Fayette officials to attend economic seminar with Rendell
Two Fayette County Commissioners and the president of a county economic development group are among those slated to attend an upcoming economic development seminar with Governor-elect Ed Rendell. The seminar, which will be held as a pre-meeting on Saturday and a summit on Feb. 6, is being hosted by the Team Pennsylvania Foundation, a private, non-profit organization developed to foster economic growth and community development throughout the Commonwealth.
Scheduled for Carnegie Mellon University, the seminar is one of nine being held regionally across the state. Ten southwestern Pennsylvania counties will be represented.
Rendell, who takes office Tuesday, sent out invitations to elected officials, economic development professionals, labor and private business leaders, members of the academic community and representatives of faith-based organizations. Rendell will attend the February session of the summit.
In his invitation, Rendell said that since Nov. 6 he has been “working day and night” to get ready to hit the ground running as the next governor.
“I realize more than ever how immediately our Commonwealth – and the southwest region in particular – needs attention in the area of economic development and how much I need your input in deciding what priorities we should pursue in order to revitalize your area of the state,” Rendell wrote.
Ted Martin, communication director for Team Pennsylvania, said the foundation has had meetings throughout the state since its 1997 inception, but this is the “most comprehensive approach to date.” He said Rendell requested the seminars.
Vincent A. Vicites, Fayette County commission chairman, said he plans to be an active participant in the project as one of the representatives from Fayette County.
“It’s important to Fayette County to get ideas out there,” he said.
Vicites said expansion of the Connellsville Airport, getting water and sewage to the three county business parks for industrial and commercial sites, having a good education system and job training are all important for the future of the county. He said how those issues intertwine with bringing jobs to the county are vital for future economic development.
“It all centers around economic development,” Vicites said.
He said his top priority is to create as many new jobs as possible for the county.
“In order to do that, we need to build a solid foundation, which includes highways, an expanded airport and development of business parks that are site ready,” he said.
Vicites said public and private partnerships in Fayette County have been effective. He said he wants exchange ideas with Rendell and is looking forward to the opportunity to speak with him again, as he did during campaign stops in October and November.
Commissioner Sean M. Cavanagh, who will also attend, said he thinks the idea of holding the regional summits is “visionary.”
He said Rendell has been working hard to find out the needs across the state before taking office.
Among the ideas Cavanagh is taking to the summit is a need bring more government contracts to the county, such as those at Sensytech, Advanced Acoustic Concept, United Defense and Shumar’s. He said with U.S. Rep. John Murtha number two in defense in Congress, additional government contracts are within reach.
Cavanagh said he has to be involved. “I think when your governor calls, if you are going to be a part of the process, you have to interact,” he said.
He said another issue of importance to the county is the abundance of water. Cavanagh said water is needed for new facilities and water shortages in the west may institute a need for relocation.
“We need to take advantage of our natural resources in the county such as timber and water,” Cavanagh said. He said telecommunications jobs are the jobs of the future and the county economy is changing.
Cavanagh said he recently met with an Arizona defense contractor who is considering relocating here.
“Pennsylvania has a lot to offer. It’s commendable what Rendell is doing,” he said.
Some of the priorities Cavanagh cited for the county include expanding the airport and completion of the Mon/Fayette Expressway.
Mike Krajovic, president of Fay-Penn Economic Development Council, who serves on the board of directors for the Pennsylvania Economic Development Association, said he is looking forward to participating in the summit. He said there is a great disparity between the eastern and western part of the state and Fayette county must make sure its economic needs are clearly defined.
Commissioner Ronald M. Nehls, who serves as the chairman of the Forecast for Economic Development sub committee for the Southwest Pennsylvania Commission, said he has submitted his economic development ideas through the SPC and will not attend the summit.
“I think it’s great that Rendell is going out and making it known that economic development is one of his major issues,” he said.
Nehls said in his former job he was the Fayette County representative for the Team Pennsylvania Foundation.
According to a letter from Team Pennsylvania executive director Richard Hudic, the pre-summit on Saturday is a forum for all the invitees to gather and exchange ideas, comments and concerns about issues critical to economic development in the southwest region. The day will be facilitated by a consulting firm and will consist of breakout sessions covering defined topic areas. Rendell will then attend the summit on Feb. 6 with each of the participants to have an informal and more in-depth dialogue about the issues.