BARC official maps plan to profit from opening of new prison
BROWNSVILLE – An official with a local redevelopment group explained to the Brownsville Area Chamber of Commerce how area businesses should get ready for the opening of the new prison in Luzerne Township. Lou Orslene, the executive director of the Brownsville Area Revitalization Corporation (BARC), reported that a committee has been formed to help meet the needs of the employees at the new state prison.
“We have been attempting to do as much as we can with the prison to capture as much economic development as possible,” Orslene said.
Orslene said he has looked at studies of other areas where prisons have been built and they show that a prison generally spurs development of a gas station, a grocery or convenience store, pharmacy sales and items such as floral sales.
The chamber secretary is also working to develop a list of businesses in the area for prison employees.
Orslene said there are plans to place each of the businesses on a map available on-line as well.
“The easier we make it for folks, the more likely they are to frequent businesses in the community,” Orslene said.
Orslene said prison employees are also being surveyed to see what it would take to get them to relocate to the area. Many of the employees will be transferring from the state prison in Pittsburgh.
Orslene said a workshop will be held June 3 for area businesses on how to fill out the paperwork to do business with the state.
In an unrelated matter, chamber President Frank Ricco announced Tuesday that the annual collector’s Christmas ornament for 2003 will feature the North Side and South Side volunteer fire departments on either side of the ornament. The design will be based on digital photos taken of the trucks at the fire stations.
The ornaments will be available for sale by the end of the summer.
The chamber is also planning for events over the summer. Ricco said nominations are still being accepted for this year’s Person of the Year to be honored during the chamber’s annual dinner cruise.
Nominations will be accepted until May 1, with the honoree announced at the May chamber meeting.
Plans are also being made for the July 3 fireworks display at Patsy Hillman Park.
The chamber decided to host a performance by the Mon Valley Community Band prior to the fireworks.
Ricco said lights will be set up so the band can play right up until the time for the fireworks to be set off in an effort to get people to arrive earlier for the fireworks.
“The crowd for our fireworks is always great, but late. I always have to hold the fireworks up because we have cars lined up all the way down Telegraph Road,” Ricco said.
Ricco said the Hiller Volunteer Fire Department might also be providing a demonstration of its new foam-dispensing truck at the park.
Chamber member David Gratz reported that the Izaak Walton League is moving ahead with the Dunlap Creek park project. Flowers, shrubs and vines will be planted over the next two months. One more streambank cleanup is also being planned for the area between the Monongahela River and the Brownsville Municipal Authority treatment plant, though the date has not yet been set.
Harold Richardson said the PGA tournament scheduled for September at Nemacolin Woodlands is expected to draw 70,000 visitors to Fayette County.
“We’ve got to find out how we can get this to rub off on what we have here,” Richardson said. “Unfortunately, we don’t have any hotels here. Uniontown does, and they will benefit from it.”
Brownsville Mayor Norma Ryan said hotels within a 50-mile radius have been alerted to the need for rooms for the tournament.
Ryan said Joe Hardy is permitting non-profit groups to set up booths during the tournament, so Brownsville tourist sites might benefit from that.