Cleveland Climate Action Plan Updated

A growing consensus among experts indicates that the climate in northeast Ohio is changing. Temperature extremes are becoming pronounced, with more heat waves in the summer and a greater frequency of extreme rain storms. Without action these trends will likely continue, exposing already vulnerable populations to increased natural hazards. The City of Cleveland is helping its residents adapt to the changing climate by engaging in climate action planning. By producing a Climate Action Plan (CAP) the City is not only helping local stakeholders mitigate the effects of climate change, but also creating economic, environmental, and socially equitable benefits for all Clevelanders.

Climate Action Plan

Credit: City of Cleveland

In 2018 the City of Cleveland led a collaborative process of updating its already existing plan for climate action. Cleveland first produced a CAP in 2013, which has led to undeniable water and air quality improvements, increased usage of solar and wind energy, and the inception of innovative sustainability programs like a city-wide bike share system and municipal tree plan. The 2018 updates seek to build on the progress of the original CAP and increase attention in four areas: (1) social and racial equity, (2) green jobs, (3) resilience to the impacts of climate change, and (4) business leadership.

Ohio Sea Grant and Ohio State University Extension participated in efforts to update the 2018 CAP by serving on the Climate Action Advisory Committee (CAAC), along with representatives from local government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, businesses, technical experts, and concerned residents. In addition to producing the actual action plan, the CAAC helped organize and inform community workshops where more than 300 local residents were given the opportunity to voice their concerns and priorities for climate action in their respective communities.

The framework for the CAP is organized around five focus areas that constitute the main objectives, goals, and actions needed to help build climate resilience. The focus areas include: energy efficiency and green building; clean energy; sustainable transportation; clean water and vibrant green space; and more local food and less waste. Each focus area is investigated in detail in the CAP, as well as how it impacts the City’s carbon footprint.

For those interested in learning more about Cleveland’s CAP, you can access an online version here. More information on sustainability efforts in and around Cleveland can also be found at www.sustainablecleveland.org, or by visiting the webpage for the Cleveland Mayor’s Office of Sustainability. We all have a role to play in climate adaptation, and Cleveland’s CAP is a great roadmap for northeast Ohioans eager to get started.


Scott Hardy is an Extension educator for the Ohio Sea Grant College Program.


The content of this site is published by the site owner(s) and is not a statement of advice, opinion, or information pertaining to The Ohio State University. Neither text, nor links to other websites, is reviewed or endorsed by The Ohio State University.

Recognizing excellence: Connecting resources for positive community change

How do we achieve excellence? We stop what we are doing, stand back, and assess efforts. At this point we are better able to recognize special accomplishments.

Raymond Schindler

Raymond A. Schindler

The Raymond A. Schindler Excellence in Community Development Extension Award is named in honor of Raymond A. Schindler, one of the first Extension CD professionals in Ohio. Hired in 1962 as an Area Extension Agent, Ray began his career in southern Ohio, based in Highland County. He took a collaborative approach to his work, focusing on tourism development, comprehensive planning, planning commissions, and business retention and expansion programs until his retirement in 1988.

Today, we recognize Extension CD professionals with The Raymond A. Schindler Excellence in Community Development Extension Award. The annual award seeks to recognize:

  • long term strengths in teaching and research
  • a long-standing record of teamwork and collaboration in program planning, implementation and evaluation
  • a successful track record in grant awards, cost recovery, or other external funding
Susan Colbert

Susan Colbert

Just last week (January 24), we recognized Susan Colbert with the Raymond A. Schindler Excellence in Community Development Extension Award for her ability to develop and deliver multidisciplinary, evidence-based programs in collaboration with colleagues, stakeholders, private industry and state and federal funding partners that empower others to affect positive change. Since joining Ohio State University Extension in 1998, she has truly demonstrated a record of excellence in creative and scholarly work, teaching and service to community and profession.

Click here to learn more about Susan and her work.


Greg Davis

Greg Davis, professor and assistant director, OSU Extension CD.


The content of this site is published by the site owner(s) and is not a statement of advice, opinion, or information pertaining to The Ohio State University. Neither text, nor links to other websites, is reviewed or endorsed by The Ohio State University.

