A board of township trustees may acquire suitable lands and materials, including landscape planting and other site improvement materials and playground, athletic, and recreational equipment and apparatus, to establish a township park pursuant to section 505.26 of the Revised Code and for those purposes may issue, subject to Chapter 133. of the Revised Code, securities and other public obligations as defined in division (GG) of section 133.01 of the Revised Code.

If lands are purchased, the board may pay for them over a period of thirty years from the date of purchase, and may issue securities of the township covering the deferred payments pursuant to division (B)(4)(c) of section 133.20 of the Revised Code. If materials, including landscape planting or other site improvement materials and playground, athletic, and recreational equipment and apparatus, are purchased, the board may issue securities of the township for that purpose having a maximum maturity as specified in division (B)(7)(e) or (f) of section 133.20 of the Revised Code covering the deferred payments. The securities may bear interest not to exceed the rate determined as provided in section 9.95 of the Revised Code. The securities shall not be included in the computation of the net indebtedness of the township under section 133.09 of the Revised Code.

The resolution authorizing the issuance of the securities shall provide for amounts sufficient to pay the interest on and principal of the securities. For this purpose, the board may expend funds from the township general fund, or the board may levy a tax, not to exceed one-half of one mill, on the taxable property of the township for a period not to exceed four years. The tax shall be collected as other taxes and appropriated to pay the interest on and principal of the securities. The securities shall contain an option for prepayment. The securities shall be offered for sale on the open market or may be given to the vendor or contractor if no sale is made on the open market.

The board shall have surveys and plats made of the lands acquired for a township park and shall establish permanent monuments on the boundaries of the lands. The plats, when executed according to sections 711.01 to 711.38 of the Revised Code, shall be recorded in the office of the county recorder, and such records shall be admissible in evidence for the purpose of locating and ascertaining the true boundaries of the park. In furtherance of the use and enjoyment of the park lands controlled by it, the board may accept donations of money or other property, or may act as trustees of land, money, or other property, and use and administer them as stipulated by the donor, or as provided in the trust agreement. The terms of each donation or trust shall first be approved by the court of common pleas before acceptance by the board.

The board may receive and expend grants for park purposes from agencies and instrumentalities of the United States or of this state, and may enter into contracts or agreements with the agencies and instrumentalities, or with other townships, township park boards, municipal corporations, municipal park boards, counties, park districts, or other similar park authorities, to carry out the purposes for which the grants were furnished.

The board shall devise plans for the maintenance and improvement of the park and award all contracts for maintenance and improvement in the manner provided by the law governing township trustees in awarding contracts for public improvements. The board may appoint all necessary employees, fix their compensation, and prescribe their duties. The board may prohibit selling, giving away, or using any intoxicating liquors in the township park, and may pass bylaws and adopt rules for the government of the park and provide for their enforcement by fines and penalties.

The board may expend funds from the township general fund, or revenue derived from property taxes levied for parks and recreational purposes, for the public purpose of presenting community events that are open to the public in a township park.

Amended by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 413, §1, eff. 9/28/2016.

Effective Date: 09-14-2000 .