Kelli Hykes for Norwich Township Trustee

06/05/2026

I'm proud of the work the Norwich Township Board of Trustees is doing to strengthen transparency, accountability, and public trust in local government.

This week, we approved a new five-year solid waste and recycling contract through a competitive consortium bidding process that will serve 1,377 Norwich Township households beginning January 1, 2027. The monthly rate difference is $3.80. Beyond securing reliable service and long-term rate certainty for residents, we also took an important step to strengthen public confidence in how township business is conducted.

At the board's request, the contract includes new ethics provisions requiring disclosure and recusal by any township official, employee, or appointee who has a financial, family, or business interest related to the contract. These are common-sense safeguards that help ensure decisions are made in the public interest and that residents can have confidence in the integrity of their local government.

Good governance isn't just about balancing budgets and delivering services, it's also about putting policies in place that promote transparency, accountability, and ethical decision-making.

I am grateful to my fellow trustees, township staff, and our regional partners for their collaboration throughout this process, and I look forward to continuing this work as we review future contracts and policies.

Thank you to The Hilliard Beacon for covering the story.
Read more here:

The new five-year contract is effective Jan. 1, 2027 and locks in rates for five years

05/25/2026

Memorial Day is a solemn reminder of the cost of freedom and the sacrifice made by so many servicemembers and their families. Today, I was fortunate to attend the Memorial Day service at Wesley Chapel hosted by the Captain Nicholas J. Rosanski VFW Memorial Post 4931, the William R. Schnug Memorial Post 614, and Norwich Township. We join our community in paying respects to the fallen soldiers who gave their lives in service to our country.

Their courage and sacrifice should never be forgotten. Wishing everyone a meaningful Memorial Day as we pause to remember and reflect.

05/24/2026

Please join us Monday!

⏰ Reminder: Memorial Day of Remembrance Ceremony ⏰

Join us on May 25th at 10:00 AM at Wesley Chapel Cemetery as we come together to honor the brave men and women of America’s armed forces and remember our fallen veterans.

This meaningful ceremony is sponsored by the Captain Nicholas J. Rosanski VFW Memorial Post 4931, the William R. Schnug Memorial Post 614, and Norwich Township.

📍 Wesley Chapel Cemetery
📅 May 25th
⏰ 10:00 AM

We invite the community to pause, reflect, and pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

05/20/2026

Last night, I had the honor of swearing in the newest members of our Norwich Township Fire Department and celebrating the promotion of Captain Warren (pictured here)

Congratulations, and thanks to our firefighters for their commitment to serving our community. Norwich Township is proud to support you and to have you protecting our community.

Thank you to the families, friends, and community members who came out to support NTFD. 🔥

05/19/2026

The Board approved a resolution enacting revised and targeted regulations for the parking of vehicles near the Ridgewood Elementary School drop off zone on Darbyshire Dr. and Cameron Rd. The new regulations will take effect on Wednesday, August 19, 2026 (first day of school).

I want to thank the parents, neighbors, and school officials who helped shape this. Everyone involved put pedestrian safety first and was thoughtful and patient as we considered the options and consulted with experts.

I have written many laws in my life and probably thousands of resolutions that were informed by public comment and debate. This is the first that I have also gotten to sign into law. I am proud of the process and the product.

05/10/2026

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms, grandmothers, stepmothers, foster moms, chosen family, caregivers, mentors, and mother figures who help shape and strengthen our community every day.

Today is about celebrating the people who show up with love, guidance, patience, sacrifice, and support.

I’m especially grateful for my own mom and my mother-in-law, who have both set incredible examples of strength, resilience, kindness, and service. Their example has shaped not only our family, but the way I approach leadership, community, and caring for others.

Wishing everyone in our community a beautiful Mother's Day.

05/06/2026

Today, the City of Hilliard and Norwich Township officially proclaimed our enrollment in the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities — an important step in ensuring our community continues to be a place where people of all ages can thrive.

This designation reflects something many of us already know: our community has long been a welcoming place for older adults, including those who chose to retire here and make Hilliard and Norwich Township home.

Becoming an Age-Friendly Community means we are committing to thoughtful planning around housing, transportation, accessibility, safety, connectivity, and quality of life — investments that benefit not only seniors, but families, children, and future generations as well.

A special thank you to Council President Emily Cole for sharing the dias with me today for this historic partnership, Tina Cottone for her long time leadership and dedication to making our community a great place to age in place, and my fellow trustees Brian Rothenberg and Trish Barker for their commitment to seniors. We all look forward to continuing this work together.

05/04/2026

🚨 A Quick Note Before You Vote on Tuesday 🚨

As Chair of the Norwich Township Board of Trustees, I want to make sure our community has clear, local context as you head to the polls. Voting hours are 6:30 AM – 7:30 PM on Tuesday May 5, and you may be approached to sign a petition to abolish property taxes in Ohio.