Engaging Social Media Users through Videos

In our fast-paced social media driven world, pictures and videos help tell the stories that are taking place around us every day. There have been many studies done that have shown that time on digital media has replaced time once spent reading.

At the Delaware County Extension office, we realized short, exciting videos are one of the ways to reach followers, so we began making videos. What kind of videos, you might ask? Videos demonstrating different trials of our On-Farm Research throughout the state. These trials are also featured in the eFields report that was just released at the beginning of January.

People looking at a computer

Since videos are becoming more popular when it comes to telling a story, I want to offer some tips and suggestions when it comes to shooting videos that you are going to post on a social media outlet.

First, think about the story you want to tell. The best videos don’t just “happen.” It is important to have a plan before going out to shoot. For example, before heading to the farm to shoot, we sat down with the Extension educator to discuss the story we wanted to tell through the video. A couple important factors that go into this process are prompting your speakers-in our case they were the farmers-with the questions you want them to address. We also knew that we needed a lot of b-roll footage. Tip: You need way more b-roll footage than you ever thought possible. Have someone on your production team record footage the entire time you are there!

Next, you will want to consider how to make your video unique. You don’t want to create a video of a talking head. That is extremely boring, and your viewers will lose interest in record time. Think of fun, interactive, engaging things for the speaker to do while you film. For example, we chose a theme for each video we produced and then had the educator and farmer partake in said theme. The Western theme has been by far and away the most popular – saddle up, cowboy!

Cell phone videoThe most important tip: Always, always, always record footage and take photos horizontally if you are using a smart phone. You will understand why when you reach the point of actually producing your video.

One final thought I will leave with you: Check your acoustics before you record. Don’t record in a windy field, the inside of a combine cab while harvesting, or even while the neighbor is mowing the lawn. This will leave you frustrated when you get back to the office.

Enjoy this trailer of one of our popular On-Farm Research videos!


Kenzie JohnstonKenzie Johnston, OSU Extension educator, CD/ANR, Delaware County.


The content of this site is published by the site owner(s) and is not a statement of advice, opinion, or information pertaining to The Ohio State University. Neither text, nor links to other websites, is reviewed or endorsed by The Ohio State University.

Government shutdowns . . . What about them?

As of the writing of this blog post (1/14/19) we are 24 days into the partial shutdown of our federal government. This is the longest shutdown in U.S. history. The next closest was 21 days in 1995-1996 under President Bill Clinton. I found myself wondering why shutdowns happen, what circumstances lead to them, when have they happened, and how long have they lasted. And, what impact does this have on people, communities, and the economy?

Why do shutdowns happen?

US CapitolGovernmental shutdowns occur when disagreements over programs, policies, approaches, expenditures, etc. between the various elected bodies cannot be resolved. This “deadlock” can result in Congress failing to pass appropriation bills/continuing resolutions or the President refusing to sign such bills or resolutions. Since 1976 there have been 22 “gaps” in federal funding. Shutdowns can also occur at the state, territory, and local level, but this blog post will focus only on the federal government.

A key legislative trigger of government shutdowns is the Antideficiency Act (ADA). Originally legislated by Congress in 1884, the Act has been modified a number of times since. Generally, the ADA relates to Article One of the United States Constitution (the power of the purse) which provides that, “No money shall be drawn from the treasury, but in consequence of appropriations made by law.” In 1980 and 1981, the then Attorney General issued two opinions that were stricter interpretations of the ADA, setting the stage for government shutdowns when funds are not sufficient or available to continue government operations, for example, or an annual appropriation has not been approved. Appropriations are “…the provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes.”

Shutdowns can be partial, as is the case in this current situation. That means that some government departments/agencies are able to continue to operate because their budgets have been approved already and funds have been appropriated.

So, in short, failure to reach agreement on an issue, resulting in the inability to appropriate dollars and pass a temporary or annual budget, or the president’s unwillingness to sign a budget bill or veto what is presented to him, forces “non-essential” governmental agencies and employees to cease operations or “shut down.”

What are the impacts of a government shutdown?

Impacts on Government employees and agencies

Partial government shutdowns impact employees, contractors, agency operations, public services, and the overall economy. The ADA is targeted to federal employee/federal agency actions by prohibiting the authorization or making of expenditures, incurring of financial obligations, and accepting voluntary services before a funding appropriation has been made.

