Caring for our Neighborhood

Here is a list of our 6 main concerns and documentation to support what we know thus far:

1. We are a bipartisan group; in fact, we would love to keep politics out of it.  With that said, we have a lot of support publicly and additionally, numerous city residents including employees, business owners, and union members have asked to remain anonymous.  They have expressed fear of retaliation and retribution against their homes, employment, union membership, integrity and/or their business if they do not go along with Mayor Mike Seferian, City Administrator Mike Beazley and Oregon City Council Members (Marvin Dabish, Kathy Pollauf, James Seaman, Dennis Walendzak, Terry Reeves, Tim Zale and Steve Hornyak – herein after Council) with the idea of building an industrial zone in the southeast corner of Oregon.

2. Oregon has an industrial area.  If a business does not fit in there, then we believe it does not belong in Oregon.  Why destroy the environment, people’s livelihood and property values for a building or industry that will have a limited life span?  Once the wetlands and the area surrounding them is disturbed or worse, destroyed, they can never be replaced in our lifetime.

https://www.nytimes.com/.../as-buildings-life-spans...

We are all for industry and job creation, however, the “build it and they will come” philosophy is currently not working with most of the new industry in Northwest Ohio. Some of those employers are begging for workers.  Our city leaders have already neglected several areas in Oregon with the businesses/industries that have sat empty for years.  Their focus should be on revitalizing those current vacant and abandoned properties.

Over the past several years our region has been successful with attracting new industry.  Good paying union jobs were used to construct the buildings and industries.  Those were temporary in nature and ceased after the buildings were completed.  Currently the Amazon Distribution Center employs 1,000 workers, Home Depot Distribution Center has 400 employees, and First Solar has 550 employees.  NONE have union employees.  These businesses only outsource union members, when needed.  Peloton does not have a factory in the USA, so there is no data to comment on.

3. The way this entire situation has been handled has been very “sketchy” to say the least.  At the May 10th City Council meeting, Oregon City Council members voted 6-0 on resolution number 060-2021 to Authorize the Mayor and Finance Director to enter into an agreement with the Oregon Economic Development Foundation (herein after OEDF) to assist the Foundation with funds to acquire land for commercial or industrial development.   At the June 14th meeting they indicated they do not have any prospects looking at the property. Why, then, would they need to do this under the guise of an emergency?  Two issues to be concerned about: 1) the 5/10/2021 meeting minutes do not indicate how much money they authorized, nor do they indicate what property and 2) when some city council members were asked in public how much money was earmarked toward this project, they responded with “I don’t know”.  No one who voted for this knew how much of YOUR money they approved spending and that should be concerning to all.
https://www.oregonohio.org/.../2021/M20210510%20RM.pdf

4. The OEDF Director took it upon herself, or was directed by a superior, to publicly list all 10 privately held parcels (southeast corner of Oregon) for sale through the Regional Growth Partnership website.  The description for the property stated there was rail access and the wetlands could be “easily mitigated.” So has it already been rezoned as commercial/industrial without a public hearing? Does she have a commercial real estate license?  Where are the signed contracts from the property owners approving the sale of their properties?  This was AFTER some of the owners had already refused the city’s offer to purchase.  In addition, a couple property owners claim they STILL HAVE NOT BEEN CONTACTED personally in regard to the purchase/sale of their properties.  We believe NO means NO.  We also believe changing the land-use without public input is highly inappropriate and unethical.  Another interesting thing is – in those documents it states a proposed offer of $30,000 per acre.  One land owner disclosed he was offered $40,000 per acre, while others were offered $20,000 per acre.  Why such a discrepancy?  Further, as residents we are required to complete permits requesting zoning changes for anything we want to do to our personal properties, however the city appears to have changed approximately 400 acres from agricultural zoning to industrial zoning without public input!  Who is going to be held accountable for this?

https://www.facebook.com/saveoregonswetlands/videos/1191981597910692

5.  Some of our neighbors in Jerusalem Township including all 3 of the Jerusalem Township Trustees (who were unaware of this plan) attended the City Council meeting on June 14th supporting our issue to Save the Wetlands.  They know the importance of protecting our wetlands, as do the 90,000 birders (tracking over 440 species of birds) that come to our area every year and spend millions of dollars in a short period of time.  The wetlands in jeopardy are part of the migratory route of the Mississippi Flyway. Jerusalem Township is fortunate enough to have Lucas County Metropark - Howard Marsh, Oregon has Lucas County Metropark - Pearson.  Jerusalem Township and Oregon share our jeweled state park, Maumee Bay.  Other than a few small trees at the Municipal complex and the small park in the Bayshore area, one could question where the City of Oregon's Mayor, City Administrator and City Council Members stand on protecting the environment.  

Did anyone from council contact our neighbors in Ottawa County?  This proposed new industrial zone in the most eastern end of Oregon will add heavier semi traffic down an already congested Navarre from I-280 heading east.  How will traffic flow through the small town of Curtice over to State Route 579?  Now consider the increased traffic east of this proposed zone where State Route 2 changes to a 2 lane road through Jerusalem Township into Ottawa County?  

Whole system conservation is when we can see and understand the relationship between our economy, our environment, and our overall welfare.

https://cbf.typepad.com/.../wetlands-were-once-seen-as... 

6. Destroying two federal, forested wetlands for brick and mortar is totally irresponsible.  We will never see the regrowth of wetlands in our lifetime.  In 1979 there were only 4 bald eagle nests in Ohio.  It took almost 40 years to get them back nearer to 300.  The forested wetlands in jeopardy hold the history of where one of the first nests was found during their return to the Lucas/Ottawa County area.  How many businesses have come and gone in 40 years?  

https://www.facebook.com/.../this-is.../1525112250983196/

As Heather Pollauf quoted in her story - Mike DeWine has said of the bald eagle comeback: “This is truly a great Ohio success story. The bald eagle is a symbol of America’s strength, resilience, and the eagle’s comeback in Ohio and across the country prove we can overcome any challenges when we work together.”

So, my fellow Oregonians, it is up to you to decide how you want your community to look.  Do you support the destruction of our wetlands and natural resources?  If not, now is the time to get involved and speak to your council members, Mayor, and/or City Administrator.  They are all at large members of council; they all represent you!

Watch the June 14th meeting here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tB1ozYRyjvo