Commissioners report progress with Leesburg Industrial Park, Corvac Composites
By Rory Ryan
The Highland County Press
The Highland County Board of Commissioners and the village of Leesburg have received positive news on the availability of high-speed Internet services around the Leesburg Industrial Park.
As reported at the July 15, Board of Commissioners’ meeting, through their work with InSite Consulting LLC of Greer, S.C., commissioners addressed the issue of high-speed online technology.
After receiving an approximate estimate of $50,000 for fiber optics installation, commissioners spoke with the Fairfield Local School District and East Ambulance in Leesburg and learned that both have existing high-speed Internet.
“A Time Warner Cable representative confirmed there is fiber in the Leesburg Industrial Park,” Commission President Shane Wilkin said. “This will be a substantial savings.”
“We can now say (to interested businesses) ‘There is fiber available,’ instead of saying ‘We can get fiber to the park,’” Commissioner Tom Horst said.
In promoting the Leesburg Industrial Park for future development opportunities, commissioners said they continue to work with InSite Consulting and the Community Economic Development Academy (CEDA), which is sponsored by the Appalachian Partnership for Economic Growth and funded by AEP Ohio.
“Overall, it looks really good, but we have a lot to do with the ‘relaunching’ of the Industrial Park,” Wilkin said. “This puts us in a better position in the future. It puts the park on a shorter list of sites. It doesn’t mean we’ll be getting a new manufacturer that employs 100 people. It means our site will be ready.”
“It moves us up the list as a more attractive location,” Horst said.
Wilkin added that through the CEDA program, the county learned that site preparation in advance of possible development was essential.
The county and the village are working to enhance the site preparation of the Leesburg Industrial Park.
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• In other business, Wilkin said he was in recent discussion with Corvac Composites, which has reached an agreement to acquire an existing 175,000-square-foot facility in Greenfield.
“Corvac still seems to be going fine,” Wilkin said, adding that another meeting was scheduled in Columbus “to keep the project moving forward.”
Highland County Auditor Bill Fawley commended Wilkin for his extensive work with Corvac Composites.
Corvac Composites, LLC, headquartered in Kentwood, Mich., is positioned to open a new manufacturing location in Greenfield in the former RR Donnelley facility located at 1025 North Washington St. The acquisition is anticipated to close in the third quarter of 2015, with new production slated for early 2016.
The new business development could lead to as many as 200 new jobs in Highland County.
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• Commissioner Jeff Duncan presented updates on meetings with contractors and architects on major renovation projects at the Hi-TEC Center and the Highland County Justice Center.
The heavy rains in June and July have slowed the progress on the new roof at the Justice Center, Duncan said.
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• Commissioner Horst said he met with Leesburg Mayor Danny Daulton and said progress continues on the railroad upgrades near Candle-lite in Leesburg.
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Resolutions
In other action, commissioners approved the following resolutions, each by a 3-0 vote:
• Commissioners reclassified Resolution 14-134, with the original date of June 18, 2014, to Transfers Out instead of Advances Out in the amount of $2,396.12.
• A request from the Highland County Department of Job and Family Services for a reimbursement of funds from CSEA Administrative Account, Reimbursement to Public Assistance in the amount of $10,275.92 for shared cost distribution for June 2015.
• A modification from County, Transfers Out to Commissioners, Other Expense in the amount of $2,500.
• A request from Probation for additional appropriation to Probation Account in the amount of $4,000 and an advance from Probation to Prosecutorial Diversion in the amount of $4,000.
• Additional appropriation from unappropriated funds to County Airport, Other Expenses in the amount of $29,065.
• A release of funds from the Highland County Department of Job and Family Services to the Mahoning County Department of Job and Family Services in the amount of $51,423.80.
• An acceptance of funds from the Mahoning County Department of Job and Family Services, Title XX/TANF, to the Highland County Department of Job and Family Services in the total amount of $100,000.
• A request from EMA for a modification of funds within the EMA Budget for a total amount of $5,000.
• A request from the Clerk of Courts for additional appropriation to the Computer Fund, Other Expense in the amount of $21,010.97.
• A resolution to approve a bid of $175,800 from Wellers Heating and Plumbing to replace the original heating and air conditioning at the Hi-TEC Center. The original HVAC was installed when the building was initially used as an indoor skating rink.