Chapter 343 | Solid Waste Management Districts

Section 343.01 | Establishment and maintenance of county or joint solid waste management district.

• Effective: November 2, 2018
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 34 - 132nd General Assembly

(A) In order to comply with division (B) of section 3734.52 of the Revised Code, the board of county commissioners of each county shall do one of the following:

(1) Establish, by resolution, and maintain a county solid waste management district under this chapter that consists of all the incorporated and unincorporated territory within the county except as otherwise provided in division (A) of this section;

(2) With the boards of county commissioners of one or more other counties establish, by agreement, and maintain a joint solid waste management district under this chapter that consists of all the incorporated and unincorporated territory within the counties forming the joint district except as otherwise provided in division (A) of this section.

If a municipal corporation is located in more than one solid waste management district, the entire municipal corporation shall be considered to be included in and shall be under the jurisdiction of the district in which a majority of the population of the municipal corporation resides.

A county and joint district established to comply with division (B) of section 3734.52 of the Revised Code shall have a population of not less than one hundred twenty thousand unless, in the instance of a county district, the board of county commissioners has obtained an exemption from that requirement under division (C)(1) or (2) of that section. Each joint district established to comply with an order issued under division (D) of that section shall have a population of at least one hundred twenty thousand.

(B) The boards of county commissioners of the counties establishing a joint district constitute, collectively, the board of directors of the joint district, except that if a county with a form of legislative authority other than a board of county commissioners participates, it shall be represented on the board of directors by three persons appointed by the legislative authority.

The agreement to establish and maintain a joint district shall be ratified by resolution of the board of county commissioners of each participating county. Upon ratification, the board of directors shall take control of and manage the joint district subject to this chapter, except that, in the case of a joint district formed pursuant to division (C), (D), or (E) of section 343.012 of the Revised Code, the board of directors shall take control of and manage the district when the formation of the district becomes final under the applicable division. A majority of the board of directors constitutes a quorum, and a majority vote is required for the board to act.

A county participating in a joint district may contribute lands or rights or interests therein, money, other personal property or rights or interests therein, or services to the district. The agreement shall specify any contributions of participating counties and the rights of the participating counties in lands or personal property, or rights or interests therein, contributed to or otherwise acquired by the joint district. The agreement may be amended or added to by a majority vote of the board of directors, but no amendment or addition shall divest a participating county of any right or interest in lands or personal property without its consent.

The board of directors may appoint and fix the compensation of employees of, accept gifts, devises, and bequests for, and take other actions necessary to control and manage the joint district. Employees of the district shall be considered county employees for the purposes of Chapter 124. of the Revised Code and other provisions of state law applicable to employees. Instead of or in addition to appointing employees of the district, the board of directors may agree to use employees of one or more of the participating counties in the service of the joint district and to share in their compensation in any manner that may be agreed upon.

The board of directors shall do one of the following:

(1) Designate the county auditor, including any other official acting in a capacity similar to a county auditor under a county charter, of a county participating in the joint district as the fiscal officer of the district, and the county treasurer, or other official acting in a capacity similar to a county treasurer under a county charter, of that county as the treasurer of the district. The designated county officials shall perform any applicable duties for the district as each typically performs for the county of which the individual is an official, except as otherwise may be provided in any bylaws or resolutions adopted by the board of directors. The board of directors may pay to that county any amount agreed upon by the board of directors and the board of county commissioners of that county to reimburse that county for the cost properly allocable to the service of its officials as fiscal officer and treasurer of the joint district.

(2) Appoint one individual who is neither a county auditor nor a county treasurer, and who may be an employee of the district, to serve as both the treasurer of the district and its fiscal officer. That individual shall act as custodian of the funds of the board and the district and shall maintain all accounts of the district. Any reference in this chapter or Chapter 3734. of the Revised Code to a county auditor or county treasurer serving as fiscal officer of a district or custodian of any funds of a board or district is deemed to refer to an individual appointed under division (B)(2) of this section.

The fiscal officer of a district shall establish a general fund and any other necessary funds for the district.

(C) A board of county commissioners of a county district or board of directors of a joint district may acquire, by purchase or lease, construct, improve, enlarge, replace, maintain, and operate such solid waste collection systems within their respective districts and such solid waste facilities within or outside their respective districts as are necessary for the protection of the public health. A board of county commissioners may acquire within its county real property or any estate, interest, or right therein, by appropriation or any other method, for use by a county or joint district in connection with such facilities. Appropriation proceedings shall be conducted in accordance with sections 163.01 to 163.22 of the Revised Code.

(D) The sanitary engineer or sanitary engineering department of a county maintaining a district and any sanitary engineer or sanitary engineering department of a county in a joint district, as determined by the board of directors, in addition to other duties assigned to that engineer or department, shall assist the board of county commissioners or directors in the performance of their duties under this chapter and sections 3734.52 to 3734.575 of the Revised Code and shall be charged with any other duties and services in relation thereto that the board prescribes. A board may employ registered professional engineers to assist the sanitary engineer in those duties and also may employ financial advisers and any other professional services it considers necessary to assist it in the construction, financing, and maintenance of solid waste collection or other solid waste facilities. Such contracts of employment shall not require the certificate provided in section 5705.41 of the Revised Code. Payment for such services may be made from the general fund or any other fund legally available for that use at times that are agreed upon or as determined by the board of county commissioners or directors, and the funds may be reimbursed from the proceeds of bonds or notes issued to pay the cost of any improvement to which the services related.

(E)(1) The prosecuting attorney of the county shall serve as the legal advisor of a county district and shall provide such services to the board of county commissioners of the district as are required or authorized to be provided to other county boards under Chapter 309. of the Revised Code, except that, if the board considers it to be necessary or appropriate, the board, on its own initiative, may employ an attorney or other legal counsel on an annual basis to serve as the legal advisor of the district in place of the prosecuting attorney. When the prosecuting attorney is serving as the district's legal advisor and the board considers it to be necessary or appropriate, the board, on its own initiative, may employ an attorney or other legal counsel to represent or advise the board regarding a particular matter in place of the prosecuting attorney. The employment of an attorney or other legal counsel on an annual basis or in a particular matter is not subject to or governed by sections 305.14 and 309.09 of the Revised Code.

Notwithstanding the employment of an attorney or other legal counsel on an annual basis to serve as the district's legal advisor, the board may require written opinions or instructions from the prosecuting attorney under section 309.09 of the Revised Code in matters connected with its official duties as though the prosecuting attorney were serving as the legal advisor of the district.

(2) The board of directors of a joint district may designate the prosecuting attorney of one of the counties forming the district to serve as the legal advisor of the district. When so designated, the prosecuting attorney shall provide such services to the joint district as are required or authorized to be provided to county boards under Chapter 309. of the Revised Code. The board of directors may pay to that county any amount agreed upon by the board of directors and the board of county commissioners of that county to reimburse that county for the cost properly allocable to the services of its prosecuting attorney as the legal advisor of the joint district. When that prosecuting attorney is so serving and the board considers it to be necessary or appropriate, the board, on its own initiative, may employ an attorney or other legal counsel to represent or advise the board regarding a particular matter in place of the prosecuting attorney.

Instead of designating the prosecuting attorney of one of the counties forming the district to be the legal advisor of the district, the board of directors may employ on an annual basis an attorney or other legal counsel to serve as the district's legal advisor. Notwithstanding the employment of an attorney or other legal counsel as the district's legal advisor, the board of directors may require written opinions or instructions from the prosecuting attorney of any of the counties forming the district in matters connected with the board's official duties, and the prosecuting attorney shall provide the written opinion or instructions as though the prosecuting attorney had been designated to serve as the district's legal advisor under division (E)(2) of this section.

(F) A board of county commissioners may issue bonds or bond anticipation notes of the county to pay the cost of preparing general and detailed plans and other data required for the construction of solid waste facilities in connection with a county or joint district. A board of directors of a joint solid waste management district may issue bonds or bond anticipation notes of the joint solid waste management district to pay the cost of preparing general and detailed plans and other data required for the construction of solid waste facilities in connection with a joint district. The bonds and notes shall be issued in accordance with Chapter 133. of the Revised Code, except that the maximum maturity of bonds issued for that purpose shall not exceed ten years. Bond anticipation notes may be paid from the proceeds of bonds issued either to pay the cost of the solid waste facilities or to pay the cost of the plans and other data.

