Chapter 717 | Specific Powers

Section 717.01 | Powers of municipal corporations.

• Effective: January 1, 2016
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 64 - 131st General Assembly

Each municipal corporation may do any of the following:

(A) Acquire by purchase or condemnation real estate with or without buildings on it, and easements or interests in real estate;

(B) Extend, enlarge, reconstruct, repair, equip, furnish, or improve a building or improvement that it is authorized to acquire or construct;

(C) Erect a crematory or provide other means for disposing of garbage or refuse, and erect public comfort stations;

(D) Purchase turnpike roads and make them free;

(E) Construct wharves and landings on navigable waters;

(F) Construct infirmaries, workhouses, prisons, police stations, houses of refuge and correction, market houses, public halls, public offices, municipal garages, repair shops, storage houses, and warehouses;

(G) Construct or acquire waterworks for supplying water to the municipal corporation and its inhabitants and extend the waterworks system outside of the municipal corporation limits;

(H) Construct or purchase gas works or works for the generation and transmission of electricity, for the supplying of gas or electricity to the municipal corporation and its inhabitants;

(I) Provide grounds for cemeteries or crematories, enclose and embellish them, and construct vaults or crematories;

(J) Construct sewers, sewage disposal works, flushing tunnels, drains, and ditches;

(K) Construct free public libraries and reading rooms, and free recreation centers;

(L) Establish free public baths and municipal lodging houses;

(M) Construct monuments or memorial buildings to commemorate the services of soldiers, sailors, and marines of the state and nation;

(N) Provide land for and improve parks, boulevards, and public playgrounds;

(O) Construct hospitals and pesthouses;

(P) Open, construct, widen, extend, improve, resurface, or change the line of any street or public highway;

(Q) Construct and improve levees, dams, waterways, waterfronts, and embankments and improve any watercourse passing through the municipal corporation;

(R) Construct or improve viaducts, bridges, and culverts;

(S)(1) Construct any building necessary for the police or fire department;

(2) Purchase fire engines or fire boats;

(3) Construct water towers or fire cisterns;

(4) Place underground the wires or signal apparatus of any police or fire department.

(T) Construct any municipal ice plant for the purpose of manufacturing ice for the citizens of a municipal corporation;

(U) Construct subways under any street or boulevard or elsewhere;

(V) Acquire by purchase, gift, devise, bequest, lease, condemnation proceedings, or otherwise, real or personal property, and thereon and thereof to establish, construct, enlarge, improve, equip, maintain, and operate airports, landing fields, or other air navigation facilities, either within or outside the limits of a municipal corporation, and acquire by purchase, gift, devise, lease, or condemnation proceedings rights-of-way for connections with highways, waterways, and electric, steam, and interurban railroads, and improve and equip such facilities with structures necessary or appropriate for such purposes. No municipal corporation may take or disturb property or facilities belonging to any public utility or to a common carrier engaged in interstate commerce, which property or facilities are required for the proper and convenient operation of the utility or carrier, unless provision is made for the restoration, relocation, or duplication of the property or facilities elsewhere at the sole cost of the municipal corporation.

(W) Provide by agreement with any regional airport authority, created under section 308.03 of the Revised Code, for the making of necessary surveys, appraisals, and examinations preliminary to the acquisition or construction of any airport or airport facility and pay the portion of the expense of the surveys, appraisals, and examinations as set forth in the agreement;

(X) Provide by agreement with any regional airport authority, created under section 308.03 of the Revised Code, for the acquisition, construction, maintenance, or operation of any airport or airport facility owned or to be owned and operated by the regional airport authority or owned or to be owned and operated by the municipal corporation and pay the portion of the expense of it as set forth in the agreement;

(Y) Acquire by gift, purchase, lease, or condemnation, land, forest, and water rights necessary for conservation of forest reserves, water parks, or reservoirs, either within or without the limits of the municipal corporation, and improve and equip the forest and water parks with structures, equipment, and reforestation necessary or appropriate for any purpose for the utilization of any of the forest and water benefits that may properly accrue therefrom to the municipal corporation;

(Z) Acquire real property by purchase, gift, or devise and construct and maintain on it public swimming pools, either within or outside the limits of the municipal corporation;

(AA) Construct or rehabilitate, equip, maintain, operate, and lease facilities for housing of elderly persons and for persons of low and moderate income, and appurtenant facilities. No municipal corporation shall deny housing accommodations to or withhold housing accommodations from elderly persons or persons of low and moderate income because of race, color, religion, sex, familial status as defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, military status as defined in that section, disability as defined in that section, ancestry, or national origin. Any elderly person or person of low or moderate income who is denied housing accommodations or has them withheld by a municipal corporation because of race, color, religion, sex, familial status as defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, military status as defined in that section, disability as defined in that section, ancestry, or national origin may file a charge with the Ohio civil rights commission as provided in Chapter 4112. of the Revised Code.

