Author: Jeff "JP" Miklovic

Council Minutes – March 5, 2019

North Baltimore Village approved minutes…

VILLAGE OF NORTH BALTIMORE
COUNCIL MEETING
March 5, 2019
MINUTES
I. Pledge of Allegiance
Mayor Goldner called the meeting to order at 5:35 PM and led the Pledge of Allegiance.
II. Roll Call:
Mayor Janet Goldner-Here, Matt Beegle-Here, Ty Carles- Absent, Tim Engard -Here,
Aaron Patterson-Here, Art Patterson- Absent, Leisa Zeigler-Here, Student
Representative- Zoey Beaupry, Clerk Kathi Bucher- Here, Legal Counsel-Joel
Kuhlman
Mr. Aaron Patterson made a motion to excuse Mr. Carles and Mr. Art Patterson. Second
by Mr. Beegle.
All approved.
III. Approval of the Agenda:
Motion by Mr. Beegle to approve the agenda (change committee names) of
tonight’s meeting. Second by Mr. Engard . All approved.
Approval of the Minutes:
Motion by Mr. Beegle to approve the minutes of the 2-19-19 meeting. Second by Mr.
Engard. All approved.
IV. Public Participation:
No participation
V. Letters and Communications:
No communications
VI. Administrative Reports:
Finance Officer: report handed out at the meeting
EMS Chief: no questions for departments
Fire Chief:
Police Chief:
Utility Director:
DPW Superintendent:
Village Administrator:
Clerk: nothing
Appointed Legal counsel: nothing
Mayor: State of Council Address is coming
VII. Standing Committees:
1 | Page
Economic and Community Development (Mr. Carles)
Nothing
Public Safety (Mr. Art Patterson)
Nothing
Personnel, Policy and Ordinance Review (Mr. Engard)
-employees smoking; policy was put in everyone’s mailbox last week
Public Works (Mr. Beegle)
-had a meeting with the Youth League on February 22. Everything is good to go. Is there
a policy that council should vote on?
-sidewalk questions, who’s responsibility, who should have them, who doesn’t need
them, who should pay for what-further discussion at COTW
Public Utilities (Mr. Aaron Patterson)
Nothing
Finance and Technology (Mrs. Zeigler)
Nothing
VIII. New Legislation, Resolutions, Motions or Business
Ms. Zeigler made a motion that Ordinance 2019-5 be read by number and title only for
its first reading. Second by Mr. Beegle.
Ordinance 2019-05 read by the mayor by number and title only.
ORDINANCE 2019-05 AN ORDINANCE VACATING A CERTAIN
NORTH-SOUTH STREET IDENTIFIED AS CENTRAL AVENUE
LOCATED NORTH OF THE NORTH RIGHT-OF-WAY LINE OF WEST
ELM STREET BEING FURTHER DESCRIBED AS ABUTTING INLOTS
471, 472, 473, 474, 517, 518, 519 & 520 IN THE VILLAGE OF NORTH
BALTIMORE (AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY TO EXIST) removed
IX. Second Reading of Ordinances and Resolutions
No readings
X. Third Reading of Ordinances and Resolutions
Ms. Zeigler made a motion that Ordinance 2019-03 be read by number and title only for
its third reading. Second by Mr. Beegle.
Ordinance 2019-03 read by the mayor by number and title only.
ORDINANCE 2019-03 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE VILLAGE
ADMINISTRATOR TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH INTECH IT
SOLUTIONS TO PURCHASE HIGH DEFINITION CAMERA SYSTEMS FOR
THE VILLAGE PARK AND VILLAGE HALL AT A COST NOT TO EXCEED
$7,800
Mr. Beegle made a motion to adopt. Second by Ms. Zeigler. All approved.
XI. Other New Business
Nothing
XII. Other Old Business
Nothing
XIII. Payment of the Bills
2 | Page
Ms. Zeigler made a motion to pay the bills totaling $ 178,247.07. Second by Mr. Beegle.
All approved.
XIV. Adjournment
Mr. Aaron Patterson made a motion to adjourn at 6:04 PM. Second by
Mr. Beegle. All approved.

