HUBER HEIGHTS — City leaders said they are working to keep residents up to date on one of its biggest commercial developments.
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However, people claim that the officials aren’t being transparent about new developments like the Dublin 7 restaurant.
A change in state law now makes parts of economic development negotiations confidential.
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“This information is made confidential by statute,” Huber Heights Mayor Jeff Gore said.
Gore took the first half hour of Monday’s city council work session to address accusations the city isn’t being transparent in developing Executive Boulevard, located next to the Rose Music Center.
“These transactions reflect a long-term land development strategy. We are looking at this from a perspective of years,” Gore said.
The development is part of the city’s comprehensive plan adopted in 2023.
The city buys land, then turns around and sells it to developers.
Gore says the city has made about $2 million so far. That money goes to the Transformative Economic Development Fund.
The goal is to create a “Live Local Center” where people can go for different things.
This includes restaurants like Dublin 7, which is being built opposite the Tru Hotel.
“When you have mass restaurants or anything like that in a specific area of business, people travel to that area, and then they’ll make up their mind where they want to go,” Gore said.
Paul Shaeffer said he supports developing the area.
He told News Center 7 Friday that he thinks the city should be more forthcoming.
“I feel in a community like this under our kind of governance, that the public ought to have the information available to understand how the city makes the decisions it does with its public resources,” Shaeffer said.
A change in state law makes it a crime for local government to disclose parts of economic development strategy that are now confidential.
“Myself, for one, wish not to commit any crimes or be prosecuted for any type of misdemeanor under this new law,” Gore said.
Gore added that the economic incentives used on Executive Boulevard are the same as other parts of the city.
News Center 7 will continue to follow this story.
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