A large group of stakeholders met with the Muskingum County Commissioners this past Thursday to discuss a land issue regarding the future location of a Goodwill store near the intersection of Maysville Ave. and SR 719.

The land, which technically lies within Springfield Township, is part of a Joint Economic Development District (JEDD) between the City of Zanesville, South Zanesville and Springfield Township. It was designed years ago to spur economic development, according to Trustee Dale Phillips.

Phillips stated that the partnership between all three governmental entities allows for development that might not otherwise be possible, citing the investment by the City of Zanesville which helped make the original JEDD possible.

“The JEDD allowed us to have the money to develop that, which had always been a problem,” Phillips mentioned when referring to the development of both the Riesbecks building and the adjacent strip mall.

When stakeholders from Goodwill Industries, the Planning Commission, the Engineers Office, the City of Zanesville, the Village of South Zanesville and Springfield Township met with Commissioners Thursday the discussion was centered around extending the JEDD to include a portion of El Camino Drive.

“We extended it out so that the road can be maintained by the proper people,” Phillips noted when speaking on the development.

The representative from Goodwill Industries noted the intended opening date for the location is near the end of July.