(BB) Acquire, rehabilitate, and develop rail property or rail service, and enter into agreements with the Ohio rail development commission, boards of county commissioners, boards of township trustees, legislative authorities of other municipal corporations, with other governmental agencies or organizations, and with private agencies or organizations in order to achieve those purposes;

(CC) Appropriate and contribute money to a soil and water conservation district for use under Chapter 940. of the Revised Code;

(DD) Authorize the board of county commissioners, pursuant to a contract authorizing the action, to contract on the municipal corporation's behalf for the administration and enforcement within its jurisdiction of the state building code by another county or another municipal corporation located within or outside the county. The contract for administration and enforcement shall provide for obtaining certification pursuant to division (E) of section 3781.10 of the Revised Code for the exercise of administration and enforcement authority within the municipal corporation seeking those services and shall specify which political subdivision is responsible for securing that certification.

(EE) Expend money for providing and maintaining services and facilities for senior citizens.

"Airport," "landing field," and "air navigation facility," as defined in section 4561.01 of the Revised Code, apply to division (V) of this section.

As used in divisions (W) and (X) of this section, "airport" and "airport facility" have the same meanings as in section 308.01 of the Revised Code.

As used in division (BB) of this section, "rail property" and "rail service" have the same meanings as in section 4981.01 of the Revised Code.

Section 717.02 | Installment payment contracts for energy conservation measures.

• Effective: December 30, 2008
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 420 - 127th General Assembly

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Energy conservation measure" means the construction of, installation or modification of an installation in, or remodeling of, a new or existing building or infrastructure, to reduce energy consumption. It includes:

(a) Insulation of the building structure and of systems within the building;

(b) Storm windows and doors, multiglazed windows and doors, heat-absorbing or heat-reflective glazed and coated window and door systems, additional glazing, reductions in glass area, and other window and door system modifications that reduce energy consumption;

(c) Automatic energy control systems;

(d) Heating, ventilating, or air conditioning system modifications or replacements;

(e) Caulking and weatherstripping;

(f) Replacement or modification of lighting fixtures to increase the energy efficiency of the system without increasing the overall illumination of a facility, unless such an increase in illumination is necessary to conform to the applicable state or local building code for the proposed lighting system;

(g) Energy recovery systems;

(h) Cogeneration systems that produce steam or forms of energy such as heat, as well as electricity, for use primarily within a building or complex of buildings;

(i) Acquiring, constructing, furnishing, equipping, improving the site of, or otherwise improving a central utility plant to provide heating and cooling services to a building or building infrastructure together with distribution piping and ancillary distribution controls, equipment, and related facilities from the central utility plant to the building or building infrastructure;

(j) Meter replacement, installation of an automatic meter reading system, or any other construction, modification, installation, or remodeling of water, electric, gas, or any other municipally supplied utility system;

(k) Any other construction, modification, installation, or remodeling approved by the legislative authority of the municipal corporation as an energy conservation measure.

(2) "Infrastructure" includes, but is not limited to, a water, gas, or electric utility, renewable energy system or technology, traffic control signal, or any other asset owned, operated, or maintained by a municipal corporation.

(B) For the purpose of evaluating buildings owned by a municipal corporation for energy conservation measures, a legislative authority of a municipal corporation may contract with an architect, professional engineer, energy services company, contractor, or other person experienced in the design and implementation of energy conservation measures for an energy conservation report. The report shall include all of the following:

(1) Analyses of the energy needs of the buildings owned by that municipal corporation and recommendations for building installations, modifications of existing installations, or building remodeling that would significantly reduce energy consumption in the buildings;

(2) Estimates of all costs of the recommended installations, modifications, or remodeling, including costs of design, engineering, installation, maintenance, and repair;

(3) Estimates of the amounts by which energy consumption could be reduced;

(4) The interest rate used to estimate the costs of any energy conservation measures that are to be financed by the municipal corporation;

(5) The average system life of the energy conservation measures;

(6) Estimates of the likely savings that will result from the reduction in energy consumption over the average system life of the energy conservation measures, including the methods used to estimate the savings;

(7) A certification under the seal of a registered professional engineer that the energy conservation report uses reasonable methods of analysis and estimation.

(C)(1) A municipal corporation desiring to implement energy conservation measures may proceed under any of the following methods:

(a) Procure the energy conservation measures in any manner authorized by the municipal corporation's charter, ordinances, or any other existing authority;

(b) Advertise for bids using a report or any part of an energy conservation report prepared under division (B) of this section, and, except as otherwise provided in this section, comply with competitive bidding requirements;

(c) Notwithstanding any requirement in the Revised Code that requires competitive bidding or specifies bidding procedures, request proposals from at least three vendors for the implementation of energy conservation measures. A request for proposals shall require the vendor that is awarded a contract under division (C)(2)(b) of this section to prepare an energy conservation report in accordance with division (B) of this section.

