, anything from burned out street lights to suspicious behavior to driving by homes where we know the residents are on vacation. During busy events such as the annual July 3rd Fireworks, they provide added traffic control to make sure residents make it home safely.

These volunteers are an important addition to our community, showing that residents are truly involved and invested in making Sylvania a safe place to live and work. I appreciate their dedication to Sylvania Township.

Minding Your Money

2009-08-06T21:59:00.001-04:00

All of the above has been done while maintaining a tight control on spending. In the last three years, I have pushed for and achieved a tax holiday in the police department, totaling over $2.2 million - money that you the taxpayer has been able to keep. At the same time, we have extended the life of the 2004 police levy by 4 years. The 2004 levy was originally projected to last until 2009. Current projections indicate we can delay going back to the voters for more money until 2013. This was not done easily - it takes careful planning and constant monitoring of the budget. But I am proud that we have been able to improve the services provided by the Police Department while controlling spending.

2009-08-06T21:57:00.001-04:00

Thank you for joining me in kicking-off my re-election campaign. Over the next three months, I will be talking about other changes and improvements we have made at Sylvania Township. I hope you will tell your friends and family and encourage them to support me on November 3rd.

DeeDee Liedel
Sylvania Township Trustee

Re-locating Station #1

2009-07-22T15:34:00.001-04:00

Several weeks ago, the Sylvania Township Fire Chief and Township Administrator appeared before Sylvania City Council's Safety Committee, presenting to the public for the first time a proposed location for Fire Station #1, at the corner of Monroe and Parkwood. I had pledged during the levy campaign to work with the city on relocating Station #1 so that city officials were comfortable with the service level they would be receiving. To be clear, while Station #1 has been historically located in the city, all four stations service various areas of the city for fire and medical emergencies, thus maintaining quality services throughout the township and city. But I know certain city officials and residents were concerned with the placement of a station within the city, and I agreed to work with them on the issue.

Going back to the first of the year, township staff met repeatedly with city officials to identify potential locations for Station #1. Each location that was suggested by city officials was reviewed for a variety of factors, including availability, cost, affect on response times, access, building footprint, and location in relation to our other stations (as well as other factors). Location after location was eliminated because one of these factors was not acceptable for a suggested site. The location at Monroe and Parkwood was initially disregarded by me as being too close to a residential neighborhood. But after eliminating virtually all other locations, officials from the City of Sylvania requested that we again look at the viability of this location.

So, our administrator and fire chief brought the idea back to the Trustees and we agreed, but acknowledged that we would need to keep open communications with the city officials and residents and we did so as much as possible.

The meeting with the Safety Committee was not the first time the city council members had been approached regarding the proposed location at Monroe and Parkwood. On an individual basis, trustees met with one or two city council members, so that everyone had an opportunity to voice their support or concern for this proposed location. After having received verbal support from all but one city council member, trustees directed our administration to move forward with contract negotiations. Once we had the property under contract, we arranged to have our staff appear before city council's Safety Committee to introduce the proposed location to the public.

Needless to say, the public did not embrace this proposed location for a new fire station. I am certainly disappointed - this location addressed numerous safety issues for our community and the township spent a lot of time and professional expense in reviewing this site and negotiating an acceptable purchase agreement, based on the verbal approval we received from a majority of city council and other city officials. But I am not going to force this location on neighbors who do not want it. Many at the meeting thought this was 'a done deal', but in truth we have proceeded slowly and have not reached a point of no-return.

Sylvania Township did not go down the road of placing a fire station near a residential neighborhood blind to the response of residents. We proceeding with the support and approval of almost every city official we spoke with regarding this location. We have since rejected the tentative purchase contract for the Monroe and Parkwood location. I am not hopeful that an alternative site can be found within the time limitations that we have and I expect that we will be rebuilding Station #1 at its current location in downtown Sylvania. Rebuilding at the current locations has some inherent disadvantages, but we will work with them to continue to provide top-rate fire and EMS service to the Sylvania community.

A Last Resort - Eminent Domain

2009-07-07T21:32:00.003-04:00

One of the great freedoms of our country is the freedom to own property. This right is enumerated in the Fifth Amendment of our Constitution, where it states that private property shall not be taken for public use, without just compensation. The right of private property is one that I hold dear and value as it is the foundation of our society and economy. In action today as a township trustee, I voted to authorize our legal counsel to start eminent domain proceedings against private property owners. I do not take this action lightly; it was a difficult decision but ultimately it was necessary in order to preserve the safety and welfare of the Sylvania community.

For the last six months, the Sylvania Township Trustees have worked diligently to secure and prepare a new location for Fire Station #3, currently located at Monroe and Whiteford. The last remaining roadblock to construction of this new facility is the ability to hook in to the county sanitary sewer system. To do this, we need access, commonly called an easement, across a neighboring property in order to reach the sanitary sewer.

Unfortunately, owners of several neighboring properties are adamant in their refusal to grant us such access citing speculative development value of their properties. Their demand to create an easement around not only the buildings that currently stand on the properties, but innumerable potential building locations as well, is simply impossible to do.

The reality is that Sylvania needs a fire station now; we cannot wait until speculative development of the property happens. Voters passed a fire levy in March 2008 which authorized the construction of three new fire stations. Sylvania Township has an obligation to our community to do exactly that. In order to build a new Station #3, we need sanitary sewer access. The adamant refusal of all adjacent property owners has lead to only one conclusion - Sylvania Township must take action to secure private property for public use.

I reject the use of eminent domain for private development projects, and reject the notion that such private projects have a public purpose simply because they increase the tax revenues of the government. But in a seeming paradox, we are being asked not to take property because of the potential future benefit to current owners, thus disregarding the current benefit and necessity to our community of safety services. I will not use the government's eminent domain authority to benefit private individuals, but I also will not allow the potential benefit of one to take priority over the needs of the entire Sylvania community.

Centennial Terrace - Grand Re-Opening

2009-06-29T19:45:00.002-04:00

I had the pleasure of attending a Grand Re-Opening Preview Party of the newly refurbished Centennial Terrace last week. The remodeling was done after voter approval of a capital levy proceeds of which were used to update Centennial Terrace, Pacesetter Park, and other Sylvania Area Joint Recreation District (SAJRD) venues. Needless to say, the property looks wonderful - it preserves the look and feel of Centennial Terrace while updating the facility to today's needs and demands.

It was a little over two years ago when I initially became aware of preliminary plans to sell the parking area of Centennial Terrace to a developer in order to garner the money needed to refurbish Centennial Terrace. I was vocally against this proposal as Centennial Terrace has been an entertainment center of our community for over 70 years. While I understand the reticence of the SAJRD board to ask for additional tax dollars from our property owners, in this case it was a question that at least needed to be asked as opposed to considering the sale of park property to a commercial developer without reviewing the alternatives.

From what I have seen, the SAJRD board has managed the levy monies voted to them well. I applaud their hard work and dedication to making Sylvania a community to grow, work and play. For those who have not had a chance to see the new facility, I would urge you to visit sometime this summer - the July 3rd Fire Works celebration is right around the corner.

June 2009 Township Update

2009-06-07T22:58:00.006-04:00

We have been busy as Sylvania Township, but I wanted to take the time to get some upcoming news and information to you.

Meeting on TARTA Sales Tax Proposal

2009-06-07T22:58:00.003-04:00

When: June 11, 2009 at 6:30 p.m.

Where: Township Hall, 4927 Holland-Sylvania Road

Several months ago, TARTA officials began slowly floating out the idea of switching the funding method for TARTA. Currently, TARTA is funded by the property owners in 9 jurisdictions (Toledo, Perrysburg, Ottawa Hills, Waterville, Rossford, Spencer Township, and Sylvania City and Township). Currently, they collect 2.5 mills of property taxes or just over 3% of your tax bill. That equates to over $2 million a year from Sylvania Township ($3 million if you include the City of Sylvania) for public transportation.

TARTA is proposing to switch to a sales tax of 1/2% to replace the 2 levies that they currently have. There are a lot of questions being asked about this, and the trustees have already received several emails from residents voicing their concern.

In response to those emails, and in an effort to get information out to the community and have questions answered, the trustees will be hosting a meeting to discuss this proposal. TARTA will give a presentation explaining why this switch in funding is being sought, and representatives from TARTA and TMACOG will be present to answer questions.

