Representative Stephen Dyer held a town meeting on April 28 at the Springfield Township Town Hall. Residents and local officials were in attendance to listen to Dyer’s ambitions for the state and also to ask questions.

Dyer, in his first term as Representative for the 43 District, has been the primary sponsor of eight bills and the co-sponsor of 110. He serves on four committees, Criminal Justice, Education, Insurance and Judiciary. Dyer and his family reside in Green.

Dyer highlighted the bills he has been working on, including the methamphetamine bill. If passed, this legislation would require any home that has been a proven meth lab to be listed on the Internet. Information must be disclosed to those buying the home.

“When you buy a house you should not have to worry if it is going to kill you,” said Dyer. “I think that the innocent renter or homeowner should be protected.”

Lakemore Councilperson Marlene Hill asked what Springfield and Lakemore could do now to help encourage the passing of the bill and protect the communities.

He said be vigilant. Report to police if you see someone buying large amounts of decongestants or nail polish remover or if you smell a strong odor such as ammonia or phosphorus coming from a neighboring home.

One very important project that Dyer is working on is that of school funding. He will present a plan of his own within the next few weeks. He feels the plan could be an answer to school funding.

Dyer said that funds are deducted from the public school funds to send children to charter schools and stated in general, “Your choice to send your child to charter school should not affect my choice to send my child to public school.”
In other states charter schools work, but they are managed in a different way.

“The governor has clearly made this a priority and is to present something at the first of the year. We need to get out of the property tax levy situation. There is nothing more important to do than educated your child and give them the opportunities to succeed,” stated Dyer.

Springfield resident Ada Horneck, a member of the State Financial Commission, said,

“Funding is so complicated. For the children who are in the schools right now we need to support them. In this school system we have a lot of people working very hard. My children have gotten an extremely good education here. What can we do?” 

“In my plan it would take about two years. It will come but until then we need to support the kids,” said Dyer. “My message would be that, the fix is coming, we get it and stick with us, because I believe that we are going to be able to achieve what we need to achieve on this issue and do it pretty quick.”

Lakemore Mayor Mike Kolomichuk mentioned there will need to be state budgets. The state is working to solve its budget crisis.

“Why are we not doing something about the gaming that is going on in states around us?” Kolomichuk was referring to the proposed 600 million resort to be built between Columbus and Cincinnati, which would house a casino along with many other resort activities.

“It would mean more tax dollars that would not be spent in the surrounding states,” stated Kolomichuk.

“I don’t think in the past people like equating gambling and education after the lottery but, maybe now there will be a different outcome,” said Dyer.

Dyer is very supportive of the possibility of a library at the corner of Flickinger and Sanitarium roads. “Ohio has been known for a long time to have good libraries and there needs to be one here, I commend the work that has been done here to make it a reality. I look forward to seeing the library here.