ASHLAND — Ashland City Council met for the first time in the new year, approving the purchase of 4.2 acres along U.S. Route 250.
The land surrounding the property has already been purchased by the city and sold to businesses in the industrial park.
The owners of the lot agreed to sell the property for $250,000, so long as they can continue to live in the house up to Dec. 1, 2026.
Mayor Matt Miller said the purchase represents a years-long effort to obtain the property, and there are already “prospects” interested in developing the spot.
“You will see activity there in no time,” Miller said.
The city intends to purchase the land with proceeds from previous property sales in the industrial park.
“That is very important gateway into our community. So that’s why we want to open up all that area,” Miller said. “Not only will it open up a potential site for another business, but we can then put official signage to the industrial park, and I think everyone will be pleased with the improvements we intend to make.”
Miller also announced that Monday, the planning commission voted to subdivide land off U.S. Route 250 that used to be the location of Montgomery Elementary School.
The land was purchased earlier this year by Culver’s, a Wisconsin-based food chain, and the business requested the land be subdivided into four parcels: one for Culver’s and the remaining three for other businesses.
Miller shared there are three expected occupants for those three lots: a new hotel, “a very popular coffee shop,” and “another restaurant: one that a lot of people have asked for for a long time.”
“Now it isn’t a steakhouse, but you could probably figure out what might be interested in coming there and bringing chicken to the community,” Miller said.
Council meeting attendees traded excited looks and a few murmured “Chick-fil-A.”
In other business
Council also authorized the mayor to enter into a contract with Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association authorizing union wage increases for Ashland’s police and fire departments.
The unions and Mayor reached an agreement of a 4-percent wage increase in 2026 and a 5-percent wage increase for 2027.
“We are very thankful to the men and women of the police department, who graciously agreed to go along with this. We’re trying our best to give the highest wages we can give,” Miller said.
Ashland Police officers’ current wages range from $29.28-35.03 an hour depending on rank.
Councilman Dan Lawson also urged Ashland residents to shovel their sidewalks in a timely manner. He saw a man pushing a stroller with a baby in the street to avoid a snow-covered sidewalk.
“Ashland, we are better people than that,” he said.