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JEDD proposal alive despite recent setbacks
Wednesday, July 30, 2008 1:18 PM
By MIRIAM L. SEGALOFF
ThisWeek Staff Writer
Despite recent setbacks, Violet Township and Pickerington officials said this week that they intend to move forward with a proposed joint economic development district in northwest Fairfield County.
In June, Violet Township became the first of the five communities involved in the proposed district to commit to an agreement establishing the Northwest Fairfield County 33 Corridor Joint Economic Development District (JEDD).
The agreement seeks to establish a mile-wide business district along U.S. Route 33 from the village of Carroll, through Bloom and Violet townships, to Diley Road. In addition to the townships, the communities of Canal Winchester, Pickerington and Lancaster have participated over the last two years in developing the JEDD agreement.
In July, however, Bloom Township trustees voted against participating in the district. And last week, the Canal Winchester Village Council heard a number of arguments against it.
Violet Township trustees Gary Weltlich and Terry Dunlap said they were surprised and disappointed by the decision of Bloom Township trustees, especially since those trustees have been involved in crafting the agreement.
''I am very surprised,'' Weltlich said. ''I found out two days later that they not only discussed it, but they voted on it and they voted against it.''
If he had known, Weltlich said, he would have attended the meeting to answer any questions and assuage any lingering concerns.
''That doesn't mean I would have had any impact on the outcome,'' he said. ''But at least I wouldn't have had to hear it from a third party.''
Violet Township has taken the lead on developing the JEDD agreement. Among other things, it includes a prohibition against annexation of land in the district by the participating cities. In exchange, it allows the cities to share in revenue created by development in the JEDD area by putting in place a 2-percent income tax.
Establishing the JEDD requires the participation of only one township and one municipality, Weltlich said.
Dunlap said the JEDD is an economic development incentive and the largest portion of the tax revenue it generates will be used for infrastructure improvements.
He said he doesn't understand why Bloom Township officials wouldn't want such a tool at their disposal.
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more falling JEDDs
''It's not mandatory on any property owner,'' Dunlap said. ''It's an option sitting on a shelf if someone wants it. Why not have another tool you can offer for economic development?
''All these other townships and cities that are working together are prospering,'' he continued. ''Here we are ?‰ fighting ourselves, and no business wants to come here because of all the negativism.''
The greatest opposition to the JEDD has come from Fairfield County officials who argue that the district will compete with the Fairfield 33 Development Alliance, a public-private partnership established to market U.S. Route 33 to commercial developers. The alliance includes representatives from 26 entities, including governments, private companies, chambers of commerce and economic development department staffs in Violet Township, Canal Winchester, Fairfield County, Lancaster and Pickerington.
Fairfield County Development Director Bill Arnett told the Canal Winchester Village Council last week he has concerns about the JEDD.
''From my point of view, this is not about development,'' Arnett said. ''I think it's difficult to craft a JEDD without a need. The current JEDD contract will make it difficult to obtain investments.''
Canal Winchester Village Council has yet to vote on the agreement.
Pickerington City Manager Tim Hansley said Pickerington City Council has yet to consider the most recent version of the JEDD agreement.
''It's just kind of in limbo,'' Hansley said. ''I think they are waiting to see what all the other jurisdictions do before they go ahead.''
Still, Hansley said, he sees the JEDD as a positive and is advocating for council's approval.
''I would still say there is still a possibility of this JEDD, or something similar to it, happening, which would be to the advantage of Violet Township and Pickerington,'' he said. ''It is still my assessment that it is everyone's best interest to pursue this JEDD or something very similar to it.''
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Did you mean.....
FAILING JEDDS instead of Falling? The reason I ask is that this JEDD proposal has certainly failed. When 50% of the parties who stood the most to gain have unanimously voted to stay as far away from it as possible, isn?’t the message clear to the rest of the parties? Also, Lancaster Chamber voted against it and now the Canal Chamber has voted against it. Only the pathetic little Pickerington Chamber voted to support it. That?’s only because the Pickerington Chamber President lives in the Township and lives to do their bidding while stabbing at the city as much as possible.
I thought our new Mayor would have been able to reach out to the Chamber President to heal the festering wounds of the past but this does not seem to be happening. I attended the Jazz and Ribs event this weekend as witnessed the Chamber President screaming at the top of her lungs at one of the organizers of the event in the middle of Columbus Street. Is this any way for a person in her position to behave? At least the event coordinator had the dignity to walk away from the situation and not engage the raging Chamber President. I thought the Mayor, as a representative of probably one of the highest paying members of the Chamber would have been able to avert situations like this before they happened. I do know the Mayor has reached out to the Chamber but has he had his hand of friendship slapped away? I?’ll hope he answers that question.
So we have all these events this summer in the city and what is the common thread in all of them? The city, her elected officials and her employees have had a presence in all of them. So far all I can remember is that the city hosted the 4th of July festivities but they seemed to carry the lion?’s share of the work at all the events. Would the Bicentennial events have gone off as well as they have without the direct and indirect support of the city? I doubt it. I saw the Mayor at each and every Township event and saw he was seldom acknowledged by the Trustees as even being there let alone making all the contributions the city did. Would the Violet Festival have gone off as well as a pathetic Carney could without the city support? No Way! Would the Ribs Fest? Probably not. At each event the city hosted or took part in, the Mayor graciously spoke of the Bicentennial and the other events sponsored by the Chamber or the Old Village group. Wouldn?’t it be nice if they reciprocated?
I see problems between all the factions in this area. I can only hope the Mayor rises to the occasion and helps heals the wounds evident every event. I know most people think that Mayors just tend to city business but this one seems to be reaching out more and getting rebuked for it. I for one applaud his tact and approach and will continue to support him. The rest I just don?’t know about.
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a Rambler and a Gambler
So that was sort of a rambling tirade. Let's dissect it.
JEDD ?– Lost cause. The route 33 alliance, or whatever its current name is, has sped ahead of all other efforts in the area. Maybe it?’s time for some mayors to come together and pledge to support the effort destined to come out on top. Isn?’t the overarching goal to beneficially develop the area? Well, then let?’s all support developing the area. I am sick of Violet extorting cash for everything in life. Don?’t we, as a city, already pay them more than a quarter of a million dollars a year for nothing? That, with the high collection off the property valuation in their precious township should be enough to keep them fat and rich through the next decade. To partly coin an old phrase ?– GREED KILLS
Mayor reaching out - I think he has. I think he is trying more than all the past mayors combined to reach out to all facets of this area/county/region to seek common solutions to common problems. The problem is, with the exception of maybe Canal, he is up against the good old boys who have already been here forever and will always be here forever and anyone will get tired trying to push a boulder uphill. Nice try mayor, and you did what you said you?’d do in your campaign, but come on, you can?’t deal with the Harry/Gary/Terry/Good Old Bill show. Try instead to find candidates to run against part of the fearsome foursome next year.
Common threads ?– Mayor, you have done a remarkable job at being where you need to be to present a positive image for your office to this city. You are doing things that past mayors never thought worthy of their attention. You have yet to demonstrate an ego and for that, we are grateful. You did probably what will never be recorded in the annals of history in Pickerington. You hired who is probably the best city manager we ever had. Was that luck or providence? Who know and who cares? You got the right man. Besides you mayor, I have seen your manager at every event in this city this year. I have not seen every councilman but I have seen the mayor and manager. Perhaps we have a team there to be reckoned with. Who knows?
Mayor and manager, cut your loses. The Chamber is a loss. The Violet Festival is a loss. The bridge building with the township is a loss. Move on and focus inward. Do what is best for your residents and forget the rest.
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