What is a Township? 

The Township form of government is the oldest form of government in the United States. Township government in Ohio predates our State government. The Pilgrim Fathers brought the Township form of government to America in 1620, and it spread west as far as the Rocky Mountains. Today, 22 states have the town, or township form of local government. As the Ohio Territory became populated it was only natural that the Township form of government became the basic unit of government. In 1804, the elected officials of a Township consisted of three Trustees, a Fiscal Officer (formerly known as Clerk), overseers of the poor, supervisors of highways and justices of the peace. Registering brands for livestock was one of the duties of the early Trustees.

Townships have only those powers granted to them by the state legislature and set forth on the Ohio Revised Code. As a result, townships cannot pass their own laws. Township powers are different from those of villages and cities, which are incorporated.

Today, Township Trustees and Fiscal Officer (formerly Clerk) have many different challenges to face, but the Township form of government still remains efficient because of its small size, and responsive because it offers more personal service and more attention to individual needs.