The regular meeting of the Henry Township Trustees was called to order by Chairman Wymer with the following members responding to roll call: Present: Brumbaugh, Wymer. Absent: Baltz.
It was moved by Brumbaugh seconded by Wymer to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of December 8, 2020 as presented. Roll call: Ayes: Brumbaugh, Wymer. Nays: None.
Motion carried.
It was moved by Brumbaugh seconded by Wymer that bills be approved for payment and checks issued for expenses totaling $ 48,820.63
Roll call: Ayes: Brumbaugh, Wymer. Nays: None. Motion Carried.
Guests Present: None
Old Business
None
New Business
F.O. reported that the expense summary for repairs to Freyman Rd. has been submitted to Co. Eng.
It was moved by Wymer, seconded by Brumbaugh to make the following Appropriation Changes:
$9000 from 2141-330-420 to 2141-40-740
$500 from 2021-330-229 to 2021-330-190
It was moved by Wymer, seconded by Brumbaugh to provide a 1% raise to township maintenance employees in lieu of a Holiday bonus. New hourly pay rates: T. Francisco – $23.74, B.Matthes – $16.72
There being no further action to come before the Board the meeting was adjourned upon motion.
The District serves over 20,000 water and sewer customers in Wood, Hancock, Henry, Lucas, & Sandusky counties.
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio, – The Northwestern Water and Sewer District’s Board of Trustees today accepted the appointment of a new board member, the reappointment of two current members, and also approved board officers during their first meeting of 2021.
NEW BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEMBER
The board accepted The District’s municipal appointment of Bill Barnhart to the Board of Trustees. Mr. Barnhart fills the board seat left vacant by Bill Verbosky, who retired from his board seat in December. Mr. Barnhart currently serves as the Vice President of Engineering and Operations for the Hancock Wood Electric Cooperative. He is a registered electrical engineer in the State of Ohio and has worked in the electric utility industry for over 20 years. Bill currently lives in Weston and also served on the Village of Weston’s council for four years.
“Hopefully, I can contribute to the board through my experience with long-term capital planning for addressing aging utility infrastructure and balancing this need with fair rates. I would also encourage management to continue to investigate leveraging technology to hopefully reduce cost, improve operational efficiency, and improve service,” Barnhart said.
Bill was appointed by The District’s municipal members and his term will expire in 2023.
RETURNING BOARD MEMBERS
William Hirzel was reappointed to the District’s Board of Trustees. Mr. Hirzel resides in Lake Township and also serves on the board for the Hirzel Canning Company. He was reappointed by the Wood County Commissioners and his current term expires in December 2023.
Melinda Kale was also reappointed to The District’s Board of Trustees. Ms. Kale is the Chief Executive Officer at Work Leads to Independence (WLI), a nonprofit organization delivering services to people with disabilities throughout Northwest Ohio. Reappointed by The District’s Township members, Ms. Kale lives in Rudolph, Ohio and her current term expires in December 2023.
BOARD OFFICERS
Mark Sheffer was re-elected to serve as Board Chairman. This will be his sixth consecutive year as chairman. Mr. Sheffer resides in Weston and serves as a municipal appointee. His current board term will expire in December 2021.
Steve Arnold was elected to serve as Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Mr. Arnold resides in Bloom Township. His current term expires in 2021. Steve has spent his entire career in banking and finances, working for MidAm Bank for ten years and opening up an Edward Jones Investment office in 1996.
Melinda Kale was elected to serve as the Secretary of the Board of Trustees. This will be her third year serving in the position. She is the CEO of Work Leads to Independence and participates in several community boards such as The Governor’s Council of People With Disabilities, Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce Board of Trustees, and the Liberty Township Memorial Association.
The Northwestern Water and Sewer District’s board members are appointed three each by the townships, municipalities, Wood County Commissioners, and one board member appointed by the Henry County Commissioners. We serve over 20,000 water and sewer customers in Wood, Hancock, Henry, Lucas, & Sandusky counties. With $240 million in assets, The District maintains over 440 miles of water distribution pipe, 8 water towers and over 3,900 fire hydrants. Sewer maintenance includes over 355 miles of collection pipe, 13 wastewater treatment facilities and over 5,000 manholes.
BOWLING GREEN (Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2021) – Winter operations stats for the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) in northwest Ohio indicate we’ve experienced a more active winter this year over last — at least to this point.
