- Trustees act as a board.
- Everything requiring board approval needs two votes. However,
Every trustee has the opportunity
- and Lynda believes the responsibility -- to bring initiatives and ideas to the table.
Below are just some of the initiatives Lynda has successfully brought to the table and projects
on which Lynda has taken the lead, improving the quality of life for Lafayette township residents.
- Pursued changes in Ohio law allowing collaborative cost and resource sharing that in addition to providing an effective and efficient delivery of quality services, has earned Lafayette Township a state-wide reputation for finding creative solutions to providing services at a low tax-payer cost.
- Even though it is not the role of trustees, Lynda saw and need and has worked tirelessly to expand cable and internet access both to areas unserved and to obtain competition to lower rates where service is available. We have made some progress but the work is ongoing.
- Successfully wrote a grant partnering with the Medina County Park District to rehabilitate a Lafayette Road historic barn for public use.
- Joined forces with the Medina County Planning Commission and Medina County Park District successfully working to obtain critical infrastructure grant funds to replace the Euclid Street bridge at no local cost to taxpayers.
- Collaborating with the University of Akron, Cleveland Clinic and Senate President, Larry Obhof, successfully pursued a change in Ohio law permitting community paramedicine program authority for all Ohio Townships.
- Introduced financial forecast budgeting to assure spending policies today do not result in the need for a tax increase tomorrow.
- Wrote MANY successful grants and applications for outside funding covering the cost of services and improvements saving millions of local tax dollars to keep our taxes lower.
- Led the charge to collect only the taxes absolutely necessary - tax millage for services has been REDUCED several times and one voted tax levy, still in place, has not been collected at all for about twenty years.
- Proposed capital improvement reserve accounts, building up funds over time to use when needed to replace costly emergency equipment - without going into debt.
- Proposed zoning protections, which were adopted by the township zoning board, to seal the township borders from the threat of development-driven annexation.
- Initiated a certificate program with the Medina County University Center to provide education for residents who serve on township zoning commissions and boards of zoning appeals. Many members of township boards across the county have taken advantage of this program - including most of the members serving Lafayette.
- Took the initiative investigating the purchase of a fire engine comparable to a proposal being pushed - saving the township almost a quarter of a million dollars - ensuring the funds to continue staffing EMTs and Paramedics for immediate emergency response are available.
- Took the lead and followed through with investigations, options and grant programs resulting in the elimination of blighted properties in Lafayette Township.
- When residents soundly rejected the cost of an independent township police department numerous times, Lynda took the lead preserving local community policing through a contract service within the funding structure available. Records show that today the township is receiving a much higher level of service at a significantly reduced cost. The safety of our families is of the highest priority.
- Championed low-cost programs that add to our quality of life such as the township clean-up program shredding service and an emergency snow-plow program for qualified seniors and disabled residents.
- Initiated the elimination of zoning fees for residents needing to install handicap accommodations to their homes.
- Introduced man power and equipment sharing between neighboring townships to accomplish special projects that may otherwise require expensive contracts to complete.
- Lynda took the lead, pursuing memberships in the largest joint purchasing collaborations in the State of Ohio allowing the township to enjoy substantial savings on everything from office supplies to road salt and trucks.
- Took the lead, successfully obtaining various speed reductions and traffic control upgrades throughout the township including a 4-way stop at the intersection of Lake and S.R. 162.
