From the 1/5/06 Toledo Blade:

 

 

Sylvania explores merger potential

Consultants stress benefits of joint venture with township

By MIKE JONES

BLADE STAFF WRITER

 

A committee of Sylvania's city council is creating a model city with the statistical equivalent of a merged Sylvania and Sylvania Township.

 

A consultants' report received last year said there would be little, if any, savings realized by consolidating government services individually, so the committee has decided to concentrate on potential benefits of a merger of the two governments, said Mark Luetke, committee chairman.

 

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060105/NEWS18/601040366

 

From the 7/27/06 Toledo Blade:

 

 

SYLVANIA AND SYLVANIA TOWNSHIP

Merger plan may not make ballot

By JANET ROMAKER

BLADE STAFF WRITER

 

If residents in Sylvania and Sylvania Township are interested in putting a merger question on the November ballot, the Aug. 24 filing deadline is fast approaching.

 

Some officials are predicting that the issue likely will remain off the ballot for at least another year. Meanwhile, a merger study is moving ahead and another study has been put on hold.

 

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060727/NEIGHBORS05/607260330

 

From the 1/4/07 Blade:

 

 

Sylvania wants to meet with township

 

Sylvania City Council wants a meeting of the minds with Sylvania Township trustees over fire protection.

 

The council agreed last night it needs a joint discussion over long-term plans for funding fire department services, including personnel, equipment, and facilities. It is hoping that at least one trustee attends the council's Feb. 5 meeting.

 

City officials said they would put their request in a diplomatically worded letter that, in the words of Councilman Mark Luetke, would "challenge them to not show up."

 

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070104/NEWS18/701040447

 

From the 2/1/07 Blade:

 

 

Public to get a look at merger study

Financial aspects examined for proposal for Sylvania, township

By JANET ROMAKER

BLADE STAFF WRITER

 

Results from an independent study on a possible merger of Sylvania Township and the city of Sylvania will be presented to the community during a public meeting next week.

 

Conducted by the University of Toledo's Urban Affairs Center, the feasibility study examined the financial impacts of a merger, said Pat Nowak, executive director of the Sylvania Area Chamber of Commerce. She is serving as a spokesman for the feasibility study effort.

 

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070201/NEIGHBORS05/701310319/-1/NEIGHBORS

 

From the 2/8/07 Blade:

 

 

Reactions mixed for Sylvania-area plans merger plans

 

Presentation of a feasibility study for the proposed Sylvania-Sylvania Township merger caused a mixed reaction last night at the first public forum held to discuss it.

 

Released earlier this month by the University of Toledo's Urban Affairs Center, the study gave estimates of potential financial benefits of such a merger.

 

Income taxes, not property taxes, could become the primary source of revenue, said Hugh Hinton, the director of the master's of public administration program at the University of Toledo.

 

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070208/NEWS17/702080404/-1/RSS08

 

From the 2/15/07 Blade:

 

 

Sylvania-area residents mull merger

Process would take years to complete

By JANET ROMAKER

BLADE STAFF WRITER

 

As Sylvania-area residents review the new merger study, questions are surfacing about what role voters would play in the process and how long it might take to decide whether to combine the city and township.

 

Although the merger process isn't particularly complicated, it is lengthy. Officials predicted it could be several years before Sylvania and Sylvania Township settle the issue.

 

The first step in the merger process involves circulating petitions that would include names of at least five people from the city and from the township who would be willing to serve on the merger commission.

 

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070215/NEIGHBORS05/702140313/-1/NEIGHBORS

 

From the 2/23/07 Toledo Free Press:

 

 

DEVELOPMENT

Study offers financial insight into potential merger

By Autumn Lee

Toledo Free Press Staff Writer

 

An Urban Affairs Center feasibility study suggests a merger between the City of Sylvania and Sylvania Township could bring tax savings through a reduction of property taxes despite the extension of the city's income tax rate onto the township while yielding an additional $12 million in revenue for the merged community.