Below are the current figures for the 16-county region in northwest Ohio regarding materials used and equipment miles driven during snow and ice control operations within ODOT District 1 and 2 (Allen, Defiance, Hancock, Hardin, Paulding, Putnam, Van Wert, Wyandot, Fulton, Henry, Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky, Seneca, Williams and Wood counties).
The stats represent all of this winter season through Jan. 13, 2021:
Did you ever wonder how the salt we use to treat icy roads in winter gets from the truck to the pavement? Learn herehow a salt spinner works from Josh Augsburger, highway technician in Wood County.
Know Before You Go!
For more detailed traffic information, and to get personalized traffic alerts for your commute, download the OHGO app or visit OHGO.com.
Our committees are an important part of the organization and work all year round to support the mission of Habitat! Interested in joining a committee?
HABITAT NEWS
January 14th, 2021
We build strength, stability, self-reliance, through shelter.
Risingsun Project
Habitat has entered the final phase of the Risingsun project, demolition of the mobile home trailer. The mobile home was the previous residence for homeowner Calvin before moving into the small house. A team worked to remove the home this week. This work signifies a new start for homeowner Calvin and a bright spot for the community.
Habitat Committee Meetings
Many of our committees are meeting this week and next with a mix of in person and virtual meetings to kick off the new year. Our committees are an important part of the organization and work all year round to support the mission of Habitat! Interested in joining a committee? Contact Jessica Herringshaw for more information- jherringshaw@wchabitat.org
Are you an Amazon Shopper?
Did you know that you can select Amazon Smile in the Amazon app on your phone and Habitat will receive 0.5% of the amount you spend? Find out how here.
For many, the worthwhile challenge of enhancing physical health begins with the foods and beverages you eat and drink.
(Family Features) A new year brings new opportunities for personal changes and improvement from taking steps forward in a career to bettering personal relationships and – perhaps most common – starting on a path toward better health. For many, the worthwhile challenge of enhancing physical health begins with the foods and beverages you eat and drink.
Step one is to leave behind the habit of turning to unhealthy meals and instead focus on dishes that call for fresh fruits and veggies like this Quinoa Salad with Orange Cilantro Salad Dressing. Simply start with cooked quinoa and mix together with your preferred produce like orange slices, grapefruit and diced avocado. Add feta cheese, lime juice and diced red onion to bring the flavor to life and drizzle with the light, zesty dressing.
Making nutritious choices goes beyond just your meals, however. Take your commitment to the next level with beverages that don’t cancel out your effort to eat healthy. This Spiced Citrus Ginger Mocktail combines a concentrate made of orange juice, orange peel, lime juice and lime peel with zero-sugar, zero-calorie ginger ale.
These health-conscious recipes are made possible with the flavor enhancement of Zevia beverages, which are naturally sweetened with stevia and include no artificial ingredients, colors or preservatives. Ranging from sodas to organic teas, energy drinks, sparkling water and mixers for cocktails and mocktails, the zero-sugar beverages fit nearly any lifestyle including eating patterns like paleo, keto, intermittent fasting and gluten-free.
Visit zevia.com/recipes to find more nutritious food and drink solutions.
Quinoa Salad with Orange Cilantro Salad Dressing
Yield: 2 cups
Dressing:
1/2 cup Zevia Orange Soda
1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup fresh cilantro
1/2 avocado
1 teaspoon garlic
Quinoa Salad:
1 cup quinoa
leafy greens (optional)
1 orange, cut into pieces (optional)
1 grapefruit, cut into pieces (optional)
1 lime, juice only
1/2 avocado, diced (optional)
1/4 cup feta cheese (optional)
1/4 cup diced red onion (optional)
To make dressing: In food processor, pulse orange soda, lime juice, olive oil, cilantro, avocado and garlic until consistency is smooth.
To make quinoa salad: Cook quinoa according to package directions and let cool.
Once quinoa is cool, add to bowl with orange pieces, if desired; grapefruit pieces, if desired; lime juice; avocado, if desired; feta cheese, if desired; and diced onion, if desired. Top with orange cilantro salad dressing.