(G) To the extent authorized by the solid waste management plan of the district approved under section 3734.521 or 3734.55 of the Revised Code or subsequent amended plans of the district approved under section 3734.521 or 3734.56 of the Revised Code, the board of county commissioners of a county district or board of directors of a joint district may adopt, publish, and enforce rules doing any of the following:

(1) Prohibiting or limiting the receipt of solid wastes generated outside the district or outside a service area prescribed in the solid waste management plan or amended plan, at facilities located within the solid waste management district, consistent with the projections contained in the plan or amended plan under divisions (A)(6) and (7) of section 3734.53 of the Revised Code. However, rules adopted by a board under division (G)(1) of this section may be adopted and enforced with respect to solid waste disposal facilities in the solid waste management district that are not owned by a county or the solid waste management district only if the board submits an application to the director of environmental protection that demonstrates that there is insufficient capacity to dispose of all solid wastes that are generated within the district at the solid waste disposal facilities located within the district and the director approves the application. The demonstration in the application shall be based on projections contained in the plan or amended plan of the district. The director shall establish the form of the application. The approval or disapproval of such an application by the director is an action that is appealable under section 3745.04 of the Revised Code.

In addition, the director of environmental protection may issue an order modifying a rule adopted under division (G)(1) of this section to allow the disposal in the district of solid wastes from another county or joint solid waste management district if all of the following apply:

(a) The district in which the wastes were generated does not have sufficient capacity to dispose of solid wastes generated within it for six months following the date of the director's order.

(b) No new solid waste facilities will begin operation during those six months in the district in which the wastes were generated and, despite good faith efforts to do so, it is impossible to site new solid waste facilities within the district because of its high population density.

(c) The district in which the wastes were generated has made good faith efforts to negotiate with other districts to incorporate its disposal needs within those districts' solid waste management plans, including efforts to develop joint facilities authorized under section 343.02 of the Revised Code, and the efforts have been unsuccessful.

(d) The district in which the wastes were generated has located a facility willing to accept the district's solid wastes for disposal within the receiving district.

(e) The district in which the wastes were generated has demonstrated to the director that the conditions specified in divisions (G)(1)(a) to (d) of this section have been met.

(f) The director finds that the issuance of the order will be consistent with the state solid waste management plan and that receipt of the out-of-district wastes will not limit the capacity of the receiving district to dispose of its in-district wastes to less than eight years.

Any order issued under division (G)(1) of this section shall not become final until thirty days after it has been served upon the county or joint solid waste management district that will receive the out-of-district wastes either by certified mail or, if the director has record of an internet identifier of record associated with the district, by ordinary mail and by that internet identifier of record.

(2) Governing the maintenance, protection, and use of solid waste collection or other solid waste facilities located within its district. The rules adopted under division (G)(2) of this section shall not establish design standards for solid waste facilities and shall be consistent with the solid waste provisions of Chapter 3734. of the Revised Code and the rules adopted under those provisions. The rules adopted under division (G)(2) of this section may prohibit any person, municipal corporation, township, or other political subdivision from constructing, enlarging, or modifying any solid waste facility until general plans and specifications for the proposed improvement have been submitted to and approved by the board of county commissioners or board of directors as complying with the solid waste management plan or amended plan of the district. The construction of such a facility shall be done under the supervision of the county sanitary engineer or, in the case of a joint district, a county sanitary engineer designated by the board of directors, and any person, municipal corporation, township, or other political subdivision proposing or constructing such improvements shall pay to the county or joint district all expenses incurred by the board in connection therewith. The sanitary engineer may enter upon any public or private property for the purpose of making surveys or examinations necessary for designing solid waste facilities or for supervising the construction, enlargement, modification, or operation of any such facilities. No person, municipal corporation, township, or other political subdivision shall forbid or interfere with the sanitary engineer or the sanitary engineer's authorized assistants entering upon such property for that purpose. If actual damage is done to property by the making of the surveys and examinations, a board shall pay the reasonable value of that damage to the owner of the property damaged, and the cost shall be included in the financing of the improvement for which the surveys and examinations are made.

(3) Governing the development and implementation of a program for the inspection of solid wastes generated outside the boundaries of this state that are disposed of at solid waste facilities included in the district's solid waste management plan or amended plan. A board of county commissioners or board of directors or its authorized representative may enter upon the premises of any solid waste facility included in the district's solid waste management plan or amended plan for the purpose of conducting the inspections required or authorized by the rules adopted under division (G)(3) of this section. No person, municipal corporation, township, or other political subdivision shall forbid or interfere with a board of county commissioners or directors or its authorized representative entering upon the premises of any such solid waste facility for that purpose.

(4) Exempting the owner or operator of any existing or proposed solid waste facility provided for in the plan or amended plan from compliance with any amendment to a township zoning resolution adopted under section 519.12 of the Revised Code or to a county rural zoning resolution adopted under section 303.12 of the Revised Code that rezoned or redistricted the parcel or parcels upon which the facility is to be constructed or modified and that became effective within two years prior to the filing of an application for a permit required under division (A)(2)(a) of section 3734.05 of the Revised Code to open a new or modify an existing solid waste facility.

(H) A board of county commissioners or board of directors may enter into a contract with any person, municipal corporation, township, or other political subdivision for the operation and maintenance of any solid waste facilities regardless of whether the facilities are owned or leased by the county or joint district or the contractor.

(I)(1) No person, municipal corporation, township, or other political subdivision shall tamper with or damage any solid waste facility constructed under this chapter or any apparatus or accessory connected therewith or pertaining thereto, fail or refuse to comply with the applicable rules adopted by a board of county commissioners or directors under division (G)(1), (2), (3), or (4) of this section, refuse to permit an inspection or examination by a sanitary engineer as authorized under division (G)(2) of this section, or refuse to permit an inspection by a board of county commissioners or directors or its authorized representative as required or authorized by rules adopted under division (G)(3) of this section.

(2) If the board of county commissioners of a county district or board of directors of a joint district has established facility designations under section 343.013, 343.014, or 343.015 of the Revised Code, or the director has established facility designations in the initial or amended plan of the district prepared and ordered to be implemented under section 3734.521, 3734.55, or 3734.56 of the Revised Code, no person, municipal corporation, township, or other political subdivision shall deliver, or cause the delivery of, any solid wastes generated within a county or joint district to any solid waste facility other than the facility designated under section 343.013, 343.014, or 343.015 of the Revised Code, or in the initial or amended plan of the district prepared and ordered to be implemented under section 3734.521, 3734.55, or 3734.56 of the Revised Code, as applicable, except that source separated recyclable materials may be taken to any legitimate recycling facility. Upon the request of a person or the legislative authority of a municipal corporation or township, the board of county commissioners of a county district or board of directors of a joint district may grant a waiver authorizing the delivery of all or any portion of the solid wastes generated in a municipal corporation or township to a solid waste facility other than the facility designated under section 343.013, 343.014, or 343.015 of the Revised Code, or in the initial or amended plan of the district prepared and ordered to be implemented under section 3734.521, 3734.55, or 3734.56 of the Revised Code, as applicable, regardless of whether the other facility is located within or outside of the district, if the board finds that delivery of those solid wastes to the other facility is not inconsistent with the projections contained in the district's initial or amended plan under divisions (A)(6) and (7) of section 3734.53 of the Revised Code as approved or ordered to be implemented and will not adversely affect the implementation and financing of the district's initial or amended plan pursuant to the implementation schedule contained in it under divisions (A)(12)(a) to (d) of that section. The board shall act on a request for such a waiver within ninety days after receiving the request. Upon granting such a waiver, the board shall send notice of that fact to the director. The notice shall indicate to whom the waiver was granted. Any waiver or authorization granted by a board on or before October 29, 1993, shall continue in force until the board takes action concerning the same entity under this division or until action is taken under division (G) of section 343.014 of the Revised Code.

(J) Divisions (G)(1) to (4) and (I)(2) of this section do not apply to the construction, operation, use, repair, enlargement, or modification of either of the following:

(1) A solid waste facility owned by a generator of solid wastes when the solid waste facility exclusively disposes of solid wastes generated at one or more premises owned by the generator regardless of whether the facility is located on a premises where the wastes are generated;

(2) A facility that exclusively disposes of wastes that are generated from the combustion of coal, or from the combustion of primarily coal in combination with scrap tires, that is not combined in any way with garbage at one or more premises owned by the generator.

