Leads, or information requested by companies or their representatives, were 25 percent higher in technology, office & healthcare; and retail and restaurant projects in July compared with the same month in 2015.

There were a total of 86 leads in the project categories combined, according to the city of Delaware’s July 2016 economic development report. There were a total of 84 “requests for information” of the categories combined.

The technology, office and healthcare category had two projects completed with Columbus Startup Magazine and Workman Law, creating four jobs and a payroll of $335,000.

For restaurants and retails projects, there were eight projects completed creating 615 jobs and a payroll of nearly $21.4 million with the following businesses: Homeslices Bakery & Cafe, Royal Cabinets, CustomAir Delaware, Tanger Outlets, Scoreboard Pub & Grill, Metro PCS, Greater Gouda and Canvas Creations For You.

Leads submitted from Columbus 2020 or JobsOhio are still lower in July at 25 compared with July 2015. There were nine RFIs submitted but no projects completed. Reasons for not submitting included buildings not fitting the specs or too tall for the airport.

Direct industrial project leads matched last year’s at 19. But jobs and payroll were higher in July with ONDA USA LLC relocating from Columbus to 600 London Road in Delaware, creating 50 jobs created and a payroll of $2 million.

Delaware City Council has approved a $30,000 economic incentive grant agreement with the company for fiber optics and electrical upgrades required to use the building for manufacturing and distributing industrial heat ex-changers, according to prior reports from The Gazette.

The city continued to keep pace with visits for business retention and expansion projects, according to the report. Those projects received 56 company visits. One of the 42 was completed with Ace Hardware, retaining six jobs and a payroll of $190,000.

Kelsey Miller, who joined the city as its economic development specialist in June, is in charge of coordinating business retention and expansion visits.