Opinion: Progressives don’t fully appreciate the wonders of socialism; it’s scarier than their young hearts can imagine

by Dan Weber, president of the Association of Mature American Citizens


Opinion: Progressives don’t fully appreciate the wonders of
socialism; it’s scarier than their young hearts can imagine
by Dan Weber, president of the Association of Mature American Citizens
WASHINGTON, DC, Mar 22 – Vice President Mike Pence says the left uses euphemisms and catchphrases to describe their progressive agendas. Pence told the recent CPAC gathering in the nation’s capital: “Bernie [Sanders] has been joined by a chorus of candidates and newly elected officials who have papered over the failed policies of socialism with bumper-sticker slogans and slick social-media campaigns.”
The reason they use shorthand to describe socialism is that it would scare the pants off of those millennial Democrats and even some seasoned party apparatchiks if the truth be told. And, the truth is historic fact: socialism is the gateway drug that’ll hook you on the stronger stuff, namely Communism, if you let it.
Perhaps it is because progressive Young Turks – those millennials — are too young to appreciate the scope of the evil empire that was the USSR, the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics. They think those countries that were captives of the Soviet Union joined up because it was an opportunity to provide better lives for their citizens. They think Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania and all the others wanted to be part of a way of life that was uplifting, forward looking and fair to each and every citizen whether they were members of government or just your average Joe.
A little more than a year ago, Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, an organization created by a unanimous Act of Congress in 1993, conducted a survey that showed an alarming 44% of millennials say they would rather live in a socialist country than in a capitalist state. Meanwhile, a Gallup poll showed that Democrats, in general, have a positive view of socialism
Pravda was the official mouthpiece of the Soviets. The newspaper’s sole mission was, not to inform, but to mislead gullible subscribers in the free world and the inmates of the Soviet-controlled homelands into thinking that the Central Committee had only good intentions. Since the so-called fall of Communism in Russia, Pravda has modeled itself in the fashion of traditional Western media as a true source of information.
Not long ago, Pravda published an article describing what it was like to live in a Socialist state, noting that just like our own millennials, the younger generations in cities such as Moscow and St. Petersburg have a delusional view of the Soviet system. They actually think that life was better under the likes of Lenin, Stalin, Khrushchev and Brezhnev and their NKVD and KGB thugs [think Gestapo on steroids] who kept the citizenry in check. But, the older folk, those who lived in fear during those “good old days,” know better.
“Life in the USSR was bad,” Pravda reported. “Everyone was living in poverty throughout Soviet history, not only during the period of perestroika. In large cities, a customer in a food store could buy canned cod liver and smoked sausage, and that would be possible on a good day. Food stores in smaller towns and villages were empty. At the same time, radio and television would report record high milk yield and amazing achievements in the poultry industry. Food stores were selling liquid (diluted) sour cream out of huge dirty aluminum cans, as well as bitter herring (wrapped in newspaper), thin bluish whole chickens, brick-like bread and tasteless birch-tree juice.”
As Mr. Pence put it at the CPAC gathering, “Freedom encourages investments; socialism stifles growth. Socialism demands conformity.  America was founded on liberty and independence, not government coercion.”
Pence’s message is a far cry from the notion former president, Barack Obama, offered up to youngsters at the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative in Buenos Aires in 2016. President Obama told that gathering that there really is no difference between our way of life and that of a socialist or communist.
In Barack Obama’s own words: “so often in the past there’s been a sharp division between left and right, between capitalist and communist or socialist. And especially in the Americas, that’s been a big debate, right? Oh, you know, you’re a capitalist Yankee dog, and oh, you know, you’re some crazy communist that’s going to take away everybody’s property. And I mean, those are interesting intellectual arguments, but I think for your generation, you should be practical and just choose from what works. You don’t have to worry about whether it neatly fits into socialist theory or capitalist theory — you should just decide what works.”
Cuba is no “intellectual argument,” neither is Venezuela or North Korea. Life in those countries is the reality of what is the kind of existence we can expect if we capitalist Yankee dogs allow the crazy communists among us to prevail.
The USSR was the cradle of communism and its newspaper of record finally had to admit that life in the USSR – under communism or socialism, if you prefer – “was bad.”
The Association of Mature American Citizens [AMAC] is the nation’s largest Conservative senior advocacy organization with more than 1.7 million members.

NB Cemetery Clean-Up

It’s that time of year…


Cemetery Clean-Up

A general clean-up shall be conducted twice a year, depending on weather, normally in April and October.  All unsightly pots, flowers, and/or wreaths will be removed. (This is a quote from the Village Cemetery booklet)

Levi Gazarek Special Mention All-Ohio BBK

6′ 5″ Junior Tiger receives state recognition.

