Community Reinvestment Act
COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT ACT STATEMENT FOR FIRST NATIONAL BANK IN NEW BREMEN
First National Bank in New Bremen is pleased to present its Community Reinvestment Act Statement and to take this opportunity to explain how we bring financial service and improvement to the community, which we serve.
The communities that are considered to be within First National Bank’s service area are defined as all of Auglaize and Shelby counties and two census tracts, numbers 9678 & 9679 in Mercer County, as indicated on the map accompanying this statement.
SERVICE PHILOSOPHY
As a banking organization, we are responsible for conducting our affairs at all times in a manner, which will meet the highest possible standard and which will fulfill our basic obligation to (1) protect our depositors’ funds from unreasonable risk, (2) serve the needs of our communities by providing quality banking services to our customers, promoting sound economic growth, and extending leadership and development in those areas of public concern, and (3) maintaining a profitable business and a strong capital base, which will enable the bank to meet the expanding financial needs of our communities.
RANGE OF SERVICES
First National Bank fulfills its responsibilities by (1) providing a wide range of checking and savings account services, which are designed to meet the varied needs of our communities, are fairly priced and provide competitive savings interest rates, (2) offering a broad selection of loans to meet the borrowing needs of our communities, and (3) having available to our customers a variety of other financial sources, such as vault facilities, letters of credit, transfers of funds, etc., to support their financial needs.
QUALITY OF LIFE
First National Bank is an active consumer lending institution in the area. It has consistently brought to the communities lending programs, which improve the quality of life of the consumer and which enable our businesses to sell products and services, thereby creating strong local economies.
INQUIRIES
Every office of First National Bank is able to assist with an application for a consumer loan and members of the staff are prepared to answer questions regarding this service. Terms of these loans, such as interest and monthly repayment, vary with the loan type and amount.
EASE OF APPLICATION
First National Bank uses application forms and notes, which contain easy to understand language and takes pride in its efforts to make this service available to every creditworthy member of our communities. To manage this effort, First National Bank has staff, which is trained to process consumer loan request with attention to and an understanding of our customers’ needs and desires.
AVAILABILITY OF LOANS
Among the most significant of First National Bank’s services, which affect the development and prosperity of our communities, is its lending programs. These loans are of types generally described as being Consumer, Real Estate Mortgage, or Commercial Business, which are explained below
TYPES OF LOANS
CONSUMER LOANS
Consumer loans are generally described as loans to individuals where the money is used to purchase a consumer product, such as a vehicle, or to make home improvements, or to pay for personal expenses. These loans can be arranged as funds are needed and repaid in equal consecutive monthly payments or the consumer can arrange for a home equity line of credit to be conveniently funded by requesting an advance by telephone, online or in person with no need for future loan applications. Below is a partial list of general products or services for which First National Bank makes consumer loans:
- AUTO
- BOATS
- EDUCATION
- DEBT CONSOLIDATION
- HOME IMPROVEMENTS
- RECREATIONAL VEHICLES
- PERSONAL
REAL ESTATE MORTGAGES
Real estate mortgages are generally described as loans to enable the borrower to purchase or build a home or commercial building. Listed below are the types of mortgages that First National Bank has available.
RESIDENTIAL
First National Bank makes loans to enable the borrower to purchase an existing house, to build a new house or refinance their current house, which the borrower will occupy as a single-family dwelling or as a duplex. These loans are available under normal terms.
CONSTRUCTION
First National Bank makes loans to individuals and/or construction firms to build residential dwellings for a contracted buyer or for future sale. In some instances, loans under this program may include funds to acquire and develop the land used for construction.
COMMERCIAL
First National Bank makes loans to businesses to purchase or construct a building for their operations. Generally, these buildings must be adaptable for other business uses.
