MANSFIELD — Ellen Heinz promised Richland County commissioners “enhanced local economic development” efforts in 2025 when asking for additional funding.
All three commissioners endorsed those efforts during a meeting Tuesday with Heinz and other leaders of Richland Area Chamber & Economic Development.
“We’re very pleased with the taxpayer investment,” Commissioner Tony Vero said. “It’s a pragmatic approach to economic development.
“When the community made a decision to combine (the Richland Community Development Group) and the chamber, it made sense that the economic development function of the county be organized under the chamber,” Vero said.
Commissioners voted in 2021 to pay the chamber $100,000 annually for its work around the county, an amount that increased by $15,000 last year. It came after a request by Heinz, the chamber’s president and CEO.
She said the chamber planned to expand its economic development efforts. But these opportunities require additional funding, she said. Heinz and other chamber officials meet with commissioners twice yearly to go over development efforts.
(Below is a PDF with the report offered to Richland County commissioners Tuesday by the Richland Area Chamber & Economic Development.)
The report Tuesday included information about the southern part of the county by Donnie Clark, economic development project manager; Jessica Gribben, economic and community development director, talking about Shelby and Ontario; Barrett Thomas, senior director of economic development with a Mansfield update; Clint Knight with workforce development; and Sandy Messner, marketing and communications director, with an update on the Brand Richland marketing campaign.
In addition to recapping 2025, Heinz offered a look forward, saying new efforts such as the Richland County Port Authority and the Mansfield Community Improvement Corporation have helped position the county for economic growth.
“We want to build on the momentum. I think we have demonstrated a successful track record as a county within the last 12 months. I think you can definitely take a clear look back and see increased (economic) activity and increased momentum,” she said.
“Hopefully, we’ll have some big announcements here midway through the year. More projects and additional investment and additional retention in support of our existing businesses, which are the heart and soul of Richland County,” Heinz said.
The comprehensive countywide land-use plan now in the works will also be a plus for future growth, according to Gribben.
“We have a finite amount of resources and there is only so much money to go around. When you have a comprehensive land-use plan, you know where to invest those dollars into infrastructure and things like that,” Gribben said.
“It helps you strategically grow where you want to grow … growing smart instead of just kind of hazardously … (which) saves taxpayers’ money. It helps us be strategic about how we spend those resources,” she said.
Commissioner Cliff Mears said the report Tuesday was “awfully encouraging.”
“I’m just delighted with what our chamber’s been able to do,” he said.
Commissioner Darrell Banks said he was also pleased.
“One of the things I was hoping for and what I seen is they are covering the whole county, not just certain parts of it,” he said. “From Plymouth all the way down to Bellville, Butler and the Lexington area, they are covering it all.
“I think that’s extremely important. I appreciate all they are doing. But I really appreciate that part,” Banks said.