I have several questions about this proposal and its effects on Sylvania, the county and the service that we receive. I encourage you to attend the meeting so that you can be more informed about this proposal.

Ten Mile Creek Logjam Removal

2009-06-07T22:57:00.002-04:00

Work has begun to remove log jams from Ten Mile Creek. Beginning two years ago, the trustees agreed that we needed to refocus some of our Public Works' attention from on-demand leaf and brush pickup to infrastructure and flooding. While aesthetics are important, well maintained infrastructure is vital to the long-term quality community that we live in and enjoy.

Part of the Road Department's reorganization includes attention to creeks and ditches that had long been neglected and such neglect resulted in intermittent flooding when the weather conditions where such that the drainage system was overwhelmed. We have already addressed flooding issues for homes in the area of Schlichter Ditch (near the bike trail between McCord and Holland-Sylvania) and continue work on Smith Ditch (St. James Wood area) as well as areas in the northeast portion of the township. We also are working on solutions for other subdivisions with drainage concerns.

This year our plans included seeing what we could do about flooding along Ten Mile Creek. Tackling a project like this can be complicated and drawn out. Ten Mile Creek flows through private property and we have limited access from public roadways. So we must be granted 'right of entry' (permission to go on private property) to get to Ten Mile Creek and the various logjams. Due to extensive public outreach and education, we have obtained the right to enter key properties along Ten Mile Creek so that log jam removal can begin. Our Public Works department has begun removing trees and other obstructions from the Creek. When I went to visit the site earlier this week, one of our employees told me that water levels had already dropped five feet in this particular area after removing significant debris.

As a side note, there has been mention of a county Storm Water Advisory Committee/Storm Water Utility that may be addressing concerns of flooding in the township and elsewhere. We have confirmed with county officials that at least for the near term, there are no plans to address the flooding issues of Ten Mile Creek at the county level. County efforts would only advance if a new tax is approved by the County Commissioners, and the time line on that has not been disclosed. If the residents are to see any relief, it is up to the Township to tackle the project and that is what we are doing.

Looking Green in the Fire Department

2009-06-07T22:57:00.001-04:00

As part of the voter-approved Fire Department Capital Plan, the Sylvania Township Trustees are looking at ways to make the new fire stations more energy efficient and decrease their environmental impact. This is a process that I think is important, as we want to minimize the impact on our environment while remaining within our budget projections - in other words, we spend only what the voters said we could spend.

Currently, we have authorized a redrafting of our building plans to include solar water heating, thus reducing our energy use at all four stations and decreasing our dependence on energy. Calculations vary on the cost-savings of solar water heating, but there are other advantages as well including selective replacement of panels as they age as opposed to having to replace an entire hot water tank at once thus extending the cost of replacing the system over a longer period of time.

We are also reviewing the option of using permeable concrete for portions of our driveway and parking areas at all four stations. Permeable concrete is very porous and allows rain water to drain through the concrete (and into the soil) thus reducing storm water runoff. Using permeable concrete will allow us to reduce the size of retention ponds and minimize the need for other storm water management devices. This will in turn reduce certain construction costs, thus allowing us to efficiently use our resources and stay within budget.

Some other 'green' practices that will be incorporated into the new fire stations include rain gardens; minimized paving and building footprint; building material with recycled content; natural lighting requirements; high efficiency HVAC units; high efficiency lighting and occupancy sensors.

We will continue to review energy efficient ideas as we progress through the capital building plan, focusing on building materials and systems that have a reasonable pay-back time period. This emphasis will allow the Township to remain in budget while contributing to the support of the environment and at the same time providing cost efficient fire and EMS protection to the Sylvania community.

Fourth Scheduled Brush Pick-Up Added This Summer

2009-06-07T22:56:00.000-04:00

Last summer, after several fairly severe summer storms, the Township Trustees recognized the need for added brush pickup within our community. In the past, while we had three advertised brush pickup dates, the Township basically operated an on-demand brush pickup to those who would contact our offices concerning storm-damaged brush.

Unfortunately, on-demand brush pickup is very expensive, its services were not uniformly applied (only those who realized they could call and request such service got it; we did not openly promote it), and it took our road crews away from very important road and drainage work. In addition, it was not just storm damaged debris that was being left at the curb for pickup but regular tree maintenance and even large downed trees were being left for township crews to remove.

While the Township Trustees unanimously agreed to halt on-demand brush pickup as part of our decision to refocus on infrastructure, we do recognize that brush pickup is desired and helps to maintain our neighborhoods and subdivisions. As a result, we included in this year's budget a fourth brush pickup in mid-July.

The four annual brush pickups are now scheduled right after the first of the year (basically, Christmas tree pickup), early- to mid-April, Mid-summer (this year the week of July 13), and early fall (week of September 13). For brush disposal at other times of the year, there is a free drop off for all county residents at 6505 W. Bancroft St. (near the 475 overpass). Specific dates for brush and leaf pickup can be found at our website, www.sylvaniatownship.com.

2009-06-07T22:55:00.000-04:00

Thank you for joining me in my update. We are working hard at the Township to provide effective, efficient services to our residents and businesses.

Sincerely,

DeeDee Liedel
Sylvania Township Trustee

2009-03-23T21:39:00.002-04:00

As promised, an upcoming meeting to discuss recent flooding:

Sylvania Township Hosts Flood Meeting

2009-03-23T21:38:00.002-04:00

Sylvania Township, Lucas County

Media Release: March 23, 2009

The Sylvania Board of Township Trustees will host the Lucas County Engineer, the Lucas County Building Regulations Department and the Lucas County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) at the Sylvania Township Administrative office on April 1, 2009 at 6:00pm to discuss the Ten Mile Creek Watershed within Sylvania, Richfield, Spencer and Harding Townships in northwestern Lucas County.

The County Engineer will talk about future efforts to clean 10 Mile Creek, the proposed Lucas County Storm Water Utility and related Storm Water Utility fee and the updated FEMA flood maps.

The County Building Regulations Department will discuss their flood plain rules and regulations for construction and mitigation of flood plain risks.

The EMA is jointly presenting information on flood insurance with Christopher Thoms from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources along with information regarding flood proofing methods.

Also the Health Department and Sanitary Engineer representatives are scheduled to speak as well.

The public is encouraged to attend.

Contact person: Gregory W. Huffman, Public Works Manager, gwhuffman@sylvaniatownship.com or telephone 419-882-0031.

My thoughts ...

2009-03-23T21:38:00.001-04:00

I encourage residents and others who have concerns regarding past or future flooding in northwest Lucas County to attend this meeting, located at Sylvania Township Administrative Office at 4927 Holland-Sylvania Road. This meeting is directed toward more than just Sylvania Township; drainage systems west of the Township will have an impact in the Township.

This is a great opportunity for the various county and township officials to hear from residents about their concerns, perspectives, and thoughts, as well as a chance for residents to learn more about why there is flooding in this area, why it seemingly has gotten worse in only the last year or two, plans to address the flooding, and the potential impact on the area.

This meeting is just one of many steps in a long process the Township has undertaken in order to address flooding issues throughout the township. Under prior boards, minimal resources were directed toward ditch and creek maintenance. The township was in a position where decades of maintenance worked had been neglected. My fellow trustees and I agree that maintaining our infrastructure is vital to maintaining our quality of living, and we have directed that an emphasis be placed on our drainage system. Although after years of neglect we can't address all of the issues right away, we are making great progress.

We have completed extensive cleaning of Schlickter Ditch (North of Central between McCord and the bike trail) and began work on Smith Ditch in the St James Wood area, with more work scheduled for this summer. Ditch work in the eastern portion of the Township is also proceeding this summer. We have also been working with residents in several subdivisions who were experiencing excessive flooding for a variety of reasons.

One of the biggest undertakings for these projects is getting access to the ditch in order to get our equipment and trucks in to perform the work. Easements granted decades ago often are not wide enough to get our equipment in so we have to find property owners who will grant us additional access. We have been working diligently to get appropriate access easement, but it is a time-consuming and lengthy process, thus delaying actual physical work until we have appropriate access points. This is just one of the many issues that need to be addressed with regard to dealing with the flooding of 10 Mile Creek.

