DevelopOhio

The joint economic-development zone (JEDZ) Columbia Township formed with the Village of Fairfax is outperforming estimates and has helped bring jobs to the township, Cincinnati.com reports. The $760,000 generated by the JEDZ in 2015 surpassed township officials’ projections of $706,000 annual revenue from the partnership. Michael Lemon, Township Administrator, called the JEDZ performance “critical to the delivery of services and economic development aid and assistance provided to current and new businesses considering Columbia Township.” Lemon said the JEDZ “played a significant role in bringing the new CBT headquarters to the township last year,” and officials hope to “use it to bring additional businesses through creative partnerships as we move forward,” according to the article. The township agreed “to issue up to $2.85 million in revenue bonds to help CBT build a 95,000-square-foot facility” including office and warehouse space, which CBT will repay over 30 years. The township expects to receive about $50,000 for the first 10 years and $100,000 each year after that, with actual amounts “dependent on the number of jobs created and their salaries.”