Chapter 505 | Trustees

Section 505.01 | Board of township trustees - election and term.

• Effective: March 22, 2019
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 500 - 132nd General Assembly

In each township there shall be a board of township trustees consisting of three members. Two of such trustees shall be elected at the general election in nineteen forty-nine and quadrennially thereafter, in each township, who shall hold office for a term of four years, commencing on the first day of January next after their election. The third trustee shall be elected at the general election in nineteen fifty-one and quadrennially thereafter, in each township, who shall hold office for a term of four years, commencing on the first day of January next after the person's election.

At the first meeting of the board each calender year, the board shall select one of its members to serve as chairperson for a term of one year. If the position of chairperson becomes vacant, the board shall select one of its members to preside.

Section 505.011 | Trustee may serve as volunteer fireman or policeman.

• Effective: July 1, 1993
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 152 - 120th General Assembly

(A) A member of a board of township trustees may be appointed as a volunteer fireman and in such capacity be considered an employee of the township, or he may be a member of a private fire company which has entered into an agreement to furnish fire protection for the township of which such member is a trustee; provided that such member shall not receive compensation for his services as a volunteer fireman.

(B) A member of a board of township trustees may be appointed as a volunteer policeman and in that capacity may be considered an employee of the township, except that the member shall not receive compensation for his services as a volunteer policeman.

Section 505.012 | Appointment or election of board member to district governing body.

• Effective: September 28, 2012
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 509 - 129th General Assembly

A member of a board of township trustees may be elected or appointed to serve on the governing body of any district that is organized or created by the board of township trustees, including a district organized or created under section 505.28, 505.37, 505.371, 505.375, 505.482, 505.71, 511.18, or 6119.02 of the Revised Code.

Section 505.02 | Bond of township trustees.

• Effective: March 20, 2019
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 291 - 132nd General Assembly

Except as otherwise provided in section 3.061 of the Revised Code, each township trustee, before entering upon the discharge of official duties, shall give bond to the state for the use of the township, in the sum of one thousand dollars, conditioned for the faithful performance of official duties as a trustee, and with at least two sureties, each of whom shall be a resident of the same township with the trustee or a corporate surety authorized to do business in this state. Such bond shall be approved by a judge of the county court or judge of a municipal court having jurisdiction in the township.

Section 505.03 | Additional or new bond.

• Effective: March 20, 2019
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 291 - 132nd General Assembly

Except as otherwise provided in section 3.061 of the Revised Code, whenever the judge deems it necessary, and on application of at least twelve freeholders of the township, the judge of the county or municipal court having jurisdiction in the township who approves the bond under section 505.02 of the Revised Code, may require additional security or the execution of a new bond. If a trustee fails, for ten days, to give additional security or execute a new bond after service of the notice in writing, the office shall be declared vacant and filled as required by section 503.24 of the Revised Code. The original bond or new bond shall be deposited with the township fiscal officer and recorded by the fiscal officer.

Section 505.031 | Appointment of township administrator.

• Effective: February 29, 2008
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 36 - 127th General Assembly

(A)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (B) of this section, the board of township trustees may appoint a township administrator, who shall be the administrative head of the township under the direction and supervision of the board and who shall hold office at the pleasure of the board.

(2) The board of township trustees shall appoint a township administrator before the adoption of a resolution under division (A)(1) of section 504.01 of the Revised Code directing the board of elections to submit to the electors of the unincorporated territory of the township the question of whether the township should adopt a limited home rule government. The administrator shall be the administrative head of the township under the direction and supervision of the board and shall hold office at the pleasure of the board.

(B) In the event that the township administrator is absent from that office by reason of illness, death, vacation, resignation, or removal, the chairperson of the board or a qualified person designated by the chairperson with the approval of the board shall act as township administrator and perform all duties of such township office, until such time as the township administrator returns to official duties or the board appoints a new township administrator to fill the vacancy.

(C) The board shall fix the salary of the township administrator and cause the same to be paid.

Section 505.032 | Powers and duties of township administrator.

• Effective: July 21, 1976
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 983 - 111th General Assembly

The township administrator shall, under the direction of the board of township trustees:

(A) Assist in the administration, enforcement, and execution of the policies and resolutions of the board;

(B) Supervise and direct the activities of the affairs of the divisions of township government under the control or jurisdiction of the board;

(C) Attend all meetings of the board at which his attendance is required by that body;

(D) Recommend measures for adoption to the board;

(E) Prepare and submit to the board such reports as are required by that body, or as he considers advisable;

(F) Keep the board fully advised on the financial conditions of the township, preparing and submitting a budget for the next fiscal year;

(G) Perform such additional duties as the board may determine by resolution.

The board of township trustees may assign to such township administrator any office, position, or duties under its control; such office, position, and duties to be performed under the direction and supervision of the board and to be in addition to those set forth in this section.

Section 505.04 | Annual inventory.

• Effective: March 22, 2019
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 500 - 132nd General Assembly

The board of township trustees shall make an inventory on the second Monday of January, each year, of all the materials, machinery, tools, and other township supplies in its possession. The inventory shall be a public record and one copy shall be filed with the fiscal officer of the township.

Section 505.05 | Program recognizing outstanding employee performance.

• Effective: April 16, 1998
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 110 - 122nd General Assembly

Upon notifying the board of township trustees, any appointing authority of a township office or department may establish a program to recognize outstanding employee performance. The program may include, but is not limited to, cash awards, additional paid leave, or other additional benefits as the appointing authority considers appropriate, so long as the costs of the program do not exceed the total amount of compensation fixed by the board of township trustees for the office or department.

Section 505.06 | Abatement of building nuisances.

• Effective: September 10, 1996
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 517 - 121st General Assembly

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Immediate family" means a spouse, who resides in the same household, and children.

(2) "Nonproductive land" means nonproductive land as defined in section 5722.01 of the Revised Code that has been acquired by a township pursuant to Chapter 5722. of the Revised Code.

(3) "Building nuisance" means a building satisfying all of the following:

(a) The building is situated on a lot or parcel against which delinquent taxes, assessments, interest, or penalties remain unpaid for more than one year after the lot or parcel has been certified delinquent on the delinquent land list compiled under section 5721.011 of the Revised Code, or is situated on a lot or parcel that constitutes nonproductive land.

(b) The building is located in the unincorporated territory of a general health district.

(c) The building has been declared a nuisance by the board of health of the general health district pursuant to section 3707.01 of the Revised Code.

(B) A board of township trustees may select building nuisances within the unincorporated territory of the township for the abatement of which persons may claim a credit under this section. The board of township trustees shall maintain a list of any such building nuisances, and each entry on the list shall identify the lot or parcel and describe the building nuisance. The board shall certify a copy of the list to the county auditor. Any time the board adds a building nuisance to the list, it shall certify an updated copy of the list to the county auditor. The list shall be open to public inspection both at the offices of the township and the offices of the county auditor.

(C) A person is eligible for a tax credit under this section if that person purchases at a foreclosure sale held pursuant to proceedings under section 323.25 or Chapter 5721. of the Revised Code, at a sale of nonproductive lands under section 5722.07 of the Revised Code, or at a sale of forfeited lands under Chapter 5723. of the Revised Code a lot or parcel on the list certified to the county auditor under division (B) of this section. However, the purchaser is not eligible for a tax credit under this section if the purchaser is the owner of record of the lot or parcel immediately prior to the judgment of foreclosure or forfeiture or a member of the following class of parties connected to that owner: a member of the owner's immediate family, a person with a power of attorney appointed by the owner who subsequently transfers the parcel to the owner, a sole proprietorship consisting of the owner or a member of the owner's immediate family, or a partnership, trust, business trust, corporation, or association in which the owner or a member of the owner's immediate family owns or controls directly or indirectly more than fifty per cent.

After purchasing the lot or parcel, the person may demolish or otherwise abate the building nuisance and apply to the board of township trustees for a certificate of completion of abatement. The application shall identify the lot or parcel on which the building nuisance was abated, and shall state the date the lot or parcel was purchased at the foreclosure, forfeiture, or nonproductive land sale, the date of completion of the demolition or other abatement, and the cost of the demolition or other abatement. The cost shall be the lowest bid from among at least three bids solicited and received by the applicant. The applicant shall include with the application evidence of at least three bids solicited and received by the applicant and an affidavit stating that the purchaser of the lot or parcel at the foreclosure, forfeiture, or nonproductive land sale was not the owner of record of the property immediately prior to the judgment of foreclosure or forfeiture or a member of the class of parties connected to that owner specified in this division.

Upon receipt of the application, the board of township trustees shall cause the lot or parcel to be examined. If the board determines the building nuisance is demolished or otherwise abated to its satisfaction, it shall issue a certificate of completion of abatement to the owner of the lot or parcel. The certificate shall identify the lot or parcel on which the building nuisance was abated, and shall state the date the lot or parcel was purchased at the foreclosure, forfeiture, or nonproductive land sale, the date of completion of the demolition or other abatement, the cost of the demolition or other abatement, and the percentage of that cost for which a credit shall be granted. That percentage shall not exceed one hundred per cent of the cost of the demolition or abatement as verified and adjusted by the board of township trustees, except that the amount of the credit shall not exceed ten thousand dollars. Before issuing the certificate, the board shall verify, and may adjust, the cost of the demolition or other abatement as reported on the tax credit application. The cost for which a credit is granted shall not exceed the lowest of the bids submitted with the application. The board shall certify a copy of the certificate to the county auditor.

Before issuing a certificate of completion of abatement that will result in a tax credit in an amount that exceeds seventy-five per cent of the real property taxes due on the lot or parcel for the tax year for which the most recent tax duplicate certified to the county treasurer is compiled, not including any delinquent amounts carried forward from tax years preceding the tax year for which that duplicate is compiled, the board of township trustees shall send written notice to the board of education of the city, local, or exempted village school district in which the lot or parcel is located. The notice shall state that the board of township trustees intends to grant a tax credit against the lot or parcel, and shall include the verified and adjusted cost of the demolition or other abatement, the percentage of that cost for which the credit is proposed to be granted, and the amount of the proposed credit. Within thirty days after the notice is delivered to the board of education, the board of education shall adopt a resolution approving or disapproving the proposed credit and shall certify a copy of the resolution to the board of township trustees. The board of township trustees shall grant the credit as proposed if the board of education approves the proposal or if the board of education does not adopt a resolution approving or disapproving the proposal within the required thirty-day period. If the board of education adopts a resolution disapproving the proposed credit within the required thirty-day period, the board of township trustees shall not grant the credit.

(D) The owner of a lot or parcel for which a certificate of completion of abatement has been issued shall receive a tax credit equal to the percentage of the cost of the demolition or other abatement as stated on the certificate, except that the amount of the credit shall not exceed ten thousand dollars. The credit shall apply only to real property taxes charged against the lot or parcel, and not to special assessments, personal property taxes, or real property taxes charged against a different lot or parcel.

After receiving a copy of a certificate of completion of abatement from a board of township trustees, the county auditor shall reduce by the amount of the credit the taxes charged against the lot or parcel the next time the county auditor certifies such taxes to the tax list and duplicate of real and public utility property under section 319.30 of the Revised Code. If the amount of the credit exceeds the amount of taxes charged at that time, the excess amount shall be carried forward to future tax years until the entire amount of the credit is used. If the lot or parcel is sold, any carried-forward tax credit shall run with the land. The reduction in the taxes charged against the lot or parcel each year shall be apportioned ratably among the various taxing authorities otherwise entitled to receive those taxes.

Section 505.07 | Settlement of court action - zoning issue subject to referendum.

• Effective: December 20, 2005
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 107 - 126th General Assembly

Notwithstanding any contrary provision in another section of the Revised Code, section 519.12 of the Revised Code, or any vote of the electors on a petition for zoning referendum, a township may settle any court action by a consent decree or court-approved settlement agreement which may include an agreement to rezone any property involved in the action as provided in the decree or court-approved settlement agreement without following the procedures in section 519.12 of the Revised Code and also may include township approval of a development plan for any property involved in the action as provided in the decree or court-approved settlement agreement, provided that the court makes specific findings of fact that notice has been properly made pursuant to this section and the consent decree or court-approved settlement agreement is fair and reasonable.

If the subject of the consent decree or court-approved settlement agreement involves a zoning issue subject to referendum under section 519.12 of the Revised Code, the board of township trustees shall publish notice of their intent to meet and consider and take action on the decree or court-approved settlement agreement and the date and time of the meeting in a newspaper of general circulation in the township at least fifteen days before the meeting. The board shall permit members of the public to express their objections to the consent decree or court-approved settlement agreement at the meeting. Copies of the proposed consent decree or court-approved settlement agreement shall be available to the public at the township fiscal officer's office during normal business hours.

At least ten days prior to the submission of a proposed consent decree or settlement agreement to the court for its review and consideration, the plaintiff in the action involving the consent decree or settlement agreement shall publish a notice that shall include the caption of the case, the case number, and the court in which the consent decree or settlement agreement will be filed, the intention of the parties in the action to file a consent decree or settlement agreement, and, when applicable, a description of the real property involved and the proposed change in zoning or permitted use, in a newspaper of general circulation in the township.

Section 505.08 | Emergency contracts.

• Effective: October 3, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

After adopting by a unanimous vote a resolution declaring a real and present emergency in connection with the administration of township services or the execution of duties assigned by law to any officer of a township, the board of township trustees may, by resolution, enter into a contract, without bidding or advertising, for the purchase of services, materials, equipment, or supplies needed to meet the emergency if the estimated cost of the contract is less than the amount specified in section 9.17 of the Revised Code.

During the period of the emergency declared by Executive Order 2020-01D, issued on March 9, 2020, the board of township trustees may, by resolution, enter into a contract, without bidding or advertising, for the purchase of personal protective equipment needed to meet the emergency, regardless of the estimated cost of the contract.

"Personal protective equipment" means equipment worn to minimize exposure to hazards that cause workplace injuries and illnesses.

Last updated July 31, 2023 at 4:52 PM

Section 505.09 | Duty of trustees at elections.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The board of township trustees, at any election or township meeting may cause any disorderly person to be removed from such place of election or meeting, and, if necessary, to be confined until the close of the election or meeting. Constables shall obey the orders and directions of the board for the purpose of preserving order at such election or meeting.

Section 505.10 | Acceptance and disposition of property.

• Effective: April 6, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 501 - 134th General Assembly

(A) The board of township trustees may accept, on behalf of the township, the donation by bequest, devise, deed of gift, or otherwise, of any real or personal property for any township use. When the township has property, including motor vehicles, road machinery, equipment, and tools, that the board, by resolution, finds is not needed for public use, is obsolete, or is unfit for the use for which it was acquired, the board may sell and convey that property or otherwise dispose of it in accordance with this section. Except as otherwise provided in sections 505.08, 505.101, and 505.102 of the Revised Code, the sale or other disposition of unneeded, obsolete, or unfit-for-use property shall be made in accordance with one of the following:

(1) If the fair market value of property to be sold is, in the opinion of the board, in excess of two thousand five hundred dollars, the sale shall be by public auction or by sealed bid to the highest bidder. The board shall publish notice of the time, place, and manner of the sale once a week for two weeks in a newspaper published, or of general circulation, in the township, and shall post a typewritten or printed notice of the time, place, and manner of the sale in the office of the board for at least ten days prior to the sale. The board may also cause notice to be inserted in trade papers or other publications designated by it or to be distributed by electronic means, including posting the notice on the board's internet web site. If the board posts the notice on its web site, it may eliminate the second notice otherwise required to be published in a newspaper published or of general circulation in the township, provided that the first notice published in such newspaper meets all of the following requirements:

(a) It is published at least two weeks before the sale of the property.

(b) It includes a statement that the notice is posted on the board's internet web site.

(c) It includes the internet address of the board's internet web site.

(d) It includes instructions describing how the notice may be accessed on the board's internet web site.

If the board conducts the sale of the property by sealed bid, the form of the bid shall be as prescribed by the board, and each bid shall contain the name of the person submitting it. Bids received shall be opened and tabulated at the time stated in the published and posted notices. The property shall be sold to the highest bidder, except that the board may reject all bids and hold another sale, by public auction or sealed bid, in the manner prescribed by this section.

(2) If the fair market value of property to be sold is, in the opinion of the board, two thousand five hundred dollars or less, the board may do either of the following:

(a) Sell the property by private sale, without advertisement or public notification;

(b) Donate the property to an eligible nonprofit organization that is located in this state and is exempt from federal income taxation pursuant to 26 U.S.C. 501(a) and (c)(3).

Before donating property, the nonprofit organization shall provide the board evidence that the organization is located in this state and is exempt from federal income taxation pursuant to 26 U.S.C. 501(a) and (c)(3).

(3) If the board finds, by resolution, that the township has motor vehicles, road machinery, equipment, or tools that are not needed or are unfit for public use, and the board wishes to sell the motor vehicles, road machinery, equipment, or tools to the person or firm from which it proposes to purchase other motor vehicles, road machinery, equipment, or tools, the board may offer to sell the motor vehicles, road machinery, equipment, or tools to that person or firm, and to have the selling price credited to the person or firm against the purchase price of other motor vehicles, road machinery, equipment, or tools.

(4) If the board advertises for bids for the sale of new motor vehicles, road machinery, equipment, or tools to the township, it may include in the same advertisement a notice of the willingness of the board to accept bids for the purchase of township-owned motor vehicles, road machinery, equipment, or tools that are obsolete or not needed for public use, and to have the amount of those bids subtracted from the selling price of the new motor vehicles, road machinery, equipment, or tools, as a means of determining the lowest responsible bidder.

(5) When a township has title to real property, the board of township trustees, by resolution, may authorize the transfer and conveyance of that property to any other political subdivision of the state upon such terms as are agreed to between the board and the legislative authority of that political subdivision.

(6) When a township has title to real property and the board of township trustees wishes to sell or otherwise transfer the property, the board, upon a unanimous vote of its members and by resolution, may authorize the transfer and conveyance of that real property to any person upon whatever terms are agreed to between the board and that person.

(7) If the board of township trustees determines that township personal property is not needed for public use, or is obsolete or unfit for the use for which it was acquired, and that the property has no value, the board may discard or salvage that property.

(B) When the board has offered property at public auction under this section and has not received an acceptable offer, the board, by resolution, may enter into a contract, without advertising or bidding, for the sale of that property. The resolution shall specify a minimum acceptable price and the minimum acceptable terms for the contract. The minimum acceptable price shall not be lower than the minimum price established for the public auction.

(C) Members of the board shall consult with the Ohio ethics commission and comply with the provisions of Chapters 102. and 2921. of the Revised Code, with respect to any sale or donation under division (A)(2) of this section to a nonprofit organization of which a township trustee, any member of the township trustee's family, or any business associate of the township trustee is a trustee, officer, board member, or employee.

(D) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in division (A) or (B) of this section and regardless of the property's value, the board may sell personal property, including motor vehicles, road machinery, equipment, tools, or supplies, that is not needed for public use, is obsolete, or is unfit for the use for which it was acquired, by internet auction. The board shall adopt, during each calendar year, a resolution expressing its intent to sell that property by internet auction. The resolution shall include a description of how the auctions will be conducted and shall specify the number of days for bidding on the property, which shall be no less than ten days, including Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays. The resolution shall indicate whether the township will conduct the auction or the board will contract with a representative to conduct the auction and shall establish the general terms and conditions of sale. If a representative is known when the resolution is adopted, the resolution shall provide contact information such as the representative's name, address, and telephone number.

After adoption of the resolution, the board shall publish, in a newspaper of general circulation in the township, notice of its intent to sell unneeded, obsolete, or unfit-for-use township personal property by internet auction. The notice shall include a summary of the information provided in the resolution and shall be published at least twice. A similar notice also shall be posted continually throughout the calendar year in a conspicuous place in the board's office. The board may also cause notice to be inserted in trade papers or other publications designated by it or to be distributed by electronic means, including posting the notice on the board's internet web site. If the board posts the notice on its web site, it may eliminate the second notice otherwise required to be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the township, provided that the first notice published in such newspaper meets all of the following requirements:

(1) It is published at least two weeks before the internet auction begins.

(2) It includes a statement that the notice is posted on the board's internet web site.

(3) It includes the internet address of the board's internet web site.

(4) It includes instructions describing how the notice may be accessed on the board's internet web site.

When property is to be sold by internet auction, the board or its representative may establish a minimum price that will be accepted for specific items and may establish any other terms and conditions for the particular sale, including requirements for pick-up or delivery, method of payment, and sales tax. This type of information shall be provided on the internet at the time of the auction and may be provided before that time upon request, after the terms and conditions have been determined by the board or its representative.

Last updated January 24, 2023 at 12:28 PM

Section 505.101 | Contracts with state or other public agency.

• Effective: September 29, 2015
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 64 - 131st General Assembly

The board of township trustees of any township may, by resolution, enter into a contract, without advertising or bidding, for the purchase or sale of motor vehicles, materials, equipment, or supplies from or to any department, agency, or political subdivision of the state, for the purchase of services with a soil and water conservation district established under Chapter 940. of the Revised Code, for the purchase of supplies, services, materials, and equipment with a regional planning commission pursuant to division (D) of section 713.23 of the Revised Code, or for the purchase of services from an educational service center under section 3313.846 of the Revised Code. The resolution shall:

(A) Set forth the maximum amount to be paid as the purchase price for the motor vehicles, materials, equipment, supplies, or services;

(B) Describe the type of motor vehicles, materials, equipment, supplies, or services that are to be purchased;

(C) Appropriate sufficient funds to pay the purchase price for the motor vehicles, materials, equipment, supplies, or services, except that no such appropriation is necessary if funds have been previously appropriated for the purpose and remain unencumbered at the time the resolution is adopted.

Section 505.102 | Real property transactions with senior citizens' organization.

• Effective: June 13, 1984
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 148 - 115th General Assembly

Notwithstanding section 505.10 of the Revised Code, the board of township trustees may sell, lease, or transfer any real property belonging to the township and not needed for public use to a nonprofit senior citizens' organization to be used for public purposes involving the provision of housing, health, social services, or recreational activities for the benefit of older persons, upon such terms and conditions as may be agreed upon by the board of township trustees and the organization. The nonprofit senior citizens' organization shall report annually to the board of township trustees on the nature of the activities for which the property is being used and shall provide such other information regarding the property that the board may require. Any deed conveying real property under this section may state that if the real property is used at any time for purposes other than those enumerated in this section, all right, title, and interest in the property shall revert to the township.

Section 505.104 | Exchange or transfer of real property without bidding.

• Effective: July 26, 1989
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 40 - 118th General Assembly

A board of township trustees may, by resolution and without bidding or advertising, exchange and transfer any real property belonging to the township if all of the following apply in regard to the real property the township acquires in the exchange:

(A) Its current market value is equal to or greater than that of the real property the township gives up in the exchange and the county auditor so certifies prior to the transfer;

(B) It is improved to the township's specifications;

(C) It is to be used by the township for a public purpose that is the same as or similar to that for which the real property the township gives up in the exchange was used.

Section 505.105 | Property recovered by police department.

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

Stolen or other property recovered by members of an organized police department of a township, a township police district, a joint police district, or the office of a township constable shall be deposited and kept in a place designated by the head of the department, district, or office. Each article of property shall be entered in a book kept for that purpose, with the name of its owner, if ascertained, the person from whom it was taken, the place where it was found with general circumstances, the date of its receipt, and the name of the officer receiving it.

An inventory of all money or other property shall be given to the party from whom it was taken, and, if it is not claimed by some person within thirty days after arrest and seizure, it shall be delivered to the person from whom it was taken, and to no other person, either attorney, agent, factor, or clerk, except by special order of the head of the department, district, or office.

Section 505.106 | Neglect or refuse to deposit property in possession of a person arrested.

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

No officer, or other member of an organized police department of a township, a township police district, a joint police district, or the office of a township constable shall neglect or refuse to deposit property taken or found by the officer or other member in possession of a person arrested. Any conviction for a violation of this section shall vacate the office of the person so convicted.

Section 505.107 | Restoration of property to claimant or accused person.

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

If, within thirty days, the money or property recovered under section 505.105 of the Revised Code is claimed by any other person, it shall be retained by its custodian until after the discharge or conviction of the person from whom it was taken and as long as it is required as evidence in any case in court. If that claimant establishes to the satisfaction of the court that the claimant is the rightful owner, the money or property shall be restored to the claimant; otherwise, it shall be returned to the accused person, personally, and not to any attorney, agent, factor, or clerk of the accused person, except upon special order of the head of the organized police department of the township, township police district, joint police district, or office of a township constable, as the case may be, after all liens and claims in favor of the township have first been discharged and satisfied.

Section 505.108 | Disposition of unclaimed property.

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

Except as otherwise provided in this section and unless the property involved is required to be disposed of pursuant to another section of the Revised Code, property that is unclaimed for ninety days or more shall be sold by the chief of police or other head of the organized police department of the township, township police district, joint police district, or office of a township constable at public auction, after notice of the sale has been provided by publication once a week for three successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation, or as provided in section 7.16 of the Revised Code, in the county, or counties, if appropriate, in the case of a joint police district. The proceeds of the sale shall be paid to the fiscal officer of the township and credited to the township general fund, except that, in the case of a joint police district, the proceeds of a sale shall be paid to the treasurer of the joint police district board and credited to the appropriate fund according to agreement of the participating townships and municipal corporations.

If authorized to do so by a resolution adopted by the board of township trustees or, in the case of a joint police district, the joint police district board, and if the property involved is not required to be disposed of pursuant to another section of the Revised Code, the head of the department, district, or office may contribute property that is unclaimed for ninety days or more to one or more public agencies, to one or more nonprofit organizations no part of the net income of which inures to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual and no substantial part of the activities of which consists of carrying on propaganda or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, or to one or more organizations satisfying section 501(c)(3) or (c)(19) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

Section 505.109 | Payment of storage and selling expenses.

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

Upon the sale of any unclaimed property as provided in section 505.108 of the Revised Code, if any of the unclaimed property was ordered removed to a place of storage or stored, or both, by or under the direction of the head of the organized police department of the township, township police district, joint police district, or office of a township constable, any expenses or charges for the removal or storage, or both, and costs of sale, provided they are approved by the head of the department, district, or office, shall first be paid from the proceeds of the sale. Notice shall be given by certified mail, thirty days before the date of the sale, to the owner and mortgagee, or other lienholder, at their last known addresses.

Section 505.1010 | Purchase of property at auction.

• Effective: September 29, 2015
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 64 - 131st General Assembly

A board of township trustees may purchase real or personal property at public auction by adopting a resolution to designate an individual, officer, or employee to represent the board and tender bids at the auction. Any purchase made at a public auction shall be subject to a maximum purchase price established by resolution of the board or an appraisal obtained before the auction and approved by the board of township trustees. A purchase made under this section shall comply with division (D) of section 5705.41 of the Revised Code.

Section 505.11 | Leases of real property or mining rights in township.

• Effective: December 20, 2005
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 107 - 126th General Assembly

(A) Whenever the provisions of division (B) of this section do not apply, and when, in its opinion, the township would be benefited, the board of township trustees may lease township real property to any person upon terms agreed upon by the board and the lessee. Any consideration received from the lease shall be payable, as prescribed in the lease, to the township fiscal officer, who shall give a receipt for the amount received and deposit it in the township general fund.

(B) When, in its opinion, the township would be benefited, the board of township trustees may execute and deliver contracts or leases to mine iron ore, stone, coal, petroleum, gas, salt, and other minerals upon lands owned by the township, to any person complying with the terms prescribed by the board as to consideration, rights of way, and occupancy of ground for necessary purposes. All other matters of contract shall be such as the board considers most advantageous to the township. The contracts or leases shall be forfeited to the township for noncompliance with any of the terms set forth in the contracts or leases, and shall not operate as a conveyance of the fee to any part of the realty. No contract or lease for the drilling or operation of a petroleum or gas well shall be valid for a longer term than forty years from the date of the contract or lease, and no contract or lease for the mining of iron ore, stone, coal, salt, or other minerals shall be valid for a longer term than fifteen years from that date. The consideration for the contracts and leases shall be rental or royalty as is prescribed by the board, and shall be payable, as prescribed in the contract or lease, at least once a year to the township fiscal officer, who shall give a receipt for the amount and deposit it in the township general fund.

