Concerned Citizens of Obetz

Concerned Citizens of Obetz This page is dedicated to issues within the City of Obetz, Ohio. Disclaimer; This page has NO affiliation with the City of Obetz.

09/02/2025

Join us for Cops & Coffee ☕👮 at the Obetz Community Center next Tuesday, September 9 at 10 AM! Come say hi, ask questions, and get to know the officers who serve our community.

Edited post — of course there will be donuts. You can’t have Cops & Coffee without donuts! 🍩😂

Why is the Hamilton Township Board of Trustee's having a special meeting on a Friday at noon? Do they not want people to...
08/14/2025

Why is the Hamilton Township Board of Trustee's having a special meeting on a Friday at noon?

Do they not want people to actually show up? Because having a meeting on a weekday in the middle of the day sure feels like they do not want anyone showing up.

- Ricky (So people cannot accuse someone of trying to hide behind a page.)

04/21/2025

I hope everyone had a truly great Easter. I hope you enjoyed the time with your family and friends.

I spent my Saturday reviewing the 2024 Hamilton Township Sheiff units and the Obetz Police Department run logs.

I have counted the actual run counts for when the Hamilton Township Sheriff Units we dispatched into the City of Obetz.

These numbers are actual dispatched or requested runs and does NOT count the traffic stops, or other calls that the Sheriff Units were just conducting their normal duties. I did not count these calls because they were NOT dispatched calls where Obetz requested assistance, or they were not dispatched with Obetz.

It should also be noted that these numbers are not the number of times OPD requested their help, they were automatically dispatched on the run because of the call priority. Just as OPD gets dispatched to Hamilton Township because of the priority of the call. Such as "Officer in trouble call," "Person with a knife/gun," etc. Priority 1 calls will always get a heavy police dispatch.

Again, I did count these runs in this count, but that does not mean OPD requested them.

This count does include NUMEROUS alarm drop calls, MVA, and obstructing vehicles, and several other runs that the Sheriff units could have been removed from the run before even arriving because OPD was able to cancel them once they arrived and was able to clear any unneeded units because they were able to handle the call without any additional assistance. Some of these counts I have, while included, the Township units were cleared within minutes and that was easy to see because of their next run dispatch log.

So, here are the actual number of runs Hamilton Units were dispatched or requested into Obetz. Again, these are just Township units.

Jan 2024 = 12
Feb 2024 = 18
Mar 2024 = 30
Apr 2024 = 20
May 2024 = 22
June 2024 = 15
July 2024 = 34
Aug 2024 = 33
Sep 2024 = 26
Oct 2024 = 20
Nov 2024 = 20
Dec 2024 = 24

All 2024 = 274
Average 22.8 x per month (23)

I stopped counting after December 31, 2024. Because it would have been useless to continue trying to get to the over 600 times in 14 months number that has been put out there. Again, these numbers does NOT account for any FCSO units except the Hamilton Township Units. There are countless runs where other FCSO units are dispatched that did NOT take the Township units at all.

I also have not done an exact count of the number of times OPD was requested or dispatched to the Township, but I can almost guarantee you it is more than the number of times the Township was requested or dispatched into Obetz.

* It should also be noted, for those that want to believe any FCSO units are going to be so far away, is absolutely absurd. The number of runs that the FCSO units are dispatched to in Hamilton Township and Obetz are insane. The number of runs NON Township units respond to calls in the Township are extraordinary. This run log sheet is over 500 pages longs and took hours and hours to sort through. The number of traffic stops conducted in the Township by NON Township units are also high.

- Ricky

I was reviewing the upcoming school board agenda and noticed a recommendation to accept the donation of the old schoolho...
04/14/2025

I was reviewing the upcoming school board agenda and noticed a recommendation to accept the donation of the old schoolhouse located at Rathmell and High Street. I think many of us would appreciate a bit more transparency before any decisions are finalized. Specifically:

1. Who is covering the cost of relocating the building?
2. Who is responsible for the restoration expenses?
3. Who will handle ongoing upkeep and maintenance?

It would be great to know whether public funds are involved, or if this is being supported entirely by private donors or grants.

Looking forward to more details—thanks for considering these questions.

This public meeting is being held tomorrow, April 14th at 6:00pm.

- Ricky.

04/12/2025

Hummm... China threatens to dump US Treasurys. You know, the 1.32 trillion dollars worth of mortgage-backed securities they own.

Do you know what that would do to the housing market in the United States if they did that? The Ohio housing market. The Hamilton Township housing market. The Obetz housing market.

Well, two things are for sure. It would crash the housing market, and Hamilton Township residents would be paying a lot more for this sheriff/police levy should it pass than we currently are.

