Public Meeting

A Finance, Wages & Audit Committee meeting has been scheduled for October 22, 2024 at 6:30 pm in the Town Hall to discuss the 2025 Temporary Appropriations.

Halloween Trick or Treating

Halloween Trick or Treating will be held on Saturday, October 26, 2024 from 4 pm to 6 pm with activities following at the New Fire Station at 6:30 pm.

Public Notice

Village Council wants to remind residents of the enforcement of signs in the right-of-way. Therefore, any signage that is posted in the public right-of-way will be removed. Any questions please contact the Village Administration Office 419-832-5305.

Public Notice

Village Council wants to remind all Village Residents the following:
Village Codifed Ordinance Chapter 618
A person who is the owner or has charge of any animal shall not permit it to run at large in the public road, highway, street, lane, or alley, or upon unenclosed land, or permit them to go upon any private yard, lot, or enclosure without the consent of the owner of the yard, lot, or enclosure.

Assistance

Otsego Food Pantry – Serving the Otsego School District
For an appointment call or text Lisa at: (419) 830-1051
or email: otsegofoodpantryoh@gmail.com
More Information

CodeRED Community Notification System

Visit Website To Signup

Village Council Meetings

Regular Council meetings are every 2nd and 4th Monday of each month at 7:00 pm in the Town Hall.

Hydrant Flushing Starting

Flushing helps maintain water quality by removing sediment and stagnant water from our system, ensuring that the hydrants are in proper working condition and ready for use in emergencies.
Occasionally, water becomes discolored after flushing.  If this happens, run cold water through your tap until the water clears.  Check water color before washing clothes.  Any questions, call the office at 419-832-5305.

Mosquito Fogging Notice

Starting May 30, 2024 around 9 pm and continuing on Thursdays, weather permitting.
MSDS

Grand Rapids Bulk Pickup - 2025 TBD

Items shall be placed along the right-of-way of the street the night proceeding the collection day or before 7:00 am on the collection day.  Due to the increased cost to the Village to provide this type of pick-up, Village residents should not allow anyone from outside the Village to bring items to their property, and they should notify Village officials if they see this happening.  If you have questions concerning items that will or will not be picked up, please call 419-832-5305.  Click here for guidelines.

Reminders

By law, everyone MUST contact O.U.P.S., 1-800-362-2764, at least 48 hours but no more than 10 working days (excluding weekends and legal holidays) before beginning any digging or excavation work. This regulation also applies to smaller or personal projects to include but not limited to digging fencepost holes, anchoring supports for decks and swing sets, planting trees, removing tree roots and driving landscaping stakes into the ground.

When in doubt, don’t make a judgment call — call O.U.P.S.!

Click Here for a list of information you will need when you call.

Brush Pickup

There will curbside pickup of limbs & branches
1/2″ to 4″ diameter the first Monday of the Month from May thru October.
(In the event that Monday is a holiday, it will be on Tuesday)

The following Rules will apply:
• Boughs to be placed towards the street
• MUST be out before 8:00 am.
• No brush (vines, bushes, or plants).
• No grass clippings or leaves.

No pickup for tree/bush removal projects.

After a severe storm resulting in downed branches and limbs, Village will provide curbside pickup. The above rules still apply.

Special needs residents can contact the Village for branch and limb pickup only.

Any questions, please contact the Village.

Compost Pile

Please Note:
Due to misuse, the Village Compost Pile will be open for the drop of leaves and grass ONLY.

Village residents are still welcome to pick up compost and wood chips at their convenience.

Prohibited Growth of Grass & Weeds

                The citizens of Grand Rapids, Ohio are hereby advised of Appendix A §60 of the Codified Ordinances of Grand Rapids which states that no owner, lessee, agent, or tenant of land shall permit noxious weeds or grass to grow to a height exceeding 8 inches. Failure to keep such weeds or grass cut in conformity with this section shall constitute a violation hereof.  First offense in the calendar year shall cause a written notice to be served upon the owner, lessee, agent, or tenant having charge of such land by ordinary US mail notifying him that such noxious weeds or grass are growing on such lands and that they must be cut and destroyed within five days after the service of such notice.

If the owner, lessee, agent, or tenant having charge of the lands herein referred to fails to comply with such notice, the Village administrator shall cause such noxious weeds or grass to be cut and destroyed and the expenses shall become a lien upon such lands from and after the date of the entry and to be collected as other taxes and returned to the Village according to law.

There shall be no written notice for the second offense.  The Village shall cause such noxious weeds or grass to be cut and all expenses so incurred shall become a lien upon such lands, and a misdemeanor offense shall be filed in Bowling Green Municipal Court.

24 Hour Drop Off Recycling

Is located at the Administration Office/ Water Treatment Plant
17460 Sycamore Road, Grand Rapids, OH 43522
(Please enter the driveway thru the gates, the recycling bins are on the right.)

Please view the Recycle Wood County Brochure for the list of accepted/not accepted items.

