MILLBURY – It may have taken over two years to get a Joint Economic Development District with Toledo, but
the Lake Township Trustees aren’t wasting any more time capitalizing on the agreement.
At Tuesday’s meeting, just hours after the Wood County Commissioners approved the JEDD, Trustee Richard
Welling announced the creation of the Lake Township Jobs Initiative Project.
The township and Toledo have a JEDD agreement for property around Metcalf Airfield, near Cummings Road
and Ohio 795. A JEDD allows a township to join with a municipality to trade tax revenues for
infrastructure or services.
Welling said the property should attract businesses and high-paying jobs to the area.
"The new mantra in Lake Township will be planes, trains, trucks equals jobs, jobs, jobs," he
said.
He and Trustee Chairwoman Melanie Bowen said the township should be an attractive option for businesses,
with its access to railroad, air and highway travel. Route 795, Interstate 280 and Interstate 75 are all
near Metcalf.
The first step in the jobs initiative is for the trustees to develop a Web site "to act as an
informational gathering center and a networking site for business development on an area, state and
federal level."
Bowen said the seeds are being planted for a long-term development.
"Nothing happens overnight. It takes years," she said. "We just need to keep plowing
forward, working with all these agencies to make it happen."
The trustees will work in conjunction with Toledo, Wood County Economic Development Commission, Toledo
Metropolitan Area Council of Governments, Millbury, Walbridge, Lake School District and the Toledo Lucas
County Port Authority, which runs Metcalf for Toledo.
The trustees also voted to send Police Chief Mark Hummer, who is their administrative assistant, to the
2009 Ohio Conference on Freight at the Dana Center, Toledo, Sept. 22 for $250.
Bowen and Solicitor Tom Hays are also planning to meet with a port authority representative next week.

Also at the meeting, the trustees:
¥ Heard an industrial hygienist from Chicago will be in the township the week of Sept. 14 to analyze a
noise complaint at Stanley Yard. An East Broadway Street resident complained about the constant rail
noise at the last trustees’ meeting.
¥ Introduced a new fire truck that specializes in fighting grass fires and towing. It will also be used
as part of the Rapid Intervention Team to help firefighters in trouble at blazes. The vehicle cost
$82,294, and the township saved over $20,000 by doing some of its own work. Fire Chief Todd Walters also
said the Fire Maids are donating $1,300 for portable radios for the truck.
¥ Approved spending $4,700 for asphalt and berm repairs on Ayers Road between Lemoyne and Drouillard
roads.
¥ Approved paying Gerken Paving, Napoleon, $1,072 for additional work on a Keller Road project.
¥ Approved spending $1,035 for Brandon Lohmeyer, Kevin Sanders and Matt Winkle to attend the 36-hour
Volunteer Firefighter Certification class offered by the State Fire School at Bowling Green State
University Oct. 10-14.
¥ Went into a 20-minute executive session to discuss fire department discipline. No action was taken.