Thank you for joining me in this township update. I encourage you to forward it on to other township residents and businesses.

Sincerely,

DeeDee Liedel
Sylvania Township Trustee

June 2008 Township Update

Welcome to this month's issue of Talk of the Township. There are several items in this issue which are very timely and relate to making sure we maintain a quality community.

The Delimma of Storm Debris

Sylvania Township has been receiving numerous phone calls and emails regarding storm debris pickup from residents expecting us to pick-up storm debris that has been placed in the roadway by residents. At the same time, we have also been fielding phone calls from residents who are complaining about neighbors who are placing yard debris in the roadway, obstructing parking spaces, making it difficult to see on-coming and cross traffic, and unsightly refuse piles. Who should we respond to, those expecting additional services or those who believe their neighbors are not tending their own lawns appropriately?

So let me start off with our policy on brush pickup. We provide brush pickup services twice a year, once in April and once in September. There is no policy to pick up storm-related debris after severe storms go through the area. On a case-by-case basis, trustees (former and current) have directed the public works department to perform brush pickup in certain areas and after certain severe weather. But there was no consistency with regard to when it was done, who received the services, or what other projects may suffer in order to provide this un-stated service.

Where does that leave us with regard to the current brush piles located in some roadways? At our last regular meeting, the trustees discussed the issue and agreed that we could not pull our crews off of some very necessary and important infrastructure jobs for the 4-5 weeks it would take to complete a township-wide brush pick-up. These infrastructure projects include long-delayed maintenance of Schlicker Ditch to prevent flooding, asphalt patching, roadside mowing, street sweeping, catch basin and storm drain repairs and resurfacing projects.

In 2008 we received $599,000 in grants and loans from the Ohio Public Works Commission for local road resurfacing and reconstruction projects. We are required to complete certain services and projects in order to receive these monies. If we do not complete these projects, in violation of our agreements, we default on the current loans and grants, and hinder our ability to receive additional loans and grants in the future.

These projects maintain our infrastructure which contributes to a quality community. If we divert resources to brush pickup, we are in essence emphasizing aesthetic priorities over the need to keep our infrastructure maintained. In the long run, failing infrastructure will be more detrimental to our community than unsightly debris in roadways after storms.

This fall's brush pickup will start September 8. If you wish to dispose of yard waste prior to that, I would encourage you to contact your private refuse company or use the free drop-off facility maintained by the Lucas County Solid Waste District at 6505 West Bancroft St.

If you have placed debris in the street in front of your house, I suggest you remove it; it is illegal to obstruct the roadway as it interferes with road safety and street sweeping. Help keep our community clean.

7510 Wind River Drive

"Public notice has been posted pursuant to Ohio Revised Code §505.86 that the Sylvania Township Board of Trustees intends to conduct a hearing on Thursday, July 24, 2008 at 3:00 p.m. at the Sylvania Township Hall located at 4927 Holland-Sylvania Road, Lucas County, Ohio to determine if the structure located at 7510 Wind River Drive, Sylvania, Ohio is unsecured, unsafe or structurally defective and if so, whether the structure should be removed, repaired or otherwise secured."

Many residents have inquired about this property since it was the subject of a sever fire in October 2006. The township has worked diligently within our legal powers to address the concerns of our community working with county agencies and other stakeholders. This process has led us to the meeting mentioned above.

Due to the legal rights of interested parties, and the legal obligation of the Board of Trustees, I cannot comment beyond letting residents know that this hearing has been scheduled.

Fire Department Overtime

Earlier this year, after the fire levy was passed, a document was put together by several members of the Fire Department regarding the cost of overtime and the potential benefit of hiring more firefighters in an effort to reduce overtime. This report seemed to indicate that overtime would almost be eliminated if three firefighters were to be hired into the department.

Unfortunately, further review of the information indicated problems with the assumptions, calculations and methodology used. At our June 17 trustee meeting, Fire Chief Welsh acknowledged that the data used to make calculations was inaccurate and the methodology was flawed.

Reality is that numerous factors contribute to overtime, including training schedules, family and medical leave, military leave, minimum manning, shift holdovers, large incidents, etc. While hiring an additional fire fighter may lower some categories of overtime, it will actually increase other categories of overtime.