Section 505.12 | Solid waste facilities.

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

The board of township trustees may secure, maintain, and provide for solid waste facilities as defined in section 3734.01 of the Revised Code if in its opinion the facilities are necessary, and for that purpose the board may purchase, rent, lease, or otherwise acquire land suitable for those facilities. The boards of township trustees of any two or more townships or the legislative authorities of any two or more political subdivisions, or any combination thereof, may through joint action unite in the joint purchase, rental, maintenance, use, and operation of solid waste facilities and prorate the expense on any terms that may be mutually agreed upon. The selection of any site shall have the approval of the board of health of the health district in which the facility will be located.

When so required by rules adopted under division (G)(2) of section 343.01 of the Revised Code, the board of township trustees, before constructing, enlarging, or modifying a solid waste facility, shall obtain approval for the facility from the board of county commissioners of the county or board of directors of the joint solid waste management district, or board of trustees of a regional solid waste management authority if such has been formed under section 343.011 of the Revised Code, having jurisdiction for compliance with the initial or amended solid waste management plan of the district approved under section 3734.521, 3734.55, or 3734.56 of the Revised Code.

Section 505.13 | Operation of scow or lighter.

• Effective: July 2, 2010
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 48 - 128th General Assembly

The board of township trustees of a township which is composed in whole or in part of islands, accessible from the mainland only by watercraft, may purchase and operate, and may let for hire, a scow or lighter of sufficient tonnage to carry stone and other road building material, equipped with or without a proper crane or loading device, and for such purpose the board may levy a tax upon all the taxable property in the township, in such amount as it determines.

The question of levying such tax shall be submitted to the qualified electors of the township at a general election. The trustees shall certify such resolution to the board of elections not later than four p.m. of the ninetieth day before the day of the election. Twenty days' notice thereof shall be previously given by posting in at least three public places in the township. Such notice shall state specifically the amount to be raised and the purpose thereof. If a majority of all the votes cast at such election upon the proposition is in favor thereof, the tax provided for is authorized.

Section 505.14 | Residence for physician - tax levy - election - anticipatory notes.

• Effective: July 2, 2010
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 48 - 128th General Assembly

The board of township trustees of a township described in section 505.13 of the Revised Code, which, for any reason, is inaccessible from the mainland at some time of the year, may construct, acquire, purchase, lease, and maintain a house as the residence of a resident physician, when, in the opinion of a majority of the members of such board, it is necessary for the maintenance of the public health and welfare.

For the maintenance, construction, acquisition, purchase, or lease of such a house the board may levy a tax upon all the taxable property in the township, in such amount as it determines.

The question of levying such a tax shall be submitted to the qualified electors of the township at a general or special election. The trustees shall certify such resolution to the board of elections not later than four p.m. of the ninetieth day before the day of the election. Twenty days' notice thereof shall be previously given by posting in at least three public places in the township. Such notice shall state specifically the amount to be raised and the purpose thereof. If a majority of all votes cast at such election upon the proposition is in favor thereof, the tax provided for is authorized.

Upon the authorization of such tax levy the board may issue notes in anticipation of such revenues, to mature in not more than two years from the date of issue, and to bear interest at not more than four per cent per annum.

Section 505.15 | Airports, landing fields, or other air navigation facilities.

• Effective: December 8, 1988
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 661 - 117th General Assembly

(A) As used in this section, "airport," "landing field," and "air navigation facility" have the same meanings as in section 4561.01 of the Revised Code.

(B) The board of township trustees of a township which is composed in whole or in part of islands may acquire by purchase, gift, devise, bequest, lease, condemnation proceedings, or otherwise, real or personal property to establish, construct, enlarge, improve, equip, maintain, and operate airports, landing fields, or other air navigation facilities, and may acquire by purchase, gift, devise, lease, or condemnation proceedings rights-of-way for connections with highways and waterways. The township may provide for the making of necessary surveys, appraisals, and examinations preliminary to the acquisition or construction of any airport, landing field, or air navigation facility, and may improve and equip the facilities with necessary and appropriate structures.

(C) For the purpose of acquiring, establishing, constructing, improving, equipping, maintaining, or operating, or any combination of the foregoing, an airport, landing field, or other air navigation facility, the board of township trustees may levy a tax upon all taxable property in the township in the manner provided by section 5705.19 of the Revised Code.

Section 505.16 | Harbor masters.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The board of township trustees may, in a township containing a harbor or port which is outside a municipal corporation, and in which vessels are accustomed to lie for the purpose of receiving or discharging freights, if it believes the public interest so demands, appoint a suitable person to act as harbor master. The powers and duties of such person shall be prescribed by the board, and shall be such as are prescribed for harbor masters in municipal corporations in so far as they are applicable.

Such harbor master shall hold his office for one year or until his appointment is annulled by the board. He shall receive such compensation, not to exceed one hundred fifty dollars each year, as the board designates, which sum shall be paid from the township treasury on the order of the board.

Section 505.17 | Regulations for engine noise and vehicle parking.

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

(A) Except in a township or portion of a township that is within the limits of a municipal corporation, the board of township trustees may make regulations and orders as are necessary to control passenger car, motorcycle, and internal combustion engine noise, as permitted under section 4513.221 of the Revised Code, and all vehicle parking in the township. This authorization includes, among other powers, the power to regulate parking on established roadways proximate to buildings on private property as necessary to provide access to the property by public safety vehicles and equipment, if the property is used for commercial purposes, the public is permitted to use the parking area, and accommodation for more than ten motor vehicles is provided, and the power to authorize the issuance of orders limiting or prohibiting parking on any township street or highway during a snow emergency declared pursuant to a snow-emergency authorization adopted under this division. All such regulations and orders shall be subject to the limitations, restrictions, and exceptions in sections 4511.01 to 4511.76 and 4513.02 to 4513.37 of the Revised Code.

A board of township trustees may adopt a general snow-emergency authorization, which becomes effective under division (B)(1) of this section, allowing the president of the board or some other person specified in the authorization to issue an order declaring a snow emergency and limiting or prohibiting parking on any township street or highway during the snow emergency. Any such order becomes effective under division (B)(2) of this section. Each general snow-emergency authorization adopted under this division shall specify the weather conditions under which a snow emergency may be declared in that township.

(B)(1) All regulations and orders, including any snow-emergency authorization established by the board under this section, except for an order declaring a snow emergency as provided in division (B)(2) of this section, shall be posted by the township fiscal officer in five conspicuous public places in the township for thirty days before becoming effective, and shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the township for three consecutive weeks or as provided in section 7.16 of the Revised Code. In addition to these requirements, no general snow-emergency authorization shall become effective until permanent signs giving notice that parking is limited or prohibited during a snow emergency are properly posted, in accordance with any applicable standards adopted by the department of transportation, along streets or highways specified in the authorization.

(2) Pursuant to the adoption of a snow-emergency authorization under this section, an order declaring a snow emergency becomes effective two hours after the president of the board or the other person specified in the general snow-emergency authorization makes an announcement of a snow emergency to the local news media. The president or other specified person shall request the local news media to announce that a snow emergency has been declared, the time the declaration will go into effect, and whether the snow emergency will remain in effect for a specified period of time or indefinitely until canceled by a subsequent announcement to the local news media by the president or other specified person.

(C) Such regulations and orders may be enforced where traffic control devices conforming to section 4511.09 of the Revised Code are prominently displayed. Parking regulations authorized by this section do not apply to any state highway unless the parking regulations are approved by the director of transportation.

(D) A board of township trustees or its designated agent may order into storage any vehicle parked in violation of a township parking regulation or order, if the violation is not one that is required to be handled pursuant to Chapter 4521. of the Revised Code. The owner or any lienholder of a vehicle ordered into storage may claim the vehicle upon presentation of proof of ownership, which may be evidenced by a certificate of title to the vehicle, and payment of all expenses, charges, and fines incurred as a result of the parking violation and removal and storage of the vehicle.

(E) Whoever violates any regulation or order adopted pursuant to this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor, unless the township has enacted a regulation pursuant to division (A) of section 4521.02 of the Revised Code, that specifies that the violation shall not be considered a criminal offense and shall be handled pursuant to Chapter 4521. of the Revised Code. Fines levied and collected under this section shall be paid into the township general revenue fund.

Section 505.171 | Drive-in theater screens.

• Effective: March 14, 1979
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 662 - 112th General Assembly

(A) Except in a township or portion thereof that is within the limits of a municipal corporation, the board of township trustees may adopt regulations necessary to require an owner or operator of a drive-in theater located in the township, to erect the theater screen in such a manner and location that the images projected on the screen are not clearly visible to persons driving on any road, street, or highway located within a radius of one-third mile from the theater screen.

(B) Except in a township or portion thereof that is within the limits of a municipal corporation, the board of township trustees may adopt regulations necessary to require an owner or operator of a drive-in theater located in the township to construct and maintain a fence, wall, or tangible or intangible barrier which shall, to the maximum extent practicable in view of the topography of the site and location of the screen, conceal or obscure x-rated or obscene images projected on the screen from the ordinary view of persons driving on any road, street, or highway located within a radius of one-third mile from the theater screen.

(C) The township constable or police district chief shall inspect each drive-in theater located in the township, but not within the limits of a municipal corporation; furnish the owner or operator thereof with a copy of the regulations adopted pursuant to divisions (A) and (B) of this section; and notify in writing the owner or operator if he finds there is a violation of the regulations.

(D) Whoever violates any regulation adopted pursuant to division (A) or (B) of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.

Section 505.172 | Noise control.

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

(A) As used in this section, "law enforcement officer" means a sheriff, deputy sheriff, constable, police officer of a township or joint police district, marshal, deputy marshal, or municipal police officer.

(B) Except as otherwise provided in this section and section 505.17 of the Revised Code, a board of township trustees may adopt regulations and orders that are necessary to control noise within the unincorporated territory of the township that is generated at any premises to which a D permit has been issued by the division of liquor control or that is generated within any areas zoned for residential use.

(C) Any person who engages in any of the activities described in section 1.61 of the Revised Code is exempt from any regulation or order adopted under division (B) of this section if the noise is attributed to an activity described in section 1.61 of the Revised Code. Any person who engages in coal mining and reclamation operations, as defined in division (B) of section 1513.01 of the Revised Code, or surface mining, as defined in division (A) of section 1514.01 of the Revised Code, is exempt from any regulation or order adopted under division (B) of this section if the noise is attributed to coal mining and reclamation or surface mining activities. Noise resulting from the drilling, completion, operation, maintenance, or construction of any crude oil or natural gas wells or pipelines or any appurtenances to those wells or pipelines or from the distribution, transportation, gathering, or storage of crude oil or natural gas is exempt from any regulation or order adopted under division (B) of this section.

(D) (1) Except as otherwise provided in division (C) of this section, any regulation or order adopted under division (B) of this section shall apply to any business or industry or to any premises to which a D permit has been issued by the division of liquor control regardless of when it came into existence.

(E) Whoever violates any regulation or order adopted under division (B) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree. Fines levied and collected under this section shall be paid into the township general revenue fund.

(F) Any person allegedly aggrieved by another person's violation of a regulation or order adopted under division (B) of this section may seek in a civil action a declaratory judgment, an injunction, or other appropriate relief against the other person committing the act or practice that violates that regulation or order. A board of township trustees that adopts a regulation or order under division (B) of this section may seek in a civil action an injunction against any person that commits an act or practice that violates that regulation or order. The court involved in a civil action referred to in this division may award to the prevailing party reasonable attorney's fees limited to the work reasonably performed.

(G) If any law enforcement officer with jurisdiction in a township that has adopted a regulation or order under division (B) of this section has reasonable cause to believe that any premises to which a D permit has been issued by the division of liquor control has violated the regulation or order and, as a result of the violation, has caused, is causing, or is about to cause substantial and material harm, the law enforcement officer may issue an order that the premises cease and desist from the activity violating the regulation or order. The cease-and-desist order shall be served personally upon the owner, operator, manager, or other person in charge of the premises immediately after its issuance by the officer. The township thereafter may publicize or otherwise make known to all interested persons that the cease-and-desist order has been issued.

The cease-and-desist order shall specify the particular conduct that is subject to the order and shall inform the person upon whom it is served that the premises will be granted a hearing in the municipal court or county court with jurisdiction over the premises regarding the operation of the order and the possible issuance of an injunction or other appropriate relief. The premises shall comply with the cease-and-desist order immediately upon receipt of the order. Upon service of the cease-and-desist order upon the owner, operator, manager, or other person in charge of the premises, the township law director or, if the township does not have a law director, the prosecuting attorney of the county in which the township is located shall file in the municipal court or county court with jurisdiction over the premises a civil action seeking to confirm the cease-and-desist order and seeking an injunction or other appropriate relief against the premises. The owner, operator, manager, or other person in charge of the premises may file a motion in that civil action for a stay of the cease-and-desist order for good cause shown, pending the court's rendering its decision in the action. The court shall set a date for a hearing, hold the hearing, and render a decision in the action not more than ten days after the date of the cease-and-desist order, or the cease-and-desist order is terminated. Division (F) of this section applies regarding an action filed as described in this division.

(H) Nothing in this section authorizes a township to enforce any regulation or order adopted under division (B) of this section against a premises to which a D permit has been issued by the division of liquor control if that premises is not located in the unincorporated territory of that township.

Section 505.173 | Storage of junk motor vehicles.

• Effective: November 19, 1996
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 121 - 121st General Assembly

(A) Notwithstanding sections 4513.60 to 4513.65 of the Revised Code, the board of township trustees may adopt resolutions as the board considers necessary to regulate the storage of junk motor vehicles on private or public property within the unincorporated area of the township. No resolution shall restrict the operation of a scrap metal processing facility licensed under authority of sections 4737.05 to 4737.12 of the Revised Code; the operation as a motor vehicle salvage dealer, salvage motor vehicle auction, or salvage motor vehicle pool of a person licensed under Chapter 4738. of the Revised Code; or the provision of towing and recovery services conducted under sections 4513.60 to 4513.63 of the Revised Code, including the storage and disposal of junk motor vehicles removed from public or private property in accordance with those sections. Except for a case in which division (C) of this section applies, no resolution shall prevent a person from storing or keeping, or restrict a person in the method of storing or keeping, any collector's vehicle on private property with the permission of the person having the right to the possession of the property, except that a person having such permission may be required to conceal, by means of buildings, fences, vegetation, terrain, or other suitable screening, any unlicensed collector's vehicle stored in the open.

(B) In addition to other remedies provided by law, the board of township trustees may institute an action for injunction, mandamus, or abatement, or any other appropriate action or proceeding to prohibit the storage of junk motor vehicles in violation of this section.

(C) Regardless of whether it is licensed or unlicensed, a collector's vehicle is a "junk motor vehicle" for purposes of this section if the collector's vehicle meets all of the criteria contained in division (E) of this section. If a collector's vehicle meets all of the criteria contained in division (E) of this section, a board of township trustees, in accordance with division (A) of this section, may regulate the storage of that motor vehicle on private or public property in the same manner that the board may regulate the storage of any other junk motor vehicle and, in case of a violation of this section, may pursue any remedy provided by law, including any remedy provided in division (B) of this section.

(D) Whoever violates any resolution adopted under this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor. Each day that a violation of this section continues constitutes a separate offense. Fines levied and collected under this section shall be paid into the township general revenue fund.

(E) As used in this section, "junk motor vehicle" means a motor vehicle that meets all of the following criteria:

(1) Three model years old, or older;

(2) Apparently inoperable;

(3) Extensively damaged, including, but not limited to, any of the following: missing wheels, tires, engine, or transmission.

Section 505.18 | Joint issue of bonds.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

When a township has been divided into two or more parts, subsequent to the original issue of bonds in aid of or for purposes of public improvement, the authorities of the parts so constituted, jointly, may issue new bonds for the amount of such original issue becoming due.

Section 505.19 | Annual meeting of trustees of divided township.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

Within thirty days after the first Monday in April in each year, the trustees of a township constituted out of the division of a township, shall meet together and jointly assess and levy on the taxable property, real and personal, within the limits of the original township, the taxes necessary to pay the interest on bonds issued under section 505.18 of the Revised Code, and to pay such sum as seems expedient to them for the redemption of the principal named in such bonds.

Section 505.20 | Tax for drilling oil or gas well.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

In addition to the tax already authorized by law, the board of township trustees may levy a tax, not to exceed five mills on the dollar for the purpose of drilling an oil or gas well in the township, when so authorized by a majority vote of the electors of such township at a regular or special election. Such election shall be conducted the same as elections for township officers, and the tax shall be collected as other taxes.

Section 505.21 | Copy of Revised Code for township officers.

• Effective: September 20, 1967
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 303 - 107th General Assembly

The board of township trustees may purchase for its use one copy of the Revised Code, and such other standard works containing all the sections of the Revised Code applicable to township officers, with forms and citations for the guidance of such officers, as are necessary, to be paid for from unappropriated funds in the township treasury when there are sufficient unappropriated funds in the treasury.

Section 505.22 | Volunteer fire department definitions.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

As used in section 505.23 of the Revised Code:

(A) "Political subdivision" includes municipal corporation, township, and taxing district.

(B) "Insurance" means insurance coverage, including group insurance, as provided in standard casualty insurance policies.

(C) "Volunteer firemen" means all members in good standing of the volunteer fire department of such political subdivision.

(D) "Accident and death benefits" means such benefits as are provided in standard casualty insurance policies.

(E) "Line of duty" includes such duties as are prescribed by the rules and regulations of such volunteer fire department.

Section 505.23 | Insurance for members of volunteer department - joint fire department.

• Effective: October 13, 1967
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 169 - 107th General Assembly

Any political subdivision which maintains and operates a volunteer fire department may provide for insurance against liability, and accident and death benefits, for the members of such fire department by the purchase of standard liability and casualty insurance, insuring such members while acting in the line of duty.

When two or more political subdivisions jointly own, control, or manage a volunteer fire department, this section shall apply, at the discretion of the legislative authority of such subdivisions.

Section 505.24 | Compensation of trustees.

• Effective: December 27, 2018
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 296 - 132nd General Assembly

(A) In calendar year 2018, each township trustee is entitled to compensation in an amount for each day of service in the business of the township, to be paid from the township treasury as follows:

(1) In townships having a budget of two hundred fifty thousand dollars or less, forty dollars and forty-one cents per day for not more than two hundred days;

(2) In townships having a budget of more than two hundred fifty thousand but not more than five hundred thousand dollars, forty-six dollars and eighty cents per day for not more than two hundred days;

(3) In townships having a budget of more than five hundred thousand but not more than seven hundred fifty thousand dollars, forty-nine dollars and sixty-three cents per day for not more than two hundred days;

(4) In townships having a budget of more than seven hundred fifty thousand but not more than one million five hundred thousand dollars, fifty-six dollars and seventy-one cents per day for not more than two hundred days;

(5) In townships having a budget of more than one million five hundred thousand but not more than three million five hundred thousand dollars, sixty-two dollars and thirty-nine cents per day for not more than two hundred days;

(6) In townships having a budget of more than three million five hundred thousand but not more than six million dollars, sixty-eight dollars and six cents per day for not more than two hundred days;

(7) In townships having a budget of more than six million but not more than ten million dollars, eighty-eight dollars and nineteen cents per day for not more than two hundred days;

(8) In townships having a budget of more than ten million dollars, one hundred thirteen dollars and thirty-eight cents per day for not more than two hundred days.

(B) In calendar year 2019 and in each calendar year thereafter through calendar year 2028, the amounts paid as specified in division (A) of this section shall be increased by one and three-quarters per cent.

(C) Whenever members of a board of township trustees are compensated per diem and not by annual salary, the board shall establish, by resolution, a method by which each member of the board shall periodically notify the township fiscal officer of the number of days spent in the service of the township and the kinds of services rendered on those days. The per diem compensation shall be paid from the township general fund or from other township funds in such proportions as the kinds of services performed may require. The notice shall be filed with the township fiscal officer and preserved for inspection by any persons interested.

By unanimous vote, a board of township trustees may adopt a method of compensation consisting of an annual salary to be paid in equal monthly payments. If the office of trustee is held by more than one person during any calendar year, each person holding the office shall receive payments for only those months, and any fractions of those months, during which the person holds the office. The amount of the annual salary approved by the board shall be no more than the maximum amount that could be received annually by a trustee if the trustee were paid on a per diem basis as specified in this division, and shall be paid from the township general fund or from other township funds in such proportions as the board may specify by resolution. Each trustee shall certify the percentage of time spent working on matters to be paid from the township general fund and from other township funds in such proportions as the kinds of services performed. A board of township trustees that has adopted a salary method of compensation may return to a method of compensation on a per diem basis as specified in this division by a majority vote. Any change in the method of compensation shall be effective on the first day of January of the year following the year during which the board has voted to change the method of compensation.

Section 505.241 | Dues for township government association.

• Effective: April 16, 1993
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 125 - 119th General Assembly

A board of township trustees may authorize its elected officers to join an association or nonprofit organization formed for the improvement of township government. Such board may appropriate from its general fund an amount sufficient to pay the dues, subscription costs, or membership charges of such association or nonprofit organization.

Section 505.25 | Additional compensation for certain trustees.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The board of township trustees of a township such as that described in section 505.13 of the Revised Code, which, for any reason, is inaccessible from the mainland at some time of the year, shall be entitled to additional compensation, not to exceed ten dollars for each trip, for reasonable expenses incurred in attending necessary meetings of the board and meetings with the county officials on the mainland.

Section 505.26 | Additional powers of trustees.

• Effective: June 28, 1990
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 717 - 118th General Assembly

The board of township trustees may purchase, appropriate, construct, enlarge, improve, rebuild, repair, furnish, and equip a township hall, a township park, public library buildings, and bridges and viaducts over streets, streams, railroads, or other places where an overhead roadway or footway is necessary, and such board may acquire sites by lease or otherwise for any of such improvements, including lands and buildings for recreational purposes.

The board of township trustees, not for purposes of recreation, but for the purposes of protecting and preserving the natural, scenic, open, or wooded condition of land, water, or wetlands against modification or encroachment resulting from occupation, development, or other use, may acquire, other than by appropriation, an ownership interest in land, water, or wetlands, and may restore and maintain land, water, or wetlands in which it has such an interest.

If sufficient space for township offices is not available, the board of township trustees may purchase, lease, or construct, and furnish, equip, and maintain office space. When such offices are to be provided by construction, a site upon which to erect such offices may be acquired by purchase, lease for twenty-five years or longer, or otherwise. The cost of providing such office space shall be paid out of funds in the township treasury. If sufficient funds are not available the board shall proceed as provided in sections 511.01 to 511.04 of the Revised Code.

Section 505.261 | Establishing township park.

• Effective: September 28, 2016
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 413 - 131st General Assembly

A board of township trustees may acquire suitable lands and materials, including landscape planting and other site improvement materials and playground, athletic, and recreational equipment and apparatus, to establish a township park pursuant to section 505.26 of the Revised Code and for those purposes may issue, subject to Chapter 133. of the Revised Code, securities and other public obligations as defined in division (GG) of section 133.01 of the Revised Code.

If lands are purchased, the board may pay for them over a period of thirty years from the date of purchase, and may issue securities of the township covering the deferred payments pursuant to division (B)(4)(c) of section 133.20 of the Revised Code. If materials, including landscape planting or other site improvement materials and playground, athletic, and recreational equipment and apparatus, are purchased, the board may issue securities of the township for that purpose having a maximum maturity as specified in division (B)(7)(e) or (f) of section 133.20 of the Revised Code covering the deferred payments. The securities may bear interest not to exceed the rate determined as provided in section 9.95 of the Revised Code. The securities shall not be included in the computation of the net indebtedness of the township under section 133.09 of the Revised Code.

The resolution authorizing the issuance of the securities shall provide for amounts sufficient to pay the interest on and principal of the securities. For this purpose, the board may expend funds from the township general fund, or the board may levy a tax, not to exceed one-half of one mill, on the taxable property of the township for a period not to exceed four years. The tax shall be collected as other taxes and appropriated to pay the interest on and principal of the securities. The securities shall contain an option for prepayment. The securities shall be offered for sale on the open market or may be given to the vendor or contractor if no sale is made on the open market.

The board shall have surveys and plats made of the lands acquired for a township park and shall establish permanent monuments on the boundaries of the lands. The plats, when executed according to sections 711.01 to 711.38 of the Revised Code, shall be recorded in the office of the county recorder, and such records shall be admissible in evidence for the purpose of locating and ascertaining the true boundaries of the park. In furtherance of the use and enjoyment of the park lands controlled by it, the board may accept donations of money or other property, or may act as trustees of land, money, or other property, and use and administer them as stipulated by the donor, or as provided in the trust agreement. The terms of each donation or trust shall first be approved by the court of common pleas before acceptance by the board.

The board may receive and expend grants for park purposes from agencies and instrumentalities of the United States or of this state, and may enter into contracts or agreements with the agencies and instrumentalities, or with other townships, township park boards, municipal corporations, municipal park boards, counties, park districts, or other similar park authorities, to carry out the purposes for which the grants were furnished.

The board shall devise plans for the maintenance and improvement of the park and award all contracts for maintenance and improvement in the manner provided by the law governing township trustees in awarding contracts for public improvements. The board may appoint all necessary employees, fix their compensation, and prescribe their duties. The board may prohibit selling, giving away, or using any intoxicating liquors in the township park, and may pass bylaws and adopt rules for the government of the park and provide for their enforcement by fines and penalties.

The board may expend funds from the township general fund, or revenue derived from property taxes levied for parks and recreational purposes, for the public purpose of presenting community events that are open to the public in a township park.

Section 505.262 | Township buildings finance and construction.

• Effective: December 20, 2005
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 107 - 126th General Assembly

(A) Notwithstanding division (D) of section 505.37 of the Revised Code or any other statute of this state, the board of township trustees of any township, by unanimous vote, may adopt a resolution allowing the township to contract for the purchase of equipment, buildings, and sites, or for the construction of buildings, for any lawful township purpose. The board may issue, by resolution adopted by unanimous vote, securities of the township to finance purchases and construction made pursuant to this division. The securities shall be signed by the board and attested by the signature of the township fiscal officer, and the maximum maturity of those securities is subject to the limitations in section 133.20 of the Revised Code. The securities shall bear interest not to exceed the rate determined as provided in section 9.95 of the Revised Code and shall not be subject to Chapter 133. of the Revised Code. The resolution authorizing the issuance of the securities shall provide for levying and collecting annually by taxation, amounts sufficient to pay the interest on and principal of the securities. The securities may contain a clause permitting prepayment at the option of the board. Securities shall be offered for sale on the open market or given to the vendor or contractor if no sale is made.

(B) No purchase or construction pursuant to division (A) of this section shall be undertaken unless the county auditor certifies that, if the purchase or construction is undertaken, the debt service charge for the purchase or construction in the first year, together with the debt service charge for that same year for any other purchase or construction already undertaken pursuant to division (A) of this section, does not exceed one-tenth of the township's total revenue from all sources. If the county auditor so certifies, in every year of the debt after the first year, the county budget commission shall include a debt charge in the township's annual tax budget submitted pursuant to sections 5705.01 to 5705.47 of the Revised Code sufficient to meet the annual debt incurred pursuant to division (A) of this section, if the debt charge is omitted from the budget.

Section 505.263 | Water supply improvement contracts.

