Curtin hired to assist with TIF dollars

County officials are taking another step toward figuring out how to spend tax increment financing (TIF) dollars.

Jay County Redevelopment Commission approved a contract Monday with Ed Curtin of CWC Latitudes.

Curtin, former executive director of Columbus Redevelopment Commission, has worked with Portland Redevelopment Commission since 2021. He approached Jay County Redevelopment Commission in October and shared information about TIF districts. At that time, Curtin suggested the group update its economic development plan, which dictates how TIF dollars are allocated, and offered his assistance.

CWC Latitudes’ contract lists a scope of services, which include conducting meetings, identifying redevelopment or economic development areas, engaging the public, creating and adopting a redevelopment or economic development plan, facilitating the establishment of an allocation area and coordinating reporting requirements and team members, legal and financial counsel.

Commission president Carl Walker walked through several details in the contract Monday, including Curtin’s compensation.

He noted the contract states Curtin is not to exceed $30,000 in pay. That includes up to 12 in-person meetings and associated travel time.

Walker noted Curtin would have about six-hour round trip drives to and from Portland, and he advised commission members to be conservative with visits from Curtin in order to avoid going over the contracted limit. County attorney Wes Schemenaur noted the group could meet remotely with Curtin as well.

The redevelopment commission approved the contract.

It also reviewed Jay County Commissioners’ capital improvement plan. 

Jay County Redevelopment Commission approved the plan in October as a list of projects that could be paid for with funding from the county’s current TIF district. It includes projects for broadband, Jay County Highway Department, Jay County Solid Waste Management, Jay Emergency Medical Service, Jay County Health Department, development of the 68 acres owned by the county on the western edge of Portland and a sober living facility.

Created about 15 years ago after POET Biorefining announced plans to build an ethanol plant in rural Jay County, the county’s TIF district covers approximately 191 acres southwest of Portland in Greene Township. TIF dollars have been used since then to pay off bonds associated with road work and sewer improvements near the plant.

As of this year, Jay County has paid off its final bond for the project. Redevelopment commission is looking into options for its newly available funding — approximately $584,000 annually.

Projects utilizing TIF dollars are generally those that are in or serve the TIF district, such as recreation facilities, public safety projects, site acquisition, infrastructure, capital projects, job training or efficiency projects.