Prior to sending any vendor a copy of any request for proposals, the legislative authority shall advertise its intent to request proposals for the installation of energy conservation measures in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipal corporation once a week for two consecutive weeks. The notice shall state that the legislative authority intends to request proposals for the installation of energy conservation measures, indicate the date on which the request for proposals will be mailed to vendors, which shall be at least ten days after the second publication in the newspaper, and state that any vendor interested in receiving the request for proposals shall submit written notice to the legislative authority not later than noon of the day on which the request for proposals is to be mailed.

(2)(a) Upon receiving bids under division (C)(1)(b) of this section, the legislative authority shall analyze them and select the lowest and best bid or bids most likely to result in the greatest energy savings considering the cost of the project and the legislative authority's ability to pay for the improvements with current revenues or by financing the improvements.

(b) Upon receiving proposals under division (C)(1)(c) of this section, the legislative authority shall analyze the proposals and the vendors' qualifications and select the most qualified vendor to prepare an energy conservation report in accordance with division (B) of this section. After receipt and review of the energy conservation report, the legislative authority may award a contract to the selected vendor to install the energy conservation measures that are most likely to result in the greatest energy savings considering the cost of the project and the legislative authority's ability to pay for the improvements with current revenues or by financing the improvements.

(c) The awarding of a contract to install energy conservation measures under division (C)(2)(a) or (b) of this section shall be conditioned upon a finding by the contracting authority that the amount of money spent on energy conservation measures is not likely to exceed the amount of money the municipal corporation would save in energy, operating, maintenance, and avoided capital costs over the average system life of the energy conservation measures as specified in the energy conservation report. In making such a finding, the contracting authority may take into account the increased costs due to inflation as shown in the energy conservation report. Nothing in this division prohibits a municipal corporation from rejecting all bids or proposals under division (C)(1)(b) or (c) of this section or from selecting more than one bid or proposal.

(D) The legislative authority of a municipal corporation may enter into an installment payment contract for the purchase and installation of energy conservation measures. Provisions of installment payment contracts that deal with interest charges and financing terms shall not be subject to competitive bidding requirements and shall be on the following terms:

(1) Not less than a specified percentage of the costs of the contract shall be paid within two years from the date of purchase, as determined and approved by the legislative authority of a municipal corporation.

(2) The remaining balance of the costs of the contract shall be paid within the lesser of the average system life of the energy conservation measures as specified in the energy conservation report or thirty years.

(E) The legislative authority of a municipal corporation may issue the notes of the municipal corporation specifying the terms of a purchase of energy conservation measures under this section and securing any deferred payments provided for in division (C) of this section. The notes shall be payable at the times provided and bear interest at a rate not exceeding the rate determined as provided in section 9.95 of the Revised Code. The notes may contain an option for prepayment and shall not be subject to Chapter 133. of the Revised Code. Revenues derived from local taxes or otherwise, for the purpose of conserving energy or for defraying the current operating expenses of the municipal corporation, may be pledged and applied to the payment of interest and the retirement of the notes. The notes may be sold at private sale or given to the contractor under an installment payment contract authorized by division (C) of this section.

(F) Debt incurred under this section shall not be included in the calculation of the net indebtedness of a municipal corporation under section 133.05 of the Revised Code.

Section 717.03 | Publicly owned utility may contract with labor union.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The operating officers, board, or commission of a publicly owned public utility, which, when privately owned, had a contract with a labor union, may contract with such union on the same or similar terms.

Section 717.04 | Municipal establishment of limited access highways or freeways.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

Municipal corporations may lay out, establish, acquire, open, construct, improve, maintain, regulate, vacate, or abandon "limited access highways" or "freeways" in the same manner in which such municipal corporations may lay out, establish, acquire, open, construct, improve, maintain, regulate, vacate or abandon a street or public highway. Municipal corporations also shall have all other additional authority relative to such highways or freeways as they possess relative to streets and highways including, the authority to acquire by gift, purchase, condemnation, or otherwise, land required for right of way.

Where an existing street or highway, in whole or in part, has been designated as, or included within, a limited access highway or freeway, existing easements or access may be extinguished by purchase, gift, agreement, or by condemnation.

As an adjunct of any limited access highway or freeway the municipal corporation may lay out and construct streets or highways, to be designated as service streets or highways, to provide access from areas adjacent to a limited access highway or freeway.

A limited access highway or freeway, as used in this section, is a street or highway especially designed for through traffic over which abutting property owners have no easement or right of access by reason of the fact that their property abuts upon such street or highway, and access to which may be allowed only at street or highway intersections designated by the municipal corporation.

As used in this section, "road" or "highway" includes bridges, viaducts, grade separations, appurtenances, and approaches on or to such road or highway.

Section 717.05 | Off-street parking facilities.

