Regional Growth Partnership/JobsOhio representatives visit Paulding County

Paulding County Economic Development Press Release                             February 18, 2025

PAULDING COUNTY – This week JobsOhio Food and Agriculture Director Tim Derickson, and Regional Growth Partnership (RGP) representative Jessica Sattler, joined Paulding County Economic Development Director Tim Copsey in conducting five business retention and expansion (BR&E) visits around the county.

The first stop of the day was at Mansfield Welding near the village of Melrose.  The family-owned business team was able to display and highlight some agriculture-related fabrication and welding and highlight a new process machine that was purchased with the assistance of a JobsOhio Small Business Grant, awarded in 2024.

The group then traveled and met with team members at Cooper Farms in Oakwood.  There was an in-depth conversation about agriculture and the different sectors of the Cooper Farm business, turkey, pork, and chicken.  Cooper Farms continues to be a county leader in employment, Ohio TechCred training reimbursement funds, as well as Workforce Opportunity Tax Credits (WOTC).

The team made a trek to Antwerp to visit PNJ Enterprises and learn about a small fabrication business that makes automated parts for the food service industry, before heading to the village of Broughton to learn about Nutri-Plus Fertilizer.  This family-owned business is annually providing plant nutrition for thousands of acres of crops in the agriculture industry.

The day closed out at Baughman Tile.  Baughman is a fifth-generation family-owned business that is celebrating its 142nd year in business.  The company manufactures plastic corrugated and solid-walled tiles for the agriculture and commercial industries.  The conversation about workforce, business, and the economy was lively.

JobsOhio exists to empower world-class corporations, entrepreneurs, and talented individuals to build their businesses and careers in Ohio.  Their advocacy and investments in partnership with the state enable sustainable economic growth and a better quality of life for all Ohioans through the power and dignity of work.

The Regional Growth Partnership (RGP) is the lead economic development organization and one of seven noted regions in the JobsOhio family and represents 17 counties in northwest Ohio.  RGP partners with local county economic development offices to offer grants, incentives, and funding programs where applicable.

PCBW: Tiffany Rockhold – OhioMeansJobs of Defiance & Paulding Counties

PCBW: Tiffany Rockhold – OhioMeansJobs of Defiance & Paulding Counties

Hear from Tiffany Rockhold, workforce supervisor at OhioMeansJobs, to learn all about the partnership, collaboration, and new programming and services that they offer from both the Paulding and Defiance County offices.

Huge thank you to OhioMeansJobs for sponsoring this program and for being this week’s guest!

You can tune in on Tuesdays & Thursdays at 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., or listen online at https://lnkd.in/d-gMvXxP. Paulding County Business Weekly is also available in podcast form through Apple, Google & Spotify. hashtagpauldingcountystrong

PC Land Bank Submits 2024 Blight Application

PC Land Bank Submits 2024 Blight Application

Paulding County Economic Development Press Release                             March 19, 2024

PAULDING – The Paulding County application for the Ohio Department of Development (ODOD) residential and commercial blight program was completed and submitted on March 8.  Estee Miller, Maumee Valley Planning Organization, shared with the Land Reutilization Committee (Land Bank) that the application for the residential and commercial blight program included 43 properties from throughout the county.  Miller shared that the estimated application price tag for remediation is $1,115,316.  The county was allocated $500,000 in the program.  Because the county exceeded the allocated amount, there will need to be $154,500 of match money provided by the Land Bank committee if the total application is accepted.  Purchased properties can also be considered match.

The committee was then updated on the progress of the former Paulding theatre lot by Tim Copsey, Paulding County Economic Development Director.  This project is one of several in the county using ODOD Brownfield program funds.  The theatre and adjacent building demolition has completed and all debris removed.  The replacement sidewalks along West Perry Street were framed, with cement recently poured.  The group will next be made aware of the cost of putting metal siding on the now exposed, east wall of the Hawg’s Tavern building.

The county continues to have ongoing remediation work taking place at the former Grizzley Brake property.  The current owners, Arvin Environmental Management, LLC have invested in having natural overgrowth and foliage removed about 40 feet inside the fence perimeter.  This has provided a much better view of the chain link fence enclosing the property, and revealed some needed repair.  Quotes are taking place on that now.  A bid application is also being prepared to drain ponds and level the dirt mounds, at both this site, and the former Stokely site across the road.

Final committee discussions were in regard to following up on properties still owned by the committee and understanding the upcoming mowing maintenance that will soon be required on the properties.  Thoughts were then shared in how to proceed in future marketing of remediated properties for development.

