News from BG: April 13, 2022
Adult Egg Scramble

The Bowling Green Parks and Recreation Department is pleased to announce the return of the Adult Egg Scramble. This event has all the fun of a traditional egg hunt but is tailored for adults.
Previously held at Simpson Garden Park, this event will now occur at the Bowling Green Community Center on Saturday, April 23, 2022, at 8:30 pm. Adults 18 and over are invited to bring a basket or bag, a flashlight and join us in our after-dark egg hunt! 
Eggs will be filled with prizes like cash, candy, raffle tickets, and sponsored prizes from local businesses.
 
$16 Residents/$20 Non-Residents
Open to individuals ages 18 & older
 
Registration is now open, and spaces are limited this year, so to ensure your spot in this fun event, please register early at https://bit.ly/BGwebtrac or the Bowling Green Community Center at 1245 W. Newton Road. For questions or more information, please call (419) 354 - 6223. 
 
If you own or manage a business and are interested in donating prizes for the event, please contact Ivan at ivan@bgohio.org.
 
SPONSORS:
-$200 in cash prizes hidden in Golden Eggs donated by the Bowling Green Parks & Recreation Foundation.
-Gift certificates for Community Center passes and MindBody Group Fitness Classes, candy, and various items donated by Bowling Green Parks & Recreation Department
 
SILVER EGG SPONSORS ($200+ in donations)
-Group tickets to BGSU Women’s Basketball, BGSU Men’s Basketball, BGSU Hockey, and BGSU Football donated by Falcon Sports Properties
-Gift Cards donated by Kabob It
-Gift certificates for products and services donated by A Cut Above Salon
-Gift certificates and passes donated by the Wood County Museum
-Gift cards donated by Pisanello’s Pizza
-Gift Cards donated by BIGGBY COFFEE
  
BRONZE EGG SPONSORS ($50-$199 in donations)
-1 Year Family Membership donated by the Toledo Zoo and Aquarium
-Tools donated by Home Depot
-Discount cards donated by Rapid Fire Pizza in Bowling Green
-Coupons for free appetizers from Bar Louie in Perrysburg
-Gift Cards donated by Walmart
-Fricker’s Bucks donated by Fricker’s in Bowling Green
 -Plus additional prizes from other businesses and more still to come!
April Brush Collection
The window to register for an April Brush Collection has closed.

For those who registered, the collection is scheduled to begin on April 18. Those who did not call in or go online to register by April 11 will NOT be included on the collection route! This will be the first brush collection for the year. The next collection will be in May 2022. May registration will open on May 1st.
Natural Gas Supplier Volunteer Energy Services Inc. Files Bankruptcy

Natural gas supplier, Volunteer Energy Services Inc. (VESI), was the natural gas aggregation supplier for Columbia Gas customers. Those customers serviced by Columbia Gas and enrolled in the City’s natural gas aggregation program were recently made aware that VESI filed Chapter 11 Bankruptcy on March 25, 2022. The City of Bowling Green was not aware of the VESI financial issues and did not have input into cancelling the pricing for the natural gas aggregation program.  

Although VESI will no longer be providing natural gas to aggregation participants, residents will not experience an interruption in natural gas service. Participants will be transferred to the Columbia Gas Standard Choice Offer, which has a variable rate based on the natural gas market, adjusted monthly.  

Bowling Green will be working to find a replacement natural gas aggregation supplier. The goal is to have something in place before the next heating season.  

Columbia Gas customers, affected by this change, can remain on the Columbia Gas Standard Choice Offer until a new price is secured with the City’s aggregation program or they can search for an alternative natural gas supplier available thru the Energy Choice Ohio website.
Bicycle Safety Commission
April Slow Roll
Pedal for the Planet

The City of Bowling Green Bicycle Safety Commission will kick off this year’s themed bike rides with a slow roll, titled Pedal for the Planet, on Sunday, April 24th, at 2:00 PM. Participants should meet at the Simpson Garden Park Parking Lot, located at 1291 Conneaut Ave. This leisurely ride will focus on sustainability, making stops at BGSU’s Rooftop Garden, the City’s Food Waste Drop Off, and one of the City’s Rain Gardens. The ride will begin and end at Simpson Garden Park, concluding with a tour of the Native Plant Garden located at the park.

