by Isabella Carwile | Dec 18, 2024 | Business Expansion, Community, PCED Office, Property Development, Workforce
Paulding County Economic Development Press Release
PAULDING – The quarterly Paulding County zoning inspectors meeting took place on Wednesday at the Paulding County Economic Development Office. This group morphed out of quarterly county mayor’s meetings and has developed as a way to bridge communication gaps and further effort in zoning consistency and collaboration amongst the county.
The main agenda item was to start collecting the list of zoning fees for each municipality and township. These lists will be compiled into a spreadsheet that will allow a comparison of costs and the variation of fees. Those in attendance shared their table of fees which started a comparison discussion. The group determined that if the zoning fee tables were submitted to the courthouse, they could be found on the recorder’s website.
Sarah McCabe, with the county auditor’s office, shared that they will be sharing year end data for building permit summaries. These would be regarding commercial, residential, agriculture, mobile homes, and destroyed mobile home permits issued in 2024.
Brian Harder, with the county engineer’s office, shared that since the county GIS system was implemented visits to the office have diminished greatly. It was questioned about how many zoning maps are on file with the engineering office. Harder reported that less than 50% of the maps are on file. The group will work with the office to increase this amount.
General conversation turned to the county health department and the septic verification program. Recently the county has started to lay out the plan for verifying septic systems around the county are operating correctly and efficiently. More information about this state-required program will be forthcoming from the department.
Tim Copsey, county economic development director offered information about the county land bank funds from the State of Ohio. Earlier this week, the Ohio Department of Development moved forward with committing the $500,000 allocation to the county and asked for final paperwork to be submitted by January 6. Estee Blair, with Maumee Valley Planning Organization, will submit this information for the county. Demolition bids will then be sent out for the 42 submitted properties around the county.
Participants this quarter represented Washington Township, Carryall Township, Crane Township, Paulding Village, Cecil Village, the county auditor office, the county engineer office, and economic development. The group agreed to meet again on March 19th, 2025.
by Isabella Carwile | Dec 11, 2024 | Business Expansion, Community, Events, Jobs, PCED Office, Property Development, Workforce
Paulding County Economic Development Press Release
PAULDING– The Paulding County Economic Development (PCED) office hosted the fourth quarter Business Advisory Council (BAC) Committee meeting this week. The meeting was held in the newly remodeled OSU Extension building on the campus of the Paulding County Fairgrounds.
Twenty-one business leaders and educators introduced themselves so participants understood where and how each attendee fits into Paulding County’s growth. The event was moderated by PCED Director Tim Copsey. Copsey shared how the council is stronger with participation and how it can benefit school, student, and business relationships around the county, for the future.
Guests heard a summary of recent BAC Steering Committee activity. The committee meets quarterly for months just prior to full council meetings. This committee digs deeper into the details of how to develop collaboration between businesses and educators and helps guide future development within the BAC. For the 2024-25 school year BAC template submission to the Ohio Education Association, 28 programs were identified and reported that were taking place between businesses and educators in the county. This committee is now reviewing each of these programs individually to see if they remain viable, are relevant to business today, and if we can emulate them at other schools or businesses within the county. The review will continue throughout the year.
As they started out in the past, this group was mentored by other high-performing BAC groups around the state. The Ottawa County BAC has offered an invite for the Paulding County members to join in one of their upcoming meetings to see how they run their BAC and if anything could be learned for the future. The group will look at the date and see if there might be an opportunity to participate in a collaborative meeting soon.
Discussion also took place regarding connecting with last year’s high school graduates. It would be of interest to the BAC to be able to share open employment opportunities, from around the county, with graduates and with current college students. This would allow students to see employment opportunities, within their field of study, as they determine their employment future.
One highlighted area, for possible improvement from the committee, is with the OhioMeansJobs employment portal. It was noted that this seems cumbersome for students. A meeting has been scheduled to see if there may be an opportunity to walk through this portal with students and OMJ state leadership to see how training may help, or if there needs to be some tweaking to the portal itself. Results will be shared with the committee at a future meeting.
