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January 28, 2013
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Woodville Mall to come down; lawsuit proceeds By Larry Limpf News Editor news@presspublications.com
Morning hunt A group of duck hunters make their way across a frozen Magee Marsh. (Photo courtesy of Maggi Dandar mdandarphotography.com)
Northwood
Business investment is up in city New construction and businesses, and increased investment were among the highlights from last year that Northwood Mayor Mark Stoner noted in his state of the city speech on Thursday. “We begin the year with a positive general fund carryover,” said Stoner. “We have approved a balanced 2013 budget totaling $4,399,380.” Over $19 million was spent for new construction projects, an increase from $8 million in 2011 and $5 million in 2010, said Stoner. New businesses last year included the Genesis Community Center, Tri County Wheel & Rim, Ladies Movement Fitness Club, Double Down Consignment, Northwood Quick Lube (Pennzoil), Styling Sunsations and Liberty Tax, he said. “The city experienced industrial growth and new construction and expansion in 2012,” he said. Johnson Controls, he noted, invested $3 million for an addition to its existing building, Fed Ex Freight constructed a new $15 million facility on the west side, and
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...2012 is the fifth year in a row that the city recorded no traffic fatalities.
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By Kelly J. Kaczala Press News Editor kkaczala@presspublications.com
Burger King remodeled its current structure to the tune of $400,000. Income tax collections were up by 4 percent in 2012 compared to 2011. Total General Fund expenditures increased by $305,448 or 7.9 percent from 2011, he said. The Finance Department completed its 14th annual comprehensive annual financial report and was awarded the certificate of achievement for excellence in financial reporting by the Government Finance Officers Association, said Stoner. The police department, which employs 22 full-time and four part-time staff, last year transitioned to the Lucas County
800 MHz communications system, which allowed for direct communication with all Lucas County emergency responders as well as adjacent Wood County police agencies that are using the system. The department also received a “Third Grade Seat Belt” grant from the Ohio Department of Public Safety for the instruction of seat belt safety, and a “Bullet Proof Partnership” grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance that funded 50 percent of the total cost for three ballistic vests. “And we continue to participate in a regional grant with the Lucas County “Operate a Vehicle Intoxicated Task Force in which we held two OVI checkpoints,” said Stoner Major crime in the city is down 13 percent in 2012 compared to 2011, said Stoner. Traffic crashes were up by 4 percent. “This is the first time in the past 10 years that we have seen an increase in this category. However, 2012 is the fifth year in a row that the city recorded no traffic fatalities,” said Stoner. The city’s communication’s center in 2012 received 6,276 calls for service from the public, and an additional 2,322 calls
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The former general manager of the Woodville Mall told Northwood City officials Thursday the mall’s new owner wants to start the demolition process of the deteriorating retail structure and embark on new development at the site. Juanita Jones said she’s representing the new owner, Soleyman Ghalchi, of Glen Cove, New York, and that he “wants to do something positive” with the mall, which has been vacant since late 2011, except for two anchor stores, Andersons and Sears. “That mall is coming down,” she said when asked about the owner’s plans during a town hall meeting held before city council’s regular session. Jones said she will ask the city administration for a list of the requirements needed to initiate the demolition process and will seek the required permit from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to remove asbestos. Its removal, she said, would be the first step in razing the building but she said the owner is also committed to cleaning up the parking area. One possible development could be a strip center between the Andersons location and the Sears store and Jones said she’s been in contact with local real estate developers. Another option would be to raze the building housing the Andersons store if its condition is considered too deteriorated. Andersons announced late last year the store would be closing by next month. Despite Jones’ upbeat projections and her informing the crowd of residents nearly filling the council chambers she drove 12 hours from Memphis, Tenn. to relay the news, city officials said after the meeting they remain skeptical of the development plans and that a lawsuit the city filed against the present and former owners of the mall will proceed. The city filed a lawsuit Jan. 17 against Ghalchi, who bought the mall for $800,000 in December and the seller, Mehran Kohansieh, also known as Mike Cohen. Cohen also employs Jones and she recently oversaw the demolition of another Cohen owned mall, the Raleigh Springs mall in Memphis, according to an article in The Commercial
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Q
uote of The Week
The whole world is watching and I was actually there. Clay Parlette See page 3