Rides are free, family-friendly, and open to everyone. Each rider is required to wear a properly-fitted helmet and ride a correctly-sized bicycle in safe, working mechanical order. It is highly recommended that young riders, who are still learning to ride, participate via a tow behind trailer or child bike seat. These rides are meant to be more recreational in nature and will travel at a speed comfortable for all riders. 

While designed for fun and exploration, monthly rides will also stress the importance of safe riding practices and responsibilities of riders while navigating city streets. Multiple trained leaders will facilitate the ride to ensure that all riders complete the route, including providing assistance for mechanical or personal issues that may arise. 

Questions about this ride should be directed to Amanda Gamby at 419-354-6222.
Recognition for
Reliable Electric Service to the Community

Bowling Green Municipal Utilities has received national recognition for achieving exceptional electric reliability in 2021. The recognition comes from the American Public Power Association (APPA), a trade group that represents more than 2,000 not-for-profit, community-owned electric utilities.

APPA helps electric utilities track power outage and restoration data through its subscription-based eReliability Tracker service. Once per year, APPA’s Reliability Team compares this data to national statistics tracked by the U.S. Energy Information Administration for all types of electric utilities.
 
“Once again, public power utilities have demonstrated their commitment to providing highly reliable power to their customers,” said Alex Hofmann, APPA’s Vice President of Technical and Operations Services. “We commend these utilities for their hard work when it comes to keeping the lights on in their communities.”

Nationwide, the average public power customer has their lights out for less than half the amount of time that customers of other types of utilities do.
“We are honored to receive this recognition. It is a testament to the hard work of all our staff to ensure that we keep our customers powered,” said Brian O’Connell, Utilities Director, City of Bowling Green.
Income Tax Reminders
Need help completing your forms? Call 419-354-6212.
The City of Bowling Green tax filing due date is April 18, 2022 for 2021 tax returns. Payments of your 2021 tax return and first quarter 2022 estimated tax payment are also due April 18, 2022.

The Bowling Green Income Tax Division requires a copy of your Federal tax return (Form 1040) and all W-2s. If you are claiming Bowling Green withholding or a credit for taxes paid to another municipality, your W-2 needs to report this withholding.

Income tax filings may be turned in using the drop box located outside the building or mailed in. Staff will frequently check the drop box throughout the business day (Monday through Friday, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm).

Those who are planning to file income tax returns in person are strongly encouraged to do so well in advance of the April 18th deadline in order to avoid long lines.
The City of Bowling Green is currently accepting applications for several open positions. Interested applicants may review current Job Postings and the Application Process on the City's website.

Contact the Human Resources Department if additional assistance is required.
Friday Birding Series at Wintergarden/St. Johns Nature Preserve 

Bowling Green Parks and Recreation is excited to offer Friday Morning Birding at Wintergarden/ St. John’s Nature Preserve with Chris Gajewicz. This series will run from Friday April 8th until May 27th, 2022. Adults 18 and older and birders of all ability levels are welcome to meet at Wintergarden/ St. John’s Nature Preserve on Fridays at 7:30 AM. Binoculars and field guides are available for those who do not have their own. Hikes will last a minimum of one hour, but could last longer based on sightings and bird activity.
As cases have continued to drop across the U.S., the CDC has provided new guidelines to help communities decide what prevention steps to take based on local COVID cases and hospitalizations.

Precautions are recommended based on the level of risk in the community – low, medium or high. Across all levels, people are encouraged to stay up to date on COVID vaccines and get tested if they have symptoms.

  • For communities classified as low, no other precautions are advised.
  • For communities classified as medium, people who are at high risk for severe illness, like older adults and individuals with certain health conditions, are encouraged to talk to their healthcare provider about whether they should wear a mask and take other precautions.
  • For communities classified as high, it is recommended that everyone wear masks indoors in public.

For more information on the levels visit the Wood County Health Department's Webpage.