I encourage you to attend the meeting on April 1 at 6 p.m. to learn more about flooding in Sylvania and the outlying areas.

DeeDee Liedel
Sylvania Township Trustee

Sylvania Township Update - March 2009

2009-03-18T05:36:00.007-04:00

Sylvania Township has some great news to share this month, and a few items that residents should be aware of.

Sylvania Township Rated AA+

2009-03-18T05:31:00.009-04:00

I am very happy to announce that Sylvania Township received an AA+ bond rating from Standard & Poor's, just one step below the top rating of AAA. We pursued a bond rating in anticipation of a bond sale next year in order to continue our work on the Fire Department's $10 million capital plan as approved by voters in March 2008. This bond rating is directly related to Sylvania Township's solid financial position and strong management practices that have been implemented and is the result of a lot of hard work by the trustees and our administration and staff in putting together a financial foundation that is sound and sustainable.

According to our financial advisor, Steve Szanto, this is the highest bond rating of any government entity in Lucas County and places Sylvania Township in the top 10% state-wide. This bond rating helped us achieve a net interest rate of 0.699% on the sale of $7.9 million Bond Anticipation Note, giving us a net interest cost of only $54,000, several hundred thousand dollars less than we had budgeted.

Standard & Poor's rating is based on seven financial practice areas and the Township was rated 'strong' in each one. As Mr. Szanto recently said "the Trustees realized the importance of prudent financial management tools and adopted formal policies a though the township was a business." The management tools he is referring to includes numerous policies that we have passed in recent months regarding a rainy-day fund, fund balances, and account reserves as well as having five-year budget projections and capital improvement plans. Our general fund balance of $5.6 million was helpful as well, especially since this balance has increased from $675,000 in 2004.
The Standard & Poor's RatingsDirect report can be found here: Standard & Poor's Rating.

Gypsy Moth Infestation Reported

2009-03-18T05:31:00.007-04:00

Every year the Township receives numerous inquiries regarding Gypsy Moth infestation. There are numerous resources available to help provide information and possibly services to areas affected with Gypsy Moths. The Ohio Department of Agriculture has a spraying program for areas where the residents have agreed to spraying and meet certain criteria, including 100% resident participation (basically signing the petition), a certain level of infestation (egg masses per acre) and at least 50 acres in size.

One negative to Ohio Department of Agriculture's program is that the state will fund only one-half of the cost of spraying; residents are expected to pay for the other half which often dissuades property owners from signing petitions. The Township Trustees believe that our trees are a valued commodity in Sylvania. To make sure that the expense of the resident portion of the Ohio Department of Agriculture's program does not discourage neighbors from participating in the program, the trustees have directed our township administrator to draft a policy that if a given neighborhood or area of the Township meets the criteria of the Ohio Department of Agriculture's spraying policy and in fact are scheduled to be sprayed, the Township will pay the residents portion of the spraying.

For 2009, there is only one area in the Township/City that is infected heavily enough to warrant spraying. Three other areas were reviewed and deemed to have insufficient infestation including one area where a naturally-growing fungus has counteracted the Gypsy Moths. Areas of concern will continue to be monitored by the Department of Agriculture so that any threat can be minimized and we can continue to enjoy the shade, beauty and landscaping that our trees provide

Sylvania Township Provides Funding for Food Pantries

2009-03-18T05:30:00.000-04:00

Every year, Sylvania Township receives request from area charities to fund general operating expenses of various organizations. In the last several years, funding and requests have ranged from tens-of-thousands to hundreds-of-thousands. I have always been opposed to these requests for several reasons including the fact that once we provide funds, we have no control or oversight on how they are spent. But a recent proposal brought to the Trustees by Board Chairman Pamela Hanley provided a new perspective on our funding of such organizations and I felt it warranted my support.

Recent conversations between the United Way 2-1-1 and the Township have brought to light an increase in calls to 2-1-1 from township residents seeking information regarding food assistance, as well as rent, shelter and utility assistance. Clearly, given the current national economy, it is not surprising that more people need help including those in Sylvania and food is the most basic of needs.

Locally, there are five service-providers in the Sylvania area that provide food assistance to struggling families including Sylvania Area Family Services, Jewish Community Center, St. Joe's/St. Vincent de Paul, Olivet Lutheran Church, and Lutheran Social Services' Open Door Resource Center (located in Springfield Township but they provide services to Sylvania residents). Discussions between these five organizations and the United Way have developed in to a structure whereby the United Way has agreed to administer contributions from the Township for their SafetyNet Fund, a fund used solely to fund food pantry inventory.

These funds will be distributed to the five organizations that in turn will use those funds to provide food assistance only to Sylvania Township Residents. Accounting and record keeping is in place to make sure these funds are used as requested. The United Way is providing this service with no administrative overhead charge to the township or our residents.

The Sylvania Township Trustees unanimously voted to contribute $8,000 to the United Way's SafetyNet Fund. This amount will be matched with an additional $1,000 from the Toledo Community Foundation. Others may also make contributions designated to this fund. All contributions leverage the resources the community has to provide food assistance to our residents during these trying times. Knowing that the township will have accountability for our contribution and that the funds will be used to serve the neediest of our community, I was happy to support this contribution

Fire Department Update

2009-03-18T05:29:00.003-04:00

Progress for the Fire Department's capital plan is on schedule, with construction underway at Station #4 on Sylvania Avenue. As with any construction project, there have been changes to the original plans as we find some assumptions were not quite as expected when plans were developed. Some changes are in our favor, some are not but so far the project is looking good.

Station #3 on Whiteford near Monroe is in the permit application process. Demolition of the house located on the property is scheduled and we will begin bidding on this station this soon. Finally, we are still pursuing options for relocating Stations #1 and #2, but remain within our timelines for their construction.

The process of hiring additional firefighters as planned by the 1.25 Mill Levy is also continuing, with a test date scheduled for April 9.

The only negative news to give regarding the Fire Department came from Lucas County Auditor Anita Lopez when she updated the Trustees on the triennial revaluation which is taking place this year, to be effective for property taxes payable in 2010. Basically, with the drop in real estate values, the 1.25 mill fire levy passed in 2008 will probably suffer a decrease in revenue. How much of a decrease we won't know until much later this year, but it could be in the range of 5-10% for this levy (prior voter-approved levies would not see a reduction in revenue).

Certainly, when I was meeting with Sylvania Mayor Craig Stough, Sylvania City Councilman Mark Luetke and others from our community in late 2007 to formulate a levy proposal that everyone could support, no one expected or even suggested such a negative turn in our property values. This was an unforeseen event and a situation that we will address when we have more details on the exact impact.

In the meantime, the Township and the fire department will work to recognize whatever cost savings we can, such as the interest savings I mentioned earlier, and minimize cost overruns and change orders on the construction of the new fire stations as much as possible. I believe this situation is manageable and will not be detrimental to the Department. Being aware of the situation and preparing to address will help us weather this storm.

If you are curious as to the possible impact of decreasing property values on your home or business, I would encourage you to contact the Lucas County Auditor's Office and discuss with them impact of declining property values. A 10% reduction in property values does not equate in to a 10% drop in your property tax bill.

Ten Mile Creek and Other Flooding

2009-03-18T05:29:00.002-04:00

Recent heavy rains have caused severe flooding in areas of Sylvania Township near Ten Mile Creek, closing roads, flooding basements and crawl spaces and making a mess out of yards with trash and yard debris. Many have questioned why it seems that all of a sudden (in the last couple of years), these areas are experiencing flooding to this extent. Others blame over-development and say bad planning have finally caught up to an areas commonly known as the Black Swamp.

In reality, it is probably a mixture of these factors to varying degrees, and a few others such as development based on 35-year-old flood maps and yard debris clogging drainage routes. Recent information provided to the township also revealed that areas of Ten Mile Creek in Fulton County were cleared of log jams, which logically has contributed to the situation by increasing the rate of water flow in to the Township's portion of Ten Mile Creek.

Many township residents want to know what the township is going to do about this. This presents a challenging situation for Sylvania Township. First, Lucas County not Sylvania Township has an obligation to maintain Ten Mile Creek. Rough cost estimates of cleaning out the Creek run in the area of $5 million for 4-5 miles of Creek bed and include cooperating with agencies such as the Army Corp of Engineers. It is not just the monetary cost, but the time requirements necessary to coordinate and oversee such a project that is beyond the capacity of the township for at least this coming year if not a few years.