I am constantly reviewing financial information to make sure we are operating as efficiently as possible while maintaining the high level of services our community is used to. This includes analyzing the affects of recalling firefighters from laid-off status. At this point, due to retirements, etc., we have been able to recall two of the three laid-off firefighters. We are maintaining 52 firefighters on staff until we begin to receive the proceeds of the 1.25 mill levy next February, at which time we can begin to implement the staffing proposals of the levy.

Rocket Ventures and the LCIC

Recently, the township was approached about investing in Rocket Ventures, a venture capital group, via our membership in the Lucas County Improvement Corporation (LCIC). County Commissioner Pete Gerken encouraged the member entities of the LCIC to invest with the prospect of great returns. I have looked into the possibility of Sylvania Township 'investing' in Rocket Ventures via the LCIC and what I have found out concerns me greatly when it comes to the role of the LCIC and its member entities.

Point blank, townships are not allowed to make an investment in a venture capital fund. We are restricted to 'safe' investments, so that the taxpayers' money is not put at risk. Further review of the rules regarding townships and Community Improvement Corpoations (CICs) indicate that townships are allowed to make financial contributions to CICs to help defray administrative expenses, but we are not allowed to give additional monies.

Basically, the suggestion that the township's use the LCIC to side-step our restrictions on 'safe' investments is not allowed under the Ohio Revised Code (ORC). This attempt to invest in a venture capital fund by way of the LCIC is illegal and something that I will not support.

I have also talked to several people regarding the county's ability to make such an investment. Per my conversations, the county is under similar restrictions regarding their investments and therefore a direct investment in Rocket Ventures would not be allowed under the ORC. Sidestepping those laws by using the LCIC is, in my opinion, highly suspect as well.

It is my opinion that the LCIC should not be used to by-pass the laws established for the safekeeping of taxpayer funds. If our member entities cannot directly make this investment, we should not allow the LCIC to be used as a middleman. I am opposed to the LCIC making an investment in Rocket Ventures on behalf of member entities. If member entities have the ability to make the investment (or believe they have the ability to make the investment) they should do so directly and not drag the LCIC into this issue.

Thank you for joining me in this township update. I encourage you to forward it on to other township residents and businesses.

Sincerely,

DeeDee Liedel
Sylvania Township Trustee

Sylvania Township Update

Where do I pick back up? In an effort to move beyond the rhetoric last fall I took a break from posting while the fire levy compromise was in the works. It was all too easy to get out of the habit of posting, so here I am 6 months later trying to figure out where to start.

First Things First - A Successful Fire Levy

The fire levy passed. That's good news. It puts to rest the uncertainty on the direction of the department and the level of service. The trustees have a clear plan, as put forth by the Fire Chief's levy proposal, on additions to our staff, construction of new buildings and new equipment and apparatus purchases.

We are moving forward on implementing those plans, which include:

1. Building three new fire stations to replace stations 1, 2 and 3. Geographically they will be in the same location, but we are reviewing potential site locations in order to increase safety and response times.
2. Remodeling station 4 to accommodate the department headquarters including training facilities.
3. Increase shift staffing to 55 firefighters which is the desired staffing level needed (according to Chief Welsh) to staff 14 firefighters on duty at all times.
4. Add a new day shift which will provide 2 additional full-time firefighters from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday thru Friday. Peak usage of our fire and EMS services tends to be during the weekday, thus these two firefighters will help to meet peek demands on our fire department as well as minimize overtime due to training.
5. Enhance our part paid/volunteer program. Volunteer firefighters have been a vital part of the Sylvania Township Fire Department for 35+ years, but in the last few years the program has waned. The program as Chief Welsh has outlined will do two things. First, it will provide for volunteers to be scheduled to work evening and weekend shifts to supplement our full-time crew. Second, it will provide a larger pool of people to respond in the occasional instances of large and involved fire or emergency medical incident.

I supported the chief's proposal because it introduced into our department an economically sustainable staffing structure that will help to keep our excellent level of first responder services at a price our community can afford to pay.

To be clear, the levy that was approved will not begin to be collected until February 2009. Given that, and a very tight 2008 budget, we are limited on how quickly we can implement the entire levy proposal. But we are certainly moving in that direction and look forward to successfully fulfilling the promises of the levy in 2009.

Police Citizen Patrol

With the success of the Citizens' Police Academy, the police department has been able to launch a new endeavor designed to enhance the quality of life in Sylvania Township. As explained on the police department's website:

"The Citizen Patrol is an extension of the [Sylvania Township Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association] that expands their ability to serve the Sylvania Township Community. The Citizen Patrol works in partnership with the Sylvania Township Police Department and supplements the efforts of its sworn officers in keeping the community a safe and enjoyable place to live, work, and visit.