 

Lynn Bachelor, a UT political science associate professor who helped prepare the report, said they spoke to local officials, determined how services are funded and conversed with other officials of other communities, who went through a merger, to help them guide their analysis.

 

 

http://toledofreepress.com/?id=4991

 

Link contains a photo.  From the 3/2/07 Blade:

 

 

Sylvania merger benefits outlined

Income tax may be top revenue source

 

Sylvania-area residents last night listened to details about a possible merger of the city of Sylvania and Sylvania Township, trying to get a better idea of how a merger would impact their community - and their wallets.

 

About 130 people attended a public forum at the Sylvania Senior Center, a smaller group than the 275 people who packed the center last month when the recently completed merger study was introduced.

 

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070302/NEWS18/703020416/-1/RSS

 

From the 3/3/07 Blade:

 

 

Sylvania merger may have spot on November ballot

By JANET ROMAKER

BLADE STAFF WRITER

 

Formation of a steering committee could result in an organized effort to get the Sylvania community merger issue on the November ballot.

 

The Sylvania Area Chamber of Commerce's community action committee will put together the steering committee to address further steps necessary for the merger process, said Gary Madrzykowski, chairman of the chamber's community action committee.

 

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070303/NEWS18/703030387/-1/RSS09

 

From the 3/14/07 Blade:

 

 

Trustees may cut city from township

Fire protection issue prompts suggestion

BLADE STAFF

 

Kicking the city of Sylvania out of Sylvania Township might be one way to resolve differences over the operations of the township fire department, a trustee suggested yesterday.

 

DeeDee Liedel, president of the trustees, said the township should consider a move that would "conform its borders," meaning that the city would be excluded from the township.

 

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070314/NEWS18/703140373/-1/RSS09

 

From the 3/15/07 Blade:

 

 

Questions loom as Sylvania, township explore merger

Opinion sought on whether officials can comment

By JANET ROMAKER

BLADE staff WRITER

 

Sylvania Township trustees are seeking a legal opinion on whether elected officials can discuss their views on a possible merger of the township and the city of Sylvania.

 

DeeDee Liedel, chairman of the trustees, said that when she attended a recent merger meeting in the village of Swanton, she was told by a township official from Fulton County that the Ohio Revised Code prohibits elected officials from speaking out about mergers.

 

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070315/NEIGHBORS05/703140329/-1/NEIGHBORS

 

From the 6/28/07 Blade:

 

 

Sylvania merger panel is proposed

Petition seeks to let city, township voters decide on commission

 

Voters in the city of Sylvania and Sylvania Township could be asked in November whether they want to form a commission to draw up conditions of a merger of the two political subdivisions.

 

One Sylvania, a group of community residents interested in further study of a possible merger, yesterday began circulating petitions in an effort to get the issue on the ballot.

 

Among the first residents to sign petitions were the 10 candidates who, with voter approval, would serve on a merger commission.

 

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070628/NEWS18/706280369/-1/RSS09

 

From the 7/6/07 Blade:

 

 

Proposed committee for Sylvania, Sylvania Township merger is experienced

By JANET ROMAKER

BLADE STAFF WRITER

 

Candidates for a possible Sylvania merger commission include business leaders, former elected officials, and other residents of the city of Sylvania and Sylvania Township who are active in community boards, organizations, and committees.

 

Introduced last week by One Sylvania, the 10 candidates would serve on a merger commission if voters give the go- ahead this fall.

 

One Sylvania, a group of community residents interested in further study of a possible merger, last week began circulating petitions in an effort to get the issue on the November general election ballot.

 

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070706/NEIGHBORS05/707050344

 

From the 7/12/07 Blade:

 

 

Merger issue factors in to Sylvania fire department future

By JANET ROMAKER

BLADE STAFF WRITER

 

A new City of Sylvania fire department could provide a comparable level of service at a comparable cost, according to a report issued by a consultant hired to study fire and rescue services in the city.

 

William Kramer, of Kramer & Associates of Cincinnati, earlier this week presented a 50-page report to city officials and provided a summary to officials and those in attendance at a special session of council.

 

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070712/NEIGHBORS05/707110387