State agrees to drop gas line requirement

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

It’s been a long haul for local officials working to get a 1,600-acre megasite established north of Van Wert, but recent discussions with the Ohio Department of Development have provided what could finally be the go-ahead needed to start infrastructure work at the site.

Van Wert Mayor Don Farmer conducted a press conference on Tuesday to announce that ODOD officials had eased its requirement that a natural gas line be constructed prior to a company occupying the site.

The mayor noted that the impasse was finally broken after he emailed ODOD Director Christiane Schmenk about the problem. Mayor Farmer said that, after sending the email, he was surprised when he received a reply from Schmenk within the hour, setting up a meeting between ODOD officials, the mayor, Safety-Service Director Jay Fleming, local attorney Chuck Koch and Van Wert businessman Andy Czajkowski in Columbus this past Monday.

The result of that discussion was a decision by Schmenk that the gas line won’t have to be constructed until after a company has chosen the site, while the original 10-year grant agreement, which was to expire in 2019, was extended until 2022.

Mayor Farmer said the changes should be sent out within the next 90 days, while he has already scheduled a meeting with Dominion Gas on the gas line.

The project now includes installation of a railroad spur to the site, as well as water and sewer lines and electricity. Fleming said that, if preliminary design work can be completed and bidding begun soon, the infrastructure project could be completed next year.

Meanwhile, all four members of the local delegation were pleased with the ODOD response to the situation.

“I’ll give Governor Kasich and the ODOD applause for setting in motion an office that we saw … can be responsive to each individual community and their needs on a rather quick basis,” Mayor Farmer said.

Fleming was also pleased. “It was probably my third meeting in five years in Columbus to talk about the gas line, megasite, JRS (Jobs Ready Site), and by far the best response ever,” he noted. “It was nice to sit down at a table and feel like we were on the same page, talk it out and come to a reasonable solution.”

Czajkowski, who noted this was his first time of participating in talks with the state on this issue, had plenty of nice things to say about how the state handled the process. “New administration, new team and just very responsive to what we needed,” the local businessman said. “They were looking for any way they could to make this deal happen; that was just a terrific feeling.”

Czajkowski said he felt the new agreement was a “game changer” that could change the entire region.

Koch was also complimentary of the Kasich administration’s response. “It was refreshing to do down and see common sense and the experience projected at the state level,” he noted. “That’s not been our experience up to this point by any means.”

In addition to praising the state, Czajkowski also gave credit to Mayor Farmer for his work on the project. “He has been like a dog on a bone,” Czajkowski said. “He has been making phone calls and sending emails and that’s ultimately what it takes. Not to make light of anyone else’s participation, but Mayor Farmer has been all over this.”

Koch also praised former economic development director Nancy Bowen, Jon Rhoades and others involved in local development for their efforts on behalf of the new amended agreement.