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LWVCC POSITIONS
Children's Services
The League of Women Voters of Clermont County (LWVCC) supports a
Children's Services system to protect and care for the neglected,
abused or dependent child, as mandated by state law, and to provide
care and treatment for the juvenile substance abuser and emotionally
disturbed child. The League supports measures to promote security and
stability for the child realizing that the health and safety of the
child is the primary concern. The LWVCC supports measures to provide
adequate funding for children through a creative mix of county, state
and federal monies.
Position adopted Oct., 1984, Amended May, 1999.
Libraries
The LWVCC supports the present library system. The main priorities
should include adequate, up-to-date reference material, qualified
personnel and quantity of reading material to include periodicals,
maps and other essential vertical file data. The library should also
provide information and recreational audio-visual material, and
programs offered for all ages thus enabling the library to be a
cultural center. The Clermont County Library System should strive to
meet the standards of the Ohio Library Association. The LWVCC
supports branch facilities for each community. Funding for the
Clermont County Library should include 1) local operating levies; 2)
local taxes; 3) state budget appropriations; 4) other sources of
income, such as grants, bequests, etc. Original position adopted
Sept. 1983
The LWVCC supports the library as an open system in which the choice
of reading material meets the needs of diverse people in a large
growing county. Freedom of access to ideas and materials is the
cornerstone of the public library system and the First Amendment of
the United States Constitution. We recognize that it is not the
responsibility of the library or its staff to monitor its clients
values.
The Clermont County Library Board should uphold this open access as a
major responsibility of the system. The Clermont County Library Board
should continue to uphold and implement the Library Bill of Rights as
endorsed by the Board of Directors of the American Library Trustee
Association, as well as comply with the Library Board of Trustee oath
of office. Persons appointed to the Clermont County Library Board
should meet the standards stated in the handbook for Library Trustees
published by the Ohio Library Trustees.
Amended June 1995
Distribution of Local Government Fund and Revenue Assistance Fund
The LWVCC supports having the distribution formulas of the Local
Government Fund and Revenue Assistance Fund developed by Clermont
County officials. Although the Local Government Fund does not require
review at this time, the League recommends that both funds be
reviewed. The League does not support using the Ohio Revised Code (ORC)
formulas for allocation of funds.
As the formulas are developed, the following factors should be
considered (listed in alphabetical order): needs, other revenue
sources, population, services provided, and valuation. To minimize
adverse affects on any community, the League recommends that current
percentage of budget provided to each entity by these funds be
considered when developing any new formula.
The League encourages long term planning and cooperation among
government agencies to meet the needs of all entities or parties
involved. Any allocation of these funds for county-wide or regional
projects should be decided by consensus among townships, villages, the
city of Milford, and the County. Any allocation of funds for
county-wide projects should be subject to periodic review and
revision.
Changes made in either fund should be phased in so that the changes
are both timely and least disruptive to local or county operations.
The League supports scheduled, periodic review of these formulas to
ensure that they continue to meet the needs of the various entities.
Position adopted January, 1997
Clermont Senior Services
The League of Women Voters of Clermont County supports offering a
broad range of quality home and community services that enable older
adults to remain active and independent as long as possible. Funding
for these services should come from a variety of sources including
levies, organizations such as United Way and the Council on Aging,
foundations, and participant donations.
Concurrence on Position reached at March 24 General Meeting; Position
adopted May, 1998
Distribution of Information by County Governmental Entities
The League of Women Voters of Clermont County believes that all
governmental entities in Clermont County, Ohio have a higher
responsibility to their constituents than the minimum legal
requirements for disseminating information. The reasons are (1) the
fragmented nature of the County and the vast number of governmental
jurisdictions affecting citizens of the County, and (2) the lack of
daily media coverage of the County's various governmental activities.
We believe that at a minimum, each of these entities should strive (a)
to make available to the public an easily accessible calendar of all
meetings and the agenda for such meetings and (b) to make the minutes
of all meetings equally accessible. This information should be
provided to the public as soon as possible, striving to give notice of
meetings and contents of the agenda at the earliest possible time. In
providing this information to as many citizens as possible,
governmental entities need to take advantage of as many available
types of media as possible.
Position adopted May 22, 2001.
Note: The board agreed to recommend continued study on "Growth
in Clermont County" with possibility of reaching consensus on the
issue. This was included as a "broad recommended" study in 1998 and
was voted on at the 1999 annual meeting.
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competent
personnel with clear responsibilities,