• Effective: March 1, 1990
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 75 - 118th General Assembly

The board of township trustees may enter into a contract with the board of county commissioners under which the trustees agree to pay all or any part of the cost of constructing, maintaining, repairing, or operating any water supply improvement established within the limits of the township pursuant to Chapter 6103. of the Revised Code. The contract shall be upon mutually agreed terms. For the purpose of meeting contractual obligations incurred pursuant to this section, the board of township trustees may levy taxes, subject to Chapter 5705. of the Revised Code, and issue bonds and other evidences of indebtedness, subject to Chapter 133. of the Revised Code.

Section 505.264 | Evaluating township buildings for energy conservation measures.

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

(A) As used in this section, "energy conservation measure" means an installation or modification of an installation in, or remodeling of, an existing building, to reduce energy consumption. It includes the following:

(1) Insulation of the building structure and of systems within the building;

(2) Storm windows and doors, multiglazed windows and doors, heat-absorbing or heat-reflective glazed and coated window and door systems, additional glazing, reductions in glass area, and other window and door system modifications that reduce energy consumption;

(3) Automatic energy control systems;

(4) Heating, ventilating, or air conditioning system modifications or replacements;

(5) Caulking and weatherstripping;

(6) Replacement or modification of lighting fixtures to increase the energy efficiency of the system without increasing the overall illumination of a facility, unless an increase in illumination is necessary to conform to the applicable state or local building code for the proposed lighting system;

(7) Energy recovery systems;

(8) Cogeneration systems that produce steam or forms of energy such as heat, as well as electricity, for use primarily within a building or complex of buildings;

(9) Any other modification, installation, or remodeling approved by the board of township trustees as an energy conservation measure.

(B) For the purpose of evaluating township buildings for energy conservation measures, a township may contract with an architect, professional engineer, energy services company, contractor, or other person experienced in the design and implementation of energy conservation measures for a report that analyzes the buildings' energy needs and presents recommendations for building installations, modifications of existing installations, or building remodeling that would significantly reduce energy consumption in the buildings owned by that township. The report shall include estimates of all costs of the installations, modifications, or remodeling, including costs of design, engineering, installation, maintenance, and repairs, and estimates of the amounts by which energy consumption could be reduced.

(C) A township desiring to implement energy conservation measures may proceed under either of the following methods:

(1) Using a report or any part of a report prepared under division (B) of this section, advertise for bids and comply with the bidding procedures set forth in sections 307.86 to 307.92 of the Revised Code;

(2) Request proposals from at least three vendors for the implementation of energy conservation measures. Prior to sending any installer of energy conservation measures a copy of any such request, the township shall advertise its intent to request proposals for the installation of energy conservation measures in a newspaper of general circulation in the township once a week for two consecutive weeks or as provided in section 7.16 of the Revised Code. The notice shall state that the township intends to request proposals for the installation of energy conservation measures; indicate the date, which shall be at least ten days after the second publication, on which the request for proposals will be mailed to installers of energy conservation measures; and state that any installer of energy conservation measures interested in receiving the request for proposal shall submit written notice to the township not later than noon of the day on which the request for proposal will be mailed.

Upon receiving the proposals, the township shall analyze them and select the proposal or proposals most likely to result in the greatest energy savings considering the cost of the project and the township's ability to pay for the improvements with current revenues or by financing the improvements. The awarding of a contract to install energy conservation measures under division (C)(2) of this section shall be conditioned upon a finding by the township that the amount of money spent on energy savings measures is not likely to exceed the amount of money the township would save in energy and operating costs over ten years or a lesser period as determined by the township or, in the case of contracts for cogeneration systems, over five years or a lesser period as determined by the township. Nothing in this section prohibits a township from rejecting all proposals or from selecting more than one proposal.

(D) A board of township trustees may enter into an installment payment contract for the purchase and installation of energy conservation measures. Any provisions of those installment payment contracts that deal with interest charges and financing terms shall not be subject to the competitive bidding procedures of section 307.86 of the Revised Code. Unless otherwise approved by a resolution of the board, an installment payment contract entered into by a board of township trustees under this section shall require the board to contract in accordance with the procedures set forth in section 307.86 of the Revised Code for the installation, modification, or remodeling of energy conservation measures pursuant to this section.

(E) The board may issue securities of the township specifying the terms of the purchase and securing the deferred payments, payable at the times provided and bearing interest at a rate not exceeding the rate determined as provided in section 9.95 of the Revised Code. The maximum maturity of the securities shall be as provided in division (B)(7)(g) of section 133.20 of the Revised Code. The securities may contain an option for prepayment and shall not be subject to Chapter 133. of the Revised Code. Revenues derived from local taxes or otherwise, for the purpose of conserving energy or for defraying the current operating expenses of the township, may be applied to the payment of interest and the retirement of the securities. The securities may be sold at private sale or given to the contractor under the installment payment contract authorized by division (D) of this section.

(F) Debt incurred under this section shall not be included in the calculation of the net indebtedness of a township under section 133.09 of the Revised Code.

Section 505.265 | Issuing securities for payment of accrued liability to police and firemen's disability and pension fund.

• Effective: December 21, 1998
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 194 - 122nd General Assembly

(A) A township may enter into an agreement with the board of trustees of the police and firemen's disability and pension fund in accordance with section 742.30 of the Revised Code. The board of township trustees may issue securities under Chapter 133. of the Revised Code, including Chapter 133. special obligation securities that pledge taxes, other than ad valorem property taxes, or other revenues for the purpose of providing some or all of the funds required to satisfy the township's obligation under the agreement.

(B) A township may enter into an agreement with one or more other townships or municipal corporations to issue on behalf of those townships or municipal corporations the securities described in division (A) of this section. The agreement may authorize the township issuing the securities to appoint one or more fiscal agents to perform any functions necessary to carry out an agreement entered into under this division.

Section 505.266 | Procedure for establishing or increasing concentrated animal feeding facility.

• Effective: April 6, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 501 - 134th General Assembly

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Concentrated animal feeding facility" and "major concentrated animal feeding facility" have the same meanings as in section 903.01 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Facility" means a proposed new or expanded major concentrated animal feeding facility.

(3) "Improvement" means the construction, modification, or both of township infrastructure.

(B) A person who proposes to do any of the following shall provide written notification as required under division (C) of this section to the board of township trustees of the township in which a facility is or is to be located:

(1) Establish a new major concentrated animal feeding facility;

(2) Increase the design capacity of an existing major concentrated animal feeding facility by ten per cent or more in excess of the design capacity set forth in the current permit for construction or modification of the facility or for installation or modification of the disposal system for manure at the facility issued under section 903.02 or division (J) of section 6111.03 of the Revised Code, as applicable;

(3) Increase the design capacity of an existing concentrated animal feeding facility by ten per cent or more in excess of the design capacity set forth in the current permit for construction or modification of the facility or for installation or modification of the disposal system for manure at the facility issued under section 903.02 or division (J) of section 6111.03 of the Revised Code, as applicable, and to a design capacity of more than ten times the number of animals specified in any of the categories in division (M) of section 903.01 of the Revised Code.

(C) The person shall notify the board in writing by certified or ordinary mail of the proposed construction or expansion of the facility and include the following information:

(1) The anticipated travel routes of motor vehicles to and from the facility;

(2) The anticipated number and weights of motor vehicles traveling to and from the facility.

(D) At the request of the board, the county engineer may review the written notification and advise the board on both of the following:

(1) Improvements and maintenance of improvements that are reasonably needed in order to accommodate the impact on township infrastructure that is anticipated as a result of the facility, including increased travel or the types of vehicles on township roads;

(2) The projected costs of the improvements and maintenance.

Not later than ten days after receiving the written notification, the board may request the person to provide additional reasonable and relevant information regarding the impact of the facility on township infrastructure. The person shall provide the information not later than ten days after the request is made.

(E)(1) Not later than thirty days after the initial written notification is received by the board, the board shall submit to the person its recommendations, if any, concerning the improvements that will be needed as a result of the facility and the cost of those improvements.

(2) Not later than fifteen days after receipt of the board's recommendations, the person shall notify the board either that the person agrees with the recommendations and will implement them or that the person is submitting reasonable alternative recommendations or modifications to the board. If the person agrees with the recommendations, they shall be considered to be the board's final recommendations.

(3) If the board receives alternative recommendations or modifications under division (E)(2) of this section, the board shall select final recommendations and submit them to the person not later than thirty days after the receipt of the alternative recommendations or modifications.

(F)(1) The board shall prepare a written, dated statement certifying that the written notification required under this section was submitted and that final recommendations were selected regarding needed improvements and the costs of those improvements. The board shall provide the person with the original of the statement so that the person can include it with the application for a permit to install for the facility as required under division (C)(5) of section 903.02 of the Revised Code. The board shall retain a copy of the statement for its records.

(2) If the board fails to prepare a written, dated statement in accordance with division (F)(1) of this section within seventy-five days of receiving the initial written notification by certified mail from the person, the person instead shall file with the application for a permit to install for the facility a notarized affidavit declaring that the person has met the criteria established in this section and that a written, dated statement was not received by the person from the board.

(G) If the person receives a written, dated statement from the board as provided in division (F)(1) of this section, the person shall construct, modify, and maintain or finance the construction, modification, and maintenance of improvements as provided in the board's final recommendations and with the approval and oversight of the county engineer. If the person fails to do so, the board shall notify the person either by certified mail or, if the board has record of an internet identifier of record associated with the person, by ordinary mail and by that internet identifier of record that the board intends to initiate mediation with the person if the person remains out of compliance with the final recommendations.

The board shall allow sufficient time for the person to apply for and proceed to obtain, for the purpose of financing the construction, modification, or maintenance of the improvements, exemptions from taxation under sections 5709.41, 5709.63, 5709.632, 5709.73, and 5709.78 of the Revised Code or state or federal grants that may be available.

If the person remains out of compliance with the final recommendations, the board may initiate mediation with the person in order to resolve the differences between them. If mediation fails to resolve the differences, the board and the person first shall attempt to resolve the differences through any legal remedies before seeking redress through a court of common pleas.

(H) If the person subsequently submits an application under section 903.02 of the Revised Code for a permit to modify the facility, or if the routes of travel to or from the facility change for any reason other than road construction conducted by the township, the board or the person may request that additional information be provided in writing and shall proceed as provided in this section for the notification and recommendation proceedings.

(I) As used in this section, "internet identifier of record" has the same meaning as in section 9.312 of the Revised Code.

Last updated January 24, 2023 at 12:29 PM

Section 505.267 | Lease-purchase agreements.

• Effective: July 3, 2019
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 62 - 133rd General Assembly

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Lease-purchase agreement" has the same meaning as a lease with an option to purchase.

(2) "Public obligation" has the same meaning as in section 133.01 of the Revised Code.

(B) For any purpose for which a board of township trustees, a joint police district board, a township fire district, a joint fire district, a joint ambulance district, or a fire and ambulance district is authorized to acquire real or personal property, that board may enter into a lease-purchase agreement in accordance with this section to acquire the property. The board's resolution authorizing the lease-purchase agreement may provide for the issuance of certificates of participation or other evidences of fractionalized interests in the lease-purchase agreement, for the purpose of financing, or refinancing or refunding, any public obligation that financed or refinanced the acquisition of the property. Sections 9.94, 133.03, and 133.30 of the Revised Code shall apply to any such fractionalized interests.

The lease-purchase agreement shall provide for a series of terms in which no term extends beyond the end of the fiscal year of the township or district in which that term commences. In total, the terms provided for in the agreement shall be for not more than the useful life of the real or personal property that is the subject of the agreement. A property's useful life shall be determined either by the maximum number of installment payments permitted under the statute that authorizes the board to acquire the property or, if there is no such provision, by the maximum number of years to maturity provided for the issuance of bonds in division (B) of section 133.20 of the Revised Code for that property. If the useful life cannot be determined under either of those statutes, it shall be estimated as provided in division (C) of section 133.20 of the Revised Code.

The lease-purchase agreement shall provide that, at the end of the final term in the agreement, if all obligations of the township or district have been satisfied, the title to the leased property shall vest in the township or district executing the lease-purchase agreement, if that title has not vested in the township or district before or during the lease terms; except that the lease-purchase agreement may require the township or district to pay an additional lump sum payment as a condition of obtaining that title.

(C) A board of trustees that enters into a lease-purchase agreement under this section may do any of the following with the property that is the subject of the agreement:

(1) If the property is personal property, assign the board's rights to that property;

(2) Grant the lessor a security interest in the property;

(3) If the property is real property, grant leases, easements, or licenses for underlying land or facilities under the board's control for terms not exceeding five years beyond the final term of the lease-purchase agreement.

(D) The authority granted in this section is in addition to, and not in derogation of, any other financing authority provided by law.

Section 505.27 | Collection, transfer, and disposal of solid wastes.

• Effective: September 28, 2016
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 413 - 131st General Assembly

(A)(1) Boards of township trustees, either severally or jointly, may provide, maintain, and operate facilities for the collection, transfer, recycling, and disposal of solid wastes or may enter into written contracts with the proper municipal or county authorities or with independent contractors for such services for the township or for a waste disposal district as provided in section 505.28 of the Revised Code.

(2)(a) If a board of township trustees enters into a contract with an independent contractor under division (A)(1) of this section, the contract may provide that the independent contractor is the exclusive provider of any or all of the services described in that division for the township or the waste disposal district. If the contract so provides, both of the following apply:

(i) The contract shall be entered into only by competitive bidding.

(ii) No other independent contractor or other person or entity shall provide, in the township or waste disposal district, the services agreed to in the contract during the contract period.

(b) Whoever violates division (A)(2)(a)(ii) of this section shall be fined one hundred fifty dollars for the first offense and five hundred dollars for each subsequent offense. Each service provided in violation of that division constitutes a separate offense. Fines collected under that division shall be paid into the waste collection fund established under division (A) of section 505.31 of the Revised Code.

(B) When so required by rules adopted under division (G)(2) of section 343.01 of the Revised Code, a board of township trustees, before constructing, enlarging, or modifying a solid waste facility as defined in section 3734.01 of the Revised Code, shall obtain approval for the facility from the board of county commissioners of the county or board of directors of the joint solid waste management district, or board of trustees of a regional solid waste management authority if such has been formed under section 343.011 of the Revised Code, having jurisdiction for compliance with the initial or amended solid waste management plan of the district approved under section 3734.521, 3734.55, or 3734.56 of the Revised Code.

Section 505.28 | Creation of waste disposal district.

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

The board of township trustees may create a waste disposal district under sections 505.27 to 505.33 of the Revised Code, by a unanimous vote of the board and give notice thereof by a publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the township. If, within thirty days after such publication, a protest petition is filed with the board, signed by at least fifty per cent of the electors residing in the district, the act of the board in creating such district shall be void. If a petition is filed with the board asking for the creation of such a district in the township, accompanied by a map clearly showing the boundaries of such district, and signed by at least sixty-five per cent of the electors residing therein, with addresses of such signers, the board shall, within sixty days, create such a district.

Each district shall be given a name, and the entire cost of any necessary equipment and labor shall be apportioned against each district by the respective boards.

Section 505.29 | Tax levy for waste and leaf disposal service - service charge.

• Effective: September 28, 2016
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 413 - 131st General Assembly

The board of township trustees may levy, in any year, a sufficient tax within the ten-mill limitation upon all taxable property in a waste disposal district to provide and maintain waste collection, transfer, recycling, and disposal services and to provide for the collection and disposal of tree leaves.

In the alternative, the board of township trustees of any township that has provided or contracted for the collection, transfer, recycling, or disposal of garbage or refuse on behalf of the township or any district may establish, by resolution, equitable charges of rents to be paid to the township for the use and benefit of that service by every person, firm, or corporation whose premises are so served. The charges shall constitute a lien upon the property served and, if not paid when due, shall be collected in the same manner as other township taxes.

Section 505.30 | Liability for damages.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The township or its officers shall not be liable for damages, from any cause in performing waste disposal service. Private parties or firms entering a contract to perform said service shall carry public liability and property damage insurance, in an amount acceptable to the board of township trustees, and shall present proper evidence of such insurance to the board.

Section 505.31 | Collection of service charges - waste collection fund - use of fund.

• Effective: September 28, 2016
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 413 - 131st General Assembly

(A) Except as otherwise provided in division (B) of this section, the township fiscal officer shall collect the service charges for waste collection, transfer, recycling, and disposal services and administer them under rules established by the board of township trustees. All of those service charges shall be kept in a separate fund designated as the waste collection fund and shall be appropriated and administered by the board. The fund shall be used for payment of the costs of the management, maintenance, and operation of the garbage and refuse collection, transfer, recycling, and disposal system in the township or several waste disposal districts. The board also may use the fund for payment of the costs incurred by the township in relation to the collection and disposal of tree leaves.

Service charges for waste disposal service collected from one district cannot be used for any other district. If a district is abandoned or discontinued, any balance remaining in the fund for that district shall be paid into the general fund of the township.

(B) When a board of township trustees contracts with an independent contractor for the collection, transfer, recycling, and disposal of solid wastes under section 505.27 of the Revised Code, the contract may provide for the independent contractor to collect and keep the service charges for the services the contractor provides.

Section 505.32 | Compensation of fiscal officer - bond.

• Effective: December 20, 2005
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 107 - 126th General Assembly

For the services arising in each fiscal year under sections 505.27 to 505.33 of the Revised Code, the township fiscal officer shall be allowed the compensation fixed by the board of township trustees. The compensation shall be paid semiannually, and shall be charged back, and prorated against each waste disposal district as part of its operating costs. Any increase required by the board in the bond of the fiscal officer, and the costs of any necessary supplies, shall be prorated and charged back to each district.

Section 505.33 | Delinquent list certified to county auditor - collection.

• Effective: December 20, 2005
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 107 - 126th General Assembly

Annually, before the first day of October, the township fiscal officer shall certify to the county auditor the names of the property owners and a description of their lands that are delinquent as to waste disposal service charges. The auditor then shall place the charges on the tax duplicate for the ensuing December installment of taxes, for collection.

Section 505.34 | Compounding or release of claims due from banks.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The board of township trustees may compound or release, in whole or in part, a debt, obligation, judgment, or claim due the township, from a bank in process of liquidation or operating under a conservatorship, or due the board, except where any member of such board is personally interested as a stockholder of the bank. The board shall enter upon its records a statement of the facts and the reasons for such compounding or release.

Section 505.35 | Expenditure of funds.

• Effective: December 20, 2005
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 107 - 126th General Assembly

All funds arising from the sale of bonds for the construction or repair of viaducts, or for the purchase or condemnation of land for that purpose, shall be paid into the township treasury, and shall be paid out and expended upon the vouchers of the board of township trustees, or of the officers in the township having charge of the repair of public roads or streets.

Contracts for the improvements shall be made in the same manner as other contracts. Vouchers to pay for the contracts, or for any portion of the cost of the improvements, shall be drawn by the board or officers upon the township fiscal officer, who shall keep an accurate account of moneys so expended. The funds created by the sale of bonds for viaduct purposes shall be known as the viaduct fund.

Section 505.36 | Bond issue for viaduct construction or improvement.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

When the voters of a township determine to issue bonds for the construction or repair of viaducts, or for the purchase or condemnation of the land necessary for such improvements, the authority to make such improvements is hereby conferred and the money arising from the sale of the bonds shall be expended in the manner provided by section 505.35 of the Revised Code.

If a municipal corporation or the board of county commissioners determines to construct or repair a viaduct over any street, steam railroad tracks, or other place, where an overhead roadway or footway is deemed necessary, under any law authorizing the construction of bridges or viaducts or the elimination of grade crossings, and such construction or repair will benefit the township, the board of township trustees may, by agreement with such municipal corporation or the board of county commissioners, pay that part of the cost and expense of such improvement, including compensations for land taken and damages, as is deemed just by the board of township trustees. The cost so assumed by the township shall be paid out of any funds in the treasury of such township provided for the construction or repair of such viaduct, into the treasury of such municipal corporation or county, to the credit of such special fund, or, the board of township trustees may issue bonds for such purpose.

Section 505.37 | Fire protection services.

• Effective: October 3, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

(A) The board of township trustees may establish all necessary rules to guard against the occurrence of fires and to protect the property and lives of the citizens against damage and accidents, and may, with the approval of the specifications by the prosecuting attorney or, if the township has adopted limited home rule government under Chapter 504. of the Revised Code, with the approval of the specifications by the township's law director, purchase, lease, lease with an option to purchase, or otherwise provide any fire apparatus, mechanical resuscitators, underwater rescue and recovery equipment, or other fire equipment, appliances, materials, fire hydrants, and water supply for fire-fighting and fire and rescue purposes that seems advisable to the board. The board shall provide for the care and maintenance of such fire equipment, and, for these purposes, may purchase, lease, lease with an option to purchase, or construct and maintain necessary buildings, and it may establish and maintain lines of fire-alarm communications within the limits of the township. The board may employ one or more persons to maintain and operate such fire equipment, or it may enter into an agreement with a volunteer fire company for the use and operation of the equipment. The board may compensate the members of a volunteer fire company on any basis and in any amount that it considers equitable.

When the estimated cost to purchase fire apparatus, mechanical resuscitators, underwater rescue and recovery equipment, or other fire equipment, appliances, materials, fire hydrants, buildings, or fire-alarm communications equipment or services exceeds the amount specified in section 9.17 of the Revised Code, the contract shall be let by competitive bidding. No purchase or other transaction subject to this section shall be divided into component parts in order to avoid the requirements of this section. When competitive bidding is required, the board shall advertise once a week for not less than two consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation within the township. The board may also cause notice to be inserted in trade papers or other publications designated by it or to be distributed by electronic means, including posting the notice on the board's internet web site. If the board posts the notice on its web site, it may eliminate the second notice otherwise required to be published in a newspaper of general circulation within the township, provided that the first notice published in such newspaper meets all of the following requirements:

(1) It is published at least two weeks before the opening of bids.

(2) It includes a statement that the notice is posted on the board's internet web site.

(3) It includes the internet address of the board's internet web site.

(4) It includes instructions describing how the notice may be accessed on the board's internet web site.

The advertisement shall include the time, date, and place where the clerk of the township, or the clerk's designee, will read bids publicly. The time, date, and place of bid openings may be extended to a later date by the board of township trustees, provided that written or oral notice of the change shall be given to all persons who have received or requested specifications not later than ninety-six hours prior to the original time and date fixed for the opening. The board may reject all the bids or accept the lowest and best bid, provided that the successful bidder meets the requirements of section 153.54 of the Revised Code when the contract is for the construction, demolition, alteration, repair, or reconstruction of an improvement.

(B) The boards of township trustees of any two or more townships, or the legislative authorities of any two or more political subdivisions, or any combination of these, may, through joint action, unite in the joint purchase, lease, lease with an option to purchase, maintenance, use, and operation of fire equipment described in division (A) of this section, or for any other purpose designated in sections 505.37 to 505.42 of the Revised Code, and may prorate the expense of the joint action on any terms that are mutually agreed upon.

(C) The board of township trustees of any township may, by resolution, whenever it is expedient and necessary to guard against the occurrence of fires or to protect the property and lives of the citizens against damages resulting from their occurrence, create a fire district of any portions of the township that it considers necessary. The board may purchase, lease, lease with an option to purchase, or otherwise provide any fire apparatus, mechanical resuscitators, underwater rescue and recovery equipment, or other fire equipment, appliances, materials, fire hydrants, and water supply for fire-fighting and fire and rescue purposes, or may contract for the fire protection for the fire district as provided in section 9.60 of the Revised Code. The fire district so created shall be given a separate name by which it shall be known.

Additional unincorporated territory of the township may be added to a fire district upon the board's adoption of a resolution authorizing the addition. A municipal corporation, or a portion of a municipal corporation, that is within or adjoining the township may be added to a fire district upon the board's adoption of a resolution authorizing the addition and the municipal legislative authority's adoption of a resolution or ordinance requesting the addition of the municipal corporation or a portion of the municipal corporation to the fire district.

If the township fire district imposes a tax, additional unincorporated territory of the township or a municipal corporation or a portion of a municipal corporation that is within or adjoining the township shall become part of the fire district only after all of the following have occurred:

(1) Adoption by the board of township trustees of a resolution approving the expansion of the territorial limits of the district and, if the resolution proposes to add a municipal corporation or a portion of a municipal corporation, adoption by the municipal legislative authority of a resolution or ordinance requesting the addition of the municipal corporation or a portion of the municipal corporation to the district;

(2) Adoption by the board of township trustees of a resolution recommending the extension of the tax to the additional territory;

(3) The board requests and obtains from the county auditor the information required for a tax levy under section 5705.03 of the Revised Code, in the manner prescribed in that section, except that the levy's annual collections shall be estimated assuming that the additional territory has been added to the fire district.

(4) Approval of the tax by the electors of the territory proposed for addition to the district.

Each resolution of the board adopted under division (C)(2) of this section shall state the name of the fire district, a description of the territory to be added, the rate, expressed in mills for each one dollar of taxable value, the estimated effective rate, expressed in dollars for each one hundred thousand dollars of the county auditor's appraised value, and termination date of the tax, which shall be the rate, estimated effective rate, and termination date of the tax currently in effect in the fire district.

The board of trustees shall certify each resolution adopted under division (C)(2) of this section and the county auditor's certification under division (C)(3) of this section to the board of elections in accordance with section 5705.19 of the Revised Code. The election required under division (C)(4) of this section shall be held, canvassed, and certified in the manner provided for the submission of tax levies under section 5705.25 of the Revised Code, except that the question appearing on the ballot shall read:

"Shall the territory within ________________________ (description of the proposed territory to be added) be added to ________________________ (name) fire district, and a property tax, that the county auditor estimates will collect $_____ annually, at a rate not exceeding ______ mills for each $1 of taxable value, which amounts to $_________ (here insert estimated effective rate) for each $100,000 of the county auditor's appraised value, be in effect for __________ (here insert the number of years the tax is to be in effect or "a continuing period of time," as applicable)?"

If the question is approved by at least a majority of the electors voting on it, the joinder shall be effective as of the first day of July of the year following approval, and on that date, the township fire district tax shall be extended to the taxable property within the territory that has been added. If the territory that has been added is a municipal corporation or portion thereof and if it had adopted a tax levy for fire purposes, the levy is terminated on the effective date of the joinder in the area of the municipal corporation added to the district.

Any municipal corporation may withdraw from a township fire district created under division (C) of this section by the adoption by the municipal legislative authority of a resolution or ordinance ordering withdrawal. On the first day of July of the year following the adoption of the resolution or ordinance of withdrawal, the withdrawing municipal corporation or the portion thereof ceases to be a part of the district, and the power of the fire district to levy a tax upon taxable property in the withdrawing municipal corporation or the portion thereof terminates, except that the fire district shall continue to levy and collect taxes for the payment of indebtedness within the territory of the fire district as it was composed at the time the indebtedness was incurred.

Upon the withdrawal of any municipal corporation from a township fire district created under division (C) of this section, the county auditor shall ascertain, apportion, and order a division of the funds on hand, moneys and taxes in the process of collection except for taxes levied for the payment of indebtedness, credits, and real and personal property, either in money or in kind, on the basis of the valuation of the respective tax duplicates of the withdrawing municipal corporation and the remaining territory of the fire district.

A board of township trustees may remove unincorporated territory of the township from the fire district upon the adoption of a resolution authorizing the removal. On the first day of July of the year following the adoption of the resolution, the unincorporated township territory described in the resolution ceases to be a part of the district, and the power of the fire district to levy a tax upon taxable property in that territory terminates, except that the fire district shall continue to levy and collect taxes for the payment of indebtedness within the territory of the fire district as it was composed at the time the indebtedness was incurred.

As used in this section, "the county auditor's appraised value" and "estimated effective rate" have the same meanings as in section 5705.01 of the Revised Code.

(D) The board of township trustees of any township, the board of fire district trustees of a fire district created under section 505.371 of the Revised Code, or the legislative authority of any municipal corporation may purchase, lease, or lease with an option to purchase the necessary fire equipment described in division (A) of this section, buildings, and sites for the township, fire district, or municipal corporation and issue securities for that purpose with maximum maturities as provided in section 133.20 of the Revised Code. The board of township trustees, board of fire district trustees, or legislative authority may also construct any buildings necessary to house fire equipment and issue securities for that purpose with maximum maturities as provided in section 133.20 of the Revised Code.

