Armstrong County Commissioner Chairman John Strate, Commissioner Vice Chairman Anthony Shea and Commissioner Secretary Pat Fabian participated in a joint visit consisting of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) and Allegheny Conference in front of national leaders to advocate for economic development within the region.
The two-day trip started with a PA Business Leadership event at the White House.
The PA contingent of business and elected leaders met with various senior administration economic advisors to include Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves.
The group focused on the development of regional infrastructure ranging from roads, bridges, water, sewage and internet access.
The deputy secretary related robust infrastructure is key for the country to remain competitive on the world stage.
The deputy secretary fielded numerous questions and concerns ranging from the viability of EV waste trucks to emergent technologies for expanding broadband access in support of telemedicine.
On the second day of the visit, the delegation met with various legislative leaders at the Capital Building.
The day started with a breakfast event with Stefani Pashman/Allegheny Conference CEO, Pat Fabian/SPC Board Chairman, Rich Fitzgerald/SPC CEO, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, and Phil Murphy/Senior Advisor to National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) as featured speakers. Key topics discussed were how to attract and expand business outside of existing pockets within the region, and how to showcase the advantages the Western Pennsylvania region has to offer to site selectors.
The delegation then met with various lawmakers at their Congressional offices at the Capital. Commissioners Strate, Shea and Fabian joined several of these office calls to include U.S. Representatives Guy Reschenthaler (R-14th), Chris Deluzio (D-17th) and GT Thompson (R-15th). In the meeting with Rep. Deluzio, Commissioner Strate expressed concerns about the lack of EMS resources in and around the northern part of Armstrong County. Commissioner Strate talked of how several of the Dayton volunteer fireman have picked up EMS skills at their own expense. In the same meeting, Commissioner Shea talked about the growth of the areas trails; he also talked about the ARDC public private partnership for the county’s locks and dams and that both the trails and locks are important to the area’s tourism growth.
Representative Glenn “G.T.” Thompson, who chairs the House Agricultural Committee, discussed the upcoming farm bill. Rep. Thompson related he looked at generating agriculture legislation through a science and technology lens. Commissioner Fabian advocated for the Allegheny River getting additional resources regarding updated lock infrastructure similar to other regions, as well as expanded service. Commissioner Shea related remote lock technologies may offer a long-term solution to open up Armstrong County locks and dams to recreational boaters. A question was asked about dredging the river, the Congressman advised this issue is being looked at closely. Commissioner Shea talked of the need to complete the bike trail flyover in Allegheny Township, Westmoreland County, which is needed to connect the Freeport to Butler Trail and Armstrong Trails into one 126-mile contiguous trail from Butler to Brookville, along with the Leechburg connector. The ultimate goal for the region is to fully complete the 270-mile Erie to Pittsburgh Trail which will have an estimated one million bikers passing through Armstrong County annually.
The various meetings over the two days event allowed the commissioners to network with a plethora of business and government leaders. The commissioners were able to garner follow-up meetings with broadband providers and identify potential grant source leads. The next public Armstrong County Commissioner meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 3 at 9 a.m. in the Commissioner Conference Room at the Courthouse Annex in Kittanning.
View the full article at leadertimes.com.