Potential violations of the ADA are investigated by the government (GAO and Inspector General), and the act has consequences for both agencies and individuals who violate it. Although no one has been indicted or convicted in the Act’s 120-year history, changes in agreements and punitive administrative actions against employees have been routinely made.

In 10 of the 22 shutdowns, including this current one, government employees have been furloughed. As of last Friday, there will be no paychecks for approximately 800,000 government employees. Of that number, 380,000 employees who perform emergency work involving the health or safety of human life or protection of property – essential services and public safety fields – are still required to work but will not receive pay. This includes law enforcement, Coast Guard, corrections officers, customs/border protection, forest service firefighters, National Weather Service employees, and TSA. Receiving back pay is not automatic – Congress needs to pass authorizing legislation. Last Thursday Congress voted to approve back pay for furloughed and unpaid government workers. The President indicated that he would sign the bill. (Source: https://www.govexec.com/management/2019/01/senate-unanimously-passes-legislation-providing-back-pay-furloughed-feds/154090/)

Government Departments and Agencies Affected

Nine of fifteen cabinet–level departments and many agencies have been impacted by the current partial shutdown. Those agencies that had already received their appropriations, and are therefore unaffected, include the Defense Department and Department of Health and Human Services. Department/agencies impacted by the shutdown include Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Agriculture, National Park Service, Homeland Security, IRS, and others.

Impact on Ohio

The impact of the shutdown is being felt by states across the U.S. to greater or lesser degrees. The number of governmental employees furloughed in impacted federal agencies (National Park Service, for example) is often a determining factor. In Ohio, the offices and visitors center of National Historic sites such as William Howard Taft and the interpretive center of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park are closed. In Cincinnati, EPA workers have been furloughed. Home buyers seeking government loans are facing delays. In rural areas, Department of Agriculture loans are not being issued. The Federal District Court and Court of Appeals in Ohio are not operating. While the grounds of National Park sites may be open, there are no government workers to pick up trash, conduct maintenance, or clean bathrooms. Some park sites that are operated by private groups remain open. It is advisable to contact each site before visiting. (Source: http://radio.wosu.org/post/how-federal-government-shutdown-affecting-ohio#stream/0)

History of Government Shutdowns since 1980

Since 1980 there have been 10 government shutdowns that have resulted in employee furloughs and disruptions in government services. They have ranged in length from less than one day (1984 & 1986) to our current shutdown of 24 days. 

Government shutdowns since 1980

Final Thoughts

There have been many instances of government shutdowns over our recent history. They usually arise over disagreements in priorities and budget allocations among Republicans and Democrats and between the President and Congress (or some combination thereof). Gaps in funding occur when disagreements are not resolved before the end of an existing budget cycle. The 1980 shutdown, occurring just days after the Attorney General’s opinion regarding the ADA, was the first time a government agency stopped operations as the result of a funding gap. Since then, there have been nine more that have resulted in funding gaps forcing government employee furloughs and department/agency curtailment of operations. These events have an impact either directly or indirectly on individuals and communities throughout the U.S.

Shutdowns are unique to the U.S. form of government. Most European nations operate under a Parliamentary system in which the executive needs the continued approval of the legislature to continue in power. The failure of budget passage is attributed to the executive and usually triggers an election. In other types of presidential systems, the executive branch of the government has the power to keep the government operating even without a budget.

The ultimate length of this shutdown and the resulting impact remains to be seen. What will be especially interesting is the method by which it is resolved and the structure and conditions reached in what becomes the final compromise.

The following web sites provide further information on the 2018-2019 and other government shutdowns:

http://radio.wosu.org/post/how-federal-government-shutdown-affecting-ohio#stream/0

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/1/11/18177101/government-shutdown-longest-workers-agencies-charts

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_federal_government_shutdown_of_2018%E2%80%932019

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2013/09/25/here-is-every-previous-government-shutdown-why-they-happened-and-how-they-ended/?utm_term=.2623124a5119

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divided_government_in_the_United_States

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_shutdowns_in_the_United_States#1980

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_shutdowns_in_the_United_States

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antideficiency_Act

https://www.senate.gov/reference/glossary_term/appropriation.htm

https://www.gao.gov/legal/appropriations-law-decisions/resources


Myra MossMyra Moss, associate professor and Extension educator, OSU Extension – Community Development


The content of this site is published by the site owner(s) and is not a statement of advice, opinion, or information pertaining to The Ohio State University. Neither text, nor links to other websites, is reviewed or endorsed by The Ohio State University.