RGP presents JobsOhio Inclusion Grant to Paulding County

RGP presents JobsOhio Inclusion Grant to Paulding County

Paulding County Economic Development Press Release                                   January 18, 2024

RGP presents JobsOhio Inclusion Grant to Paulding County

PAULDING – Jessica Sattler, with the Regional Growth Partnership (RGP), recently came to Paulding County to present to local small business owners and leaders about an available business grant opportunity.  The JobsOhio Inclusion Grant (JOIG) is available to businesses located in the zip codes of Broughton, Cecil, Oakwood and Paulding villages.  In addition, the grant is available to female, veteran, disabled or minority owned businesses throughout the county.  Fifteen businesses were represented at the meeting by 16 individuals.

The RGP team is the NW Ohio arm of JobsOhio.  They help oversee 17 counties in northwest Ohio, including Paulding County, in economic development projects and grant opportunities.  With the JOIG opportunity, businesses that are over a year old and provide business to business services with at least $100,000 in annual revenue (but not over $25 million) are eligible to receive a $25,000 reimbursable grant.  An additional $25,000 is available to female, veteran, disabled or minority owned businesses that are located in the above-mentioned zip codes.  There is a requirement of increasing full time employment, within your business by 10%, over the next three years.  A business that has 10 or less employees would only need to increase by one full-time equivalent.  Last year Paulding County had two qualified businesses that applied and both received this reimbursable $25,000 grant.

The event was hosted at the Paulding Eagles and organized by the Paulding County Economic Development office, in conjunction with RGP and the Paulding & Defiance OhioMeansJobs office.  OMJ Workforce Supervisor Tiffany Rockhold shared several business partnership opportunities with attendees to make sure they were aware of the many options available through the OMJ office.

“The attendance of this event far exceeded what we expected, which shows that our business leaders are engaged and paying attention to opportunities our office is sharing,” stated Economic Development Director Tim Copsey.  “The questions and discussions that evolved out of this meeting to both Jessica and Tiffany were informative.  It’s great to see so many business leaders participating and thinking outside the box.  We are now using the knowledge that we gained from this presentation to reach out and meet with other business owners that weren’t able to attend and share in this opportunity”.

If an Ohio business would like to learn more about this grant opportunity and qualifications, please reach out to your local economic development office for more information.

JobsOhio Inclusion Grant Info Session for Local Businesses

JobsOhio Inclusion Grant Info Session for Local Businesses

Paulding County Economic Development Press Release                              January 5, 2024

JobsOhio Inclusion Grant Info Session for Local Businesses

Paulding County – Local business owners are invited to an informative session on the JobsOhio Inclusion Grant, presented by Jessica Sattler from the Regional Growth Partnership (RGP).

Date: Wednesday January 17, 2024

Time: 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM

Location: Paulding Eagles, 206 W Perry St, Paulding

This session will highlight grant opportunities for businesses in the specific communities of Paulding, Broughton, Cecil, and Oakwood. Qualifying businesses may access a $25,000 grant. Additionally, minority, female, disabled, or veteran-owned businesses may qualify for further funding opportunities.

To attend, RSVP to Paulding County Economic Development at office@pced.net or call 419-399-8295.

 

Q4 Zoning Inspector Meeting

Paulding County Zoning Inspector Meeting                                                 December 7, 2023

PAULDING – The fourth quarter and final Paulding County Zoning Inspector meeting was hosted recently at the Paulding County Economic Development (PCED) office.  Sarah McCabe from the Paulding County Auditor office shared 2023 permit reports with inspectors present from their respective townships and villages.

PCED Director Tim Copsey provided updates on land bank projects and informed the group about where the land bank stands on Ohio Department of Development funding and how funds remaining from the previous round are being allocated.  There is a growing list of structures being accumulated now for the next round of funding.  Applications for this funding will be due April 1, 2024.

Copsey also shared that as blight is being removed and properties are being remediated, there is also an opportunity for the land bank to purchase these open lots with the purpose of selling to residential builders for building new speculative homes.  As these opportunities transpire, it is important for the zoning inspectors to have accurate zoning information available and be involved early in the building discussions.

McCabe then closed out the meeting showing the Paulding County Auditor GIS website and sharing information about how to navigate the site along with helpful hints in finding the critical information in research.

The 2024 first quarter meeting will be held on March 14 at 6 pm at the PCED office.