CAMDEN — The highlight of Camden Village Council’s Thursday, Aug. 18 meeting was the approval of a resolution for a Community Reinvestment Area agreement and a Tax Increment Financing agreement for a proposed Ohio Slitting and Storage expansion.
During its Aug. 4, meeting, council announced its intention to move ahead with Project Green, an agreement with Ohio Slitting and Storage (also known as Greenpoint Metals) to expand its facilities in Camden. The project would see Greenpoint Metals adding 88,000 square feet to their existing property, hiring 23 local employees, and expanding payroll by $1.53 million.
Project Green is anticipated by council to increase revenue for both the village and village residents substantially. The funding for the expansion will be subsidized by the CRA and TIF agreements.
During the Aug. 18 meeting, council approved the formation of both the CRA and TIF ordinances to begin the project.
Justin Sommer, Director of Economic Development with the Preble County Development Partnership, commented on the approval saying, “It’s not often that projects like these come through the village — it’s not often they even come through the county. A lot of work goes into preparing the documents before (council) — it is an important consideration whenever you are awarding tax credits and incentives to businesses for their expansion. As all economic ventures are, it’s a team effort. From the local level, all the way up to the state level.”
Sommer concluded, the PC Development Partnership looks forward to the investment Project Green aims to make in the county.
In other business:
• Council approved a resolution granting Deputy Village Administrator Benjamin Gunderson full time employment. During council’s Aug. 4 meeting, the action was denied full-time employment due to a lack of favorable votes. Council member Jeff Steele had been the deciding vote in opposition during that meeting, but, after consideration, Steele led the vote in favor of Gunderson’s move to full-time employment during the Aug. 18 meeting. The vote in favor of moving Gunderson to full time employment was unanimous.
• Council voted to split the cost of replacing the Camden-Somers Fire Department’s sidewalk with the township.
• During a previous meeting, council approved the employment of Patsy Capps as the Clerk of Courts for Camden Mayor’s Court. The previous Clerk of Courts, Nancy Melton, recently resigned her position. Melton remarked, she has the utmost faith in Capps for the position, and has no doubt she will be a suitable replacement. Melton will train Capps for the position before officially stepping down.
Camden Village Council meetings are public meetings held on the first and third Thursdays of each month, at 7 p.m. at Camden Town Hall.