2019 DIVISION IV BOYS BASKETBALL ALL-OHIO

 

COACH OF THE YEAR: Mark Schlabach, Berlin Hiland

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Zeb Jackson, Toledo Maumee Valley Country Day

FIRST TEAM

Trey Brooks, Elyria Open Door Christian, 6-4, sr., 17.1; Zach Rasile, McDonald, 6-0, jr., 36.0; Gage Elza, Bristolville Bristol, 6-0, sr., 26.2; Aaron Music, Coal Grove Dawson-Bryant, 6-3, sr., 17.0; Zeb Jackson, Maumee Valley Country Day, 6-3, jr., 24.5; Nate Bruns, Maria Stein Marion Local, 6-6, sr.; Ethan Conley, Franklin Monroe, 6-4, sr., 27.3; Justin Sweeney, Lisbon David Anderson, 6-0, sr., 21.0; Curtis Houston, Richmond Heights, 6-3, sr., 12.8; Javin Etzler, Convoy Crestview, 6-7, sr., 14.2; Ben Hershberger, Plain City  Shekinah Christian, 5-11, sr., 19.6; 
Ricky Adams, Willoughby Cornerstone Christian, 5-9, sr., 14.5.
SECOND TEAM

Russ Young, Waterford, 6-3, sr., 13.9; Kendall Hochstetler, Berlin Hiland, 6-1, sr., 15.9; Aiden Miller, Kinsman Badger, 6-3, sr., 21.4; T.J. Chapman, Willoughby Andrews Osborne, sr., 23.3; Simon Blair, South Central, 5-10, jr.; Logan Niswander, Lucas, 6-2, jr., 20.1; Adonis Davis, Springfield Emmanuel Christian, 6-4, sr., 15.0; Sabien Doolittle, Springfield Catholic Central, 6-4, sr., 15.0.

THIRD TEAM

Nate Karaffa, Toronto, 6-1, sr., 19.6; ; Matt Hvisdak, Lowellville, 5-10, sr., 17.1; Parker Thiel, Hicksville, Zach Hayman, Sycamore Mohawk, 5-11, sr., 21.8; Chase Glock, Stryker, 6-6, sr., 16.0; Jared Bublinec, Elyria Open Door Christian, 6-5, sr., 16.7; Matt Applegate, Zanesville Rosecrans, 6-3, sr., 11.4; Kelly Hendershot, Shadyside, 6-2, jr., 18.8; Brayden Weber, Glouster Trimble, 6-0, jr., 17.2; Josh Thorbahn, Ottoville, 6-5, soph., 18.3; Brody Bowman, Lima Temple Christian, 5-10, sr., 29.5.

SPECIAL MENTION

Gbolahan Adio, Richmond Heights; Jacob Artman, Ashtabula St. John; Boone Jones, Sarahsville Shenandoah; Logan Brookover, New Matamoras Frontier; Clark Jennings, Caldwell; Gabe Lanzer, Sebring McKinley; Drew Clark, New Middletown Springfield; Bert Jones, Windham; Jalen Wenger, Dalton; Shiloah Blevins, South Webster; Jac

k Leith, Willow Wood Symmes Valley; Gage Sampson, Franklin Furnace Green; Kyle Sexton, New Boston Glenwood; Weston Browning, Peebles; Hunter Muir, Ansonia; Trent Platfoot, Jackson Center; Erik Uszynski, Xenia Legacy Christian; Kaden Warner, Cincinnati James Gamble Montessori; Eliot Cummings, Toledo Ottawa Hills; Levi Gazarek, North Baltimore; Jacob Adams, Plymouth; Jared Wurst, Delphos St. John’s; Gavin Feichtner, North Robinson Colonel Crawford; Jared Breece, Pandora-Gilboa; Nathan Roesch, Sandusky St. Mary’s; Jarod Schulze, Minster; Caden Niekamp, St. Henry.

HONORABLE MENTION

Mario Puletti, Newbury; John Castrilla, Ashtabula St. John; Anthony Maxie, Richmond Heights; Miles Hunt, Elyria Open Door Christian; Nassiem Salem, Cuyahoga Heights; Brandon Coleman, Columbia Station Columbia; Adam Ross, Columbia Station Columbia;

Payton Triplett, Lake Center Christian; Isaac Troyer, Kidron Central Christian; Connor Stuart, Rittman; Joey Knopp, East Canton; Joey Clark, Sebring McKinley; Shane Eynon, New Middletown Springfield; Matt Church, Bristolville Bristol; Tyler Roscoe, Vienna Mathews;

Cory Borders, Coal Grove Dawson-Bryant; Zach Roach, Ironton St. Joseph; Braxton Hardy, Crown City South Gallia; Garrett Barringer, Reedsville Eastern; Blake Guffey, Glouster Trimble; Colby Bartley, Corning Miller; Tanner Kimbler, Franklin Furnace Green; Will Shope, Sciotovillle East; Sam Buddelmeyer, Leesburg Fairfield; Hunter Ruckel, Mowrystown Whiteoak;

