City gives Fairborn Development Corporation temporary management of Skyway Centerplex

Fairborn City Council on Oct. 17 approved Resolution No. 45-16 authorizing the Interim City Manager to enter into a property management agreement with the Fairborn Development Corporation (FDC) for the Centerplex portion of the Skyway Shopping Center at 1067 and 1100 Kauffman Avenue.

Economic Development Director Rob Anderson said the city purchased the Skyway property to clean up the area and consider it for a future public works facility after current leases expire. The northern portion of the center currently houses State Farm, Cousin Vinny's Pizza and Kaboom Fitness, with leases running through 2018. Anderson said FDC will collect rents into a separate account, pay necessary expenses, and settle up with the city if expenses exceed revenues; unused funds would be returned to the city when management concludes. Councilwoman Marilyn McCauley raised concerns about FDC (a 501(c)(3)) managing city-owned property and potential legal fuzziness. City Solicitor Mike Mayer and Anderson cited ORC §1724 as authorizing community improvement corporations to manage municipal properties and said the transaction will avoid intermingling funds by using separate accounts and quarterly reporting to the Finance Director.