Keeping Unity in the Community

Do you know that it is generally recommended that housing expenses shouldn’t be more than 30% of what you earn, leaving 70% of your income for food, clothing, and other necessities?

According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, approximately 12 million renters and homeowners are spending more than 50% of their income on housing, including utilities, thereby making it difficult for families to afford other necessities, i.e. transportation, clothes, food, entertainment, medical care, etc. Towards this end, in many American cities middle and upper income people are moving into neighborhoods that had previously suffered disinvestment and decay. These severely “house cost burdened” families want and/or need to move into sustainable neighborhoods accessible to more transportation options, affordable housing, jobs, businesses, services, and social activities.

These new residents renovate housing, stimulate business, and contribute to the tax base. Additionally, you have investors, who are purchasing these properties from low income families and stripping them of their equity, legacy, and property, which they worked hard to obtain and maintain for their children and grandchildren. These benefits of neighborhood revitalization are, in some cases, achieved at a potentially serious cost: the displacement of existing neighborhood residents by eviction, excessive code violations, increased property values/taxes, rent increases, changing demographics, etc.

Unfortunately, this may contribute to divisiveness, animosity, or ill feelings between longtime and new neighbors. This is quite unfortunate because what makes these central city neighborhoods and  residents so special is their “sense of community” which has helped residents survive and thrive throughout the years!

There are strategies that can and/or should be implemented to safeguard longtime renters and homeowners, thereby bringing peace and unity in the community. Some strategies should include the examination of federal, state, and local policies toward neighborhood reinvestment and displacement, including various alternative approaches for dealing with this issue.

I applaud the City of Columbus and Franklin County Board of Commissioners for taking the initiative to be proactive in bringing unity in the community by preserving some stability in up-and-coming neighborhoods by:

  • Establishing a Community Land Trust, which will contribute to the preservation of mixed income neighborhoods.
  • Working with Developers to make sure a percentage of their housing development and employment opportunities are set aside for residents of various socio-economic strata!
  • Offering the Homestead Tax Exemptions for low income senior citizens or disabled, who own and occupy their properties.

An example of another innovative strategy implemented in other major cities includes:

  • Longtime Owner Occupancy Program (LOOP) – reducing or freezing property taxes to promote neighborhood stability and provide a dividend of sorts to those families who remained in the neighborhoods through the years of high crime, population loss, disinvestment, and declining property values (Washington, Boston, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia).

Lastly, on a neighborhood level, there are strategies residents themselves are implementing to make a difference, including but not limited to the following:

For example, some of the activities Weinland Park residents have been involved in:

  • Community Connectors – resident leaders, who advocate; market programs; organize events and bring diverse residents together, i.e. Rally in the Alley
  • Community Clean-Ups – neighborhood focused beautification and clean-up efforts
  • Community Civic Association – a group of residents and stakeholders who meet monthly and make decisions about the community, i.e. housing, safety, youth, etc.
  • Community Zumba – a Latin inspired dance fitness class offered weekly for area residents, thereby affording children, youth, and adults of diverse backgrounds an opportunity to get acquainted and have fun with one another
  • Community Gardens – residents, who use gardening as an opportunity to interact and get acquainted with other children, youth, and adults in the neighborhood

Weinland Park

Planting tree

To learn more about OSU Extension – Community Development and what they’re doing to bring unity in your community, county, or throughout the State of Ohio, feel free to visit our website.


Susan Colbert Susan Colbert is the Franklin County Extension Program Director for Expansion and Engagement.


The content of this site is published by the site owner(s) and is not a statement of advice, opinion, or information pertaining to The Ohio State University. Neither text, nor links to other websites, is reviewed or endorsed by The Ohio State University.

A Deeper Dive into Food Security

It’s the holidays, and I’m sure you’ve already had a variety of requests from charities and non-profits asking you to help families in need this season. For some of us, food insecurity can seem non-existent because it is not our personal everyday experience and is often not visible. For others, it is an experience (even after overcome) that is a part of our everyday thoughts.