The board of township trustees, board of fire district trustees, or legislative authority may issue the securities of the township, fire district, or municipal corporation, signed by the board or designated officer of the municipal corporation and attested by the signature of the township fiscal officer, fire district clerk, or municipal clerk, covering any deferred payments and payable at the times provided, which securities shall bear interest not to exceed the rate determined as provided in section 9.95 of the Revised Code, and shall not be subject to Chapter 133. of the Revised Code. The legislation authorizing the issuance of the securities shall provide for levying and collecting annually by taxation, amounts sufficient to pay the interest on and principal of the securities. The securities shall be offered for sale on the open market or given to the vendor or contractor if no sale is made.

Section 505.40 of the Revised Code does not apply to any securities issued, or any lease with an option to purchase entered into, in accordance with this division.

(E) A board of township trustees of any township or a board of fire district trustees of a fire district created under section 505.371 of the Revised Code may purchase a policy or policies of liability insurance for the officers, employees, and appointees of the fire department, fire district, or joint fire district governed by the board that includes personal injury liability coverage as to the civil liability of those officers, employees, and appointees for false arrest, detention, or imprisonment, malicious prosecution, libel, slander, defamation or other violation of the right of privacy, wrongful entry or eviction, or other invasion of the right of private occupancy, arising out of the performance of their duties.

When a board of township trustees cannot, by deed of gift or by purchase and upon terms it considers reasonable, procure land for a township fire station that is needed in order to respond in reasonable time to a fire or medical emergency, the board may appropriate land for that purpose under sections 163.01 to 163.22 of the Revised Code. If it is necessary to acquire additional adjacent land for enlarging or improving the fire station, the board may purchase, appropriate, or accept a deed of gift for the land for these purposes.

(F) As used in this division, "emergency medical service organization" has the same meaning as in section 4766.01 of the Revised Code.

A board of township trustees, by adoption of an appropriate resolution, may choose to have the state board of emergency medical, fire, and transportation services license any emergency medical service organization it operates. If the board adopts such a resolution, Chapter 4766. of the Revised Code, except for sections 4766.06 and 4766.99 of the Revised Code, applies to the organization. All rules adopted under the applicable sections of that chapter also apply to the organization. A board of township trustees, by adoption of an appropriate resolution, may remove its emergency medical service organization from the jurisdiction of the state board of emergency medical, fire, and transportation services.

Last updated July 31, 2023 at 4:53 PM

Section 505.371 | Joint fire district creation.

• Effective: October 17, 2019
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 166 - 133rd General Assembly

(A) The boards of township trustees of one or more townships and the legislative authorities of one or more municipal corporations, or the legislative authorities of two or more municipal corporations, or the boards of township trustees of two or more townships, may, by adoption of a joint resolution by a majority of the members of each board of township trustees and by a majority of the members of the legislative authority of each municipal corporation, create a joint fire district comprising all or any portions of the municipal corporations and all or any portions of the townships as are mutually agreed upon. A joint fire district so created shall be given a name different from the name of any participating township or municipal corporation.

(B) The governing body of the joint fire district shall be a board of fire district trustees, which shall include one representative from each board of township trustees and one representative from the legislative authority of each municipal corporation in the district. The board of fire district trustees may exercise the same powers as are granted to a board of township trustees in sections 505.37 to 505.45 of the Revised Code, including, but not limited to, the power to levy a tax upon all taxable property in the fire district as provided in section 505.39 of the Revised Code. The board of fire district trustees may be compensated at a rate not to exceed thirty dollars per meeting, not to exceed fifteen meetings per year, and may be reimbursed for all necessary expenses incurred. The board shall employ a clerk of the board of fire district trustees.

(C)(1) The board of fire district trustees may establish reasonable charges for the use of ambulance or emergency medical services. The board may establish different charges for residents and nonresidents of the district, and may waive, at its discretion, all or part of the charge for any resident of the district. The charge for nonresidents shall be an amount not less than the authorized medicare reimbursement rate, except that if, prior to February 4, 1998, the board had different charges for residents and nonresidents and the charge for nonresidents was less than the authorized medicare reimbursement rate, the board may charge nonresidents less than the authorized medicare reimbursement rate.

(2) In the resolution creating the joint fire district, the political subdivisions that create the district may provide that any of those political subdivisions may agree to pay any charges for the use of ambulance or emergency medical services that the board of fire district trustees establishes under division (C)(1) of this section and that are incurred by the residents of the particular political subdivision. Unless the board elects pursuant to that division to waive all or part of the charges for the use of ambulance or emergency medical services that any resident of the district incurs, the residents of a particular political subdivision that has not so agreed to pay the charges for the use of ambulance or emergency medical services incurred by its residents shall pay those charges.

(3) Charges collected under division (C) of this section shall be kept in a separate fund designated as the ambulance and emergency medical services fund and shall be appropriated and administered by the board. The fund shall be used for the payment of the costs of the management, maintenance, and operation of ambulance and emergency medical services in the district.

(4) As used in division (C) of this section, "authorized medicare reimbursement rate" has the same meaning as in section 505.84 of the Revised Code.

(D) Any municipal corporation or township, or parts of them, may join an existing joint fire district by the adoption of a resolution requesting such membership and upon approval of the board of fire district trustees. Any municipal corporation or township may withdraw from a joint fire district created under this section, by the adoption of a resolution ordering withdrawal. On or after the first day of January of the year following the adoption of the resolution of withdrawal, the municipal corporation or township withdrawing ceases to be a part of such district, and the power of the district to levy a tax upon taxable property in the withdrawing township or municipal corporation terminates, except that the district shall continue to levy and collect taxes for the payment of indebtedness within the territory of the district as it was comprised at the time the indebtedness was incurred.

Upon the withdrawal of any township or municipal corporation from a joint fire district created under this section, the county auditor shall ascertain, apportion, and order a division of the funds on hand, including funds in the ambulance and emergency medical services fund, moneys and taxes in the process of collection, except for taxes levied for the payment of indebtedness, credits, and real and personal property, either in money or in kind, on the basis of the valuation of the respective tax duplicates of the withdrawing municipal corporation or township and the remaining territory of the joint fire district.

When the number of townships and municipal corporations comprising a joint fire district is reduced to one, the joint fire district ceases to exist by operation of law, and the funds, credits, and property remaining after apportionments to withdrawing municipal corporations or townships shall be assumed by the one remaining township or municipal corporation. When a joint fire district ceases to exist and an indebtedness remains unpaid, the board of county commissioners shall continue to levy and collect taxes for the payment of that indebtedness within the territory of the joint fire district as it was comprised at the time the indebtedness was incurred.

(E) Neither this section nor any other section of the Revised Code requires, or shall be construed to require, that the fire chief of a joint fire district be a resident of the fire district.

Section 505.372 | Bond of clerk of the board of fire district trustees.

• Effective: December 10, 1971
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 584 - 109th General Assembly

Before entering upon the duties of his office, the clerk of the board of fire district trustees shall execute a bond, in the amount and with surety to be approved by the board of fire district trustees, payable to the state, conditioned for the faithful performance of all the official duties required of him. Such bond shall be deposited with the presiding officer of the board, and a copy thereof, certified by him, shall be filed with the county auditor.

Section 505.373 | Adoption of fire code.

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

The board of township trustees may, by resolution, adopt by incorporation by reference a standard code pertaining to fire, fire hazards, and fire prevention prepared and promulgated by the state or any department, board, or other agency of the state, or any such code prepared and promulgated by a public or private organization that publishes a model or standard code.

After the adoption of the code by the board, a notice clearly identifying the code, stating the purpose of the code, and stating that a complete copy of the code is on file with the township fiscal officer for inspection by the public and also on file in the law library of the county in which the township is located and that the fiscal officer has copies available for distribution to the public at cost, shall be posted by the fiscal officer in five conspicuous places in the township for thirty days before becoming effective. The notice required by this section shall also be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the township once a week for three consecutive weeks or as provided in section 7.16 of the Revised Code. If the adopting township amends or deletes any provision of the code, the notice shall contain a brief summary of the deletion or amendment.

If the agency that originally promulgated or published the code thereafter amends the code, any township that has adopted the code pursuant to this section may adopt the amendment or change by incorporation by reference in the same manner as provided for adoption of the original code.

Section 505.374 | Fire code violations.

• Effective: November 21, 1995
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 192 - 121st General Assembly

No person shall violate a provision of a standard code or regulation adopted under section 505.373 or division (C) of section 505.375 of the Revised Code. Each day of continued violation of this section shall constitute a separate offense.

Section 505.375 | Fire and ambulance district creation.

• Effective: December 19, 2016
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 471 - 131st General Assembly

(A)(1)(a) The boards of township trustees of one or more townships and the legislative authorities of one or more municipal corporations, or the legislative authorities of two or more municipal corporations, or the boards of township trustees of two or more townships, may negotiate an agreement to form a fire and ambulance district for the delivery of both fire and ambulance services. The agreement shall be ratified by the adoption of a joint resolution by a majority of the members of each board of township trustees involved and a majority of the members of the legislative authority of each municipal corporation involved. The joint resolution shall specify a date on which the fire and ambulance district shall come into being.

(b) If a joint fire district created under section 505.371 of the Revised Code or a joint ambulance district created under section 505.71 of the Revised Code is dissolved to facilitate the creation of a fire and ambulance district under division (A)(1)(a) of this section, the townships and municipal corporations forming the fire and ambulance district may transfer to the fire and ambulance district any of the funds on hand, moneys and taxes in the process of collection, credits, and real and personal property apportioned to them under division (D) of section 505.371 of the Revised Code or section 505.71 of the Revised Code, as applicable, for use by the fire and ambulance district in accordance with this section.

(2)(a) The board of trustees of a joint ambulance district created under section 505.71 of the Revised Code and the board of fire district trustees of a joint fire district created under section 505.371 of the Revised Code may negotiate to combine their two joint districts into a single fire and ambulance district for the delivery of both fire and ambulance services, if the geographic area covered by the combining joint districts is exactly the same. Both boards shall adopt a joint resolution ratifying the agreement and setting a date on which the fire and ambulance district shall come into being.

(b) On that date, the joint fire district and the joint ambulance district shall cease to exist, and the power of each to levy a tax upon taxable property shall terminate, except that any levy of a tax for the payment of indebtedness within the territory of the joint fire or joint ambulance district as it was composed at the time the indebtedness was incurred shall continue to be collected by the successor fire and ambulance district if the indebtedness remains unpaid. All funds and other property of the joint districts shall become the property of the fire and ambulance district, unless otherwise provided in the negotiated agreement. The agreement shall provide for the settlement of all debts and obligations of the joint districts.

(B)(1) The governing body of a fire and ambulance district created under division (A)(1) or (2) of this section shall be a board of trustees, appointed as provided in the agreement creating the district. Members of the board may be compensated at a rate not to exceed thirty dollars per meeting for not more than fifteen meetings per year, and may be reimbursed for all necessary expenses incurred, as provided in the agreement creating the district.

(2) The board shall employ a clerk and other employees as it considers best, including a fire chief or fire prevention officers, and shall fix their compensation. Neither this section nor any other section of the Revised Code requires, or shall be construed to require, that the fire chief of a fire and ambulance district be a resident of the district.

Before entering upon the duties of office, the clerk shall execute a bond, in the amount and with surety to be approved by the board, payable to the state, conditioned for the faithful performance of all of the clerk's official duties. The clerk shall deposit the bond with the presiding officer of the board, who shall file a copy of it, certified by the presiding officer, with the county auditor of the county containing the most territory in the district.

The board also shall provide for the appointment of a fiscal officer for the district and may enter into agreements with volunteer fire companies for the use and operation of fire-fighting equipment. Volunteer firefighters acting under such an agreement are subject to the requirements for volunteer firefighters set forth in division (A) of section 505.38 of the Revised Code.

(3) Employees of the district shall not be removed from office except as provided by sections 733.35 to 733.39 of the Revised Code, except that, to initiate removal proceedings, the board shall designate a private citizen or, if the employee is employed as a firefighter, the board may designate the fire chief, to investigate, conduct the proceedings, and prepare the necessary charges in conformity with those sections, and except that the board shall perform the functions and duties specified for the municipal legislative authority under those sections. The board may pay reasonable compensation to any private citizen hired for services rendered in the matter.

(4) No person shall be appointed as a permanent full-time paid member of the district whose duties include fire fighting, or be appointed as a volunteer firefighter, unless that person has received a certificate issued under former section 3303.07 or section 4765.55 of the Revised Code evidencing satisfactory completion of a firefighter training program. The board may send its officers and firefighters to schools of instruction designed to promote the efficiency of firefighters and, if authorized in advance, may pay their necessary expenses from the funds used for the maintenance and operation of the district.

The board may choose, by adoption of an appropriate resolution, to have the state board of emergency medical, fire, and transportation services license any emergency medical service organization it operates. If the board adopts such a resolution, Chapter 4766. of the Revised Code, except for sections 4766.06 and 4766.99 of the Revised Code, applies to the organization. All rules adopted under the applicable sections of that chapter also apply to the organization. The board may remove, by resolution, its emergency medical service organization from the jurisdiction of the state board of emergency medical, fire, and transportation services.

(C) The board of trustees of a fire and ambulance district created under division (A)(1) or (2) of this section may exercise the following powers:

(1) Purchase or otherwise provide any fire apparatus, mechanical resuscitators, or other fire or ambulance equipment, appliances, or materials; fire hydrants; and water supply for firefighting purposes that seems advisable to the board;

(2) Provide for the care and maintenance of equipment and, for that purpose, purchase, lease, lease with an option to purchase, or construct and maintain necessary buildings;

(3) Establish and maintain lines of fire-alarm communications within the limits of the district;

(4) Appropriate land for a fire station or medical emergency unit needed in order to respond in reasonable time to a fire or medical emergency, in accordance with Chapter 163. of the Revised Code;

(5) Purchase, appropriate, or accept a deed or gift of land to enlarge or improve a fire station or medical emergency unit;

(6) Purchase, lease, lease with an option to purchase, maintain, and use all materials, equipment, vehicles, buildings, and land necessary to perform its duties;

(7) Contract for a period not to exceed three years with one or more townships, municipal corporations, counties, joint fire districts, joint ambulance districts, governmental agencies, nonprofit corporations, or private ambulance owners located either within or outside the state, to furnish or receive ambulance services or emergency medical services within the several territories of the contracting parties, if the contract is first authorized by all boards of trustees and legislative authorities concerned;

(8) Establish reasonable charges for the use of ambulance or emergency medical services under the same conditions under which a board of fire district trustees may establish those charges under section 505.371 of the Revised Code;

(9) Establish all necessary rules to guard against the occurrence of fires and to protect property and lives against damage and accidents;

(10) Adopt a standard code pertaining to fire, fire hazards, and fire prevention prepared and promulgated by the state or by a public or private organization that publishes a model or standard code;

(11) Provide for charges for false alarms at commercial establishments in the same manner as joint fire districts are authorized to do under section 505.391 of the Revised Code;

(12) Issue bonds and other evidences of indebtedness, subject to Chapter 133. of the Revised Code, but only after approval by a vote of the electors of the district as provided by section 133.18 of the Revised Code;

(13) To provide the services and equipment it considers necessary, levy a sufficient tax, subject to Chapter 5705. of the Revised Code, on all the taxable property in the district.

(D) Any municipal corporation or township may join an existing fire and ambulance district, whether created under division (A)(1) or (2) of this section, by its legislative authority's adoption of a resolution requesting the membership and upon approval of the board of trustees of the district. Any municipal corporation or township may withdraw from a district, whether created under division (A)(1) or (2) of this section, by its legislative authority's adoption of a resolution ordering withdrawal. Upon its withdrawal, the municipal corporation or township ceases to be a part of the district, and the district's power to levy a tax on taxable property in the withdrawing township or municipal corporation terminates, except that the district shall continue to levy and collect taxes for the payment of indebtedness within the territory of the district as it was composed at the time the indebtedness was incurred.

Upon the withdrawal of any township or municipal corporation from a district, the county auditor of the county containing the most territory in the district shall ascertain, apportion, and order a division of the funds on hand, including funds in the ambulance and emergency medical services fund, moneys and taxes in the process of collection, except for taxes levied for the payment of indebtedness, credits, and real and personal property on the basis of the valuation of the respective tax duplicates of the withdrawing municipal corporation or township and the remaining territory of the district.

(E) As used in this section:

(1) "Governmental agency" includes all departments, boards, offices, commissions, agencies, colleges, universities, institutions, and other instrumentalities of this or another state.

(2) "Emergency medical service organization" has the same meaning as in section 4766.01 of the Revised Code.

Section 505.376 | Bids on fire and ambulance district contracts.

• Effective: October 3, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

When any expenditure of a fire and ambulance district, other than for the compensation of district employees, exceeds the amount specified in section 9.17 of the Revised Code, the contract for the expenditure shall be in writing and made with the lowest and best bidder after advertising once a week for not less than two consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation within the district. The board of trustees of a fire and ambulance district may also cause notice to be inserted in trade papers or other publications designated by it or to be distributed by electronic means, including posting the notice on the board's internet web site. If the board posts the notice on its web site, it may eliminate the second notice otherwise required to be published in a newspaper of general circulation within the district, provided that the first notice published in such newspaper meets all of the following requirements:

(A) It is published at least two weeks before the opening of bids.

(B) It includes a statement that the notice is posted on the board's internet web site.

(C) It includes the internet address of the board's internet web site.

(D) It includes instructions describing how the notice may be accessed on the board's internet web site.

The bids shall be opened and shall be publicly read by the clerk of the district, or the clerk's designee, at the time, date, and place specified in the advertisement to bidders or the specifications. The time, date, and place of bid openings may be extended to a later date by the board of trustees of the district, provided that written or oral notice of the change shall be given to all persons who have received or requested specifications no later than ninety-six hours prior to the original time and date fixed for the opening.

Each bid on any contract shall contain the full name of every person interested in the bid. If the bid is for a contract for the construction, demolition, alteration, repair, or reconstruction of an improvement, it shall meet the requirements of section 153.54 of the Revised Code. If the bid is for any other contract, it shall be accompanied by a sufficient bond or certified check, cashier's check, or money order on a solvent bank or savings and loan association that, if the bid is accepted, a contract will be entered into and the performance of it will be properly secured. If the bid for work embraces both labor and material, it shall be separately stated, with the price of the labor and the material. The board may reject any and all bids. The contract shall be between the district and the bidder, and the district shall pay the contract price in cash. When a bonus is offered for completion of a contract prior to a specified date, the board may exact a prorated penalty in like sum for each day of delay beyond the specified date. When there is reason to believe there is collusion or combination among bidders, the bids of those concerned shall be rejected.

No expenditure subject to this section shall be divided into component parts, separate projects, or separate items of work in order to avoid the requirements of this section.

Last updated July 31, 2023 at 4:54 PM

Section 505.377 | Classification of volunteer firefighters.

• Effective: March 23, 2015
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 201 - 130th General Assembly

A volunteer firefighter appointed pursuant to this chapter is a bona fide volunteer and not an employee for purposes of section 513 of the "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act," 124 Stat. 119 (2010), 26 U.S.C. 4980H, if, for providing those fire protection services, the volunteer receives any of the benefits provided in Chapter 146., 4121., or 4123. or section 9.65, 505.23, 3333.26, 3923.13, or 4113.41 of the Revised Code.

Last updated November 23, 2021 at 3:51 PM

Section 505.38 | Appointment of firefighting personnel.

• Effective: October 3, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

(A) In each township or fire district that has a fire department, the head of the department shall be a fire chief, appointed by the board of township trustees, except that, in a joint fire district, the fire chief shall be appointed by the board of fire district trustees. Neither this section nor any other section of the Revised Code requires, or shall be construed to require, that the fire chief be a resident of the township or fire district.

The board shall provide for the employment of firefighters as it considers best and shall fix their compensation. No person shall be appointed as a permanent full-time paid member, whose duties include fire fighting, of the fire department of any township or fire district unless that person has received a certificate issued under former section 3303.07 or section 4765.55 of the Revised Code evidencing satisfactory completion of a firefighter training program. Those appointees shall continue in office until removed from office as provided by sections 733.35 to 733.39 of the Revised Code. To initiate removal proceedings, and for that purpose, the board shall designate the fire chief or a private citizen to investigate the conduct and prepare the necessary charges in conformity with those sections.

In case of the removal of a fire chief or any member of the fire department of a township or fire district, an appeal may be had from the decision of the board to the court of common pleas of the county in which the township or fire district fire department is situated to determine the sufficiency of the cause of removal. The appeal from the findings of the board shall be taken within ten days.

No person who is appointed as a volunteer firefighter of the fire department of any township or fire district shall remain in that position unless either of the following applies:

(1) Within one year of the appointment, the person has received a certificate issued under former section 3303.07 of the Revised Code or section 4765.55 of the Revised Code evidencing satisfactory completion of a firefighter training program.

(2) The person began serving as a permanent full-time paid firefighter with the fire department of a city or village prior to July 2, 1970, or as a volunteer firefighter with the fire department of a city, village, or other township or fire district prior to July 2, 1979, and receives a certificate issued under section 4765.55 of the Revised Code.

No person shall receive an appointment under this section, in the case of a volunteer firefighter, unless the person has, not more than sixty days prior to receiving the appointment, passed a physical examination, given by a licensed physician, a physician assistant, a clinical nurse specialist, a certified nurse practitioner, or a certified nurse-midwife, showing that the person meets the physical requirements necessary to perform the duties of the position to which the person is appointed as established by the board of township trustees having jurisdiction over the appointment. The appointing authority, prior to making an appointment, shall file with the Ohio police and fire pension fund or the local volunteer fire fighters' dependents fund board a copy of the report or findings of that licensed physician, physician assistant, clinical nurse specialist, certified nurse practitioner, or certified nurse-midwife. The professional fee for the physical examination shall be paid for by the board of township trustees.

(B) In each township not having a fire department, the board of township trustees shall appoint a fire prevention officer who shall exercise all of the duties of a fire chief except those involving the maintenance and operation of fire apparatus. The board may appoint one or more deputy fire prevention officers who shall exercise the duties assigned by the fire prevention officer.

The board may fix the compensation for the fire prevention officer and the fire prevention officer's deputies as it considers best. The board shall appoint each fire prevention officer and deputy for a one-year term. An appointee may be reappointed at the end of a term to another one-year term. Any appointee may be removed from office during a term as provided by sections 733.35 to 733.39 of the Revised Code. Section 505.45 of the Revised Code extends to those officers.

(C)(1) Division (A) of this section does not apply to any township that has a population of ten thousand or more persons residing within the township and outside of any municipal corporation, that has its own fire department employing ten or more full-time paid employees, and that has a civil service commission established under division (B) of section 124.40 of the Revised Code. The township shall comply with the procedures for the employment, promotion, and discharge of firefighters provided by Chapter 124. of the Revised Code, except as otherwise provided in divisions (C)(2) and (3) of this section.

(2) The board of township trustees of the township may appoint the fire chief, and any person so appointed shall be in the unclassified service under section 124.11 of the Revised Code and shall serve at the pleasure of the board. Neither this section nor any other section of the Revised Code requires, or shall be construed to require, that the fire chief be a resident of the township. A person who is appointed fire chief under these conditions and who is removed by the board or resigns from the position is entitled to return to the classified service in the township fire department in the position held just prior to the appointment as fire chief.

(3) The appointing authority of an urban township, as defined in section 504.01 of the Revised Code, may appoint to a vacant position any one of the three highest scorers on the eligible list for a promotional examination.

(4) The board of township trustees shall determine the number of personnel required and establish salary schedules and conditions of employment not in conflict with Chapter 124. of the Revised Code.

(5) No person shall receive an original appointment as a permanent full-time paid member of the fire department of the township described in this division unless the person has received a certificate issued under former section 3303.07 or section 4765.55 of the Revised Code evidencing the satisfactory completion of a firefighter training program.

(6) Persons employed as firefighters in the township described in this division on the date a civil service commission is appointed pursuant to division (B) of section 124.40 of the Revised Code, without being required to pass a competitive examination or a firefighter training program, shall retain their employment and any rank previously granted them by action of the board of township trustees or otherwise, but those persons are eligible for promotion only by compliance with Chapter 124. of the Revised Code.

Last updated July 31, 2023 at 4:56 PM

Section 505.381 | Criminal records check.

• Effective: April 9, 2003
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 258 - 124th General Assembly

(A) The fire chief of a township or fire district may request the superintendent of BCII to conduct a criminal records check with respect to any person who is under consideration for appointment or employment as a permanent, full-time paid firefighter or any person who is under consideration for appointment as a volunteer firefighter.

(B)(1) The fire chief of the township or fire district may request that the superintendent of BCII obtain information from the federal bureau of investigation as a part of the criminal records check requested pursuant to division (A) of this section.

(2) A fire chief authorized by division (A) of this section to request a criminal records check shall provide to each person for whom the fire chief intends to request a criminal records check a copy of the form prescribed pursuant to division (C)(1) of section 109.578 of the Revised Code and a standard impression sheet to obtain fingerprint impressions prescribed pursuant to division (C)(2) of section 109.578 of the Revised Code, obtain the completed form and impression sheet from the person, and forward the completed form and impression sheet to the superintendent of BCII at the time the criminal records check is requested.

(3) Any person subject to a criminal records check who receives a copy of the form and a copy of the impression sheet pursuant to division (B)(2) of this section and who is requested to complete the form and provide a set of fingerprint impressions shall complete the form or provide all the information necessary to complete the form and shall provide the impression sheet with the impressions of the person's fingerprints. If a person fails to provide the information necessary to complete the form or fails to provide impressions of the person's fingerprints, the appointing authority shall not appoint or employ the person as a permanent, full-time paid firefighter or a volunteer firefighter.

(C)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(2) of this section, an appointing authority shall not appoint or employ a person as a permanent, full-time paid firefighter or a volunteer firefighter if the fire chief has requested a criminal records check pursuant to division (A) of this section and the criminal records check indicates that the person previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to any of the following:

(a) A felony;

(b) A violation of section 2909.03 of the Revised Code;

(c) A violation of an existing or former law of this state, any other state, or the United States that is substantially equivalent to any of the offenses described in division (C)(1)(a) or (b) of this section.

(2) Notwithstanding division (C)(1) of this section, an appointing authority may appoint or employ a person as a permanent, full-time paid firefighter or a volunteer firefighter if all of the following apply:

(a) The fire chief has requested a criminal records check pursuant to division (A) of this section.

(b) The criminal records check indicates that the person previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to any of the offenses described in division (C)(1) of this section.

(c) The person meets rehabilitation standards established in rules adopted under division (E) of this section.

(3) If a fire chief requests a criminal records check pursuant to division (A) of this section, an appointing authority may appoint or employ a person as a permanent, full-time paid firefighter or volunteer firefighter conditionally until the criminal records check is completed and the fire chief receives the results. If the results of the criminal records check indicate that, pursuant to division (C)(1) of this section, the person subject to the criminal records check does not qualify for appointment or employment, the fire chief shall release the person from appointment or employment.

(D) The fire chief shall pay to the bureau of criminal identification and investigation the fee prescribed pursuant to division (C)(3) of section 109.578 of the Revised Code for each criminal records check conducted in accordance with that section. The fire chief may charge the applicant who is subject to the criminal records check a fee for the costs the fire chief incurs in obtaining the criminal records check. A fee charged under this division shall not exceed the amount of fees the fire chief pays for the criminal records check. If a fee is charged under this division, the fire chief shall notify the applicant at the time of the applicant's initial application for appointment or employment of the amount of the fee and that, unless the fee is paid, the applicant will not be considered for appointment or employment.