• Effective: March 8, 1979
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 184 - 112th General Assembly

Municipal corporations may lay out, establish, construct, maintain, and operate within their respective corporate limits, off-street parking facilities for motor vehicles, and in connection therewith and for such purpose may acquire by purchase, gift, devise, exchange, lease, or sublease any existing off-street parking facilities or any real estate or interest therein required for the construction of such parking facilities. In the exercise of the powers granted in this section for the acquisition of real estate, municipal corporations may exercise the power of eminent domain in the manner provided by sections 163.01 to 163.22 of the Revised Code. Such power of eminent domain shall not extend to or be exercised for the purpose of acquiring real estate owned, leased, or held by a public utility or railroad, or any real estate upon which off-street parking facilities, open to the general public have been established for a period of one year prior to the proposed acquisition thereof.

If it is determined by the legislative authority of any municipal corporation that real estate owned or leased by such municipal corporation and used for off-street parking facilities is no longer needed for such purpose, it may sell, lease, or sublease the real estate in the manner provided by Chapter 721. of the Revised Code. Any instrument of sale, lease, or sublease of real estate acquired by a municipal corporation under such power of eminent domain shall, if such real estate is sold, leased, or subleased by the municipal corporation within ten years from the date of its acquisition thereof, contain a covenant running with the land requiring such real estate to be used solely for off-street parking facilities for the balance of such ten-year period. In the event the grantee, lessee, or sublessee fails to use the real estate so sold, leased, or subleased solely for off-street parking facilities for such period of time, title thereto or interest therein shall revert to and vest in the grantor.

Land acquired under this section is not tax exempt, except if any municipal corporation owns and operates parking facilities used exclusively for a public purpose under this section and charges no fee for the privilege of parking thereon, such facilities are tax exempt.

Section 717.051 | Tax-exemption for multi-level off-street parking structure.

• Effective: March 8, 1979
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 184 - 112th General Assembly

Any multi-level off-street parking structure that is not tax exempt under section 717.05 of the Revised Code and is acquired in fee or by lease or constructed by a municipal corporation that qualifies as an impacted city, as defined in division (C) of section 1728.01 of the Revised Code, at the time of the initial application for exemption provided for in this section or so acquired or constructed by a county within the corporate boundaries of such an impacted city, is hereby declared to be a public purpose and may, at the option of the impacted city or the county, be made the subject of an application for exemption and shall be exempt from taxation for such period as the parking structure is owned or leased by such municipal corporation or county and is available to members of the general public on a daily or monthly or other subscription basis, provided such period of exemption shall not exceed twenty years from September 30, 1974, or the date acquisition or construction of such structure is completed, whichever shall occur later. Any such exemption shall be claimed and allowed in the same or similar manner as in the case of other real property exemptions. In the event that an exemption status changes during a tax year, the procedure for the apportionment of the taxes for said year shall be the same as in the case of other changes in the exemption status during the tax year.

Section 717.052 | Payment in lieu of real estate taxes.

• Effective: September 30, 1974
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 505 - 110th General Assembly

In every instance of exemption provided by section 717.051 of the Revised Code, the impacted city or the county shall make payment to the county treasurer, on or before the final date for payment of real estate taxes in the county for each half year, of a semiannual service charge in lieu of taxes on the multi-level off-street parking structure for which such exemption has been provided, which, together with the taxes on the land, in any year after the effective date of this section, or the date acquisition or construction of such structure is completed, whichever shall have occurred first, shall be equal to one-half of the total taxes assessed on all real property constituting the site of such structure in the calendar year immediately preceding the initial acquisition of such real property or any part thereof by such city or county. This section shall not be construed as in any way exempting or reducing the current year taxes required to be paid on the land which constitutes the site of such structure.

Such payments shall be distributed by the county auditor to the taxing subdivision levying taxes in the subdivisions in which the property is located, in the same proportions in which the current general property tax is distributed.

At the end of the exemption period provided for in section 717.051 of the Revised Code, the taxing exemption upon such structure ceases and such facility and the land shall be assessed and taxed, according to general law, like other property within the city.

Section 717.053 | Application of tax exemption period.

• Effective: September 30, 1994
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 505 - 110th General Assembly

The tax exemption provided by section 717.051 of the Revised Code applies only so long as the period provided in section 717.051 of the Revised Code. Thereafter, the tax exemption and the payments in lieu of taxes shall terminate.

Section 717.06 | Moneys, bonds, and fees for off-street parking facilities.

• Effective: October 30, 1989
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 230 - 118th General Assembly

Any municipal corporation may, for the purpose of acquiring, constructing, maintaining, equipping, and operating off-street parking facilities, structures, or lands required therefor:

(A) Use any moneys in the general fund, not otherwise obligated or encumbered;

(B) Issue and sell bonds, pursuant to Chapter 133. of the Revised Code, or issue and sell bonds under the authority of Section 3 of Article XVIII, Ohio Constitution, except that such bonds shall not be authorized to pay operating expenses;

(C) Impose reasonable fees or charges upon the users of any such off-street parking facilities or structures for the purpose of maintaining, repairing, operating, and regulating them, and for the recovery of such portion, if any, of the cost of acquiring and improving them, expended from funds other than those collected by special assessments.

