Chinese investors are coming to the Maumee River bank bringing the fear of the unknown with them.
 
Will they take over our community?
 
Will they take over our country? 
 
Brad Peebles, commissioner of the department of development for the City of Toledo, says the fear is unfounded. He made his comment Thursday to 75 or so business and government leaders attending the annual State of Our Communities breakfast sponsored by the Eastern Maumee Bay Chamber of Commerce.
 
Peebles has been working closely with Toledo Mayor Mike Bell and the Dashing Pacific Group negotiating to buy The Docks for $2.15 million.
 
“These people are individuals just like you and I looking for the same things that you and I have—the freedom to come here to invest dollars to protect their wealth and to bring their families to a free country. They view us as a warm and friendly community,” he said.

Peebles said the Chinese toured 20 or so communities across the United States before choosing Northwest Ohio. He is encouraged by their approach to investing. They want Mayor Bell to provide an overview of the cultural, industrial and commercial assets of Northwest Ohio and a list of the types of businesses that would be a good fit for our community. The investors would target their efforts to those businesses.
 
“There’s no reason we can’t benefit from those looking to bring wealth to our community,” he said.
 
With the Cousino family pulling out of The Docks (see story page 4) and the Marina District languishing as a vacant promise due to The Big Recession, Peebles words were reassuring.
 
On the other hand, Mike Beazley, administrator for the City of Oregon, brought us back to reality.
 
“I want to challenge the business community to help make us better. Government has to change in significant ways as businesses have changed. We can’t do it by ourselves. We need your vigilance and your participation to help us provide services smarter.”
 
Beazley said the recession didn’t affect Oregon much in 2008 and 2009 when revenues were “flat,” but last year general fund revenues dropped from $17.5 million to $15.9.
 
Beazley anticipates this drop to continue as the state eliminates its $8 billion deficit. To give us an idea of the scope of the task, Beazley said if the governor laid off every state worker from himself to the boiler operator, it would still face a $4 billion deficit. That means the state will send less money to our schools and local government.
 
The question becomes, Beazley said, “How do we continue to deliver good quality services in the new world we live in?
 
“Government can’t stay the same. We can’t keep tagging the taxpayer for a larger percent of our resources. We can do this more efficiently. We can deliver the same services for less cost…We need to find ways to work cooperatively while maintaining local control.”
 
That concept of regional governmental cooperation, not regional government, is one that Mayor Bell sold to the Village of Ottawa Hills. Toledo City council just approved taking over fire service protection for the village thus saving funds for both communities.
 
That will become more prevalent as our economy, more dependent on manufacturing than most regions, continues to struggle. Beazley said Oregon’s payroll tax was down nine percent in 2010.
 
“That’s money out of our residents’ pockets. Understand what that means at the end of the day.”
 
On the good news side, Beazley said the city’s top four employers, the two hospitals and two refineries, did well in 2010 and commercial building permits took a “significant bounce up” in the middle of 2010.
 
Dennis Recker, administrator for the City of Northwood, also delivered some good news. Revenue was up in 2010 to $4.5 million versus $4.3 million in 2009, thanks to a better than expected fourth quarter.
 
Hopefully, this uptick will continue as the city had been forced to reduce its workforce from 45 to 36.
 
Recker also assured the crowd Norplas, an automotive parts manufacturer, is proceeding with its 30,000 square-foot expansion, which will bring 250 to 300 jobs to the area.
 
 Other speakers included Joe Kiss, Jerusalem Township trustee and Maureen Jacobsen, Walbridge council president.
 
Kiss commented on the township’s plan to purchase a new fire truck in 2011 and last year’s adoption of new garbage contract, which will cut costs.
 
Jacobsen, whose village is surrounded by Lake Township, recalls how the June 5th tornado that killed seven and destroyed Lake High School affected her life and those of fellow villagers. “We’ll never again take the news for granted  when a warning comes for bad weather. We will never forget the loss of life and the total destruction.”

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