(E) The appointing authority shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code to implement this section. The rules shall include rehabilitation standards a person who has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to an offense listed in division (C)(1) of this section must meet for the appointing authority to appoint or employ the person as a permanent, full-time paid firefighter or a volunteer firefighter.

(F) A fire chief who intends to request a criminal records check for an applicant shall inform the applicant, at the time of the person's initial application for appointment or employment, that the applicant is required to provide a set of impressions of the applicant's fingerprints and that the fire chief requires a criminal records check to be conducted and satisfactorily completed in accordance with section 109.578 of the Revised Code.

(G) As used in this section:

(1) "Appointing authority" means any person or body that has the authority to hire, appoint, or employ permanent, full-time paid firefighters and volunteer firefighters under section 505.38 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Criminal records check" has the same meaning as in section 109.578 of the Revised Code.

(3) "Superintendent of BCII" has the same meaning as in section 2151.86 of the Revised Code.

Section 505.39 | Tax levy for fire protection and other services.

• Effective: September 28, 2016
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 413 - 131st General Assembly

The board of township trustees may, in any year, levy a sufficient tax upon all taxable property in the township or in a fire district, to provide protection against fire, to provide fire and rescue services, to provide and maintain fire apparatus, mechanical resuscitators, underwater rescue and recovery equipment, and other fire equipment and appliances, buildings and sites therefor, sources of water supply and materials therefor, to establish and maintain lines of fire-alarm communications, and to pay permanent, part-time, or volunteer fire-fighting companies to operate such equipment.

Section 505.391 | Assessment of charge for false alarm from an automatic fire alarm system at a commercial establishment.

• Effective: September 21, 2006
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 385 - 126th General Assembly

(A) If, after the fire department of a township, township fire district, or joint fire district, or a private fire company with which the fire department of a township, township fire district, or joint fire district contracts for fire protection, responds to a false alarm from an automatic fire alarm system at a commercial establishment or residential building, the board of township trustees gives written notice by certified mail that it may assess a charge of up to three hundred dollars for each subsequent false alarm occurring after three false alarms by that system within the same calendar year, the board of township trustees may assess that charge. This notice shall be mailed to the owner and the lessee, if any, of the building in which the system is installed. After the board gives this notice, the board need not give any additional written notices before assessing a charge for a false alarm as provided by this section.

(B) If payment of the bill assessing a charge for a false alarm is not received within thirty days, the township fiscal officer shall send a notice by certified mail to the manager and to the owner, if different, of the real estate of which the commercial establishment is a part, or to the occupant, lessee, agent, or tenant and to the owner, if different, of the real estate of which the residential building is a part, indicating that failure to pay the bill within thirty days, or to show just cause why the bill should not be paid within thirty days, will result in the assessment of a lien upon the real estate in the amount of the bill. If payment is not received or just cause for nonpayment is not shown within those thirty days, the amount of the bill shall be entered upon the tax duplicate, shall be a lien upon the real estate from the date of the entry, and shall be collected as other taxes and returned to the township treasury to be earmarked for use for fire services.

(C) As used in this section, "commercial establishment" means a building or buildings in an area used primarily for nonresidential, commercial purposes.

Section 505.40 | Bond issue for fire protection measures limited.

• Effective: September 28, 2016
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 413 - 131st General Assembly

No bonds shall be issued by the board of township trustees for the purpose of providing and maintaining fire apparatus, mechanical resuscitators, underwater rescue and recovery equipment, and other fire equipment and appliances, buildings and sites therefor, sources of water supply and materials therefor, or for the establishment and maintenance of lines of fire-alarm communications, or for the payment of permanent, part-time, or volunteer fire-fighting companies to operate such equipment, unless approved by vote of the people in a township or fire district in the manner provided by section 133.18 of the Revised Code, and in no event in an amount exceeding the greater of one hundred fifty thousand dollars or two per cent of the total value of all property in the township as listed and assessed for taxation.

Section 505.401 | Issuing bonds for firefighting purposes.

• Effective: March 31, 2003
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 513 - 124th General Assembly

Pursuant to Chapter 133. of the Revised Code, the board of trustees of a fire district organized under division (C) of section 505.37 of the Revised Code may issue bonds for the purpose of acquiring fire-fighting equipment, buildings, and sites for the district or for the purpose of constructing or improving buildings to house fire-fighting equipment.

Section 505.41 | Members of volunteer fire companies are township employees.

• Effective: January 17, 1977
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 545 - 111th General Assembly

Members of volunteer fire companies, or persons employed by a township on a part-time basis to operate or maintain fire-fighting equipment, or persons employed in any manner incidental to the operation or maintenance of such equipment, are township employees for the purpose of workers' compensation insurance, the same as though regularly employed as designated in section 4123.01 of the Revised Code.

Section 505.42 | Fire equipment fund.

• Effective: August 23, 1982
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 261 - 114th General Assembly

The proceeds of bonds issued under section 505.40 of the Revised Code, other than any premium and accrued interest which is credited to the sinking fund, shall be placed in the township treasury to the credit of a fund to be known as "the fire equipment fund." In the case of a joint fire district created under section 505.371 of the Revised Code, such proceeds shall be placed in the treasury of the joint fire district to the credit of the joint fire district fire equipment fund. Such fund shall be paid out on the order of the board of township trustees or, in the case of a joint fire district, the board of fire district trustees. Such board may enter into contracts for the purpose set forth in sections 505.37 to 505.42 of the Revised Code, subject to sections 731.14 to 731.16 of the Revised Code except as otherwise provided in sections 505.08 and 505.101 of the Revised Code.

Section 505.43 | Police protection.

• Effective: April 12, 2021
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 444 - 133rd General Assembly

In order to obtain police protection, or to obtain additional police protection, any township may enter into a contract with one or more townships, municipal corporations, park districts created pursuant to section 511.18 or 1545.01 of the Revised Code, county sheriffs, joint police districts, or with a governmental entity of an adjoining state upon any terms that are agreed to by them, for services of police departments or use of police equipment, or the interchange of the service of police departments or use of police equipment within the several territories of the contracting subdivisions, if the contract is first authorized by respective boards of township trustees or other legislative bodies. The cost of the contract may be paid for from the township general fund or from funds received pursuant to the passage of a levy authorized pursuant to division (J) or (JJ) of section 5705.19 and section 5705.25 of the Revised Code.

Chapter 2744. of the Revised Code, insofar as it is applicable to the operation of police departments, applies to the contracting political subdivisions and police department members when the members are rendering service outside their own subdivision pursuant to the contract.

Police department members acting outside the subdivision in which they are employed may participate in any pension or indemnity fund established by their employer to the same extent as while acting within the employing subdivision, and are entitled to all the rights and benefits of Chapter 4123. of the Revised Code, to the same extent as while performing service within the subdivision.

The contract may provide for a fixed annual charge to be paid at the times agreed upon and stipulated in the contract.

Section 505.431 | Resolution to provide police protection to other public entity.

• Effective: July 31, 1992
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 174 - 119th General Assembly

The police department of any township or township police district may provide police protection to any county, municipal corporation, or township of this state, to a park district created pursuant to section 511.18 or 1545.01 of the Revised Code, or to a governmental entity of an adjoining state without a contract to provide police protection, upon the approval, by resolution, of the board of township trustees of the township in which the department is located and upon authorization by an officer or employee of the police department providing the police protection who is designated by title of office or position, pursuant to the resolution of the board of township trustees, to give such authorization.

Chapter 2744. of the Revised Code, insofar as it applies to the operation of police departments, shall apply to any township police department or township police district and to its members when such members are rendering police services pursuant to this section outside the township or township police district by which they are employed.

Police department members acting, as provided in this section, outside the township or township police district by which they are employed shall be entitled to participate in any pension or indemnity fund established by their employer to the same extent as while acting within the township or township police district by which they are employed. Those members shall be entitled to all the rights and benefits of Chapter 4123. of the Revised Code to the same extent as while performing services within the township or township police district by which they are employed.

Section 505.432 | Contract with port authority or Chautauqua assembly.

• Effective: December 5, 1995
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 93 - 121st General Assembly

As used in this section, "Chautauqua assembly" has the same meaning as in section 4511.90 of the Revised Code.

Upon the approval, by resolution, of the board of township trustees of the township or township police district in which the department or office is located, the police department of any township or township police district or the office of any township police constable may contract with any port authority or Chautauqua assembly, and any port authority or Chautauqua assembly may contract with any such department or office, to have the department's members or the office's constables provide police protection to the port authority or Chautauqua assembly with which the deparment or office has contracted.

Chapter 2744. of the Revised Code, insofar as it applies to the operation of police departments, applies to any township police department, township police district, or township police constable's office, and to its members or constables when they are rendering service outside their own subdivision pursuant to a contract entered into under this section.

Police department members and constables acting outside the subdivision in which they are employed may participate in any pension or indemnity fund established by their employer to the same extent as while acting within the employing subdivision, and are entitled to all the rights and benefits of Chapter 4123. of the Revised Code, to the same extent as while performing service within the subdivision.

Section 505.44 | Contracts for ambulance service.

• Effective: July 1, 2013
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 51 - 130th General Assembly

As used in this section:

(A) "Emergency medical service organization" has the same meaning as in section 4765.01 of the Revised Code.

(B) "State agency" means all departments, boards, offices, commissions, agencies, colleges, universities, institutions, and other instrumentalities of this or another state.

In order to obtain the services of ambulance service organizations, to obtain additional services from ambulance service organizations in times of emergency, to obtain the services of emergency medical service organizations, or, if the township is located in a county with a population of forty thousand or less, to obtain the services of nonemergency patient transport service organizations, a township may enter into a contract with one or more state agencies, townships, municipal corporations, counties, nonprofit corporations, joint emergency medical services districts, fire and ambulance districts, or private ambulance owners, regardless of whether such state agencies, townships, municipal corporations, counties, nonprofit corporations, joint emergency medical services districts, fire and ambulance districts, or private ambulance owners are located within or outside the state, upon such terms as are agreed to by them, to furnish or receive services from ambulance or emergency medical service organizations or, if the township is located in a county with a population of forty thousand or less, to furnish or receive services from nonemergency patient transport service organizations, or may enter into a contract for the interchange of services from ambulance or emergency medical service organizations or, if the township is located in a county with a population of forty thousand or less, the interchange of services from nonemergency patient transport service organizations, within the several territories of the contracting parties, if the contract is first authorized by the respective boards of township trustees, the other legislative bodies, or the officer or body authorized to contract on behalf of the state agency. Such contracts shall not be entered into with a state agency or nonprofit corporation that receives more than half of its operating funds from governmental entities with the intention of directly competing with the operation of other ambulance, emergency medical, or nonemergency patient transport service organizations in the township unless the state agency or nonprofit corporation is awarded the contract after submitting the lowest and best bid to the board of township trustees.

The contract may provide for compensation upon such terms as the parties may agree.

Any township wishing to commence providing or wishing to enter into a contract for the first time to furnish or obtain services from nonemergency patient transport service organizations on or after March 1, 1993, including a township in which a private provider has been providing the service, shall demonstrate the need for public funding for the service to, and obtain approval from, the state board of emergency medical, fire, and transportation services or its immediate successor board prior to the establishment of a township-operated or township-funded service.

Section 505.441 | Collection and retention of fees for service runs.

• Effective: September 23, 2011
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 128 - 129th General Assembly

(A) As used in this section, "run" includes a call and an emergency to which a contracting party responds under a contract executed pursuant to section 505.44 of the Revised Code.

(B) A township that enters into a contract with another party for services pursuant to section 505.44 of the Revised Code may provide in the contract that the contracting party shall collect and retain any fee that the township may charge for each run involving ambulance service, emergency medical service, or nonemergency patient transport service. The contract shall require that once each month, the contracting party shall provide the township with a written report that shall include for the previous month the number of runs the contracting party made in the township, the amount that was billed for each run, and the amount received for each run from the person that was billed for that particular run. The report also shall include the total amount collected that calendar year to date and the total amount outstanding that calendar year to date.

Section 505.45 | Schooling of officers and firemen of fire department.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The board of township trustees may send any of the officers and firemen of its fire department to schools of instruction designed to promote the efficiency of firemen, and, if authorized in advance, may pay their necessary expenses from the funds used for the maintenance and operation of such department.

Section 505.46 | Township trustees may construct and maintain footbridges.

• Effective: May 30, 2002
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 157 - 124th General Assembly

The board of township trustees may construct, rebuild, and repair footbridges across rivers and streams when necessary, to provide convenient means of access to the public schools of the township by pupils residing in the school district in which a public schoolhouse is located. If a river or stream coincides with the boundary of two townships, either of the townships may construct, rebuild, or repair a footbridge across that river or stream at its own expense and subject to section 505.47 of the Revised Code. In no case shall the cost of the construction, rebuilding, or repair of any footbridge exceed the sum of fifteen thousand dollars.

Section 505.47 | Payment of costs of footbridges - approval of tax levy required.

• Effective: December 20, 2005
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 107 - 126th General Assembly

The board of township trustees may pay the cost of the construction, rebuilding, or repair of footbridges authorized by section 505.46 of the Revised Code out of any funds, unappropriated for any other purpose, in the township treasury. If there be no funds in the township treasury available for these purposes, the board may levy a tax for the purpose of procuring the necessary funds for the construction, rebuilding, or repair of the footbridges. The tax shall be levied upon all of the taxable property in the township and shall be certified, levied, and collected in the manner prescribed for other township taxes. The money so raised shall be paid over to the township fiscal officer, and the fiscal officer shall pay it out on the order of the board, certified by the fiscal officer.

The tax shall not be levied until it has been approved by a majority of the qualified voters of the township, voting at any election at which the question shall be submitted. The election shall be called at a regular meeting of the board and shall be held within thirty days from the date of the resolution of the board calling for it. Twenty days' notice of the election shall be given by the posting of notices by the fiscal officer in ten public places of the township. Provisions for holding the election shall be made by the board of elections, upon receiving notice from the fiscal officer of the date and purpose of the election.

Section 505.48 | Township police district.

• Effective: September 13, 2022
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 140 - 134th General Assembly

(A) The board of township trustees of any township may, by resolution adopted by two-thirds of the members of the board, create a township police district comprised of all or a portion of the unincorporated territory of the township as the resolution may specify. If the township police district does not include all of the unincorporated territory of the township, the resolution creating the district shall contain a complete and accurate description of the territory of the district and a separate and distinct name for the district.

At any time not less than one hundred twenty days after a township police district is created and operative, the territorial limits of the district may be altered in the manner provided in division (B) of this section or, if applicable, as provided in section 505.482 of the Revised Code.

(B) Except as otherwise provided in section 505.481 of the Revised Code, the territorial limits of a township police district may be altered by a resolution adopted by a two-thirds vote of the board of township trustees. If the township police district imposes a tax, any territory proposed for addition to the district shall become part of the district only after all of the following have occurred:

(1) Adoption by two-thirds vote of the board of township trustees of a resolution approving the expansion of the territorial limits of the district;

(2) Adoption by a two-thirds vote of the board of township trustees of a resolution recommending the extension of the tax to the additional territory;

(3) The board requests and obtains from the county auditor the information required for a tax levy under section 5705.03 of the Revised Code, in the same manner required under that section, except that the levy's annual collections shall be estimated assuming that the additional territory has been added to the township police district.

(4) Approval of the tax by the electors of the territory proposed for addition to the district.

Each resolution of the board adopted under division (B)(2) of this section shall state the name of the township police district, a description of the territory to be added, the rate, expressed in mills for each one dollar of taxable value, the estimated effective rate, expressed in dollars for each one hundred thousand dollars of the county auditor's appraised value, and termination date of the tax, which shall be the rate, estimated effective rate, and termination date of the tax currently in effect in the district.

The board of trustees shall certify each resolution adopted under division (B)(2) of this section and the county auditor's certification under division (B)(3) of this section to the board of elections in accordance with section 5705.19 of the Revised Code. The election required under division (B)(4) of this section shall be held, canvassed, and certified in the manner provided for the submission of tax levies under section 5705.25 of the Revised Code, except that the question appearing on the ballot shall read:

"Shall the territory within __________________________ (description of the proposed territory to be added) be added to ________________ (name) township police district, and a property tax, that the county auditor estimates will collect $_____ annually, at a rate not exceeding __________ mills for each $1 of taxable value, which amounts to $__________ (here insert estimated effective rate) for each $100,000 of the county auditor's appraised value, be in effect for __________ (here insert the number of years the tax is to be in effect or "a continuing period of time," as applicable)?"

If the question is approved by at least a majority of the electors voting on it, the joinder shall be effective as of the first day of January of the year following approval, and, on that date, the township police district tax shall be extended to the taxable property within the territory that has been added.

As used in this section, "the county auditor's appraised value" and "estimated effective rate" have the same meanings as in section 5705.01 of the Revised Code.

Last updated July 15, 2022 at 8:42 AM

Section 505.481 | Unincorporated territory may be added to district - contents of ballot.

• Effective: September 13, 2022
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 140 - 134th General Assembly

(A) If a township police district does not include all the unincorporated territory of the township, the remaining unincorporated territory of the township may be added to the district by a resolution adopted by a unanimous vote of the board of township trustees to place the issue of expansion of the district on the ballot for the electors of the entire unincorporated territory of the township. The resolution shall state whether the proposed township police district initially will hire personnel as provided in section 505.49 of the Revised Code or contract for the provision of police protection services or additional police protection services as provided in section 505.43 or 505.50 of the Revised Code. If the board proposes to levy a tax throughout all of the unincorporated territory of the township, the board shall request and obtain from the county auditor the information required for a tax levy under section 5705.03 of the Revised Code, except that the levy's annual collections shall be estimated assuming that the unincorporated territory has been added to the township police district.

The ballot measure shall provide for the addition into a new district of all the unincorporated territory of the township not already included in the township police district and for the levy of any tax then imposed by the district throughout the unincorporated territory of the township. If the measure includes a tax, the measure shall state the rate of the tax, which need not be the same rate of any tax imposed by the existing district, to be imposed in the district resulting from approval of the measure, expressed in mills for each one dollar of taxable value, the estimated effective rate, expressed in dollars for each one hundred thousand dollars of the county auditor's appraised value, the last year in which the tax will be levied or that it will be levied for a continuous period of time, and the county auditor's estimate of the levy's annual collections.

(B) The election on the measure shall be held, canvassed, and certified in the manner provided for the submission of tax levies under section 5705.25 of the Revised Code, except that the question appearing on the ballot shall read substantially as follows:

"Shall the unincorporated territory within ____________ (name of the township) not already included within the ___________ (name of township police district) be added to the township police district to create the ___________ (name of new township police district) township police district?"

The name of the proposed township police district shall be separate and distinct from the name of the existing township police district.

If a tax is imposed in the existing township police district, the question shall be modified by adding, at the end of the question, the following: ", and shall a property tax be levied in the new township police district, replacing the tax in the existing township police district, that the county auditor estimates will collect $_____ annually, at a rate not exceeding _________ mills for each $1 of taxable value, which amounts to $_________ (estimated effective rate) for each $100,000 of the county auditor's appraised value, for _______ (number of years the tax will be levied, or "a continuing period of time")."

If the measure is not approved by a majority of the electors voting on it, the township police district shall continue to occupy its existing territory until altered as provided in this section or section 505.48 of the Revised Code, and any existing tax imposed under section 505.51 of the Revised Code shall remain in effect in the existing district at the existing rate and for as long as provided in the resolution under the authority of which the tax is levied.

As used in this section, "the county auditor's appraised value" and "estimated effective rate" have the same meanings as in section 5705.01 of the Revised Code.

Last updated July 15, 2022 at 8:42 AM

Section 505.482 | Joint township police district board.

• Effective: March 22, 2019
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 500 - 132nd General Assembly

(A) The boards of township trustees of any two or more contiguous townships, or the boards of township trustees of one or more contiguous townships and the legislative authorities of one or more contiguous municipal corporations, whether or not within the same county, by adoption of a joint resolution by a majority favorable vote of each such board and of the members of the legislative authority of each such municipal corporation, may form themselves into a joint police district comprising all or any part of the townships or municipal corporations as are mutually agreed upon. The governing body of the joint police district shall be a joint police district board, which shall include either all of the township trustees of each township and all of the members of the legislative authority of each municipal corporation in the district, as agreed to and established in the joint resolution creating the joint police district; or an odd number of members as agreed to and established in the joint resolution, as long as the members are representatives from each board of township trustees of each township and from the legislative authority of each municipal corporation in the joint police district.

(B) The joint police district board shall organize within thirty days after the favorable vote by the last board of township trustees or the members of the legislative authority of the last municipal corporation joining itself into the joint police district board. The chairperson of the board of township trustees of the most populous participating township or the legislative authority of the most populous participating municipal corporation shall give notice of the time and place of organization to each pending member of the joint police district board, as established in the joint resolution. Such notice shall be signed and shall be sent by certified mail to each such pending member of the board at least five days prior to the organization meeting, which meeting shall be held in one of the participating townships or municipal corporations. Two-thirds of the joint police district board members constitutes a quorum. The members of the joint police district board shall, at the organization meeting, proceed with the election of a president, a secretary, and a treasurer, and such other officers as they consider necessary and proper, and shall transact such other business as properly comes before the board.

(C) In the formation of a joint police district, such action may be taken by or on behalf of part of a township, by excluding that portion of the township lying within a municipal corporation. The joint police district board may exercise the same powers as are granted to a board of township trustees in the operation of a township police district under sections 505.49 to 505.55 of the Revised Code, including, but not limited to, the power to employ, train, and discipline personnel, to acquire equipment and buildings, to levy a tax, to issue bonds and notes, and to dissolve the district.

Section 505.483 | Resolution to join existing joint police district.

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

A township or municipal corporation, or parts thereof, may join an existing joint police district by the adoption of a resolution by the township or of an ordinance by the municipal corporation requesting participation in the district and upon approval of the existing joint police district board.

Section 505.484 | Performance bond.

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

The treasurer of the joint police district board, before entering upon the duties of that office, shall execute a bond payable to the state, in the amount and with surety to be approved by the joint police district board, conditioned for the faithful performance of all the official duties required by the treasurer. The bond shall be deposited with the president of the joint police district board, and a copy thereof, certified by the president, shall be filed with the county auditor.

Section 505.49 | Rules necessary for operation of township police district.

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

(A) As used in this section, "felony" has the same meaning as in section 109.511 of the Revised Code.

(B)(1) The township trustees of a township police district, by a two-thirds vote of the board, or a joint police district board, by majority vote of its members, may adopt rules necessary for the operation of the township or joint police district, including a determination of the qualifications of the chief of police, patrol officers, and others to serve as members of the district police force.

(2) Except as otherwise provided in division (E) of this section and subject to division (D) of this section, the township trustees of a township police district, by a two-thirds vote of the board or the joint police district board, by majority vote of its members, shall appoint a chief of police for the district, determine the number of patrol officers and other personnel required by the district, and establish salary schedules and other conditions of employment for the employees of the township or joint police district. The chief of police of the district shall serve at the pleasure of the township trustees or the joint police district board and shall appoint patrol officers and other personnel that the district may require, subject to division (D) of this section and to the rules and limits as to qualifications, salary ranges, and numbers of personnel established by the board of township trustees or the joint police district board. The township trustees may include in the township police district and under the direction and control of the chief of police any constable appointed pursuant to section 509.01 of the Revised Code, or may designate the chief of police or any patrol officer appointed by the chief of police as a constable, as provided for in section 509.01 of the Revised Code, for the township police district.

(3) Except as provided in division (D) of this section, a patrol officer, other police district employee, or police constable, who has been awarded a certificate attesting to the satisfactory completion of an approved state, county, or municipal police basic training program, as required by section 109.77 of the Revised Code, may be removed or suspended only under the conditions and by the procedures in sections 505.491 to 505.495 of the Revised Code. Any other patrol officer, police district employee, or police constable shall serve at the pleasure of the township trustees or joint police district board. In case of removal or suspension of an appointee by the board of township trustees of a township police district or the joint police district board, that appointee may appeal the decision of either board to the court of common pleas of the county in which the district is situated to determine the sufficiency of the cause of removal or suspension. The appointee shall take the appeal within ten days of written notice to the appointee of the decision of the board.

(C)(1) Division (B) of this section does not apply to a township that has a population of ten thousand or more persons residing within the township and outside of any municipal corporation, that has its own police department employing ten or more full-time paid employees, and that has a civil service commission established under division (B) of section 124.40 of the Revised Code. The township shall comply with the procedures for the employment, promotion, and discharge of police personnel provided by Chapter 124. of the Revised Code, except as otherwise provided in divisions (C)(2) and (3) of this section.

(2) The board of township trustees of the township may appoint the chief of police, and a person so appointed shall be in the unclassified service under section 124.11 of the Revised Code and shall serve at the pleasure of the board. A person appointed chief of police under these conditions who is removed by the board or who resigns from the position shall be entitled to return to the classified service in the township police department, in the position that person held previous to the person's appointment as chief of police.

(3) The appointing authority of an urban township, as defined in section 504.01 of the Revised Code, may appoint to a vacant position any one of the three highest scorers on the eligible list for a promotional examination.

(4) The board of township trustees of a township described in this division shall determine the number of personnel required and establish salary schedules and conditions of employment not in conflict with Chapter 124. of the Revised Code.

(5) Persons employed as police personnel in a township described in this division on the date a civil service commission is appointed pursuant to division (B) of section 124.40 of the Revised Code, without being required to pass a competitive examination or a police training program, shall retain their employment and any rank previously granted them by action of the township trustees or otherwise, but those persons are eligible for promotion only by compliance with Chapter 124. of the Revised Code.

(6) This division does not apply to constables appointed pursuant to section 509.01 of the Revised Code. This division is subject to division (D) of this section.

(D)(1) The board of township trustees or a joint police district board shall not appoint or employ a person as a chief of police, and the chief of police shall not appoint or employ a person as a patrol officer or other peace officer of a township police district, township police department, or joint police district on a permanent basis, on a temporary basis, for a probationary term, or on other than a permanent basis if the person previously has been convicted of or has pleaded guilty to a felony.

(2)(a) The board of township trustees or joint police district board shall terminate the appointment or employment of a chief of police, patrol officer, or other peace officer of a township police district, township police department, or joint police district who does either of the following:

(i) Pleads guilty to a felony;

(ii) Pleads guilty to a misdemeanor pursuant to a negotiated plea agreement as provided in division (D) of section 2929.43 of the Revised Code in which the chief of police, patrol officer, or other peace officer of a township police district, township police department, or joint police district agrees to surrender the certificate awarded to that chief of police, patrol officer, or other peace officer under section 109.77 of the Revised Code.

(b) The board shall suspend the appointment or employment of a chief of police, patrol officer, or other peace officer of a township police district, township police department, or joint police district who is convicted, after trial, of a felony. If such chief of police, patrol officer, or other peace officer files an appeal from that conviction and the conviction is upheld by the highest court to which the appeal is taken, or, if no timely appeal is filed, the board shall terminate the appointment or employment of that chief of police, patrol officer, or other peace officer. If the chief of police, patrol officer, or other peace officer of a township police district, township police department, or joint police district files an appeal that results in that chief of police's, patrol officer's, or other peace officer's acquittal of the felony or conviction of a misdemeanor, or in the dismissal of the felony charge against the chief of police, patrol officer, or other peace officer, the board shall reinstate that chief of police, patrol officer, or other peace officer. A chief of police, patrol officer, or other peace officer who is reinstated under division (D)(2)(b) of this section shall not receive any back pay unless the conviction of that chief of police, patrol officer, or other peace officer of the felony was reversed on appeal, or the felony charge was dismissed, because the court found insufficient evidence to convict the chief of police, patrol officer, or other peace officer of the felony.

(3) Division (D) of this section does not apply regarding an offense that was committed prior to January 1, 1997.

(4) The suspension or termination of the appointment or employment of a chief of police, patrol officer, or other peace officer under division (D)(2) of this section shall be in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.