Removal/Planting of Trees, Shrubs or Plants

The Citizens of Grand Rapids, Ohio are hereby advised of Chapters 1022.01 of the Codified Ordinances of Grand Rapids which states no person shall plant any tree or shrub in any public street or other public place in the Village, or remove the same therefrom, without permission therefor from the Mayor.  All shrubs hereafter planted in any public street or other public place in the Village shall conform as to this chapter as to species and location.

Chapter 1022.02 – Prohibited Trees:  No person shall plant, in any public street or other public place in the Village, any of the following trees: poplar, willow, conifer, ailanthus, cottonwood, silver maple, fruit trees and nut trees.  No person shall plant willow, cottonwood, or poplar trees anywhere in the Village unless the Mayor approves the site as being one where the tree roots will not interfere with public sewers.

Whoever violates any of the provisions of this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor of the third degree and shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars ($500.00) or imprisoned not more than 60 days, or both, for each offense.  A separate offense be deemed committed each day during or on which a violation occurs or continues.
(Ord. passed 4-12-1982)

Below is a link to the Ohio Invasive Species

https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-administrative-code/rule-901:5-30-01

With more and more people walking, jogging, or pushing baby carriages, the Sidewalk Committee and Village Council has been very concerned recently of the conditions of the sidewalks in the community. We are in the process of evaluating the financial condition of the sidewalk fund within the Village and where we should go from there. In the meantime, we would like to suggest you look at your sidewalks and check the SIDEWALK REPAIR POLICY to see if your sidewalks fall under the conditions that require replacement or repairs. As a reminder, a permit must be approved and the framing inspected prior to pouring of any new sidewalks.

With winter on our doorstep, please remember there is a  snow removal ordinance in the Village of Grand Rapids!

Removal of snow from sidewalks:
The citizens of Grand Rapids, Ohio are hereby advised of Chapter 1020.01 of the Codified Ordinances of Grand Rapids which states that sidewalks in the Village which are not free of snow and ice within twenty-four hours after the abatement of any storm during which such snow and ice may have been accumulated, are a public nuisance.
All property owners are required to clear snow and ice from sidewalks abutting their premises within twenty-four hours after the abatement of any storm during which such snow and ice have accumulated.
The Ordinance further provides that if the property owner fails to remove snow and ice as required above, the Village Administrator may cause the sidewalks to be cleaned at Village expense.  Thereupon, the expense of cleaning shall be billed to the property owner by certified mail.  Upon failure to reimburse the Village this amount within thirty days thereafter, the Council shall make written return to the County Auditor of the action taken, with the statement for the charges of the services, the amount paid for the performance of such labor, the fees of the officers who made the service with the notice and return the proper description of the premises along with a request that such amount be entered upon the tax duplicate, to become a lien upon such lands from and after the date of the entry, and to be collected as other taxes and returned to the Village according to law.
Whoever violates any of the provisions of this Ordinance is guilty of a minor misdemeanor and shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars ($100.00) for each offense.  A separate offense shall be deemed committed each day during or on which a violation occurs or continues.

Toledo Edison Power Outages: 1-888-544-4877
Suburban Natural Gas: 1-877-485-8223
Spectrum Cable – 1-800-617-4311

Residents in the Village must keep all vehicles licensed and in operable order. A disabled vehicle is any vehicle which, by condition of disrepair or accident, is unable to be moved and maneuvered under its own power, but is subject to repair, or is not currently licensed.

A $5.00 zoning certificate is required for any building erected, enlarged, reconstructed, or moved on any lot in the Village. This requirement will assure that the percent of lot coverage and the setbacks are in accordance with the zoning code. If you have any questions, please inquire at the Village office before starting any construction. The zoning ordinance states that the zoning certificate fee is $100.00 for a post construction application.

Assistance

Kevin Cook Troop 347, Tontogany, Ohio

My name is Kevin Cook and I am a Boy Scout from Troop 347 based out of Tontogany Ohio. I have recently been working toward the rank of Eagle Scout, and working on my project. My project is installing a Flag Retirement Box at the American Legion Lybarger-Grimm, Ohio Post 441. My goal is for this project to provide a place for worn and unusable flags to be held, and then properly retired. I am hoping to spread the word about this project so that our communities will have a place to put their flags when they need to. The American Flag is a symbol of our country and those who have made sacrifices for this country. Therefore I want to show respect for our country, flag, veterans, and current service men and women by making effective use of this project. I invite everyone to drop their flags off at the box located at 18086 Tontogany Rd, Bowling Green, OH 43402, after February 6th. If you have any questions please contact me at (419) 378-1104.

The First Presbyterian Church sent a team of members to Mississippi where they did door to door canvassing asking residents what kind of repairs were needed. Many lives were touched by these folks and the project was warmly welcomed.
They have brought this idea back with them and are trying to adapt this program to Grand Rapids.

They are in need of opportunities to try and help folks who may be in need of help to get a project completed within or without the home.

If you or someone you know is in need of help, contact the First Presbyterian Church at (419) 832-2325.

Serving the Otsego School District
For information or an appointment to pick up food call Lisa at (419) 830-1051.