New county economic development director outlines outreach, site‑listing and energy priorities to Pataskala council
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Summary
Aaron Garzik, identifying himself as the new executive director of the county community improvement corporation, told the Pataskala City Council he will prioritize communication with municipalities, proactive property listings and engagement on grid capacity issues to attract business investment.
Aaron Garzik, who identified himself as the new executive director of a county community improvement corporation, told the Pataskala City Council on the evening it met that his top priority is improving communication with local governments and investors so the county can better attract and retain businesses.
Garzik, in his sixth week on the job, said his organization’s mission centers on business attraction, retention and workforce development and that he will make it a point to attend municipal meetings and provide timely information. "If I get an invitation to attend a meeting, I'm gonna be there," Garzik said, adding he plans to expand outreach and keep local officials on an email list for timely lead responses.
Council members pressed Garzik on what Pataskala can do to help. He advised the city and other municipalities to maintain complete property listings (utilities, acreage, photos and other site details) so the county’s commercial/industrial property portal can present ready‑to‑go sites to prospective developers. Garzik said that information should cover small parcels as well as larger buildings so opportunities at all scales are visible to site selectors.
On energy capacity, council members described repeated disappointments reaching AEP and long timeframes for transmission upgrades. One council member cited estimates of "7 to 10 years" for transmission line work to support new development. Garzik suggested encouraging behind‑the‑meter generation, particularly for data centers, as a strategy to avoid sole reliance on long transmission upgrades. "That's something that should be encouraged," he said of behind‑the‑meter generation.
Garzik also said he plans to engage with statewide partners, including participation in the Ohio Economic Development Association’s government affairs activities, to bring a voice for county needs to the Statehouse. Council members urged regional coordination among counties to accelerate infrastructure projects that could materially increase tax revenues for communities like Pataskala.
The council invited continued communication; Garzik left his contact information and said he would place local properties on the county portal and consult directly with city officials when leads arrive. The presentation concluded without formal action by the council.