TODAY IS Ohio Township Day — an occasion that recognizes township trustees across the state.

Ed Good has been a Mead Township trustee for 29 years and is in his second term on the Ohio Township Association Board of Directors. There are 20 directors from different counties across the state.

“Feb. 1 Is Ohio Township Day, and that was enacted back in 1998. Basically, it’s just to make sure that the public is aware of the township form of government. It’s the most grassroots form of government that there is. It’s actually older than the state of Ohio,” Good pointed out Wednesday.

He said there are 1,308 townships in Ohio that serve 35% of the state’s population. There are 16 townships in Belmont County.

Good said 22 U.S. states have a township form of government and that the township system in Ohio dates back to 1801. He noted that townships were a lot different in the 1800s.

“It is a lot different today. Back then, they had three trustees and a clerk, and basically, the clerk took care of the financial dealings of the township and there were two overseers of the poor. There were also highway supervisors. Keep in mind back in the 1800s, you know, those were all cow paths and wagon trails. So, they played quite an important role in where we are today,” he said.

Good said one of his main roles as township trustee is keeping roads in good shape, especially during the winter.

He also said the trustees work closely with village, city and county officials to collaborate on projects.

“In Mead Township, we played a role with the village (of Shadyside) to create the Mead Township Park District. They maintain recreation and the ballfields down along Route 7,” he said.

He described the form of government as very accessible and said trustees’ meetings are open to the public.

“I think that we are the most grassroots form of government. When you call the township, all too often you’re actually speaking with the trustee or the fiscal officer. We have a very basic form of government. The townships in Belmont County, you know, I’m not aware of anybody that requires you to be put on the agenda or anything else. You find out when the township meetings are. Obviously, you can call in advance or you show up and you address the board,” he said.

Good said the Ohio Township Association Board of Directors has done a lot since he became a board member in 2018.

“We’re proud of the achievements that the (Ohio) Township Association has made. I think that we definitely fight above our weight class. That’s what Township Day is all about, just informing the public, reminding them of what we do and if they have any questions, reach out to us,” Good said.

Good said the Mead Township trustees have been working hard this past month and have several projects in the works.

“We’re still waiting for a final investment decision on the PTT proposed cracker plant. So we are preparing for development, if that project comes to fruition,” he said.

“We probably had about 15 or 16 major slips that have been repaired, and we’re just wrapping those projects up. Also, we just finished up an Ohio Public Works Commission grant to pave the entirety of Lashley Road, which is a little over 2 miles. So we’ve been pretty busy. You know, we’re just like everybody else dealing with winter and keeping our heads above water,” Good said.

Good encourages anyone to become a member of the Belmont County Township Association to learn more about their local township.

“People can be associate members for $20 a year, which provides them a bi-monthly magazine, you get a magazine every two months. It has a wealth of information about townships and the changing of laws in Ohio that impact townships, counties, all forms of government. We also do a membership drive, and everybody I’ve talked to who is an associate member finds it very informative and well worth the price to become a member,” he said.

Good said more information about Mead Township can be found on meadtownship.com. He said residents can also voice their concerns on the website.

More information about the Ohio Township Association and the board of directors can be found at OhioTownships.org.

Ohio Township Day is observed annually on Feb. 1.