Last week when I looked at the Commission Agenda posted the late afternoon of May 3, for Wednesday May 4, I noticed this: 1:00 P.M. – SHAWNDA COMBS – BED TAX. 

I called Shawnda the morning of May 4 on the issue as reading it on the agenda was the first notice I had of the b,ed tax again being an issue. My record and opinion on this is has been clear and consistent. However, for the record, let me clarify and update it:

No Economic Development effort initiated with the claim of “needing to be competitive” or “get in the game with other areas” should ever cross the line of raising taxes to a point higher than local competition to do so. I reiterated that view to Ms. Combs.  Ms. Combs informed me she would ask for a 3% tax and that is unacceptable. An additional 3% would put the total sales tax on lodging on the Ohio side at Exit 156B at 13% which would be 1% higher than the 12% at Exit 156A and lodging not in the city of Richmond, the rest of Wayne County, would be at 9.5%.  It would also raise the sales tax on campers staying in cabins at Natural Springs.

This commission has previously been informed by the Regional Manager of the local Fairfield Inn that the ownership group has lost contracts for corporate users over  a 1% difference in sales tax.. I have lost work crews in the area over the ½% current difference that Wayne County motels currently enjoy. Work crews that do not stay at my property never hear about New Paris or its restaurants, resulting in lost income for the county.

Ms. Combs mentioned that a bed tax would allow more of the current 1 mill conveyance fee to be used on Economic Development and I offered to meet her at 2%, more than half of what she wanted.  I believe my comment was along the line of “At 2% we can get along, at 3%, we have a problem”.

After listening to this meeting, that problem has grown. On hand to offer support was the President of the Preble County Development Board, Jeff Seifert, the Village Admin for Lewisburg. Lewisburg has two seats on the board and Eaton also has two seats on the Board. There is no representation from New Paris/Jefferson Township, or for that matter the western half of Preble County. Dave Wesler sits on that board this year only because he is the current Commission President. If this tax is collected, the amount taken out of Jefferson Township will exceed both Eaton and Lewisburg. Any tax collected should allow for the same per capita allotment for representation. Minus that representation, we as a county have people so unfamiliar with the western part of the county that they do not even know the Fairfield Inn is even in Preble County. That is unacceptable. Neither Eaton nor Lewisburg would have local businesses impacted by the levying of a tax they support through their membership on the Preble Development Board.

If the full 3% were levied, the commitment by Preble County to Economic Development would have gone from zero a year ago to over $200,000. At that level, there is no need for a board that does not reflect all areas of the county. If this tax goes to 3%, a board so unfamiliar with Preble County that they do not even know a hotel with a New Paris address is in the county should be disbanded. This board that will take a stand on the levying of both the permissive license tax increase and a lodging tax at an upcoming meeting also lacks any representation from Camden.

At two percent, Jefferson Township should have a minimum two seats of equal value to the two currently held by Eaton & Lewisburg. At three percent, I see no reason for the existence of this board in any type of leadership role. At the full 3% level, the Preble Development Board should be relegated to human points of contact when needed. The idea that “no one notices a 1% tax increase is a lie laid bare at the January 25, 2010 Preble County Commission meeting. Kevin Carver and Brewster Rhodes informed the commissioners of a growing trend of corporate decision makers moving their companies over high local income taxes. The topic came up when discussion over Goose Creek turned to a JEDD (Joint Economic Development District) and a 1% additional income tax in the area. Goose Creek sits in the National Trail School District which has a 1.75% income tax. Carver and Rhodes stated that the high earners that make the decisions were moving companies when income taxes rose over the 2%  mark . Addressing high local income taxes would appear to be a more relevant issue.

I’ll remind all that the one mill conveyance fee was levied to hire an economic development director and fund these types of issues. For more background, here is a short history from this website:

On August 26, 2009 the Preble County Commissioners passed a one mill increase to the Conveyance Fee for Economic Development.  On August 24, 2009 during the discussion that led up to that vote Preble County Commissioner Bob Stonecash stated on the record “At this time the entire 1 mill should go for an office of economic development.  Now you need to track that, however maybe we receive quarterly reports as to what kind of money is in that. Quarter or semi-annual until such time as we can act upon hiring an economic development director and I would hope along the way that the rest of the villages and the city and townships in Preble County all join together to make a strong a strong alliance to take this county forward.”

Commissioner David Wesler said on the audio record:  “In other counties this is exactly the way they help fund their economic development department. We had a meeting with the elected officials of which they said and they wanted to know where the job creation is at. This is a way to start funding an economic development office to have job creation.”

I spoke on this issue in chambers on May 12, 2010 as well as the leachate line issue.

On June 9, of 2010 the Register Herald published my letter to the Editor and it can be read at the dated link.