Another option would be to simply clear the log jams in the Creek, estimated to cost between $70,000 and $120,000 to clear about a dozen log jams. This is a more reasonable undertaking and one that I plan to have the township look at seriously, hopefully for this coming summer.

There are other areas of the Township which experience flooding in recent weeks. Some areas were simply overwhelmed with the amount of rain and barely-thawed grounds; others were areas of known problems that we are working to address. The Lucas County Engineer is planning to schedule a meeting to discuss flooding issues, including having the Lucas County EMA take reports of storm-related damage estimates in the next few weeks. I hope to coordinate with this meeting to provide a forum for Township residents to hear more about what can be done, what options may be available to the Township, and what can residents do on their properties to help minimize flooding by increasing water flow. The Township will announce a date as soon as it is set, and I encourage you to attend

2009-03-18T05:27:00.001-04:00

Thank you for joining me in my update this month. The township is making great progress on making sure that services are sustainable for the benefit of the entire community.

Sincerely,

DeeDee Liedel
Sylvania Township Trustee

Wind River Demolition Scheduled!

2009-01-28T15:10:00.002-05:00

Finally, after 27 months, Sylvania Township has scheduled the demolition of the structure located at 7510 Wind River on the corner of King Road. Demolition crews are expected to begin work at approximately 8 a.m. on Thursday, January 29, 2009.

This has been a long and unusual process. Most of the time, the property owner wants to repair/replace fire-damaged property and we work with them as needed to help make that happen. But in this case we had a non-resident owner, a purported interested party who was serving time in federal prison, a mortgage company that had declared bankruptcy, an insurance company that suspected arson and refused to pay out on the claim, and a federal sealed-lien against the property.

Our actions to get to this point included trying to work with the insurance company and owner; a trustee hearing; a court hearing; and finally a bidding process once we received court approval for removal of the structure. While the process was lengthy, I'd like to think that anytime the government destroys the private property of someone, the process is purposefully difficult - one of our greatest rights as citizens is the right of private property, and it should not be easily violated by the government. While I am happy with the end result - removing a blighted structure from our community - it would have been nice if the house could have been repaired before the weather ravaged irreparable damage so that the neighborhood and community could benefit.

I expect to be on hand tomorrow, to witness the end of this long process. A final thank you to the neighbors who were diligent in voicing their concerns yet understanding as to the procedural steps that we had to take.

DeeDee Liedel
Sylvania Township Trustee

Sylvania Township Update - December 2008

2008-12-17T21:33:00.001-05:00

Topics have been piling up in the last 2 months. The end of the year has been so busy, and I want to get some of this information out before year end, so here is an update on roads, fire, my thoughts on government bail outs and Life Squad billing, and Wind River.

Watch The Roads This Winter

2008-12-17T21:32:00.000-05:00

Be careful on the roads this winter. Information has come to me that the county has cut back on its plowing/salting of county roads this year due to the high expense of salt and a corresponding salt shortage as well as budget concerns regarding the cost of overtime. Numerous factors contributed to a salt shortage this year; the county has 25% less salt than the last 5 year average of salt use for this season's winter weather. This has resulted in a decision to decrease salt application by 50%.

Budget concerns have also prompted the county to cut in half the manpower used in salting and plowing roads during the overnight hours.

At the township, our budget allows for continued use of overtime when the weather dictates the need, but we are conserving salt resources and have reduced application rates by 1/3 in order to make sure we have enough salt to last the season.

Remember - the township maintains neighborhood/subdivision roads, while the county maintains the major thoroughfares such as McCord, Sylvania, King, Whiteford, etc.

I don't know if the Ohio Department of Taxation has changed their policy regarding salting/plowing Central Ave. and 23/475 this season. But either way, be cautious on the roads this season. They may not be as clear of ice and hazardous snow as we are used to.

Fire Station 3 To Be Relocated

2008-12-17T21:31:00.002-05:00

The Trustees discuss progress on the fire levy at almost every meeting, but sometimes the details don't make it to the community in general. Our most recent step in implementing the fire levy plans is approval to purchase land at 5046 and 5056 Haddon Road which is at the corner of Whiteford and Haddon, just north of Monroe Street. This property encompasses just over an acre and was purchased for $100,000.

While our levy proposal did not include costs for the purchase of land, we are comfortable with this purchase price and with the remainder value of the current fire station location at the corner of Whiteford and Monroe.

As far as plans for the other fire stations, those are moving forward as well. Station 4 will be undergoing renovations over the winter which will move department headquarters from Station 1 (downtown Sylvania) to the station on Sylvania Avenue. We awarded contracts for the general construction, HVAC, plumbing and electrical at this week's meeting, contracts which came in under budget by about 8% for this portion of the building plan.

We are still considering new locations for Station 2 (Central/475). Finding property that is available, affordable, and that meet our needs with regard to location and size has been more challenging for Station 2 given the heavy traffic and land prices in the Central Avenue area. We are considering several options and hope to have property under contract before the end of the year.

With regard to Station 1 in downtown Sylvania, we are working with the city to relocate this facility. While a location was initially identified earlier this year, it was later eliminated due to logistical concerns. We have not received any other proposals regarding new locations for Station 1 from the city since then. Since Station 1 was scheduled to be the last to be rebuilt (in 2010), we still have time to consider a new location. If a new location cannot be identified (and there are similar concerns with regard to availability, affordability, and location), we have already confirmed that a new station can be built at the site of the current Station 1.

Government Bail Outs

2008-12-17T21:31:00.001-05:00

While Congress contemplates various request for 'bail-outs' from the banking and automotive industries, significant requests from government entities have surfaced, including pleas from states, counties, cities, and school districts. (I have not heard of a township asking for money, but maybe I missed it).

Most of the requests are being made for 'infrastructure' or 'capital' projects that the jurisdictions 'need', projects that will 'put hundreds of people to work.' But I have to question why all of a sudden these projects need to be done now? In reality, these governments have been putting off these infrastructure projects for years in favor of funding special programs and pet projects because those get more media attention and good press for elected officials who want to be re-elected or move on to higher office. Spending such as this tends to feel more immediate impact on the community, while ignoring the much greater impact that failing infrastructure has on the viability and sustainability of a region.

I look back at the township and the status of some infrastructure projects when I took office in 2006. In 2004, the township paved 0.99 mile of roadway; in 2003 no roadway was repaved. Given that we need to repave 6.5 miles +/- in order to maintain a 20 year repaving schedule, these two years put us drastically behind. And why did this happen? Because the administration and elected officials chose to focus resources on feel-good stuff like brush pick-up and weekly leaf pick-up. They also raided the road department budget to operate the fire department.

But my point is that the township was not allocating proper resources to the road department so that they could maintain our infrastructure. Failure to maintain and repair our roads, storm drains, and other infrastructure is a costly decision, because the longer you put off infrastructure projects, the more costly they are to do. For the last three years, the trustees have unanimously agreed that we needed to refocus our attention on the township's infrastructure and structured the budget accordingly. Earlier this year, the trustees were criticized by some for not doing additional brush pickup throughout the summer storms. But our road department was involved in extensive road resurfacing projects and the cleanup of both Schlicker and Smith Ditches to prevent flooding. Despite the criticism, I believe we made the right choice to focus on infrastructure projects as opposed to aesthetic projects such as brush pickup.

Other governments have been doing (and continue to do) what the township used to do - putting resources in non-mandatory services that sound good, look good, and feel good, but in reality take needed resources away from maintaining the equipment and facilities that are needed to support keeping our roads, bridges, buildings, water, sewer and other systems in good condition. By asking for funds from the federal government, these governments are asking others to pay for their poor decisions and mixed-up priorities, while communities like Sylvania township are making those hard decisions on our own and paying for them out of our own pocket.

I am not in favor of the federal government bailing out state, local and regional government's failure to properly allocate enough resources and revenue to infrastructure projects. The voters of these communities elected their public officials; let those same voters figure out how and who should address their infrastructure needs. It is not the job of the federal government to bail these governments out, at the expense of all taxpayers.

