Latest news with #OhioRevisedCode
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Committee moves charter ordinance to the rest of council, but what does that mean?
City Council's Legislative, Codes & Regulations committee passed an ordinance that would be the first step for the City of Marion to become a charter city. In passing the ordinance, the committee has given the rest of City Council a chance to consider the legislation. But the road to becoming a charter city isn't straightforward. There are multiple votes a city must go through to adopt a charter. The city charter establishes a framework for city government, including its structure and procedures. Cities without a charter, like Marion, use the Ohio Revised Code to organize governments. Those cities are called statutory cities. The city charter ordinance, which must be passed by two-thirds of City Council to appear on the ballot, was moved to City Council by the Legislative, Codes & Regulations committee on June 2. The ordinance would allow the public to vote on if they would like to form a city charter commission. There will be three readings of the ordinance, on June 9, June 23 and July 14, before its voted on by the entire council. During the reading, members of the public will be allowed to voice comments about the city charter. The charter commissioner drafts the city charter. They will have about a year to draft the charter after being elected. The commission will be made up of 15 city residents. The members of the commission are voted on at the same time as the formation of the charter commission. Members of the commission must be residents of Marion. To run for a spot on the commission, residents must collect 25-50 signatures from residents who are eligible to vote. Petitions must be returned to the Marion County Board of Elections by 4 p.m. Aug. 4. Residents will vote on the city charter commission formation in the next general election after its passed. This year, the general election takes place Tuesday, Nov. 4. If the ordinance passes City Council, voters will decide on two things in November. First, they'll decide whether or not they'd like to form a charter commission. No matter what voters decide on that first question, they'll also vote on who should make up the charter commission. The charter commission will not be formed. City Council can decide to pursue a charter again, but they must pass another ordinance to put the charter question back on the ballot for the next year. If the charter commission is approved in November and it creates a draft charter within the deadline, a copy of the entire drafted charter will be mailed to residents before the November election in 2026. Voters will get to decide whether or not to adopt the charter in November 2026. The charter will not be adopted. City Council can decide to pursue a charter again, but the process will start from the beginning. They must pass another ordinance to put the charter commission back on the ballot then if that passes, the following year a draft charter can be voted on again. If a charter is adopted, the charter can be amended. There are two ways according to Ohio Revised Code. An amendment can be suggested by City Council by a two-thirds majority vote or if 10% of electors sign a petition. Any suggested amendment would be placed on the ballot and require a majority vote from City of Marion residents for adoption. Some cities create charter review commissions that review the charter every few years or every year and suggest amendments. This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Marion city charter ordinance moves from committee to council
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Unit development ordinance halted after ‘legal insufficiency' issue
Video: Prior coverage announcing the new home of 'Flight Fest.' DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — An ordinance that may have opened the door to unit developments in Vandalia has been halted. Following a special council meeting Monday, June 2, the city announced that a referendum petition made to place Ordinance 25-02 onto November's ballot was denied. The ordinance approved a planned unit development and preliminary development plan as well as a zoning map change for land on 7848 South Brown School Road. It was initially passed by the council on March 3, 2025. The Montgomery County Board of Elections and Vandalia city officials cited 'legal insufficiency,' as the factor behind the new decision. The city received the referendum on April 2. Eight days later, the county's Board of Elections office determined that the referendum met the signature threshold required, with 683 valid signatures declared. On May 2, the owner of the property on South Brown School Road submitted a protest that challenged the validity of the referendum petition. The protest was reviewed and it was subsequently determined that the referendum was formatted incorrectly. 'Specifically, the petition failed to include a mandatory Falsification Notice required by Ohio Revised Code 3501.38(J),' the city said in a press release. The absence of the notice according to the city is how the petition was deemed a 'legal defect.' The city says that this also means that the petition can't be corrected, which had been advised prior, leaving the referendum process concluded. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
If you do burnouts in your car at this local event, you can be charged
SALEM, Ohio (WKBN)- The City of Salem wanted to make the public aware of a new state law that was passed regarding burnouts. The city announced on Facebook that it will be abiding by a new law that prohibits activities like burnouts, wheelies and street racing. The post reads that drivers can be charged with a first-degree misdemeanor if they are street racing, stunt driving or participating in a street takeover. Offenders could face sanctions and have their driver's license suspended for up to three years. The city said that people who assist with this behavior will also be charged. Ohio Revised Code defines 'street racing' as the operation of two or more vehicles side-by-side at an accelerating speed in an attempt to out-distance each other. A 'street takeover' is the action of blocking or impeding the regular flow of traffic on a public road, street, highway, or public property that is open to the general public for street racing or stunt driving. Ohio Revised Code defines 'stunt driving' as performing or engaging in burnouts, doughnuts, drifting or wheelies, or allowing a passenger to ride either partially or fully outside of the vehicle while operating that vehicle. This information was released ahead of the Salem Super Cruise event on Thursday, June 5. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ohio Schools & Municipalities Can Now Procure Solar Easily Through META and Veregy