Better hope they figure out a deal with China soon before they carry through with their threat. Or, be prepared to pay more for a levy that some will have you believe you will not have to pay more for during the next 5 years. I can guarantee if the housing market crashes, and property values tank in an already over inflated housing market, you will for 100% sure be paying more for this levy. You can take that to the bank. Well, I guess you will be pulling it out of the bank to give to Hamilton Township.

A Township that at the end of 2022 was sitting on an over $12 million dollar budget surplus. Probably because Obetz and Columbus combined pays for over 70% of their annual operating budget. Weird how Hamilton Township has such a large surplus but needs a police levy funded by taxpayers.

Written by; Ricky (So you all can't play your pathetic "hiding behind a group" battle cry.)

04/09/2025

Good morning everyone,

I wanted to take a moment to clarify the purpose of this group. While I didn’t create this group or the attached page, I was asked to be an admin, which I gladly accepted. The goal of this group is to help spread information to the citizens of Obetz about the police levy and what it truly entails.

After doing some research, I’ve come to the conclusion that this levy doesn’t benefit Obetz residents as it should. Obetz residents pay the same percentage to the township as other areas, but the only service we receive in return is fire/EMS. In contrast, residents in other areas receive fire/EMS, sheriff-policing, snow removal, road maintenance, and more.

I want to emphasize that I’m in no way against the FCSO — they do great work, and I’m sure they work well with the OPD. However, there may come a time when Obetz needs to consider a levy to fund our own police services. It’s hard to imagine the rest of the township will help with that.

Given that we’re in a time where everyone is closely watching their finances, I can’t support this levy. For me, this is a hard NO.

Crystal Tucker

04/08/2025

The central question is: why does Hamilton Township refuse to exclude the City of Obetz from Issue 18? What is the rationale for expecting City of Obetz residents to contribute to their sheriff/police funding?

This matter is solely about ensuring fair and equitable treatment for all taxpayers. Hamilton Township residents, for example, do not contribute to the Obetz Police Department budget.

Hamilton Township, Franklin County, Ohio

04/08/2025

🗣️ You're Invited! State Representative Meredith Lawson-Rowe is hosting a People First Town Hall focused on Property Tax right here in Obetz!

📍 City of Obetz Council Chambers
📅 Thursday, April 10th
🕕 6:00 PM

This is your chance to ask questions, learn more, and share your thoughts. Let’s come together as a community and be part of the conversation.

04/07/2025

ISSUE 18 HAMILTON TWP POLICE/SHERIFF LEVY

Please note: This levy does not provide any additional patrol by the Sheriff for the City of Obetz.
• The City of Obetz operates and fully funds its own professional, fully staffed Police Department—without asking other communities to pay for it.
• We do not rely on the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office for day-to-day operations.
• As a result, the City of Obetz will not receive any additional patrol coverage or extra dedicated Sheriff patrols from this levy.
• Residents of Obetz are being asked to continue paying for extra patrols across the Township—even though those patrols do not include Obetz.
• The City of Obetz has already been taxed under this levy for years.
• This levy has consistently been presented as a “police levy,” which can be misleading.
• Many residents have understandably believed they were voting to support the Obetz Police Department, when in fact they were voting to fund additional dedicated patrol cars for the Township by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office—patrols that DO NOT INCLUDE OBETZ.
• The Township is already covered by the Sheriff’s Office. This levy is asking Obetz residents to help pay for extra dedicated patrol cars for the Township—excluding Obetz—on top of the coverage those areas already receive.
• While the Franklin County Sheriff has jurisdiction throughout all of Franklin County—including Obetz, that authority already exists and is part of what Obetz residents pay for through their regular Franklin County taxes. **This levy seeks additional funding beyond that obligation**funding that still does NOT include extra or additional patrol for Obetz.
If you decide against this levy:
• You keep your tax dollars.
• You won’t continue paying for additional services you do not receive.
• The Obetz Police Department remains your dedicated police coverage—with no change or disruption in service or safety.
Many would agree: If a community feels it needs extra police coverage, it’s fair for that community to vote for it and fund it themselves, especially when we’re all being careful with our finances. It's your money and your choice.

04/07/2025

It is imperative that Hamilton Township promptly publicize a detailed accounting of its policing expenditures. Transparency regarding the annual cost of the policing contract is essential for public accountability. Given that this information constitutes public record, and in light of ballot Issue 18, taxpayers deserve complete transparency regarding the allocation of these funds and the specific services procured.

Hamilton Township, Franklin County, Ohio

Address

Obetz, OH
43207

Website

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