All three county high schools addressed the group sharing new and exciting things taking place with each of them. Superintendent Rick Turner shared updates from Vantage Career Center and Northwest State Community College Van Wert campus Dean of Students Jon Tomlinson shared information in regard to the college.
Copsey closed out the meeting sharing information about potential opportunities that have taken place in other nearby counties that the BAC should consider. This included a business breakfast at Patrick Henry High School and an elementary business expo at Holgate Elementary. Also shared were dates of April 2 for the Paulding County Business, College, and Career Showcase and June 2-5 & 9 for the 2025 Paulding County Teacher Bootcamp. The boot camp is provided by the State of Ohio to offer local high school administrators and educators the opportunity go out to tour and meet local business professionals while receiving continuing college credit.
The PC BAC will convene again in February with a Steering Committee meeting and a full membership meeting in March
by Isabella Carwile | Dec 10, 2024 | Business Expansion, Community, Events, Membership, PCED Office
Paulding County Economic Development Press Release
PAULDING, OH – The Paulding County Economic Development (PCED) Board of Directors gathered for their final lunch meeting of 2024 to establish final details for a 2025 operating budget. Lively discussion took place as the group listened to recommendations from the Financial Committee and analyzed both income and expense line items to try and establish a final budget for next year.
Economic Development Director Tim Copsey updated the board on current project updates including the potential 80-acre development project near the US24/Highway 49 intersection in Antwerp; a water/sewer feasibility study at the US24/Highway 127 interchange; the Grizzley and Stokely brownfield projects and the 53-acre industrial park all located in Paulding Village.
Old business discussions included marketing updates on the PCED website and a business vehicle purchase. The Marketing Committee is looking at updates on the company website to modernize a section explaining the history of the county. The hope is that the summary will be more about recent economic development and less about the actual history of the county. A future committee meeting is scheduled.
Discussion also continued regarding the purchase of a company vehicle for the office. Paying out mileage for monthly company-driven miles is getting more expensive and often fluctuates depending on inside and outside-of-county business travel. The hope is that a purchased vehicle will allow more standard control of monthly costs. The project will continue to be studied and evaluated by the financial committee before a final decision is voted on.
Regarding new business, the financial committee proposed a thought to the board in a potential future conversion of office accounting, from a traditional Quickbooks program to a not-for-profit accounting system. There is a full understanding the accounting would be quite different, but it may be more accurate accounting for the larger amount of earmarked funds the office is handling. This will also be a continued board discussion.
The board also started the opening process of putting together a slate of 2025 officers. This slate will be presented to be voted on in the January 2025 board meeting.
The meeting closed out with the board members each sharing business updates with each other. This sharing of information often entices collaboration and powerful business discussions for future economic development throughout the county.
by Isabella Carwile | Dec 3, 2024 | Community, Membership, Paulding County Business Weekly Radio Broadcast, PCED Office, Workforce
Listen to our next Paulding County Business Weekly episode as we meet our new Paulding County Recorder Elect, Sarah Shuherk. Sarah shares what takes place in the Recorder’s office and how it is an important piece of the county’s history and future. We can’t thank OhioMeansJobs enough for sponsoring this program and the team at My102.7FM for making it happen. You can tune in on Tuesdays & Thursdays at 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., or Click Here to Listen Online! Paulding County Business Weekly is also available in podcast form through Apple, Google & Spotify. #pauldingcountystrong
by Isabella Carwile | Jun 12, 2024 | Business Expansion, Community, PCED Office, Property Development
Paulding County Economic Development Press Release – June 12th, 2024
PAULDING – The Paulding County Land Reutilization Committee met in June to share information and receive updates about many completing and some new projects.
Several positive comments have been expressed to the committee in regard to a site recently remediated in the Village of Payne. The property, located just on the south edge of the village along Highway 49 at the Flat Rock Creek bridge, was purchased by the Land Bank committee last winter. The committee was able to contract with Dangler Excavating and had several old semi-trailers, a structure and some other trash removed prior to grading and seeding the lot. The noticeably clean property was then sold to the commercial building owner next door.