Spiced Citrus Ginger Mocktail
Yield: 1 mocktail
Concentrate:
1 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice
1 orange peel
1 lime peel
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, lightly crushed
5 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
2 cinnamon sticks, lightly crushed
Mocktail:
1/3 cup concentrate
1 can Zevia Ginger Ale
ice
lime wedge, for garnish (optional)
orange wedge, for garnish (optional)
To make concentrate: In small saucepan, combine orange juice, lime juice, orange peel, lime peel, black peppercorns, cardamom pods and cinnamon sticks. Bring to boil over high heat then turn to low; simmer until liquid has reduced by half, 3-4 minutes. Let cool and strain out solids. Transfer to glass jar and store until ready to use.
To make mocktail: Combine concentrate with ginger ale over ice.
Garnish with lime wedge or orange wedge, if desired.
Sandra Lou Cramer, 75, of Fostoria, formerly of North Baltimore, passed away Wednesday, January 13, 2021 at the Blanchard Valley Hospital.
Sandra was born in Defiance, Ohio on February 4, 1945 to the late William and Bernice (Reichenbaugh) Griffith. She married Eddie Cramer on August 21, 1987 and he survives.
Also surviving are her children: John Doyle Griffith, LaDonna Glary, Lona Wittenmeyer, Luster Howes, Carolyn (Cecil) Thompson, Stephanie Cramer, Holli (Jerry) Thomas and Michael (Deanna) Cramer; step-children: Gay (Dan) Hillard, Dennis (Lori) Cramer, Tina Cramer and Lynne (John Hentorne) Kidd; 11 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren; siblings: Roxie (James) Barringer, Donna Atzbach and Lacey Griffith. She was preceded in death by her son Samuel McCartney and siblings: Rose McCartney, Sharon Wittenmeyer, Lucinda Brown, William Griffith II and Sally Peters.
Sandra worked for Choice Motels, retiring after 30 years as a desk clerk. She enjoyed playing a good game of Bingo and was a collector of porcelain cats. She was an avid book lover and enjoyed computer games. The most important part of Sandra’s life was her family. She loved them dearly and cherished the time she spent with them.
Services for Sandra will be announced at a later date.
Arrangements have been entrusted with the Hanneman Funeral Home, 201 Osborn Ave., Findlay, Ohio 45840.
Online condolences, as well as a fond memory may be sent to Sandra’s family by visiting www.hannemanfuneralhomes.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio—If you were thinking this winter has been fairly mild so far, it has been, but gear up.
Frigid temperatures could be gripping Ohio, the Midwest, and the Northeast around the last week of January.
Credit: Getty Images
The polar vortex, a wide area of swirling cold air near the North Pole, has weakened and split in two, which happens from time to time when air in the stratosphere above it warms. With the split, forecasts indicate one of the portions of the vortex may drift south toward Canada and the northern United States.
These weakened polar vortex conditions often drop temperatures well below normal (think single digits and sub-zero) and may lead to more snow, said Aaron Wilson, climate specialist with The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES).
“We’re watching this evolve,” Wilson said. “It’s eye-catching from a meteorologist’s standpoint. It can obviously cause some storms and lead to very cold conditions.”
And it’s possible snow could come with those cold temperatures if the conditions are right, he said.
That’s because this winter’s weather is also being influenced by La Niña, meaning the temperature of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Central and South America is colder than average. Those conditions can influence weather around the world.
For Ohio, a La Niña year typically means a wetter and warmer-than-average winter and spring.
Whether that additional precipitation will mean more snow or more rain, is uncertain, Wilson said.
“We’ve experienced La Niña years where we got a lot of snow and some in which we didn’t.”
But the trend has been for a bit more snowfall than average during La Niña conditions.
“We’re not talking about a lot more snow—more like 1 to 3 inches above average for the season,” he said.
Central Ohio typically gets 25–30 inches of snow, on average, a year, with southern Ohio getting less and northern Ohio much more, with about 60–70 inches of snow near Lake Erie.
The typically coldest seven-day period of winter in Ohio has yet to come: Jan. 18–25.
The Ohio Air National Guard’s 180th Fighter Wing is scheduled to conduct training flights at night, Thurs., Jan. 14, weather permitting. Area residents may see or hear F-16 fighter jets taking off and landing until about 8:30 p.m.
Training flights normally take place during daylight hours, but F-16 pilots and maintenance personnel are required to conduct night operations as part of their overall readiness training. The 180th Fighter Wing appreciates the continued support from the citizens of Ohio and Michigan as we continue to train in support of our mission.
(BPT) – Do you ever notice how fulfilled you feel when you spend time with your pet? How your pet can inspire joy while also somehow helping you feel less stressed? Or maybe you are thinking of getting a pet hoping for companionship, affection and love? These and many more positives are the result of the pet effect, also known as the human-animal bond.
