Ohio Township Day

Two sentences in the Ohio Revised Code forever changed what February 1 means to Ohio’s township officials. House Bill 652, enacted in 1998, designated February 1 as Ohio Township Day. The year 1999 marked the first Ohio Township Day.

The idea of a Township Day was brought to the Ohio Township Association by a trustee in Ashland County, who felt a day should be set aside to recognize the hard work and dedication of township trustees and fiscal officers, promote grassroots government, and encourage township officials to visit schools to explain township government and requirements necessary to serve as a township official.

The idea for a statewide township recognition day originated in the very county where the OTA originated. As the first county in Ohio to form a county association, Ashland County led the effort to establish the statewide association.

Townships have not only survived the test of time – they have thrived. Townships uniquely balance small community living and the preservation of farmland and Ohio’s agricultural industry with infrastructure advancements and economic development. Once viewed as a “temporary government,” townships today are key players in Ohio’s governmental system.