(E) The board of township trustees or the joint police district board may enter into a contract under section 505.43 or 505.50 of the Revised Code to obtain all police protection for the township police district or joint police district from one or more municipal corporations, county sheriffs, or other townships. If the board enters into such a contract, subject to division (D) of this section, it may, but is not required to, appoint a police chief for the district.

(F) The members of the police force of a township police district of a township, or of a joint police district board comprised of a township, that adopts the limited self-government form of township government shall serve as peace officers for the township territory included in the district.

(G) A chief of police or patrol officer of a township police district, township police department, or joint police district may participate, as the director of an organized crime task force established under section 177.02 of the Revised Code or as a member of the investigatory staff of that task force, in an investigation of organized criminal activity in any county or counties in this state under sections 177.01 to 177.03 of the Revised Code.

Section 505.491 | Police officer guilty in performance of official duty.

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

Except as provided in division (D) of section 505.49 or in division (C) of section 509.01 of the Revised Code for a board of township trustees, and except as provided in division (D) of section 505.49 of the Revised Code for a joint police district board, if the board has reason to believe that a chief of police, patrol officer, or other township or joint police district employee appointed under division (B) of section 505.49 of the Revised Code or a police constable appointed under division (B) of section 509.01 of the Revised Code has been guilty, in the performance of the official duty of that chief of police, patrol officer, other township or joint police district employee, or police constable, of bribery, misfeasance, malfeasance, nonfeasance, misconduct in office, neglect of duty, gross immorality, habitual drunkenness, incompetence, or failure to obey orders given that person by the proper authority, the board immediately shall file written charges against that person. The written charges shall set forth in detail a statement of the alleged guilt and, at the same time, or as soon thereafter as possible, serve a true copy of those charges upon the person against whom they are made. The service may be made on the person or by leaving a copy of the charges at the office or residence of that person. Return of the service shall be made to the board in the same manner that is provided for the return of the service of summons in a civil action.

Section 505.492 | Hearing of charge against police officer.

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

Charges filed by the board of township trustees or joint police district board under section 505.491 of the Revised Code shall be heard at the next regular meeting thereof, unless the board extends the time for the hearing, which shall be done only on the application of the accused. The accused may appear in person and by counsel, examine all witnesses, and answer all charges against the accused.

Section 505.493 | Suspension of officer pending hearing.

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

Pending any proceedings under sections 505.491 and 505.492 of the Revised Code, an accused person may be suspended by the board of township trustees or joint police district board, but such suspension shall be for a period not longer than fifteen days, unless the hearing of such charges is extended upon the application of the accused, in which event the suspension shall not exceed thirty days.

Section 505.494 | Subpoena power.

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

For the purpose of investigating charges filed pursuant to section 505.491 of the Revised Code, the board of township trustees or joint police district board may issue subpoenas or compulsory process to compel the attendance of persons and the production of books and papers before it and provide by resolution for exercising and enforcing this section.

Section 505.495 | Oaths - compelling testimony.

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

In all cases in which the attendance of witnesses may be compelled for an investigation, under section 505.494 of the Revised Code, any member of the board of township trustees or of the joint police district board may administer the requisite oaths. The board has the same power to compel the giving of testimony by attending witnesses as is conferred upon courts. In all such cases, witnesses shall be entitled to the same privileges and immunities as are allowed witnesses in civil cases. Witnesses shall be paid the fees and mileage provided for under section 1901.26 of the Revised Code, and the costs of all such proceedings shall be payable from the general fund of the township or joint police district.

Section 505.50 | Equipment and buildings for police protection.

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

The board of township trustees of a township or of a township police district, or a joint police district board, may purchase, lease, lease with an option to purchase, or otherwise acquire any police apparatus, equipment, including a public communications system, or materials that the township, township police district, or joint police district requires and may build, purchase, lease, or lease with an option to purchase any building or buildings and site of the building or buildings that are necessary for the police operations of the township or either district.

The boards of trustees of any two or more contiguous townships, or the boards of township trustees of one or more contiguous townships and the legislative authorities of one or more contiguous municipal corporations, by joint agreement, may unite in the joint purchase, lease, lease with an option to purchase, maintenance, use, and operation of police equipment for any other police purpose designated in sections 505.48 to 505.55 of the Revised Code, and to prorate the expense of that joint action on terms mutually agreed upon by the trustees in each affected township and the legislative authorities of each affected municipal corporation.

The board of trustees of a township or of a township police district, or a joint police district board, may enter into a contract with one or more townships, a municipal corporation, a park district created pursuant to section 511.18 or 1545.01 of the Revised Code, or the county sheriff upon any terms that are mutually agreed upon for the provision of police protection services or additional police protection services either on a regular basis or for additional protection in times of emergency. The contract shall be agreed to in each instance by the respective board or boards of township trustees, the board of county commissioners, the board of park commissioners, the joint police district board, or the legislative authority of the municipal corporation involved. The contract may provide for a fixed annual charge to be paid at the time agreed upon in the contract.

Chapter 2744. of the Revised Code, insofar as it is applicable to the operation of police departments, applies to the contracting political subdivisions and police department members when the members are serving outside their own political subdivision pursuant to such a contract. Police department members acting outside the political subdivision in which they are employed may participate in any pension or indemnity fund established by their employer and are entitled to all the rights and benefits of Chapter 4123. of the Revised Code, to the same extent as while performing services within the political subdivision.

Section 505.51 | Police district or joint police district tax levy.

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

(A) In the case of a township police district, the board of trustees of the township police district may levy a tax upon all of the taxable property in the township police district pursuant to sections 5705.19 and 5705.25 of the Revised Code to defray all or a portion of expenses of the township police district in providing police protection.

(B) In the case of a joint police district, the joint police district board may levy a tax upon all of the taxable property in the joint police district pursuant to sections 5705.19 and 5705.25 of the Revised Code to defray all or a portion of expenses of the joint police district in providing police protection.

Section 505.511 | Fee for false alarms resulting from malfunction of same commercial or residential security alarm system.

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

(A) A board of township trustees that operates a township police department, the board of township trustees of a township police district, or a joint police district board may, after police constables, the township police, a law enforcement agency with which the township contracts for police services, the joint police district police, and the county sheriff or the sheriff's deputy have answered a combined total of three false alarms from the same commercial or residential security alarm system within the township in the same calendar year, cause the township fiscal officer to mail the manager of the commercial establishment or the occupant, lessee, agent, or tenant of the residence a bill for each subsequent false alarm from the same alarm system during that year, to defray the costs incurred. The bill's amount shall be as follows:

(1) For the fourth false alarm of that year _____ $50.00;

(2) For the fifth false alarm of that year _____ $100.00;

(3) For all false alarms in that year occurring after the fifth false alarm _____ $150.00.

If payment of the bill is not received within thirty days, the township fiscal officer or joint police district treasurer shall send a notice by certified mail to the manager and to the owner, if different, of the real estate of which the commercial establishment is a part, or to the occupant, lessee, agent, or tenant and to the owner, if different, of the real estate of which the residence is a part, indicating that failure to pay the bill within thirty days, or to show just cause why the bill should not be paid, will result in the assessment of a lien upon the real estate in the amount of the bill. If payment is not received within those thirty days or if just cause is not shown, the amount of the bill shall be entered upon the tax duplicate, shall be a lien upon the real estate from the date of the entry, and shall be collected as other taxes and returned to the township treasury to be earmarked for use for police services.

The board of township trustees shall not cause the township fiscal officer, or the joint police district board shall not cause the joint police district treasurer, to send a bill pursuant to this division if a bill has already been sent pursuant to division (B) of this section for the same false alarm.

(B) The county sheriff may, after the county sheriff or the sheriff's deputy, police constables, the township police, the joint police district police, and a law enforcement agency with which the township contracts for police services have answered a combined total of three false alarms from the same commercial or residential security alarm system within the unincorporated area of the county in the same calendar year, mail the manager of the commercial establishment or the occupant, lessee, agent, or tenant of the residence a bill for each subsequent false alarm from the same alarm system during that year, to defray the costs incurred. The bill's amount shall be as follows:

(1) For the fourth false alarm of that year _____ $50.00;

(2) For the fifth false alarm of that year _____ $100.00;

(3) For all false alarms in that year occurring after the fifth false alarm _____ $150.00.

If payment of the bill is not received within thirty days, the sheriff shall send a notice by certified mail to the manager and to the owner, if different, of the real estate of which the commercial establishment is a part, or to the occupant, lessee, agent, or tenant and to the owner, if different, of the real estate of which the residence is a part, indicating that failure to pay the bill within thirty days, or to show just cause why the bill should not be paid, will result in the assessment of a lien upon the real estate in the amount of the bill. If payment is not received within those thirty days or if just cause is not shown, the amount of the bill shall be entered upon the tax duplicate, shall be a lien upon the real estate from the date of the entry, and shall be collected as other taxes and returned to the county treasury.

The sheriff shall not send a bill pursuant to this division if a bill has already been sent pursuant to division (A) of this section for the same false alarm.

(C) As used in this section, "commercial establishment" has the same meaning as in section 505.391 of the Revised Code.

Section 505.52 | Police equipment fund.

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

The board of trustees of a township police district or a joint police district board may issue bonds for the purpose of buying police equipment in the manner provided for in section 133.18 and pursuant to Chapter 133. of the Revised Code. The proceeds of the bonds issued under this section, other than any premium and accrued interest which is credited to the sinking fund, shall be placed in the township treasury or joint police district board treasury to the credit of a fund to be known as the "police equipment fund." Money from the police equipment fund shall be paid out only upon order of the township board of trustees of the township police district or of the joint police district board.

Section 505.53 | Police district and joint police district notes.

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

The board of trustees of a township police district or a joint police district board may issue notes for a period not to exceed three years for the purpose of buying police equipment or a building or site to house police equipment. One-third of the purchase price of the equipment, building, or site shall be paid at the time of purchase, and the remainder of the purchase price shall be covered by notes maturing in two and three years respectively. Notes may bear interest not to exceed the rate determined as provided in section 9.95 of the Revised Code, and shall not be subject to Chapter 133. of the Revised Code. Such notes shall be offered for sale on the open market or given to a vendor if no sale is made.

Section 505.54 | Additional training or skills for police personnel.

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

The board of trustees of the township or the joint police district board may, upon nomination by the chief of police, send one or more of the officers, patrol officers, or other employees of the township police district or the joint police district to a school of instruction designed to provide additional training or skills related to the employees work assignment in the district. The trustees may make advance tuition payments for any employee so nominated and may defray all or a portion of the employee's expenses while receiving this instruction.

Section 505.541 | Parking enforcement unit.

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

(A) The board of township trustees or a joint police district board, respectively, may establish, by resolution, a parking enforcement unit within a township police district or within a joint police district, and provide for the regulation of parking enforcement officers. The chief of police of the district shall be the executive head of the parking enforcement unit, shall make all appointments and removals of parking enforcement officers, subject to any general rules prescribed by the board of township trustees by resolution or joint police district board, as appropriate, and shall prescribe rules for the organization, training, administration, control, and conduct of the parking enforcement unit. The chief of police may appoint parking enforcement officers who agree to serve for nominal compensation, and persons with physical disabilities may receive appointments as parking enforcement officers.

(B) The authority of the parking enforcement officers shall be limited to the enforcement of section 4511.69 of the Revised Code and any other parking laws specified in the resolution creating the parking enforcement unit. Parking enforcement officers shall have no other powers.

(C) The training the parking enforcement officers shall receive shall include instruction in general administrative rules and procedures governing the parking enforcement unit, the role of the judicial system as it relates to parking regulation and enforcement, proper techniques and methods relating to the enforcement of parking laws, human interaction skills, and first aid.

Section 505.55 | Dissolution of township police district.

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

In the event that need for a township police district ceases to exist, the township trustees by a two-thirds vote of the board shall adopt a resolution specifying the date that the township police district shall cease to exist and provide for the disposal of all property belonging to the district by public sale. Such sale must be by public auction and upon notice thereof being published once a week for three weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in such township or as provided in section 7.16 of the Revised Code. The last of such publications shall be made at least five days before the date of the sale. Any moneys remaining after the dissolution of the district or received from the public sale of property shall be paid into the treasury of the township and may be expended for any public purpose when duly authorized by the township board of trustees.

Section 505.551 | Withdrawal from and dissolution of joint police district.

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

(A) Any township or municipal corporation may withdraw from a joint police district created under section 505.482 of the Revised Code by adopting a resolution or an ordinance, respectively, ordering withdrawal. On or after the first day of January of the year following the adoption of the resolution or ordinance of withdrawal, the township or municipal corporation withdrawing ceases to be a part of the district, and the power of the district to levy a tax upon the taxable property in the withdrawing township or municipal corporation terminates, except that the district shall continue to levy and collect taxes for the payment of indebtedness within the territory of the district as it was comprised at the time the indebtedness was incurred.

(B) Upon the withdrawal of any township or municipal corporation from a joint police district, the county auditor shall ascertain, apportion, and order a division of the funds on hand and moneys and taxes in the process of collection, except for taxes levied for the payment of indebtedness, credits, and real and personal property, either in money or in kind, on the basis of the valuation of the respective tax duplicates of the withdrawing township or municipal corporation and the remaining territory of the joint police district.

(C) When the number of townships or municipal corporations comprising a joint police district is reduced to one, the joint police district ceases to exist by operation of law, and the funds, credits, and property remaining after apportionments to withdrawing townships or municipal corporations shall be assumed by the one remaining township or municipal corporation. When a joint police district ceases to exist and an indebtedness remains unpaid, the board of county commissioners shall continue to levy and collect taxes for the payment of that indebtedness within the territory of the joint police district as it was comprised at the time the indebtedness was incurred.

Section 505.56 | Excise tax on transactions by which lodging is furnished to transient guests.

• Effective: June 21, 2002
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 143 - 124th General Assembly

Subject to the limitation in division (A) of section 5739.08 of the Revised Code, a board of township trustees may by resolution adopted by a majority of the members of the board, levy an excise tax on transactions by which lodging by a hotel is or is to be furnished to transient guests. The board may establish all regulations necessary to provide for the administration and allocation of the tax. All funds arising from such an excise tax shall be deposited in the township treasury and may be expended for any lawful purpose. A board of township trustees shall not levy the tax authorized by this section in any city or village.

As used in this section, "hotel" and "transient guests" have the same meaning as in section 5739.01 of the Revised Code.

Section 505.57 | Use of proceeds of lodging tax receipts by local school district.

• Effective: January 13, 1978
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 182 - 112th General Assembly

A board of township trustees of any township that contains a local school district in which is located a tax exempt, state-owned lodge, may, by resolution, use the proceeds of the tax imposed under section 505.56 of the Revised Code for the benefit of such district if the board determines and states in such resolution that the existence of such lodge creates a serious financial burden on such district. Upon adoption of the resolution by a majority of the members of the board, the board may pay any part of the proceeds of such tax to such district.

Section 505.58 | Contributions to convention and visitors' bureaus from general fund.

• Effective: January 1, 1980
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 355 - 113th General Assembly

A board of township trustees may expend money from the general fund to make contributions to convention and visitors' bureaus operating within the county in which the township is located.

Section 505.59 | Withdrawal of unincorporated territory from transit authority; tax levy to provide transportation services.

• Effective: September 10, 2012
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 487 - 129th General Assembly

The board of township trustees of a township that withdraws or proposes by resolution to withdraw the unincorporated territory of the township from a regional transit authority under section 306.55 of the Revised Code may levy a tax on taxable property in the unincorporated area of the township under section 5705.72 of the Revised Code to provide transportation services for the movement of persons within, from, or to the unincorporated area of the township.

Section 505.60 | Health insurance for township officers and employees.

• Effective: September 27, 2022
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 377 - 134th General Assembly

(A) As provided in this section and section 505.601 of the Revised Code, the board of township trustees of any township may procure and pay all or any part of the cost of insurance policies that may provide benefits for hospitalization, surgical care, major medical care, disability, dental care, eye care, medical care, hearing aids, prescription drugs, or sickness and accident insurance, or a combination of any of the foregoing types of insurance for township officers and employees. The board of township trustees of any township may negotiate and contract for the purchase of a policy of long-term care insurance for township officers and employees pursuant to section 124.841 of the Revised Code.

If the board procures any insurance policies under this section, the board shall provide uniform coverage under these policies for township officers and full-time township employees and their immediate dependents, and may provide coverage under these policies for part-time township employees and their immediate dependents, from the funds or budgets from which the officers or employees are compensated for services, such policies to be issued by an insurance company duly authorized to do business in this state.

(B) The board may also provide coverage for any or all of the benefits described in division (A) of this section by entering into a contract for group health care services with health insuring corporations holding certificates of authority under Chapter 1751. of the Revised Code for township officers and employees and their immediate dependents. If the board so contracts, it shall provide uniform coverage under any such contracts for township officers and full-time township employees and their immediate dependents, from the funds or budgets from which the officers or employees are compensated for services, and may provide coverage under such contracts for part-time township employees and their immediate dependents, from the funds or budgets from which the officers or employees are compensated for services, provided that each officer and employee so covered is permitted to:

(1) Choose between a plan offered by an insurance company and a plan offered by a health insuring corporation, and provided further that the officer or employee pays any amount by which the cost of the plan chosen exceeds the cost of the plan offered by the board under this section;

(2) Change the choice made under this division at a time each year as determined in advance by the board.

An addition of a class or change of definition of coverage to the plan offered under this division by the board may be made at any time that it is determined by the board to be in the best interest of the township. If the total cost to the township of the revised plan for any trustee's coverage does not exceed that cost under the plan in effect during the prior policy year, the revision of the plan does not cause an increase in that trustee's compensation.

(C) Any township officer or employee may refuse to accept any coverage authorized by this section without affecting the availability of such coverage to other township officers and employees.

(D) If any township officer or employee is denied coverage under a health care plan procured under this section or if any township officer or employee elects not to participate in the township's health care plan, the township may reimburse the officer or employee for each out-of-pocket premium attributable to the coverage provided for the officer or employee and their immediate dependents for insurance benefits described in division (A) of this section that the officer or employee otherwise obtains, but not to exceed an amount equal to the average premium paid by the township for its officers and employees under any health care plan it procures under this section.

(E) The board may provide the benefits authorized under this section, without competitive bidding, by contributing to a health and welfare trust fund administered through or in conjunction with a collective bargaining representative of the township employees.

The board may also provide the benefits described in this section through an individual self-insurance program or a joint self-insurance program as provided in section 9.833 of the Revised Code.

(F) If a board of township trustees fails to pay one or more premiums for a policy, contract, or plan of insurance or health care services authorized under this section and the failure causes a lapse, cancellation, or other termination of coverage under the policy, contract, or plan, it may reimburse a township officer or employee for, or pay on behalf of the officer or employee, any expenses incurred that would have been covered under the policy, contract, or plan.

(G) As used in this section and section 505.601 of the Revised Code:

(1) "Applicable large employer" has the same meaning as in section 1513 of the "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act," 26 U.S.C. 4980H.

(2) "First responder" means a township employee whose primary job duties include those of any of the following occupations:

(a) A firefighter of a lawfully constituted fire department;

(b) A first responder, emergency medical technician-basic, emergency medical technician-intermediate, or emergency medical technician-paramedic of an ambulance service organization or emergency medical service organization as described in Chapter 4765. of the Revised Code.

(3)(a) Except as provided in division (G)(3)(b) of this section, "part-time township employee" means a township employee who is hired with the expectation that the employee will work not more than one thousand five hundred hours in any year;

(b) "Part-time township employee" with respect to a first responder who is employed by a township that does not qualify as an applicable large employer means a first responder who is hired with the expectation that the first responder will work not more than one thousand nine hundred seventy-six hours in any year.

(4) "Premium" does not include any deductible or health care costs paid directly by a township officer or employee.

Last updated July 8, 2022 at 8:30 AM

Section 505.601 | Reimbursement of officers and employees for health care premiums.

• Effective: September 28, 2012
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 509 - 129th General Assembly

If a board of township trustees does not procure an insurance policy or group health care services as provided in section 505.60 of the Revised Code, the board of township trustees may reimburse any township officer or employee for each out-of-pocket premium attributable to the coverage provided for that officer or employee for insurance benefits described in division (A) of section 505.60 of the Revised Code that the officer or employee otherwise obtains, if all of the following conditions are met:

(A) The board of township trustees adopts a resolution that states that the township has chosen not to procure a health care plan under section 505.60 of the Revised Code and has chosen instead to reimburse its officers and employees for each out-of-pocket premium attributable to the coverage provided for them for insurance benefits described in division (A) of section 505.60 of the Revised Code that they otherwise obtain.

(B) That resolution provides for a uniform maximum monthly or yearly payment amount for each officer or employee to cover themselves and their immediate dependents, beyond which the township will not reimburse the officer or employee.

(C) That resolution states the specific benefits listed in division (A) of section 505.60 of the Revised Code for which the township will reimburse all officers and employees of the township. The township may not reimburse officers and employees for benefits other than those listed in division (A) of section 505.60 of the Revised Code.

Section 505.602 | Group life insurance for township officers and employees.

• Effective: September 28, 2016
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 413 - 131st General Assembly

A board of township trustees may procure and pay all or any part of the cost of group life insurance to insure the lives of officers and employees of the township. The amount of group life insurance coverage provided by the board to insure the lives of officers of the township shall not exceed fifty thousand dollars per officer.

Section 505.603 | Benefits to officers and employees through a cafeteria plan or health and wellness benefit program.

• Effective: September 28, 2012
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 509 - 129th General Assembly

(A) In addition to or in lieu of providing benefits to township officers and employees under section 505.60, 505.601, or 505.602 of the Revised Code, a board of township trustees may offer benefits to officers and employees through a cafeteria plan that meets the requirements of section 125 of the "Internal Revenue Code of 1986," 100 Stat. 2085, 26 U.S.C.A. 125, as amended, after first adopting a policy authorizing an officer or employee to receive a cash payment in lieu of a benefit otherwise offered to township officers or employees under any of those sections, but only if the cash payment does not exceed twenty-five per cent of the cost of premiums or payments that otherwise would be paid by the board for benefits for the officer or employee under an offered policy, contract, or plan. No cash payment in lieu of a benefit shall be made pursuant to this section unless the officer or employee signs a statement affirming that the officer or employee is covered under another health insurance or health care policy, contract, or plan in the case of a health benefit, or a life insurance policy in the case of a life insurance benefit, and setting forth the name of the employer, if any, that sponsors the coverage, the name of the carrier that provides the coverage, and an identifying number of the applicable policy, contract, or plan.

(B) In addition to providing the benefits to township officers and employees under section 505.60, 505.601, or 505.602 of the Revised Code, a board of township trustees may offer a health and wellness benefit program through which the township provides a benefit or incentive to township officers, employees, and their immediate dependents to maintain a healthy lifestyle, including, but not limited to, programs to encourage healthy eating and nutrition, exercise and physical activity, weight control or the elimination of obesity, and cessation of smoking or alcohol use.

(C) The township fiscal officer may deduct from a township employee's salary or wages the amount authorized to be paid by the employee for one or more qualified benefits available under section 125 of the "Internal Revenue Code of 1986," 26 U.S.C. 125, and under the sections listed in division (B) of this section, if the employee authorizes in writing that the township fiscal officer may deduct that amount from the employee's salary or wages, and the benefit is offered to the employee on a group basis and at least ten per cent of the township employees voluntarily elect to participate in the receipt of that benefit. The township fiscal officer may issue warrants for amounts deducted under this division to pay program administrators or other insurers for benefits authorized under this section or those sections listed in division (B) of this section.

Section 505.61 | Liability insurance for police personnel.

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

A board of township trustees may purchase a policy or policies of insurance to indemnify township constables appointed under Chapter 509. of the Revised Code or the chief of police, patrol officers, and other employees of a township police district established under sections 505.48 to 505.55 of the Revised Code against liability arising from the performance of their official duties.

A joint police district board may purchase a policy or policies of insurance to indemnify the chief of police, patrol officers, and other employees of a joint police district established under section 505.482 of the Revised Code against liability arising from the performance of their duties.

Section 505.62 | Appropriations for potential or pending annexation actions.

• Effective: March 27, 2002
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 5 - 124th General Assembly

A board of township trustees may enter into a contract with, and may appropriate township general revenue fund moneys for the services of, an attorney to represent the township, expert witnesses, and other consultants as the board determines are necessary for any potential or pending annexation action, including proceedings before a board of county commissioners or any court. The board also may appropriate general revenue fund moneys for any other expenses it considers necessary that are related to any potential or pending annexation actions.

Section 505.63 | Liability insurance for firefighting personnel.

• Effective: March 3, 1982
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 76 - 114th General Assembly

A board of township trustees or a board of fire district trustees may purchase a policy or policies of insurance insuring each township or fire district officer and the board's employees and appointees against liability arising from the performance of their official duties.

Section 505.64 | Authorizing use of township credit card.

• Effective: November 2, 2018
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 312 - 132nd General Assembly

(A) The board of township trustees of any township may authorize an officer, employee, or appointee of the township to use a credit card account held by the board of township trustees in accordance with this section.

Not later than three months after the effective date of this amendment , the board of township trustees of any township that holds a credit card account on the effective date of this amendment shall adopt a written policy for the use of credit card accounts. Otherwise, a board shall adopt a written policy before first holding a credit card account.

The policy shall include provisions addressing all of the following:

(1) The officers, positions, or appointees authorized to use a credit card account;

(2) The types of expenses of which a credit card account may be used;

(3) The procedure for acquisition, use, and management of a credit card account and presentation instruments related to the account including cards and checks;

(4) The procedure for submitting itemized receipts to the fiscal officer or the fiscal officer's designee;

(5) The procedure for credit card issuance, credit card reissuance, credit card cancellation, and the process for reporting lost or stolen credit cards;

(6) The township's credit card account's maximum credit limit or limits;

(7) The actions or omissions by an officer, employee, or appointee that qualify as misuse of a credit card account.

(B) The name of the township shall appear on each presentation instrument related to the account including cards and checks.

(C) If the township fiscal officer does not retain general possession and control of the credit card account and presentation instruments related to the account including cards and checks, the following applies:

(1) In a township that has adopted a limited home rule government under Chapter 504. of the Revised Code, the board shall appoint a compliance officer to perform the duties enumerated under division (D) of this section. The compliance officer may not use a credit card account and may not authorize an officer, employee, or appointee to use a credit card account, except that a board of township trustees serving in the role of compliance officer may use a credit card account if so authorized under the policy and may authorize an officer, employee, or appointee to use a credit card account as provided in division (A) of this section. The fiscal officer is not eligible for appointment as compliance officer.

(2) In a township that has not adopted a limited home rule government under Chapter 504. of the Revised Code, the fiscal officer monthly shall present to the board credit card account transaction detail from the previous month. The board shall review the credit card account transaction detail and the chairperson of the board shall sign an attestation stating the board reviewed the credit card account transaction detail.

(D) The compliance officer, if applicable, and the board at least once every six months shall review the number of cards and accounts issued, the number of active cards and accounts issued, the cards' and accounts' expiration dates, and the cards' and accounts' credit limits.

(E) If the fiscal officer retains general possession and control of the credit card account and presentation instruments related to the account including cards and checks, and the board authorizes an officer, employee, or appointee to use a credit card, the fiscal officer may use a system to sign out credit cards to the authorized users. The officer, employee, or appointee is liable in person and upon any official bond the officer, employee, or appointee has given to the township to reimburse the township treasury the amount for which the officer, employee, or appointee does not provide itemized receipts in accordance with the policy described in division (A) of this section.

(F) The use of a credit card account for expenses beyond those authorized by the board constitutes misuse of a credit card account. An officer, employee, or appointee of a township or a public servant as defined under section 2921.01 of the Revised Code who knowingly misuses a credit card account held by the board violates section 2913.21 of the Revised Code.

(G) The fiscal officer or the fiscal officer's designee annually shall file a report with the board detailing all rewards received based on the use of the township's credit card account.