Ohio Schools & Municipalities Can Now Procure Solar Easily Through META and Veregy Columbus, Ohio, May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- META Solutions, a regional council of governments serving school districts, local governments, and public entities across Ohio, is pleased to announce the award of a Master Contract to Veregy for the delivery of solar infrastructure projects. Veregy was selected through a competitive Request for Qualifications (RFQ) and Request for Proposals (RFP) process designed to identify a qualified Construction Manager at Risk (CMR) with design-assist capabilities under Ohio procurement guidelines. The selection process followed the requirements of Ohio Revised Code (ORC) Section 9.33 et seq., and the Master Contract was established in accordance with ORC Section 167.081, which enables councils of governments to offer cooperative purchasing solutions with standardized unit pricing for use by public entities across the state. Veregy will also provide design-assist (DA) services as outlined in ORC Section 153.501. As the awarded vendor, Veregy will support META Solutions members in implementing cost-effective, scalable solar energy projects, streamlining both procurement and implementation processes. K-12 school districts, municipalities, counties, and other eligible public entities will now have direct access to pre-qualified solar development services, avoiding the time and administrative burden of independent solicitations. Cooperative purchasing through META Solutions delivers significant advantages for public entities, including time savings, cost reductions, and simplified procurement. By leveraging the collective buying power of its members, META secures competitive pricing on high-quality services that might otherwise be out of reach. This streamlined approach eliminates the need for separate bidding processes, enabling schools and local governments to accelerate projects, reduce administrative burden, and focus resources on their core missions. It also creates new opportunities to pursue innovative solutions, such as solar energy systems, that support long-term financial and operational goals. 'This award represents a significant step forward for public entities across Ohio that are ready to invest in sustainable energy solutions,' said Stephanie Zinger from META Solutions. 'By partnering with Veregy, our members now have streamlined access to solar infrastructure that supports long-term savings and environmental responsibility.' About META Solutions META Solutions (Metropolitan Educational Technology Association) is a not-for-profit regional council of governments that provides technology services, cooperative purchasing, fiscal support, and administrative services to over 600 school districts, local governments, and public entities throughout Ohio. By aggregating demand and providing shared services, META helps public sector organizations save money, increase efficiency, and comply with state and federal requirements. Through its cooperative purchasing program, META Solutions leverages group buying power to help members access competitively priced goods and services—ranging from technology equipment to facilities upgrades and infrastructure solutions. For more information on META Solutions and how to participate, visit About Veregy Veregy is an award-winning, NAESCO-accredited decarbonization company that focuses on accelerating and simplifying the Energy Transition. With a strong local presence in Ohio and offices in 13 locations across the country, Veregy provides turnkey engineering and construction services designed to reduce its clients' energy and operating costs through the implementation of energy efficiency and infrastructure upgrades, solar energy, smart building technology, fleet EV infrastructure, and sustainability. Their proven track record of successful projects positions them as an ideal partner for advancing sustainability and operational efficiency for schools, local governments, and other public entities. For more information on Veregy, please visit Attachment Ohio Schools & Municipalities Can Now Procure Solar Easily Through META and Veregy CONTACT: Vincent Esparza Veregy 602.452.8746 vesparza@ Stephanie Zinger META Solutions 614.473.8300 Stephaniezinger@
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ohio's Geauga County sued to release contract for ICE detainees
Border Patrol officers detain two men in El Paso in late March. (Photo by Marty Schladen, Ohio Capital Journal) The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio is suing the Geauga County Sheriff's office over its refusal to provide copies of contracts it's signed with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Geauga is one of at least five counties in Ohio that have signed contracts to house migrants detained by ICE on the belief that they're undocumented. The ACLU on Tuesday afternoon filed a writ in the Ohio Supreme Court asking the court to mandate the release of the contracts. In a statement, the civil liberties group said that in April the sheriff's office claimed that releasing the records was ''prohibited by federal law' and therefore not public per the Ohio Revised Code. (The ACLU) was instructed to instead contact ICE for the records.' Under such contracts, the federal government pays counties to house detainees. During the first Trump administration, the Ohio counties that housed detainees faced complaints and lawsuits. The ACLU's statement said that the office didn't cite a valid reason not to release its ICE contract. Advocate: Ohio's county jails are no place for migrants 'None of the federal statutes (the county's lawyers) have cited, however, prohibit the disclosure of the requested records,' the writ said. 'Because (the county's lawyers) have refused to perform their clearly defined duty to provide the requested records, (the ACLU) respectfully submits this complaint for alternative and peremptory writs of mandamus to require (the sheriff's office) to provide her with the records she seeks.' Geauga County Chief Sheriff's Deputy Thomas Rowan said the county's attorneys are telling a different story — that only ICE can release the documents. 'It's in our attorneys' hands,' he said. 'Once the court rules, we'll definitively know which way to go. Our attorneys believe that they have to go through ICE to get copies of any of the paperwork.' As a general matter, government documents can usually only be withheld or redacted if they contain sensitive personal information, business secrets, or if their disclosure would endanger public safety or national security. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE A wave of state and national public records laws were passed in the wake of the Watergate scandal to crack down on government corruption. Documents relating to the expenditure of government dollars were a particular target of such laws. As Trump promises mass deportations, the ACLU said it would try to keep a close watch. 'The ACLU of Ohio is deeply committed to protecting immigrants' rights and our organization serves as a watchdog for government transparency and accountability,' Jocelyn Rosnick, Chief Policy and Advocacy Officer, said in a written statement. 'We know that Geauga County Jail has housed ICE detainees for years, some of whom we have previously defended in court. Our lawful demands for timely and accurate information must not be ignored.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