(K)(1) A member of the board of county commissioners of a county solid waste management district, member of the board of directors of a joint solid waste management district, member of the board of trustees of a regional solid waste management authority managing a county or joint solid waste management district, or officer or employee of any solid waste management district, for the purposes of sections 102.03, 102.04, 2921.41, and 2921.42 of the Revised Code, shall not be considered to be directly or indirectly interested in, or improperly influenced by, any of the following:

(a) A contract entered into under this chapter or section 307.15 or sections 3734.52 to 3734.575 of the Revised Code between the district and any county forming the district, municipal corporation or township located within the district, or health district having territorial jurisdiction within the district, of which that member, officer, or employee also is an officer or employee, but only to the extent that any interest or influence could arise from holding public office or employment with the political subdivision or health district;

(b) A contract entered into under this chapter or section 307.15 or sections 3734.52 to 3734.575 of the Revised Code between the district and a county planning commission organized under section 713.22 of the Revised Code, or regional planning commission created under section 713.21 of the Revised Code, having territorial jurisdiction within the district, of which that member also is a member, officer, or employee, but only to the extent that any interest or influence could arise from holding public office or employment with the commission;

(c) An expenditure of money made by the district for the benefit of any county forming the district, municipal corporation or township located within the district, or health district or county or regional planning commission having territorial jurisdiction within the district, of which that member also is a member, officer, or employee, but only to the extent that any interest or influence could arise from holding public office or employment with the political subdivision, health district, or commission;

(d) An expenditure of money made for the benefit of the district by any county forming the district, municipal corporation or township located within the district, or health district or county or regional planning commission having territorial jurisdiction within the district, of which that member also is a member, officer, or employee, but only to the extent that any interest or influence could arise from holding public office or employment with the political subdivision, health district, or commission.

(2) A solid waste management district, county, municipal corporation, township, health district, or planning commission described or referred to in divisions (K)(1)(a) to (d) of this section shall not be construed to be the business associate of a person who is concurrently a member of the board of county commissioners, directors, or trustees, or an officer or employee, of the district and an officer or employee of that municipal corporation, county, township, health district, or planning commission for the purposes of sections 102.03, 2921.42, and 2921.43 of the Revised Code. Any person who is concurrently a member of the board of county commissioners, directors, or trustees, or an officer or employee, of a solid waste management district so described or referred to and an officer or employee of a county, municipal corporation, township, health district, or planning commission so described or referred to may participate fully in deliberations concerning and vote on or otherwise participate in the approval or disapproval of any contract or expenditure of funds described in those divisions as a member of the board of county commissioners or directors, or an officer or employee, of a county or joint solid waste management district; member of the board of trustees, or an officer or employee, of a regional solid waste management authority managing a county or joint solid waste management district; member of the legislative authority, or an officer or employee, of a county forming the district; member of the legislative authority, or an officer or employee, of a municipal corporation or township located within the district; member of the board of health, or an officer or employee, of a health district having territorial jurisdiction within the district; or member of the planning commission, or an officer or employee of a county or regional planning commission having territorial jurisdiction within the district.

(3) Nothing in division (K)(1) or (2) of this section shall be construed to exempt any member of the board of county commissioners, directors, or trustees, or an officer or employee, of a solid waste management district from a conflict of interest arising because of a personal or private business interest.

(4) A member of the board of county commissioners of a county solid waste management district, board of directors of a joint solid waste management district, or board of trustees of a regional solid waste management authority managing a county or joint solid waste management district, or an officer or employee, of any such solid waste management district, neither shall be disqualified from holding any other public office or position of employment nor be required to forfeit any other public office or position of employment by reason of serving as a member of the board of county commissioners, directors, or trustees, or as an officer or employee, of the district, notwithstanding any requirement to the contrary under the common law of this state or the Revised Code.

(L) As used in this chapter:

(1) "Board of health," "disposal," "health district," "scrap tires," and "solid waste transfer facility" have the same meanings as in section 3734.01 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Change in district composition" and "change" have the same meaning as in section 3734.521 of the Revised Code.

(3)(a) Except as provided in division (L)(3)(b) or (c), and (d), of this section, "solid wastes" has the same meaning as in section 3734.01 of the Revised Code.

(b) If the solid waste management district is not one that resulted from proceedings for a change in district composition under sections 343.012 and 3734.521 of the Revised Code, until such time as an amended solid waste management plan is approved under section 3734.56 of the Revised Code, "solid wastes" need not include scrap tires unless the solid waste management policy committee established under section 3734.54 of the Revised Code for the district chooses to include the management of scrap tires in the district's initial solid waste management plan prepared under sections 3734.54 and 3734.55 of the Revised Code.

(c) If the solid waste management district is one resulting from proceedings for a change in district composition under sections 343.012 and 3734.521 of the Revised Code and if the change involves an existing district that is operating under either an initial solid waste management plan approved or prepared and ordered to be implemented under section 3734.55 of the Revised Code or an initial or amended plan approved or prepared and ordered to be implemented under section 3734.521 of the Revised Code that does not provide for the management of scrap tires and scrap tire facilities, until such time as the amended plan of the district resulting from the change is approved under section 3734.56 of the Revised Code, "solid wastes" need not include scrap tires unless the solid waste management policy committee established under division (C) of section 3734.521 of the Revised Code for the district chooses to include the management of scrap tires in the district's initial or amended solid waste management plan prepared under section 3734.521 of the Revised Code in connection with the change proceedings.

(d) If the policy committee chooses to include the management of scrap tires in an initial plan prepared under sections 3734.54 and 3734.55 of the Revised Code or in an initial or amended plan prepared under section 3734.521 of the Revised Code, the board of county commissioners or directors shall execute all of the duties imposed and may exercise any or all of the rights granted under this section for the purpose of managing solid wastes that consist of scrap tires.

(4)(a) Except as provided in division (L)(4)(b) or (c), and (d) of this section, "facility" has the same meaning as in section 3734.01 of the Revised Code and also includes any solid waste transfer, recycling, or resource recovery facility.

(b) If the solid waste management district is not one that resulted from proceedings for a change in district composition under sections 343.012 and 3734.521 of the Revised Code, until such time as an amended solid waste management plan is approved under section 3734.56 of the Revised Code, "facility" need not include any scrap tire collection, storage, monocell, monofill, or recovery facility unless the solid waste management policy committee established under section 3734.54 of the Revised Code for the district chooses to include the management of scrap tire facilities in the district's initial solid waste management plan prepared under sections 3734.54 and 3734.55 of the Revised Code.

(c) If the solid waste management district is one resulting from proceedings for a change in district composition under sections 343.012 and 3734.521 of the Revised Code and if the change involves an existing district that is operating under either an initial solid waste management plan approved under section 3734.55 of the Revised Code or an initial or amended plan approved or prepared and ordered to be implemented under section 3734.521 of the Revised Code that does not provide for the management of scrap tires and scrap tire facilities, until such time as the amended plan of the district resulting from the change is approved under section 3734.56 of the Revised Code, "facility" need not include scrap tires unless the solid waste management policy committee established under division (C) of section 3734.521 of the Revised Code for the district chooses to include the management of scrap tires in the district's initial or amended solid waste management plan prepared under section 3734.521 of the Revised Code in connection with the change proceedings.

(d) If the policy committee chooses to include the management of scrap tires in an initial plan prepared under sections 3734.54 and 3734.55 of the Revised Code or in an initial or amended plan prepared under section 3734.521 of the Revised Code, the board of county commissioners or directors shall execute all of the duties imposed and may exercise any or all of the rights granted under this section for the purpose of managing solid waste facilities that are scrap tire collection, storage, monocell, monofill, or recovery facilities.

(M) As used in this section:

(1) "Source separated recyclable materials" means materials that are separated from other solid wastes at the location where the materials are generated for the purpose of recycling the materials at a legitimate recycling facility.

(2) "Legitimate recycling facility" has the same meaning as in rule 3745-27-01 of the Administrative Code.

(3) "Internet identifier of record" has the same meaning as in section 9.312 of the Revised Code.

Section 343.011 | Formation of regional solid waste management authority.

• Effective: March 30, 1995
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 685 - 120th General Assembly

(A) The board of county commissioners of a county or the board of directors of a joint solid waste management district established under this chapter, upon its own initiative or at the request of the legislative authority of any municipal corporation or township located in the district, may adopt a resolution proposing the formation of a regional solid waste management authority for the purpose of executing all the duties and responsibilities imposed on or granted to the board under this chapter. Upon adoption of such a resolution, the board shall send a copy of it to the legislative authority of each municipal corporation and township located in the district and shall request each legislative authority to vote on the question of the formation of such a regional authority.

The board of county commissioners or board of directors shall declare the proposal to have been adopted upon determining that the legislative authorities of a combination of municipal corporations and townships with a combined population within the boundaries of the district comprising at least sixty per cent of the total population of the district have approved the proposal, provided that that combination shall include the municipal corporation having the largest population in each county within the boundaries of the district. Upon the adoption of the proposal, the board of county commissioners or board of directors shall enter into an agreement with the legislative authorities of the municipal corporations and townships in the district to form a regional solid waste management authority, which agreement shall include, without limitation, procedures for the appointment of a board of trustees of the authority to be comprised of at least the president of the board of county commissioners of each county in the district or his designee, the chief executive officer of the municipal corporation having the largest population within the boundaries of each county in the district or his designee, a member representing the townships within each county in the district chosen by a majority of the boards of township trustees within each county, the health commissioner of the health district having the largest territorial jurisdiction within each county in the district or his designee, and one member representing the public to be appointed by the other members of the board.