Fire Union Negotiations

2008-12-17T21:30:00.001-05:00

We are currently in the process of negotiating a new contract with the fire union. We have quickly moved from negotiations to fact finding (a mediated process) because there did not seem to be any true intent by the union representatives to negotiate with the township. Typically we agree not to discuss the issues being negotiated during the process by signing an agreement setting out the ground rules. But IAFF Local 2243 declined to sign on to the ground rules this time. So I am free to talk about our negotiations.

Union negotiations are always a give-and-take process; we ask for stuff, they ask for stuff, both sides compromise and find something in the middle. As I said with the police negotiation, this is not a win-win situation; everyone thinks they lost something. Which probably mean we have a decent compromise.

But in the case of the fire department, I was truly astonished by the extent of their initial demands. I won't go into line-by-line detail, but will outline two items. First, from a straight financial standpoint, the requests are astronomical to the extent that the 1.25 mill levy that was passed earlier this year will not even begin to pay for the monetary demands. In fact, their demands would have the department in the red by over $8 million in the next three years, a situation that would require a 2.3 mill levy be passed next year just to keep them solvent for three years.

Even the seemingly non-financial issues their proposal calls for can lead to significant cost increases to the township. The union has requested that the firefighters be restricted to performing only 'traditional' firefighting or emergency medical care. When asked, the union declined to define the phrase 'traditional', but I think it would be easy to interpret this to mean they don't want to mow the lawns, shovel the sidewalks, or maintain and clean the living areas, etc. Now, some will say "but you don't make police officers do that stuff" which is true. But when we pay a police officer 8 hours to work, they are performing police duties for those 8 hours. When we pay a firefighter for a 24 hour shift, we are in essence paying them to be available, because (thankfully) they are not actually performing firefighting or EMS duties for the whole 24 hours. So while we are paying them to be available, they are eating, and sleeping, and working out. I don't think it is unreasonable that they do other stuff like sweeping floors, mowing lawn, and doing dishes while waiting for a call to come in. If they don't clean and maintain the fire stations, we'll be forced to hire someone to do this work for them.

Certainly, the township asked for numerous items as this process began a few weeks ago. Most important, we asked for contract restructuring that will allow us to implement the plans as put forth by the Fire Chief during the levy campaign. Without these changes, the fire levy will not last the 5 years projected.

So while we are taking steps to make sure the fire levy fulfills the pledges made to our community, the fire union is looking for more money ... to the tune of twice what the voters of Sylvania already agreed to this year. In fact, it is even more money than the operating levy which was turned down 4-to-1 back in 2005.

We'll keep working to negotiate a union contract that is financially sustainable and provides a department structure that allows us to implement the fire levy plans. It may take a while, but it's our obligation to the community who relied upon the chief's plan in voting for the fire levy.

Life Squad Billing

2008-12-17T21:29:00.001-05:00

Last month, the Lucas County Commissioners voted to begin billing for the use of Life Squads, the advanced life support ambulances that are paid for through sales tax revenue. The Sylvania Township Fire Department mans a Life Squad, and we respond to Life Squad calls dispatched throughout Lucas County, though the majority of time it remains in the Sylvania area with occasional runs in outlying areas to the west, Springfield Township, Toledo and Ottawa Hills. I adamantly oppose soft-billing of Life Squad services for several reasons.

The decision to begin billing is based in part on a supposed need for increased revenue for the EMS system. The EMS system is supported by a sales tax that was passed specifically for this purpose a couple of decades ago. Officials say this is not enough to continue to support the system as it currently exists, and that soft-billing is just a band-aid. But this 'band-aid' has been 6 years in the making - yes they have slowly been working up to nailing the taxpayers with soft-billing for 6 years, and yet it is only a temporary fix. Instead of taking 6 years to provide a temporary fix, why didn't they seek a permanent solution?

Let's talk about what soft-billing is and how it negatively affects you. Soft-billing is the practice of billing insurance companies for use of the Life Squad by county residents. Any billed amount not paid by the insurance company is not pursued. For those who end up utilizing the Life Squad who do not live in Lucas County, the insurance company is also billed, but if they don't pay the entire bill, the user will be pursued for the remainder, up to and including collection action. For those who work or shop in Lucas County and directly or indirectly pay income, sales and real estate tax, that doesn't matter, they will still be hard billed for services. One excuse for doing soft-billing is that it 'doesn't cost' anyone anything. Wrong. It costs your insurance company, and your insurance company sets your rates based on how much is paid out on behalf of your group. So soft-billing will negatively affect insurance rates, though admittedly it may only be a minor amount (because the cost is spread out among so many insureds).

Sylvania Township receives approximately $660,000 from the county for manning Life Squad 6. Unfortunately, it costs closer to $1 million to operate it 24/7. We have happily subsidized this cost, as have the other four jurisdiction that operate Life Squads, because it provides a valued service to our community, not just Sylvania but the county as a whole. But in deciding to begin soft-billing, there is no agreement or firm intention to increase the amount of money the township will receive. So, while the County will be profiting off of the efforts of our firefighters, we continue to subsidize this service at great expense.

Another problem that I have with the soft-billing is the reasons they give for soft-billing, such as increased run volumes and more complex medical protocols which strain the system. Yet there is no data to support these claims. And the guestimate of $2-3 million in revenue from soft-billing is literally just that - a guestimate. There has been no study or review of run data done to arrive at that figure. They could be off by millions, they have no idea.

Finally, Lucas County EMS implements and directs new medical protocols be used in the treatment of patients without any follow-up study or review of medical data to determine if the new/added medical treatments being used are successful in preserving life. These new protocols take added personnel to implement and therefore are very expensive to the township to support and implement. If they are successful - GREAT! It is well worth the added cost. But we don't know if they are successful because there is no follow-up study being done. And again, we are being compensated at a rate that does not even cover manning the Life Squad with two Paramedics. These protocols can take three or more personnel to successfully implement.

For four years we have been reimbursed at the same rate for the Life Squad, approximately $660,000. Yet our costs are increasing (wages, benefits, insurance, fuel, etc.) every year. Add on top of that the increase demand on our personnel. Sylvania Township is being asked to provide more and more, while we are paid the same. Meanwhile, Lucas County will now begin to profit from the work of our employees (as well as the other jurisdictions' employees) with no guarantee on where that soft-billing revenue will go. There is some intent that a portion of it will go to purchase new Life Squad units, but that is not in writing. There has been some talk apparently that revenue will be shared with other jurisdictions that do not staff Life Squads, in order to supplement their fire and rescue services. But no guarantees, no promises, no commitments, just a decision to begin soft-billing.

I am opposed to the county implementing a plan to soft-bill for Life Squad services until a study has been completed which reviews all options for funding and providing emergency medical services and advanced life support transportation to those in both our community and throughout the township.

Wind River Update - Approval to Demolish

2008-12-17T21:28:00.002-05:00

After years of trying to work with the owners of 7510 Wind River Drive, and failing to make any progress, the township finally has judicial authority to remove the structure that was destroyed in a fire over two years ago. Judge Jennings confirmed the resolution that we passed in July, authorizing our Zoning Manager to deal with the hazard which exists due to the burned-out structure and a failed attempt to renovate.

We are moving forward, obtaining bids for demolition. I am pushing to have this completed before Christmas, but sometimes the wheels of government don't move that fast (no matter how much I bug them.) To those interested, I will post here when we have a date scheduled for demolition. Neighbors are invited to come watch.

That wraps up a lengthy township update for 2008. Although we approved our 2009 budget at our last meeting, I will save detailed discussion of what is in the budget for a post early next year.

Sincerely,

DeeDee Liedel
Sylvania Township Trustee

2008-12-17T21:27:00.000-05:00

That wraps up a lengthy township update for 2008. Although we approved our 2009 budget at our last meeting, I will save detailed discussion of what is in the budget for a post early next year.

Sincerely,

DeeDee Liedel
Sylvania Township Trustee

Testing

2008-11-06T18:43:00.003-05:00

I'm just playing around making sure I see the comments link show up.

Comments enabled

2008-11-06T16:45:00.004-05:00

I have had several requests to enable comments on my blog. I have hesitated until now for several reasons. I have no problem with discussing rationally some of the issues which face the township and decisions I have made that some people disagree with. But only if everyone can remain civil and rational. Up until now, I wasn't sure that was possible. But I'm willing to give it a try, so commenting has been turned on. We'll see how it goes.

