Local briefs
Meeting scheduled Contract pleases Murtha
U.S. John Murtha (D-Johnstown) said he was pleased with Tuesday’s announcement of a $49.4 million contract to United Defense to disassemble 33 older Bradley Fighting Vehicles and remanufacturing them into modernized A20DS vehicles for the Army National Guard.
“This contract is key to maintaining our jobs base at the United Defense plant in Fayette County,” Murtha said. “It’s great to attract a company to our community, but real success means keeping the people working over the long term.”
The local plant, along Route 119 between Uniontown and Connellsville, employs over 100 workers.
Murtha, ranking member of the Defense Appropriations subcommittee, was instrumental in attracting the United Defense plant to the former Fruehoff plant and he added money to the defense appropriation last year for the Bradley program.
The remanufactured Bradleys will be delivered to the National Guard in 2004. The Fayette County plant will strip down the older vehicles and begin the remanufacturing process, which will be completed at the United Defense plant in York.
Funding approved
The House Appropriations Committee late Wednesday passed the Transportation Appropriation, which included several key regional projects requested by U.S. Rep. John Murtha (D-Johnstown).
Included in the legislation are:
? Language that gives priority consideration to the Connellsville Airport for its runway extension, benefit-cost analysis, right-of-way acquisition, utility relocation and related improvements. The $9 million project would receive consideration for a discretionary grant.
? Fayette County, $1.65 million for Phase II of an Intermodal Transit Center, including construction of maintenance offices, equipment and supply areas, and maintenance areas, and for an operating subsidy as the program gets up and running.
“The airport is important to the economic growth potential in the region, so this is good news for Fayette County,” Murtha said. “Although this legislation doesn’t guarantee funding for the Connellsville Airport, it puts the airport on a list of priorities that need to be considered, which means it’ll have a very good chance to get funded.”
Murtha said the transit improvements also are key to the regional economy and to the health and general welfare of thousands of area residents who rely on mass transit to get to work, to the doctor, to the stores and other places.
Cleanup scheduled
Council to meet