Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague, of Findlay, has been presented with the 2020 Small Business Advocate of the Year Award from the Greater Cleveland Partnership’s Council of Small Enterprises (COSE).

Treasurer Sprague earned the award for his work around the initiative to allocate a significant portion of the state’s remaining federal CARES Act dollars for the creation of small business grants.

According to the Greater Cleveland Partnership, Small Business Advocate of the Year Awards “honor elected officials and recognize those who have sponsored, endorsed, supported, drafted legislation or led initiatives on behalf of small businesses throughout Ohio.”

“Our small businesses have shown extraordinary resilience over the past year,” said Treasurer Sprague.

“As they support and serve so many families and communities across Ohio, it was critical to ensure they received additional support during a truly challenging time. I’m grateful to receive this honor from the Greater Cleveland Partnership, and I’m thankful for the many state, local, and business leaders who worked collectively to lift Ohio’s small business community.”

Fellow 2020 award recipients include Ohio House Speaker Bob Cupp, State Senator Sandra Williams, State Representative Stephanie Howse, and Ohio Department of Health Director Stephanie McCloud.

The deadline for filing and paying 2020 individual income tax returns with the City of Findlay has been extended.

Details are in the following news release from the City of Findlay.

The deadline for filing and paying 2020 individual income tax returns with the City of Findlay for the municipalities of Findlay, Arlington, Mount Cory, Vanlue, Carey, and Mount Blanchard has been extended from April 15 to May 17, 2021, in line with changes made by the Internal Revenue Service and the State of Ohio.

Despite the filing date being extended, due to the large volume of walk-in customers typically visiting the Tax Department near the deadline, we would encourage any taxpayers who are in a position to file sooner to please do so. All visitors to the Municipal Building should wear masks and maintain social distancing.

Payments and completed income tax returns can be placed in the secure, drive-up drop box in the east curbed island of the Findlay Municipal Building’s West Crawford Street parking lot F, accessible about one-half block west of South Main Street. An additional secure drop box is located in the vestibule of the Municipal Building’s Dorney Plaza entrance.

Submitted returns should include copies of W-2s, pages 1 and 2 of Federal Forms 1040 and any other Federal forms or schedules that support or relate to wages, income, expenses, profits, and losses reported on the municipal income tax return. These include, but are not limited to Schedules 1, C, E, F, and K-1, and Forms 4835 and 4797.

All residents must file an annual income tax return once they reach the required age (either 16 or 18, depending on municipality), including those whose tax is fully withheld by their employer and those with no taxable income.

Non-residents are not required to file, but only if all their city or village income taxes were properly withheld by their employers. Non-resident individuals, sole proprietorships, partnerships, limited partnerships, limited liability companies, limited liability partnerships, associations, corporations, trusts, and S corporations that own rental properties, conduct business, perform services, solicit sales, operate, or maintain an office in any of the six communities must file, even if no tax is due.

In 2020, Ohio enacted legislation under Section 29 of House Bill 197 that changes Ohio municipal income tax rules temporarily, effective March 9, 2020 and for thirty days after the conclusion of the State’s emergency declaration. This rule stipulates that work performed from a remote location, including an employee’s home, would be recognized as the employee performing the job at their principal place of work prior to the COVID-19 state-of-emergency. The Governor’s Executive Order 2020-01D is still in effect at this time.

Sources of income that are taxable include salaries, wages, tips, severance pay, lottery and gambling winnings, stock options, net profits from self-employment, 1099-MISC income, net profits from rental real estate, and contributions to deferred compensation plans, such as 401(k), 403(b), and 457, and individuals’ gains on sales of real estate used in business to the extent of the depreciation.

Sources of income that are not taxable include unemployment benefits and federal Economic Impact Payments, Social Security benefits, pensions, interest, dividends, workers’ compensation, Internal Revenue Code section 125 “cafeteria plan” contributions.

Taxpayers who wish to have their Findlay, Arlington, Mount Cory, Vanlue, Carey, and Mount Blanchard income tax returns prepared by the Findlay Income Tax Department will need to furnish their W-2s and completed copies of their Federal Forms 1040 and other relevant Federal forms and schedules for the department to keep. As a courtesy to other patrons and to expedite the filing process, the Tax Department requests that visitors have these forms readily accessible at the time they seek assistance.

