Wither The Village?
Vol. III, No. 98 - A Dayton Daily News series of reports puts village dissolution in the spotlight
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As someone deeply connected to Miami County, I've always been fascinated by the small villages that dot our landscape. These aren't just little dots on a map; in many ways, they are the very heartbeat of local democracy for thousands of our neighbors. While they may seem small, these communities collectively house over 11,800 residents, accounting for about 10% of the county's population. That's a significant portion of our county, and their future, and the future of local governance is really up in the air.
What exactly is a village in Ohio? State law defines it as a small town with fewer than 5,000 residents. They possess a degree of local self-governance, similar to larger cities, although with certain restrictions. Many even maintain their own police and fire departments, as well as utility systems. A unique aspect of their governance is the Board of Public Affairs, an elected body responsible for overseeing vital water and sewer services. Historically, these villages were the centers of our agricultural economy, acting as crucial trading hubs for farmers and merchants. You can still see the remnants of their past in old grain elevators, abandoned saloons, small church, and shuttered dry goods stores that were once the economic pillars of these communities. The establishment of a post office was a true sign a village had "made it".
Most of Miami County's nine villages are nestled in the western part of the county, often near or along the Stillwater River. This geographical distribution isn't accidental; rivers were once vital transportation corridors and sources of water for early settlers. Our villages vary widely in size, from West Milton with nearly 4,700 residents to the tiny hamlet of Ludlow Falls with just 175 inhabitants. Other villages include Covington (2,548), Bradford (1,796), Pleasant Hill (1,241), Fletcher (451), Laura (398), Casstown (270), and Potsdam (225).
However, the role and vitality of our villages have undeniably shifted over the past century. In 1920, villages were home to about 15% of the county's population. By 1970, despite overall county growth, that proportion had slightly decreased to just under 14%. The period between 1970 and 2020 brought mixed fortunes; most villages experienced population declines. Bradford, for instance, continued a downward trend, losing 17% of its residents, while Casstown saw a 29% decrease and Fletcher shrunk by 16%. Even Covington, with its diversified economy, remained stagnant with a 1% decline. Only West Milton and Pleasant Hill bucked this trend with population growth of 27% and 21% respectively.
These demographic shifts are concerning, but what truly strikes at the civic capacity of our villages is the declining interest in local leadership. We're seeing a real possibility of no one wanting to be a civic leader in many Miami County villages. According to the Miami County Board of Elections, a majority of our county’s villages have at least one vacancy on their village council. The situation is particularly stark in places like Casstown and Ludlow Falls, which currently have no individuals serving as Mayor or even on Village Council. Fletcher has four vacancies, and Potsdam and Bradford each have two. Vacancies also exist in Covington and Laura. In fact, here in 2025, no candidates are running for Mayor in Casstown, Laura, Ludlow Falls, and Potsdam.
This isn't just a local phenomenon; it's happening in neighboring Darke and Preble Counties too, with many villages having appointed mayors and council members. It raises a critical question: is it healthy for any community to be run largely by appointed, unelected individuals?.
Being an elected official is hard work; it involves answering phone calls for nearly every issue and making sometimes difficult decisions. It's a commitment many people, understandably, are hesitant to make in a busy world. Yet, those communities that lack strong, capable leadership are precisely the ones most likely to face a very shaky future.
The stakes have become even higher with new state legislation, Substitute House Bill No. 331, was passed by the last Ohio General Assembly. This law clarified and streamlined the village dissolution process, but it also introduced new triggers for dissolution. Most notably, it will require every Ohio county to audit its villages after every decennial census. This audit checks two main things:
1. Whether a village provides at least five out of ten essential services such as police, fire-fighting, garbage collection, water, or sewer. Crucially, the village must provide the service itself, through a private contract, or with a regional council of three or more governments; agreements to use another local government’s services don't count.
2. A less forgiving requirement: at least one certified candidate must appear on the ballot for each elected village position (including mayors, clerks, councils, commissions, and boards of public affairs) over the course of the decade.
This second requirement is particularly impactful. A Dayton Daily News investigation found that at least 27 villages across southwest Ohio, including many here in Miami County, have already failed this test based on a lack of candidates in the 2021 or 2023 elections and are guaranteed to face a dissolution vote after the 2030 Census. This list includes our own Bradford, Casstown, Covington, Fletcher, Laura, Ludlow Falls, Pleasant Hill, Potsdam, and West Milton.
As Councilmember Paula Lazorski of near by Clifton put it in the Dayton Daily News, it's "horribly unfair" for communities that are otherwise well-managed and financially stable. Mayor Hobert Kendrick of Donnelsville, himself an appointed mayor after no one ran, noted, "people don’t want to take responsibility and do this stuff anymore". Even technical hurdles, like invalidated petitions due to clerical errors, can contribute to this problem, preventing willing individuals from running.
The possibility of dissolution is not merely theoretical; it's a real threat. We’ve seen the "ghosts of former villages" in Miami County like Phoneton, West Charleston, Staunton, and Frederick, now reduced to little more than roadside signs.
The case of Amelia in Clermont County in 2019 demonstrated how contentious and "messy" dissolution can be when residents chose to dissolve after rejecting an income tax. If a village dissolves, its assets and liabilities are transferred to the township, its laws extinguished, and officials no longer hold office. Councilman Anthony Satariano from Clifton voiced a concern that resonates deeply: "It’d be devastating. It chills us to think about somebody outside, unconnected, making decisions about all this quaintness and this beauty and this history.". Mayor Funk of Harveysburg added that dissolving a village means taking away local representation, and people lose that direct, local level of help.
This situation is a call to action for greater civic leadership. Our villages are more than just small intersections on the country landscape; they are communities with rich histories, unique characteristics, and residents who hopefully care deeply about their future. The challenges are significant, but so is the resilience and adaptability that have allowed many to survive and evolve for over a century. The most important decisions to make villages viable will not be made by state legislators, they will be made by village residents stepping up and serving their hometowns.
If we want to preserve these vital components of our county, we must encourage and support individuals to step up and serve. Whether they will find new ways to thrive or gradually fade into history remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: the story of our county’s villages can be far from over.
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