Morrow County ends authorization for Bennington-Peru CRA after staff flags 15-year abatement error
May 15, 2024 | Morrow County, Ohio
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Morrow County commissioners on May 15 approved a resolution to end the authorization for the Bennington-Peru Community Reinvestment Area after county staff identified an inconsistency in earlier tax-abatement language.
Jamie Breckhurst, a county staff member who spoke during the discussion, said the county’s original policy allows a maximum 10-year tax abatement but that an agreement had been signed for 15 years in error. Breckhurst said the resolution will align county records and allow the development office and the tax review council to consider shorter extensions for qualifying projects.
"We uncovered in that process that the original agreement will be allowed for 10 year, maximum of 10 year agreements," Breckhurst said, adding that the signed 15-year term appeared to be an oversight. Breckhurst noted the change is intended to bring existing agreements into compliance and to permit the county to consider subsequent, shorter abatements for development prospects, citing a potential H&M project and existing Dollar Tree and Station properties as examples discussed by staff.
The resolution, introduced during the consent/motion period, was approved by the board. Breckhurst said the tax review council may recommend an additional, shorter abatement — for example, a two-year extension to create a 12-year abatement in specific cases — but any such change would come back to the commissioners for approval.
The board did not provide additional budgetary details tied to the resolution during the meeting; staff described the action as corrective and procedural to restore compliance with county policy.
What's next: staff and the tax review council will review affected parcels and bring any recommended amendments back to the commissioners for a formal vote.
Jamie Breckhurst, a county staff member who spoke during the discussion, said the county’s original policy allows a maximum 10-year tax abatement but that an agreement had been signed for 15 years in error. Breckhurst said the resolution will align county records and allow the development office and the tax review council to consider shorter extensions for qualifying projects.
"We uncovered in that process that the original agreement will be allowed for 10 year, maximum of 10 year agreements," Breckhurst said, adding that the signed 15-year term appeared to be an oversight. Breckhurst noted the change is intended to bring existing agreements into compliance and to permit the county to consider subsequent, shorter abatements for development prospects, citing a potential H&M project and existing Dollar Tree and Station properties as examples discussed by staff.
The resolution, introduced during the consent/motion period, was approved by the board. Breckhurst said the tax review council may recommend an additional, shorter abatement — for example, a two-year extension to create a 12-year abatement in specific cases — but any such change would come back to the commissioners for approval.
The board did not provide additional budgetary details tied to the resolution during the meeting; staff described the action as corrective and procedural to restore compliance with county policy.
What's next: staff and the tax review council will review affected parcels and bring any recommended amendments back to the commissioners for a formal vote.
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