The Lucas County commissioners are not happy with Ohio’s redrawn political district boundaries and are seeking to have them redrawn.
At the January 25 meeting, the commissioners passed a resolution asking the Ohio Redistricting Commission to maintain all of Lucas County within the Ninth District.
“The U.S. Constitution requires that Congressional reapportionment and redistricting be completed every 10 years for the purpose of dividing seats in the U.S. House of Representatives,” they noted.
Following the 2010 Census, Toledo and Lucas County were partitioned into the Fifth western and Ninth eastern parts of the county. They point out that the latter district is referred to as the “snake along the lake” because of its narrow path along Lake Erie to west Cleveland.
In 2015, voters approved sweeping changes to the “gerrymandering” system with a Constitutional amendment.
The voter-approved reforms stipulate that “districts be contiguous and compact with boundaries that take into consideration the existing county, municipal and township boundaries and that legislative districts not have more than a 5 percent variation in population, reflecting state and federal elections over the past decade.”
Six years later the state legislature approved a bill enacting a map of the 15 Congressional districts. The redrawn map placed Toledo and Lucas County in District 5. The map–passed by a simple majority–failed to garner bipartisan support and as a result, will only exist for four years, the commissioners said.
A lawsuit was subsequently filed by advocacy groups, and the Ohio Supreme Court rejected it for failing to comply with the constitutional amendment and ordered the lines be re-drawn again.
Justice Michel Donnelly wrote, “The evidence in these cases makes clear beyond all doubt that the General Assembly did not heed the clarion call sent by Ohio voters to stop gerrymandering.”
The commissioners believe that the current redrawn map separating the county and Toledo into multiple Congressional districts “would fracture countywide regional economic development and diminish the communities of interest within the county.”
“We strongly support a redistricting plan that would keep Lucas County and Toledo in a single congressional district,” said Commissioner Pete Gerken.
Title IV D Service Contracts
The commissioners approved a number of Title IV D services contracts for county agencies.
Contracting for one year with the Department of Jobs and Family Services are clerk of courts domestic relations division, $220,485; court of common pleas, $161,234; court of common pleas juvenile division, clerking services, $524,794; court of common pleas, juvenile division magistrate services, $171,576; common pleas court, juvenile division, child support, $28,713, and prosecutor’s office for criminal non-support prosecution services, $145,136.
They also approved an intergovernmental contractor agreement with Family and Children First Council for provision of intersystem coordination for $14,901; an agreement with the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council for use of NORIS, $720; and revenue generating agreement with Zepf Center to assist with determination for public service assistance programs at a cost of $73,196.
Other Business
In other business, the commissioners:
•Approved a collective bargaining agreement with the technical and services bargaining unit. The agreement runs from January 1 2022 through December 31, 2024 and provides for a 4 percent increase in base pay effective January 1 with a lump sum payment of $1,000. In 2023 it calls for a 2 percent increase and $3,000 lump sum payment with an economic reopener in 2024.
•Amended the fee schedule for the building regulations division. The new fees take effect February 25 and cover plumbing, HVAC, pressure piping, electrical, contractor registration and permit fees.
•Settled litigation with former Lucas County Health Department employee Phyllis Autry for $15,000. Ms. Autry had alleged discrimination based on her race.
•Approved an amended plan of finance for the issuance of up to $300 million of Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority environmental facilities revenue bonds.
•Extended the legal services of attorney Thomas Hays to assist the county prosecutor with implementation of the King Road landfill settlement and increased the fee amount by $20,000.
•Accepted a Violence Against Women Act grant of $43,000. The funds are for the integrated investigations program and require a 25 percent match of $14,333. They also accepted a justice assistance grant for $57,333 from the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council.
•Authorized the sheriff’s department to sell a retiring deputy his firearm for $100.
•Entered into a professional services agreement with Vod’s Here LLC for crafting instruction for juvenile court domestic violence involved families at a cost of $4,950.
•Signed a lease agreement with Toledo Legal Aid Society for 1,939 square feet of office space at 1819 Canton Street, Toledo for $11.50 per square foot.
•Disbursed second half 2021 funds to Bethany House and the YWCA for victims of domestic violence. Each will receive $21,921.
•Submitted a grant application through the Ohio EPA’s direct current fast charging grant program for the installation of fast charging electric vehicle stations.
•Entered into agreements with the Department of Jobs and Family Services and the Workforce Development board for office space at 3737 Sylvania Road, Toledo.
~Jane Maiolo