The agreement forming the regional authority shall be adopted in the same manner as the initial proposal to form the regional authority. Not later than thirty days after the adoption of the agreement, the board of trustees appointed under it shall mail a copy of the agreement to the director of environmental protection.

(B) Following the formation of a regional solid waste management authority under division (A) of this section, all the duties and responsibilities imposed on or granted to a board of county commissioners or a board of directors under this chapter shall be vested in and exercised by the board of trustees of the regional authority. Those duties and responsibilities shall include, without limitation, all of the following:

(1) Appointment of employees necessary to manage the affairs of the district, including, without limitation, an executive director, and a sanitary engineer or engineers to execute the responsibilities assigned to the county sanitary engineer under this chapter;

(2) Acquisition, construction, improvement, enlargement, replacement, maintenance, and operation of solid waste facilities within the district;

(3) Issuance of bonds and bond anticipation notes in accordance with Chapter 133. of the Revised Code.

(C) In addition to the duties and responsibilities identified in division (B) of this section and division (H) of section 3734.54 of the Revised Code, the board of trustees of a regional solid waste management authority may do any of the following:

(1) Adopt bylaws for the regulation of its affairs and the conduct of its business;

(2) Maintain an office within its county or joint solid waste management district;

(3) Provide coverage for its employees under Chapters 145., 4123., and 4141. of the Revised Code and procure and pay all or any part of the cost of group hospitalization, surgical, major medical, and sickness and accident insurance and group life insurance for its employees;

(4) Procure insurance against loss to the regional authority by reason of damages to its properties resulting from fire, theft, accident, or other casualties or by reason of its liability for any damages to persons or property occurring in the construction or operation of facilities under its jurisdiction or the conduct of its activities;

(5) Procure a policy or policies insuring members of the board of trustees against liability on account of damages or injury to persons and property resulting from any act or omission of a member in his official capacity as a member of the board or resulting solely out of his membership on the board;

(6) Sue or be sued;

(7) Make contracts in the exercise of the rights, powers, and duties conferred upon the regional authority;

(8) Do all acts necessary or proper to carry out the duties and responsibilities imposed on or granted to the board under this chapter and sections 3734.52 to 3734.575 of the Revised Code.

(D) The board of trustees of a regional solid waste management authority in a county solid waste management district may designate the prosecuting attorney of the county to serve as the legal advisor of the authority, and the board of trustees of an authority in a joint district may designate the prosecuting attorney of one of the counties forming the district to serve as the legal advisor of the authority. The designated prosecuting attorney shall provide such services to the authority as are required or authorized to be provided to county boards under Chapter 309. of the Revised Code. The board of trustees may pay to the county whose prosecuting attorney is serving as the authority's legal advisor any amount agreed upon by the board of trustees and the board of county commissioners of that county to reimburse that county for the cost properly allocable to the services of its prosecuting attorney as the authority's legal advisor. When a prosecuting attorney is so serving and the board considers it to be necessary or appropriate, the board, on its own initiative, may employ an attorney or other legal counsel to advise the board regarding a particular matter in place of the prosecuting attorney.

Instead of designating the prosecuting attorney of the county or of one of the counties forming the district, as appropriate, to be the legal advisor of the regional authority, the board of trustees may employ on an annual basis an attorney or other legal counsel to serve as the authority's legal advisor. Notwithstanding the employment of an attorney or other legal counsel on an annual basis as the authority's legal advisor, the board of trustees may require written opinions or instructions from the prosecuting attorney of the county or, in the case of a joint district, any of the counties forming the district in matters connected with the board's official duties, and the prosecuting attorney shall provide the written opinion or instructions as though he had been designated to serve as the authority's legal advisor under this division.

(E) Within ninety days after October 29, 1993, one member representing industrial, commercial, or institutional generators of solid wastes within the district and one member representing the general interests of citizens who shall have no conflict of interest through affiliation with a waste management company or with any entity that is a significant generator of solid wastes shall be added to the board of trustees of a regional authority formed in a county district. In the case of a regional authority formed in a joint district, one member shall be added to the board of trustees from each county that is a member of the joint district to represent industrial, commercial, or institutional generators of solid wastes within the county, and one member shall be added to the board from each such county to represent the general interests of citizens who shall have no conflict of interest through affiliation with a waste management company or with any entity that is a significant generator of solid wastes. The members representing generators and the general interests of citizens shall be added to the board of trustees without the necessity for amending the agreement to form the regional authority. They shall be appointed in the same manner as the public member of the board is required to be appointed under this section and shall serve for terms of the same length as the other members, as provided in the agreement.

(F) As used in this chapter and in divisions (D) to (H) of section 3734.57 and sections 3734.571, 3734.572, 3734.573, 3734.574, and 3734.575 of the Revised Code, and as used in Chapter 133. of the Revised Code for the purposes of this chapter, any reference to a board of county commissioners of a county or a board of directors of a joint solid waste management district is deemed to include the board of trustees of a regional solid waste management authority, and any reference to the county sanitary engineer is deemed to include any sanitary engineer employed by a regional authority.

Section 343.012 | Initiating proceedings to withdraw from joint solid waste management district.

• Effective: April 16, 1993
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 723 - 119th General Assembly

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Change in district composition" and "change" have the same meaning as in section 3734.521 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Deliver" has the same meaning as in division (G)(2) of section 3734.55 of the Revised Code.

(B) The board of county commissioners of a county forming a joint solid waste management district may initiate proceedings to withdraw from the district by adopting a resolution requesting to withdraw. Upon adopting the resolution, the board shall deliver a copy of it to the board of directors of the district. Upon receiving the resolution, the board of directors shall deliver written notice of the proposed withdrawal to the boards of county commissioners of the other counties forming the district. Within sixty days after receiving the notice, the other boards of county commissioners each shall adopt a resolution approving or disapproving the proposed withdrawal and deliver a copy of the resolution to the board of directors. If any of the other boards of county commissioners adopts a resolution of disapproval, the board of directors shall declare the proposed withdrawal to be disapproved and shall deliver written notice of the disapproval to the boards of county commissioners of the affected counties. If all of the other boards of county commissioners adopt a resolution approving the proposed withdrawal, the board of directors shall declare the withdrawal to be approved and shall deliver written notice of the approval to the boards of county commissioners of the affected counties. The board of directors shall determine whether the withdrawal has been approved or disapproved and deliver the required written notice of the approval or disapproval to the boards of county commissioners of the affected counties within thirty days after receiving the resolutions of approval or disapproval from those boards. Promptly after the approval of the withdrawal, proceedings shall be initiated in accordance with division (E) of section 3734.521 of the Revised Code to effect the withdrawal.

A withdrawal becomes final on the first day of January following the date on which the applicable conditions set forth in division (G)(1), (2), (3), or (4) of section 3734.521 of the Revised Code have been met in connection with the change in district composition that involves the withdrawal. On and after that first day of January, the withdrawing county ceases to be a part of the joint district, its members on the board of directors shall cease to be members of the board, and its power to levy a tax upon taxable property to support the district terminates, except that the county shall continue to levy and collect any taxes levied for the payment of indebtedness of the district as it was composed at the time the indebtedness was incurred. Upon the withdrawal of a county from a joint district, the board of directors shall ascertain, apportion, and order a division of the funds on hand, credits, and real and personal property of the district, either in money or in kind, on any equitable basis between the district and the withdrawing county consistent with the agreement to establish and maintain the district entered into and ratified under division (A) of section 343.01 of the Revised Code and the prior contributions of the withdrawing county.

If the withdrawal of one or more counties would leave only one county participating in a joint district, the board of directors shall ascertain, apportion, and order a final division of the funds on hand, credits, and real and personal property of the district. On and after the first day of January on which the latest withdrawal of a county from the district becomes final, the district shall be dissolved. When a joint district is dissolved and any indebtedness remains unpaid, the boards of county commissioners shall continue to levy and collect taxes for the payment of the indebtedness in support of the joint district in the amounts established by the agreement at the time the indebtedness was incurred.

For the purposes of this division, "counties forming the joint district" include only the following:

(1) The counties that are named as members of the joint district in the solid waste management plan or amended plan of the district approved or ordered to be implemented under section 3734.521, 3734.55, or 3734.56 of the Revised Code in effect when the withdrawal proceeding was initiated and that have not previously initiated proceedings under division (B) of this section to withdraw from the joint district;

(2) Any counties named as members of the joint district in that plan or amended plan that have initiated a withdrawal proceeding under division (B) of this section that has been declared to be disapproved under that division;

(3) If joinder proceedings had previously been concluded under division (D) of this section since that plan or amended plan was approved or ordered to be implemented, any county whose joinder to the district was declared to be approved in those proceedings.

