[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6553841,"mediaKeyId","5065458-9e4046a4be63e8181008e3df482bd840","parentId",5065458,"title","Resident alleges financial focus, inadequate due diligence in Carriage Trails annexation during Huber Heights public comment","audioSeconds",224,"startMs",1198000,"endMs",1422000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5065458-9e4046a4be63e8181008e3df482bd840&start=1198&end=1422","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5065458-9e4046a4be63e8181008e3df482bd840/thumbnail_1198000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6553841/Huber-Heights/Montgomery-County/Ohio/Resident-alleges-financial-focus-inadequate-due-diligence-in-Carriage-Trails-annexation-during-Huber-Heights-public-comment","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6553841-12db4a78aaeadb40cad63c689e8cfc31/orig.mp4?Expires=1771149451&Signature=fawzqPMOONHFTck2kb-5PvRkF26ezGof7PGBxSN-AMhem6a43tKz1TEbNXh~Mq1sRNy1Rj-mVQufc50h5W6Y8-9HGRoIWcF3rtvFamwLbZPSL0c0lAulJEZVFjfYAMAFyM4itT1vEFoU-0NEDUuxfbMaahnPa5nj~8Nn~yz8lsfURyzZlKnkCj4kk8btZtKGVyB-WOJgcfqHleT9mYeMxItF9eDD6j94~59fX0ouxiT~eXtf4OS11W8tU5TJDznZGX8wDzE7wY1CDqzdwPwaFE1JM9Sgi7k1kI8Aii3lF7GMgbIw-9R2Ne2dt2byTTzlq12GVtlx1Jr6JSvBnKBwtw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Huber Heights","date","2025-06-23T00:00:00Z","article","Huber Heights — Jeff Morford of Miami County’s Bethel Township used the public-comment period at the June 23 Huber Heights City Council meeting to criticize the council’s handling of the Carriage Trails annexation and the city’s due diligence process.

“My concern is that the due diligence report considered only one aspect — the money — which has been acknowledged as your prime motivator,” Morford told the council. He said the phrase due diligence properly means “the care that a reasonable person takes to avoid harm to other persons or their property,” and argued the council ignored nonfinancial impacts when it approved the annexation.

Morford told the council that more than 1,200 Huber Heights citizens signed a referendum petition in four days objecting to the annexation vote. He said scores of residents had previously testified that past annexations had harmed Bethel Township’s community and schools; he urged the council to reconsider how it weighed community impacts.

Mayor Gore interrupted Morford when his allotted time expired; the record shows the mayor enforcing the meeting’s time limit. After public comments concluded, Mayor Gore said he had a clear conscience and was proud of the council’s actions for the city and taxpayers.

The remarks were made during the public-comment agenda slot and do not reflect any formal action by the council in that meeting. Claims about the number of referendum signatures and impacts on schools and the community were presented by the speaker and were not independently verified during the meeting record.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Huber Heights - City Council Meeting - Jun 23, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","A Bethel Township resident told the Huber Heights council their annexation decisions emphasized money over broader impacts and said more than 1,200 local signatures opposed the annexation; the public commenter was cut off at the council’s time limit.","taxTitle","Huber Heights, Montgomery County, Ohio","taxId",55050,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6553846,"Huber Heights council approves Canal Heights TIF bond authorization and a slate of appointments, contracts and budget moves",517,379000,896000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5065458-9e4046a4be63e8181008e3df482bd840&start=379&end=896","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5065458-9e4046a4be63e8181008e3df482bd840/thumbnail_379000.jpg","/articles/6553846/Huber-Heights/Montgomery-County/Ohio/Huber-Heights-council-approves-Canal-Heights-TIF-bond-authorization-and-a-slate-of-appointments-contracts-and-budget-moves","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6553846-9dd2f8de7888147cc72c020da7572a89/orig.mp4?Expires=1771149451&Signature=nV5jcjk3jnhvVQhoGAtVrMdO346szXgf5zQVibi4e-avcFI4pdxfoCJPWbd20p1~rxuxGLwm8u-EkhVKM6yZ6CNKApG0kMvN0YFsWVa0KbjfwYoSEtgOKpMqtI6e2ffovl~teYjhD~bN6ao0OJ~aLD~RQN8q-EemZPBLuhP7SaaaGLUwfgjRyj7aL1BAnnmetbRaiEHViDoanIZT65AGg1S2cpuTGA09NQe5ZO0kxwsFwY~2QFNRRm5QxbV~tZG3YEh-TWETY4KyOY06r9FuL6jB~YCeBhk3EnGz00fqgWeZUJemsciWvRC0Moj1v6q63QQPKgVWgxCrBRADSDTDfg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Huber Heights — The Huber Heights City Council on June 23 unanimously adopted an ordinance establishing a master trust agreement for the Canal Heights tax increment financing (TIF) program and a companion ordinance authorizing the issuance of up to $4,350,000 in TIF revenue bonds to pay for public improvements related to that development.

The council voted 6-0 to approve both measures after City Manager John summarized the purpose of the master trust agreement and explained that the TIF bonds will be secured by the developer through minimum service payments rather than by the city. The motion to adopt each ordinance carried on roll call with Councilmembers Baker, Campbell, Kitchen, Looney, Webb and Mayor Gore voting yes.

