Toledo City Council to vote on facilitating development at former Clarion Hotel site

​​By Tim Schneider, Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce

At its regular meeting at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 16, Toledo City Council is expected to vote on two ordinances that would facilitate a new office for the Toledo Police Federal Credit Union on a portion of the former Clarion Hotel site at 2340 South Reynolds Road. Ordinance 137-21 would approve a 15-year, 100 percent Community Reinvestment Area property tax exemption for taxes that would otherwise be generated due to the increase in assessed valuation of property at the site. Ordinance 138-21 would approve sale of the property for $289,000. According to the city, the project would involve investment of $1,250,000 and the retention and creation of up to 14 jobs.

Council is also expected to vote on the following:

• Two ordinances regarding appointments to the TARTA Board of Trustees. Ordinance 126-21 would approve Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz’s nomination of Samuel Olaniran, Kendra Smith, and Michael Hart for three-year terms on the Board. They would replace Stacy Cook, Chris Monaghan, and Daniel Woodcock, respectively. Ordinance 127-21 would approve the Mayor’s nomination of Pat McKinstry, Katherine Hunt Thomas, Heather Baker, and Patrick Kijowski for reappointment for three-year terms on the Board. 
• Resolution 128-21 which would encourage President Biden to sign an executive order to commit the federal government to coordinating with states and local governments to establish accountability measures for phosphorus reduction in Lake Erie. The proposed executive order would establish a committee of federal agencies chaired by the administrator of the U.S. EPA to oversee the development and implementation of phosphorus reduction strategies. 
• Two ordinances regarding the replacement of lead water service lines. Ordinance 131-21 would approve accepting $2 million in grants from the Ohio Water Development Authority for work at roughly 800 private locations in the city’s water distribution area, and approve $100,000 for associated application fees and miscellaneous costs. Ordinance 135-21 would approve $120,000 to Blue Conduit Services for identifying lead lines, and $50,000 to Freshwater Future for related community education efforts, using funding from grants previously awarded by U.S. EPA. 
• Ordinance 146-21 which would approve $2,626,090 in COVID-19 grant funding from the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development for housing assistance for families of students attending Toledo Public Schools (TPS). The funding would be used for rent payments for up to three months, including security and utility deposits, and other housing support services. The program would be a partnership involving the city, TPS, Lutheran Social Service, and the Toledo Lucas County Homelessness Board.

 
Council is expected to consider the Mayor’s recent veto of Ordinance 42-21 which was passed previously by city council. The ordinance would establish a new Department of Parks, Recreation, Youth Services and Educational Engagement which would have responsibility for the operation of city parks and recreational facilities currently under the Division of Parks, Recreation and Forestry. The ordinance would also establish three divisions within the new department and direct them to develop various community programs, and appropriate an additional $2.5 million for services and operations. An affirmative vote by three-fourths of the members of council is necessary to overturn the mayor’s veto.
 
The public may watch the council meeting online by visiting https://toledo.legistar.com and scrolling down to the March 16 meeting and clicking on “in progress”.

---

Tim Schneider
​
​As Manager for Local Government Advocacy, Tim Schneider advocates for local policies and laws that safeguard and foster a pro-business environment in the Toledo Region. Tim has more than 10 years of legislative and public policy experience with the local, state and federal levels of government.