by Office Manager | Feb 28, 2023 | Community, Events, Funding, PCED Office
Paulding County Economic Development Press Release February 26, 2023
MVPO facilitates Antwerp community SWOT meeting
ANTWERP – The Antwerp community recently participated in a Strengths,Weaknesses ,Opportunities, Threats (SWOT) analysis with public input from village officials and community organization partners and residents. 32 guests participated in the public event, held at the Antwerp VFW community room. The collaborative event was hosted by the Paulding County Economic Development office and Antwerp Planning and Zoning Commission, and facilitated by Estee Miller with Maumee Valley Planning Organization (MVPO).
Miller noted, “Conducting SWOT analyses allow us to gain an understanding of the needs of a community and how we (MVPO) can leverage strengths and opportunities to meet those needs.”
The Antwerp community is blessed with many organizations and groups that provide: government oversite, community fundraising and input, not-for-profit facilitation, and philanthropic input throughout the year. Several of the noted groups that participated included: Antwerp Village Council, Carryall Township, Antwerp Chamber of Commerce, Antwerp Community Development Corporation (ACDC), Antwerp Rotary, Antwerp Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) and the Antwerp Planning and Zoning Commission.
Economic Development Director Tim Copsey set the stage, opening the meeting by explaining how the meeting came about: “While attending meetings with all of the Antwerp organizations, it was clear that each group has a goal or mission in mind to better the community. There just didn’t seem to be a clear interweaving of information or definition that each group was aware, or understood the goals of the other groups. This sharing of communication allows for all groups and community residents to collectively participate, and share, what each believes would be the pertinent pieces for a SWOT analysis”.
MVPO will take the data that was shared and gathered, and will develop a community survey. The survey data will guide MVPO, and the village, when future grants become available. Having data already collected saves time when grant application timelines are short.
This event follows similar events held around Paulding County. MVPO facilitated a similar event recently in the Village of Oakwood and the Village of Latty hosted their own independent analysis.
The Antwerp Planning and Zoning Commission also held a brief business meeting during the event and shared several zoning maps in hope of receiving feedback for future thoughts in regard to the traffic thoroughfare in the community.
Learn more about the Village of Antwerp www.villageofantwerp.com and for more information about Maumee Valley Planning Organization and their grant writing for Paulding, Defiance, Fulton, Henry, or Williams County contact them at 419-784-3882
by Office Manager | Feb 28, 2023 | Paulding County Business Weekly Radio Broadcast
Hear it here! Our next guest on Paulding County Business Weekly is Diana Savage, business development director for Beilharz Architects. Although Beilharz is not located in Paulding County, they help us fill a gap in the county as an architectural firm, and they have been an outstanding partner for projects in Paulding County.
Diana also represents Rotary International for the Northwest Ohio District. In this episode, she shares how her years in education have helped her understand students and the workforce. Diana’s expertise in all of these areas make her a great fit in representing Rotary International for the Northwest Ohio District.
Thanks to OhioMeansJobs, you can tune in Tuesdays & Thursdays at 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. or listen online at Click here to hear the episode! Paulding County Business Weekly is also available in podcast form through Apple, Google & Spotify. #pauldingcountystrong
by Office Manager | Feb 23, 2023 | Community, Funding, New Business, Property Development
Paulding County Economic Development Press Release February 22, 2023
Evaluation continues on Paulding County brownfield sites
PAULDING – The Paulding County Land Reutilization Committee (Land Bank) recently met for their February meeting. In addition to committee members, guests included the Ohio Brownfield Remediation Program EPA consultant Matt Wagner, with Tetra Tech, and Estee Miller, with Maumee Valley Planning Organization (MVPO).
Miller started the meeting updating the committee on many of the Ohio Blight program properties and introducing several agenda items that required decision and further discussion. In addition, some of the projects needed some legal counsel with county prosecutor Joe Burkard.