Food insecurity is a complex problem that is both difficult to understand and difficult to solve. The underlying causes of food insecurity include things such as poverty, unemployment or underemployment, access to healthy food, etc., all of which are often deeply interconnected.

For over 20 years, the USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) has put out an annual report for the state of food security in the U.S. These reports are a great resource for helping begin to understand the magnitude and complexity of food insecurity. The 2017 report is forty-four pages in length and provides a deeper dive into one of our country’s most challenging issues. It may or may not shock you that over 15 million households (11.8%) in the U.S. were classified as food insecure, meaning they had difficulty at some time during the year providing enough food for all their members due to a lack of resources. While the number of food insecure households has declined since 2011, this number is above the pre-recession (2007) level of 11.1%; we should not gloss over this fact. Further, 5.8 million households (4.5%) were classified as having very low food security, meaning the food intake of some household members was reduced and normal eating patterns were disrupted at times during the year due to limited resources.

As a bit of a self-admitted data nerd, I love statistics. However, I recognize how quantitative data can remove or mask the human element or experience of a phenomenon. While all of the numbers listed above are powerful and help us understand the magnitude of food insecurity, they can fail to remind us that food insecurity is also a lived experience. In the 2017 report, the USDA ERS conducted a qualitative survey of households classified as having low food security, which represented 5.8 million households nationwide. From their survey, the following experiences were reported:

  • 99% reported having worried that their food would run out before they got money to buy more.
  • 97% reported that the food they bought just did not last and they did not have money to get more.
  • 95% reported that they could not afford to eat balanced meals.
  • 96% reported that an adult had cut the size of meals or skipped meals because there was not enough money for food; 88% reported that this had occurred in 3 or more months.
  • 93% reported that they had eaten less than they felt they should because there was not enough money for food.
  • 68% reported that they had been hungry but did not eat because they could not afford enough food.
  • 48% reported having lost weight because they did not have enough money for food.
  • 30% reported that an adult did not eat for a whole day because there was not enough money for food; 24% reported that this had occurred in 3 or more months.

You might be thinking, what does this mean for our families in Ohio? When looking at the average prevalence of household food insecurity from 2015-2017, Ohio ranks 13th for the highest food insecurity with 13.7% of households classified as food insecure; that’s approximately 640,000 households. To give you some context, New Mexico is ranked number one with 17.9% of their population classified as food insecure and Hawaii is ranked 51st with 7.4% of their population classified as food insecure. In terms of very low food security, Ohio ranks 11th with 6.1% of our population (285,000 households) in the more severe range where meals are often skipped. Again for context, Louisiana ranks number one with 7.1% of their population having very low food security and Hawaii is again ranked 51st. While it may be difficult to admit, Ohio is not faring so well.

A deeper dive into food insecurity can be overwhelming for many. The data can be daunting and the complexity of the issue can leave us feeling helpless. But remember that small acts of kindness can have meaningful community impacts. As someone who gets to see the impact of grassroots level food security work every day in my job, I encourage you to engage in a service project in your community this season to help feed families in need. Whether you donate items, money, or more importantly, your time, you can help join the fight against hunger.

Amanda OsborneWhat will you do to help fight hunger in your community? To learn more about food insecurity contact Amanda Osborne, educator, community development (CD), OSU Extension-Cuyahoga County.


The content of this site is published by the site owner(s) and is not a statement of advice, opinion, or information pertaining to The Ohio State University. Neither text, nor links to other websites, is reviewed or endorsed by The Ohio State University.

Mixing Agriculture in with Community and Youth

Ohio State University Extension is made up of several different disciplines, but they can all be intertwined into one program if we put our heads together. One example of this is a program which was developed in Adams, Brown, and Highland Counties a few years ago, called Ag Reality. Becky Cropper and Nikki Eyre were the 4-H educators, and David Dugan and John Grimes were the Agriculture and Natural Resources educators at that time in the respective counties. Becky Cropper was also the CD educator in Brown.