(H) As used in this section, "credit card account" means any bank-issued credit card account, store-issued credit card account, financial institution-issued credit card account, financial depository-issued credit card account, affinity credit card account, or any other card account allowing the holder to purchase goods or services on credit or to transact with the account, and any debit or gift card account related to the receipt of grant moneys. "Credit card account" does not include a procurement card account, gasoline or telephone credit card account, or any other card account where merchant category codes are in place as a system of control for use of the card account.

Section 505.66 | Snow removal on public school property.

• Effective: December 3, 1971
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 168 - 109th General Assembly

A board of township trustees may remove snow from public school property, or other public property, at the request of the board of education of a city, exempted village, local school district, legislative authority, or governing body. Such board of education, legislative authority, or governing body may reimburse the township for the cost of labor and materials utilized for any such maintenance at a fee mutually agreed upon by the board of education, legislative authority, or governing body and the board of township trustees.

Last updated March 23, 2022 at 3:19 PM

Section 505.67 | Voluntary motor vehicle decal registration program.

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

(A) If the board of county commissioners of the county in which a township is located has not established a motor vehicle decal registration program under section 311.31 of the Revised Code, the board of township trustees may establish, by resolution, a voluntary motor vehicle decal registration program to be controlled and conducted by the chief law enforcement officer of the township within the unincorporated areas of the township. The board may establish a fee for participation in the program in an amount sufficient to cover the cost of administering the program and the cost of the decals.

(B) Any resident of the township may enroll a motor vehicle that the resident owns in the program by signing a consent form, displaying the decal issued under this section, and paying the prescribed fee. The motor vehicle owner shall remove the decal to withdraw from the program and also prior to the sale or transfer of ownership of the vehicle. Any law enforcement officer may conduct, at any place within this state at which the officer would be permitted to arrest the person operating the vehicle, an investigatory stop of any motor vehicle displaying a decal issued under this section when the vehicle is being driven between the hours of one a.m. and five a.m. A law enforcement officer may conduct an investigatory stop under this division regardless of whether the officer observes a violation of law involving the vehicle or whether the officer has probable cause to believe that any violation of law involving the vehicle has occurred.

(C) The consent form required under division (B) of this section shall:

(1) Describe the conditions for participation in the program, including a description of an investigatory stop and a statement that any law enforcement officer may conduct, at any place within this state at which the officer would be permitted to arrest the person operating the vehicle, an investigatory stop of the motor vehicle when it is being driven between the hours of one a.m. and five a.m.

(2) Contain other information identifying the vehicle and owner as the chief law enforcement officer of the township considers necessary.

(D) The state director of public safety, in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, shall adopt rules governing the color, size, and design of decals issued under this section and the location where the decals shall be displayed on vehicles that are enrolled in the program.

(E) Divisions (A) to (D) of this section do not require a law enforcement officer to conduct an investigatory stop of a vehicle displaying a decal issued under this section.

(F) As used in this section:

(1) "Investigatory stop" means a temporary stop of a motor vehicle and its operator and occupants for purposes of determining the identity of the person who is operating the vehicle and, if the person who is operating it is not its owner, whether any violation of law has occurred or is occurring. An "investigatory stop" is not an arrest, but, if an officer who conducts an investigatory stop determines that illegal conduct has occurred or is occurring, an "investigatory stop" may be the basis for an arrest.

(2) "Law enforcement officer" means a sheriff, deputy sheriff, constable, police officer of a township or joint police district, marshal, deputy marshal, municipal police officer, or state highway patrol trooper.

Section 505.69 | Acquire, rehabilitate, and develop rail property and rail service.

• Effective: October 20, 1994
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 250 - 120th General Assembly

As used in this section, "rail property" and "rail service" have the same meanings as in section 4981.01 of the Revised Code.

The board of township trustees may acquire, rehabilitate, and develop rail property and rail service, and may enter into agreements with the Ohio rail development commission, boards of county commissioners, legislative authorities of municipal corporations, other boards of township trustees, with other governmental agencies or organizations, and with private agencies or organizations in order to achieve those purposes.

Section 505.70 | Financial assistance to and cooperate with other agencies for senior citizen services.

• Effective: August 7, 1980
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 827 - 113th General Assembly

(A) The trustees of any township may participate in, give financial assistance to, and cooperate with other agencies or organizations, either private or governmental, in establishing and operating any federal program enacted by the congress of the United States, and for such purpose may adopt any procedures and take any action not prohibited by the constitution of Ohio and not in conflict with the laws of this state.

(B) The trustees may participate in, give financial assistance to, and cooperate with public and nonprofit private agencies and organizations in establishing and operating programs to provide necessary social services to meet the needs of older persons, in addition to those agencies and organizations receiving federal funds for this purpose. The trustees may contract with one or more other townships to form a district, comprised of all the territory of the contracting townships, for the purpose of jointly financing the building or renovation of or the operation of a multipurpose senior center as provided for in sections 173.11 and 173.12 of the Revised Code. For the purpose of this division, payments to the township under the "State and Local Fiscal Assistance Act of 1972," 86 Stat. 919, 31 U.S.C.A. 1221, as amended, shall be considered to be township general funds. If the trustees find that any agency or organization receiving funds pursuant to this division uses them for any purpose not clearly a public purpose authorized by this division and by the trustees or fails to comply with accounting and reporting requirements under Chapter 117. of the Revised Code, the trustees shall withhold further payments of such funds to such agency or organization.

The trustees of a township operating a multipurpose senior center and the trustees of townships that have contracted to form a district for the purpose of jointly financing the operation of a multipurpose senior center may use township general funds to pay for the operating expenses of the multipurpose senior center which may include, but need not be limited to, the purchase of food, supplies, and equipment.

Section 505.701 | Community improvement corporations.

• Effective: September 29, 2015
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 64 - 131st General Assembly

The board of trustees of any township, through unanimous vote of its membership, may designate, participate in, and cooperate with any community improvement corporation organized under Chapter 1724. of the Revised Code and may give financial or other assistance, including any fees generated by the corporation, to that corporation to defray the expenses of the corporation. The corporation may use the board's contributions for any of its functions under Chapter 1724. of the Revised Code subject to any limitations as may be provided by resolution of the board of trustees. Any moneys contributed by the board to the corporation shall be drawn from the general fund of the township not otherwise appropriated.

In addition, the board may purchase real property for the purpose of transferring that property to the community improvement corporation. In order to finance the purchase of that real property, the board may issue general obligation bonds of the township in accordance with Chapter 133. of the Revised Code, for which the full faith and credit of the township shall be pledged.

Section 505.702 | Neighborhood crime watch programs.

• Effective: July 26, 1989
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 40 - 118th General Assembly

A board of township trustees may appropriate township general revenue fund moneys not appropriated for any other purpose for the purpose of establishing, promoting, and operating neighborhood crime watch programs in the township.

If the board finds that any neighborhood crime watch program receiving funds pursuant to this section uses them for any purpose not clearly a public purpose authorized by this section and by the board, or that any such program fails to comply with accounting and reporting requirements under Chapter 117. of the Revised Code, the board shall withhold further payments of funds to that program.

Section 505.703 | Funds to county office of economic development.

• Effective: April 10, 1991
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 174 - 118th General Assembly

A board of township trustees may appropriate township general revenue fund moneys not appropriated for any other purpose to a county office of economic development created pursuant to section 307.07 of the Revised Code.

Section 505.704 | Participation and contribution to regional cooperation and improvement organization.

• Effective: April 10, 1991
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 174 - 118th General Assembly

The board of trustees of any township may participate in and contribute to a nonprofit organization that is incorporated under Chapter 1702. of the Revised Code, that consists of units of government, and that has as its purpose regional cooperation and improvement. The board may appropriate contributions to the organization from the township's general fund. As used in this section, "organization" does not include any organization created pursuant to a law or ordinance that expressly names the organization and its purpose.

Section 505.705 | Appropriations for water or sewerage systems.

• Effective: September 29, 2007
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 119 - 127th General Assembly

A board of township trustees may agree to appropriate township general revenue fund moneys to, and may agree to grant or lend moneys from the township general revenue fund to, any political subdivision with authority to provide water, sanitary sewerage, or storm water drainage within the township, for the purpose of providing moneys to the political subdivision to pay for the planning of or actual costs, fees, debt retirement, or any other expense, including, but not limited to, administrative and professional fees, incurred in supplying one or more of these purposes within the township, or the planning of or actual construction, maintenance, repair, or operation of water, sanitary sewerage, or storm water drainage within the township. A board of township trustees that grants or lends moneys to a political subdivision for this purpose shall expressly state the terms of the grant or loan agreement in a written memorandum.

Section 505.706 | Money for providing and maintaining services and facilities for senior citizens.

• Effective: September 20, 1993
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 184 - 120th General Assembly

The board of township trustees of a township may expend money for providing and maintaining services and facilities for senior citizens.

Section 505.707 | Appropriations for organization serving community purpose.

• Effective: April 5, 2001
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 315 - 123rd General Assembly

A board of township trustees may appropriate from the township general revenue fund moneys not appropriated for any other purpose to an organization that the board determines serves a community purpose and that is exempt from federal taxation under subsection 501(a) and described in subsection 501(c)(3) of the "Internal Revenue Code of 1986," 100 Stat. 2085, 26 U.S.C. 1, as amended.

Section 505.71 | Joint ambulance district.

• Effective: July 3, 2019
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 62 - 133rd General Assembly

The boards of township trustees of one or more townships and the legislative authorities of any one or more municipal corporations within or adjoining those townships, or the boards of township trustees of two or more townships, or the legislative authorities of two or more municipal corporations, may, by adoption of a joint resolution by a majority of the members of each board of township trustees and by a majority of the members of the legislative authority of each municipal corporation, create a joint ambulance district comprising the municipal corporations and all or any portions of the townships as are mutually agreed upon, except that no portion of a township or municipal corporation being served by a joint emergency medical services district shall be part of a joint ambulance district. A district so created shall be given a name different from the name of any participating township or municipal corporation.

The governing body of a district shall be a board of trustees, which shall include one representative appointed by each board of township trustees and one representative appointed by the legislative authority of each municipal corporation in the district. Members of the board of trustees may be compensated at a rate not to exceed seventy-five dollars per meeting, not to exceed fifteen meetings per year, and may be reimbursed for all necessary expenses incurred. The board shall employ a clerk. Before entering upon official duties, the clerk shall execute a bond, in the amount and with surety to be approved by the board, payable to the state, and conditioned for the faithful performance of all official duties required of the clerk. The bond shall be deposited with the presiding officer of the board, and copies of it, certified by the presiding officer, shall be filed with the county auditor of each county with a subdivision included in the district.

To provide the services and equipment it considers necessary for the district, the board may levy taxes, subject to Chapter 5705. of the Revised Code, and issue bonds and other evidences of indebtedness, subject to Chapter 133. of the Revised Code, after submitting the question of that issuance to the electors of the district in the manner provided by Chapter 133. of the Revised Code. The district may purchase, lease, lease with an option to purchase, construct, maintain, and use all materials, equipment, vehicles, buildings, and land necessary to perform its duties.

Any municipal corporation or township may join an existing district by the adoption of a resolution requesting membership and upon approval of the board of the district. Any municipal corporation or township may withdraw from a district by the adoption of a resolution ordering withdrawal. On or after the first day of January of the year following the adoption of the resolution of withdrawal, the municipal corporation or township withdrawing ceases to be a part of the district, and the power of the district to levy a tax upon taxable property in the withdrawing township or municipal corporation terminates, except that the district shall continue to levy and collect taxes for the payment of indebtedness within the territory of the district as it was comprised at the time the indebtedness was incurred.

Upon the withdrawal of any township or municipal corporation from a district, the county auditor shall ascertain, apportion, and order a division of the funds on hand, moneys and taxes in the process of collection, except for taxes levied for the payment of indebtedness, credits, and real and personal property, either in money or in kind, on the basis of the valuation of the respective tax duplicates of the withdrawing municipal corporation or township and the remaining territory of the district.

When the number of townships and municipal corporations constituting a district is reduced to one, the district ceases to exist by operation of law, and the funds, credits, and property remaining after apportionments to withdrawing municipal corporations or townships shall be assumed by the one remaining township or municipal corporation. When a district ceases to exist and an indebtedness remains unpaid, the board of county commissioners shall continue to levy and collect taxes for the payment of that indebtedness within the territory of the district as it was comprised at the time the indebtedness was incurred.

Section 505.72 | Joint ambulance district employees.

• Effective: July 1, 2013
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 51 - 130th General Assembly

(A) The board of trustees of a joint ambulance district shall provide for the employment of such employees as it considers best, and shall fix their compensation. Such employees shall continue in office until removed as provided by sections 733.35 to 733.39 of the Revised Code. To initiate removal proceedings, and for such purpose, the board shall designate a private citizen to investigate the conduct and prepare the necessary charges in conformity with sections 733.35 to 733.39 of the Revised Code. The board may pay reasonable compensation to such person for the person's services.

In case of the removal of an employee of the district, an appeal may be had from the decision of the board to the court of common pleas of the county in which such district, or part of it, is situated, to determine the sufficiency of the cause of removal. Such appeal from the findings of the board shall be taken within ten days.

(B) As used in this division, "emergency medical service organization" has the same meaning as in section 4765.01 of the Revised Code.

(1) In order to obtain the services of ambulance service organizations, to obtain additional services from ambulance service organizations in times of emergency, or to obtain the services of emergency medical service organizations, a district may enter into a contract, for a period not to exceed three years, with one or more townships, municipal corporations, joint fire districts, nonprofit corporations, any other governmental unit that provides ambulance services or emergency medical services, or with private ambulance owners, regardless of whether such townships, municipal corporations, joint fire districts, nonprofit corporations, governmental unit, or private ambulance owners are located within or without this state, upon such terms as are agreed to, to furnish or receive services from ambulance or emergency medical service organizations or the interchange of services from ambulance or emergency medical service organizations within the several territories of the contracting subdivisions, if such contract is first authorized by all boards of trustees and legislative authorities concerned.

The contract may provide for a fixed annual charge to be paid at the times agreed upon and stipulated in the contract, or for compensation based upon a stipulated price for each run, call, or emergency, or the elapsed time of service required in such run, call, or emergency, or any combination thereof.

(2) Expenditures of a district for the services of ambulance service organizations or emergency medical service organizations, whether pursuant to contract or otherwise, are lawful expenditures, regardless of whether the district or the party with which it contracts charges additional fees to users of the services.

(3) A district's board of trustees, by adoption of an appropriate resolution, may choose to have the state board of emergency medical, fire, and transportation services license any emergency medical service organization the district operates. If a board adopts such a resolution, Chapter 4766. of the Revised Code, except for sections 4766.06 and 4766.99 of the Revised Code, applies to the district emergency medical service organization. All rules adopted under the applicable sections of that chapter also apply to the organization. A board, by adoption of an appropriate resolution, may remove the district emergency medical service organization from the jurisdiction of the state board of emergency medical, fire, and transportation services.

(C) Ambulance services or emergency medical services rendered for a joint ambulance district under this section and section 505.71 of the Revised Code shall be deemed services of the district. These sections do not authorize suits against a district or any township or municipal corporation providing or receiving, or contracting to provide or receive, such services under these sections for damages for injury or loss to persons or property or for wrongful death caused by persons providing such services.

Section 505.721 | Joint ambulance district - reasonable charges for use of services.

• Effective: November 5, 2004
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 148 - 125th General Assembly

As used in this section, "authorized medicare reimbursement rate" means such rate established for the locality under Title XVIII of the "Social Security Act," 49 Stat. 620 (1935), 42 U.S.C.A. 301, as amended.

A board of trustees of a joint ambulance district may establish reasonable charges for the use of ambulance or emergency medical services. The board may establish different charges for district residents and nonresidents, and, in its discretion, may waive all or part of the charge for any district resident. The charge for nonresidents shall be an amount not less than the authorized medicare reimbursement rate, except that, if prior to the effective date of this section, the board had different charges for residents and nonresidents and the charge for nonresidents was less than the authorized medicare reimbursement rate, the board may charge nonresidents less than the authorized medicare reimbursement rate.

Charges collected under this section shall be kept in a separate fund designated as the ambulance and emergency medical services fund, and shall be appropriated and administered by the board. The moneys in the fund shall be used for the payment of the costs of the management, maintenance, and operation of ambulance and emergency medical services in the district. If ambulance and emergency medical services are discontinued in the district, any balance remaining in the fund shall be allocated in amounts proportionate to the percentage of the district's total population served and paid accordingly into the general funds of the participating political subdivisions.

Section 505.73 | Model or standard building code.

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

(A) The board of township trustees may, by resolution, adopt by incorporation by reference, administer, and enforce within the unincorporated area of the township an existing structures code pertaining to the repair and continued maintenance of structures and the premises of those structures. For that purpose, the board shall adopt any model or standard code prepared and promulgated by this state, any department, board, or agency of this state, or any public or private organization that publishes a recognized model or standard code on the subject. The board shall ensure that the code adopted governs subject matter not addressed by the state residential building code and that it is fully compatible with the state residential and nonresidential building codes the board of building standards adopts pursuant to section 3781.10 of the Revised Code.

(B) The board shall assign the duties of administering and enforcing the existing structures code to a township officer or employee who is trained and qualified for those duties and shall establish by resolution the minimum qualifications necessary to perform those duties.

(C)(1) After the board adopts an existing structures code, the township fiscal officer shall post a notice that clearly identifies the code, states the code's purpose, and states that a complete copy of the code is on file for inspection by the public with the fiscal officer and in the county law library and that the fiscal officer has copies available for distribution to the public at cost.

(2) The township fiscal officer shall post the notice in five conspicuous places in the township for thirty days before the code becomes effective and shall publish the notice in a newspaper of general circulation in the township for three consecutive weeks or as provided in section 7.16 of the Revised Code. If the adopting township amends or deletes any provision of the code, the notice shall contain a brief summary of the deletion or amendment.

(D) If the agency that originally promulgated or published the existing structures code amends the code, the board may adopt the amendment or change by incorporation by reference in the manner provided for the adoption of the original code.

Section 505.74 | Model or standard building code violations.

• Effective: October 20, 1987
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 285 - 117th General Assembly

No person shall violate a standard existing structures code as adopted pursuant to section 505.73 of the Revised Code. Each day of continued violation of this section constitutes a separate offense.

Section 505.75 | Township residential building code.

• Effective: May 27, 2005
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 115, House Bill 175 - 125th General Assembly

(A)(1) A board of township trustees may adopt local residential building regulations governing residential buildings as defined in section 3781.06 of the Revised Code. No regulation shall differ from the state residential building code unless the regulation addresses subject matter not addressed by the state residential building code or is adopted pursuant to section 3781.01 of the Revised Code.

(2) The board may adopt regulations that are necessary for participation in the national flood insurance program and that do not conflict with the residential and nonresidential building codes, governing the prohibition, location, erection, construction, or floodproofing of new buildings or structures, or substantial improvements to existing buildings or structures, in unincorporated territory within flood hazard areas identified under the "Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973," 87 Stat. 975, 42 U.S.C.A. 4002, as amended, including, but not limited to, residential, commercial, or industrial buildings or structures.

(B)(1) Regulations or amendments to regulations may be adopted under this section only after a public hearings at not fewer than two regular or special sessions of the board of township trustees and upon an affirmative vote of all members of the board. The board shall cause notice of a public hearing to be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the township once a week for two weeks immediately preceding a hearing, except that if the board posts the hearing notice on the board's internet site, the board need publish only one notice of the hearing in a newspaper of general circulation if that newspaper notice includes that internet site and a statement that the notice is also posted on the internet site. Any notice the board publishes or posts shall include the time, date, and place of the public hearing.

(2) The proposed regulations shall be made available to the public at the board office.

(C)(1) The board of township trustees may create a building department and employ personnel it determines necessary to administer and enforce any local residential building regulations or existing structures code the board adopts pursuant to this section. The building department may enforce state residential and nonresidential building codes the board of building standards establishes pursuant to Chapter 3781. of the Revised Code if the department is certified pursuant to section 3781.10 of the Revised Code to enforce those codes. Upon certification of the building department under section 3781.10 of the Revised Code, the board township may direct the building department to exercise enforcement authority and to accept and approve plans pursuant to sections 3781.03 and 3791.04 of the Revised Code for the classes of buildings for which the building department and personnel are certified.

(2) To administer and enforce any local residential building regulations, or existing structures code and the state residential and nonresidential building codes, the board may create, establish, fill, and fix the compensation of the position of township building inspector to serve as the chief administrative officer of the building department. In lieu of creating the position of township building inspector, the board may assign the duties of the inspector to an existing township officer who is certified pursuant to division (E) of section 3781.10 of the Revised Code.

(D)(1) The board of township trustees may enter into a contract with any other township, any municipal corporation, or board of county commissioners for the municipal corporation or board of county commissioners to administer and enforce local residential building regulations or existing structures code in the township or to enforce the state residential and nonresidential building codes in the township if the building department of the municipal corporation or county is certified to enforce those codes.

(2) Any any other township, municipal corporation, or a board of county commissioners may contract with a board of township trustees to administer and enforce local building regulations or an existing structures code in the municipal corporation or county and, if certified, to enforce the state residential and nonresidential building codes in the other township, the municipal corporation, or the unincorporated areas of the county.

The Legislative Service Commission presents the text of this section as a composite of the section as amended by multiple acts of the General Assembly. This presentation recognizes the principle stated in R.C. 1.52(B) that amendments are to be harmonized if reasonably capable of simultaneous operation.

Section 505.76 | Availability of township residential building code.

• Effective: May 27, 2005
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 175 - 125th General Assembly

Local residential building regulations a board of township trustees adopts under section 505.75 of the Revised Code and an existing structures code the board adopts pursuant to section 505.73 of the Revised Code shall be made available to the public at the office of the board, and the section headings and numbers and a notice of the availability of the regulations shall be published in at least one newspaper of general townshipwide circulation within ten days after their adoption or amendment.

Section 505.77 | Building prohibitions.

• Effective: May 27, 2005
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 175 - 125th General Assembly

(A)(1) No person shall erect, construct, alter, repair, or maintain any residential building, as defined in section 3781.06 of the Revised Code, within the unincorporated portion of any township in which a building department has authority to administer and enforce local residential building regulations or an existing structures code unless that person complies with the regulations and code.

(2) No person shall erect, construct, alter, repair, or maintain any residential building, as defined in section 3781.06 of the Revised Code, within the unincorporated portion of any township in which a certified building department has jurisdiction to enforce the state residential building code unless that person fully complies with the state residential building code.

(3) No person shall erect, construct, alter, repair, or maintain any residential, commercial, or industrial buildings or structures within the unincorporated area of any township, if a board of township trustees has enacted building regulations under section 505.75 of the Revised Code that are necessary for participation in the national flood insurance program, without complying with those regulations.

(4) In addition to any remedies provided by law, if any building is being erected, constructed, altered, repaired, or maintained in violation of the building regulations, existing structures code, or state residential building code in townships in which a certified building department has jurisdiction, the board, the township building inspector, or any owner of an adjacent, contiguous, or neighboring property who would be especially damaged by the violation may institute a suit for injunction, abatement, or other appropriate action to prevent the violation of the building regulations or the state residential building code relating to the erection, construction, alteration, repair, or maintenance of that building.

(B) Sections 505.75 to 505.77 of the Revised Code do not confer any power on any board with respect to the location, erection, construction, reconstruction, change, alteration, maintenance, removal, use, or enlargement of any buildings or structures of any public utility or railroad, whether publicly or privately owned, or the use of land by any public utility or railroad for the operation of its business. Local building regulations the board adopts and the building code that the building department administers and enforces do not affect buildings or structures that exist or on which construction has begun on or before the date on which the building department begins enforcement of the building code or the date the board adopts the building regulations.

(C) No person shall violate any building regulation the board adopts under division (A) of section 505.75 of the Revised Code. Each day during which an illegal location, erection, construction, floodproofing, repair, alteration, or maintenance continues may be considered a separate offense.

Section 505.78 | Effective date of building regulations.

• Effective: May 27, 2005
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 175 - 125th General Assembly

(A)(1) A board of township trustees shall not adopt an existing structures code pursuant to section 505.73 of the Revised Code in any county in which the board of county commissioners has adopted an existing structures code pursuant to section 303.37 of the Revised Code.

(2) If a board of township trustees adopts an existing structures code and the board of county commissioners of the county in which the township is located subsequently adopts an existing structures code, the code the board of township trustees adopts shall be of no force and effect one year after the effective date of the code the board of county commissioners adopts or at an earlier date, as provided by the board of township trustees.

(B)(1) A board of trustees shall not adopt local residential building regulations pursuant to section 505.75 of the Revised Code in any county in which the board of county commissioners has adopted such regulations pursuant to section 303.37 of the Revised Code.

(2) If a board of township trustees adopts local residential building regulations and the board of county commissioners subsequently adopts such regulations, the township regulations shall be of no force and effect one year after the county regulations become effective or at an earlier date as the board of township trustees provides.

Section 505.79 | Collection and disposal of tree leaves.

• Effective: November 2, 1999
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 52 - 123rd General Assembly

The board of township trustees may acquire, maintain, and operate equipment and facilities for the collection and disposal of tree leaves. The cost of providing this service shall be paid from the general fund of the township, from the waste collection fund of the township created under section 505.31 of the Revised Code, or from any fund created pursuant to section 505.29 of the Revised Code into which moneys arising from tax levies under that section are deposited.

Section 505.80 | Encouraging economic development of township or area through promotion of tourism.

• Effective: April 26, 1976
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1033 - 111th General Assembly

The board of trustees of a township may appropriate moneys from its general fund to be expended by the township or by joint agreement with one or more other political subdivisions or by private, nonprofit organizations for the public purpose of encouraging economic development of the township or area through promotion of tourism.

Semiannual reports on the use of the expenditures shall be made to the board of trustees by the chief officer implementing the joint agreement, or the chief officer or board of directors of the private, nonprofit organizations.

As used in this section, "promotion of tourism" is the encouragement through advertising, educational and informational means, and public relations, both within the state and outside of it, of travel by persons away from their homes for pleasure, personal reasons, or other purposes, except to work, to the township, or to the local area.

Section 505.82 | Emergency resolutions.

• Effective: October 24, 2024
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 156 - 135th General Assembly

(A) If a board of township trustees by a unanimous vote or, in the event of the unavoidable absence of one trustee, by an affirmative vote of two trustees adopts a resolution declaring that an emergency exists that threatens life or property within the unincorporated territory of the township or that such an emergency is imminent, the board may exercise the powers described in divisions (A)(1) and (2) and (B) of this section during the emergency for a period of time not exceeding six months following the adoption of the resolution. The resolution shall state the specific time period for which the emergency powers are in effect.

(1) If an owner of an undedicated road or stream bank in the unincorporated territory of the township has not provided for the removal of snow, ice, debris, or other obstructions from the road or bank, the board may provide for that removal. Prior to providing for the removal, the board shall give, or make a good faith attempt to give, oral notice to the owner or owners of the road or bank of the board's intent to clear the road or bank and to impose a service charge for doing so. The board shall establish just and equitable service charges for the removal to be paid, except as provided in division (B) of this section, by the owners of the road or bank.

The board shall keep a record of the costs incurred by the township in removing snow, ice, debris, or other obstructions from the road or bank. The service charges shall be based on these costs and shall be in an amount sufficient to recover these costs. If there is more than one owner of the road or bank, the board, except as provided in division (B) of this section, shall allocate the service charges among the owners on an equitable basis. The board shall notify, in writing, each owner of the road or bank of the amount of the service charges and shall certify the charges to the county auditor. The service charges shall constitute a lien upon the property. The auditor shall place the service charges on a special duplicate to be collected as other taxes and returned to the township general fund.

(2) The board may contract for the immediate acquisition, replacement, or repair of equipment needed for the emergency situation, without following the competitive bidding requirements of section 5549.21 or any other section of the Revised Code.