Volunteers patrol designated areas in a marked Sylvania Township Citizen Patrol Vehicle and wear the Citizen Patrol Uniform, both bearing their distinctive burgundy and yellow logo. Citizen Patrol volunteers conduct high visibility, crime prevention patrols and act as observers and reporters of criminal and/or suspicious activity. Citizen Patrol Volunteers do not carry firearms and are not sworn police officers.

All members of the Citizen Patrol have received specialized training and undergone extensive criminal history checks. Members of the Citizen Patrol must follow all rules, regulations, and standards of conduct set forth by the Sylvania Township Police Department. "

This is a great addition to our community. I applaud the police academy alumni, Chief Metzger and Officer Sarah Toth for their initiative and dedication to our community. If you would like to learn more about the Police Academy and their work including the citizens patrol, please visit the police department's website at: Volunteer Citizen Patrol

Zoning Challenges

Certainly the affects of the mortgage crisis and slowing economy has shown their affect on residential properties in our community. Last year, the trustees approved spending on lawn maintenance for more residential properties than is typical, many of which were in foreclosure. (This is not a way to get you grass cut for free; such expenditures are recouped via tax assessments including administrative and legal costs.)

Our Zoning Resolution does require property owners to maintain their property in reasonable condition, including mowing the lawn, removing trash, etc. Unfortunately our ability to remedy problem situations is limited and often involves extended periods of time. Our new zoning administrator, Mr. Tim Dewitt, is monitoring problem properties, keeping in contact with owners, real estate agents, and mortgage companies as appropriate to try to encourage voluntary compliance.

When action is necessary, the trustees can and do approve lawn maintenance expenditures. Unfortunately, this process is not quick and action is not taken until the property has deteriorated beyond what many neighborhoods and subdivisions consider acceptable. And the lawn services provided are not necessarily aesthetically pleasing, rather it is functional and efficient use of township resources.

If you are aware of property that you believe is being neglected, whether due to foreclosure or other reasons, please contact our Zoning Department at 419-885-5276. I can't promise immediate improvements to the property, but we will do what we can to work with property owners and other interested parties to make improvements so that Sylvania Township can maintain its quality neighborhoods.

Finally, Let's Talk Money

At the end of 2007, cash resources of the Township increased by $5,737,488.46 from the end of 2006. This includes an increase of over $3.2 million in the general fund; almost $700,000 increase in the police fund; and almost $250,000 in the fire fund (this carryover balance will help maintain service levels in the fire department for 2008 until the department begins to receive the new levy revenue).

The only major fund that had a decrease in fund balance from 2006 to 2007 was the Road & Bridge Fund. The decrease was $17,000. The road department works on a different budgeting horizon, often saving up cash resources for several years in planning a large road project, so it is not unusual for the cash balance to vary greatly from year to year. Bottom line is that despite this small decrease in cash balance, the road department is in good financial position.

What does this mean, to have increased cash resources by almost $6 million to $14,282,862.35? Some believe this means we are being careful with taxpayers dollars, simply by having not spent all the money we received. (Having excess cash is good, but it is not necessarily evidence that wasteful spending does not happen.) Others believe that all of this money means we should be spending more in the fire department. (Just because we have money doesn't mean we should spend it. All township services should be efficient and effective, so that we are not wasting money. ) And still others believe that this means we should be cutting taxes and letting our residents and businesses keep more of their money.

The right answer is probably a combination of all of these. It's a delicate balance and obviously there is a wide range of opinions s to whether that balance has been met. But I continue work hard to do what I can to keep a good balance of keeping cash reserves, spending wisely, and keeping taxing as low as possible so that we stay "A Place to Grow".

Thank you for joining me in this township update. I encourage you to forward it on to other township residents and businesses.

Sincerely,

DeeDee Liedel
Sylvania Township Trustee

Where do we go from here

Last week’s election had a mixed message, one that can be interpreted several ways. There was enough support for increased funding of the fire department to place a levy on the ballot and a certain level of support at the ballot box. However, there was clearly enough opposition to defeat that levy as it was structured as well.

One thing that I think is quite clear is that without working together, we will get no where. No new money, no solid plan, no communication. And probably most importantly, no level of comfort or trust from the community.

