The Ohio Township Association Celebrates 95 Years

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
6/28/2023

The Ohio Township Association Celebrates 95 Years

Blacklick, Ohio – The Ohio Township Association (OTA) is celebrating its 95th anniversary today, June 28, 2023. Founded in 1928 by the Ashland County Township Association, the OTA represents all 1,308 townships across Ohio’s 88 counties. An estimated 35% of Ohio’s population resides in townships.

The OTA has 8,490 members across Ohio, including over 5,000 township trustees and fiscal officers. Road maintenance is a responsibility for all townships. Still, many also provide fire protection, zoning and land use planning, and parks and recreation for their residents, which are all governed by the Ohio Revised Code. It is regarded as the most efficient form of government.

OTA Executive Director, Heidi M. Fought, said, “The Ohio Township Association has a rich history of protecting and advocating for Ohio’s townships and their 3.5 million residents. The OTA has endured for 95 years due to the dedication of its members, and I look forward to all the association and its members accomplish in the future.”

Township government is the oldest form of government in Ohio. In 1928, 51 county township associations across Ohio met in Columbus to sign a resolution creating the State Association for Trustees and Clerks. The association was formed in response to a state recommendation to eliminate townships and transfer its functions to counties. Due to the unifying of townships across the state, this proposal was never introduced. The association changed its name to the Ohio Township Association in 1983. 

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The Ohio Township Association is a statewide organization dedicated to the promotion and preservation of township government in Ohio. The OTA was founded on June 28, 1928 and is organized in 87 Ohio counties. OTA has more than 5,200 active members, made up of trustees and fiscal officers from Ohio’s 1,308 townships, and more than 4,000 associate members.