Wooster — The Wooster City Council on Monday voted down seven separate parcel TIF ordinances the administration put forward, ending a months‑long effort to set aside newly created tax revenues for infrastructure tied to proposed private development.

Mayor Reynolds opened the discussion and sought to clarify how parcel TIFs work under Ohio law (ORC 5709.40(b)), rejecting the notion that the measures were a general-purpose "slush fund." “If all seven of these proposals are approved, they will generate an additional $124,000 a year for the next 10 years,” Reynolds said, adding that those funds could speed infrastructure projects and may leverage state or federal matching money.

Council members questioned the timing and the potential effect on the Wooster City School District’s finances and capital planning. Several members said they were uncomfortable advancing multiple TIFs at once while the school district undergoes its own planning and earlier public concern remained unresolved.

The council considered ordinances numbered 2025‑16, 2025‑17, 2025‑18, 2025‑19, 2025‑20, 2025‑21 and 2025‑22. Each ordinance was read into the record and moved for adoption. Roll-call results recorded a majority of "No" votes on each item; in all cases the ordinances failed to pass. Ms. Worden was recorded as voting "Yes" on one of the items (2025‑22) while the remainder of the council voted "No," leaving that measure defeated as well.

Reynolds singled out three projects during his remarks — two Cleveland Road developments (a car wash and an adjacent 45‑unit apartment building) that he said require immediate attention because construction is near completion, and an Apple Creek bank project on South Market Street — but he also said the administration will consult the school district before reintroducing any parcel TIF proposals. “We will all be coming back to you with a new TIF proposal if we are confident that the TIF has the support of the school district,” he said.

Councilmembers who opposed the measures said their votes reflected concerns about timing and community confusion rather than opposition to economic development in general. One council member thanked staff (including Jonathan Millay) for their work on the proposals even while signaling a planned "No" vote.

Next steps: the administration may revisit individual projects at a later date, and the mayor indicated the city will seek to meet with the school board and new Board of Education members before reintroducing similar measures.

Vote tallies: All seven parcel‑TIF ordinances were defeated in roll-call votes at the Nov. 17 meeting; specific tallies were recorded in the meeting minutes.