Subject to the provisions of an indenture given to secure payment of notes and bonds issued for the purpose, all moneys derived from the operation of off-street parking facilities or structures, except such parts thereof as are necessary in each case to pay the taxes levied against the real estate used in such operation, and to pay all costs of maintenance, repairs, operation, and regulation of such off-street parking facilities or structures, may, irrespective of the provisions of section 5705.10 of the Revised Code, until such bonds are fully paid and retired, be paid into the bond retirement funds or sinking funds, as the case may be, of the respective municipal corporations. In the event the lands used for such off-street parking facilities or structures are sold, leased, or subleased as provided by section 717.05 of the Revised Code, the moneys accruing from such sale, lease, or sublease may, if the bonds have not previously been retired, be paid into such bond retirement funds or sinking funds, or be used to acquire, construct, maintain, equip, repair, operate, and regulate additional off-street parking facilities and structures.

Section 717.07 | Issuing securities to finance single payment of accrued liability to police and fire pension fund.

• Effective: November 2, 1999
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 222 - 123rd General Assembly

(A) A municipal corporation may enter into an agreement with the board of trustees of the Ohio police and fire pension fund in accordance with section 742.30 of the Revised Code. The legislative authority of a municipal corporation may issue securities under Section 3 of Article XVIII, Ohio Constitution, or under Chapter 133. of the Revised Code, including Chapter 133. special obligation securities that pledge taxes, other than ad valorem property taxes, or other revenues for the purpose of providing some or all of the funds required to satisfy the municipal corporation's obligation under the agreement.

(B) A municipal corporation may enter into an agreement with one or more other municipal corporations or townships to issue on behalf of those municipal corporations or townships the securities described in division (A) of this section. The agreement may authorize the municipal corporation issuing the securities to appoint one or more fiscal agents to perform any functions necessary to carry out an agreement entered into under this division.

Section 717.10 | Village capital improvement fund.

• Effective: June 30, 1995
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 117 - 121st General Assembly

(A) There is hereby created the village capital improvement fund. Moneys in the village capital improvement fund shall not be part of the state treasury and shall be separate from the other funds of the Ohio air and water development authority. Moneys in the fund shall be kept in the same manner as funds of the authority are kept under section 6121.11 of the Revised Code and may be invested in the same manner as funds of the authority are invested under section 6121.12 of the Revised Code. The fund shall be administered jointly by the authority and the environmental protection agency. The fund shall consist of gifts, grants, and contributions received by the authority or the agency for the purposes of the fund; moneys received as repayments of advances from the former emergency village capital improvement fund made prior to the effective date of this amendment that are required to be made under section 717.11 of the Revised Code; payments of principal and interest on loans made on or after the effective date of this amendment that are required to be made under section 717.11 of the Revised Code and the loan agreement between the authority, the agency, and the village receiving a loan entered into under this section; and any moneys deposited into the fund by the authority or the agency from moneys available to them for the purposes of the fund. Moneys in the fund shall be used exclusively to provide loans to villages for the purposes described in division (B) of this section.

(B) Any village which, by ordinance or resolution of its legislative authority, has determined it to be necessary to construct a system of sewerage for the village or any part of the village, including sewage disposal works, treatment plants, or sewage pumping stations, or to construct a water supply system for the village or any part of the village, including mains, dams, reservoirs, wells, intakes, purification works, or pumping stations, may apply to the agency for a loan from the village capital improvement fund to enable the village to pay all or a part of the cost of preparing general plans for the improvements or detailed plans, specifications, estimates of cost, and cost of financing and legal services incident to the preparation of the plans, and a plan of financing the proposed improvement.

The agency shall consider the application and shall determine the amount of moneys, if any, that are needed by the village from the fund, in addition to moneys that the village can provide for itself for those purposes without undue hardship upon its inhabitants. If the application is approved by the agency and the authority, the authority and the applicant shall enter into a loan agreement setting forth the terms and conditions of the loan. Loans made from the fund may include low interest or no interest loans.

Section 717.11 | Repayment to air and water development authority upon acquisition of construction financing.

• Effective: June 30, 1995
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 117 - 121st General Assembly

All amounts received by a village from the village capital improvement fund created in section 717.10 of the Revised Code shall be repaid by it to the Ohio air and water development authority for deposit into the fund immediately upon the village's acquisition of construction financing for the project for which those amounts have been awarded or in such number of equal annual installments not exceeding ten, and commencing at such time, as shall be specified in the agreement under which the funds were provided to the village. In order to provide moneys for repaying the fund, the village may levy and collect taxes within the limitations imposed by law; or the village may repay the fund from moneys derived from special assessments upon the properties benefited from the particular proposed improvements to the extent that the cost of the improvement assessed upon the benefited properties includes the cost of preparing the plans and expenses incidental thereto, may include the amount provided from the fund in any bonds issued for the purpose of paying the cost of the proposed improvements, including bonds authorized by the electors and bonds payable only from the revenues of the project, or may repay the fund from any other source of project construction financing.