Christian Duniver, Sarahsville Shenandoah; Nickolai Wickham, Sarahsville Shenandoah; Andy Miller, Berlin Hiland; Mitch Neidenthal, Strasburg-Franklin; Mike Neidenthal, Strasburg-Franklin; Trillion West, Toronto; Dakota Phillips, Beallsville; 
Ashton Bigler, Morral Ridgedale; Delavontae Jackson, Liberty Christian; Dylan James, Danville; Carter Jones, Centerburg; Chase McCartney, Sugar Grove Berne Union; Bryson Vogel, Lancaster Fisher Catholic; Thomas Benvie, Granville Christian; Joel Headings, Plain City Shekinah Christian; Heath Jeffries, Newark Catholic; Caleb Logan, Genoa Christian; Levi Ross, Madison Christian; Daniel Turner, Lancaster Fisher Catholic; Brock Unger, Sugar Grove Berne Union;

Charlie Bertemes, South Charleston Southeastern; Nick Brandewie, Fort Loramie; Trey Dunn, Springfield Catholic Central; Daniel Kearns, Russia; Michael McCants, Cincinnati James Gamble Montessori; Aidan Reichert, Jackson Center; Logan Woods, Fairfield Cincinnati Christian.

Town Hall Meeting in Findlay – Families of Students with Disabilities

Statewide Series of Town Hall Meetings for Families of Students with Disabilities to Meet now through April 17

The Ohio Department of Education will host a statewide series of town hall meetings for families of students with disabilities between March 19 and April 17.

Discussion topics will include developing recommendations to improve educational experiences and outcomes for students with disabilities in Ohio.

The meeting is scheduled for:

March 28 — 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. — Findlay Inn, 200 East Main Cross Street, Findlay

Click here for more information.

For general questions about the meeting, please call Wendy Stoica at (614) 644-7307.

Custom Cut Specials for Easter

Serious Grillin’ weather is coming soon – LAST DAY of WINTER!!!

From the farms to the freezers –
We’ll cut whatever you want!
Let us cut your meat fresh!
NOT Pre-packaged!!

Fill YOUR FREEZER with LOCALLY Raised &
GRAIN FED Beef & Pork!
– Cut YOUR Way!

Beef Sides or Quarters – $2.75# –
Includes Beef* – Cut – Wrap & Freeze
HOGS – Whole or Half – $1.45# –
Includes Pork* – Cut – Wrap & Freeze
*smoking meats is extra
CALL FOR DETAILS!!!
419-257-3529

Ground Fresh DAILY!
85% LEAN Ground Beef
– $4.79# –
NOT Pre-Packed!!!

Frozen Ground Beef Patties
85% LEAN
3 to 1 : – “Third-pounders”
4 to 1 : – “Quarter-pounders”
$5.35#
–

USDA Choice English Chuck Roast – $5.49#

Hickory Smoked Slab Bacon – $5.99#
SLICED FREE – YOUR WAY!

Asst. Bone-in Pork Chops – $2.89#

Keystone Canned Beef & Pork $7.99 28 oz can / / / Chicken $6.89 can

Old Style Bologna – $5.49# / Garlic – $5.69 / Ham & Cheese Loaf – $5.89#

Boneless Ham Steaks
$4.49

Sugardale Spiral Cut Hams
with GLAZE pk
$2.69#

Amish Cheese from Walnut Creek
Swiss – Colby – CoJack – Pepper Jack
$5.49#

We accept:
Credit – Debit – EBT

NWSD Project – March 18

McComb – Sewer Line Replacement continues through June…

Northwestern Water and Sewer District Projects

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio, – The Northwestern Water and Sewer District (The District) delivers water and sewer services to over 19,000 customers in Wood, Sandusky, and Hancock counties.  Although many of our projects are performed underground, our utility work can impact roads throughout our service area.  The District will announce updates and when additional projects are under contract.  Updates and additions are highlighted in bold and underlined.

Perrysburg Township – Sanitary Sewer Improvements 
Through May, short-term intermittent lane restrictions are possible throughout Perrysburg Township for sewer work and manhole repair.  Project complete: May. Project investment: $998,000.

CLICK for WATER SHED locations!

Lake Township – Waterline & Sewer Installation 
Through September, watch for shoulder restrictions and additional construction traffic along Tracy Road from SR 795 to Keller Road for sewer installation.  Project complete: September.  Project investment: $520,000.