Another Sylvania Township Police Officer Suspended

2008-11-05T23:36:00.003-05:00

It was only two weeks ago that we had our first public disciplinary hearing in almost 2 decades, yet we held another hearing at our meeting Wednesday evening. This time the charges were much more serious and were dealt with accordingly.

Remember, it is a part of the Ohio Revised Code as well as the union contract that police department employees have the right to a disciplinary hearing before the trustees for charges which may result in time-off.

In this particular case, the officer - Sergeant Robert Colwell - attempted to waive the trustees hearing after we had already filed charges. In fact, Sgt. Colwell wanted to waive the trustee hearing only after seeing the results of our last disciplinary hearing. After having received an email from Sgt. Colwell's attorney late on Nov. 4 again stating that they wanted to waive the trustees hearing, we discussed the request in executive session at our meeting on the evening of November 5. Unfortunately, Mr. Colwell declined to attend the hearing nor did he send his attorney to represent him. As a result, we proceeded with the hearing.

Sgt. Colwell was charged with several serious offenses. We carefully listened to the testimony of four witnesses and had the opportunity to ask our own questions. Ultimately, we found Sgt. Colwell in violation of several department policies as follows:

1. Sgt. Colwell had two unsecured firearms in an area of the Sylvania Township Police Department which is accessible by visitors, witnesses, suspects, victims, and other non-department persons. The weapons were left unsecured in Sgt. Colwell's former office after he was transferred to another department from the Detective Bureau. How long they were unsecured before his transfer, we don't know. This was clearly in violation of the department's policy on Weapon Security.

2. Sgt. Colwell failed to properly process evidence; he did not log it into and out of the property room as actions necessitated. As a government entity, we must be careful to account to each piece of property which comes in to our control. This is an obligation that we owe not only to the public in general, but victims and accused in order to ensure justice in criminal situations. Again, the department has a clear policy on handling of evidence which in this case was violated by Sgt. Colwell.

3. Also in regard to evidence, Sgt. Colwell failed to properly log a laptop computer into the property room and left the laptop in his former office, untagged and unsecured for over one year. This action breached the evidentiary chain of custody for the laptop, rendering any evidence that may have been contained on the laptop vulnerable to tampering and thus challenge if criminal charges were brought regarding evidence contained on the laptop. Sgt. Colwell has a clear duty to follow proper procedures so that evidentiary issues are clear and evidence is not compromised.

4. Finally, as a detective, Sgt. Colwell was charged with properly maintaining and filing reports regarding cases that he investigated. When Sgt. Colwell was transferred to another department, he failed to correctly report the disposition of several cases involving identity theft and forgery. This is in violation of the township's policy on Departmental Reports.

In summary, the trustees unanimously authorized a 15-day suspension (without pay) and a written reprimand. The offenses Sgt. Colwell was charged with were serious and are at the heart of the integrity of our police department and how it is viewed not only by our residents and businesses but the criminal justice system itself.

To respond to accusations that this was retaliation against union activity, let me say that we did not act in retaliation for any specific or general union involvement. I expect every employee to conduct themselves in a manner that is in compliance with township policy and Ohio law. Union activity does not elevate an employee above rules and regulations. The safety and security of our residents is of utmost importance; failing to follow policy and procedures that are necessary for a properly functioning police department cannot be tolerated.

I would love for these disciplinary hearings to be handled internally, without the public hearings. The township attempted to change the union contract language to that affect during our recent negotiations. The union disagreed, and ultimately the conciliator agreed with the union. So we will continue to have these hearings as long as employees wish to selectively bring discipline matters to the board.

DeeDee Liedel
Sylvania Township Trustee

Attorney General Opinion Received on Merger Questions

2008-10-28T18:15:00.003-04:00

Several weeks ago, the Township Trustees requested an opinion from the Ohio Attorney General's office to address several issues that we felt were unclear with regard to the merger commission. Today, we received Opinion No. 2008-035. Below is a direct copy of their conclusions:

Volume #77, Report #208, Article #12--Monday, October 27, 2008

ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OPINION

No. 2008-035. Requested by Sylvania Township Law Director Truman A. Greenwood. SYLLABUS:

1. If a person is named as a candidate for township representative in a petition for a merger study commission that is submitted to the electors under R.C. 709.45 and, prior to the election, the candidate ceases to be a resident of the unincorporated area of the township, the candidate lacks the residency qualification required to serve in the position of township member of the merger study commission if the creation of the commission is approved by the electors. The board of township trustees has no authority to appoint a replacement candidate prior to the election, but if the creation of a commission is approved by the electors, the election of a township candidate who does not reside in the unincorporated area of the township will automatically create a vacancy on the commission to be filled by the board of township trustees under R.C. 709.46(B).

2. A community improvement corporation that is established under R.C. Chapter 1724 and receives financial support from a municipal corporation and a township does not have authority to contribute funds or other resources to an entity established to support or oppose a ballot issue relating to the proposed merger of the municipal corporation and township.

So, we now know how Mr. Steinman, the commissioner who has been annexed from the township to the city, will be replaced if the commission is approved by voters of the city and township. That helps clarify this process going forward. While many people thought this would be the process for replacement, the law was not clear as to these specific circumstances, so I am glad we asked the opinion and now have clear direction.

For a bit of background on item 2 above, there was a lot of concern among residents and my fellow trustees about the Sylvania Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) making significant contributions to OneSylvania. The CIC is funded in part by membership fees of the city, township and Sylvania schools. While the CIC has been a neutral facilitator and financial supporter during the last few years of 'studying' the potential tax affects and efficiencies of a merger, I raised objections when OneSylvania came to the CIC and requested funding for the campaign itself. But my objections were overruled by a majority of the executive committee and board. Okay, actually, everyone but me supported giving OneSylvania up to $15,000 for the campaign.

Now we have an Attorney General opinion which clearly states that this campaign contribution was not an authorized expenditure of the CIC. The reasoning is pretty logical, in my opinion. Townships are restricted in where and how we can make expenditures; we can only spend money where we have clear authority to do so. We can only contribute money to a CIC to defray the administrative expenses of the CIC. Townships do not have the authority to expend funds to support or oppose a ballot issue pertaining to a merger, and we are not allowed to use the CIC as our agent for this purpose. The AG Opinion concluded that because township funds are commingled with other funds of the CIC, the CIC is unable to use any of its funds for this purpose.

Where does this leave the CIC's $10,000 contribution and OneSylvania? I don't know. I have notified the president of the CIC and the treasurer of OneSylvania of the opinion. Beyond that, I'm not sure how this issue should be addressed at this point in the campaign.

Almost forgot ...

2008-10-26T21:54:00.004-04:00

My apologies - I really try to remember everything before I hit 'send', but in this case a long weekend combined with my desire to publish my merger thoughts tonight prompted me to forget a very important addition to my comments on the proposed merger.

I wanted to let everyone know of a website for a group who is opposed to the merger: Stop Sylvania Merger.

Check out both sites, OneSylvania and Stop Sylvania Merger . Get your questions answered about the merger commission so that you understand the issue that is facing our community.

(I also just added the rest of the links that I include in my email newsletter so that you can visit them directly from my blog.)

DeeDee Liedel

Sylvania Township Trustee

Opposition to Merger Detailed

2008-10-26T21:36:00.004-04:00

I said in my last regular post that I would talk more about why I am opposed to the proposed merger commission. I'll take this chance to explain in more detail and depth why I am opposed to continued 'study' of merging the township and city. Some of what I have to say is based on fact and the law, while some is simply my opinion and perception of what I would expect of a merger and its process. This post has turned in to be quite long, so I'll do a summary list and the longer explanations will be below (you may have to click on 'older posts' to get to all of the explanations):

1. Just having the merger commission on the ballot is costing taxpayer dollars.

2. I'm opposed to giving the Merger Commission a blank check to spend taxpayer dollars on more 'study'.

3. No consideration has been given regarding the negative effects of businesses and residents leaving community.

4. Government will spend as much money as we can get our hands on; that doesn't mean we need more in the form of an income tax.