If that happens, please decline to sign.

Here in Norwich Township, property taxes are a primary source of funding for essential services—including fire and emergency response, road maintenance, and other core services that keep our community safe and functioning every day. These are not optional services—they are the foundation of how we protect residents and respond in emergencies.

Right now, there is no defined plan to replace that funding if property taxes are eliminated. And townships do not have the authority to collect income or sales tax. That means real uncertainty for the services our residents depend on and the ability of local governments like ours to plan responsibly.

We all understand the desire for affordability and tax relief. But changes of this scale require thoughtful solutions.

👉 If you’re approached, it’s okay to say:
“I’m not comfortable signing without a clear plan for how our local services will be funded.”

As your Trustee, my priority is making sure Norwich Township remains safe, responsive, and fiscally responsible, today and into the future.

✔️ Vote
✔️ Stay informed
✔️ Protect the services that support our community by declining to sign the petition.

ProtectPublicServices.org for more information.

Protect Ohio’s essential public services by understanding the risks of eliminating property taxes and how it could impact schools, safety, and local communities.

04/06/2026

April marks the first quarter of Brian Rothenberg and my year as Norwich Township Trustees. It has been eventful and active but we are committed to our stated goals of listening to the community and doing our best to create transparency, ethics and conflict of interest standards.

Along the way we regretfully accepted the resignation of Trustee Rick Tidd and held an open process interviewing over a dozen candidates for Township Trustee in public sessions. State law required the appointment to be made within 30 days and on March 17th we welcomed Trustee Trish Barker to fill the unexpired term.

Here are just a few, but not all of our accomplishments in January, February and March:

-Joined the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission

-Began discussions with the Ohio AARP to become an Age Friendly Community

Took action on:
-Passage of a formal and transparent policy to choose Trustees and Fiscal Officers in the event of a vacancy including public interviews.

-Passage of a Norwich Township Right-of-Way Regulation Policy

-Moved year-end items to a new year January meeting from December

-Created a webpage for Finance Reports on the Township website and planning for an Annual Township Report

-Began first and second readings for new contracts and/or unbudgeted items

-Identified key concerns as discussion of the Big Darby Accord
Proceeded including:
-Budget Planning for TIF Payments
-Discussions on Fire Service in Annexed areas
-Discussions on remediation or financial assistance for sewer tie-ins.
-Collaboration with surrounding Townships and the City of Hilliard.

Ridgewood School drop off
-Engaged in a productive neighborhood meeting to explore solutions
-Began work on updating the Ridgewood parking resolution in place in accordance with the neighborhood agreement.
Coordinated with Hilliard Police Department and Hilliard City S-chools to work toward the proposed solutions.
-Worked with the Franklin County Engineer Adam Fowler to apply for a sidewalk grant on Ridgeview.

Discussion and began work on the creation and implementation of the following policies:
-Township Investment
-Township Purchasing
-Township Hiring policies
-Creation of a Capital Expenditure Fund
-Ethics language in all contracts.
-First and second readings for contracts and/or unbudgeted items

-Purchase of a new Fire Truck with provisions for labor protections and protections in case Township funding is impacted.

-Agreement between the City of Columbus Fire Department and the Norwich Fire Department to review response times and work together on response issues on a quarterly basis.

-Worked with the City of Columbus and Franklin County Auditor Michael Stinziano to estimate the amount of TIF funds for Fire Safety capital costs and timing of payments.

-Testimony on the impact of Data Centers and the AWS Fuel Cell facility with the Ohio General Assembly and the Ohio EPA.
-Identified key citizen protections with the AWS fuel cell facility and data center including inside and outside air monitoring, safety service protections and disbursement bonds in the event of closure.

-Approved a resolution requesting the PUCO to deny Aqua Ohio’s rate increase for Timberbrook Estates.

-Established twice monthly meetings – Held on the first and third Tuesday’s

03/26/2026

Please join in on the conversation by submitting public comments.

I am excited by the momentum and the way this plan is evolving in a way that is again inclusive of smaller jurisdictions.

Big Darby Accord Master Plan Amendment News!!!

This Big Darby Accord revision will impact Big Darby Creek’s water and aquatic life for generations to come. It will also shape development around us — in Columbus, Hilliard, Brown Township, Norwich Township, and Prairie Township.

The first Public Draft of the Big Darby Accord Master Plan Amendment is now available to view online at your convenience. The public comment period is open now through April 7, 2026.

This draft represents multiple rounds of community engagement, stakeholder discussions, and ongoing working sessions with the Big Darby Accord Review Team (BDART).

Please take a few minutes to:
• Check out the plan online
• Jot down your notes for public comment (due April 7)
• And most importantly — submit your comments!

Your voice matters, and this plan will affect our community and our natural resources for years to come.

View the Public Draft and submit comments here:
https://arcg.is/1nS1qa0