Bedford Council Locks In Hikma Pharmaceuticals Tax Deal, Restocks Storm Damaged Police Fleet

BEDFORD, Ohio – Bedford City Council moved through a packed agenda of nine ordinances on July 6, approving a long term tax incentive for Hikma Pharmaceuticals, two grant applications through Cuyahoga County, a major road and water line project, and a series of vehicle and equipment purchases tied to April’s hailstorm. Council approved every ordinance unanimously, with Mayor Stanley Koci presiding alongside Ward representatives Sandy Spinks, Steve Salvi, Frank Spiker, Frank Smith Jr., Cory Berry and Tony Longino. City Manager Michael Mallis presented most of the items. Residents also used the public comment portion of the meeting to raise concerns ranging from a sinking brick repair to communication gaps during last week’s heat wave.

Hikma Pharmaceuticals Incentive Approved

Council adopted a Job Creation and Retention Program grant for Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA LLC as the company expands its Bedford operations. City Manager Michael Mallis described the agreement as a 15 year incentive offering a 40 percent rebate on the company’s income tax, capped at $300,000 annually. Hikma’s Bedford operation sits on the former Ben Venue Laboratories site, which Hikma acquired in 2014. Demolition work is currently underway at the site as part of the expansion.

Once Hikma completes its hiring, which is expected to bring the company past 300 employees, its estimated payroll will reach roughly $25 million, according to the city. Even after the rebate, Mallis said Bedford would still collect around $500,000 a year in income tax from the company. The agreement also includes clawback provisions that allow the city to recover incentive dollars if Hikma relocates or closes during the 15 year term. Mallis noted the clawback has only been triggered once before in the city’s history.

County Grant Applications Target Parking Expansion

Council authorized the city manager to apply for a $150,000 Community Development Block Grant and a $50,000 Community Development Supplemental Grant through the Cuyahoga County Department of Development. Applications are not due until later this summer.

Mallis said one possible use of the funding is expanding the parking lot at 34 S. Park, a property the city recently acquired. The existing home on the lot is expected to come down later this year, though the parking expansion itself would not happen until 2027. He said the finished lot would provide more parking in that area than existed before the nearby Commons expansion.

Greencroft Road Water Main and Resurfacing Project

Council approved a contract with Katz Construction for the Greencroft Road water main replacement and resurfacing project. Mallis said Katz submitted the lowest bid after a public bidding process. The project includes replacing the water line along Greencroft, a full road resurfacing, and spot sewer repairs identified after the city used a main line camera to inspect the system. He said most of the sewer line is in good condition. A construction start date has not been set and will be determined during a preconstruction meeting, though the work is expected to take place in 2026.

Council separately approved a related contract with GPD Group to provide construction management and inspection services for the Greencroft project.

Storm Recovery Drives Police Fleet and Equipment Purchases

Several ordinances stemmed from the April 15 hailstorm, which damaged more than 60 city vehicles. Mallis said the city has repaired every vehicle that could be repaired and is being reimbursed in full through its insurance carrier. Several totaled vehicles are being retained for salvage and repurposed into other departments, including the building department and parks and recreation, where some vehicles had well over 100,000 miles.

Council approved a contract with Montrose Ford to purchase a 2026 Ford F150 Responder for the police department, along with a separate contract with Ganley Automotive of Aurora to purchase six 2027 Dodge Durangos for the department. A related contract with Hall Public Safety will outfit two of the new Durangos. Mallis said the city is moving away from replacing Ford Explorers and Tahoes with the same models, opting instead for Durangos to save money.

Combined vehicle costs are expected to run around $300,000, with about $185,000 coming back through insurance. Mallis said the city negotiated with its insurer to treat the hailstorm as a single event, meaning only one deductible applies rather than a separate deductible for each of the more than 60 damaged vehicles and properties.

Council also approved a contract with Atwell’s Police and Fire Equipment Company to purchase new Glock firearms for the police department, replacing weapons issued roughly five years ago. The city is receiving a credit of just over $9,000 for the returned firearms.

Splash Park Irrigation System Approved

Council approved a contract with Advanced Irrigation Systems to install irrigation at the Commons splash park, a project Mallis said came in about $155,000 under budget. He said irrigation was left out of the original design to hold down costs but was added back after the project’s budget picture improved. The area includes more than 3,500 plantings.

Officials also noted the Commons has not yet been formally accepted from the contractor and remains under a punch list of minor items. Plantings must survive 12 months from the date of acceptance, or the contractor is required to replace them.

Wastewater Treatment Plant Design Work Continues

Council approved additional design and construction phase services with GPD Group for the ongoing wastewater treatment plant upgrade. Mallis described the project as nearing $20 million in total cost, with the city receiving a $4 million grant to offset expenses. The project is expected to run through 2028.

Budget Appropriations Amended

Council also approved an ordinance amending the city’s 2026 appropriations to account for previously approved projects, grant receipts, and the newly approved Greencroft Road and wastewater engineering work.

Former Veterinary Property Listed for Sale

Responding to a resident’s question, Mallis said the former veterinary property on Northfield Road near Interstate has been listed for sale through a commercial real estate broker. He said the city held off listing the parcel until Hikma Pharmaceuticals’ expansion was announced, believing the addition of more than 300 jobs nearby would make the site more attractive to buyers.

A separate site at 225 Northfield Road is being developed into a food production facility, according to Mallis. He described the business as husband and wife owned, producing a product supplied to grocery chains rather than sold directly to the public. Mallis said the facility will not be open to the public for purchases and is not a restaurant.

Residents Raise Brick Repair, Heat and Safety Concerns

A resident who worked to preserve the original brick paving on Lampson Avenue told council that a recent water main repair near Lee Court left the area sinking, with cracked concrete and no proper base beneath the bricks. She asked the city to restore the section with matching red brick rather than a concrete or asphalt patch. Mallis said he would review the repair.

The same resident reported an abandoned shopping cart with belongings inside near Walgreens by the railroad tracks and raised concerns about overgrown lawns at several rental properties on Lampson. Mallis said the city had already issued grass notices to four separate properties on the street.

A resident asked whether the city offered cooling locations during last week’s heat wave, particularly after a portion of Bedford lost power over the holiday weekend. Mallis said the city has offered cooling and heating spaces in the community center in past years, staffed around the clock, but did not open one last week. He said the option has historically seen little use but acknowledged communication about its availability could improve.

The same resident asked about issues with the county’s Ready Notify alert system, which has been sending some Bedford residents notifications intended for Bedford Heights and vice versa. Mallis said the city flagged the problem to the county roughly a month ago and was told it stemmed from a geofencing issue that the county is still working to resolve.

A resident who bikes through town asked who is responsible for trimming trees that block sidewalks, since he said sidewalk obstructions push him into the road. Mallis said tree trimming on tree lawns is the city’s responsibility and is handled through its arborist rather than by residents, in part to prevent over pruning that could damage or kill trees. He asked the resident to submit specific street locations.

A resident living near the site of the upcoming Jade Honda construction project raised early concerns about light pollution from the dealership’s lot lighting, citing memories of glare from other car lots along Broadway and Rockside. Officials said lighting design falls under review by the city’s building department and that lighting standards have tightened significantly in recent years.

A resident closed the meeting by praising the newly completed Commons park, saying she had initially opposed the project over lost parking but came away impressed after visiting during the Strawberry Festival.

Watch the Meeting

Watch the July 6 Bedford City Council meeting: Bedford Council Grants, Commons Upgrades, Storm-Damaged Fleet.