So, I am committed to working with all our stakeholders to reach a consensus regarding the operation of the fire department. But I can’t have that conversation with myself so it is just as important (not more important, not less important) that those other community stakeholders be willing to work with me. That means compromise on both parts. I am confident that compromise can occur without impairing community safety, and in the end our citizens can be assured that fire and rescue services will continue to be of the highest quality.

In that spirit, I have reached out to the City of Sylvania and I have reached out to Safe Sylvania about where we go from here. I have spoken to numerous people involved and plan to speak to more as the next few weeks pass. Fire safety in Sylvania will be maintained, and I am committed to bringing stability to our fire services.

On the bright side, our new Fire Chief Fred Welsh will have the opportunity to show the community what he sees as his vision for the fire department. He brings with him 30+ years of fire fighting experience and has a lot of new ideas and a fresh perspective. He is without the lingering distrust that may still be around after the rough road to the election. I look forward to giving the community an opportunity to see the experience, knowledge, and enthusiasm Chief Welsh has shown the trustees. Being able to give Chief Welsh the opportunity to help formulate a plan for the fire department is perhaps the only positive result from this recent election debacle.

DeeDee Liedel,
Sylvania Township Trustee

Important Election for Sylvania

The Sylvania area faces an important election next Tuesday. Three fire levy issues will be on the ballot, as well as a contested Fiscal Officer race.

How much more can you afford?

Many people have accused me of being opposed to all taxes. This is not true. However, my level of justification for additional taxes is quite high. It is not each individual tax levy that I oppose. In and of themselves, each levy that Sylvania voters will be facing November 6, be it COSI, the Metroparks, the Library, TARTA, and even all three fire levies can easily be justified by supporters citing helpful statistics.

But as a whole, our property taxes are becoming more and more of a burden, and I believe they are detrimental to continuing to build and maintain a quality residential and commercial community in Sylvania.

Taxes in the Sylvania area already exceed 2% of the value of our homes. The 7.5 mills of tax requests on our ballet this election will push that up even more. By comparison, Monclova Township is 1.53% of assessed value; Maumee - 1.79%, Perrysburg Township - 1.73%, and Evergreen School District in Amboy Township (Metamora, Ohio) - 1.51%. These are all "Excellent" rated school districts, they all have access to the amenities of northwest Ohio; they all share the same level of state taxation.

These are the communities that Sylvania competes with for quality employers and residents, yet they are not faced with the tax hike that we are. So, when looking at tax levies, whether they are new or replacement or renewals, I look not just at who is asking and what is promised to be done with the revenue, but at what is our overall tax burden.

In all, there is $618 at issue for my family, over 10% of our property taxes. Each seperate levy is asking for a 50% to 100% increase in funding. Words such as 'mere', 'only', and 'just' are used to describe each levy but I don't consider $618 to be a meager amount.

So, when you vote next Tuesday, and are faced with a "yes" or "no" vote on seven different levies, think not only of what each individual levy is promising, but ask yourself "How much more can I afford?"

What is a safe service level?

Two years ago, I told voters that I believed we could run the township more efficiently - in other words, we can continue to provide the same level of service to our community but at a lower cost.

Today, I am more confident than ever that we can run the township more efficiently. We are doing it now, in several of the departments. Our efforts so far have included a tax holiday in the police department and increased services in the road department with no tax increases.

But to run the fire department more efficiently we have to be able to implement sound policies, exercise management rights to create a more productive work environment, and utilize and leverage resources to the best benefit of the township. Simply put, we need the union to work with us, and not demand unnecessary, unproductive, and costly practices that only enhances the union's coffers and not the services provided.

Let's look at some of the accusations Safe Sylvania is making to support their accusation that we aren't safe:

• They say: Two first responders were taken out of service when we reduced staffing from 57 to 52. When you calculate in sick time, vacation time, and Kelly days, our reduction in staff amounted to about 1.25 persons per day. How could that 1.25 persons drive two vehicles at one time? We removed from service a non-life threatening transport unit, a service that is now provided via contracts managed by the Lucas County EMS.
  
