Training Opportunities
Training opportunities covering a variety of topics important to Ohio townships.
Upcoming Training Opportunities
Click on the buttons inside the tabbed menu to view:
August Trainings
August 17, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Trustee Roundtable Discussion
Track: Trustee
Moderator: Ben Yoder, Bricker Graydon Wyatt
Description: Join your peers in an interactive roundtable discussion designed specifically for township trustees. Roundtables provide an opportunity to share experiences, explore solutions, and discuss emerging trends in township governance.
Price: FREE
August 18, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Zoning Roundtable
Track: Zoning Inspectors Group
Moderator: Michael Zaky
Description: Join your peers in an interactive roundtable discussion designed specifically for township zoning personnel. Roundtables provide an opportunity to share experiences, explore solutions, and discuss emerging trends in zoning and land use.
Price: FREE
August 19, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Efficiencies in Park & Open Space Management
Track: General Township
Speaker: Rob Steinberg; Plain Township, Stark County
Description: Designed to emphasize the importance of parks and public open space as essential elements in community infrastructure, this workshop will highlight opportunities for land managers to improve maintenance, operational efficiencies, and sustainability efforts.
Price: $20 member / $30 non-member
August 20, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Labor & Employment Law Update
Track: Law Directors
Speaker: Marc Fishel; Fishel, Downey, Albrecht & Riepenhoff LLC
Description: This presentation will address new cases from state and federal courts and new statutes pertaining to labor and employment law affecting townships. The presentation will include a review of legislation pending in the Ohio General Assembly. Emphasis will be on the practical implications of these decisions and statutory changes. Topics will include discrimination issues, the Fair Labor Standards Act, First Amendment issues, and the Family and Medical Leave Act.
Price: $50 member / $75 non-member
*This webinar is pending approval by the Supreme Court of Ohio Commission on Continuing Legal Education for 1.0 Hour(s) of General CLE Instruction.
August 21, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Fiscal Officer Roundtable
Track: Fiscal Officer
Moderator: Michael Zaky
Description: Join your peers in an interactive roundtable discussion designed specifically for township fiscal officers/fiscal personnel. Roundtables provide an opportunity to share experiences, explore solutions, and discuss emerging trends.
Price: FREE
September Trainings
September 14, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
How to Compete for Projects, Increase Revenue, and Prevent Annexation
Track: Trustee
Speaker: John Albers; Albers & Albers
Description: Townships face increasing pressure to compete for economic development projects. This webinar will provide practical economic development tools and a proven framework for building a winning template that helps townships attract investment, strengthen developer partnerships, increase revenue, and reduce the risk of annexation. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies to position their township as the preferred choice for future projects.
Price: $20 member / $30 non-member
September 15, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Private Roads & Subdivision Standards: Navigating Township and County Authority in Growing Communities
Track: Zoning Inspectors Group
Speaker: Austin Musser & Carly Sherman, Bricker Graydon Wyatt LLP
Description: As residential growth expands into unincorporated areas, townships are increasingly facing challenges related to private roads, subdivision standards, infrastructure maintenance, and overlapping regulatory authority. This session will explore how township zoning authority intersects with county subdivision regulations, common conflicts that arise during development review, and practical strategies for protecting long-term community interests.
Price: $20 member / $30 non-member
September 16, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Cemetery Management 101
Track: General Township
Speaker: Tom Spring, Spring Law, LLC
Description: Managing a township cemetery comes with unique operational, legal, and financial responsibilities that many officials are not fully prepared to navigate. This session will provide a practical overview of cemetery management fundamentals, including recordkeeping, maintenance standards, budgeting, policies, grave sales, and Ohio legal requirements. Attendees will gain actionable guidance and best practices to help ensure respectful operations, long-term sustainability, and proper stewardship of township cemetery assets.
Price: $20 member / $30 non-member
September 17, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Public Relations Strategies Your Township Should Implement
Track: OTAN
Speaker: TBD
Description: Effective communication is essential for building public trust, improving community engagement, and strengthening your township’s reputation. This webinar will explore practical public relations strategies that townships can implement to better communicate with residents, manage public perception, respond to challenges, and promote township initiatives and successes. Attendees will learn actionable techniques for social media, public messaging, crisis communication, community outreach, and creating a more transparent and connected local government.
