League of Women Voters® of Bowling Green
Local Program Selection
2008-2009

One of the purposes of the Annual Meeting is to adopt program for the ensuing year. Program consists of items that have received study and on which this League has a stated position, which can be used as a basis for action in the community; these are called position statements. The League may also adopt study items; these are items of current community interest which the League would like to study, usually with the idea of formulating a position statement (or modifying a current position) based on their findings.

The Board of the League of Women Voters of Bowling Green recommended the re-adoption of the local positions on Needs of the Elderly, Mental Health, and Land Use, and an update of the Education position.

NEEDS OF THE ELDERLY IN WOOD COUNTY (updated 2005-2006)

League supports efforts to maintain or improve the quality of life of the elderly population in Wood County.

The needs of the elderly population in Wood County steadily increase due to longevity and the problems of health, finance and other difficulties that accompany longevity. On the other hand, financial support for services to the elderly by federal and state governments is not keeping up with inflation.

LAND USE (updated 2005-2006)

In order to maintain the quality of life in our small city, our League continues to support careful long-range planning. Because change is occurring rapidly, we believe that the Bowling Green Comprehensive Plan needs to be kept current.

In addition, the League supports:

  1. Top priority for the acquisition and maintenance of open space for public use.
  2. Cooperation between governmental agents of the city of Bowling Green and the Trustees of adjacent townships.
  3. Public accessibility of the most recent version of the Comprehensive Plan, with any revisions dated and made evident.
  4. Support of a precautionary moratorium on all new Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) that produce untreated animal waste. Support of improved and similar waste water transportation and treatment systems on each CAFO site within Wood County as required by the State of Ohio of municipalities producing the same volume of waste, with safe nutrient management practices and disposal of sludge, in order to maintain adequate water quality standards in our aquifers, ground and surface waters.

MENTAL HEALTH

The League supports maintaining the present level of mental health and substance abuse services in Wood County, and also supports improving such services whenever possible.

The Ohio Mental Health Act of 1988 requires less restrictive treatment for those with disabilities/illnesses related to such problems. Financial support for these essential services has not increased in proportion to the needs of Wood County residents.

EDUCATION (1996- to be updated)

  • Support high standards of basic education at all levels.
  • Support and promote programs for the gifted that meet the state guidelines for minimum standards.
  • Support and promote adequate and appropriate programs for the special needs students.
  • Support and promote adequate and appropriate use of technology at all levels but emphasize reading and writing at the elementary level.
  • Support and promote adequate and appropriate vocational/technical education at the junior high and high school level.
  • Support and promote credit-course curriculum for junior high students when appropriate.
  • Support and promote honors, advanced placement, post-secondary options at the high school level.
  • Support and promote a variety of extracurricular activities with athletics balanced between intramurals and inter-murals at the high school level but with emphasis on intramurals at the junior high level.
  • Support a maximum of 25 students per class at all levels.
  • Promote use of teacher aides where appropriate and when needs are evident.
  • Support and promote assignment of professional staff in accordance with their certification.
  • Support reduction of course duplication between Penta County Joint Vocational School and Bowling Green High Schoool.
  • Support and promote exploration of all options in order to avoid duplication of programming.
  • Support adequate funding for programs at all levels.