• They say: Fire inspections are two years behind, and thus jeopardizing the safety of our community. Our new Fire Chief is implementing a plan to inspect all 2,400 commercial structures in our community every year with current staff. If our Fire Chief says this can be done now, why wasn't it done before? There were 2,248 inspections in 2005 and 1,655 in 2006. If (and that is a big 'if' in my opinion) we are 2 years behind, the problem did not occur in 2007 and the trustees should have been told about it. Instead, you only hear this when the firefighters are trying to convince you that Sylvania is not safe.
• They say: "The 1.5 mil levy amount will return staffing back to previous levels and allow for equipment repair and replacement, including return of the Fire Department transport service." The township has done various scenarios regarding funding levels at a 1.5 mill level. Our reviews show that 1.5 mill will pay for either additional staff or replace equipment. It won't do both. When I have asked them for their projections to support their statements of what their levies will pay for, they tell me they don't have any. They are making unrealistic promises with no way to be held accountable.
• They say: Rehiring 5 firefighters will put us closer to national staffing standards. Yes, it will put us closer - by one person per day. But according to our Fire Chief that one additional person will not enable us to respond to any more emergency medical situations or fires than we do today, it will just put one more due's paying member in the union ranks. In addition, they are comparing apples to oranges in order to scare you in to supporting more taxes by saying we have 14 firefighters on duty but need 21. In fact, we have 17-18 firefighters assigned to each shift, with a guaranteed minimum staffing of 14. Their reference to a recommended 21 does not mean a minimum of 21 on duty.

Truth is, they have no support to say that we are not safe today. Response times have remained consistent at an average of 4:17, 45 seconds to four minutes faster than other suburban fire departments in our area. Staffing levels are mandated by the union contract and can not be reduced. Our community continues to receive quality, efficient and responsive emergency medical transportation through agreements with the Lucas County Emergency Medical Services Agency.

The bottom line is that when you call 911 with a medical or fire emergency, we respond. When you call with a concern about an odor, we respond. When you call because an elderly resident has fallen and is unable to get back in to bed, we respond. When you call because you're unable to remove a ring or get a cat out of a tree, we respond. Service has not decreased. We are simply using the resources (your tax dollars) more efficiently in providing fire and EMS services to you, your family, and your visitors.

It's a union effort (in my opinion)

Supporters for a Safe Sylvania have been adamant in its contention that it is not a union effort to control the direction of the Fire Department. I disagree. Over the last year, I have taken the opportunity to observe certain actions and have come to what I believe is a logical conclusion that unions are a major force behind trying to convince the Sylvania community that we are not safe.

Let's review some basic facts about Safe Sylvania that their co-chair readily admits to:

• 40% of the petitions circulated by Supporters for a Safe Sylvania to put their 1.5 mill levies on the ballot were circulated by union members or their spouses.
• 60% of the funds raised during the most recent reporting period were contributed by union-related organizations or union members/spouses. (Compare this to the community effort supporting the May 2005 fire levies where only $1,500 of $17,000 raised for the campaign came from a union.)
• A noted local union attorney, Joseph J. Allotta, is the group's treasurer.
• Three unions, a union trade group and a union PAC have endorsed their efforts, including, thousands of dollars of financial support from Local 2243 of the IAFF, the union that represents our firefighters.
• The committee's attorney, Keith Wilkowski, interchangeably uses the phrases "my clients" and "the firefighters" in email correspondence with a local elected official.

Two and a half years ago, all of the support for the levy campaign came from the local community - businesses and residents who chose to support an unprecedented expansion of the fire department. This election we have various unions from outside Sylvania putting major money in to a campaign in order to avoid losing their grip on even one small part of the government.

Don't be fooled by their protests that this has nothing to do with the union. For decades, in governments all through out Lucas County, unions have been pandered to in order to get their support and avoid controversy. Now, Pam and I have stood up to the union, and the union community is doing every thing they can to thwart our efforts to bring responsible government to Sylvania.

Who do you want running Sylvania Township? Experienced business and government professionals, or the union? I urge you to vote "NO" on issues 5 and 20, the 1.5 mill fire levies supported by the unions.

Perry for Fiscal Officer

The township would benefit from the experience, knowledge and financial background of Ken Perry as Fiscal Officer. Ken has 30+ years of experiencing in the banking industry, and has first hand knowledge of the duties and obligations of the Fiscal Officer. I encourage you to vote for Ken Perry for Fiscal Officer.

Thank you for joining me in this township update. I encourage you to forward it on to other township residents and businesses.

Sincerely,

DeeDee Liedel
Sylvania Township Trustee