Uhrichsville paying consultant up to $10k for economic development assistance
UHRICHSVILLE (WJER) (Feb. 16, 2022) – An economic development consultant will be helping Mayor Mark Haney and his administration attract businesses to the city.
Council in a unanimous vote last week agreed to pay Jason Hamman of the Hamman Consulting Group up to $10,000 for his expertise. Councilman Jim Zucal felt it was a worthwhile investment in the future of the city, which has experienced a significant dip in tax revenue because of recent reductions and closures.
“We lost the Tinwood Tavern, which was Chef Ernie’s; Carter Lumber; a reduction at Claymont Schools; a reduction of U.S. Wells; Predictive Maintenance that went to Dover; Smith Ambulance; Bridges Excavating; Chase Bank; Davis Radiator; Huntington Bank; the Pizza Hut; and as of recently the freight station and on the news today I heard Hospice [Browse and Buy].”
Haney says Hamman will develop a plan for marketing the city’s vacant commercial buildings (and serve as a liaison between the administration and interested companies).
“And he will also work with us on a couple of businesses that we are already talking about to move into the city on tax abatement, what their needs are, what we can offer, what we can do. He’s kind of like that middle man.”
Haney says Hamman has worked with numerous county governments over the years and helped forge plans to bring a high-tech data center to a former industrial site in the southeastern Ohio town of Hannibal.