COMMERCIAL/BUSINESS LOANS
Commercial/Business loans are generally described as loans to businesses, farmers, institutions, or organization to enable them to expand and grow, develop new products, add or replace equipment, cover the cost of inventory, and for the many other usual purposes. These loans are usually made for repayment within twelve months or may be scheduled for repayment over a period of years, depending upon the purpose of the borrowing. A partial list of commercial loans that First National Bank grants is listed below:
- Create working capital or cash
- Accumulate inventory
- Carry accounts receivable
- Expand into new market areas
- Develop new products or services
- Plant crops
- Raise livestock
- Purchase insurance
- Issue trade letters of credit
- Small Business Administration
LOW AND MODERATE INCOME NEEDS
Of special importance in our Community Reinvestment Act Statement is the acknowledgment of our responsibility to give special consideration to the financial needs of the members of various low and moderate income groups within our communities.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
As a bank, we accept deposits and then invest these funds into loans. Substantial portions of these funds are invested in projects benefitting the communities that we are located in.
SPECIAL PROJECTS
Loans to develop private enterprise facilities, such as industrial parks, community development to construct sports and recreational facilities (YMCA & Bremenfest Park), to local municipalities, volunteer fire departments, and to agencies, which provide social services, are amongst our investments in the communities.
COMMUNICATIONS
To bring the full impact of our programs to the communities, it is necessary to communicate the nature of these programs. Through newspaper advertisements, brochures and by participation in community activities by members of the staff, monitoring customer complaints, membership in related professional and trade organization, staff training programs and other methods. First National Bank maintains an active process to communicate and develop these programs.
BOARD INVOLVEMENT
Our Board of Directors plays a vital role in this process and is dedicated to promote the development of the communities. This concern has manifested itself in the services and reinvestment efforts described in this statement.
MONITORING
Management of First National Bank monitors the need of individuals and businesses in our local communities through market research and from information that it receives from the personal involvement of its officers and employees in local and area organizations.
YOUR PARTICIPATION
You participate in this community reinvestment program by making your observations, opinions, and suggestions available and known to First National Bank. This process is extremely important. Please take time to write about what you think we do well, what we do poorly or additional programs that you think should receive our attention.
As a member of our community, your opinions are sincerely appreciated and should you desire to discuss our Community Reinvestment program in greater detail please feel free to call upon our management for additional information.
First National Bank in New Bremen Community Reinvestment Act Assessment Area
First National Bank (FNB) is an independently owned community bank. Its main office is in New Bremen, Ohio, with four full-service branch offices. The branches are located in New Knoxville, Wapakoneta, Botkins and Sidney, Ohio. The main office, New Knoxville, and Wapakoneta offices are located in Auglaize County and the Botkins and Sidney offices are located in Shelby County. All five of the offices are located in middle to upper income census. Deposits can be made at the main office and all branches to include all ATMs except for the ATM located at the Botkins branch.
First National Bank’s assessment area (AA) includes all of Auglaize and Shelby Counties and census tracts 9678.00 and 9679.00 in Mercer County. The Census Tracts are contiguous and are in or surrounding counties in which FNB has branches located. The AA meets the requirements of the regulation and does not arbitrarily exclude any low or moderate income areas
The Auglaize County assessment area includes the following census tracts:
0401.00 0409.00
0402.00 0410.00
0403.00 0411.00
0404.00 0412.01
0405.00 0412.02
0406.00
The Auglaize County assessment area includes the municipalities of New Bremen, New Knoxville, Wapakoneta, Minster, and St. Marys.
The Shelby County assessment area includes the following census tracts:
9714.00 9719.00
9715.00 9720.00
9716.00 9721.00
9717.00 9722.00
9718.00 9723.00
The Shelby County assessment area includes the municipalities of Sidney, Botkins, Anna,
Ft. Loramie, Jackson Center, Port Jefferson, Houston and Russia.
The assessment area in Mercer County includes two census tracts, which are 9678.00 and 9679.00. These two census tracts are mainly a rural area, which includes smaller incorporated and unincorporated villages. The main villages included in these census tracts are Maria Stein, Chickasaw, and Montezuma.
There have been no changes to the census tracts included in the CRA assessment since the last CRA exam.