(C) The board of county commissioners of a county seeking to establish a new joint district with the board of county commissioners of one or more other counties may initiate proceedings to do so by adopting a resolution proposing the establishment of the joint district. Upon adopting the resolution, the board shall deliver a copy of it to the boards of county commissioners of the other counties to be included in the proposed joint district. If the board proposing the establishment also has initiated proceedings to withdraw from an existing joint district under division (B) of this section, the board shall not adopt a resolution proposing the establishment until after the proposed withdrawal has been declared to be approved and, upon adopting the resolution, shall deliver a copy of the written notice declaring the withdrawal to be approved under that division to the other boards along with the copy of the resolution proposing the establishment.

Within sixty days after receiving the resolution and, if applicable, a copy of the notice of the approval of the withdrawal, each of the other boards shall adopt a resolution approving or disapproving the proposed establishment and deliver a copy of it to the board of county commissioners proposing the establishment. However, if any of the other boards also has initiated withdrawal proceedings under division (B) of this section, and if the withdrawal has been declared to be disapproved or has not yet been declared to be approved or disapproved under that division, that board need not adopt a resolution concerning the proposed establishment, but shall deliver to the board of county commissioners proposing the establishment a copy of the written notice of the disapproval or, if the withdrawal has not yet been declared to be approved or disapproved, written notice of that fact. If the withdrawal has been declared to be approved under division (B) of this section, the board shall deliver a copy of the written notice of the approval with the copy of its resolution approving or disapproving the proposed establishment. If any of the other boards adopts a resolution of disapproval, or if any of the other boards initiated withdrawal proceedings under division (B) of this section and the withdrawal either has been declared to be disapproved under that division or has not yet been declared to be approved or disapproved under that division when the board of county commissioners so notified the board of county commissioners proposing the establishment, the board of county commissioners proposing the establishment shall declare the proposed establishment to be disapproved and shall deliver written notice of the disapproval to the other boards. If all of the other boards adopt a resolution approving the establishment, and, if any of the other boards initiated such withdrawal proceedings, the withdrawal already has been declared to be approved under that division when the board of county commissioners delivered the resolution approving the establishment to the board of county commissioners proposing the establishment, the board that initiated the proceedings shall declare the establishment to be approved and shall deliver written notice of the approval to the other boards. The board of county commissioners that initiated the proceedings shall determine whether the establishment has been approved or disapproved and deliver the required written notice of the approval or disapproval to the other boards within thirty days after receiving the resolutions of approval or disapproval from the other boards or being otherwise notified by them in accordance with this division.

Promptly after the approval of the establishment, the boards shall enter into and ratify an agreement to form the joint district under division (A) of section 343.01 of the Revised Code, and proceedings shall be initiated under section 3734.521 of the Revised Code to effect the establishment of the joint district. The establishment of the joint district becomes final when the applicable conditions set forth in division (G)(1), (2), (3), or (4) and, if appropriate, division (H) of section 3734.521 of the Revised Code have been met in connection with the change in district composition that involves the establishment. On the date that the establishment becomes final, the boards of county commissioners of the counties establishing the joint district collectively constitute the board of directors of the joint district, except that if a county with a legislative authority other than a board of county commissioners participates in the joint district, it shall be represented on the board of directors by three persons appointed by the legislative authority of the county.

(D) The board of county commissioners of a county may initiate proceedings to join an existing joint district by adopting a resolution requesting membership in the joint district. Upon adoption of the resolution, the board shall deliver a copy of it to the board of directors of the joint district. If the board of county commissioners proposing the joinder also has initiated proceedings to withdraw from an existing joint district under division (B) of this section, the board shall not adopt a resolution proposing the joinder until after the withdrawal has been declared to be approved under that division and, upon adopting the resolution, shall deliver a copy of the written notice declaring the withdrawal to be approved under that division to the board of directors of the joint district along with the resolution proposing the joinder. Upon receiving the resolution and, if applicable, a copy of the notice of the approval of the withdrawal, the board of directors shall deliver notice of the proposed joinder to the boards of county commissioners of the counties forming the existing joint district. Within sixty days after receiving the notice of the proposed joinder, each such board shall adopt a resolution approving or disapproving the joinder and shall deliver a copy of the resolution to the board of directors. If the board of county commissioners of any of the counties forming the existing joint district adopts a resolution of disapproval or if any of the counties that are members of the existing joint district had initiated a withdrawal from it under division (B) of this section that had not yet been declared to be approved or disapproved under that division when the board of county commissioners delivered their resolutions approving or disapproving the joinder to the board of directors, the board of directors shall declare the proposed joinder to be disapproved and shall deliver written notice of the disapproval to the affected boards of county commissioners. If the board of county commissioners of each county forming the existing joint district adopts a resolution approving the proposed joinder and, if any of the counties that are members of the existing joint district has initiated a withdrawal from it under division (B) of this section, the withdrawal has been declared to be approved or disapproved under that division, the board of directors shall declare the joinder to be approved and shall deliver written notice of the approval to the affected boards of county commissioners. The board of directors shall determine whether the joinder has been approved or disapproved and deliver the required written notice of the approval or disapproval to the boards of county commissioners of the affected counties within thirty days after receiving the resolutions of approval or disapproval from the boards of county commissioners of the counties forming the existing joint district.

Promptly after the approval of the joinder, the affected boards shall enter into and ratify an agreement under division (A) of section 343.01 of the Revised Code to join the county to the joint district, and proceedings shall be initiated in accordance with section 3734.521 of the Revised Code to effect the joinder. The joinder becomes final when the applicable conditions set forth in division (G)(1), (2), (3), or (4) and, if appropriate, division (H) of section 3734.521 of the Revised Code have been met in connection with the change in district composition that involves the joinder. When the joinder becomes final, the board of county commissioners of the joining county or three members appointed by its legislative authority, if other than a board of county commissioners, shall be added to the board of directors of the joint district. If one or more counties withdrew from the existing joint district in connection with the change that involved the joinder, the members of the board of directors of the existing joint district from the counties that withdrew shall cease to serve as members of the board of directors on the date that the change becomes final.

For the purposes of this division, "counties forming the existing joint district" include only the following:

(1) The counties that are named as members of the joint district in the solid waste management plan or amended plan of the district approved or ordered to be implemented under section 3734.521, 3734.55, or 3734.56 of the Revised Code in effect when the joinder proceeding was initiated and that have not initiated proceedings to withdraw from the joint district under division (B) of this section;

(2) Any counties named as members of the joint district in that plan or amended plan that have initiated a withdrawal under division (B) of this section that has been declared to be disapproved under that division;

(3) If joinder proceedings had previously been concluded under this division since that plan or amended plan was approved or ordered to be implemented, any county whose joinder to the district was declared to be approved in those proceedings.

(E) The board of directors of a joint district may initiate proceedings for the union of the district with another joint district by adopting a resolution requesting the union. If the joint district whose board of directors is requesting the union is affected by a withdrawal proceeding initiated under division (B) of this section, the board of directors shall not adopt a resolution requesting the union until after it has declared the proposed withdrawal to be approved or disapproved under division (B) of this section. Upon adoption of the resolution, the board shall deliver a copy of it to the board of directors of the joint district with which the union is proposed. Within thirty days after receiving the resolution, the board of directors of the other joint district shall deliver written notice to the board of directors requesting the union as to whether the other joint district is affected by a withdrawal proceeding initiated under division (B) of this section. If the other district is so affected, its board of directors shall deliver with the notice a copy of the resolution proposing the withdrawal and a copy of the written notice declaring the withdrawal to be approved or disapproved under division (B) of this section or, if the withdrawal has not yet been declared to be approved or disapproved, written notice of that fact. If the board of directors of the other district declares such a withdrawal to be approved or disapproved within sixty days after the board of directors that requested the union delivered copies of the resolution requesting the union to the boards of county commissioners of the counties forming the existing joint districts, the board of directors of the other district shall deliver written notice of the approval or disapproval of the withdrawal to the board of directors that requested the union.

Within thirty days after receiving from the board of directors of the other joint district the written notice as to whether that district is affected by a withdrawal proceeding, the board of directors requesting the union shall deliver a copy of the resolution requesting the union to the boards of county commissioners of the counties forming the existing joint districts. Within sixty days after receiving the resolution, each such board of county commissioners shall adopt a resolution approving or disapproving the union and deliver a copy of it to the board of directors that requested the union. If the board of county commissioners of any of the counties forming the existing joint districts adopts a resolution of disapproval or if any of the joint districts is affected by a withdrawal from it initiated under division (B) of this section that had not yet been declared to be approved or disapproved under that division when the board of county commissioners proposing the withdrawal delivered its resolution approving or disapproving the proposed union to the board of directors, the board of directors shall declare the union to be disapproved and shall deliver written notice of the disapproval to the board of county commissioners of each of the affected counties. If the boards of county commissioners of all of the counties forming the existing joint districts adopt resolutions approving the proposed union and, if any of the joint districts is affected by a withdrawal proceeding initiated under division (B) of this section, the withdrawal had already been declared to be approved or disapproved under that division when the board of county commissioners of the counties forming the existing joint districts delivered their resolutions approving the proposed union to the board of directors, the board of directors shall declare the union to be approved and shall deliver written notice of that fact to the affected boards of county commissioners. The board of directors shall determine whether the union has been approved or disapproved and deliver the required written notices of the approval or disapproval to the boards of county commissioners of the counties forming the existing joint districts within thirty days after receiving the resolutions of approval or disapproval from those boards of county commissioners.

