Delaware County Commissioners approved an agreement between the county, the Delaware County Finance Authority and Columbus Outlets LLC, formed by Tanger Columbus LLC, to provide financing of public improvements.
“This financing benefits both, from the county’s standpoint, that we’ll be able to refund the opening day improvements related to the outlet mall,” George Kaitsa, County Auditor, said Monday. “It also benefits the port authority by providing funds for them to pursue other economic development projects.”
Don Rankey, Delaware County Finance Authority treasurer, said it is the first development along the I-71 and US 36-37 corridor bringing new jobs to the county. He said the finance authority is also looking at other opportunities for that area.
“The finance authority is real pleased about this particular type of deal in regards to the outlet mall,” Rankey said. “It’s a new type of financing that gets the word out that Delaware County is open for development.”
Commissioner Jeff Benton said it had been a long complicated process and a very complicated transaction. He said it will provide seed money for more development opportunities in the future.
“The most important thing in the long run is it provides a really important boost to the finance authority,” Benton said. “This is the first significant transaction the finance authority has done. It’s a compliment to that team that such a significant transaction is being completed.
In other business commissioners approved:
• An owner’s agreements for Olentangy Falls East, Scioto Ridge Crossing and Scioto Ridge Crossing.
Rob Riley, chief deputy engineer, said the three agreements were for the construction of streets and stormwater improvements for 74 single family lots in Liberty and Concord Township. He said it was a standard agreement.
• A ditch maintenance petition and ditch maintenance assessments for The Meadows at Home Road.
Riley said it was 25 lot development and it follows the standard drainage ditch petition placing portions of it on the county system.
• Awarded a bid and approving a contract between commissioners and the Shelly Company for the 2017 Del-County Road Improvement Program.
“This is our annual resurfacing program that we open up to all the townships in Delaware County,” Riley said. “We have large program that will resurface 39 miles of county roads and over 50 miles of township roads.”
Riley said the engineer’s office received two bids for the contract. The lowest came in three percent under the the estimate for $3,116,886.
• A general engineering services contract between the commissioners and Jobes Henderson & Associates, Inc. for a $150,000, two-year contract.
Riley said the contract is to help the engineer’s office with engineer services throughout the year. He said it would be used as needed for bridge inspections, roadway feasibility studies and traffic studies.
• A professional services contract with CHA Consulting Inc. for the Orange Road improvements phase 2 part 3.
Riley said the project is to take the widening that started last year east to the railroad tracks. He said the road will be widen to five lanes with five traffic signals added to the section.
• Awarded a bid and approved a contract between the commissioners and the Righter Company for the klondike road bridge replacement.
Riley said the contract had been a rebid because the bids were well over the predicted estimate of the engineer’s office.
“We went back and made some revision to the plan’s specifications,” Riley said. “That appeared it did save us a little bit of money but our low bid this time was still over the engineer’s estimate.”
Riley said the county can’t wait because the bridge has been closed since December.
• A contract for Maryhaven Inc. to perform services and provide assessments to be used by the common pleas court to determine eligibility for intervention in lieu of conviction.
• A contract for recovery and prevention resources of Delaware and Morrow Counties Inc. to perform services and provide assessments to be used by the common pleas court to determine eligibility for intervention in lieu of conviction.
• A contract between the commissioners, the county department of Job and Family Services and Speakwrite LLC, for verbal transcription services.
• Set the date and time for public hearing #1 for 2017 Community Development Block Grant Funding for May 19 at 10 a.m. at 101 North Sandusky Street.