5. Township residents and businesses already pay our 'fair share' of taxes, even without an income tax.

6. Township residents will end up paying a significant portion of debt the city has incurred over the last 20+ years.

7. The new city will assume debt incurred by Lucas County to maintain and repair county roads located in the township.

8. The new city will assume the cost of repairing, plowing and maintaining 110+ miles of heavy-trafficked roads, plus 15 bridges, and expense that could run into the millions annually.

9. The potential to be subjected to an income tax without a vote exists with a city; in a township that is not possible.

10. Pledges that the tax burden of retirees will not increase is not true.

1. What will this vote cost?

2008-10-26T21:36:00.001-04:00

Some residents have asked if just taking this to a vote will cost the taxpayers. OneSylvania has responded no, there is no cost just to vote on this issue; I have to disagree. According to the Lucas County Board of Elections, the township will be assessed what is called a 'chargeback', or a fee for the Board of Elections to administer votes in the township. So just voting on this will cost you money.

2. A Blank Check:

2008-10-26T21:35:00.003-04:00

Would you approve a situation where the government was handing over to some entity a blank check? This merger vote would do exactly that. Under Ohio Revised Code (ORC) §709.46(C), "The costs of the commission shall be divided among the participating political subdivisions in proportion to the population that each participating political subdivision bears to the total population of the territory proposed to be merged."

There are no restrictions to how much money the merger commission can spend; we have no ability to limit it, make sure that it is being spent wisely, or set reasonable guidelines. The merger commission has free rein to hire attorneys, accountants, engineers, planners, consultants, etc. You name it, they can do it. How much will this cost? I have no idea, but the township will bear the majority of that burden. Interesting, it is township residents and businesses that will bear the brunt of the tax increase, and it is the township property owners that will bear the brunt of studying how to make the township residents and businesses pay more taxes. I don't like the way that works.

3. How many will leave?

2008-10-26T21:35:00.002-04:00

Many proponents of a merger have said that the study done by the University of Toledo Urban Affairs Center (UAC) in 2007 was very 'comprehensive'. Well, it was a comprehensive look at where money could come from and where it would be spent (although I didn't necessarily agree with the assumptions and conclusions that were made). But it didn't even touch on some very important issues, one of which is analyzing how many residents or businesses may leave if the township becomes part of a city or if there is even a study. Certainly some of our large businesses have invested too much capital to up and move, but there are many, many more small businesses that are mobile and can easily be moved.

So while the UAC study projects an additional $12 million in income, will that figure hold out if there is a mass exodus of township businesses and residents? And what will happen to our property values as people flee the income tax? Values have already declined considerably due to the mortgage meltdown and economic slowdown.

Finally, what will happen to economic development in the next few years if the merger commission is formed? Would you move or start a business in a community where you don't know what form of government there will be in a few years, or who will be running it? While the Sylvania Community Improvement Corporation says this merger idea is all about providing a sound tax base to support the schools, I think we would see some very stagnate development trends for 3-5 years if this process continues.

4. Taxing Non-Residents:

2008-10-26T21:31:00.004-04:00

According to the UAC study, imposing an income tax on those who live and work in the township would increase tax revenue by $12 million. Mind you, this is really nothing more than a wild guess, because they acknowledge that certain information is not available to determine the accuracy of the income tax impact on the township. But the study specifically says "This shift would transfer costs of city services from property owners, primarily residents, to employed persons, primarily nonresidents, and decrease reliance on a static financing source." The UAC study estimates that 80% of the people who work in Sylvania Township live outside our community, in Toledo, other parts of Lucas County or Michigan.

There are two arguments to taxing non-residents. The first argument is that these workers don't pay for the services that they use while working in our community. They use our roads, our police, our fire, etc., but they aren't paying for it. So why shouldn't we make them pay for those services via an income tax. This argument ignores the fact that their employers pay property tax, which in turn supports our services. Not only is commercial property typically assessed at a higher value than residential property, but commercial property tax rates are higher than residential rates under Ohio law. So, we are being paid to provide services to these 'visitors' to our community, visitors who provide valuable services, goods and knowledge that help our community thrive and grow.

The other argument in favor of imposing an income tax on non-residents is really almost offensive: "They don't vote for us, so why shouldn't we tax them?" Wow, what a statement. And yes, I have heard that exact statement verbalized by more than one city elected official and merger proponent. So, should we tax people just because we can and they can't stop us? I don't think so. Do we really need more money to operate our township government and services? I don't think so. Quite honestly, governments will spend as much money as they can get their hands on. We don't need more just because we can get it. Unless government is constrained in the amount of money it has available, we will find reason after reason to spend what we have.

Bottom line, Government should not tax beyond what is needed to provide services. I don't think we should tax non-residents just because we can or because there is no political fall-out from imposing such a tax.

5. Paying Our 'Fair' Share:

2008-10-26T21:31:00.001-04:00

Now, if taxing people because they don't vote for you isn't bad enough, the next justification for considering imposing an income tax on township residents is worse. On several occasions when I have been talking to pro-merger people (making logical points as to why a merger is not a good idea) the ultimate response that I get is "it's not fair that township residents don't pay an income tax." Fair? It's not fair that we don't pay an income tax? I just really don't understand the logic of that. Who gets to decide what is fair? Is it 'fair' for city residents to decide what is 'fair' for the township residents?

I really don't even know how to respond to this assertion. Township residents pay the level of taxes that we need to in order to continue to provide police, fire, schools, parks, recreation, etc., to our community, on a level that we feel is necessary and appropriate. If that can be done in a way that excludes the necessity of an income tax, than that is the choice of township residents.

6. Who Pays The City's Debt?

2008-10-26T21:30:00.001-04:00

According to the city's 2007 financial report, they owe approximately $18 million on bonds, note and other obligations. Some of this debt goes back to 1986 and $4.5 million was borrowed in 2007 for projects. If the two communities merge, who pays this debt? Most of it is general obligation debt, so it must be paid out of any general revenue and is not restricted to certain levy or revenue source.

So who will pay for this debt in a merged city? We all do. That’s right - it is assumed by the new city, such that everyone in the new city will be paying this debt, debt that was incurred to provide streets, infrastructure and other projects in the city. Is it really fair that township residents be forced to pay for these improvements when city residents were the main beneficiary of them? Township residents and businesses would end up paying $12 million in liabilities that we really didn’t benefit from and we had no representation in deciding to incur that debt.

7. OPWC Debt Owed by Lucas County.

2008-10-26T21:29:00.003-04:00

Let me start this subject with an explanation of who takes care of roads, including repaving, plowing, salting, mowing, etc. In a city, the city takes care of all roads - subdivision roads and main arterial roads. In a township, the township is responsible for taking care of subdivision roads, the county takes care of county roads (Sylvania Ave., McCord Road, King Road, Whiteford Road, Monroe St.,) and the state takes care of state roads (Central Ave., 475).

Ohio Public Works Commission (OPWC) loans are made available to communities in Ohio to help finance necessary infrastructure work. They are typically 10 year loans without interest. Sylvania Township has taken out several of these loans for township road projects in the township. Lucas County has also taken out several of these loans for county road projects located in the township (ex. King Road, McCord Road, Sylvania Ave., Monroe St.) I'm not sure of the extent of this debt, but I do know they plan on taking out more OPWC loans in the near future.

Here is the surprising part: these loans were secured by the county at a time when the county was obligated to provide road work on certain county roads in the township. But if we merge and become a city, we have already been told that the county will stop paying on these loans and the new city will have to pay them off.

This debt was incurred by the county, at a time when the county was receiving various tax revenues from township sources (gas tax, etc.) that pays for the infrastructure projects. But since the roads become the new city's responsibility after merger, the county cuts lose not only maintenance of the road, but the past debt they incurred to do that maintenance. This information was not taken in to consideration when the University of Toledo did their study.

8. Taking on County/State Infrastructure:

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Right now, the township maintains about 130 miles of subdivision roads. 'Subdivision' roads is important because they are less traveled and constructed for lighter traffic. But if the township becomes part of a city, the city will have to take on approximately 110 lane miles of heavily traveled roads, including Central Ave., Alexis Road, Monroe St., etc. These roads have heavy, heavy truck traffic and repair, maintenance and resurfacing is much more expensive than our average subdivision road. The added cost would be several million dollars a year, perhaps more.

There are also at least 15 bridges that are currently maintained by the county and state which would become the obligation of the new city. Recall the Main St. bridge project in the city last year? It cost almost $1 million - multiply that by 15 and then try to figure out where the money is going to come from.