Paulding County Treasurer, and Land Bank Committee President Lou Ann Wannemacher, shared that the Land Bank has finalized purchase of the trailer court located at 802 N. Main Street in Paulding. The purchase from S&N Partnership,LLC will allow for some very aged mobile homes to be removed and remediation of the property to make room for future development. This trailer court had a fire last winter in which three residents lost their lives.
Another property purchase that has local attention is the former Faith Alive Church building located at 220 N. Williams Street in Paulding. This building will be removed to make way for the new Paulding Veterans of Foreign Wars Memorial. There has been much inquiry about some of the stain glass windows, pews and other memorabilia inside the building. The committee is working with local auctioneer Larry Gorrell to have an online auction in the future for purchase of the items. More information will be shared about the auction dates as this project develops.
Matt Wagner, with EPA consultant Tetra Tech, shared information about the final clean-up procedures at the former Liberty Fuel Station, that was located in front of the former Varner’s Trailer Court on the east side of Antwerp. A final soil test is being procured. A low contamination reading will allow the sale of the property. Wagner also reported the Stokely and Grizzley remediation projects are still on hold awaiting Ohio Department of Development (ODOD) approvals of the remediation application.
Turning to residential and commercial building blight, Estee Blair, local land bank consultant with Maumee Valley Planning Organization, asked the committee for review and approval of a grading template that would provide her office a systematic process to determine awarded demolition contractors for future projects. Following questions and discussion, the committee approved the template as presented. Blair also noted that there still has been no response to the 47 projects submitted to ODOD for Paulding County remediation.
In final discussion of the full agenda meeting, the Land Bank committee had the opportunity to acquire two parcels in the unincorporated Village of Mandale, located in the county’s southeast corner. The parcels were not purchased in a recent foreclosure auction. The committee agreed to accept the parcels to try and remediate them and contribute to a positive change in the area.
by Office Manager | May 21, 2024 | Community, New Business, PCED Office
PAULDING, OH – Hidn Treasures LLC, a unique artisan market, proudly announces its grand opening at 1007 N Williams St, located between Subway and Marathon in Paulding, Ohio. The doors officially opened on February 28, 2024, marking the realization of a long-held dream for the shop owner.
Heather Sherburn, a local entrepreneur with over 20 years of management experience and a background in marketing and direct sales, Hidn Treasures LLC brings a distinctive shopping experience to Paulding. Heather previously served as a marketing director and branch manager at a bank, and discovered a passion for creating custom resin pieces, sparking the idea for this new business idea.
“It has always been a dream of mine to own my own business,” shared owner Heather Sherburn. “About five or six years ago, I started envisioning a storefront instead of constantly setting up at flea markets and vendor shows. After much prayer and guidance, the right opportunity presented itself. With the support of the Paulding County Economic Development team and valuable input from Lisa Becher at Northwest State Community College SBDC, my vision quickly became a reality.”
Hidn Treasures LLC offers a wide variety of handmade, hand-crafted, and hand-baked goods, emphasizing the importance of supporting local artisans. The store also hosts DIY workshops and offers gift certificates, providing the community with both unique products and creative experiences.
“Owning this business means the world to me,” Heather shared. “I am passionate about helping people and supporting local small businesses. I would rather spend a little more to support a single mom or a family trying to make ends meet, rather than a major corporation. Our small business cares deeply about the community and our customers.”
The founder is eager for the community to know that 95% of the products in Hidn Treasures LLC are handmade by local vendors, offering items that can’t be found in big chain stores. This commitment to quality and community sets Hidn Treasures apart as a destination for unique and meaningful shopping.
Find them on Facebook at Hidn Treasures LLC
Hidn Treasures LLC invites everyone to visit the new store and experience the charm and quality of handmade, local products. Join us in celebrating the grand opening and supporting the local community.
