News from BG: August 26, 2020
MAYOR ASPACHER STATEMENT: BGSU STUDENTS RETURNING
As we near the time when BGSU students will return to our community, it is important that our entire community consider how we can work cooperatively to optimize the health and safety of all those living, working, studying, and visiting Bowling Green. To that end, citizens have reached out to me to ask about community plans for the increasing population associated with the BGSU return to campus.   Communicating about the start of fall semester is a regular activity for the City and the University and, in any other year, we would be having conversations about traffic flow during move-in, off-campus student conduct, how to educate.....MORE

The Bowling Green Parks & Recreation Department is hosting a BioBlitz event as part of the national Parks for Pollinators campaign, which is aimed at raising public awareness of the importance of pollinators and positioning parks as national leaders in advancing pollinator health.

The Parks for Pollinators BioBlitz will run from Saturday, September 12 through Sunday, September 27. Two socially distanced kickoff programs will be held at Wintergarden/St. John’s Nature Preserve on Saturday, September 12 for adults and families interested in learning how to use the iNaturalist App. Programs will be held at 10 AM and 1 PM with 10 participants each. Pre-registration is required, as well as masks and adherence to social distancing guidelines. For more information and to register go to the Parks and Recreation Department page or call the Bowling Green Community Center at 419-354-6223. Attendance at a kick off program is not required to participate. For more information on participating at your leisure, please contact Kaleigh Obrock at kobrock@bgohio.org.
Housing Repair/Ownership
Assistance Program Updates

The City of Bowling Green’s most recent Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice evidences the fact that many lower-income households face housing affordability issues. Housing cost burden not only makes homeownership difficult to achieve, it often serves as a barrier in addressing needed home repairs. The City of Bowling Green offers said households relief through one of their seven housing programs.

The Direct Homeownership Assistance, Rental Rehabilitation, Mobile Home Repair, and Elderly Home Repair programs are funded through Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Entitlement dollars. The Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation, the Down Payment Assistance, and the Down Payment Assistance with Rehabilitation programs are funded through the City’s Housing Revolving Loan Fund (RLF).

These programs assist low and moderate-income households within the city limits of Bowling Green. The current annual gross income limit for a household of one is $40,250 and a household of three is $51,750 (Limits increase based off the number of individuals in the household).

Typical housing repair grants include roof replacements, siding, windows, furnaces, water heaters, air conditioners, accessibility upgrades, weatherization, and electrical/plumbing repairs.
2020 Census:
Nonresponse Follow-up

It's not too late to respond to the 2020 Census. Households can respond by completing and mailing back the paper questionnaire they received, by responding ONLINE, or by phone at 844-330-2020. Those who respond will not need to be visited to obtain their census response.  

Census Takers in Your Neighborhoods
Nonresponse Follow-up began in Wood County on August 9 and will continue through September 30, 2020. Census Takers go door to door to obtain census data from households who have not responded.

What Households Can Expect
The Census Bureau will provide face masks to census takers and requires that census takers wear a mask while conducting their work. They will follow CDC and local public health guidelines when they visit. Census takers must complete a virtual COVID-19 training on social distancing protocols and other health and safety guidance before beginning their work in neighborhoods. 

It is important to note that Census Takers are hired from your local communities. All census takers speak English, and many are bilingual. If a census taker does not speak the household’s language, the household may request a return visit from a census taker who does. Census takers will also have materials on hand to help identify the household’s language. 

How to Identify Census Takers 
Census takers can be easily identified by a valid government ID badge with their photograph, a U.S. Department of Commerce watermark, and an expiration date on the badge. To confirm a census taker’s identity, the public may contact the Philadelphia regional census center at 267-780-2600 to speak with a Census Bureau representative.  
Parks & Rec. Hosts Socially Distant Movie Night!

On Friday Aug 28th, City Park will hold a showing of the classic movie “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” on the Needle Hall stage at City Park.  There will be seating marked off to ensure social distancing and a limited amount of people will also be able to view the movie from their cars if they wish to. Masks will also be mandated. The movie will begin at approximately 9:15pm.
 
This event is made possible through the funding of several organizations.
 
Twenty-one Ohio Parks and Recreation Association member agencies received grants ranging from $500 to $1,000 for programs designed to assist communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. These grants, made available by the OPRA Foundation, help to cover costs for new programs which have been developed in response to the pandemic. Grant recipients include agencies of all sizes and types from all regions of the state.
Bowling Green Parks and Recreation received a $500 grant from the OPRA Foundation that was used towards the purchase of some of the equipment needed to host an event like this. Additional funding for the equipment and the licensing rights to the film was provided by the BG Parks and Recreation Foundation.
 
“We are very grateful for the support provided by both our state and local parks and recreation foundations that makes a community night like this possible. We are excited to be bringing people together in a safe manner for enjoyment of a classic movie that can be enjoyed by all ages,” states Ivan Kovacevic, Recreation Coordinator for Bowling Green Parks and Recreation.
Refuse & Recycling Container Address Labels
The Public Works Department has resumed the work of placing address labels on all refuse and recycling containers that are picked up by the City. Crews have completed the majority of Wards 1 & 2 and have begun Wards 3 & 4. City employees will be applying labels on containers placed at the curb on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday’s collection route.

Residents, whose scheduled collection day is on Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday, are asked to help in this effort by placing containers – full or empty – at the curb on their regular collection day. Containers should not be pulled back to the house until 4:00 PM that day. This will help crews move through streets efficiently, missing as few addresses as possible. This work will be ongoing over the next several months and...MORE
HELPFUL RESOURCES
REDUCE THE SPREAD
  • Stay home if you (or someone in your household) are sick.
  • Wear a cloth face covering in public where recommended and/or required.
  • Maintain at least 6 feet social distance from others, even when wearing a face covering.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
  • Use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
  • Avoid touching your mouth, nose or eyes.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces. 
Ohio Public Health Advisory System
The Public Health Advisory Alert System is a color-coded system designed to supplement existing statewide orders through a data-driven framework to assess the degree of the virus’ spread and to engage and empower individuals, businesses, communities, local governments, and others in their response and actions.

The system consists of four levels that provide Ohioans with guidance as to the severity of the problem in the counties in which they live. The levels are determined by seven data indicators that identify the risk level for each county and a corresponding color code to represent that risk level.
Use. Trusted. Sources.
Don’t believe every rumor you see online. Remember to use trusted sources.
Follow the links below for reliable and up to date information:


Remember, a call center to answer questions regarding COVID-19 is now open.
The call center will be open 7 days a week from 9 a.m.-8 p.m.

1-833-4-ASK-ODH