Powell Development Corporation Meeting - March 24, 2026

The Powell Development Corporation (PDC) held a regular meeting on March 24, 2026, at 6:32 PM in council chambers. Mayor Heather Karr presided. Key actions included creating a nominating committee, entering executive session to discuss personnel, approving three committee-based directors, scheduling future lunch meetings at CoHatch, receiving financial and economic development reports, and discussing future work session goals. All votes were unanimous (5-0). The meeting adjourned at 7:20 PM.

Consent Calendar

• No consent calendar was presented.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were made.

Discussion Items

• Creation of Nominating Committee: Three volunteers stepped forward: City Manager Andrew White, Mayor Heather Karr, and Citizen Representative Philip Whitaker.
• Executive Session: A motion to enter executive session under Ohio Revised Code 121.22(G)(1) for personnel was made by Andrew White, seconded by Mark Goodwin, and passed unanimously at 6:34 PM. The board returned to open session at 6:50 PM.
• Nomination of Committee-Based Directors: Economic Development Administrator Sean Hughes explained the board could place four committee-based board positions. The Real Estate Committee seat was discussed in executive session and deferred to a future meeting. A motion approved three appointments: Megan Canavan (Downtown Powell Committee), Steve Flaherty (Entrepreneurship Committee), and Tim Wilson (Convention and Visitors Committee). All were seconded and passed unanimously.
• Scheduling Future Meetings: The board agreed to meet at CoHatch on the fourth Tuesday of the month at noon. The next meeting is set for April 28, 2026, at CoHatch at noon. Administrator Hughes noted that PDC/CIC meetings must be open to the public but do not require recording; minutes are required and subject to audit every three years.
• Treasurer's Report (February 2026): Finance Director Samantha Borchers reported $1,200 in interest, a net loss of $4,501.08, and an available balance of just over $477,000. February expenses included annual insurance renewals (general liability and directors & officers), legal fees, charging station utilities, and building utilities. The 44 N. Liberty building utilities are ending due to demolition preparation. March will see larger expenses: final land acquisition for 4630 W. Powell Road, the CoHatch economic incentive grant (dependent on certificate of occupancy), and the façade grant for the CoHatch annex building. No further CoHatch payments until 2028. Discussion included questions about depository bank restrictions, the board's financial policy, and the treasurer role. Administrator Hughes noted officer elections (including treasurer) will occur in April.
• Economic Development Administrator Report (February 2026): Sean Hughes reported that 185 projects were managed (a 35% increase over the previous year), including 19 public-private parking agreements. Five new businesses/startups resulted in nine full-time equivalent positions, nearly $400,000 in new payroll, and $210,000 in capital investment. Six retained/expanded businesses represented a 600% increase, retaining 32 FTEs but no additional payroll. The new payroll generated an estimated $8,000 in annual city income taxes. There were 40 business retention and expansion interactions in the first two months. Grant investment of $242,000 created $9,072,124.14 in capital investment, largely tied to CoHatch (now open). Discussion focused on how to present the 185-project metric to avoid the perception of being overwhelmed; City Manager White suggested highlighting transformative projects as a subset. Ryan Jenkins proposed categorizing projects into buckets or using a pie chart. Hughes noted his internal categories: business attraction, business retention, business expansion, greenfield development, redevelopment, and government contracts/programs. A preview indicated the March report would show around 240 projects due to spin-offs from CoHatch.
• Other Business: City Manager White suggested a future work session to orient the board, set goals, and understand how the PDC can contribute to City Council goals. Mayor Karr agreed it could resemble a goal-setting session. This will be pursued once all board seats are filled.

Key Outcomes

• Votes: All motions passed unanimously (5-0): motion to enter executive session (personnel), motion to approve three committee-based directors, and motion to adjourn.
• Nominating Committee: Volunteers selected: Andrew White, Heather Karr, and Philip Whitaker.
• Appointed Directors: Megan Canavan (Downtown Powell Committee), Steve Flaherty (Entrepreneurship Committee), and Tim Wilson (Convention and Visitors Committee). Real Estate Committee seat deferred.
• Future Meeting Schedule: Fourth Tuesday of the month at noon at CoHatch; next meeting April 28, 2026.
• Financial Status: Available balance $477,000; March will have significant expenses. No further CoHatch payments until 2028.
• Economic Development Metrics: 185 projects managed, 5 new businesses, 6 retained/expanded, $400k new payroll, $8k new income taxes, $9.07M capital investment from grants.
• Future Work Session: Planned for goal setting and board orientation once all seats are filled.