Canfield council, trustees meet in public for first time on tentative JEDD for Windsor House

February 12, 2015 at 12:07a.m.

By ROBERT CONNELLY

CANFIELD

Canfield city and Canfield Township trustees met together Wednesday for the first time on a tentative agreement to bring an assisted-living business to reality.

The informational meeting on a joint economic development district, or a JEDD, was a short meeting with a few clarifying questions. Both boards will set public hearings to hear from residents and then they can adopt the pact. It will then go before the Mahoning County commissioners for approval.

“We’re probably almost 90 days out from [being] all wrapped up,” said Mark Fortunato, Canfield city attorney.

Anthony Bettile, a former Canfield trustee, questioned whether other businesses could be a part of the tentative JEDD. “You could do other businesses, but I don’t know if there will be room,” said Marie Cartwright, Canfield trustee.

No action was taken at Wednesday’s meeting. “I appreciate the mutual [respect]. The way that both entities have worked together, the city and township,” said Stephen Maszczak, Canfield trustee. “I think this will have a great benefit on our community as a whole.

The JEDD is for 18.6 acres that is surrounded by the Mill Creek MetroParks Farm on three sides and sits along state Route 446. The Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office will police the area, and the city and township already share the Cardinal Joint Fire District.

The city will provide water and sewer lines to the 72-bed Windsor House facility that will bring between 72 and 80 jobs to Canfield. Construction is estimated at $10 million to $12 million. The township would collect real-estate taxes, while the city would collect income tax from the owner and employees. That would be at the city’s current income-tax rate of 1 percent.

Fortunato said that he believed this is the first JEDD in Mahoning County. He added that there have been similar agreements in the Valley, such as the deal between Girard and Youngstown for Vallourec Star, but not a JEDD.

There will be a five-person board. That will include a township and city representative — most likely a trustee and councilman — and then a representative of the employer and employees working in the JEDD. The fifth person will be selected by the four members and that person will chair the board. That board would meet quarterly.

Negotiating teams from both the township and city met for months to work out the details.