SIDNEY – The Shelby County Land Reutilization Corp. (Land Bank) acquired two structures on 414 S. Miami Ave. from a donation, which the members discussed at the monthly meeting on April 19.

The property was donated by Tom Kinninger, making it the second property Kinninger has donated to the Land Bank. Director Doug Ahlers expected the large and small homes located on the property to be demolished based on age and structural damage from lightning that occurred a few years ago.

Ahlers mentioned in his director’s report that a handful of properties have also been sent to the prosecutor’s office for foreclosure.

The Ohio Department of Development (ODOD) had questions about the Land Bank’s application for a grant that included plans to demolish the old Wagner Manufacturing plant, which will be answered by the Land Bank by the end of the week. Ahlers received a phone call from the ODOD on the non-brownfield in the application stating that the case is being considered, but there has been no approval made at this time. Ahlers also said he has received no timelines from the ODOD about receiving funding to start work on brownfield and non-brownfield.

Ahlers has been in contact with a national insurance company about insuring the Wagner property, but there are no updates yet. All other properties owned by the Land Bank are insured with liability. Commissioner Bob Guillozet mentioned that some semi-trucks have been parking in the Wagner parking lot on the weekends and he is concerned about the events that the Land Bank could be liable for if something were to happen.

Mentioned in old business was John Deeter, the former owner of 216 E. Main St. in Port Jefferson. The property has been owned by the Land Bank since March 2022 – after there were no buyers at two Sheriff’s auctions – and Deeter was given until April 20 to vacate the property or else the Land Bank would proceed with eviction. Ahlers said that based on the exterior of the structure it could be demolished.

The Land Bank also awarded the mowing contract for the 2022 mowing season to Tom’s Lawn and Landscape, a local contractor.

In other news, the board proposed and approved a motion to increase the number of members on the board from seven to nine. The city of Sidney nominated their representative to be City Manager Andrew Bowshers, and Mike Barhorst, a current board member, was appointed to the at-large member seat for two years. He was also nominated and approved to continue to hold the position as vice chairman.

For the month of March, the Land Bank received $53,524.32 for DTAC fees. The Land Bank also sold an empty lot at 230 N. Walnut Ave. for $300, for total revenue of $53,824.32. Total expenses were $7,608.74, of which $3,628.75 were administrative expenses, and $3,952.33 went to the clerk of courts for the Wagner property. The Land Bank’s ending March balance was $591,854.61.

The next regular meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 17, at 1:30 p.m. in the Commissioners’ meeting room.