OH HB49

County commissioners may create water improvement districts to facilitate, coordinate, fund, finance, construct, reconstruct, or repair wastewater and water management facilities

Districts governed by a 5-member voting board (county sanitary/engineer plus 4 appointees with water/wastewater experience) and 1 nonvoting member from the regional planning commission, with possible 6 additional nonvoting members

Districts may issue revenue bonds (up to 30-year maturity), levy special assessments on benefited properties (capped at 10% of assessable value), acquire property through purchase or appropriation, and enter intergovernmental agreements

Water improvement district appeals boards (11 voting members) must be created within 30 days of district formation, with exclusive jurisdiction over wastewater and water management facility disputes; appeals must be filed within 15 days and heard within 15 days of filing

Districts and their projects are exempt from state and local taxes, and prevailing wage requirements under sections 4115.03-4115.21 do not apply unless the district elects to apply them