Preble County, Ohio

County Commissioners

May 4, 2011

Meeting audio and review

Three Commissioners in attendance

File 1

I. OPEN MEETING

II. CALL OF ROLL

III. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

IV. PRAYER

V. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

NOTE RECEIPT OF & CONSIDER APPROVAL BY SIGNING THE JOURNALIZATION & NOTE RECEIPT OF THE CD RECORDATION BOTH AS THE OFFICIAL MINUTES FOR THE MAY 2ND REGULAR SESSION MEETING

VI. PUBLIC COMMENTS

End 5.56 minute mark on CD – 1.35 MB

File 2

JOHN BULL & CHAD HOKE – BUILDING INSPECTION UPDATES

6.3 Minute mark   Have issues 8 commercial permits worth almost $500,000 worth of construction costs.

83 residential worth $1.5 million

About a half a dozen new houses

Restaurant getting to open a restaurant.

10 minute mark on cd  

4 minutes – 952 KB

File 3

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS

A. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF RES. #309-11-150

RE: TRANSFER OF FUNDS – VARIOUS DEPTS.

B. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF RES. #310-11-150

RE: AUTH. PAYMENT – SHERIFF ($226.00)

11 Minute mark    CORRESPONDENCE & REPORTS

A. NOTE RECEIPT OF & CONSIDER APPROVAL BY SIGNING (3) LETTERS

RE: LETTERS OF SUPPORT FOR CDBG PROGRAM TO PRESIDENT OBAMA, SENATE LEADER REID & HOUSE SPEAKER BOEHNER

B. NOTE RECEIPT OF & CONSIDER APPROVAL BY SIGNING A COURTHOUSE PLAZA USE PERMIT APPLICATION

RE: BABY STEPS WALK – JUNE 11, 2011 – BIRTHRIGHT OF EATON

C. NOTE RECEIPT OF A LETTER FROM THE ADJUTANT GENERAL’S DEPARTMENT

RE: RESPONSE TO LETTER REGARDING ARMORY BUILDING – Letter read into record

D. NOTE RECEIPT & CONSIDER APPROVAL BY SIGNING (2) LETTERS TO THE PAYROLL CLERK

RE: PROBATIONARY RATE ADJUSTMENTS FOR ROBIN CAPLINGER $14.69 – CSEA & JUDITH BARTH $12.93 – CHILDREN SERVICES

AGREEMENTS & CONTRACTS

A. NOTE RECEIPT & CONSIDER APPROVAL BY SIGNING A CONTRACT

RE: HOME REPAIR ASSISTANCE GRANT AGREEMENT BETWEEN VICTORIA ALBAUGH & SHIVELY CONSTRUCTION – $3,400.00 – FY09 CHIP

16 minute mark on cd  

6 minutes – 1.37 MB

File 4

PUBLIC HEARING – ZONING CASES

A. CASE # 1288 – TODD & DANA SMITH

B. CASE # 1290 – RONALD & MARIAN ROELL

C. CASE # 1291 – JUDY REID, BARB DAVID & POLLIE HEINKEL

26.5 Minute mark  Meeting starts.

28 Minute mark  Oath given.

30 Minute mark   CASE # 1288 – Todd Smith.

Commissioner Stonecash makes motion to approve.

35.4 minute mark on cd  

19.3 minutes – 4.45 MB

File 5

CASE # 1290 – RONALD & MARIAN ROELL

Approved

41.7 minute mark on cd  

6.17 minutes – 1.44 MB

File 6

CASE # 1291 – JUDY REID, BARB DAVID & POLLIE HEINKEL

Approved

2 hr. 19.25 minute mark on cd  

1 hr. 37.36 minutes – 22.3 MB

File 7

Kamagra order is possible round the clock but simply giving ease to your torn and tattered self-confidence especially levitra 60 mg continue reading to find out more when the moment of truth ends up soft and worthless.

10:30 A.M. – MARTY VOTEL – VILLAGE OF CAMDEN LAWSUIT

EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS PENDING LITIGATION

The original case was dismissed in Federal Court.

Marty Votel believes it will be refiled in State court.

Eric Merit & John Jones also present.

Exit no action taken

Connie – I need to note receipt of this U.S. District Court document.

2 hr. 23.75 minute mark on cd  

4.32 minutes – 1.04 MB

File 8

Connie – transfer of funds from Landfill General Fund Repayment of $100,000 to Landfill Contract Services.

Zoning Case #1289 approve ad concerning Howard E. Sanders.

