County commissioners have the final say when they vote on the funding recommendations April 30.
While the hoped-for Delco office user has not been publicly identified, the possibility that the company is already located elsewhere in Montgomery County gave some advisory committee members pause.
County leaders say they prefer not to fund the shuffling of jobs within the county.
“We do try to avoid the inter-jurisdictional transfer of jobs,” said Chris Williams, assistant county administrator for business services, adding: “Ultimately, this is generally one (project) that would not fit the hard and fast criteria.”
However, Veronica Morris, economic development manager for the city of Dayton, said she has sometimes written letters supporting the movement of companies from Dayton to other Montgomery County locales.
“If that’s the line you want to tow, then you have to be consistent,” Morris told fellow committee members.
Communities apply for ED/GE funding on behalf of companies moving to or expanding in Montgomery County. There are two funding rounds each year, in November and April.
After Monday’s recommendations, the county will have just over $1 million for the coming November round.
Some of the companies considering expansions want to remain anonymous before making investment decisions. Those projects are given code names.
Advisory committee members were free to recommend fully funding the amount jurisdictions requested, funding partial amounts — or delaying or denying funds altogether.
Outside Dayton, the committee recommended $250,000 for the building of a 25,763-square-foot headquarters for Square Rock LLC/Rushlight Assets Inc. in Miami Twp., a project that sought $500,000.
Credit: Tom Gilliam
Credit: Tom Gilliam
Two code-named projects were recommended to each receive $225,000: “Project Crispy” in Moraine, where an anonymous snack food manufacturer wants to establish itself at the former General Motors paint shop off Stroop Road. And “Project Swifty,” where an unnamed Italian transformer manufacturer is considering several local sites: Park 70/75 in Dayton, Ascent Industrial Park and Airpark 70/75 Logistics Center (both in Union), the Trotwood Industrial Park and the First Flight Commerce Center in Miami Twp.
In Kettering: ETI-Starwin, an aerospace-defense company, was recommended for $150,000. In that project, the company wants to invest $3.5 million, and the expansion would create 20 new jobs while protecting 42 current jobs.
In Riverside, Mechanical Systems and Design was recommended for $100,000. That company had sought $460,000 for a 26,000-square-foot facility to create up to 30 jobs. The company’s main operation is in Dayton, adjacent to the proposed site, the county has said.
A new food preparation operation at Gordon Food Service in Trotwood was recommended for $75,000. But funding was denied for another possible Trotwood project, concerning an anonymous content producer looking for offices and a sound stage in the former Salem Mall area.
Designed as an economic incentive since 1992, the program is based on countywide sales tax proceeds from participating communities. Funds also come from shared increased tax revenues.
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