Promptly after the approval of the union, the boards of county commissioners of the affected counties shall enter into and ratify an agreement under division (A) of section 343.01 of the Revised Code to unite the districts, and proceedings shall be initiated in accordance with section 3734.521 of the Revised Code to effect the union. The union becomes final when the applicable conditions set forth in division (G)(1), (2), (3), or (4) and, if appropriate, division (H) of section 3734.521 of the Revised Code have been met in connection with the change in district composition that involves the union. On the date that the union becomes final, the boards of directors of the former joint districts collectively constitute the board of directors of the united district, except that if one or more counties were joined to any of the existing joint districts in connection with the change in district composition that involved the union, the board of county commissioners or three members appointed by its legislative authority, if other than a board of county commissioners, shall be added to the board of directors of the united district, and except that if one or more counties withdrew from any of the existing joint districts in connection with the change in district composition that involved the union, the board of directors shall not include members from the counties that withdrew from the former joint districts.

For the purposes of this division, "counties forming the existing joint districts" includes only the following:

(1) The counties that are named as members of one of the joint districts affected by the proposed union in the solid waste management plan or amended plan of the appropriate district approved or ordered to be implemented under section 3734.521, 3734.55, or 3734.56 of the Revised Code in effect when the union proceeding was initiated and that have not initiated proceedings under division (B) of this section to withdraw from the joint districts of which they were members on that date;

(2) Any county named as a member of a joint district affected by the proposed union in any such plan or amended plan that has initiated a withdrawal under division (B) of this section that has been declared to be disapproved under that division;

(3) If joinder proceedings previously had been concluded under division (D) of this section to join a county to an existing joint district affected by the proposed union, any county whose joinder to the existing joint district was declared to be approved in that proceeding.

Section 343.013 | Continuation of resource recovery facilities and recycling activities while public debt outstanding.

• Effective: October 29, 1993
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 153 - 120th General Assembly

(A) The designations under the initial solid waste management plan of a county or joint solid waste management district approved under section 3734.55 of the Revised Code of solid waste disposal, transfer, and resource recovery facilities and recycling activities that are owned by a municipal corporation, county, county or joint solid waste management district, township, or township waste disposal district created under section 505.28 of the Revised Code and are financed in whole or part by debt issued under Chapter 133., 343., or 6123. of the Revised Code shall continue until they are terminated by the board of county commissioners or directors of the district or they end pursuant to division (C) of this section.

(B) The board of county commissioners or directors of a district, at any time and by resolution, may designate additional solid waste disposal, transfer, or resource recovery facilities or recycling activities that are owned by a municipal corporation, county, county or joint solid waste management district, township, or township waste disposal district created under section 505.28 of the Revised Code, and that are financed in whole or in part by debt issued under Chapter 133., 343., or 6123. of the Revised Code, where solid wastes generated within or transported into the district shall be taken for disposal, transfer, resource recovery, or recycling.

(C) The designation of a facility or activity under division (A) or (B) of this section shall not continue beyond the time that all such debt issued to finance the facility or activity has been retired. The board, at any time and by resolution, may terminate the designation of any such facility or activity.

Section 343.014 | Designating solid waste facilities and recycling activities where no outstanding public debt.

• Effective: March 30, 1995
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 685 - 120th General Assembly

(A) If the provision authorized under division (E)(2)(b) or (c) of section 3734.53 of the Revised Code to be included in the initial solid waste management plan of a county or joint solid waste management district approved under section 3734.55 of the Revised Code, the provision required under division (E)(1) of section 3734.53 of the Revised Code to be included in the initial or an amended solid waste management plan of a county or joint solid waste management district approved under section 3734.521 or 3734.56 of the Revised Code, or an amendment to the plan or amended plan adopted and ratified under division (F) of section 3734.56 of the Revised Code, explicitly authorizes the board of county commissioners or directors of the district to designate solid waste facilities and recycling activities pursuant to this section, the board of county commissioners or board of directors of the district, at any time after the approval of the initial or amended plan or the amendment to the plan and in accordance with this section, may designate solid waste disposal, transfer, or resource recovery facilities or recycling activities that are owned by persons, or that are owned by a municipal corporation, county, county or joint solid waste management district, township, or township waste disposal district created under section 505.28 of the Revised Code for which no debt has been issued or is outstanding under Chapter 133., 343., or 6123. of the Revised Code, where solid wastes generated within or transported into the district shall be taken for disposal, transfer, resource recovery, or recycling.

(B) The board of county commissioners or directors of a district that wishes to designate solid waste disposal, transfer, or resource recovery facilities or recycling activities, as described in division (A) of this section, where wastes generated within or transported into the district shall be taken for disposal, transfer, resource recovery, or recycling shall initiate the proceedings to do so by adopting a resolution expressing the intent of the board to so designate any such facilities and activities for the receipt of wastes generated within and transported into the district.

(C) After adopting a resolution of intent to designate under division (B) of this section, the board of county commissioners or directors shall do all of the following:

(1) Hold a public hearing on the proposed designation;

(2) Publish notice of the adoption of the resolution and of the date, time, and location of the public hearing, and a description of the types and scope of the services subject to the proposed designation, in at least one newspaper of general circulation in the district;

(3) Mail notice of the adoption of the resolution and of the date, time, and location of the public hearing, and a description of the types and scope of the services subject to the proposed designation, to the fifty industrial, commercial, and institutional generators of solid wastes within the district that generate the largest quantities of solid wastes, as determined by the board, and to their local trade associations. The board shall make good faith efforts to identify those generators within the district and their local trade associations, but the nonprovision of notice under division (C)(3) of this section to a particular generator or local trade association does not invalidate the proceedings under this section.

(4) Mail notice of the adoption of the resolution and of the date, time, and location of the public hearing, and a description of the types and scope of the services subject to the proposed designation, to the legislative authority of each municipal corporation, county, and township located in the district;

(5) Mail notice of the adoption of the resolution and of the date, time, and location of the public hearing, and a description of the types and scope of the services subject to the proposed designation, to the director of environmental protection.

(D) After holding the public hearing required under division (C) of this section and considering the comments received at the hearing, the board shall decide whether to proceed with the proposed designation. If the board decides to proceed, it shall adopt a resolution of preliminary designation. The resolution of preliminary designation may include criteria or procedures for selecting the solid waste disposal, transfer, or resource recovery facilities or recycling activities, as described in division (A) of this section, that are to receive wastes generated within and transported into the district.

(E) If, after compiling a list of the solid waste disposal, transfer, or resource recovery facilities or recycling facilities, as described in division (A) of this section, that the board proposes to so designate, the board wishes to proceed with the designation, it shall adopt a resolution declaring its intent to establish designation. The resolution shall contain the list of the facilities and activities that the board proposes to so designate.

(F) After adopting the resolution of intent to establish designation under division (E) of this section, the board shall do all of the following:

(1) Establish a reasonable period for receiving comments from the public concerning the proposed designation;

(2) Publish in at least one newspaper of general circulation in the district notice of the adoption of the resolution, the location where it is available for review, and the dates when the comment period begins and ends;

(3) Mail notice of the adoption of the resolution and the dates when the comment period begins and ends, and the list of the facilities and activities contained in the resolution, to the fifty industrial, commercial, and institutional generators of solid wastes within the district that generate the largest quantities of solid wastes, as determined by the board, and to their local trade associations. The board shall make good faith efforts to identify those generators and their local trade associations, but the nonprovision of notice under division (F)(3) of this section to a particular generator or local trade association does not invalidate the proceedings under this section.

(4) Mail notice of the adoption of the resolution and the dates when the comment period begins and ends, and the list of facilities and activities contained in the resolution, to the legislative authority of each municipal corporation, county, and township located in the district;

(5) Mail notice of the adoption of the resolution and the list of facilities and activities contained in the resolution to the director.