Forms are available at the Tax Department, at the Findlay-Hancock County Public Library, and on the City’s website by visiting findlayohio.com/incometax. For assistance, taxpayers can call 419-424-7133 or visit the Tax Department in room 115 on the first floor of the Municipal Building at 318 Dorney Plaza. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Some Findlay students had fun learning with some help from the Easter candy Peeps.

Mrs. Miller’s kindergarten class at Northview Primary School had a Peeps Day in which students adopted a Peep for the day and named it and cared for it all day.

The youngsters learned about describing words so they could write about their new “baby”.

They later used predictions to decide what would happen to Peeps submerged in different liquids: soap, water, pop, juice and vinegar.

Some of their ideas were: they would float, change colors, melt, get fat, fizz and many more great ideas.

Mrs. Miller says most Peeps made it to the end of the day with only a few nibbles.

(pics and story courtesy of Findlay City Schools)

Hanco EMS Chief Rob Martin is leaving that role to become the next Service Safety Director for the City of Findlay.

Details are in the following news release from the city.

Mayor Christina Muryn has named Rob Martin, BSN, MBA as the next Service Safety Director for the City of Findlay.

“I am thrilled with the results of our search. It was a thorough process that yielded a number of strong candidates. I am confident that Rob is the right person for this job and his
experience will be an amazing asset for the City of Findlay.”

Mr. Martin joins the City of Findlay leaving his current position as EMS Chief and Director of Hanco Emergency Medical Services.

Prior to that he was a clinical nurse manager at Mercy St. Vincent’s Medical Center.

Earlier in his career he also worked as a flight nurse for eight years. He holds a Master’s in Business Administration and a Bachelor in Nursing from The University of Toledo.

Mr. Martin’s experience provides him a unique set of skills from crisis response, financial and operational improvement, to team development and management.

He has also been very involved across the community and state, serving on various boards both within his field and for the broader community including The Miracle League of Findlay Board, The Family Resource Center Board and The Ohio Department of Public Safety Active Shooter Response committee to name a few.

In Rob’s role as EMS Chief he has helped many in our community through their worst days.

It is with that well-grounded, hands on, experience that he will now help lead our team to enable that the best days are ahead for this community.

“Since moving to Findlay in 2013 I have had the opportunity to work with the City of Findlay team in various capacities. We are fortunate for the strong leadership we have had over the past nearly decade and we have opportunities to continue to improve upon our achievements. We also have a number of challenges that face many in our community and I am honored to bring my knowledge of these struggles, my passion for helping others, and experience managing teams to support Mayor Muryn’s vision for this city that I care about so
much.”

Mr. Martin is expected to begin with the City of Findlay on April 19th and begin a transition period with Mr. Schmelzer who currently serves as Director of Public Safety.

Mr. Schmelzer leaves his position to go back into the private sector after joining the City of Findlay team in 2012.

“It has been extremely rewarding to work with the team at the City and engage with the private sector. I believe the public sector plays a vital role in supporting a community, and it has been a privilege being involved in decisions that have helped shape Findlay since taking a leadership role in 2012. I have great respect for those that serve our community in so many ways.”

Rob Martin has been a resident of Findlay since 2014. He has a wife, Kristin, and 3 children Madison, Finn, and Luke.

In his free time Rob enjoys outdoor activities including running, golfing, coaching youth sports and watching his kids sporting events.

Rob has been a Registered Nurse for 21 years and a Paramedic for 16 years.

Findlay fire crews were called to the Fairfield Inn & Suites at the corner of Tiffin Avenue and Bright Road at around 6:15 Tuesday night.

Fire Chief Josh Eberle says they could see fire in the attic space when they arrived and the hotel was being evacuated.

There was also some fire on the ground outside the hotel as well.

They’re investigating whether it started there and moved up the structure or if the outside fire was caused by falling burning debris.

Firefighters quickly went to work on the fire with deck guns from two separate trucks.

The fire caved in much of the roof on the south side of the hotel but the chief says the fire wall did a good job in preventing it from spreading even further.

He said the high winds didn’t help their firefighting efforts but crews were able to get the fire under control and put out.

The chief said all 15 firefighters on duty responded initially with four engines and a ladder truck.

He said Allen Township was called to stand by at Fire Station 2 to provide fire coverage for the city and at the same time they called in about 10 off-duty personnel to help out with the fire.

Jeanne was in her first floor room when the fire alarms went off.

Initially it appears there were no injuries to hotel guests or firefighters.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Safety officials are asking the public to pay attention around emergency scenes as one driver drove over a fire hose and another person tried to drive around a police cruiser that was blocking  a lane of Bright Road because of the fire.