All repayments of advances received by villages under former section 717.10 of the Revised Code shall be repaid to the fund in accordance with the terms and conditions of those advances.

Any such obligation to repay assistance from the fund is not a bonded indebtedness of the village for the purposes of any applicable law of this state that imposes a debt limitation on political subdivisions of this state.

Section 717.15 | Resolution authorizing alternative method of issuing bonds or notes during fiscal emergency.

• Effective: October 30, 1989
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 230 - 118th General Assembly

(A) Subject to the provisions of Chapter 118. of the Revised Code, the legislative authority of a municipal corporation that has legal authority to and desires to issue with or without vote of the people bonds or notes may, during a fiscal emergency period of such municipality as defined in section 118.01 of the Revised Code, utilize the authority of section 717.16 of the Revised Code, as it supplements Chapters 118. and 133. of the Revised Code, if it determines and declares in a preliminary resolution adopted prior to the resolution of necessity adopted pursuant to section 133.22 of the Revised Code or the ordinance or resolution adopted pursuant to section 133.10 or 133.23 of the Revised Code, all of the following:

(1) That the credit standing of the municipal corporation as may be reflected by credit ratings assigned to outstanding issues of the municipal corporation by rating services generally relied upon by underwriters, investors, and other potential purchasers for value, is such or has deteriorated to the extent that an attempt to borrow funds solely under Chapters 118. and 133. of the Revised Code will probably result in terms unfavorable to the municipal corporation and may further impair the credit standing or damage the credit rating of the municipal corporation;

(2) Financing that may be reasonably available through use of all or some of the supplemental powers granted by section 717.16 of the Revised Code will be in the best interests of the municipal corporation;

(3) Whether all or only part of the supplemental powers granted by section 717.16 of the Revised Code are authorized, and if only part are authorized, what portion or portions of those supplemental powers the legislative authority approves to be utilized;

(4) That final authority for issuance of such bonds or notes is conditioned upon approval of any terms and conditions recommended by the fiscal officer, by the adoption of the resolution of necessity pursuant to section 133.22 of the Revised Code or the ordinance or resolution adopted pursuant to section 133.10 or 133.23 of the Revised Code.

(B) All authority granted by this section and section 717.16 of the Revised Code supplements Chapters 118. and 133. of the Revised Code, which are applicable to the issuance of all bonds or notes qualified pursuant to division (A) of this section, as supplemented by the provisions of this section and section 717.16 of the Revised Code. All terms used in this section and section 717.16 of the Revised Code have the same meaning as those terms when used in Chapters 118. and 133. of the Revised Code.

(C) Whenever the preliminary resolution adopted pursuant to this section authorizes the sale of an issue of bonds or notes that is to be or may be negotiated pursuant to division (A)(1) of section 717.16 of the Revised Code, the preliminary resolution shall be published once in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipal corporation other than a newspaper that consists primarily of legal notices, legal news, municipal proceedings, or similar matters. If publishing in such a municipal reporter, city bulletin, or similar publication is authorized by the law governing the municipality, the preliminary resolution shall also be published in the same manner as other legislation. An error, defect, or irregularity in the publication does not invalidate the proceedings for the sale of the issue of bonds or notes.

Section 717.16 | Terms and conditions of bonds or notes issued during fiscal emergency.

• Effective: October 30, 1989
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 230 - 118th General Assembly

(A) In the issuance of bonds or notes in circumstances described in section 717.15 of the Revised Code, the municipal corporation may, to the extent authorized under division (A)(3) of that section, provide the following terms and conditions:

(1)(a) The maturity of notes not to exceed a period of ten years, and whether the principal of the notes shall be retired as provided in section 133.22 of the Revised Code if the notes are outstanding for a period in excess of five years from the date of the original issue;

(b) The maturity of bonds not to exceed those periods provided pursuant to section 133.20 of the Revised Code and an additional period of five years;

(c) Whether the bonds or notes are to be issued in one lot or installments;

(d) A sum not to exceed three years' interest on the issue to be included in the issue to the extent necessary to care for interest maturing previous to the receipt of taxes or other revenues from which such interest ultimately is to be paid.

(e) A reserve fund, that may be included in the issue, to secure the payment of principal and interest on the issue not to exceed a sum equal to the principal and interest payments for the year during the issue in which principal and interest payments shall be the highest.

(2) Agree to the payment of interest not to exceed the rate determined as provided in section 9.95 of the Revised Code;

(3) Sell the issue or any portion thereof at a discount not to exceed four per cent of their face value, with accrued interest.

