Commissioners provide updates on economic development, state park funding
In a productive and efficient four-minute meeting of the Highland County Board of Commissioners Wednesday, May 21, board members Tom Horst and Jeremy Shaffer passed several resolutions and provided updates on an ongoing consulting project and potential improvements at Rocky Fork Lake State Park.
Commissioners said InSite Consulting LLC from Greer, S.C. is in the county this week, meeting with local manufacturers and touring the industrial park areas.
InSite Consulting is "a multifaceted consulting group offering services in site selection, economic development consulting and training, and real estate.
"With over four decades of combined experience, the InSite team has performed site selection services for some of the world's best-known companies including Mercedes Benz, Procter & Gamble and Black & Decker," according to its website, www.insiteconsultinggroup.com.
InSite Consulting's visit was a followup to a March 2014 one-day seminar on attracting new industry and attended by Highland County Commissioner Shane Wilkin and Nicole Oberrecht, Highland County Commission clerk.
The seminar was the first in a three-part Community Economic Development Academy that will culminate in a mock site visit by the consultants to Highland County. The academy, sponsored by the Appalachian Partnership for Economic Growth and funded by AEP Ohio, was attended by economic development professionals representing 17 counties.
The purpose of the academy is to help local economic development professionals and key community leaders understand the types of information required and why they must be able to respond quickly to site planners' requests for information.
“The days of industry attraction relying on golf outings and fine dining are over,” said Tonya Crist, an InSite consultant.
“Companies ask us to gather dozens of very specific data points which we feed into a computer model that identifies those communities who fulfill basic qualifications. If you can’t quickly provide not only basic information but project specific information, your community will not be considered.”
Among data basics are details on the land or facility proposed for the project, the area’s average industrial utility costs, excess sewerage and water capacity and proximity to roads. Project specifics can range from rail access to space for future expansion and facility ceiling height to minimum number of loading docks.
The Appalachian Partnership for Economic Growth (APEG) is one of six JobsOhio regional partners working to create jobs and economic growth for Ohio.
Headquartered in Nelsonville, APEG serves 25 Ohio counties and provides Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) services to an additional three border counties for a total of 28 counties.
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Permissive sales taxes increase
For the fourth consecutive month the county's permissive sales taxes have increased.
Highland County Auditor Bill Fawley reported this week that the May 2014 revenues were $490,371.53 (for March sales). This is an increase of $13,704.34 from the 2013 tax revenues.
Last month's sales tax revenues were $450,961, up from $443,811 a year ago.
"The good news continues," Fawley said. "The sales tax that the county will be receiving this week is 2.87 percent higher than May 2013. The receipts to date (January-May) are 2.9 percent higher than 2013, with only January being lower than last year. The increase is not a huge amount, but having any increase is better than the decreases we had in 2008 and 2009. I assume the 'buy local' campaign has helped."
The March 2014 revenues were $580,370.34 – the highest one-month total in more than seven years.
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Contact ODNR for local state park improvements
• Commissioner Horst once again reminded Highland County residents to go online and let the Ohio Department of Natural Resources of potential upgrades for Rocky Fork Lake State Park.
Last month, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) announced that the state will invest more than $88.5 million in capital improvements at Ohio state parks over the next two years.
These funds are not meant to expand Ohio state parks, but to serve as a step toward improving and updating the parks.
In order to assist in identifying key projects, ODNR has launched a website to allow everyone to submit their ideas for improvements within the Ohio State Parks system.
By visiting http://parks.ohiodnr.gov/improvements, people can fill out a survey to suggest improvements at their favorite state park.
"We are asking people to go online and let ODNR know that we need upgrades to the facilities and beach areas at Rocky Fork Lake State Park," Horst said this week. The commissioner has also encouraged residents to speak out in support of Paint Creek Lake State Park.
Ohio is one of only seven states in the nation where admission to its parks is free.
Last year, 2.3 million people spent at least one night in an Ohio state park campground, cottage, cabin or lodge.
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Resolutions
In other action, commissioners approved the following resolutions, each by a 2-0 vote:
• A request from Help Me Grow for additional appropriation to the HMF Fund from unappropriated funds in the amount of $1,000.
• Additional appropriation from unappropriated funds to the Capital Improvement, Other Expense in the amount of $26,157.75.
• A request from Highland County Senior Citizens Center for additional appropriation from unappropriated funds to the Senior Citizens, Health Insurance in the amount of $4,000.
• A request from the Probation Department for a budget modification to Jail Diversion Budget.
• Authorizing Rhonda McCane to attend the CORSA Department Head Training on May 28 for Shane Wilkin and Tom Horst.
• A request by the Highland County Department of Job & Family Services for a modification of funds for the WIA.
The May 21 meeting was called to order at 8:31 a.m. and adjourned at 8:35 a.m.