The Coalition, represented by Larry Bettcher, Anthony and Bob Campana, Patrick Petrigan, Brian McCann and Vermilion Mayor, Jean Anderson, has agreed to contribute up to $34,000 towards the County’s required 80 per cent match to access the $343,000 Earmark acquired by Congresswoman, Betty Sutton, in support of this Project. An MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) will be presented from this Coalition which will address specific stipulations regarding raising of the remaining match moneys and the time frame in which the “Request For Proposals” regarding the Alternatives Analysis Study in order to obtain Federal Funding can be completed.

The conjoined “Steering Committee” will now be known as the “WEST SHORE COMMUTER RAIL TASK FORCE.” Represented at the meeting where this proposal was discussed included the Northern Coalition; NOACA (Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency); Lorain Port Authority (Website | Profile); Lorain County Community Alliance (Website | Profile) and the Lorain County Board of Commissioners.

For the past two years, meetings of the stakeholders along the corridor have been hosted by Ken Prendergast of All Aboard Ohio and the Lorain County Community Alliance. The Ohio Rail Development Commission has had input on this project.

THIRD ANNUAL GROUND HOG DAY

Team Lorain County (Website | Profile) (TLC) and the Lorain County Community Alliance (TLC) joined together in greeting Punxsutawney Phil as he peered out to see if he would be welcoming Spring to Lorain County anytime soon. The breakfast meeting, held at the Lorain County Administration Building, hosted 170 individuals including 34 elected officials.

One of the Keynote Speakers, Brad Whitehead, President of the Fund for Our Economic Future, called for counties, cities, school districts and other government entities to seriously look at combining services to save money. According to Whitehead, polls find Northeast Ohioans like the idea of cost-saving collaboration among government entities.

Some 14 years ago, a similar poll conducted at Lorain County Community College (Website | Profile), established that residents wanted their local governments to work collaboratively irrespective of political boundaries, thus the Alliance was formed. It appears to me that we here in Lorain County are already ahead of the game! Part of our Mission Statement: “The Alliance seeks to explore more effective levels of public service, develop mechanisms to save money for the communities involved and benefit the member communities and the region in ways that could not be achieved separately.”

STATE OF THE COUNTY

For the past four years, the Lorain County Chamber of Commerce (Website | Profile) has afforded the Board of Commissioners an opportunity to report on the past year’s progress. The Lorain County Solid Waste Management (Profile) has recommended a total of $1.5 Million in grants to 33 communities and $112,000 in special grants as quality of life improvement projects. Additionally Director, Dan Billman and his Staff have participated in 15 different events and festivals as well as hosting several contests and educational events.

During 2008, through five different collections, the following was kept from the landfill: Hazardous Household – 260,000 lbs.; E-scrap – 281,697 lbs.; Tires – 180 TONS; Bulb and Ballast – 35,350 lbs. and Battery – 9,294 lbs.

Pride Day is Solid Waste’s most notable event, which this past year included 22 participating communities,, 1,839 volunteers cleaning 69 miles of roadway; 57 parks; 12 miles of trails and/or paths; 29 playgrounds; 6 miles of waterways. In total 53 bags of aluminum cans were collected and recycled; 90 bags of newspapers and 177 tons of trash. A total of 251 flats of flowers and 75 trees were planted.

Early in 2008, the County entered into an Independent Agent agreement with Greyhound Lines, using our existing Transit Offices at 216 Third St., in Downtown Elyria, as the Bus Stop.

Transit agencies are in a funding crisis due to soaring fuel prices and the chronic underfunding of public transit. Lorain County Transit (Website | Profile) has faced another difficult year and in spite of all the challenges, ridership is on the rise.

Ohio is 12th in the Nation in transit ridership but 42nd in terms of committed state funding. Lorain County, NOACA and the Ohio Department of Transportation are working hard to find a temporary solution to keep our existing routes running. LCT was successful in receiving $645,431 in CMAQ (Congestion Mitigation Air Quality) money from ODOT that will provide at best, a temporary solution to our funding crisis.

Taxpayers today expect County Commissioners to take on the new responsibilities of local government while living within previous levels of revenue. That means paying for traditional county government services, which include issuing auto titles, recording real estate deeds, running elections, assisting in soil and water conservation, assessing property for taxation, providing for agricultural extension and veterans services as well as making local transportation improvements. This all adds up to making tough budget decisions and dividing scarce resources and funding among other elected officials and agencies.

Lorain County has not had an increase in the percentage of the sales tax since 1995 – 14 years. But, we suffered a severe loss to our General Fund of $3.5 Million from the State Local Government Fund starting in 2007 due to a shift in the formula based on population. The Commissioners have passed an emergency ½ per cent sales tax increase effective April 1st, while placing the issue on the November ballot seeking voter approval to retain this additional tax. We need your support to keep Lorain County moving forward.

DR. PAUL J. KOPSCH REMEMBERED

Dr. Paul J. Kopsch served as Lorain County’s Coroner from 1958 to 1972. Additionally, he was an inventor of Teflon-jacketed bullets and together with his wife, Mary, the Creator of many scholarships through the Community Foundation of Lorain County (Website | Profile). In addition, from April 1, 1991, until the time of his death on January 28, 2009, approximately 18 years, Dr. Kopsch served as an appointee of the Commissioners to the TB Clinic Board.

A Retired Brigadier General, he was often seen at local parades in full uniform. He served as the Commanding Officer of Chuck Blair’s National Guard Unit. He was our friend and he will be missed by many.

AN OLD FARMER’S ADVICE

“Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.”
“Forgive your enemies. It messes up their heads.”
“It don’t take a very big person to carry a grudge.”