Columbiana council approves Lindy Paving contract, advances multiple infrastructure financing measures

Columbiana City Council approved an emergency contract with Lindy Paving Company for the 2025 street maintenance project and advanced multiple financing measures for downtown and roadway projects on May 20.

The action matters because the contract clears the way for immediate street work this season, the council authorized applying for a $500,000 Ohio Department of Transportation State Infrastructure Bank (SIB) loan for the West Railroad Street project, and council members discussed a tax-increment financing (TIF) structure the city may use to fund planned public improvements.

City Manager Lance Willard told the council that the bids for the Southwest paving project came in below the engineer’s estimate and that the recommendation from consultant House and Baird was to contract with Lindy Paving. The council adopted an emergency ordinance authorizing the contract with Lindy Paving Company. The ordinance names Lindy Paving Company and the Columbiana 2025 Street Maintenance Project as the contracting parties and was approved by roll call.

Separately, the council approved a first/second-reading item to apply for a $500,000 ODOT SIB loan for the West Railroad Street project. The ordinance (25-OD-3293) authorizes the city manager to apply for and execute required documents for the loan; the motion carried on the roll call vote recorded in the meeting minutes.

Councilmembers also discussed Ordinance 25-OD-3294, described in the meeting as a municipal public-improvement tax-increment financing (TIF) arrangement. The ordinance cites Ohio Revised Code sections 5709.4, 5709.42 and 5709.43 as the statutory basis and would require owners of improved parcels to make service payments in lieu of taxes into a municipal public improvement tax increment equivalent fund. During discussion a councilmember noted concern that the draft TIF “doesn’t have an end date,” and members contrasted the current proposal with prior, time-limited TIFs; another councilmember described the measure as a “non-traditional” TIF that reduces the city’s exposure to developer default on financing for public improvements. Council discussion said the parcel under the TIF is about five acres, smaller than earlier 55-acre projects discussed previously.

Manager Willard said the Beverly Ray project bids went out and staff expects to return with recommendations at the June 10 meeting and that the council should expect some emergency ordinances at that meeting to allow work to proceed without delay. That scheduling change is intended so work on projects tied to the awarded bids and loan timelines can start promptly.

Discussion vs. decision: the Lindy Paving contract and the SIB loan application were enacted by emergency ordinance and recorded as approved. The TIF ordinance remained at second-reading/discussion stage with council questions about term limits and financial exposure.

Clarifying details: the SIB loan application amount is $500,000 for the West Railroad Street project; staff said Lindy Paving’s bid for the street maintenance contract was below the engineer’s estimate; the TIF item referenced Ohio Revised Code sections 5709.4, 5709.42 and 5709.43; council described the TIF parcel as roughly five acres. The Beverly Ray project bid opening will be considered at the June 10 meeting as an emergency item.

Ending: City staff will bring contract documents and loan-application forms for signatures as required; council also scheduled follow-up on the Beverly Ray bids at the June 10 council meeting. Members said they expect to advertise and publish the June schedule changes before the next meeting.