2 hr. 31 Minute mark   Commissioner Wesler – Letter from Preble County Veterans Services office making the request as they are supposed to by before the last Monday in May. Budget for next year and ahh it said they've looked to verify the exact allowed to receive from the 5/10 mill per dollar from the assessed value of property but they have not gotten any response yet from the auditor's office. Based on the knowledge that they know they are going to ask for almost 100% of it for next year which says the total increase over the FY 2011budget would be $77,853.85 approximately.

Note receipt of the letter.

2 hr. 34.6 Minute mark   Next Wednesday, Kent Hamilton will be in regarding the email server. He will educate on how to archive emails because the server is full. Server is 5 or 6 years old and not scheduled for replacement until next year.

2 hr. 35.75 Minute mark    David in lead with email use and Connie second.

Commissioner Day – David seems to be on top of the list for anything pertaining to the computer and the Internet.  LOL

2 hr. 39.35 minute mark on cd  

15.45 minutes – 3.6 MB

File 9

SHAWNDA COMBS – BED TAX

2 hr. 39.3 Minute mark  Meeting starts

2 hr. 47.25 Minute mark    Claim that bed tax does not impact revenue.

2 hr. 49 Minute mark   Transient tax collected in Preble for 2010 $99,853.

Claim that occupancy is up 4.5% per year.

2 hr. 53.75 Minute mark   Claim that Richmond is at 15%

2 hr. 56 Minute mark   Fairfield Inn sending business to Richmond and unaware of even Today's Harvest.

2 hr. 58.5 Minute mark  Claim that 100% of people surveyed believe Fairfield Inn is in Richmond. Phone answered Fairfield Inn Richmond and advertised online as such.

3 hr.  1 Minute mark   No public hearings needed. Money has to be used in promotion of tourism.

3 hr. 6.5 Minute mark   Groupon and asking Lodging facilities to offer discounts for Bridges Bikes and Blues.

3 hr. 10.5 Minute mark   Suggestion that the Preble County Partnership serve as the overriding entity.

Mentions partnering with the Chamber of Commerce.

Create a Board with Hotel & Motel owners included.

3 hr. 14 Minute mark  Campgrounds would be subject to tax.

Stays less than 30 days.

3 hr. 17 Minute mark   on no dedication..

3 hr. 18 Minute mark   Spent $2,500 on Ohio Tourism Mag.

Commissioner Wesler – Biggest critic not here. Guys, I do have a business and I did call.  

3 hr. 26.25 Minute mark   Commissioner Wesler – You said that somebody supported the 2% not the 3% but if we enacted the 3 would they still be setting on the Board?

Shawnda Combs –  There is no choice you passed it and I mean you would have passed it. It is what it is.

Commissioner Day – He should.

Shawnda Combs – Right and like I said the difference when we look at the key is we are marrying economic development.

3 hr. 28 Minute mark   Commissioner Wesler – Well Shawnda as I said I supported this years ago. It is a transient tax, it is paid by mostly outside people coming into our county.

Shawnda Combs – The people that I surveyed, none of them asked for the tax.   

Katie Worthington in room.

3 hr. 31 Minute mark  Jeff Sewert offers that the Partnership supports both the lodging tax and the license fee tax.  

Will have a conference call to get a vote of support on May 17.

3 hr. minute 34.5 mark on cd  

55.36 minutes – 12.7 MB

File 10

3 hr. 39 Minute mark   Meeting starts

PUBLIC HEARING – 2ND PUBLIC HEARING FY11 CDBG FORMULA NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION & MICROENTERPRISE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

3 hr. 39.5 Minute mark   Commissioner Chris Day – recuses himself from meeting based on involvement with some of the projects.

Kim – As of today I still have no idea how much money we are going to get in the county…..if we are lucky we will get $150,000 for Preble County. City of Eaton would be alloted $32,000. After admin fees there may be about $108,000 for formula projects.

4 hr. 1 minute mark on cd  

21.35 minutes – 4.94 MB

File 11

CDBG CONTINUES

4 hr. 30 minute mark on cd  

29 minutes – 6.63 MB

File 12

CDBG CONTINUES

5 hr.  0 minute mark on cd  

30 minutes – 6.86 MB

File 13

5 hr. 3.2 Minute mark   ?

Connie – So any way I do need the letter to the Ohio EPA noted.

Noted, Phase 3 construction.

5 hr.  7.45 Minute mark   Commissioner Wesler – At some point here we need to get an evening meeting scheduled for the Goose Creek Crossing presentation.

Buchy, Faber, DDC, Monroe Township Trustees mentioned as attending.

Meeting with Frank Leone in Chambers on May 12.

Evening meeting sometime after June 1, for publicity.

Commissioner Wesler – mid to late June I would say.

5 hr.  11.5 Minute mark   Earth Day tomorrow.

5 hr.  17.75 minute mark on cd  

17.55 minutes – 4.10 MB