“Science supports that the pet effect is real for people of all ages,” says PetSmart Charities President Aimee Gilbreath. “However, you don’t need research to see for yourself the benefits a pet can bring a family. Adopting a pet is a life-changing experience. The human-animal bond is a profound thing and many people consider their pets members of the family and welcomingly embrace the many positives they provide.”
Aimee Gilbreath, President of PetSmart Charities, shares some of the top benefits and interesting facts about the pet effect:
Owning a pet has mental and physical benefits
Scientific evidence supporting the emotional health advantages of pet relationships is growing. Pets and therapy animals have been shown to help alleviate stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness and social isolation. For example, a study by the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) and Cohen Research Group found 74% of pet owners reported mental health improvements from pet ownership and 54% of pet owners reported physical health improvements from pet ownership.
Pet ownership reduces U.S. health care costs
About 80 million U.S. households have pets, according to the HABRI Foundation, and that pet ownership has saved the U.S. health care system an estimated $11.7 billion. The largest savings was determined based on a lower incidence of physician office visits by pet owners as compared to non-owners. Additional savings were calculated for increased physical activity for pet owners, such as dog owners who walk their dog five or more times a week.
Pets provide security during times of stress
A Purdue University study found animal-assisted therapies can help provide diversion from anxiety-inducing medical experiences, providing a sense of security, while also encouraging interaction and activity often critical for healing. Something as simple as an affectionate nuzzle or a wag of a tail from a therapy animal can decrease stress and anxiety for patients and the hospital staff. When at home, your own pet can provide a sense of security and peace to help manage stress and anxiety, too.
Pets provide companionship, especially during times of isolation
Companionship is a top reason people own pets. During times of increased isolation such as quarantine and social distancing, this is particularly important. An additional study by HABRI found that pets are part of the solution to social isolation and loneliness, a growing public health epidemic, even before the COVID-19 pandemic. Around 85% of respondents agree that interaction with pets help reduce loneliness and 76% agree that human-pet interactions can help address social isolation, followed by 72% who believe that human-animal interaction is good for their community.
Organizations are stepping up to support pet ownership
Realizing the many benefits of pet ownership, some organizations are doing their part to support the pet effect. For example, PetSmart Charities is providing grants supporting nearly 4,000 animal welfare organizations across the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico to provide shelter, socialization and veterinary care to homeless pets to prepare them for adoption, as well as providing resources to help keep pets and the people that love them together.
Since 2012, PetSmart Charities have committed nearly $4 million in grants to support change making local animal welfare organizations across North America.
The largest savings was determined based on a lower incidence of physician office visits by pet owners as compared to non-owners.
If you are not currently enrolled in the CAUV (Current Agricultural Use Value) program and you believe you may be eligible, please contact the Wood County Auditor’s Office at 419-354-9174 for more information…..
Matthew Oestreich, Wood County Auditor has announced that the 2021 Current Agricultural Use Value (CAUV) renewal forms have been mailed to property owners currently enrolled in the program. Eligible property owners, who are not currently enrolled, may also apply for the program now.
In accordance with Ohio law, CAUV applications are to be filed with the County Auditor’s office by the first Monday in March, this year by March 1, 2021. Eligible property owners must reapply each year with no renewal fee. There is a $25.00 initial filing fee for all new applications. If renewal forms are not returned by March 1st, the County Auditor will be required by law to value the property at its market value and recoup the tax savings for the past three years.
Current Agricultural Use Value authorizes the County Auditor to assess farmland at its crop production value rather than its market value. It protects and preserves farming operations by gearing the tax base to the production of the land rather than its potential for development. Ohio voters approved a constitutional amendment which created the program and since 1974 most of the state’s agricultural land has been taxed at this value instead of market value.
CAUV soil values are set by the Ohio Department of Taxation and are adjusted every three years for each County. New values were issued for the 2020 tax year which is payable in 2021.
“Wood County has 9,612 individual real estate parcels on Ag Use,” Mr. Oestreich noted. “A total of 317,027 acres in this program brought a tax savings to agricultural landowners last year of over $14,200,000,” Auditor Oestreich added.
If you are not currently enrolled in the CAUV program and you believe you may be eligible, please contact the Wood County Auditor’s Office at 419-354-9174 for more information.
