Chester Township Officials -Click on a picture for a biography

Clay Lawrence

Michael J. Joyce

Judith Caputo

Karen M.N. Austin, C.P.A. Fiscal Officer

Your Township government consists of three Trustees and a Fiscal Officer, who are elected for four-year terms.The terms are staggered, so that every two years either one Trustee and the Fiscal Officer or two Trustees are up for election. The Fiscal Officer is elected in November, but takes office in April allowing for a smoother transition for bookkeeping. The Board of Township Trustees is the overall governing body of the Township. It decides issues of Township policy and is responsible for all expenditures of Township funds. It also appoints the Township's zoning officials and hires Township employees. The records and bookkeeping are maintained by the elected Fiscal Officer. The Township Trustees' and Fiscal Officer's salaries are governed by the Ohio Law based on the budget of the Township.

In Ohio, a township is a political subdivision of the state. The authority of Township government is limited to only those specific duties which are delegated by state law. Unlike cities and villages, Townships do not have the authority to pass laws or make ordinances.

Township Trustees do not hold regular Township office hours and fulfill their duties on a part-time basis. However, because they live in the community they are more readily available to their constituents and more able to deal with problems because of their better knowledge of the community, its needs and the people.