MAYOR'S MESSAGE

Craig A. Stough 5/5/04

"Consolidated Services Study"

Sylvania City Council has approved funding the City's share of the proposed consolidated services study with Sylvania Township. Council approved Ordinance No. 48-2004 during their May 4, 2004 meeting appropriating an amount not to exceed $10,000 for the study.

The Sylvania Area Community Improvement Corporation (SCIC) has proposed the study in response to a request from several area residents in December, 2003 to study ways to save taxpayor dollars by the City of Sylvania and Sylvania Township cooperating in more ways than they already do.

The Sylvania area is already served by a single school district, a joint recreation district, a single fire department and the same municipal court. The City and the Township have cooperated to build an area Senior Center, and together with Lucas County have worked together to improve some of our main collector streets. The City and the Township even cooperate to bid road salt in order to receive lower prices for the larger order.

The study will look at opportunities for greater cooperation by sharing additional services. Road maintenance, police services, vehicle maintenance and trash collection will be studied, as will zoning, financial, legal, tax and personnel services. If enough services can be effectively shared, perhaps one day the communities will choose to merge into a single Sylvania government.

This study will also provide our community with the knowledge it needs to participate in the Lucas County wide cooperative government services study proposed by Toledo Mayor Jack Ford. Knowing the potential for consolidated services in Sylvania will allow us to better represent our residents in the coming countywide discussions.

The study will be performed by Public Financial Management of Cleveland, Ohio for a cost of $45,000. SCIC has committed to pay 50% of the cost, and has asked the City and Township to fund the remaining half on a 40/60 per capita basis.

I believe our community has much to gain from this study, both from the study process and the final report. I look forward to participating in this consolidated services study for the long term benefit of our Sylvania community.