(B) In lieu of collecting service charges from owners for the removal of snow or ice from an undedicated road by the board of township trustees as provided in division (A)(1) of this section, the board may enter into a contract with a developer whereby the developer agrees to pay the service charges for the snow and ice removal instead of the owners.

(C) The removal of snow, ice, debris, or other obstructions from an undedicated road by a board of township trustees acting pursuant to a resolution adopted under division (A) of this section does not constitute approval or acceptance of the undedicated road.

(D) As used in this section, "undedicated road" means a road that has not been approved and accepted by the board of county commissioners and is not a part of the state, county, or township road systems as provided in section 5535.01 of the Revised Code.

(E) Nothing in this section shall be construed to waive the requirement under section 1517.15 of the Revised Code that approval of plans be obtained from the director of natural resources or the director's representative prior to modifying or causing the modification of the channel of any watercourse that is a wild, scenic, or recreational river outside the limits of a municipal corporation.

Last updated August 16, 2024 at 9:50 AM

Section 505.84 | Reasonable charges for use of ambulance or emergency medical services.

• Effective: September 23, 2011
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 128 - 129th General Assembly

As used in this section, "authorized medicare reimbursement rate" means such rate established for the locality under Title XVIII of the "Social Security Act," 49 Stat. 620 (1935), 42 U.S.C.A. 301, as amended.

A board of township trustees may establish reasonable charges for the use of fire and rescue services, ambulance services, or emergency medical services. The board may establish different charges for township residents and nonresidents, and may, in its discretion, waive all or part of the charge for any resident. The charge for ambulance transportation for nonresidents shall be an amount not less than the authorized medicare reimbursement rate, except that, if prior to September 9, 1988, the board had different charges for residents and nonresidents and the charge for nonresidents was less than the authorized medicare reimbursement rate, the board may charge nonresidents less than the authorized medicare reimbursement rate.

Except as provided in section 505.441 of the Revised Code, charges collected under this section shall be kept in a separate fund designated as "the fire and rescue services, ambulance services, and emergency medical services fund," and shall be appropriated and administered by the board. The fund shall be used for the payment of the costs of the management, maintenance, and operation of fire and rescue services, ambulance services, and emergency medical services in the township. If the fire and rescue services, ambulance services, and emergency medical services are discontinued in the township, any balance remaining in the fund shall be paid into the general fund of the township.

Section 505.85 | Disposal, storage or impoundment of motor vehicles.

• Effective: March 5, 2008
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 50 - 127th General Assembly

A board of township trustees may contract with a motor vehicle salvage dealer, as defined in section 4738.01 of the Revised Code, or a scrap metal processing facility, as defined in section 4737.05 of the Revised Code, for the removal or disposal of motor vehicles pursuant to section 505.173 or 505.871 or sections 4513.60 to 4513.64 of the Revised Code, and a board may contract with a storage facility or other similar facility for the storage or impoundment of motor vehicles pursuant to section 505.173 or sections 4513.60 to 4513.64 of the Revised Code.

Section 505.86 | Removal, repair or securance of insecure, unsafe buildings or structures.

• Effective: April 12, 2021
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 444 - 133rd General Assembly

(A) As used in this section:

"Party in interest" means an owner of record of the real property on which the building or structure is located, and includes a holder of a legal or equitable lien of record on the real property or the building or other structure.

"Total cost" means any costs incurred due to the use of employees, materials, or equipment of the township, any costs arising out of contracts for labor, materials, or equipment, and costs of service of notice or publication required under this section.

(B) A board of township trustees, by resolution, may provide for the removal, repair, or securance of buildings or other structures in the township that have been declared insecure, unsafe, or structurally defective by any fire department under contract with the township or by the county building department or other authority responsible under Chapter 3781. of the Revised Code for the enforcement of building regulations or the performance of building inspections in the township, or buildings or other structures that have been declared to be in a condition dangerous to life or health, or unfit for human habitation by the board of health of the general health district of which the township is a part.

At least thirty days before the removal, repair, or securance of any insecure, unsafe, or structurally defective building or other structure, the board of township trustees shall give notice by certified mail, return receipt requested, to each party in interest of its intention with respect to the removal, repair, or securance of an insecure, unsafe, or structurally defective or unfit building or other structure.

If the address of a party in interest is unknown and cannot reasonably be obtained, it is sufficient to publish the notice once in a newspaper of general circulation in the township.

(C)(1) If the board of trustees, in a resolution adopted under this section, pursues action to remove any insecure, unsafe, or structurally defective building or other structure, the notice shall include a statement informing the parties in interest that each party in interest is entitled to a hearing if the party in interest requests a hearing in writing within twenty days after the notice was mailed. The written request for a hearing shall be made to the township fiscal officer.

(2) If a party in interest timely requests a hearing, the board shall set the date, time, and place for the hearing and notify the party in interest by certified mail, return receipt requested. The date set for the hearing shall be within fifteen days, but not earlier than seven days, after the party in interest has requested a hearing, unless otherwise agreed to by both the board and the party in interest. The hearing shall be recorded by stenographic or electronic means.

(3) The board shall make an order deciding the matter not later than thirty days after a hearing, or not later than thirty days after mailing notice to the parties in interest if no party in interest requested a hearing. The order may dismiss the matter or direct the removal, repair, or securance of the building or other structure. At any time, a party in interest may consent to an order.

(4) A party in interest who requested and participated in a hearing, and who is adversely affected by the order of the board, may appeal the order under section 2506.01 of the Revised Code.

(D) At any time, a party in interest may enter into an agreement with the board of township trustees to perform the removal, repair, or securance of the insecure, unsafe, or structurally defective or unfit building or other structure.

(E) If an emergency exists, as determined by the board, notice may be given other than by certified mail and less than thirty days before the removal, repair, or securance.

(F) The total cost of removing, repairing, or securing buildings or other structures that have been declared insecure, unsafe, structurally defective, or unfit for human habitation, or of making emergency corrections of hazardous conditions, when approved by the board, shall be paid out of the township general fund from moneys not otherwise appropriated, except that, if the costs incurred exceed five hundred dollars, the board may borrow moneys from a financial institution to pay for the costs in whole or in part.

The total cost may be collected by either of the following methods:

(1) The board may have the fiscal officer of the township certify the total costs, together with a proper description of the lands to the county auditor who shall place the costs upon the tax duplicate. The costs are a lien upon the lands from and after the date of entry. The costs shall be returned to the township and placed in the township's general fund.

(2) The board may commence a civil action to recover the total costs from the owner of record of the real property on which the building or structure is located.

(G) Any board of township trustees may, whenever a policy or policies of insurance are in force providing coverage against the peril of fire on a building or structure and the loss agreed to between the named insured or insureds and the company or companies is more than five thousand dollars and equals or exceeds sixty per cent of the aggregate limits of liability on all fire policies covering the building or structure on the property, accept security payments and follow the procedures of divisions (C) and (D) of section 3929.86 of the Revised Code.

Section 505.87 | Abatement, control, or removal of vegetation, garbage, refuse, and other debris.

• Effective: April 12, 2021
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 444 - 133rd General Assembly

(A) A board of township trustees may provide for the abatement, control, or removal of vegetation, garbage, refuse, and other debris from land in the township, if the board determines that the owner's maintenance of that vegetation, garbage, refuse, or other debris constitutes a nuisance.

(B) At least seven days before providing for the abatement, control, or removal of any vegetation, garbage, refuse, or other debris, the board of township trustees shall notify the owner of the land and any holders of liens of record upon the land that:

(1) The owner is ordered to abate, control, or remove the vegetation, garbage, refuse, or other debris, the owner's maintenance of which has been determined by the board to be a nuisance;

(2) If that vegetation, garbage, refuse, or other debris is not abated, controlled, or removed, or if provision for its abatement, control, or removal is not made, within seven days, the board shall provide for the abatement, control, or removal, and any costs incurred by the board in performing that task shall be entered upon the tax duplicate and become a lien upon the land from the date of entry.

The board shall send the notice to the owner of the land by certified mail if the owner is a resident of the township or is a nonresident whose address is known, and by certified mail to lienholders of record; alternatively, if the owner is a resident of the township or is a nonresident whose address is known, the board may give notice to the owner by causing any of its agents or employees to post the notice on the principal structure on the land and to photograph that posted notice with a camera capable of recording the date of the photograph on it. If the owner's address is unknown and cannot reasonably be obtained, it is sufficient to publish the notice once in a newspaper of general circulation in the township.

(C) If a board of township trustees determines within twelve consecutive months after a prior nuisance determination that the same owner's maintenance of vegetation, garbage, refuse, or other debris on the same land in the township constitutes a nuisance, at least four days before providing for the abatement, control, or removal of any vegetation, garbage, refuse, or other debris, the board shall give notice of the subsequent nuisance determination to the owner of the land and to any holders of liens of record upon the land as follows:

(1) The board shall send written notice by first class mail to the owner of the land and to any lienholders of record. Failure of delivery of the notice shall not invalidate any action to abate, control, or remove the nuisance. Alternatively, the board may give notice to the owner by causing any of its agents or employees to post the notice on the principal structure on the land and to photograph that posted notice with a camera capable of recording the date of the photograph on it.

(2) If the owner's address is unknown and cannot reasonably be obtained, it is sufficient to post the notice on the board of township trustee's internet web site for four consecutive days, or to post the notice in a conspicuous location in the board's office for four consecutive days if the board does not maintain an internet web site.

(D) The owner of the land or holders of liens of record upon the land may enter into an agreement with the board of township trustees providing for either party to the agreement to perform the abatement, control, or removal before the time the board is required to provide for the abatement, control, or removal under division (E) of this section.

(E) If, within seven days after notice is given under division (B) of this section, or within four days after notice is given under division (C) of this section, the owner of the land fails to abate, control, or remove the vegetation, garbage, refuse, or other debris, or no agreement for its abatement, control, or removal is entered into under division (D) of this section, the board of township trustees shall provide for the abatement, control, or removal and may employ the necessary labor, materials, and equipment to perform the task. All costs incurred, when approved by the board, shall be paid out of the township general fund from moneys not otherwise appropriated, except that if the costs incurred exceed five hundred dollars, the board may borrow moneys from a financial institution to pay for the costs in whole or in part.

(F) The board of township trustees shall make a written report to the county auditor of the board's action under this section. The board shall include in the report a proper description of the premises and a statement of all costs incurred in providing for the abatement, control, or removal of any vegetation, garbage, refuse, or other debris as provided in division (E) of this section, including the board's charges for its services, the costs incurred in providing notice, any fees or interest paid to borrow moneys, and the amount paid for labor, materials, and equipment. The county auditor shall place the costs upon the tax duplicate. The costs are a lien upon the land from and after the date of the entry. The costs shall be returned to the township and placed in the township's general fund.

Section 505.871 | Removal of junk motor vehicle.

• Effective: April 12, 2021
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 444 - 133rd General Assembly

(A) A board of township trustees may provide, by resolution, for the removal of any vehicle in the unincorporated territory of the township that the board determines is a junk motor vehicle, as defined in section 505.173 of the Revised Code.

(B) If a junk motor vehicle is located on public property, the board of township trustees may provide in the resolution for the immediate removal of the vehicle.

(C)(1) If a junk motor vehicle is located on private property, the board of township trustees may provide in the resolution for the removal of the vehicle not sooner than fourteen days after the board serves written notice of its intention to remove or cause the removal of the vehicle on the owner of the land and any holders of liens of record on the land.

(2) The notice provided under this division shall generally describe the vehicle to be removed and indicate all of the following:

(a) The board has determined that the vehicle is a junk motor vehicle.

(b) If the owner of the land fails to remove the vehicle within fourteen days after service of the notice, the board may remove or cause the removal of the vehicle.

(c) Any costs the board incurs in removing or causing the removal of the vehicle may be entered upon the tax duplicate and become a lien upon the land from the date of entry.

(3) The board shall serve the notice under this division by sending it by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the owner of the land, if the owner resides in the unincorporated territory of the township or if the owner resides outside the unincorporated territory of the township and the owner's address is known or ascertainable through an exercise of reasonable diligence. The board also shall send notice in such manner to any holders of liens of record on the land. If a notice sent by certified mail is refused or unclaimed, or if an owner's address is unknown and cannot reasonably be ascertained by an exercise of reasonable diligence, the board shall publish the notice once in a newspaper of general circulation in the township before the removal of the vehicle, and, if the land contains any structures, the board also shall post the notice on the principal structure on the land.

A notice sent by certified mail shall be deemed to be served for purposes of this section on the date it was received as indicated by the date on a signed return receipt. A notice given by publication shall be deemed to be served for purposes of this section on the date of the newspaper publication.

(D) The board of township trustees may cause the removal or may employ the labor, materials, and equipment necessary to remove a junk motor vehicle under this section. All costs incurred in removing or causing the removal of a junk motor vehicle, when approved by the board, shall be paid out of the township general fund from moneys not otherwise appropriated, except that if the costs exceed five hundred dollars, the board may borrow moneys from a financial institution to pay the costs in whole or in part.

(E) The board of township trustees may utilize any lawful means to collect the costs incurred in removing or causing the removal of a junk motor vehicle under this section, including any fees or interest paid to borrow moneys under division (D) of this section. The board may direct the township fiscal officer to certify the costs and a description of the land to the county auditor. The county auditor shall place the costs upon the tax duplicate. The costs are a lien upon the land from and after the date of entry. The costs shall be returned to the township and placed in the township's general fund.

(F)(1) As used in this division:

(a) "Motor vehicle salvage dealer" has the same meaning as in section 4738.01 of the Revised Code.

(b) "Scrap metal processing facility" has the same meaning as in section 4737.05 of the Revised Code.

(2) Notwithstanding section 4513.63 of the Revised Code, if a junk motor vehicle is removed and disposed of in accordance with this section, the clerk of courts of the county shall issue a salvage certificate of title for that junk motor vehicle to a motor vehicle salvage dealer licensed pursuant to Chapter 4738. of the Revised Code or a scrap metal processing facility licensed pursuant to sections 4737.05 to 4737.12 of the Revised Code if all of the following conditions are satisfied:

(a) The board of township trustees has entered into a contract with the motor vehicle salvage dealer or scrap metal processing facility for the disposal or removal of the junk motor vehicle in accordance with section 505.85 of the Revised Code.

(b) The fiscal officer for the board of township trustees executes in triplicate an affidavit prescribed by the registrar of motor vehicles describing the junk motor vehicle and the manner of removal or disposal and certifying that all requirements of this section and the notice and records search requirements of section 4505.101 of the Revised Code have been satisfied.

(c) The board of township trustees retains the original affidavit for the board's records and furnishes the remaining two copies of the affidavit to the motor vehicle salvage dealer or scrap metal processing facility.

(d) The motor vehicle salvage dealer or scrap metal processing facility presents one copy of the affidavit to the clerk.

(3) The clerk shall issue the salvage certificate of title, free and clear of all liens and encumbrances, not later than thirty days after the motor vehicle salvage dealer or scrap metal processing facility presents the affidavit pursuant to division (F)(2) of this section.

(G) Notwithstanding section 4513.65 of the Revised Code, but subject to division (H)(2) of this section, any collector's vehicle that meets the definition of a junk motor vehicle is subject to removal under this section.

(H)(1) Nothing in this section affects the authority of a board of township trustees to adopt and enforce resolutions under section 505.173 of the Revised Code to regulate the storage of junk motor vehicles on private or public property in the unincorporated territory of the township.

(2) A resolution adopted under this section is subject to the same restrictions specified in division (A) of section 505.173 of the Revised Code for resolutions adopted under that section.

Section 505.88 | Special assessment upon facilities directly or indirectly benefiting from maintenance and improvement of waterways.

• Effective: May 15, 1997
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 85 - 122nd General Assembly

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Facilities" means boat docks and other boat storage facilities but does not include boat launching ramps or facilities or any boat docks or other boat storage facilities owned by the state or any state agency.

(2) "State agency" has the same meaning as in section 1.60 of the Revised Code.

(B) For the purpose of maintaining and improving navigable waterways in the township, the board of township trustees, by resolution, may annually levy a special assessment upon facilities directly or indirectly benefiting from the maintenance and improvement of waterways. Assessments shall be levied by one of the following methods, at the discretion of the board:

(1) By a percentage of the taxable value of the property assessed;

(2) In proportion to the benefits that may result from maintenance or improvement of waterways in the township.

In levying an assessment by the method described in division (B)(2) of this section, the board may consider the number of boats or other watercraft capable of being docked or stored or otherwise capable of using the facility upon which the assessment is levied, or any other factor that is reasonably related to the benefits directly or indirectly derived from maintenance or improvement of waterways.

Before adopting a resolution under division (B) of this section, the board shall send written notice to the owner of each facility stating the estimated assessment for that facility. If the owner objects to the stated estimated assessment, the owner shall file a written objection with the board not later than two weeks after the notice was mailed. The board shall review the written objections and may revise the estimated assessments before adopting a resolution under division (B) of this section. If the owner of a facility objects to the final assessment for the facility levied in a resolution adopted under division (B) of this section, the owner may appeal the final assessment under Chapter 2506. of the Revised Code.

(C) The assessment made by the board pursuant to division (B) of this section shall be at a rate that will produce, in any year, a total assessment that is not more than the annual cost of such maintenance or improvement provided that if the board determines that recovery of the full cost of the maintenance or improvement in one year will place an undue burden on the owners of the facilities being assessed, the board may recover the full cost of the maintenance or improvement through assessments imposed during no more than the ten years immediately following the year of the first assessment. In no case shall the aggregate total of the assessments imposed exceed the cost of the maintenance or improvement. In the resolution imposing the assessment, the board shall apportion the cost among the benefited facilities as provided in division (B) of this section. The board shall certify the amounts to be levied upon each facility to the county auditor, who shall enter the amounts on the tax duplicate for collection by the county treasurer in equal semiannual installments in the same manner and at the same times as the collection of taxes on real property. Assessments shall be paid by owners of the facilities upon which assessments are levied.

(D) The assessments, when collected, shall be paid by the county auditor by warrant on the county treasurer into a special fund in the township treasury created for the purpose of maintaining and improving waterways. The board may expend moneys from the fund only for the purposes for which the assessments were levied.

Section 505.881 | Township special assessment to fund residential broadband expansion.

• Effective: May 17, 2021
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 2 - 134th General Assembly

(A) If a program grant is awarded for an eligible project under sections 122.40 to 122.4077 of the Revised Code, the board of township trustees in which the project is situated, by resolution, may levy a special assessment upon residential property within the township for the purpose of providing a contribution from the township towards the broadband funding gap for the eligible project. Assessments under this section shall be levied only upon the residential property that is subject to the eligible project. Before adopting the resolution, the board shall send written notice to each affected property owner stating the estimated assessment for that property. If an owner objects to the stated estimated assessment, the owner shall file a written objection with the board not later than two weeks after the notice is mailed. The board shall review the written objection and may revise the estimated assessment before adopting the resolution. If the property owner objects to the final assessment for the property levied in the resolution, the owner may appeal the final assessment under Chapter 2506. of the Revised Code.

(B) The assessment shall be at a rate that will produce a total assessment that is not more than the township's contribution towards the funding gap for the eligible project as described in the application under section 122.4020 of the Revised Code. The board shall certify the amount to be levied upon each affected property to the county auditor, who shall enter the amount on the tax duplicate for collection by the county treasurer in equal semiannual installments in the same manner and at the same times as the collection of taxes on real property. Assessments shall be paid by owners of the properties upon which assessments are levied.

(C) The assessments, when collected, shall be paid by the county auditor by warrant on the county treasurer into a special fund in the township treasury created for the purpose of funding an eligible project for which a program grant is awarded under sections 122.40 to 122.4077 of the Revised Code and that is located in the township. The board may expend moneys from the fund only for the purposes for which the assessments were levied.

Last updated June 9, 2021 at 1:05 PM

Section 505.882 | Broadband expansion challenge process.

• Effective: April 6, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 501 - 134th General Assembly

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Challenging provider" means either of the following:

(a) A broadband provider that provides tier two broadband service within or directly adjacent to an eligible project that is a broadband expansion project under division (B)(1) of this section;

(b) A municipal electric utility that provides tier two broadband service to an area within the eligible project that is a broadband expansion project described under division (B)(1) of this section and that is within the geographic area served by the municipal electric utility.

(2) "Eligible project," "tier one area," "tier two broadband service," "program grant," and "unserved area" have the same meanings as in section 122.40 of the Revised Code.

(B)(1) A board of township trustees may adopt a resolution to expend general funds to support broadband expansion projects within the unincorporated territory of the township pursuant to this section, if each project meets the definition of an eligible project and has not been awarded a program grant.

(2) If the board adopts a resolution under division (B)(1) of this section, the board shall also establish requirements and a process for awarding the funds to broadband expansion projects and administering the challenge process described in divisions (C) to (G) of this section.

(C)(1) A challenging provider may challenge, in writing, the expending of township general funds to support broadband expansion projects not later than thirty days after a resolution is passed to expend general funds for such purpose.

(2) The challenging provider shall provide, by certified mail, a written copy of the challenge to the board of township trustees and to the broadband provider whose broadband expansion project is subject to the challenge. The copy provided to the board may include any information the challenging provider considers to be proprietary or a trade secret. Proprietary information or trade secrets may be redacted from the copy provided to the broadband provider whose broadband expansion project is subject to the challenge.

(D) To successfully challenge a broadband expansion project, a challenging provider shall provide sufficient evidence to the board of township trustees demonstrating that all or part of the project is ineligible. The challenge shall, at minimum, include the following information:

(1) Sufficient evidence disputing that the broadband expansion project contains unserved or tier one areas;

(2) Sufficient evidence attesting to the challenging provider's existing or planned offering of tier two broadband service to all or part of the broadband expansion project, which evidence shall include the following:

(a) With regard to existing tier two broadband service, a signed, notarized statement submitted by the challenging provider that sufficiently identifies the part of the broadband expansion project to which the challenging provider offers broadband service;

(b) With regard to the planned provision of tier two broadband service by a challenging provider, both of the following:

(i) A signed, notarized statement submitted by the challenging provider that sufficiently identifies the part of the broadband expansion project to which the challenging provider will offer broadband service;

(ii) A summary of the construction efforts that includes the dates when tier two broadband construction is expected to be completed and when tier two broadband service will first be offered to the part of the broadband expansion project being challenged.

(E) To demonstrate that all or part of a broadband expansion project is ineligible, a challenging provider may present shapefile data, residential addresses, maps, or similar geographic details. Census block or census tract level data shall not be acceptable as evidence of ineligibility of all or part of a project.

(F) Not later than thirty days after receipt of a challenge, the board of township trustees may do any of the following:

(1) Suspend the use of general funds for broadband expansion projects subject to the challenge under this section;

(2) Reject the challenge, approve the use of funds, and proceed with the broadband expansion project by the broadband provider whose project was subject to the challenge;

(3) Accept in part and reject in part the challenge, and then approve the use of funds for a modified broadband expansion project that includes some but not all of the locations initially proposed for the broadband expansion project.

(G) The board of township trustees, by certified mail or electronic mail, shall provide a copy of its decision both to the challenging provider and to the broadband provider whose broadband expansion project was subject to the challenge. The decision shall be considered final, and further challenges are prohibited.

Last updated February 7, 2023 at 5:15 PM

Section 505.89 | Curfew - violations.

• Effective: March 9, 1995
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 580 - 120th General Assembly

(A) Whenever a board of township trustees considers it necessary to adopt a curfew for persons under eighteen years of age in any of the unincorporated areas of the township, the board may adopt a resolution setting forth the provisions of the curfew and declaring the necessity for it, together with a statement of the reasons for the necessity, and providing for its enforcement within the unincorporated area of the township.

(B) Any person under eighteen years of age who violates a curfew adopted under division (A) of this section shall be charged as being an unruly child and taken before juvenile court as provided in Chapter 2151. of the Revised Code.

Section 505.90 | Agreements to provide maintenance, repair, and improvement of township and municipal roads located within the townships and municipal corporations.

• Effective: June 30, 2017
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 26 - 132nd General Assembly

The board of township trustees of one or more townships and the legislative authority of one or more municipal corporations may enter into an agreement to jointly provide for the maintenance, repair, and improvement of township and municipal roads located within the townships and municipal corporations. An agreement entered into under this section shall include provisions governing all of the following:

(A) The sharing and use of facilities, equipment, and materials necessary for road maintenance, repair, and improvement;

(B) The use of township and municipal employees for purposes of the agreement;

(C) The payment of costs associated with the maintenance, repair, and improvement of roads conducted under the agreement;

(D) Any other matter determined to be necessary for purposes of implementing and executing the agreement.

Section 505.93 | Prohibiting boxing matches or exhibitions.

• Effective: July 27, 1981
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 60 - 114th General Assembly

A board of township trustees may adopt a resolution prohibiting in the unincorporated area of the township boxing matches or exhibitions to which sections 3773.31 to 3773.58 of the Revised Code apply.

Section 505.94 | Registration and regulation of transient vendors.

• Effective: September 29, 2017
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 49 - 132nd General Assembly

(A) A board of township trustees may, by resolution, require the registration of all transient vendors within the unincorporated territory of the township and may regulate the time, place, and manner in which these vendors may sell, offer for sale, or solicit orders for future delivery of goods. A board of township trustees also may, by resolution, prohibit solicitation at any residence at which the owner or tenant has posted a sign on the property prohibiting solicitation or for which the owner or tenant has filed a no solicitation registration form with the township, on a form prescribed by the board. If the board requires the registration of all transient vendors, it may establish a reasonable registration fee, not to exceed one hundred fifty dollars for a registration period, and this registration shall be valid for a period of at least ninety days after the date of registration.

Any board of township trustees that provides for the registration and regulation of transient vendors under this section shall notify the prosecuting attorney of the county in which the township is located of its registration and regulatory requirements. No transient vendor shall fail to register or to comply with regulations established by a board of township trustees under this division.

This division does not authorize a board of township trustees to apply a resolution it adopts under this division to any person invited by an owner or tenant to visit the owner's or tenant's premises to sell, offer for sale, or solicit orders for future delivery of goods.

(B) As used in this section:

(1) "Goods" means goods, wares, services, merchandise, periodicals, and other articles or publications.

(2) "Transient vendor" means any person who opens a temporary place of business for the sale of goods or who, on the streets or while traveling about the township, sells or offers for sale goods, solicits orders for future delivery of goods, or attempts to arrange an appointment for a future estimate or sales call. "Transient vendor" does not include any person who represents any entity exempted from taxation under section 5709.04 of the Revised Code, or any person licensed under Chapter 4707. of the Revised Code.

Section 505.95 | Regulating resale of tickets to public amusements.

• Effective: November 2, 1999
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 52 - 123rd General Assembly

(A) A board of township trustees may adopt a resolution to regulate in the unincorporated area of the township, by license or otherwise, the resale, by parties not acting as agents of those issuing them, of tickets to theatrical or sporting events or to other public amusements.

(B) The board of township trustees may establish a fine of not more than one hundred dollars for each separate violation of any resolution adopted under division (A) of this section. Fifty per cent of the moneys arising from the collection of the fine shall be deposited in the township's general fund. The remaining fifty per cent of those moneys shall be deposited in the county's general fund.

(C) Any person allegedly aggrieved by a violation of a resolution adopted under division (A) of this section may seek injunctive or other appropriate relief in connection with the act or practice that violates that resolution.

Section 505.99 | Penalty.

• Effective: July 1, 1996
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 2 - 121st General Assembly

Whoever violates section 505.374, 505.74, 505.75, 505.76, 505.77, or 505.94 of the Revised Code is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.

Section 505.991 | Penalty - neglect or refuse to deposit property in possession of a person arrested.

• Effective: September 29, 1999
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 55 - 123rd General Assembly

Whoever violates section 505.106 of the Revised Code shall be fined not less than twice the value of any property not deposited as provided by that section, but not more than three thousand dollars, or imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both.