• Are township trustees authorized to construct township ditches?

  • No. Previous ORC Sections 6139 and 6141 authorizing township trustees to construct township ditches were repealed effective April 9, 1981. The county commissioners are responsible for constructing township ditches. Townships have the authority and responsibility to construct, maintain and clean roadside ditches on township roads pursuant to their authority and responsibility to properly maintain dedicated township roads. Roadside drainage ditches are distinguished from township drainage ditches established under ORC Section 6131.

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• May township equipment be used to repair, clean or maintain private ditches or private watercourses?

  • No.

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• Do the township trustees have the authority to clean out and repair privately constructed underground tiled ditches?

  • No.

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• Who has the responsibility of cleaning and repairing township ditches (those ditches established by petition under ORC Section 6131)?

  • The county commissioners have the sole authority and responsibility as to both township and county ditches, except that townships are responsible for cleaning and maintaining township roadside ditches.

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• May the township enter upon private property and expend township funds to correct a drainage problem that is damaging a dedicated township road?

  • Yes. ORC Section 5589.96 authorizes a township to enter upon private property to correct a drainage problem damaging a dedicated township road, if, after five days advance notice to a property owner, the property owner fails to correct the problem. The township is authorized to pay the expense thereof from funds collected and available in the township road fund, and then to collect by civil action reimbursement of the funds to be returned and deposited in the township road fund.

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• Where can more information be found about the above questions and other Drainage issues?

  • Click here for this article By Mark Finamore, Township Legal Counsel

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• How often is the township required to mow along township roads?

  • Once in June, August and if necessary in September. (ORC Section 5579.08)​

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• What do townships do in Ohio?

  • ​Ohio townships most commonly provide residents with services such as road maintenance, cemetery management, police and fire protection, emergency medical services, solid waste disposal, and zoning. Ohio townships have direct responsibility for maintaining 41,000 miles of roads and streets, and townships manage more than 2,400 cemeteries. Click here for more information