SECTION Z, PAGE 12
toledoBlade.com
THE BLADE: TOLEDO, OHIO ■ SUNDAY, JANUARY 26, 2014
THE BLADE: TOLEDO, OHIO ■ SUNDAY, JANUARY 26, 2014
toledoBlade.com
SECTION Z, PAGE 13
Lucas County The Core of the Region
Lucas County, Ohio encompasses approximately 340 square miles and packs an economic punch. We are situated along the fertile Lake Erie shoreline, creating a perfect transportation hub with access to sea, land, and air routes — one of the few places in the country to boast all three. The Port of Toledo is one of the most active on the Great Lakes, allowing shipping through the lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway. Multiple rail lines converge in Lucas County, and Toledo Express Airport is an ideal freight and passenger hub. With intermodal transportation growing in popularity, Lucas County is all that your business requires.
Lucas County at a Glance
Business owners would state that human resources are their most important asset. Lucas County offers a highly-skilled workforce that is prepared to meet your needs. We work to ensure sustainable growth and economic opportunity for our residents. Those new to our area are continually impressed at our high quality of life and low cost of living. With educational opportunities abounding — from high quality elementary schools to more than a dozen institutions of higher learning within an hour of Lucas County, including many within our borders — parents can know their children will grow up ready to take on the world.
Home to:
• 11 townships • 11 municipalities • 11 school districts • 7 colleges & universities • 20 library branches • 8 hospitals
The Role of County Government County government was established in Ohio in 1788 as the administrative arm of the territorial government. Today, it serves the same purpose for the state, although the structure has changed and its range of responsibilities has increased. There are certain state-mandated services that all counties must provide, such as: property tax assessment and collection, land records, election administration, public welfare and social services, and certain legal and judicial services that apply throughout the County.
The cultural offerings of Lucas County are also quite impressive: a world-class art museum; the famous Toledo Mud Hens baseball team; Fifth Third Field; the Toledo Walleye hockey team; Huntington Center; our ever-expanding zoo; an interactive science museum; and a convenient, safe and exciting Metroparks system, as well as many municipal parks. There is something to do for nearly every age group nearly every day of the week, from concerts to art exhibits to sporting events and more.
State law also permits counties to perform certain functions for their residents if they so choose. Discretionary powers exercised by Lucas County include parks and recreation, drainage, and economic development. Responsibility for County government is shared by the Ohio General Assembly, which has legislative power; the County courts, which have judicial power; and the three-member Board of County Commissioners and eight other elected officials, county Auditor, county Clerk of Courts, county Coroner, county Engineer, county Prosecutor, county Recorder, county Sheriff and county Treasurer, all of who hold administrative power.
Lucas County is not merely the core of Northwest Ohio. It is our region’s heart.
Important Lucas County Phone Numbers: Auditor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419-213-4406 Board of County Commissioners . . . . . . . . .419-213-4500 Board of Elections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419-213-4001 Building Regulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419-213-2990 Canine Care & Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .419-213-2800 Clerk of Courts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419-213-4484 Clerk of the Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419-213-4511 Common Pleas Court . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419-213-4777 Coroner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .419-213-3900 County Personnel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419-213-4535 Court of Appeals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419-213-4755 Domestic Relations Court . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419-213-6850 Economic Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419-213-4545 Emergency Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419-213-6532 Engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419-213-2860 Facilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419-213-6465 Job and Family Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419-213-8999 Juvenile Court . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419-213-6722 Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .419-380-4000
Formed: June 20, 1835 Population: 437,998 Land in Square Miles: 340.86
Lucas County Children Services . . . . . . . . .419-213-3200 Lucas County Family Council . . . . . . . . . . . . 419-725-7190 Lucas County Land Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419-213-4293 Mental Health & Recovery Services Board of Lucas County . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .419-213-4600 Office of Management and Budget . . . . . . . 419-213-4536 Probate Court . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419-213-4775 Prosecutor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .419-213-4700 Recorder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .419-213-4400 Sanitary Engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419-213-2926 Sheriff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .419-213-4900 Toledo-Lucas County Health Department . . 419-213-4100 Treasurer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419-213-4303 Veterans Service Commission . . . . . . . . . . . 419-213-6090 Workforce Development Agency . . . . . . . . .419-213-6300 Receive text messages or emails notifying you of emergencies in your area, such as a tornado warning, snow emergency, or boil advisory. Sign up for this free service by visiting lucascountyalerts.com.
The voters of Lucas County elect each of the County’s eleven administrative officials for four-year terms. The terms of the three commissioners are staggered, but all are of equal rank, and they elect their own president. The eight other elected officials function as independent administrative heads of their respective offices. The salaries for all county elected officials is set by the Ohio General Assembly and varies with the population of the county. The County also has a number of semi-independent boards and commissions, which participate in County government. State law and the County Commissioners determine their powers and revenue sources.
For more information about Lucas County, visit
co.lucas.oh.us
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