ONTARIO — Ontario City Council approved a Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) agreement Wednesday with Charter Next Generation (CNG) and the landowner of the former General Motors property.

The agreement provides a 15-year property tax exemption to CNG and landowner Ontario Stumbo I LLC (OSI) for real property improvements made at 2525 West 4th Street.

Mayor Randy Hutchinson said the agreement will help spur development and benefit the city.

According to the agreement, OSI and CNG expect to invest approximately $58 million into building and equipping CNG’s new manufacturing facility. CNG will become the first manufacturer to operate out of the redeveloped Ontario Commerce Park, located at the former site of Ontario’s GM plant.

According to the agreement, the project will begin on or before Oct 1. All acquisition, construction and installation is estimated to be completed by the end of 2022. The agreement also states the new facility is expected to create 300 new, full-time permanent jobs between 2022 and 2024. Once all the employees are hired, the addition will increase company payroll by $12 million per year.

CNG has agreed to make payments to the Ontario Local School District per a school donation agreement in order to make up for lost tax revenues. The Ontario school board approved the agreement.

The agreement is separate from a job creation tax credit council granted in April. 

Additional items

Hutchinson told council there have been two recent reports of coyotes attacking small dogs in the area. He said he is talking with a trapper about mitigation efforts.

Coyotes are considered nuisance animals and thus can be hunted year-round under Ohio law. Gun hunting is not permitted within city limits, but Hutchinson said property owners can sign a form that permits hunters to set up traps on their property.

In the meantime, he urged residents to be aware and not leave dogs unattended outdoors.

Fourth Ward Councilman Josh Bradley said the parks committee recently met to discuss project bids for a new playscape, turf field and splash pads at Marshall Park. Bradley said the committee is waiting for a couple more bids before going further with the project.

Hutchinson also gave a reminder the city has golf-cart legislation. Residents are required to have their golf cart inspected once a year by the police department and get their cart registered to drive on public roads.

Recreation director Heather Hendrix gave an update on summer programming and upcoming events. The city will offer a women’s self defense class for Ontario High School students in the community room on Sept. 19. The Ontario Craft Show will return on Dec. 4. The department is also planning a scavenger hunt, touch-a-truck and haunted trail for the fall.

The department will also debut a new event this year on Oct. 21 from 5 to 7 p.m. The senior prom will be open to senior citizens 65 and older from Ontario and surrounding communities. The event will be co-hosted by the Ontario Middle School Leadership Group in the middle school commons.

“We’re going to have a live band and snacks and games,” Hendrix said. “Their leadership group is going to volunteer their time to decorate and do all of that stuff so it’ll be a lot of fun.”

The band specializes in jazz standards from the 1940s.