Portage County Commissioners approve Wohlwend Properties 10-year tax abatement

Portage County Commissioners on Nov. 13 approved a tax abatement agreement between Brimfield Township trustees and Wohlwend Properties, LLC.

The engineering firm plans to invest up to $1.1 million to build a 5,400-square-foot office/warehouse facility it is already building at 4547 Mogadore Rd. in Brimfield, expanding and relocating from its current location on Karg Industrial Parkway.

The terms of the agreement require Wohlwend Properties to add three new, permanent full-time jobs, one a year, from 2025 through 2028. The company’s five existing full-time employees will relocate from the Karg Industrial Parkway facility to the new building.

In return, Wohlwend will receive a 10-year, 60% property tax exemption ending on Dec. 31, 2036. Should Wohlwend Properties fail to secure the added jobs, the tax abatement agreement will remain in place, though it may be modified.

Should the company cease to operate at the new Mogadore Road facility before 2036, the township trustees and the county reserve the right to terminate the agreement and demand payment and repayment of all exempted and abated taxes.

“We offer these tax abatements for economic development, so they still pay taxes, and they’re getting more taxes than vacant land,” Zoning Inspector/Economic Development Director Michael Hlad said. “If you’re paying 40% on that property with a business on it, it’s still more than vacant land. Even getting 40% of the property taxes helps the schools and helps the township and helps the county.”

Brimfield will also benefit from the company’s plans to add $90,000 a year to its current $422,000 payroll. Those dollars swell township coffers, allowing it to pay staff, buy new equipment, and maintain and expand infrastructure.

“Income tax is a big portion of how we maintain our police and fire services, our roads, our parks, as well as our staffing. It’s important for us to bring businesses in so that we can supply personnel to meet the demands of our growing community,” Hlad said.

Hlad’s team has a second plan to encourage companies like Wohlwend Properties to remain in Brimfield after the standard 10-year tax abatement period expires.

“We’re working on creating tax incentive financing using the taxes from year 11 to 30 to help build infrastructure within the township. Maybe the county is taking less, and everybody’s taking a little bit less, but then we’re putting it towards parks, police and fire,” he said.

All this while Hlad and township Business Manager Holly Woods keep a close eye on the township’s comprehensive land use plan. In place until 2050, and reviewed every few years, it clearly designates what can go where so economic growth is balanced with Brimfield’s rural character, Hlad said.