Council divides over Reeser Point TIF; member urges county to step in

A prominent debate over tax-increment financing and a proposed Reeser Point development broke out at Monday’s Elyria City Council meeting, with Ward 1 Councilman Lipien urging the body to act and suggesting the county could assume financing if the council would not.

Councilman Lipien said the project has stalled amid legal and negotiation disagreements and argued, “If the county's willing to be bold and act, why not let them? … The alternative is what we've been doing. Nothing.” He pressed city officials to pursue coordination with county partners to move the project forward.

Law Director Amanda Deary responded that she was aware of no letter from the county offering to finance the TIF; she said such correspondence might have been sent to other staff but she had not received it. Deary invited county legal teams or outside counsel to contact the city’s attorneys if they wished to pursue collaboration. Mayor Brubaker and Safety Service Director Pananowski were also named as participants in potential discussions.

Lipien said he had previously attempted to engage the law director and that he had discussed the project with city staff. Deary said she had repeatedly invited council members to meet with her office for in-depth discussions and reiterated that substantive economic-development strategy should not be aired publicly when it involves legal negotiation. Council members discussed holding a special meeting to decide the matter; Lipien said he would support a special meeting to reach a decision.

No council action was taken on the TIF at the meeting; remarks were made during remonstrances and public comment rather than as part of an ordinance vote. Finance Director Pulaski and other staff said they would check for any communications from the county and follow up.