Ernest Neilson III, president and owner, was awarded the grant in October, which is funded through landfill fees paid to the city by Waste Management Inc. and distributed by the development office. At the time he applied for the grant, he owed an undisclosed amount of taxes to the state and more than $36,000 in property taxes on the business, 3924 W. Third St., according to Montgomery County records.
Neilson checked “no” when asked on his grant application if he had any delinquent taxes to the state or a political subdivision of the state.
His application said he planned to use the grant toward a $450,000 renovation and expansion of the funeral home.
Veronica Morris, senior development specialist for the city’s economic development office said she reviewed the application and was aware of Neilson’s tax issues. However, she also said the background reporting system the city uses when reviewing a grant candidate’s application did not reveal the cancellation of the articles of incorporation.
City commissioners approved the grant on Oct. 12 after receiving a recommendation by the fund’s advisory committee.
The state Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors considers the cancellation of articles of incorporation as a change in ownership and requires funeral home owners to obtain a new license.
However, funeral home owners must resolve their issues with the Secretary of State, where the articles of incorporation are filed, before they can obtain a new license with the state board. In order to get his articles of incorporation reinstated, Neilson would have to resolve his tax issues with the Ohio Department of Taxation.
As of Wednesday, Neilson’s articles of incorporation were still canceled and he had not provided documentation to the state Board that suggested he had resolved his issues with the other state departments, according to Secretary of State records and Jennifer Baugess, compliance administrative assistant.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2414 or Kelli.Wynn@coxinc.com.
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