Maumee council authorizes short-term notes, approves heliports rule and authorizes exploration of TIF litigation

Maumee City Council on April 6 moved forward with a package of finance and governance actions after a presentation from municipal advisor Brian Cooper (Baker Tilly) on short-term notes and related ordinances.

Cooper told council the plan is to issue one consolidated one-year note to temporarily fund several projects — including sewer meter improvements, land acquisition, a hydro-excavator truck and Fallen Timbers work — and then refinance into long-term bonds. He said the city would offer the notes as limited-tax general obligation securities secured by a mix of TIF revenues, sewer enterprise funds and municipal income tax, and that it is not anticipated the city would levy additional property taxes to repay the debt. Cooper estimated a likely yield near 2.4% on the short-term notes and an estimated all-in rate of about 3.16% for the transaction; the ordinances use conservative "not-to-exceed" caps (commonly 6%) to permit sale under varying market terms.

Council took routine votes to advance and acknowledge second readings of multiple ordinances tied to the notes (ordinances 011-2026, 012-2026, 013-2026, 014-2026) and approved other items on consent including a disabled parking program, a water/wastewater rate study contract, personnel hires and an appointment of an interim law director. Council also approved ordinance 016-2026 to add heliports/helistops rules to the codified ordinances and approved an emergency amendment to weed-notice procedures (ordinance 015-2-2026).

On the consent calendar the law director recommended authorizing outside counsel to explore filing suit against the Namdar Group and related entities to recover unpaid TIF payments to Maumee and local school systems, estimated "in excess of $25 million." Council discussed collectibility; the law director characterized the target entities as a large corporation that often structures holdings through LLCs and said the authorization is to explore litigation if other resolution steps fail.

After returning from an executive session on contract negotiations, council voted to suspend for 30 days the requirement that city council approve development agreements and amended that suspension to explicitly allow directors and the mayor to be included in executing economic development agreements during that suspension.

Votes at a glance:
- Ordinance 015-2-2026 (weed-notice emergency amendment): approved (roll call recorded as unanimous).
- Ordinance 016-2026 (heliports/helistops): approved (roll call recorded as unanimous).
- Ordinance 013-2026 (note for hydro excavator truck): second reading acknowledged; vote on second reading recorded with one negative vote (Councilwoman Barte voted 'No' while others voted 'Yes').
- Resolution 010-2026 (first reading — Timbers Town Center NCA): first reading approved.
- Motion to suspend council approval of development agreements for 30 days and allow directors/mayor to act: approved (roll call recorded as unanimous).

What this means: the council authorized the administrative steps needed to move to a sale if the city and staff proceed (authorization, disclosure and documentation, potential Moody’s short-term rating and a competitive sale). Council members were reminded that the ordinances contain parameters (not-to-exceed rates and amounts) and that final award and acceptance will be completed by the finance director (within the approved parameters) once market terms are known.