Young farmerThis group of educators worked with the Farm Service Agency and local high school agriculture teachers to develop a spinoff of the 4-H program Reality Check, now known as Real Money Real World. The program began with three high school agriculture programs, utilizing the juniors in the program. Each school had between 10 and 20 students that were our first students in the program.

Frankie Stith Scott and Rita Polley work with youth and adults for agricultural loans through the USDA Farm Service Agency. Frankie and Rita worked with the schools and set up a two-day training for the students. The students were trained on using budgets, farm account records, and other basics for record keeping on a farm. This training was conducted within a week prior to the full program.

Ohio farmThe full program was conducted at a central location in which students from all three schools attended. The full program simulation was basically farming for a day. The students were presented with a family situation, like married with no children or married with two children, and a family living expense was attached. They were also given a budget based on their grade point average to go along with the 300 acre farm on which to conduct business. There were seven different farms to operate given out randomly. Some were all tillable; some were partially tillable and partially wood lots. Some farms had one house, some had two, and one farm had no house. Once they had all of this to ponder, we turned them loose to farm and live.

This is where the community came in. Several business people including: insurance for crop and property, bankers, grain buyers, farm stores, cattle buyers, fertilizer and seed sales, and more. The students conducted business with these community businesses throughout the day.

The learning and strategy was amazing. The students did a great job of interacting with the businesses. The business people were impressed with the drive to excel that they saw from some students. Some later commented that they actually did business with some of the students in the weeks following the program. The students worked together in some instances, renting houses out to those that did not own a home. They bought equipment together in some cases.

We also had an auction of farm equipment. The list of items to be sold were given to the students prior to the program. A PowerPoint presentation rolled through the list of items to be auctioned during the morning. An auctioneer came in just before lunch, and we conducted an auction of the items on the list. The auctioneer explained how an auction works, and we discussed each item once it sold.

Of course a real Reality would not seem real if there were not taxes to be paid. The county Auditor was present to collect taxes during the day. We also had a logger there trying to buy all of the timber as cheap as possible.

At the end of the day we pulled a year from our history. We used the data from the National Ag Statistics Service to calculate yields and prices on crops. We then explained crop insurance, contracting grain, the value of getting bids on your timber, and much more.

This program started nearly 15 years ago. We now do a separate program in each of the three counties, and each high school in the three counties participates. Many of the same business people continue to assist with the program. We typically do the programs between November and March. If you would like to know more about the program, contact David Dugan at dugan.46@osu.edu  or call 937-544-2339.


Dave DuganDavid Dugan, educator, ANR/CD, OSU Extension-Adams County.

Building Partnerships helps Communities offer Transportation Systems that Impact Rural Quality of Life

Public Transportation

At no cost to Noble County, SEAT agreed to launch a six-month transportation pilot…

Communities with no or limited access to public transportation still exist across rural Appalachian Ohio. Nationally, only 11 percent of rural residents report having access to transportation near their home, compared to 83 percent of central cities in metropolitan statistical areas.[i] Whether it is access to transportation for Medicaid medical appointments, the need for senior citizens to get to the grocery store or other needs, limited resources can impact quality of life in a community.

The Noble County office of Ohio State University Extension researched and shared the need for more structured access to public transportation to the Noble County Board of Commissioners. While limited access to transportation exists in the greater Noble County community through eligibility-specific programs such as Veterans Services, Senior Services, or the Medicaid program, no general public transportation is available.

Identified by the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) as one of only 27 counties in the state without public transportation services, and also identified by the ODOT Regional Transportation Planning Organization’s (RTPO) needs analysis and transportation opinion survey reports as lacking a coordinated transit plan or services, Noble County offered great opportunity for partnership.

Research identified several successful rural regional transportation models; and one partner, Southeast Area Transit (SEAT), a Regional Transit Authority (RTA) serving nearby Guernsey and Muskingum Counties, came to the table to offer a pilot program. At no cost to the county, SEAT agreed to launch a six-month transportation pilot to help determine service needs.

As a social determinant of health, access to high-quality, affordable transportation is fundamental to mental, physical, and emotional well-being.[ii] The partnership window initially opened with a contract between SEAT and the Noble County Job and Family Services (JFS) program for Medicaid non-emergency medical transportation. Previously providing only gas vouchers for transport, the JFS Director saw a greater need.

