LEWISBURG — Lewisburg Village Council held the first reading of an ordinance allowing the Preble County Auditor to assess the property which was originally set to become the Big Belly Brewery for funds to pay back over a million dollars to the Warren County Port Authority.
The ordinance renewed the “levying of special assessments for the purpose of acquiring, constructing, equipping, improving and installing certain public improvements in the Village of Lewisburg, in cooperation with the Lewisburg Energy Special Improvements District, and determining to directly bill certain installments of those special assessments and re-certify any unpaid directly-billed assessments of remaining installments of those special assessments to the Preble County Auditor for collection.”
The ordinance deals with money the now defunct Big Belly Brewery received through the Warren County Port Authority, according to village officials — roughly $1.4 million The funding was to be used for energy-related improvements, such as LED lighting and special heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. The ordinance allows the assessment and collection of the money from the brewery property’s tax assessments (approximately $37,000/half.) The property is in foreclosure and will be going up for Sheriff’s Auction, and the buyer will be subject to the $1.4 million lien.
Council voted to waive the three readings and approved the ordinance.
In other business:
Preble County Convention and Visitors Bureau Board member Jane Wickham introduced council members to the Yodel Community Calendar and provided information regarding the program and how to get organizations and businesses listed.
Mayor Marsha Jones reported on several activities, including the May 6 retirement celebration for K-9 Officer Apollo, and the most recent Lewisburg Business Leaders and Preble County Mayors meetings. She also invited participation in the upcoming United Way Golf Outing, (Friday, June 9.)
Municipal Manager Jeff Sewert reported the newly formed Lewisburg Arts & Recreation nonprofit had received a sponsorship donation from the PCCVB in the amount of $1,500. The LAR is an organization tasked with helping support and promote the arts and activities in the Village of Lewisburg. Sewert also reported on progress on the engineering of future wastewater treatment plant improvements, a donation of trees from Cargill, and provided an update on electric aggregation measures under way in the City of Eaton in the event the Village of Lewisburg wanted to investigate the possibility.
Reach Eddie Mowen Jr. at 937-683-4061 and follow on Twitter @emowenjr.