McComb – Sewer Line Replacement 
Through March, lane restrictions and short-term closures are possible at the intersection of Bond and Liberty Streets.  Project complete: June. Project investment: $490,000

Rossford/Northwood – Lead Service Line Removal Project *UPDATE* 
Through Tuesday, March 19, intermittent lane restrictions are possible in Rossford for waterline replacement.  Effective Wednesday, March 20, expect intermittent lane restrictions in Northwood, west of Tracy Road and north of Wales Road for waterline replacement.  Restoration in both Rossford and Northwood will take place following the completion of the waterline replacement work in both cities later this spring.  Project complete: May. Project investment: $900,000.  For more information and to sign up for email updates go to:  https://www.nwwsd.org/what-we-do/water/water-facts/lead/

Rossford – Sewer Lining Project
Through June, watch for shoulder restrictions and construction crews on roads north of Eagle Point Road for sewer lining. Project complete: June. Project investment: $767,000. 

Council Agenda March 19

VILLAGE OF NORTH BALTIMORE COUNCIL MEETING March 19, 2019 5:30 PM AGENDA


VILLAGE OF NORTH BALTIMORE
COUNCIL MEETING
March 19, 2019
5:30 PM
AGENDA

I. Pledge of Allegiance
II. Roll Call
III. Approval of the Agenda
IV. Approval of the Minutes
V. Public Participation (5 min limit)
VI. Letters and Communications
VII. Administrative Reports
Finance Officer: No reports due
EMS Chief No reports due
Fire Chief: No reports due
Police Chief: No reports due
Utility Director: No reports due
DPW Superintendent: No reports due
Village Administrator: report included in council packets
Clerk: First Readings: Resolution 03-2019
Ordinance 2019-06
Ordinance 2019-07
Ordinance 2019-08
Second Readings: Ordinance 2019-05
Appointed Legal Counsel:
Mayor:
VIII. Standing Committees
Economic and Community Development (Mr. Carles)
Public Safety (Mr. Art Patterson)
Personnel, Policy and Ordinance Review (Mr. Engard)
Public Works (Mr. Beegle)
– 2019 Village Baseball Field Agreement – Motion to Approve
Public Utilities (Mr. Aaron Patterson)
Finance and Technology (Ms. Zeigler)
IX. New Legislation, Resolutions, Motions or Business
RESOLUTION 03-2019 A RESOLUTION REGARDING COMPENSATION
FOR EMPLOYEES OF THE VILLAGE OF NORTH BALTIMORE FOR
FISCAL YEAR 2019 AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY
ORDINANCE 2019-06 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE
VILLAGE ADMINISTRATOR TO DIRECT THE PURCHASE OF 46 LED
LIGHT BULBS FOR THE DECORATIVE STREET LIGHT FIXTURES
ABUTTING THE STATE ROAD 18 ROUNDABOUT AT A COST NOT TO
EXCEED $5,100 AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY
ORDINANCE 2019-07 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE
VILLAGE ADMINISTRATOR TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT
WITH JONES & HENRY ENGINEERS, LTD FOR THE PURPOSE OF
PROVIDING GENERAL ENGINEERING SERVICES AT THE VILLAGE
WATER UTILITY AT A COST NOT TO EXCEED $10,000.00 AND TO
DECLARE AN EMERGENCY
ORDINANCE 2019-08 AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE EDITION
AND INCLUSION OF CERTAIN ORDINANCES AS PARTS OF THE
VARIOUS COMPONENT CODES OF THE CODIFIED ORDINANCES OF
THE VILLAGE OF NORTH BALTIMORE OHIO.
X. Second Reading of Ordinances and Resolutions
ORDINANCE 2019-05 AN ORDINANCE VACATING A CERTAIN
NORTH-SOUTH STREET IDENTIFIED AS CENTRAL AVENUE
LOCATED NORTH OF THE NORTH RIGHT-OF-WAY LINE OF WEST
ELM STREET BEING FURTHER DESCRIBED AS ABUTTING INLOTS
471, 472, 473, 474, 517, 518, 519 & 520 IN THE VILLAGE OF NORTH
BALTIMORE AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY
XI. Third Reading of Ordinances and Resolutions
None
XII. Other New Business
XIII. Other Old Business
XIV. Payment of the Bills
XV. Executive Session: Mayor requests motion to hold Executive Session – Pending
Litigation
XVI. Adjournment

Sunset at Cricket Frog Cove, Cygnet

Spring Equinox: Full Worm Moon & Woodcock Wander


Spring Equinox: Full Worm Moon & Woodcock Wander
Wednesday, March 20; 7:30 – 9:00 pm
Cricket Frog Cove
14810 Freyman Road, Cygnet
As the sun sets a very special bird begins preparing for one the best aerial courtship displays in North America. He goes by names such as: bogsucker, timberdoodle, mudbat and many more. We will listen for nocturnal wildlife, and gaze at a sky full of stars. No dogs permitted. There may be walking off trails.

