Proposed before the committee was a request from the city of Union for $500,000 for the creation of a traffic circle and other infrastructure improvements near the growing concentration of distribution companies north and west of Dayton International Airport.
But John Morris, a committee member and Miami Twp. trustee, argued that many of the companies benefitting from the proposed traffic circle — Amazon, Procter& Gamble, Crocs and others — are already here.
“Five hundred thousand dollars is a lot of money,” Morris said. “These projects are going to be here whether it’s fully funded or not.”
The request was fully a quarter of the $2.5 million the committee had available to it. In all, nine projects had requested a share of funds.
Others, like Chris Kershner, chief executive of the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce, felt that that money would prove to be an investment that will continue to pay dividends.
And most agreed that Union officials likely would have requested the money last year, when the ED/GE program had been cancelled for a time, due mainly to the pandemic and financial uncertainties.
“It’s an usual situation,” said Erik Collins, Montgomery County development director.
In the end, members agreed to recommend that county commissioners fully award Union’s request.
Also recommended for its full funding request: the city of Dayton’s code-named “Project Bluejay,” which Dayton leaders believe will lead to 100 new jobs attached to a corporate headquarters for a “growing high tech company.” That project will be recommended to get $250,000.
Starwin Industries in Kettering will be recommended to receive $150,000, another example of the committee backing a company’s full request.
Duct sealing company Aeroseal in Miamisburg was also recommended to receive its full $400,000 funding ask, and Centerville information technology company Ardent Technology was recommended to get the $20,000, also its full request.
Budde Machining, a Harrison Twp. machine shop, also was recommended for its full request of just over $207,000. Kershner called that company “a great example of a bread-and-butter Dayton manufacturer.”
Municipalities apply to Montgomery County for ED/GE dollars to boost or ensure business moves to or within their communities. There are two ED/GE funding rounds a year, in the spring and fall.
For this ED/GE funding round, local municipalities sought more than a combined $1.3 million on behalf of growing and moving businesses in Montgomery County ED/GE funds to create some 1,800 new jobs.
Just over $817,000 will go to the next ED/GE funding round, in the spring of 2022.
About the Author