Additional research and conversations led to a meeting with county leaders and representatives from the transit agency which yielded a pilot program offer. The pilot program will be a hands-on opportunity to introduce services to the rural communities and further determine needs and opportunities for additional contract services and future funding options.

Barriers to rural transportation systems include long travel distances, low population density, and lack of basic public transit infrastructure (vehicles, staffing). Access to transportation impacts the well-being of rural residents with issues as varied as food access, social support, education, employment, and community and health services.

Noble County’s population trends also reveal important indicators of current and future need for community services and supports including transportation. Noble County’s population is aging; the share of the population that is 60 years and older is projected to lead the state as it continues to grow over the next 20 years (49.5%), outpacing the state’s average (28.7%).[iii] For aging and disabled populations, public transportation can also help to reduce social isolation.[iv]

Partnerships assist with identifying deficiencies, recommending improvements, and developing real-world implementation strategies (especially when rural resources are at a minimum). Partnerships can also provide coordination of services and help improve transportation reach and efficiency, as well as sustainability.

Following the pilot program, partners will consider next steps for expansion of services with the goal to provide safe, reliable, and courteous public transportation in a community where there previously was very little offered.
_______________________

[i] Promising Practices for Increasing Access to Transportation in Rural Communities – The Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis – April 2018

[ii] Rural Transportation: Challenges and Opportunities – University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center; Nov. 2017

[iii] Projections and Characteristics of the 60+ Population – Scripps Gerontology Center at Miami University; Jan. 2014

[iv] Promising Practices for Increasing Access to Transportation in Rural Communities – The Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis – April 2018


Gwynn StewartGwynn Stewart, educator, CD, OSU Extension-Noble County.

Multi-University Collaboration for Sustainable Land Use Planning- A Tipping Point Planner Perrysburg, Ohio Case Study

The City of Perrysburg drains into three watersheds at the Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC) 12 scale—Grass Creek Diversion (HUC 04000090901), Grassy Creek (HUC 04000090902), and Crooked Creek (HUC 0409000090903)—which feed into the Maumee River and, subsequently, western Lake Erie. This area was identified by Ohio Sea Grant and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant as an ideal location to hold a Tipping Points Planner (TPP) workshop. Through collaboration with Reveille, a local planning consultancy, Perrysburg, Ohio was identified as a potential community partner because the city is in the initial stages of preparing a comprehensive plan update.

Workshop

In total, over 55 people participated in the workshop sessions. Ohio Sea Grant, Reveille, and the City of Perrysburg led the development of a steering committee which included key stakeholders from city departments, elected officials, and the public, as well as representatives from the City of Toledo, relevant state agencies, and Wood County. The steering committee held an initial meeting on August 13, 2018 in Perrysburg, Ohio to discuss goals for the workshop series and to identify additional planning considerations that may fall outside of the purview of the Tipping Point Planner. The steering committee also identified three key focus areas for the workshop: Land Use Planning and Open Space, Green Infrastructure and Stormwater, and Nutrients and Food Webs.

The Tipping Point Planner workshop was held to support Perrysburg’s comprehensive plan update by investigating water quality issues tied to topics listed above. A public visioning session, technical tipping points data and breakout session, and an action planning workshop were held from August 13 to August 15, 2018 at Perrysburg’s City Administration Building and Way Public Library. All meetings were open the public.

During the visioning session, participants were asked a series of questions to identify community characteristics and to understand how the public values natural resources in the Perrysburg area. Participants also discussed assets and opportunities related to the three key topics described above.

During the second meeting, participants received in-depth presentations on nutrient loading, green infrastructure, and land use issues in the region. Researchers from Michigan State University, University of Michigan, and Purdue University who developed the models forming the foundation of TPP presented, discussed the data, interpretations, and took questions from those in attendance.

The final meeting was an action planning session held on August 15 in which participants reviewed best management practices for watershed management using TPP. Through a facilitated discussion, action steps were identified that combined ideas developed during the previous visioning session with locally generated goals and TPP best management practices. The results comprise the final outcome of the workshop, an account of public input on land use and water quality, and a set of community based actions that incorporate best practices for addressing community water quality and quantity challenges through a comprehensive plan.