Get Ready, Ohio! Severe Weather Awareness Week

March is a Mix of Winter & Spring Weather Conditions

March is a Mix of Winter & Spring Weather Conditions

COLUMBUS, OH — As part of a coordinated effort with the Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness (OCSWA), Governor Mike DeWine has proclaimed March 17-23 as Severe Weather Awareness Week and encourages all Ohioans to learn what to do to protect themselves from spring and summer weather hazards, including home emergencies.

“Ohio’s weather can be unpredictable, so it’s important to be prepared,” said Governor DeWine. “Ohio has already had two tornadoes this year, along with extremely cold weather, heavy snowstorms, and flooding that resulted in a state of emergency in nearly two dozen Ohio counties. Ohio’s Severe Weather Awareness Week is an ideal time to learn about severe weather preparedness and get ready.”

Governor DeWine proclaimed a state of emergency on Monday for the following 20 counties impacted by damaging flooding last month: Adams, Athens, Brown, Gallia, Guernsey, Hocking, Jackson, Jefferson, Lawrence, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Pike, Ross, Scioto, Vinton and Washington. The emergency proclamation authorizes various state departments and agencies to coordinate state and federal response and to assist local government in protecting the lives and property of Ohio residents.

“As we have seen this winter, severe weather, such as tornadoes and flooding, doesn’t keep a calendar. We need to know of all the weather hazards that can impact our state and how to prepare and protect ourselves,” said Ohio Emergency Management Agency Executive Director Sima Merick. “Every minute counts in a disaster, so we encourage you to plan now so you’re prepared. Make emergency plans for the different hazards that can impact your household. Practice tornado and fire drills. Make emergency supply kits for your home or for your car, in case you need to evacuate. Additionally, consider purchasing flood insurance.”

During the weather safety campaign, the state of Ohio will participate in a statewide tornado drill and test its Emergency Alert System on Wednesday, March 20 at 9:50 a.m. During this time, Ohio counties will sound and test their outdoor warning sirens. Schools, businesses and households are encouraged to practice their tornado drills and emergency plans.

What Can Ohioans Do During Severe Weather Awareness Week?

  • Prepare for Weather and Home Emergencies. Homes, schools and businesses should update their safety/ communications plans. Practice tornado and fire drills. Replenish supplies in emergency kits. Be informed – Know the risks about the different disasters and hazards that can affect families where they live, work and go to school. Include children in emergency planning.
  • Know Ohio’s Weather Hazards. Ohio’s spring and summer weather hazards include tornadoes, thunderstorms, floods, and even snowstorms through early spring. Visit the OCSWA website: weathersafety.ohio.gov to view current Ohio weather and to review severe weather safety and preparedness information.
  • Know the Difference between Storm Watches and Warnings. Ensure that everyone knows the difference between a Tornado Watch and a Tornado Warning. A tornado watch means conditions are favorable for the development of tornadoes. A tornado warning is issued when a tornado is imminent or occurring. If a tornado warning is issued for your area, do not stop to take photos or shoot video. Seek safe shelter immediately. OCSWA Spring & Summer Weather Terms

During tornado drills or actual tornado warnings, remember to DUCK!

D – Go DOWN to the lowest level, stay away from windows

U – Get UNDER something (such as a basement staircase or heavy table or desk)

C – COVER your head

K – KEEP in shelter until the storm has passed

Many Ohio counties have outdoor warning sirens that sound during severe storm and tornado warnings. During storm watches or warnings, listen to your NOAA Weather Radio or your local news for current weather conditions and information.

People also receive notification of severe weather and other emergencies through their cellphones and mobile devices. Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) are emergency texts sent by authorized government alerting authorities. WEAs can notify you of storm warnings, local emergencies requiring evacuation or immediate action, AMBER Alerts, and Presidential Alerts

Social Security Matters…

Ask Rusty – Maximizing Social Security Benefits

Russ
by AMAC Certified Social Security Advisor Russell Gloor

Ask Rusty – Maximizing Social Security Benefits
Dear Rusty: I am currently 68 and am waiting to take maximum benefits at age 70. I have been retired for 3 and a half years. My wife turned 62 in February of this year. She stopped working around 1994. What is the best way to maximize our SS benefits? Both of us have longevity on our side. My wife’s parents lived into their 80s, her grandmother lived to 96. My mother lived to 84, my father to 98. We are both very active, no big health issues. Signed: Planning Ahead

Dear Planning: You’re already on a path to maximize your benefits by waiting until you are 70 to claim. Given that both of you are in good health and assuming you both live a long life, maximizing your wife’s benefit will yield you the most in cumulative Social Security benefits.

