Ontario Council considering re-do of tax abatement with Charter Next Generation

ONTARIO — Charter Next Generation seeks to amend its tax abatement agreement with the City of Ontario after factors “outside of its control” have lead to slower job development than planned.

Legislation introduced at Wednesday’s council meeting proposes to amend the Community Reinvestment Area agreement between the city and CNG.

Originally passed in 2021, the agreement proposes a total of 165 jobs to be created by 2028 at the Ontario campus in exchange for a 50 percent income tax credit for 10 years, expiring Dec. 31, 2031.

This amendment does not create any additional money or tax credits for CNG and is unrelated to state tax credits for an expansion project in Lexington.

Part of the legislation reads this amendment is needed “given a multitude of factors unforeseen at the time of signing the agreement (2021), most, if not all, of which were beyond the control of Next.” 

Due to the lack of power at the former General Motors site and other issues, CNG has been “unable to invest the full amount in employment, payroll, and machinery and equipment that was initially intended in the agreement,” the legislation reads.

In 2021, the agreement proposed 300 new jobs and a $37 million payroll. The amended version proposes 165 new jobs in Ontario, expected to create $10 million in baseline payroll. 

CNG also plans for $34 million in fixed asset investment for machinery and equipment according to the proposed amended terms.

Council will read the ordinance again at its April 30 meeting.

Resident questions legality of city’s response to Stumbo Road home proposal 

Alice Ramsay, a Ferguson Road resident and former employee of the Mansfield law director’s office, addressed city council during public commentary Wednesday.

Ramsay attended the March 12 planning commission meeting, where Jerry Holden representing Stumbo Road LLC proposed a planned unit development project to create up to 200 homes near Stumbo and Ferguson roads.

Planning commission members asked if Holden could get a letter from the Springfield Township Fire Department addressing fire code concerns. City engineer Mark Rufener also suggested plans include sidewalks on both sides of the street.

The proposal was due for further discussion at an April 9 meeting, which was canceled due to the developers putting the project on hold.

Ramsay referenced section 1151.05 of the city’s codified ordinances, saying she read the procedural orders as a requirement for planning commission to make a decision whether to recommend for or against a rezone request within 30 days of rezone application.

Stumbo Road LLC submitted a rezone application to the city on Feb. 26 for preliminary planned unit development (PUD) site plan review. According to the PUD application, it would still need to complete final PUD site plan review and a combined site plan review.

“Two regular meetings of city council have since occurred, yet the planning commission has failed to submit a formal recommendation,” Ramsay said. “This ongoing pattern of procedural failures not only violates local law, but jeopardizes the legitimacy of any decision made on this application.

“Any vote taken without satisfying public notice requirements for following proper procedure would legally be unsound and subject to immediate challenge. Therefore, I’m respectfully requesting that city council take immediate action which includes formally acknowledging the procedural violations, and then immediately denying the PUD application on grounds of non-compliance.”

Council President Eddie Gallo said Wednesday that neither city council nor planning commission had any proposal in front of them to consider. 

“The applicant did bring it before planning commission, then planning commission told them to go back and do some things before it came back to them,” Gallo said. “They decided to pull it and I don’t know at this point when it will be brought back.

“There is nothing for this body (city council) to consider … Once it is recommended, then we are obligated to fulfill all the things that you have brought up, but there’s nothing recommended for us to act upon.”

“There will be a public hearing and we will deliberate it fairly. We definitely want communication that’s open and honest between Mr. Holden, city council and you.”

Eddie Gallo at the march 12, 2025 ontario planning commission meeting

Ontario High School junior to be ‘mayor for the day’ April 28

In his mayor’s report, Knapp said Ontario High School junior Daisy Loper will job shadow him April 28 to be “mayor for the day.” Loper will accompany Knapp to meetings with the service departments, clerk of council and clerk of certs.

This opportunity for high school students who earned enough positive behavior points was created last May at the first annual city council meeting conducted at the high school. Loper is scheduled to report on her experience at the May 12 council meeting at Ontario High School. 

In other school news, council members passed an ordinance authorizing the major to sign the 2026–2029 Transportation Improvement Program for Safe Routes to School. 

The city will commit 20 percent of total costs associated with establishing safe routes to school within two miles of school campuses that could include additional crosswalks, sidewalks, re-striping the roads or mobility initiatives for bike-riders.

Knapp said the plans won’t cost the city any money until 2028, as the city and school board are still in development phases with an Ohio Department of Transportation consultant.

“Right now, we’re in that development stage of looking at these safe routes school plans,” he said. “We can also apply for grant money that actually supports the construction of these sidewalks, re-striping the roads or crosswalks. 

“You can apply for this multiple times. Once you have the Safe Routes to School plan in place, you can keep applying for additional funds with it. This is just the long-term plan and this shows we will commit our 20% share, but that’s not until 2028.”

Also on Wednesday:

— Councilman Troy Sapp reminded residents with children that the annual Easter Egg Hunt in Marshall Park will be Saturday on Milligan Road near the splash pad. There will be hunts designed for three different age groups starting at 3 years old through 4th grade students. Visually impaired children can hunt for eggs at noon and the general egg hunt is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday. 

— Council President Eddie Gallo reminded residents of Spring Village Lane whose driveways were affected by water and sewer line replacements that they are asked not to park in their driveways for seven days beginning April 17. Construction crews will repair driveway aprons on homes that were affected.

— Knapp said the former Wilson’s gas station on Park Avenue West is undergoing a brownfield remediation soil retesting. New soil and seeding is scheduled to be completed next week. The project will require soil samples a few times throughout 2025.

— The mayor reported there are about 20 fire hydrants ready for high school students to paint blue and gold Ontario ‘O’ logos on them in the vicinity of the school. The city will cover the paint, as addressed in legislation passed May 15, 2024.

— Council read a proposal to hire Reveille to conduct a comprehensive review of the city’s zoning code. The planning consultant firm quoted the city approximately $48,750 for a review, evaluation, and aligning the code with the strategic plan. The costs also include creating a steering committee for public participation. Funds will come from the city’s economic development fund. The legislation is due for a third reading and vote on April 30. 

— Council authorized the service-safety director to advertise bids and award a contract for road paving in 2025. The roads planned for paving this year were last discussed at the April 2 meeting. Council also approved a resolution authorizing the service-safety director to participate in road salt contracts awarded in 2025 by the Ohio Department of Transportation.