(B) If the legislative authority determines to approve the terms and conditions recommended by the fiscal officer, it shall adopt a resolution pursuant to section 133.22 of the Revised Code or an ordinance or resolution pursuant to section 133.23 of the Revised Code, and upon the adoption of such a resolution or ordinance the terms and conditions included in such resolution or ordinance are binding on the municipal corporation and purchasers of the bonds or notes.

Section 717.20 | Expending funds for promotion of tourism.

• Effective: April 26, 1976
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1033 - 111th General Assembly

The legislative authority of a municipal corporation may appropriate moneys from its general fund to be expended by the municipal corporation or by joint agreement with one or more other political subdivisions or by private, nonprofit organizations for the public purpose of encouraging economic development of the municipal corporation or area through promotion of tourism.

Semiannual reports on the use of the expenditures shall be made to the legislative authority by the chief officer implementing the joint agreement, or the chief officer or board of directors of the private, nonprofit organizations.

As used in this section, "promotion of tourism" is the encouragement through advertising, educational and informational means, and public relations, both within the state and outside of it, of travel by persons away from their homes for pleasure, personal reasons, or other purposes, except to work, to the municipal corporation, or to the local area.

This section shall not be construed to limit any municipal corporation in the exercise of its powers of local self government under Section 3, Article XVIII, Ohio Constitution, but shall be construed to be a declaration that the promotion of tourism is a proper public purpose for encouraging economic development.

Section 717.25 | Low-cost alternative energy revolving loan program.

• Effective: June 17, 2010
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 232 - 128th General Assembly

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Customer-generated energy project" means a wind, biomass, or gasification facility for the generation of electricity that meets either of the following requirements:

(a) The facility is designed to have a generating capacity of two hundred fifty kilowatts of electricity or less.

(b) The facility is:

(i) Designed to have a generating capacity of more than two hundred fifty kilowatts of electricity;

(ii) Operated in parallel with electric transmission and distribution facilities serving the real property at the site of the customer-generated energy project;

(iii) Intended primarily to offset part or all of the facility owner's requirements for electricity at the site of the customer-generated energy project and is located on the facility owner's real property; and

(iv) Not producing energy for direct sale by the facility owner to the public.

(2) "Electric distribution utility" and "mercantile customer" have the same meanings as in section 4928.01 of the Revised Code.

(3) "Reduction in demand" has the same meaning as in section 1710.01 of the Revised Code.

(B) The legislative authority of a municipal corporation may establish a low-cost alternative energy revolving loan program to assist owners of real property within the municipal corporation with installing and implementing either of the following on their real property:

(1) Alternative energy technologies limited to solar photovoltaic projects, solar thermal energy projects, geothermal energy projects, and customer-generated energy projects;

(2) Energy efficiency technologies, products, and activities that reduce or support the reduction of energy consumption, allow for the reduction in demand, or support the production of clean, renewable energy.

(C) If the legislative authority decides to establish such a program, the legislative authority shall adopt an ordinance that provides for the following:

(1) Creation in the municipal treasury of an alternative energy revolving loan fund;

(2) A source of money, such as gifts, bond issues, real property assessments, or federal subsidies, to seed the alternative energy revolving loan fund;

(3) Facilities for making loans from the alternative energy revolving loan fund, including an explanation of how owners of real property within the municipal corporation may qualify for loans from the fund, a description of the alternative energy and energy efficiency technologies and related equipment for which a loan can be made from the fund, authorization of a municipal agency to process applications for loans and otherwise to administer the low-cost alternative energy revolving loan program, a procedure whereby loans can be applied for, criteria for reviewing and accepting or denying applications for loans, criteria for determining the appropriate amount of a loan, the interest rate to be charged, the repayment schedule, and other terms and conditions of a loan, and procedures for collecting loans that are not repaid according to the repayment schedule;

(4) A specification that repayments of loans from the alternative energy revolving loan fund may be made in installments and, at the option of the real property owner repaying the loan, the installments may be paid and collected as if they were special assessments paid and collected in the manner specified in Chapter 727. of the Revised Code and as specified in the ordinance;

(5) A specification that repayments of loans from the alternative energy revolving loan fund are to be credited to the fund, that the money in the fund is to be invested pending its being lent out, and that investment earnings on the money in the fund are to be credited to the fund; and

(6) Other matters necessary and proper for efficient operation of the low-cost alternative energy revolving loan program as a means of encouraging use of alternative energy and energy efficiency technologies.

The interest rate charged on a loan from the alternative energy revolving loan fund shall be below prevailing market rates. The legislative authority may specify the interest rate in the ordinance or may, after establishing a standard in the ordinance whereby the interest rate can be specified, delegate authority to specify the interest rate to the administrator of loans from the alternative energy revolving loan fund.

The alternative energy revolving loan fund shall be seeded with sufficient money to enable loans to be made until the fund accumulates sufficient reserves through investment and repayment of loans for revolving operation.

