Table of
Contents
FEATURE
Ohio Conference on Freight - Featured Speakers
ENVIRONMENT
Portage River Basin Council
Green Infrastructure Workshop
Wetlands Grant
Good Housekeeping Workshop
Sediment Testing Maumee and Swan Creek
TRANSPORTATION
Westside Corridor
Passenger Rail Forum
Safety Measures Report
NEWS
TMACOG Tech: October
Member Highlight: Ohio Farm Bureau
Member News
EVENTLINE
September / October 2011
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FEATURE____________________________
Ohio Conference on Freight
September 20 & 21
An Economy in Motion – Opportunities Ahead
The program for this month’s 2011 conference reflects the broad range of concerns of Ohio’s transportation industry and has a special focus on economic development. Conference registration is open until September 19. See the complete agenda here. The special conference rate at the Hilton Toledo will be honored for reservations made by September 9...more
ENVIRONMENT__________________________
PRBC Tours Historic Club
The July meeting of the Portage River Basin Council was held at Winous Point Club on Sandusky Bay in Ottawa County. The council heard from Jared Molesky of the Ottawa Soil and Water Conservation District who talked about coordinated efforts to control invasive Phragmites australis....more
Green Infrastructure: Doing the Math
For builders of new construction and for managers at existing buildings, there is a growing interest in “green” infrastructure as a way to manage stormwater in conjunction with traditional strategies. Learn more about green infrastructure practices and the benefits to the environment and financial bottom line. Presentations and data will be pulled from both local and regional projects – covering everything from bioswales to roundabouts. The workshop is funded in part by a grant from NOAA and the Ohio Coastal Training Program.
Green Infrastructure: Doing the Math
Presented by the Toledo-Lucas County Sustainability Commission
Friday, October 28, 8:30 a.m. -11:45 a.m.
Nitschke Hall at the University of Toledo
For more information on the workshop and registration details, click here.
Major Grant to Fund Wetland Construction
On August 8, the U.S. EPA announced grants under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative that will go to several Ohio organizations. The largest of the Ohio grants, at $1,348,595, was awarded to the University of Toledo (UT) to build a passive treatment wetland at Maumee Bay State
Park...more
Good Housekeeping Training
People who operate or maintain municipal facilities – including materials storage, vehicle maintenance, or chemical storage – can establish pollution prevention plans in the workplace to protect water quality. TMACOG Environmental Planner Ann-Drea Hensley will describe good housekeeping practices at a seminar Wednesday, September 21, 2:30-3:30 p.m. at the Lucas County Sanitary Engineers Office, 1111 S. McCord Rd, Holland, 43528. The workshop is open to employees or managers of any local government facilities. There is no fee but please call to register. For more information contact Ann-Drea Hensley at 419.241.9155 ext. 103.
Sediment Sampling on the Maumee River and Swan Creek
The U.S. EPA work vessel the Mudpuppy was in Toledo in August taking samples of riverbed sediment in the Maumee River and Swan Creek. The work is federally funded through the Great Lakes Legacy Act, which is specifically dedicated to cleaning up dangerous sediments in the Great Lakes area. Analysis of the samples will show if there is any problem that needs to be further researched. TMACOG Maumee River Coordinator Matt Horvat will review the data gathered to see if there is any remediation needed that he can push forward...more
TRANSPORTATION_______________________
Westside Corridor Acquisition
The purchase of an abandoned rail corridor for future public use is moving through required steps and should be complete in late October. See details of the Westside Corridor plan here. The corridor is about 11 miles long and connects residential neighborhoods, schools, commercial areas, and health facilities in Lucas County and part of Wood County...more
Invitation to Passenger Rail Forum
While high-speed passenger rail plans have slowed in Ohio, there is exciting progress to report in Michigan. A regional consortium of groups interested in passenger rail transportation has planned a program for Monday, October 17 to hear about developments on the Detroit-Ann Arbor-Chicago corridor. The lunch and presentation is open to the public. It will be held at the Toledo Club, 235 14th Street in Toledo. Please register by contacting Diane Reamer-Evans at 419.241.9155 ext. 117, or e-mail NWOhioPassengerRail@gmail.com.
| Presenters will represent public and private sector interests and the program will describe how communities along the corridor are benefiting from high-speed passenger rail. The program is hosted by Northwest Ohio Passenger Rail Association (NOPRA) and the TMACOG Public Transit & Passenger Rail Committee. |
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Safety Measures Report Complete
The most dangerous time of day for accidents in Toledo and Wood County is between 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., especially on Fridays. The youngest drivers are by far involved in the most accidents and in the most serious accidents. These are just some of the findings in the comprehensive report recently completed by consultants the Mannik & Smith Group through a contract with TMACOG...more
NEWS__________________________________
How to Identify and Pursue Federal & State Grants:
Tips for Local Governments
October 19, 2:30-4 p.m. at the Grand Lobby of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza, Toledo.
Not so long ago, when local plans for sewers or roads fit into larger state plans, mayors and administrators could count on state money to augment local government funds. Even now, when resources at all levels are tight, there are still many state and federal programs that exist specifically to aid cities, counties, villages, and townships.
During the October TMACOG Tech presentation, elected officials and administrators will learn how to find the state and federal agencies that will support local programs and projects. Attendees will be introduced to key congressional liaisons and learn the tools needed to navigate the grant process. In a changing governmental climate, this workshop will be useful for experienced or newly elected officials.
TMACOG Tech will be held immediately following the October TMACOG Board of Trustees meeting. There is no fee, but please register by contacting Executive Secretary Jennifer Allen: 419.241.9155 ext. 107 or allen@tmacog.org.
Member Highlight:
Member Highlight: Ohio Farm Bureau
The Ohio Farm Bureau has been a member of TMACOG since 1999, the year after TMACOG began accepting non-governmental agencies as members. They joined to build stronger connections between their member farmers and governments that regulate the agricultural industry. OFB was organized in 1919 to help farmers with rural electrification and now has more than 200,000 members with county bureaus representing all 88 Ohio counties...more
Member News
TMACOG welcomes the Black Swamp Bird Observatory as a new member. The observatory is located at Magee Marsh Wildlife Area in Ottawa County.
Congratulations to the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority. The port earned the prestigious Robert J. Lewis Pacesetter Award from the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC), an agency of the U.S. Department of Transportation. SLSDC Administrator Terry Johnson presented the award August 4, during the summer meeting of the American Great Lakes Ports Association in Toledo. The port registered nearly 4.8 million metric tons of cargo during the 2010 navigation season, which is more than 16 percent higher than in the 2009 season, earning the port its eleventh Pacesetter award.
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Copyright © 2011 Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments
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Upcoming
Events
Ohio Conference on Freight
September 20-21
Hilton Hotel Toledo and Dana Conference Center
Passenger Rail Forum
Monday, October 17,
11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
The Toledo Club,
235 14th St. Toledo
TMACOG Tech
Wednesday, October 19, 2:30 p.m.
Grand Lobby of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza
Monroe County Reception
Thursday, October 27,
5-7 p.m.
Monroe County Historical Museum
Green Infrastructure:
Doing the Math
Presented by the Lucas County Sustainability Commission
Friday, October 28,
8:30 - 11:45 a.m.
Nitschke Hall at the University of Toledo
Fulton County Reception
Wednesday,
November 9, 5-7 p.m.
Wauseon Middle School
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