by Office Manager | Jan 24, 2024 | Business Expansion, Community, Events, Funding, Jobs, Membership, PCED Office
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.
by Office Manager | Jan 5, 2024 | Business Expansion, Events, Funding, New Business, Property Development
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.
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.