9. Income Tax Without A Vote:

2008-10-26T21:27:00.000-04:00

Is it possible to have an income tax without the voters' approval? Yes it is, under Ohio law. Municipalities are allowed to impose an income tax up to 1% without a vote. Keep this in mind as One Sylvania pushes the idea that no one knows what the end result of a merger would be. Even if the commission was able to formulate a plan that excluded an income tax - the new city could impose a 1% income tax without voter approval.

10. Pledges cover most, but not all.

2008-10-26T21:26:00.004-04:00

There have been pledges from numerous supporters of continuing the merger discussion that retirees in the city and township will not see an increase in their tax burden if there is a merger. They make this pledge because they think that retirement income is not subject to the city's income tax. But did you know that one of the homeowners that was recently annexed in to the city is a retiree who will have to pay income tax on his retirement income? It's true. So maybe the merger proponents meant 'most' retirees won't see an increase in their tax burden if there is a merger.

There have also been pledges that 'most' township residents will receive a tax cut. But what does this mean? Do they consider a decrease in property tax while that person's income tax increases a 'tax cut'? And what is most? 'Most' implies that some will not get a tax cut, and in this case will in fact see a significant raise in their taxes

But is it really fair to throw your fellow retiree, your neighbor, under the bus when it comes to higher taxes just so you can save a little bit? And what happens if all of those people who will end up paying higher taxes because of this merger decide to move … who is left to pay for the higher cost of government? (Hint: all of those who just got a tax cut - you'll have to start paying more.)

2008-10-26T21:26:00.003-04:00

The township form of government is the closet to the people - for the most part when you call the township with a concern, you can speak directly to a department supervisor, our administrator or leave a message for one of the trustees - and we do return our messages. Someone pointed out to me that if you look in the government section of the telephone book, the township has 9 people listed; the city has 24 - and they service 10,000 less residents. Mergingcity and township will increase government bureaucracy, increase our tax burden by millions of dollars, and be a huge benefit to the county who no will no longer provide us with services. But it will not be a benefit to township residents and businesses.

I like living in the township; I like the idea that when a law is passed that affects me, it was thought out very carefully because it affects millions of Ohioans who live in townships. Why fix what isn't broken?

DeeDee Liedel
Sylvania Township Trustee

Sylvania Township Trustees Suspend Police Officer

2008-10-22T00:46:00.002-04:00

Under the provisions of Ohio Revised Code §505.491, the Sylvania Township Board of Trustees took action to suspend a police officer for three days, without pay. This was a decision which was made after all proper steps were taken, including the filing of charges on October 7, 2008 against Officer Ron Dicus followed by a hearing held during our regular township trustee meeting October 21, 2008. While having a disciplinary hearing during a public meeting may seem inappropriate, it is in fact required under the Ohio Revised Code unless waived by the police officer.

This discipline process was started because an officer refused to follow a direct and lawful order. After 11 days elapsed and the officer remained in violation of the order, he was notified that he was insubordinate and the discipline process was started. The officer was given the opportunity to waive the public hearing in front of the trustees by having the Chief of Police hear the discipline charges but the officer chose not to.

Insubordination, the failure to follow a direct order, is a serious offense in a police department. The safety of our residents, visitors and employees depend upon police officers following orders. Our officers need to know without a doubt that their fellow officer will follow lawful orders given to them. We cannot have individual officers determining which orders they choose to follow and which orders they will ignore.

If an officer disagrees with an order, for example if they believe it is in violation of the union contract, proper procedure would be to follow the order and then file a grievance and allow the grievance procedure to work in determining if it was a lawful order under the contract. But this did not happen in this case, the officer chose instead to ignore the order until discipline procedures were started.

Given the totality of the situation, I believe the township trustees had to act unanimously in disciplining Officer Dicus for insubordination when he failed to follow a direct order. We cannot have the uncertainty that would be created if our police officers do not know which order a fellow officer will follow; their very lives could depend on having confidence that orders will be followed.

Now I come to the part which will trigger questions: the order Officer Dicus was given and failed to follow was to trim his mustache. The obvious question is "should he really be suspended just because he didn't trim his mustache?" While that may be an obvious question, it is not the issue. Bottom line is that the officer failed to follow an order. Period. As was laid out at the hearing, the Sylvania Township Police Department has a policy on personal appearance and grooming, including the appropriate grooming of mustaches. Officer Dicus received and acknowledged the policy yet he chose to ignore the direct order. He never raised concerns or objections to the policy prior to his discipline.

As mentioned earlier, the officer could have waived his right to a hearing before the trustees, as other police officers at the township have done when discipline was necessary in other cases. But I believe this was a calculated decision by the union to not waive the trustee hearing, and set up a situation which had the potential to make the trustees either 1) cave in light of the potential bad publicity of disciplining a police officer over a mustache or 2) look bad for being so petty as to discipline a police officer over a mustache.

Ohio law requires that trustees hold a hearing in order to discipline a police officer with time off. If the trustees do not follow through on such hearings and subsequent discipline (i.e., we cave), we would potentially be in the position of never being able to discipline a police officer. If we fail to support our Chief of Police in implementing and enforcing policies that we have directed and supported him in developing in order to improve and enhance our police department, we would be creating chaos and encouraging an atmosphere which would jeopardize the safety and protection of our residents, visitors and employees. That is not something that I am willing to do.

Some might say it was wrong to discipline a police officer over a mustache. But this was not just a mustache - this was willful disregard of a direct lawful order. I will not encourage an atmosphere in our police department where our Chief is powerless and the union is running the department. Officer Dicus was given a lawful order and he chose not to follow it. That is insubordination and the trustees acted appropriately.

Sylvania Township Update

2008-10-03T12:15:00.000-04:00

Sorry, gang, this is a long update. There is a lot to talk about including the merger, taxes, the police department, and other issues.

Merger Commission Not Supported by Trustees

2008-10-03T12:14:00.002-04:00

On October 1, 2008, the township trustees held a public forum so that we could hear from you, our constituents, what they felt about the proposed merger commission. We gave ample opportunity for everyone there to speak, listening to both those who were in favor of continued study and those who were opposed to any further talk of merging the township and city.

Some in favor of the merger encouraged the trustees not to politicize this issue, asked us not to become involved, and told us we should not try to influence the discussion. I found this extremely disturbing because several city councilmen have either become directly involved or have stated that the city has a vested interest in this process. Why should elected officials from the city be involved but not the township? Numerous township residents asked the township trustees to become involved, to oppose the merger, and to even provide funding for an opposition group. Both city and township residents are our constituents, so where should my focus lie? Hands off or vocally opposed?

On one hand, I respect those who believe this is a valuable process and potentially beneficially to our community. Some have put hours of time in to OneSylvania, and I appreciate the time they are willing to commit to Sylvania. However, I can't help but be firm in my opinion that this is not the right thing for the township to do for a variety of reasons. And after our public forum, I am convinced that I not only have a right to speak out about this issue, but residents are expecting me to speak out on this issue.

Today, the Sylvania Township Board of Trustees took unanimous action not to support the merger commission. We based this decision on two issues.

First, the merger commission as it will be voted on by the residents is not balanced. Under Ohio Revised Code §709.45(A), the merger commission is required to have 5 members from the city and 5 members from the unincorporated township. Unfortunately, one of the township commissioners was annexed in to the city and is no longer a valid elector for the township - but remains on the township ballot. The township requested that the issue be removed from the ballot, but the protest was denied. How, who or when this commissioner would be replaced is unclear despite our efforts to seek advice from the Secretary of State and Attorney General.

Second, we heard loud and clear the view of the vast majority of residents who attended our public hearing. What we heard was:

There was a lack of interest in any further exploration of merging the city and the township;
Residents expressed their favor for and love of the qualities of life unique to township living;
Residents expressed their skepticism of promises to reduce residents' local tax burden;
Rejection of a tax structure where some township residents and businesses would bear a heavier tax burden in order to finance a tax cut for other residents, including city residents; and
Residents expressed satisfaction with the responsive and cost-effective nature of township government.

There are more reasons beyond the above why I oppose the merger, but there are some other topics that I want to update you on today, so I will be sure to discuss those other reasons at a later date but certainly before the election.