Governor John Kasich Signs Ohio’s Transportation Biennial Budget (HB 26)
The Ohio House, by a vote of 81:16, and the Ohio Senate, by a vote of 28:5, approved the Conference Report on HB 26 and sent it on to the Governor. On March 31, Governor Kasich presented his Veto Message of HB 26 which maintained the funding levels of the Conference Report. It also eliminated several legislative recommendations on the various state and local agencies including: elimination of the Smart Transportation Action Advisory Team due to the potential for added bureaucracy, maintaining the current frequency of annual full bridge inspections, and eliminated the interchange requirement every 4 miles for a certain section of interstate highway in Northeast Ohio because it short circuits procedures for the installation of interchanges developed by ODOT and the transportation profession.
The Conference Report’s two-year budget is $7.82B and includes:
- For local government, a $5 increase to the maximum allowable permissive license fee. Local governments may still approve the increase but the Conference Report includes the option for blocking any increase by referenda - a vote of the people.
- For local government, deputy registrars may raise transaction fees from the current amount of $3.50 to $5.25.
- Variable speed limits may be used in Columbus (I-670), Cincinnati (I-275), and Cleveland (I-90). Extending the program to other regions requires legislative approval.
- Earmarks $33M for public transit – a $10M increase statewide.
International Trails Symposium
There is still time to register for the 2017 International Trails Symposium which is being held in Dayton May 7-10, 2017 at the Dayton Convention Center. We are pleased to announce a special registration rate of $300 for Ohio residents! For more information on the conference and to register for the event, please go to: http://americantrails.org/ee/index.php/symposium. The sessions are certified by Ohio Planning Association (APA) and Ohio Parks and Recreation Association (OPRA). International Trails Symposium is offering APA credits, as well as OPRA! View the full list of all the Core Tracks, Concurrent Sessions, Trail Talks, and many other educational sessions – Click here.
The International Trails Symposium brings together trail development professionals and users from across the country and around the world. As an added bonus, there will be a drawing for $5000 in professional services from Alta Planning + Design, a nationally-known firm specializing in community designs that encourage active lifestyles. The drawing will be held during the Awards Banquet, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 9, 2017. You must be present to win.
There will also be a Free Public Day on Sunday, May 7 from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM at the Dayton Convention Center. Community members of all ages are invited to meet trail professionals and visit displays. Please feel free to post or circulate the flier advertising this event. Click here to view flier.
If the Miami Valley Trails network is an important part of your community, please consider attending to learn how trails add to the economic vitality and the quality of life for communities across the globe.
Thank You for Payment of 2017 Agency Dues
On behalf of this appreciative Executive Director and staff, we appreciate your dues payments! We are pleased that all local agencies and associate members understand and value their membership in MVRPC. Please contact me at 937.531.6540 or bmartin@mvrpc.org to discuss your community’s progress, any concerns about the agency, or to just make sure we have a discussion. I do plan to attend several upcoming council and trustee meetings in communities where we haven’t been as engaged as we could be to learn how we can help and better understand local needs.
As you know, the staff and I have been very involved with local plan updates including referring a planning firm or individual to jurisdictions, collaborating with you on writing scopes of work and RFPs for plan updates, participating with you on consultant selection committees and plan update steering committees, and of course providing our data, mapping, and other technical resource services. We exist to provide planning services and funding so please let me know when you’re ready to have a discussion about your community’s immediate and long-term needs.
Each month, MVRPC highlights several grant funding opportunities available at: http://www.mvrpc.org/our-vision/planning-services/grant-and-funding-opportunities, where you will find a description, contact information and program links found in GrantFinder, a grant-seeking tool leased by MVRPC and a key first step in attracting funding. If you need assistance with your grant pursuit or need further grant research, contact Lynn Zuch, Research Associate, at 937.223.6323 or lzuch@mvrpc.org.
This month we are featuring information on:
- Ohio Department of Natural Resources; Office of Real Estate’s NatureWorks – Deadline: May 1, 2017.
- Ohio Humanities - Cultural and Heritage Tourism Initiative – Next Deadlines: Major Grants (Max $20,000) – July 12, 2017, and Quarterly Grants (Max $5,000) – June 15, 2017.
Upcoming MVRPC Meetings:
04/20/17 9:30 a.m. Technical Advisory Committee – 10 N. Ludlow St., Suite 700, Dayton, Ohio
05/04/17 8:30 a.m. Executive Committee – 1515 S. Main St., Dayton, Ohio
05/04/17 9:00 a.m. Board of Directors – 1515 S. Main St., Dayton, Ohio
April 2017 Executive Director's Update PDF available for download