(G) After considering the comments submitted by the public during the comment period provided under division (F) of this section, the board may revise the list of solid waste disposal, transfer, or resource recovery facilities or recycling activities to be so designated. After considering the comments received by the public during the comment period and making any revisions to the list of proposed facilities and activities, the board may adopt a resolution of final designation. The resolution shall contain a list of the designated solid waste disposal, transfer, or resource recovery facilities or recycling activities, as described in division (A) of this section, where wastes generated within or transported into the district shall be taken for disposal, transfer, resource recovery, or recycling. The designations contained in the resolution become effective for the purposes of division (I)(2) of section 343.01 of the Revised Code sixty days after the adoption of the resolution of final designation.

(H) The board of county commissioners or directors of a district, in accordance with divisions (D) to (G) of this section, may alter the list of designated facilities contained in a resolution of final designation adopted under division (G) of this section or an amended resolution of final designation adopted pursuant to this division. The designations contained in an amended resolution of final designation become effective for the purposes of division (I)(2) of section 343.01 of the Revised Code sixty days after the adoption of the amended resolution.

(I) If designations or amended designations of solid waste facilities or recycling activities are in effect under this section or section 343.015 of the Revised Code when an approved amended plan of the county or joint district takes effect pursuant to sections 343.012 and 3734.521, or section 3734.56, of the Revised Code, or an amendment to the initial or an amended plan of the district approved under section 3734.521, 3734.55, or 3734.56 of the Revised Code takes effect under division (F) of section 3734.56 of the Revised Code, and if the provision included in the approved amended plan pursuant to division (E)(1) of section 3734.53 of the Revised Code precludes, or the amendment to the plan alters the provision of the approved initial or amended plan to preclude, the board of county commissioners or directors from designating solid waste facilities or recycling activities, the existing designations shall cease to be effective for the purposes of division (I)(2) of section 343.01 of the Revised Code sixty days after the amended plan takes effect under sections 343.012 and 3734.521, or section 3734.56, of the Revised Code or the amendment to the plan adopted and ratified under division (F) of section 3734.56 of the Revised Code, takes effect, as appropriate.

(J) Notwithstanding any provision of Chapter 343. or 3734. of the Revised Code or a resolution or amended resolution adopted under this section or section 343.013 of the Revised Code, if a county or joint solid waste management district, prior to October 29, 1993, has entered into a contract or agreement to designate a solid waste disposal, transfer, or resource recovery facility or recycling activity owned by a person, or by a municipal corporation, county, county or joint solid waste management district, township, or township waste disposal district created under section 505.28 of the Revised Code, where solid wastes generated within or transported into the district shall be taken for disposal, transfer, resource recovery, or recycling, that designation shall be effective for the purposes of division (I)(2) of section 343.01 of the Revised Code and shall remain in effect in accordance with the terms of the contract or agreement.

Section 343.015 | Resolution of intent to continue designations after 1-1-94.

• Effective: October 29, 1993
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 153 - 120th General Assembly

The designations of solid waste disposal, transfer, or resource recovery facilities or recycling activities contained in an initial solid waste management plan of a county or joint solid waste management district approved under section 3734.55 of the Revised Code that does not include the provision authorized under division (E)(2)(b) or (c) of section 3734.53 of the Revised Code are void on and after January 1, 1994, for the purposes of division (I)(2) of section 343.01 of the Revised Code unless the board of county commissioners or directors of the district acts in accordance with this section to continue the designations. In order to continue the designations, the board shall adopt a resolution of intent to designate under division (B) of section 343.014 of the Revised Code not later than January 1, 1994. For the purposes of proceedings initiated under this section, the board shall complete the actions required under divisions (C) to (G) of that section within one hundred eighty days after the adoption of the resolution of intent under division (B) of that section. If the district fails to so complete those actions, the designations contained in the district's initial plan become void on the one hundred eightieth day after the adoption of the resolution of intent to designate.

Nothing in this section precludes the board from altering the list of designated facilities contained in the district's approved initial plan in connection with the proceedings initiated under this section.

Section 343.02 | Contracts for solid waste collection, storage, transfer, disposal, recycling, processing, or resource recovery services.

• Effective: October 29, 1993
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 165 - 120th General Assembly

A board of county commissioners or board of directors of a county or joint solid waste management district may contract with any person, municipal corporation, township, or other political subdivision located within or outside its district for the furnishing to the district or joint district of solid waste collection, storage, transfer, disposal, recycling, processing, or resource recovery services.

When consistent with the solid waste management plans approved under section 3734.55 of the Revised Code or amended solid waste management plan approved under section 3734.56 of the Revised Code, the board of county commissioners or directors of a county or joint district may enter into an agreement with the board of county commissioners or directors of another county or joint district authorizing the joint use of facilities within the districts. To the extent consistent with the plans or amended plans of the districts involved, the boards of county commissioners or directors of the districts may enter into a joint use agreement upon such terms and for such lengths of time as the boards consider appropriate.

Section 343.022 | Contracts to establish and collect on behalf of the district generation or disposal fees.

• Effective: October 31, 1996
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 122 - 121st General Assembly

(A) The board of county commissioners of a county solid waste management district or the board of directors of a joint solid waste management district may enter into a contract or agreement with the owner or operator of a solid waste facility, or with persons collecting or transporting solid wastes, to establish and collect on behalf of the district generation or disposal fees to be used by the district for the purposes set forth in divisions (G)(1) to (10) of section 3734.57 of the Revised Code or to provide other remuneration or services to or on behalf of the district or its residents.

(B) The authority provided by division (A) of this section is cumulative and concurrent with the authority of the board of county commissioners or directors to enter into contracts or agreements under other sections of this chapter. The existence or exercise of one such authority does not prevent the exercise of the other.

(C) The authority provided by division (A) of this section pertaining to disposal or generation fees is cumulative and concurrent with the authority of the board of county commissioners or directors to levy disposal or generation fees under section 3734.57, 3734.571, 3734.572, 3734.573, or 3734.574 of the Revised Code. The exercise of the authority provided in any of those sections does not prevent the exercise of the authority provided by division (A) of this section, and the authority provided by division (A) of this section does not prevent the exercise of the authority provided in any of those sections.

Section 343.03 | Prosecuting attorney to prosecute to termination or bring civil action.

• Effective: April 16, 1993
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 723 - 119th General Assembly

The prosecuting attorney of the county where a violation of division (G)(2) or (3) or (I)(1) or (2) of section 343.01 of the Revised Code has occurred, is occurring, or may occur, upon the request of the board of county commissioners of the county district or the board of directors of the joint solid waste management district having jurisdiction, shall prosecute to termination or bring a civil action for appropriate relief against any person, municipal corporation, township, or other political subdivision that has violated, is violating, or is threatening to violate any of those divisions. The court of common pleas in which the civil action is filed has jurisdiction to and shall grant appropriate relief, including a temporary restraining order or a preliminary or permanent injunction, upon a showing that the person, municipal corporation, township, or other political subdivision against whom the action is brought has violated, is violating, or is threatening to violate any of those divisions. The court shall give precedence to such an action over all other cases.

Section 343.04 | Preparation of general facilities plan.

• Effective: October 29, 1993
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 165 - 120th General Assembly

A board of county commissioners or board of directors of a county or joint solid waste management district, after the establishment of the district, may have a general plan of solid waste facilities for the district prepared by the county sanitary engineer of a county district or, in the case of a joint district, by a county sanitary engineer of one of the counties participating in the joint district as determined by the board of directors. The general facilities plan shall be consistent with the solid waste management plan of the county or joint district approved or ordered to be implemented under section 3734.521 or 3734.55 of the Revised Code and the most current amended plan of the district approved or ordered to be implemented under section 3734.521 or 3734.56 of the Revised Code, if any. After the general facilities plan has been approved by the board, the board may acquire, construct, improve, enlarge, equip, maintain, and operate, and may enter into agreements determined by the board to be necessary for the acquisition, construction, improvement, enlargement, equipment, maintenance, or operation of, any solid waste facilities included in the general facilities plan. Such agreements may include provisions concerning at least the ownership and control of the facilities by the district or by any other party to the agreement as designated in the agreement; the operation, leasing, or subleasing of the facilities by the district or by any other such party; and the final sale or other disposition of the facilities to the district or to any other such party.

Section 343.07 | Issuing bonds.

• Effective: October 29, 1993
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 165 - 120th General Assembly

(A) A board of county commissioners may issue bonds of the county under Chapter 133. of the Revised Code for the purpose of paying a part or the whole cost of the acquisition, construction, enlargement, modification, or repair of any improvement provided for in this chapter in connection with a county or joint solid waste management district, including the expenses of the sanitary engineer and all other expenses necessary and incidental thereto. The cost of the improvement shall include, without limitation, the cost of acquiring any necessary real estate and any trucks, rolling stock, or equipment necessary for the proper operation of the improvement. The bonds shall mature no later than forty years from the date thereof and shall be payable in annual or semiannual installments, beginning not later than five years from the date thereof, in such principal amounts that the total principal and interest payments in each year shall be substantially equal.