(D) Except as provided in division (E) of this section, an electric distribution utility may count toward its compliance with the energy efficiency and peak demand reduction requirements of section 4928.66 of the Revised Code any energy efficiency savings or any reduction in demand that is produced by projects utilizing alternative energy technologies or energy efficiency technologies, products, and activities that are located in its certified territory and for which a loan has been made under this section.

(E) A mercantile customer that realizes energy efficiency savings or reduction in demand produced by alternative energy technologies or energy efficiency technologies, products, or activities that it owns and for which a loan has been made under this section may elect to commit the savings or reduction to the electric distribution utility in exchange for an exemption from an energy efficiency cost recovery mechanism permitted under section 4928.66 of the Revised Code, approved by the public utilities commission.

(F) The legislative authority shall submit a quarterly report to the electric distribution utility that includes, but is not limited to, both of the following:

(1) The number and a description of each new and ongoing project utilizing alternative energy technologies or energy efficiency technologies, products, or activities located in the utility's certified territory that produces energy efficiency savings or reduction in demand and for which a loan has been made under this section;

(2) Any additional information that the electric distribution utility needs in order to obtain credit under section 4928.66 of the Revised Code for energy efficiency savings or reduction in demand from such projects.

Section 717.31 | Policies for use of municipal corporation credit card accounts.

• Effective: November 2, 2018
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 312 - 132nd General Assembly

(A) Not later than three months after the effective date of this section , a legislative authority of a municipal corporation that holds a credit card account on the effective date of this section shall adopt a written policy for the use of credit card accounts. Otherwise, a legislative authority shall adopt a written policy before first holding a credit card account.

The policy shall include provisions addressing all of the following:

(1) The officers or positions authorized to use a credit card account;

(2) The types of expenses for which a credit card account may be used;

(3) The procedure for acquisition, use, and management of a credit card account and presentation instruments related to the account including cards and checks;

(4) The procedure for submitting itemized receipts to the village clerk or city auditor or the clerk's or auditor's designee;

(5) The procedure for credit card issuance, credit card reissuance, credit card cancellation, and the process for reporting lost or stolen credit cards;

(6) The municipal corporation's credit card account's maximum credit limit or limits;

(7) The actions or omissions by an officer or employee that qualify as misuse of a credit card account.

(B) The name of the municipal corporation shall appear on each presentation instrument related to the account including cards and checks.

(C) If the village clerk or city auditor, as applicable, does not retain general possession and control of the credit card account and presentation instruments related to the account including cards and checks, the following applies:

(1) In a municipal corporation that has the authority to operate a mayor's court pursuant to Chapter 1905. of the Revised Code, the chief executive officer of the municipal corporation shall appoint a compliance officer to perform the duties enumerated under division (D) of this section. The compliance officer may not use a credit card account and may not authorize an officer or employee to use a credit card account. The village clerk or city auditor is not eligible for appointment as compliance officer.

(2) In a municipal corporation that does not have the authority to operate a mayor's court pursuant to Chapter 1905. of the Revised Code, the village clerk or city auditor monthly shall present to the legislative authority credit card account transaction detail from the previous month. The legislative authority shall review the credit card account transaction detail and the presiding officer of the legislative authority shall sign an attestation stating the legislative authority reviewed the credit card account transaction detail.

(D) The compliance officer, if applicable, and the legislative authority at least quarterly shall review the number of cards and accounts issued, the number of active cards and accounts issued, the cards' and accounts' expiration dates, and the cards' and accounts' credit limits.

(E) If the village clerk or city auditor retains general possession and control of the credit card account and presentation instruments related to the account including cards and checks, and the legislative authority authorizes an officer or employee to use a credit card, the village clerk or city auditor may use a system to sign out credit cards to the authorized users. The officer or employee is liable in person and upon any official bond the officer or employee has given to the municipal corporation to reimburse the treasury the amount for which the officer or employee does not provide itemized receipts in accordance with the policy described in division (A) of this section.

(F) The use of a credit card account for expenses beyond those authorized by the legislative authority constitutes misuse of a credit card account. An officer or employee of the municipal corporation or a public servant as defined under section 2921.01 of the Revised Code who knowingly misuses a credit card account held by the municipal corporation violates section 2913.21 of the Revised Code.

(G) The village clerk or city auditor, as applicable, or the designee of that applicable officer annually shall file a report with the legislative authority detailing all rewards received based on the use of the municipal corporation's credit card account.

(H) As used in this section, "credit card account" means any bank-issued credit card account, store-issued credit card account, financial institution-issued credit card account, financial depository-issued credit card account, affinity credit card account, or any other card account allowing the holder to purchase goods or services on credit or to transact with the account, and any debit or gift card account related to the receipt of grant moneys. "Credit card account" does not include a procurement card account, gasoline or telephone credit card account, or any other card account where merchant category codes are in place as a system of control for use of the card account.