• AG Yost announced today that local governments have until Friday, Aug. 20 to sign on to the settlement agreement with three opioid distributors that would result in $808 million coming to Ohio and communities to address addiction issues. The league encourages members who have not yet passed the resolution expressing the communities support for the settlement agreement to please do so as soon as possible. Please see our previous member alert HERE providing details for local government to participate

• The Ohio Office of Budget and Management (OBM) announced they will be holding six regional meetings beginning August 25^th in Chillicothe to review guidelines and proper usages for ARPA distributions. Additionally, information will be provided on how municipalities can access new grant opportunities provided through the recently passed state operating budget. Read more below for the full details.

• The League would like to remind our members that we will be hosting a free webinar Wednesday, August 18 at 11 a.m. featuring speakers from the Ohio Office of Budget and Management (OBM) entitled “American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) – Funding for Non-Entitlement Units of Local Government.” The presentation will review the application process, discuss allowable uses, and walk through some of the rules and reporting that applies to this funding. Register HERE.

• Roughly 500 cities and villages with populations below 50,000 (NEUs) from around the state have applied and are receiving their ARPA funds from the state of Ohio with nearly 100 still going through the application process. OBM reports that approximately 400 townships have also completed the application process.

• Non-Entitlement Units (NEUs) of Local Government have until September 4^th to apply through OBM for the ARPA funding.

• Yesterday, the U.S. Census Bureau released the long-awaited 2020 Census Statistics Highlight Local Population Changes and Nation’s Racial and Ethnic Diversity report detailing race, voting age, housing and other information from the state level in addition to in-depth population trends across the country. The data can be found HERE. Information and statistics specific to Ohio can be found HERE and HERE. The data release yesterday is the first of two releases that will be provided by the U.S. Census. The second and easier to navigate data set is expected to be released at the end of September. 

• A few U.S. Census Take-Aways:
• The population in the United States is growing at a slower rate and becoming older. The Midwest specifically saw an increase of 5.3% in the adult population, as the under-18 population dropped by 4.1%. 9.2 million Ohio residents or 78% of the population are adult while the under-18 population is at roughly 2.6 million. 
• Ohio’s population increased to 11,799,448 residents, an increase of 2.3%.
• Columbus is one of 14 cities nationwide to gain more than 100,000 residents in the last ten years. Cincinnati’s population grew by 4.2% with 309,317 residents while Cleveland, Toledo, Dayton and Akron all saw population decreases.
• U.S. metro areas grew by 9% over the last decade, with 86% of the population living in U.S. metro areas compared to 85% 2010.
•  While most of Ohio’s counties experienced a decrease in residents over the previous ten years, Delaware (up 22.9%) and Union (up 20%) counties grew the fastest in the state with Harrison County in eastern Ohio experiencing the most significant decrease (down 8.7%). Counties that grew the most tend to border our major metropolitan areas. 

• Now that the census information has been released, the Ohio Redistricting Commission comprised of members of the Ohio legislature and state officials can begin the process of redrawing Ohio’s legislative and congressional district lines. The commission has until September 1^st to craft the legislative maps, although the Ohio Constitution allows for a September 15^th final deadline if an impasse is reached. The Ohio General Assembly has until September 30^th to approve the new Congressional maps by a three-fifths majority in both chambers and with the support of at least half the minority caucus. If the vote requirements are not achieved for the Congressional boundaries, the commission would have until October 31^st to develop an agreeable plan. If that fails, the legislature would have until November 30^th to draw boundaries under stricter line-drawing rules.