The group was then updated by Wagner on the Brownfield clean-up projects in the county. The project updates included: the Paulding Theatre and adjoining Noneman building, the 30-acre former Grizzley Asbestos Brake manufacturing facility, the 30-acre former Stokely Manufacturing facility, the Antwerp Park Station Bar building demolition; the Antwerp Sunoco gas station on West River Street, and the Grover Hill Depot building. Many of these properties are awaiting final approvals from Ohio EPA testing, although the Grizzley property has been approved. The EPA testing determined the required soil cap over all buried contaminants is solid and in place. The group now awaits Army Corp of engineer approval to level ponds on the site.
New business included updates from both Tetra Tech and MVPO in regard to communication from Columbus about the potential of remaining brownfield funds being made available per county, and if a new round of funding will be issued with the next state budget.
Conversation then noted a recent downtown Paulding apartment fire. The discussion then carried over into several potential properties around the county to review for remediation in the future.
For more information about Paulding County Land Reutilization committee or donating available properties, please reach out to the Paulding County Treasurer office 419-399-8281.
by Office Manager | Feb 17, 2023 | Paulding County Business Weekly Radio Broadcast
Hear it here! On this episode of Paulding County Business Weekly, we hear from Sales Manager Clint Blume and Inside Sales Representative Emil Stoller of
Haviland Drainage Products. Listen as they dive into the history of Haviland Drainage and how the company has become a national market supplier that continues to lead the industry using advanced technology and innovation. The team shares how they transformed from making old clay tile into developing the sophisticated new resin and recycled plastic products we see going into the fields today.
Thanks to OhioMeansJobs, you can tune in Tuesdays & Thursdays at 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. or listen online at
my1027.org/paulding-county-business-weekly. Paulding County Business Weekly is also available in podcast form through Apple, Google & Spotify. #pauldingcountystrong
by Office Manager | Feb 14, 2023 | Community, Funding, PCED Office, Workforce
Paulding County Economic Development Press Release February 13, 2022
OhioMeansJobs presents to Paulding County Commissioners
PAULDING – OhioMeansJobs (OMJ) representatives visited Paulding County to share information and answer questions here.
During some recent business retention and expansion (BR&E) visits in the county, HR Managers at manufacturing business sites shared some concerns and frustrations for their employees. This was in regard to the current unemployment system and payments. The concerns were noted by county Commissioner Mike Weible. This meeting came at the request of Commissioner Mike Weible to county economic development Director Tim Copsey to see if there might be some local OMJ support members to see how they might help.
The meeting was attended by Rocky Rockhold, Greater Ohio Workforce Board; Jamie Stemen, Program Delivery Supervisor, Office of Workforce Development, Ohio Department of Jobs & Family Services (OJFS); Michael Burkholder, Workforce Specialist, Office of Workforce Development OJFS; Nathan Strange, Program Delivery Manager, Office of Workforce Development, OJFS; local contact Tiffany Goings, OhioMeansJobs Defiance/Paulding Counties, Workforce Supervisor; PC commissioners Mark Holtsberry, Lisa McClure, Weible, Copsey and Kristen Schilt with the PC Economic Development office.
Copsey introduced Burkholder who in turn introduced the team and shared how the offices work closely with the county through the communication and collaboration of Goings and Copsey at the local level, and how other branches and higher levels are pulled in as necessary. This led to the sharing of questions and concerns from commissioners.
Rockhold stepped in and started from the top and shared how the “chain of command” works with the OhioMeansJobs hierarchy, including all that is involved from the federal level, all the way down through the state to the local level. In sharing the information, it was emphasized that despite their many roles and divisions, the team really was there to help and get questions answered or requests guided in the right direction. It was then realized that the unemployment questions and issues are not even covered in these branches of OhioMeansJobs, but actually from the Ohio unemployment side. This is an entirely different division of offices in Ohio. However, the representatives present could get the commissioners in touch with a contact from the unemployment division of the office at any time.
Once the unemployment information was understood, the conversation of all the additional pieces of help and collaboration that could take place with these representatives, was promoted. The current programs funded by the group, and new opportunities that could be beneficial were all noted for future projects and discussion.
Copsey pointed out that Goings is an outstanding county resource and that on many visits to area businesses she is invited and attends. This helps employers with workforce questions get answers both quickly and accurately and that the collaboration between offices remains strong.
All parties involved noted this was a very good meeting for learning and understanding and that a follow up meeting should be scheduled.
