Howard Township of Knox County, Ohio

06/04/2026

Upcoming Zoning Appeals Meeting:

A public hearing will be held on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. to discuss a request for a zoning variance regarding a new house height, located at 18 Grand Ridge Court, Howard, Ohio 43028.

Meeting location:
Howard Township Hall and Office
12381 Cotton Street
Howard, Ohio 43028

Inquiries:
Mike Sprang
Howard Township Zoning Inspector
740-398-5481

06/02/2026

Upcoming Zoning Meeting:
A public hearing will be held on Monday, June 15, 2026, at 8:00 p.m. to discuss Justin Wengerd's request to rezone a small portion of his property located at 21798 Coshocton Road, Howard, Ohio 43028.

Meeting location:
Howard Township Hall and Office
12381 Cotton Street
Howard, Ohio 43028

Inquiries:
Mike Sprang
Howard Township Zoning Inspector
740-398-5481

05/05/2026

Update:
The May 7th Howard TWP meeting will be held at 4:45 pm instead of 6:00 pm.

Location:
Howard Township Hall & Office
12381 Cotton Street
Howard, Ohio 43028

04/14/2026

11/04/2025

Get to know your Trustees:

Greg Lawson, Trustee
(Up for re-election on 11/4/25.)

Contact information:
PO Box 266
Howard, Ohio 43028
[email protected]
740-501-5995

About:
Greg is a lifelong resident of Howard Township and has served as a Trustee for eight years.

He currently serves as the Chairman of the Howard Township Zoning Appeals Board and, in the past, served for 10 years in the Ohio National Guard. Additionally, he was an elected member of the East Knox School Board from 2014 to 2018.

Greg has over 40 years of experience in highway maintenance, including 30 years with the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), and holds a Commercial Driver's License (CDL). After retiring from ODOT, he worked as a Township employee for four years, gaining firsthand experience in day-to-day operations. His expertise in excavation and heavy equipment has been invaluable to the Township's operations, saving taxpayer dollars that would have been spent on specific projects.

Greg responded to residents' concerns about the speed limit on side roads in Howard Township by inquiring about speed and traffic studies and ultimately initiating the implementation of speed limit signs.

Over the past few years, he has collaborated with vendors to determine the type of heavy equipment most suitable for serving the Township. Through joint efforts, and to help decrease the amount of money spent on contracted services throughout the years to come, he and other Trustees have been able to add two dump trucks, two tractor mowers, a trackhoe, and a skid-steer loader to the Township fleet.

He is quick to volunteer his services when extra help is needed to snowplow Howard Township roads in the winter months, mows, trims trees, removes trees, bushes, and brush throughout the year, and operates heavy equipment during projects as needed.

Fun facts:
Greg has nine grandchildren, enjoys deer hunting, and has played softball for over 40 years.

11/04/2025

Get to know your Trustees:

Craig Gilmore, Trustee
(Term: 1/1/24 - 12/31/27)

Contact information:
PO Box 266
Howard, Ohio 43028
[email protected]
740-507-8924

About:
Craig Gilmore is a lifelong resident of Howard Township and is currently serving his fourth (four-year) term as a Trustee.

Alongside other Trustees, he contributed to the creation of the Howard Township Road Improvement Plan, which ensures that each Township road is paved every four to five years.

A few years ago, Craig submitted a grant requesting a road sign for each road in Howard Township. The grant was approved, and as a result, Howard Township became easier to navigate with the addition of road signs.

Over the past few years, he has collaborated with vendors to determine the type of heavy equipment most suitable for serving the Township. Through joint efforts, and to help decrease the amount of money spent on contracted services throughout the years to come, he and other Trustees have been able to add two dump trucks, two tractor mowers, a trackhoe, and a skid-steer loader to the Township fleet.

Craig holds a Commercial Driver's License (CDL) and assists in snow plowing Howard Township roads in the winter months. Like his co-Trustees, he assists in mowing, trimming trees, and other tree/bush/brush service needs throughout the year.

He serves on the Eastern Knox County Joint Fire District Board, has served on the Knox County Health Board and the Health Licensing Board, and worked for East Knox Schools as a bus driver and coach.

Fun fact:
Craig has owned and operated a family business in Howard Township since 2003, which his parents founded in 1968. He also enjoys spending time with his family and being in the great outdoors while he fishes, hunts, and paddles the river.

11/04/2025

Get to know your Trustees:

Clarence Griffith, Trustee
(Up for re-election on 11/4/25.)

Contact information:
PO Box 266
Howard, Ohio 43028
[email protected]
740-501-3487

About:
Clarence is a lifelong resident of Howard Township and has served as a Trustee for 16 years.

He submitted grants to upgrade the sidewalks and storm sewers in Howard, addressing several residential concerns.

Alongside other Trustees, he contributed to the creation of the Howard Township Road Improvement Plan, which ensures that each Township road is paved every four to five years.

Over the past few years, he has collaborated with vendors to determine the type of heavy equipment most suitable for serving the Township. Through joint efforts, and to help decrease the amount of money spent on contracted services throughout the years to come, he and other Trustees have been able to add two dump trucks, two tractor mowers, a trackhoe, and a skid-steer loader to the Township fleet.

Clarence holds a Commercial Driver's License (CDL) and has over 45 years of experience in excavating, heavy equipment, and logging, which has been invaluable to the Township's operations and has saved taxpayer dollars that would have been spent on specific projects.

As a Trustee, he helps snow plow Howard Township roads in the winter months, mows in the spring and summer months, trims trees, and assists with other tree/bush/brush needs throughout the year, and runs heavy equipment during projects as needed throughout the year.

Fun fact:
Clarence is a collector of old cars and often participates in car shows in Knox County and other neighboring counties.

11/04/2025

When Trustees can assist with heavy equipment operations, such as Clarence Griffith, Greg Lawson, and Craig Gilmore, it saves the Township money and allows for other needs to be addressed. In his spare time, you can find Greg Lawson putting the finishing touches on projects like the one in the picture.

11/04/2025

If you have ever wondered what the Howard Trustees do to help, here is a great example. Trustees Greg Lawson and Clarence worked together on a project in Apple Valley. When the Trustees assist with maintenance, it saves the Township money, which can then be applied to other areas of need.

11/02/2025

Howard Township Trustee GREG LAWSON attended the Apple Valley Fish and Restocking Club's annual Fish Release this Saturday, November 1st, at Davis Beach. Fenders Fish Hatchery assisted kids with the distribution of the restock and provided a safe and fun activity for all to enjoy.

Fun fact: Greg is an avid fish lover and has three fish ponds at his property in Howard. Visit https://www.howardtwp-oh.gov/home/trustees-information to learn more about Greg and the other Howard Township Trustees.