by Office Manager | Dec 7, 2023 | Community, Funding, PCED Office
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.
by Isabella Carwile | Dec 5, 2023 | Business Expansion, Community, Funding, Jobs, Membership, Paulding County Business Weekly Radio Broadcast, PCED Office
What can Paulding County Economic Development do for you? Listen in on this week’s PCBW episode to learn from the Director, Tim Copsey, and Office Manager, Kristen Schilt, about the programs, incentives, grants, and other resources their office can provide for Paulding County businesses. We invite you to follow along as we continue to highlight businesses in our area by tuning in on My102.7.FM every Tuesday & Thursday at 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. or Click Here to Listen Online! This episode is also available on several podcast platforms including Apple, Google, And Spotify. Thank you to our incredible sponsor OhioMeansJobs. #pauldingcountystong
by Office Manager | Oct 12, 2023 | Community, Funding, Property Development
Paulding County Economic Development Press Release October 10, 2023
Former Grizzley Brake property remediation discussion continues
PAULDING – The Paulding County Land Bank met for their October meeting this week.
The meeting led off with Paulding County EPA Consultant Matt Wagner, from Tetra Tech, sharing positive communication from the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), in regard to the man-made ponds located on the former Grizzley Brake property. There is just over 2.5 acres of the entire 37 acre property that is actually protected as “wetlands”. As long as this part of the property is left alone, the rest of the property can be remediated for future commercial use.
The property has recently changed owners as the new owners, Cummins Engine, have acquired the assets of Arvin Environmental Management, LLC. With the change of ownership, and positive communication from USACE , a meeting has taken place between Wagner, Land Bank representative Mike Kauser, and Tim Copsey with Paulding County Economic Development office. The group has developed a plan forward for Cummins investment into immediate foliage clean-up and fence repair around the overall brownfield property. Remediation inside the fence will come from state allocated funds. All parties are excited with the discussion, immediate, and future plans of the site. Also noted, with less concern, is the remediation of the old Stokely Factory site, located across the road to the west of the Grizzley site.
There are also new brownfield projects being submitted for consideration and review. A former grain mill property, currently owned by Patriot Rail in the Village of Antwerp, and the former Winkle building in Paulding, currently owned by the village. Grant applications will be submitted to fund EPA testing to determine if there are hazardous materials in either structure.
Estee Miller with Maumee Valley Planning Organization brought the group up to date in regard to the county residential blight program. Five projects have been submitted to the state to use up remaining Round 1 funds. The state recently confirmed remaining funds could still be used by each county.
Additionally, residential and commercial properties have been identified by the Land Bank for use of Round 2 funds. To date, Miller has received 5 confirmed applications from property owners around the county. Many more have been contacted by Miller & Copsey. The committee has opted to proactively reach out to additional property owners in a concerted effort to maximize the utilization of the $500,000 in county-allocated funds for blight removal.
The meeting closed out with open discussion of several new project thoughts and how the group might best use county land bank proceeds to benefit the county overall.
For more information please contact Paulding County Economic Development or Maumee Valley Planning Organization.
by Office Manager | Apr 26, 2023 | Community, Funding, PCED Office
Paulding County Economic Development Press Release April 20, 2023
Solicitor discussion tops Paulding County Mayor Association meeting
PAULDING – The Paulding County Mayors Association recently held a second quarter meeting. Discussion amongst the group was the recent appointment of Harvey Hyman as new Probate Judge. His appointment brought a mandated resignation as solicitor for many of the county villages. With the shortage of attorneys in the county, and the overall region, the villages are all working to lock in replacements for the position. A list of the village solicitors in the county was updated with several villages still in search.
The meeting was opened by Paulding Mayor Greg White. A presentation followed by Doug Blackwood, VP of Treasury Sales Management at Premier Bank. Blackwood shared information about a local option for municipal banking. Bundle options and various tier benefits were highlighted. Blackwood encouraged each municipality that has interest to set up a meeting to find the best fit option for their village.
Also sharing information was Brandon Manz with Manz Insurance and Accounting. Manz shared community frustrations for how RITA and CCA income tax collection is facilitated. The information followed discussion from previous mayor meetings about a futuristic solution for potentially having a county representative that could facilitate this tax collection. Manz sees this model currently working well for Hicksville, Defiance and Napoleon.
PC EMA Director Ed Bohn communicated information about county tornado sirens and current testing. It was identified during a recent storm that not all sirens are working. There was good discussion if EMA, or the village and township owners of the sirens, are responsible for testing and reporting. Bohn is also ensuring that testing will continue and offered solutions for community representatives to share results of testing. Bohn also noted that the county mitigation plans are complete and will be shared in May. The plan will be submitted and then go live July 1, 2023.
Bohn then shared information about the April 8, 2024 Total Solar Eclipse and the influx of population each village and township can expect from April 4-8, 2024. Bohn will present information at each village council meeting multiple times throughout the next year. Bohn closed by stating any village that has railroad may request a presentation from EMA about current updates in railroad safety following the devastating events in East Palestine, Ohio.
Economic Development Director Tim Copsey guided the second half of the meeting to discuss:
- The 2023-24 Ohio fiscal budget at the state house seems promising that the blight program may be funded again for both commercial and residential. As this discussion continues Copsey encouraged the villages to continue to think “outside the box” in residential or commercial properties that need remediated, and establish property parcel numbers or addresses to submit to Maumee Valley Planning for review. More details to follow once the budget is approved on June 30.
- PC Zoning Inspectors had their first meeting in March hosted by PCED. County Prosecutor Joe Burkard, and Assistant Matt Miller, were on hand to share their knowledge and answer questions for the inspectors. With many of the inspectors having limited experience the group felt the meeting was beneficial and decided to meet again next quarter.
Other open discussion included:
- Current water and sewer rates. Discussion turned to current charges, how that is working and potential ways to increase fees to stay current for future EPA grant funding as needed.
- The PCED office is developing a hard copy Paulding County service directory for residents that may not be cell phone or internet savvy. The hope is to have this list available in all villages going forward.
The group will meet again at 6pm, Wednesday, July 19, 2023.
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 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.