Price: $20 member / $30 non-member
September 18, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Financing Major Purchases
Track: Fiscal Officer
Speaker: Paul Rutter, Bricker Graydon Wyatt LLP
Description: This session will focus on strategies for financing significant capital outlays, including equipment purchases, new construction, and improvements to existing facilities. Topics will include short- and long-term debt, voted and unvoted options, tax anticipation notes, and lease-purchase financings. Debt limitations and exemptions will also be covered.
Price: $20 member / $30 non-member
*This session is pending approval for one hour of fiscal officer Fiscal Integrity Act (FIA) credit, as required by the Fiscal Integrity Act (R.C. §507.12). Additionally, this session is pending approval for credit for CPIM training, as required by R.C. §135.22.
October Trainings
October 9, 9:00 A.M. – 3:00 P.m.
2026 In-Person OTAN Forum
Track: OTAN
Description: Join administrators from the Ohio Township Administrators Network to learn and discuss important topics related to your unique challenges. Topics covered will include:
- Levy Planning Under Property Tax Reform
- Roundtable Discussion
- Economic Development Non-Disclosure
- Negotiating Development Agreements and Infrastructure Commitments
- Managing the Administrator–Trustee Relationship
The meeting will be held at the OTA office. Breakfast and lunch are provided with registration.
Price: $75 member / $100 non-member
October 16, 9:00 A.M. – 3:00 P.m.
2026 In-Person Zoning Forum
Track: Zoning Inspectors
Description: Join us for the 2026 in-person Zoning Inspectors Group Meeting held at the OTA office. Please find the tentative session topics below:
- Roundtable Discussion
- Mock Board of Zoning Appeals Hearing
- Technology Tools for Zoning Inspectors: Apps, Platforms & Field Productivity
- Building a Defensible Case: Evidence, Notices, and Documentation
- From Complaint to Closure: Managing a Zoning Enforcement Case
Lunch is included with your registration fee.
Price: $35 member / $50 non-member
October 19, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Village Dissolutions - Voluntary or Mandated
Track: Trustees
Speaker: Amy Blankenship & Rebecca Princehorn, Bricker Graydon Wyatt LLP
Description: : Small villages are under financial and statutory pressure to dissolve. What does that mean for the underlying township in terms of financial and practical implications?
Price: $20 member / $30 non-member
October 20, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Leveraging AI to Improve Procurement Efficiency
Track: General Township
Speaker: Pam Dempsey, Equalis Group
Description: : Artificial intelligence tools are quickly becoming part of everyday workflows across the public sector. This session provides a practical look at how AI can support early stage procurement tasks while maintaining transparency and compliance. Participants will see a live demonstration of how agencies can quickly develop the three core components of a solicitation including the scope description, evaluation criteria, and vendor questions. The goal is to give public sector teams a clear understanding of where AI can safely support their work and where human judgment remains essential.
Price: FREE
October 21, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Advising Townships During Legal Negotiations
Track: Law Directors
Speaker: David Riepenhoff, Fishel, Downey, Albrecht & Riepenhoff LLC
Description: Union negotiations present unique legal, financial, and operational challenges for townships and the attorneys who advise them. This session will provide township legal counsel with practical guidance on collective bargaining strategies, labor law considerations, contract negotiations, grievance issues, and maintaining productive relationships with union representatives while protecting township interests. Attendees will gain insight into preparing elected officials for negotiations, avoiding common legal pitfalls, and supporting effective long-term labor management practices.
Price: $50 member / $75 non-member
*This webinar is pending approval by the Supreme Court of Ohio Commission on Continuing Legal Education for 1.0 Hour(s) of General CLE Instruction.
October 22, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Closing the Books: A Township Fiscal Officer’s Year-End Checklist
Track: Fiscal Officer
Speaker: TBD
Description: A practical, step-by-step review of the work fiscal officers should complete before the end of the year. Topics will include resolving accounting and payroll errors, completing reconciliations, reviewing outstanding purchase orders and encumbrances, confirming appropriations and fund balances, preparing tax forms, organizing supporting records and getting ready for annual financial reporting and the next audit. Participants will receive a suggested year-end timeline and checklist.
Price: $20 member / $30 non-member
*This session is pending approval for one hour of fiscal officer Fiscal Integrity Act (FIA) credit, as required by the Fiscal Integrity Act (R.C. §507.12). Additionally, this session is pending approval for credit for CPIM training, as required by R.C. §135.22.
Dates are subject to change. Please check this page closer to the event for the most updated information. For any questions, please contact Michael Zaky.
Webinar Archive
Click below to view a catalogue of past webinars available to view in our Resource Center.