The board, in the legislation authorizing the issuance of the bonds, shall provide that they shall not constitute general obligations of the county or be secured by the general credit and taxing power of the county, but shall be payable solely, as to principal and interest, from the revenues of the improvement, constructed with the proceeds of the sale of the bonds, as derived from the rates or charges established for such services under section 343.08 of the Revised Code, in which event the board of county commissioners of a county district or the board of directors of a joint district shall covenant to fix rates or charges sufficient to provide adequate funds for that purpose, after payment of the cost of management, maintenance, and operation of the solid waste collection or other solid waste facilities, and the board of directors of a joint district shall covenant to pay over to counties issuing the bonds adequate funds derived from the rates or charges to pay the principal and interest on the bonds.

The surplus net revenues in any year, over and above the amount of principal and interest payable in that year and any additional amount as is provided in the resolution authorizing the bonds to be held as a reserve for debt service, may be used for the enlargement and replacement of the solid waste collection or other solid waste facilities.

(B) In addition to the power to issue bonds under division (A) of this section, a board of county commissioners may issue bonds of the county, in compliance with Chapter 133. of the Revised Code, to pay for that part of the cost of an improvement in a county or joint district that is to be borne by the county at large and may provide that the bonds shall be general obligations of the county payable from taxes to be levied upon all the taxable property therein, provided that such general obligation bonds also may be made payable primarily from the net revenues derived from the improvement and such net revenues may be pledged for the payment of the interest and principal thereof.

(C) A board of directors of a joint solid waste management district may issue bonds of the joint district, in compliance with Chapter 133. of the Revised Code, to pay for that part of the cost of an improvement in a joint district that is to be borne by the district at large and may provide that the bonds shall be general obligations of the district payable from taxes to be levied upon all taxable property located in the district, provided that such general obligation bonds also may be payable from net revenues derived from the improvement and such net revenues may be pledged for the interest and principal of the bonds.

Section 343.08 | Fixing reasonable rates or charges.

• Effective: September 29, 2011
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 153 - 129th General Assembly

(A) The board of county commissioners of a county solid waste management district and the board of directors of a joint solid waste management district may fix reasonable rates or charges to be paid by every person, municipal corporation, township, or other political subdivision that owns premises to which solid waste collection, storage, transfer, disposal, recycling, processing, or resource recovery service is provided by the district and may change the rates or charges whenever it considers it advisable. Charges for collection, storage, transfer, disposal, recycling, processing, or resource recovery service shall be made only against lots or parcels that are improved, or in the process of being improved, with at least one permanent, portable, or temporary building. The rates or charges may be collected by either of the following means:

(1) Periodic billings made by the district directly or in conjunction with billings for public utility rates or charges by a county water district established under section 6103.02 of the Revised Code, a county sewer district established under section 6117.02 of the Revised Code, or a municipal corporation or other political subdivision authorized by law to provide public utility service. When any such charges that are so billed are not paid, the board shall certify them to the county auditor of the county where the lots or parcels are located, who shall place them upon the real property duplicate against the property served by the collection, storage, transfer, disposal, recycling, processing, or resource recovery service. The charges shall be a lien on the property from the date they are placed upon the real property duplicate by the auditor and shall be collected in the same manner as other taxes.

(2) Certifying the rates or charges to the county auditor of the county where the lots or parcels are located, who shall place them on the real property duplicate against the lots or parcels. The rates or charges are a lien on the property from the date they are placed upon the real property duplicate by the auditor and shall be collected in the same manner as other taxes.

The county or joint district need not fix a rate or charge against property if the district does not operate a collection system.

Where a county or joint district owns or operates a solid waste facility, either without a collection system or in conjunction therewith, the board of county commissioners or board of directors may fix reasonable rates or charges for the use of the facility by persons, municipal corporations, townships, and other political subdivisions, may contract with any public authority or person for the collection of solid wastes in any part of any district for collection, storage, disposal, transfer, recycling, processing, or resource recovery in any solid waste facility, or may lease the facility to any public authority or person. The cost of collection, storage, transfer, disposal, recycling, processing, or resource recovery under such contracts may be paid by rates or charges fixed and collected under this section or by rates and charges fixed under those contracts and collected by the contractors.

All moneys collected by or on behalf of a county or joint district as rates or charges for solid waste collection, storage, transfer, disposal, recycling, processing, or resource recovery service in any district shall be paid to the county treasurer in a county district or to the county treasurer or other official designated by the board of directors in a joint district and kept in a separate and distinct fund to the credit of the district. The fund shall be used for the payment of the cost of the management, maintenance, and operation of the solid waste collection or other solid waste facilities of the district and, if applicable, the payment of the cost of collecting the rates or charges of the district pursuant to division (A)(1) or (2) of this section. Prior to the approval of the district's initial solid waste management plan under section 3734.55 of the Revised Code or the issuance of an order under that section requiring the district to implement an initial plan prepared by the director, as appropriate, the fund also may be used for the purposes of division (G)(1) or (3) of section 3734.57 of the Revised Code. On and after the approval of the district's initial plan under section 3734.521 or 3734.55 of the Revised Code or the issuance of an order under either of those sections, as appropriate, requiring the district to implement an initial plan prepared by the director, the fund also may be used for the purposes of divisions (G)(1) to (10) of section 3734.57 of the Revised Code. Those uses may include, in accordance with a cost allocation plan adopted under division (B) of this section, the payment of all allowable direct and indirect costs of the district, the sanitary engineer or sanitary engineering department, or a federal or state grant program, incurred for the purposes of this chapter and sections 3734.52 to 3734.572 of the Revised Code. Any surplus remaining after those uses of the fund may be used for the enlargement, modification, or replacement of such facilities and for the payment of the interest and principal on bonds and bond anticipation notes issued pursuant to section 343.07 of the Revised Code. In no case shall money so collected be expended otherwise than for the use and benefit of the district.

A board of county commissioners or directors, instead of operating and maintaining solid waste collection or other solid waste facilities of the district with county or joint district personnel, may enter into a contract with a municipal corporation having territory within the district pursuant to which the operation and maintenance of the facilities will be performed by the municipal corporation.

The products of any solid waste collection or other solid waste facility owned under this chapter shall be sold through competitive bidding in accordance with section 307.12 of the Revised Code, except when a board of county commissioners or directors determines by resolution that it is in the public interest to sell those products in a commercially reasonable manner without competitive bidding.

(B) A board of county commissioners or directors may adopt a cost allocation plan that identifies, accumulates, and distributes allowable direct and indirect costs that may be paid from the fund of the district created in division (A) of this section and prescribes methods for allocating those costs. The plan shall authorize payment from the fund for only those costs incurred by the district, the sanitary engineer or sanitary engineering department, or a federal or state grant program, and those costs incurred by the general and other funds of the county for a common or joint purpose, that are necessary and reasonable for the proper and efficient administration of the district under this chapter and sections 3734.52 to 3734.572 of the Revised Code. The plan shall not authorize payment from the fund of any general government expense required to carry out the overall governmental responsibilities of a county. The plan shall conform to United States office of management and budget Circular A-87 "Cost Principles for State and Local Governments," published January 15, 1983.

(C) A board of county commissioners or directors shall fix rates or charges, or enter into contracts fixing the rates or charges to be collected by the contractor, for solid waste collection, storage, transfer, disposal, recycling, processing, or resource recovery services at a public meeting held in accordance with section 121.22 of the Revised Code. In addition to fulfilling the requirements of section 121.22 of the Revised Code, the board, before fixing or changing rates or charges for solid waste collection, storage, transfer, disposal, recycling, processing, or resource recovery services, or before entering into a contract that fixes rates or charges to be collected by the contractor providing the services, shall hold at least three public hearings on the proposed rates, charges, or contract. Prior to the first public hearing, the board shall publish notice of the public hearings as provided in section 7.16 of the Revised Code or once a week for three consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the county or counties that would be affected by the proposed rates, charges, or contract. The notice shall include a listing of the proposed rates or charges to be fixed and collected by the board or fixed pursuant to the contract and collected by the contractor, and the dates, time, and place of each of the three hearings thereon. The board shall hear any person who wishes to testify on the proposed rates, charges, or contract.

Section 343.99 | Penalty.

• Effective: April 16, 1993
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 723 - 119th General Assembly

Whoever violates division (G)(2) or (3) or (I)(1) or (2) of section 343.01 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than five thousand dollars. Each day of each violation is a separate offense. Notwithstanding any other section of the Revised Code relating to the distribution or crediting of fines for violations of the Revised Code, all fines imposed under this section shall be deposited into the special fund, created in accordance with division (G) of section 3734.57 of the Revised Code, of the county or joint county solid waste management district where the violation occurred.