Public Unaware Of Secret Catches

Village of Archbold officials told the public they were offering a deal to two developers. But the deal had undisclosed catches.

As presented to the public, the Village of Archbold would pay to build a street through private property that could be developed. Because the village went to the developers, not the other way around, the developers wouldn't pay the assessment for the street until the lots sold.

Later, after the deal fell through, it was revealed the developers would have been required to pay for the street if the lots hadn't sold in 20 years.

It's understandable the developers would turn that deal down. The village was giving the developers a street on credit. Eventually, whether the lots sold or not, the bill comes due.

If village officials wanted to build the street, they should have offered the deal without strings: no assessments until the lots sold.

The Lawrence Lane extension would have been a plus for the community. Now, it looks like it will never happen.