Lucas County commissioners delay vote on loan to re-open Maumee plant
9/9/2008The Lucas County Commissioners yet again delayed a vote on whether to loan Maumee Authority Stamping $1.5 million to help it rehabilitate Ford Motor Co. s shuttered stamping plant.
Maumee Authority, led by former plant executive Keith Obey, has sought to re-open the plant, using investments from former Ford workers.
The loan was on Tuesday s agenda, but Commissioner Pete Gerken, a supporter of the project, offered to delay voting after tough questioning from Tina Skeldon Wozniak, the president of the commissioners, and Commissioner Ben Konop.
Mr. Gerken said he hoped his colleagues would come around, but that he feared it would fail if a vote was taken on Tuesday morning
"I understand that there would only be one affirmative vote today," Mr. Gerken said.
The commissioners said they would finally vote on the loan next week.
Ms. Wozniak and Mr. Konop said they would like to know more information about the proposal before voting.
The loan had already been delayed by two weeks, as the commissioners hashed out details with Maumee Authority Stamping officials.