Assuming you are the higher-earner, your wife’s highest benefit will probably be her benefit as your spouse, so maximizing her spousal benefit would be an excellent strategy. Although your wife is eligible to collect her own SS benefit at age 62, if she does so her eventual spousal benefit will be reduced to something less than 50% of your full retirement age (FRA) benefit.

Here’s how that works: A spousal benefit, if taken at one’s full retirement age (66 ½ for your wife), is 50% of the higher-earning spouse’s benefit at his full retirement age (not the increased benefit you get by waiting until age 70). But if the spousal benefit is taken earlier than full retirement age it is reduced actuarially according to the number of months before FRA it is claimed. If your wife claims her own SS benefit at age 62, her eventual spousal benefit will be less than 50% of your benefit, because the spousal boost is added to her early benefit amount. Said another way, any time a Social Security benefit is taken earlier than one’s full retirement age it is reduced. In your case, when you claim your benefits at age 70, your wife will be 63 ½. If she is already receiving her own SS benefits she will be automatically deemed to be filing for a spousal benefit at that time, and the amount of her spousal benefit will be reduced due to starting it earlier than her FRA.

However, if she is not yet receiving her own SS benefit, she will not be deemed as filing for her spousal benefit until she files for her own SS on her own work record. The only way your wife can get the full 50% of your FRA benefit amount is by waiting until her full retirement age to claim her benefits. And if you are both in good health and expect to live at least until your mid-80’s, your wife waiting until her FRA to apply will give you the most in cumulative lifetime benefits (as well as the highest combined monthly benefits).

But keep in mind that the decision of when to claim benefits must always take into account current financial needs, current health and lifestyle, and anticipated longevity. If you don’t need the money right now, and if you’re both in good health and expect a long life, then maximizing both of your benefit amounts as described above would be a very sound strategy.

This article is intended for information purposes only and does not represent legal or financial guidance. It presents the opinions and interpretations of the AMAC Foundation’s staff, trained and accredited by the National Social Security Association (NSSA). NSSA and the AMAC Foundation and its staff are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any other governmental entity. To submit a question, visit our website or email us._______________________________________
The 1.7 million member Association of Mature American Citizens [AMAC] [https://www.amac.us] is a vibrant, vital senior advocacy organization that takes its marching orders from its members. We act and speak on their behalf, protecting their interests and offering a practical insight on how to best solve the problems they face today. Live long and make a difference by joining us today athttps://amac.us/join-amac.

Should Teachers Be Armed?

