Richland Area Chamber reports surge of projects, highlights port authority, broadband and solar plans

The Richland Area Chamber and Economic Development presented a midyear update to the Richland County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 26, describing a spike in project activity, newly formed tools for development and workforce and marketing initiatives intended to sustain growth.

In a presentation to the commissioners and County Administrator Andrew Keller, Ellen Hines, CEO and president of the Richland Area Chamber and Economic Development, said the chamber helped create the Richland County Port Authority as “a vehicle” to catalyze development and that the port has approved two projects with more in the pipeline. Hines said confidentiality requirements prevent sharing full details until deals are finalized, but that several projects are advancing toward closing.

Hines noted regional outreach efforts, including a Team NEO (Northeast Ohio partner of JobsOhio) visit that she said drew praise, and said she was selected for the U.S. Chamber Business Leads fellowship. Donnie Clark, project manager with the chamber’s Community Development Group, outlined local developer interest along State Route 97 and in southern parts of the county and said the chamber is coordinating municipal partners to assemble infrastructure and permitting pieces for prospective projects.

The presentation included several project-specific updates: a $20 million state award for middle-mile broadband infrastructure in Mansfield that the chamber said will move to an RFP to select a developer; rezoning work around “Airport West” from I1 to I2 to broaden allowable industrial uses; and plans for a solar installation on a closed landfill near the airport that chamber staff and partners estimate could generate roughly 25 megawatts AC. Tom Vanderhorst, the chamber’s finance specialist participating remotely, gave the solar project a target timeline toward mid-2026 to secure power purchase agreements and federal tax-credit structures.

Chamber staff also relayed recent private-sector expansions: Ohio Valley Stamping has moved into a roughly 100,000-square-foot building, and Klein Fire relocated its headquarters and retained local operations, both cited as examples of local firms adding capacity. A Shelby downtown rehabilitation and Main Street investment were highlighted: one industrial expansion cited by the chamber was described as roughly a 30-job project with about $45 million in capital expenditures.

Workforce and marketing efforts were also part of the update. Clint (last name not specified), who said he is the administrative director of the Area 10 Workforce Development Board, reported an additional $250,000 in state funds obtained for incumbent worker training shared across Richland and Crawford counties and said $150,000 from that pool was already used for training this fiscal year. Sandy Messner, director of marketing and communications, described a new events-aggregation tool (Yodle) the chamber plans to deploy by year’s end to consolidate event listings.

Commissioners and attendees asked about timing and local hiring preferences. A county commissioner asked whether developers will hire local contractors; chamber leaders said developers select contractors and the chamber promotes local talent but cannot guarantee contractor selection. Tom Vanderhorst and other presenters emphasized the need for confidentiality on some active negotiations, noting that premature disclosure can jeopardize deals.

The chamber’s update concluded with an exchange about expected economic impact. A chamber-affiliated speaker referenced a multi-project pipeline they characterized as very large; another participant (Tom Vanderhorst) referenced targets for near-term project closings, but commissioners and staff acknowledged timelines and dollar amounts remain contingent on final agreements.

An audio excerpt of the chamber presentation appears in the meeting record; commissioners recessed later and returned to other county business.