The council also approved a package of appointments, insurance renewals, capital transfers and planning steps. Among other items the council:

- appointed Kevin White to the Military and Veterans Commission (term ending Dec. 31, 2027) and Terry Walton to the Fire Appeals Board (term ending Dec. 31, 2025);
- instructed the Clerk of Council to notify the Ohio Division of Liquor Control that the council has no objection to a change in stock ownership for Taylor Mart LLC (liquor permit no. 8827366, 6025 Taylorsville Road);
- authorized notice to Bethel Township trustees of the city’s intent to adopt a resolution petitioning the Miami County Board of County Commissioners to adjust township boundaries for territory that, by annexation, lies inside Huber Heights (Carriage Trails 2 annexation referenced; transcript listed acreage as unclear);
- approved participation in the Ohio Association of Public Treasurers 2026 workers’ compensation group retrospective program administered by Sedgwick;
- extended or renewed several insurance contracts (general liability/property/auto/public officials/crime) while waiving competitive bidding for short-term continuity pending new rates;
- awarded a contract for furniture, fixtures and equipment for the Richard F. Schomper City Governance Center;
- transferred certain city-owned real property into the Transformative Economic Development (TED) Fund for future disposition if needed;
- authorized a one-time transfer of monies related to the Bellefontaine Road capital project and waived a second reading to adopt that ordinance as an emergency measure;
- approved the city’s five-year capital improvement plan for 2026–2030;
- moved the Creekside Woods economic development plan to a second reading at the July 14 meeting;
- adopted an ordinance to levy special assessments for the 2025 sidewalk program and declared an emergency; and
- authorized purchase of business continuity, backup and disaster-recovery services from vendor Think Guard.

Votes at a glance

- Ordinance: Master Trust Agreement for Canal Heights (item 9a) — approved, motion carried 6-0. (Transcript: City Manager John described the master trust agreement; council adopted.)
- Ordinance: TIF Revenue Bonds series 2025, max principal $4,350,000 (item 9b) — approved, 6-0. City Manager John stated the bonds are secured by the developer through minimum service payments and are not city-secured.
- Motion: Appoint Kevin White to Military & Veterans Commission (item 10a) — approved, 6-0.
- Motion: Appoint Terry Walton to Fire Appeals Board (item 10b) — approved, 6-0.
- Motion: Clerk to submit “no objection” to Ohio Division of Liquor Control for Taylor Mart LLC stock change (item 10c, permit no. 8827366) — approved, 6-0.
- Motion: Law director to notify Bethel Township trustees re: intent to adopt resolution petitioning Miami County to adjust Bethel Township boundaries (Carriage Trails 2 annexation) (item 10d) — approved, 6-0. (Transcript language on acreage was unclear.)
- Resolution: Participate in Ohio Association of Public Treasurers 2026 BWC retrospective program (item 10e) — approved, 6-0.
- Resolution: Authorize city-manager insurance coverage extensions/renewals (items 10f, 10g) — approved, 6-0.
- Resolution: Award FF&E contract for Richard F. Schomper City Governance Center (item 10h) — approved, 6-0.
- Resolution: Transfer certain city-owned real property to TED Fund (item 10i) — approved, 6-0.
- Ordinance: One-time transfer from General Fund to Capital Improvement Fund for Bellefontaine Road project; emergency adoption (item 10j) — waived second reading and approved, 6-0.
- Resolution: Approve five-year CIP 2026–2030 (item 10k) — approved, 6-0.
- Ordinance: Creekside Woods economic development plan — moved to second reading (item 10l); no final vote, scheduled for July 14.
- Ordinance: Levy 2025 sidewalk program special assessments; emergency adoption (item 10m) — second reading waived and approved, 6-0.
- Ordinance: Amend Huber Heights Codified Ordinances §9.34.09 to add a sanitary-sewer pass-through fee to be remitted to Tri-Cities (item 10n) — moved to second reading (July 14).
- Resolution: Purchase business-continuity and backup services from Think Guard (item 10o) — approved, 6-0.

Discussion and context

Council discussion on most items was brief and procedural. City Manager John reiterated that the Canal Heights bonds will be secured by the developer through minimum service payments rather than by the city; that point was noted during roll call on item 9b. Several items were emergency measures or renewals intended to maintain continuity while staff completes competitive processes or awaits new insurance rates.

Several items were advanced to subsequent meetings for a second reading (Creekside Woods plan and sanitary-sewer ordinance). The council scheduled the next regular meeting for July 14 to consider those follow-ups.

Ending

Councilmembers voted uniformly on the presented measures; final roll call tallies recorded six yes votes and no recorded no or abstentions on adopted items. City Manager John also reminded the public of upcoming community events and operational notices cited earlier in his report, including weekend holiday events and a community shredding event.

","At its June 23 meeting the Huber Heights City Council unanimously approved a master trust agreement and up to $4.35 million in tax-increment financing bonds for the Canal Heights project and passed a series of routine appointments, insurance renewals, capital-fund transfers and infrastructure programs.","actionData","errors"]

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Resident alleges financial focus, inadequate due diligence in Carriage Trails annexation during Huber Heights public comment

Huber Heights council approves Canal Heights TIF bond authorization and a slate of appointments, contracts and budget moves