The community visioning session was facilitated by Ohio Sea Grant and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant facilitators. The team employed a framework called PESTLE, which is used to consider a wide range of topics from business decisions to natural resource management initiatives. The strength of this approach is that participants are encouraged to think from six perspectives: Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, and Environmental.

Workshop

In this session, the PESTLE framework was coupled with the SOAR (Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, Results) method of appreciative inquiry. By focusing on strengths, assets, and opportunities, within the key topic areas of Land Use Planning and Open Space, Green Infrastructure and Stormwater, and Nutrients and Food Webs, program participants were able to identify what strengths exist in the community as well as what opportunities may be possible based on their existing assets. As the workshop progressed, participants rotated between table topics and were able to provide input on all of the workshop’s three key topic areas.

Workshop

In the second meeting, the steering committee and interested individuals from the earlier community visioning session were able to choose one of the three key workshop topics to investigate using the Tipping Point Planner (TPP) Decision Support System. In a facilitated session, participants were guided through a series of maps within the TPP, and were able to manipulate various parameters within the watershed related to nutrient loads, time, and land use. This provided an opportunity for participants to visualize how changes in their watershed related to land use and nutrient loading would affect not only water quality in their local streams and rivers, but also the Lake Erie food web. A structured discussion was facilitated based on questions developed for each of the program’s three key topic areas.

Program participants engaged in a final facilitated discussion centered on identifying action strategies for each topic area. Each group was asked to identify or generate three to five goals using the community input received from the previous community vision session as well as the data and maps provided within the TPP system. Participants were facilitated through a series of questions that assisted in identifying appropriate goals and action strategies in the TPP system. Each goal was accompanied by Best Management Practices including sample ordinances, plans, community practices, incentives, and education options that were chosen by the group, and which are included in the Appendix of this report. Responsible parties, timelines and action items were also developed.

The process documented in the final report reflects in-depth public engagement with the residents and civic leadership in Perrysburg, Ohio on land use planning, stormwater, and nutrient loading issues. Participants engaged with forecasting models and provided their vision for the future. Finally, the group selected goals and strategies to work toward implementation of its vision.

 

The process is not over; as shown in the final report, there are many things left to be developed and decided. It is the hope of Ohio Sea Grant and Illinois-Indiana that the community continue to collaborate on the development of their comprehensive plan and that it be inclusive or informed by the contents of this final report. Example strategies and ordinances—as well as sample plans—can be found in the appendix of the final report. These resources include digital links to websites, documents, and other tools to help establish these strategies for Perrysburg and the surrounding area.

Find more information on Tipping Point Planner here.

Visit the previous Tipping Point Planner blog article here.

View final Perrysburg, Ohio report and appendices here.


Joe LucenteJoe Lucente is an Associate Professor and Extension Educator, Community Development, Ohio Sea Grant College Program and OSU Extension.

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Growing Philanthropic Capacity in Your Community

A number of factors impact the sustainability of rural communities in Eastern Ohio. Some of the factors have a positive impact, and others provide a challenge. A challenge can lead to what we call at Ohio State University Extension-Community Development a teachable moment. Most recently, federal, state and county budgets have been tightened or money has been directed to different initiatives. This has become a teachable moment for OSU Extension-Community Development to grow philanthropic capacity in the community.

Raising Money

How did we do that and what does that mean for you? Two words come to mind….Capital Campaign. A capital campaign is an intense effort to raise significant dollars in a designated period of time for a one-time need, usually a structure or building. OSU Extension-Community Development has worked with the YMCA and Southeastern Ohio Regional Medical Center (SEORMC) in Guernsey County to advance their capital campaigns. These two campaigns will provide two new structures and buildings in the community.

The YMCA will have an additional 3,400 square feet of program space. The additional space makes it possible for 1,000 new members and 15 new classes for almost any age group from 2 years old through senior age adults. The SEORMC capital campaign will build a cancer center. The goal of the hospital is not just a cancer building but also supportive programs for those in treatment. These are two of several philanthropic initiatives in the community that will affect many individuals and families and contribute to the quality of life in the community.

If you are interested in building philanthropic capacity in your community, please contact OSU Extension-Community Development.


Cindy BondCindy Bond is an assistant professor and educator, community development (CD),  OSU Extension-Guernsey County.