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Council hears TURC report and debate over CRA abatements, job targets and procedural representation
Summary
Director Godke presented 13 post‑94 CRA tax‑abatement recommendations from the county's Tax Incentive Review Council (TURC), recommending continuation; council raised concerns about a specific abatement's 10‑year timeline and lack of clawback provisions, and asked the city attorney to review whether city appointees to TURC were properly confirmed under ORC 5709.85(A)(2).
Director Godke presented minutes and recommendations from the Tax Incentive Review Council and recommended the council approve continuation of 13 post‑94 Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) abatements. Godke said one abatement expired in 2024 and returned about $31,000 to the tax rolls and that program reporting is self‑reported by companies and then verified by the finance department and county auditor for payroll and physical investment.
Council member Miss Bowers focused on the abatement for Buckeye Elm Holdings Company LLC, noting the report’s apparent inconsistency about job‑creation deadlines. Godke clarified the company’s abatement is a longer term (discussed in the packet as a 10‑year term for 80% abatement) and said the spreadsheet did not show the 2024 deadline that Bowers referenced. Bowers asked what remedies exist if a company fails to meet job targets near the end of the abatement period; Godke and other council members observed that CRA abatements do not include clawback provisions.
Bowers also raised a procedural question: Mifflin Township did not appear to be represented at the TURC meeting and two city appointees were marked absent; the city attorney and staff said invitations and scheduling are handled by the county auditor, temporary representatives were used, and staff would research whether the municipal appointments require council confirmation. City attorney cited Ohio Revised Code section 5709.85(A)(2) and agreed to review whether any exposure arises from the temporary representation and to confirm the timing obligations for council action under the statute.
Godke said the TURC minutes must be introduced within 60 days after the city receives them and that the department will return the recommendations for first reading on Jan. 20 and back to committee before regular council consideration on Feb. 2. The city attorney agreed to examine whether any formal confirmation of appointees was required and whether that could affect the recommendations’ validity.
Council scheduled first reading of the TURC recommendations for Jan. 20 and asked staff and the city attorney to return with any legal clarifications.