Madison Win in Armed Teacher Case is a Victory for Ohio Schools


Madison Win in Armed Teacher Case is a Victory for Ohio Schools
Madison Local Schools have good reason to want armed staff. Three years ago a classmate shot four students. This presented a wake up call to the district, showing yet again that no school is exempt from tragedy and failing to prepare for such incidents is irresponsible.
After looking at a variety of options, teachers and administrators took part in the Buckeye Firearms Foundation’s FASTER Saves Lives training program last June, which lead the board to authorize 10 people to carry concealed firearms in school.
Ohio law gives school boards the authority to make decisions on safety in schools, including whether to allow staff to carry guns.
However, a group of parents filed suit alleging that only those who have completed the entire Ohio peace officer training curriculum, with more than 700 hours of coursework, can legally carry in a school.
On Thursday, February 27, 2019, Butler County Common Pleas Court Judge Charles Pater ruled against the parents and in favor of Madison Local Schools, saying the FASTER training was sufficient.
“This ruling is a victory for school safety in Ohio,” said Dean Rieck, Executive Director of Buckeye Firearms Association. “While I won’t disparage the motives of the parents who brought the suit, this was really a case of well-funded, out-of-state political activists coming to Ohio with an agenda.”
Rieck says the plaintiffs are really Everytown for Gun Safety, an anti-gun group funded by billionaire Michael Bloomberg whose crusade against guns spans the country.
Rieck continued, “While the Everytown attorneys maintain they are interested only in the safety of children, we believe the real goal is to shut down the FASTER program and set a legal precedent that would prevent teachers, or anyone else, from carrying firearms in schools unless they are police officers.
“Given that no school employee could ever be expected to complete over 700 hours of training, and given the expense of hiring security or police officers, a loss by Madison Local Schools in this case could create precedent that could potentially prevent anyone from being armed in Ohio schools and making them completely defenseless from active killers looking for easy targets.”
According to Rieck, the argument by the Everytown lawyers is absurd on its face because Ohio peace officer training includes topics such as law, driving a police car, writing reports, dealing with domestic situations, and other law enforcement issues which have nothing to do with stopping an active killer.
Ironically, the Ohio peace officer training includes little to nothing about active killer tactics, which the FASTER program focuses on exclusively along with “stop the bleed” training for those with critical injuries.
“It’s infuriating,” said Rieck. “These activist lawyers say they want safe schools, but they bring a lawsuit against a school district that has implemented a program to stop killers and provide life-saving medical treatment. What they’re really afraid of is that more and more schools are arming staff. They’re afraid this simple strategy will actually work and it will prove the only way to stop an active killer is to use lethal force immediately.”
Should teachers be armed?
Arming teachers and school staff sounds radical to some people, but it’s a simple and effective option. Objections spring from ignorance about the reality of mass murder and the role teachers can play to stop it. Consider common misconceptions:
Teachers don’t want firearms training to stop school shooters.
Some don’t. But many do. When FASTER Saves Lives announced a class for 24 Ohio teachers in 2012, more than 1,000 applied. Over the last 6 years, more than 2,000 teachers and staff have taken the training in 250 school districts (over 200 in Ohio) across 15 states and in 77 of 88 Ohio counties, with thousands more on a waiting list. Everyone who takes the training is a volunteer.
Teachers aren’t trained as well as police.
Actually, many police officers have no active killer training at all. And general firearms training represents only a tiny fraction of what they learn at the academy. FASTER provides teachers with 27 hours of intensive active killer training. Even with no training, teachers who volunteer to carry at school are often those who carry in their private lives and have a lifetime of firearms experience. In Ohio, only those with a valid Concealed Handgun License can apply for a FASTER class.
Teachers carrying a concealed handgun destroy the learning environment.
How? In Ohio, more than 650,000 people, one of every 14 adults, are licensed to carry a handgun and do so in restaurants, malls, public parks, and nearly everywhere else without anyone even noticing. Why would a school be any different? And given that in most schools, firearms are carried concealed, who would ever know which staff are carrying or when?
At least 14 states already allow teachers to carry at school. Another 16 give local school boards the authority to approve school carry. In Texas and Utah, teachers and staff have been carrying guns for more than a decade.
The issue really isn’t about guns. It’s about TIME. The more time a killer has, the more people die. Based on past mass shootings, on average there are 12-16 deaths if you wait for police to arrive, but only 2-3 if someone confronts the killer immediately.
Mass murderers aren’t looking for a fight; they’re looking for a slaughter. Teachers don’t have to be Rambo to stop them. In almost every case, an aggressive challenge can stop the killing quickly.
Forget the politics and be honest. If it’s YOUR kid at school when the slaughter starts, would you rather have armed teachers there, or would you prefer everyone were defenseless, helplessly waiting 5, 10, 15 minutes or more for police to show up and stop the killer before he aims his gun at your kid? Look your child in the eyes when your answer that question.
FASTER Saves Lives
In response to the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, which claimed the lives of 20 children and 6 adult staff members, Buckeye Firearms Foundation launched an emergency response training program here in Ohio for teachers, administrators, and other school staff.
Called FASTER Saves Lives (Faculty / Administrator Safety Training & Emergency Response, the nonprofit program has to date provided high-level training to 2,000 teachers and staff members from 250 school districts in 15 states. This includes teachers and staff in 77 of Ohio’s 88 counties.
“The response from Ohio educators has been more enthusiastic than we could have ever imagined,” said Joe Eaton, FASTER Program Director.
“When we first announced that we planned to train teachers in armed response and emergency medical aid,” Eaton continued, “some people said teachers would never sign up. But within days of announcing the program, we had 600 apply for training. In weeks, it soared to over 1,000. Today we have over 3,000 faculty members from all over Ohio on our mailing list. And more are contacting us every day.”
The enthusiasm for this program has gone far beyond Ohio. School staff from six other states have attended FASTER training. In addition, instructors from as far away as Colorado have traveled to Ohio to see how the program works and take the idea back to their home state.
Created by concerned parents, law enforcement, and nationally-recognized safety and medical experts, FASTER is a groundbreaking, nonprofit program that gives educators practical violence response training.
The program is funded by Buckeye Firearms Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable educational organization based in Ohio and the sister organization to Buckeye Firearms Association. Classes can be provided at no cost to school personnel or school districts.
The program presents a carefully-structured curriculum over a 3-day class that exceeds the requirements of the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy.
The purpose is not to replace police and EMT, but to allow teachers, administrators, and other personnel on-site to stop school violence rapidly and render medical aid immediately. It is a well-established fact that faster response to school shootings and other violence results in fewer lives lost.
Buckeye Firearms Association is a grassroots organization dedicated to defending and advancing the right of citizens to own and use firearms for all legal activities, including self-defense, hunting, competition, and recreation. Read more.