Building Stronger Community Partnerships: Highlights from the First Collaboration Forum

On Dec. 8, Lakota Local Schools hosted the first Community Partnership Forum, bringing together representatives from the school district, Liberty and West Chester townships, Butler County, Butler Tech and the West Chester Liberty Chamber Alliance. The goal of the meeting was to explore new ways to work together, address shared challenges and strengthen the services each entity provides.

Setting the Stage for Collaboration

When welcoming everyone to the meeting, Lakota Treasurer Adam Zink posed the question, “Is there an opportunity (for us to) collaborate together, to either enhance what that is, or minimize what that calls for, (for) all of us to do better for this community as a whole?” It is Zink’s hope that “the forum will unite multiple community entities to explore joint strategies for strengthening local services and governance.”

Participants emphasized the importance of open dialogue, mutual respect and a shared commitment to making the greater community the best it can be. Zink noted, “We all have a joint vested interest in making sure that we deliver as well as we can for the community.”

Shared Challenges and Opportunities

West Chester Township Administrator Lisa Brown noted that their community members would like to see additional parks and recreational amenities. “We’re in the process of trying to figure out (what that looks) like,” Brown said. “How do you fund that in a responsible manner, and how do we ensure that what we build is not only what people want today, but also what people will want…moving into the future.” Brown noted that Lakota also looks at their buildings in a similar fashion, which prompted a discussion about how local governments and schools might collaborate to create shared spaces that serve both current and future needs of the community.

Noting the many organizations using Lakota’s fields and gymnasiums as an example, School Board Member Doug Horton said, “I think…when we talk about things like focusing in on (recreation) and parks, there's delivery of those services that we could look to combine in a way that benefits our constituents.”

A central theme of the discussion was the impact of recent changes in state legislation on property tax revenues and school funding. Leaders from various entities expressed concern about fiscal responsibility and the need to adapt to new constraints without reducing essential programming. “I think property taxes and the new landscape of the state legislature, and there’s going to be a gubernatorial election next year,…so I think it’s navigating the unknown,” said Butler County Administrator Judi Boyko.

The concept of “economies of scale” emerged as a promising avenue for cost savings. Liberty Township Trustee Tom Farrell discussed pooling resources for purchasing, maintenance and facilities, and the opportunities it would offer to deliver services more efficiently and effectively. “(This) could be a big advantage going forward.”

West Chester Township Trustee Anne Becker agreed. “I do truly believe that the time is right for us as a…region to work a lot more structurally, organizationally, focused on shared services.” Becker continued, “There are a lot of different things in our range of services that we provide, that if working together, we can do better. And I think that as a taxpayer and a representative of the taxpayer, I think that's what I expected our governments to do.”

Building Trust and Professional Communication

Throughout the forum, participants stressed the importance of moving beyond “us versus them” attitudes. Professional, face-to-face conversations were encouraged, with a focus on respectful disagreement and constructive dialogue. 

Amanda Ortiz, trustee-elect for West Chester Township, shared that many constituents she met during her recent campaign were under the impression collaboration between the entities was already occurring. “I think this is a really great start of promising to meet on a regular basis…and…promising to work together to really try and benefit the residents, the students, everyone, the business owners in the community, making sure that everyone has a seat at the table and they're being advocated for.”

Actionable Next Steps

Zink proposed a long-term partnership with the attendees to look into future collaborations to improve efficiencies for taxpayers and residents.

“This is the first step that we need to take to do some of that formal work, that formal organization to make those shared services and the investment of our taxpayers the best we possibly can do,” said Becker. “It is time to really look at us as more of a Lakota region instead of a West Chester, a Liberty, a Lakota, as separate entities.”

The group agreed to explore the formation of a regional council of governments, as permitted under Ohio law, to formalize collaboration and shared services. Administrators from each entity will meet to discuss legal frameworks, shared goals and potential cost savings. A follow-up meeting for the whole group will be planned for March, ensuring that the conversation continues and progress is made.

Looking Ahead

As the meeting concluded, there was a clear consensus: collaboration is essential for the future of our community. Residents attending the forum expressed appreciation for the effort to bring leaders together and encouraged ongoing community involvement.  While challenges remain, the willingness to work together, share resources and build trust lays a strong foundation for continued progress.