Jerome Township Trustees have tabled the idea of creating a limited home rule township.
At a recent meeting, the trustees acknowledged if they wanted to put the question of limited home rule to the voters, they would need to get it filed with the board of elections soon. Before a township can move to limited home rule, residents must approve the decision. The question can only be placed on a general election ballot.
“If we want it on this fall’s ballot, we have got to get this done and get it on the ballot,” Trustee Ron Rhodes said at the meeting.
Trustees C.J. Lovejoy and Joe Craft said they wanted more information before they put the question to the voters.
“It really seemed like something we really need to sit down and iron out the pros and cons,” Craft said.
The trustees tabled the question, though they acknowledged they may revive it at the Aug. 6 meeting. If the trustees vote to act at the meeting, they could get the resolution to the board of elections before the Aug. 8 deadline to make the November ballot.
Attorney Pete Griggs, of Brosius, Johnson and Griggs, said the option of switching from a statutory township to home rule is “becoming more and more popular.”
“The nice thing about limited home rule is that you just get to pick and choose when you add to limited home rule and when you don’t,” Griggs said.
He said home rule flips the way a township approaches conducting its business. A statutory township is only allowed to make legislation or do things specifically permitted by state law. Limited home rule would allow the township to write legislation and conduct business the way it wants unless specifically prohibited by state laws.
Griggs said if a situation arises, but is not specifically addressed by state law, “that’s when you exercise your home rule powers.”
He said a home rule township can pretty much address the situation however it chooses.
Additionally, limited home rule would allow the township to explore water and sewer options and to develop economic development incentives.
Rhodes said the ability to create economic development opportunities for the township is one of the big draws for him.
“Most of the Central Ohio townships that have done it have mostly used it to their benefit for economic development programs,” Griggs said.
He said the change will not mean much for the township’s day-to-day administration.
“Really, you aren’t going to see any changes to the way you operate,” Griggs said.
He said Jerome Township also meets the population and budget thresholds required to create a home rule township.
Griggs said the biggest concern is often cost. He said a home rule township must provide police protection. Jerome Township already has a levy for a public safety officer.
“So you have that box checked,” Griggs said.
Additionally, a home rule township must have or contract for a law director. Officials said the township could contract with the Union County Prosecutor’s Office for that service.
“It’s really no different than calling the prosecutor up and asking him to address any other resolution for you, other than the form the resolution takes,” Griggs said.
Rhodes also shared that once a township approves home rule operations, there is a mechanism to return to its previous methods, if officials or residents don’t feel that home rule is working out.