Leaders share views about communities
ZELIENOPLE — The past year was a challenging one for local government and law enforcement dealing with the loss of businesses, budgetary strains and community social issues.
But things seem to be looking better for some of the southwest Butler County communities as Harmony will welcome two new businesses, Zelienople is about to complete major infrastructure improvements and Jackson Township looks at how to handle growth and development knocking on its door.
The Zelienople-Harmony Area Chamber of Commerce had its State of the Union breakfast meeting Wednesday morning at the Kaufman House in Zelienople.
The annual event is an opportunity for community leaders in the chamber's surrounding townships and boroughs to give an update on the issues pertaining to their communities.
Mayor Cathy Rape said the borough is looking to rebound from a tough 2009.Several new businesses are poised to make their home in two vacated facilities.Last year, the borough was hit with the closing of the U.S. Post Office in the municipal building. Postal operations were transferred to Zelienople.The borough was remodeling its municipal building and was "left holding the bag" with the loss in lease revenues.However, the borough was able to overcome that shortfall in the budget.Harmony also lost a major business, Kasing Dodge, which relocated to Ellwood City in Lawrence County.Rape told chamber members a new business, McCracken Motor Sports, has recently signed a lease and is expected to open in the former Kasing's building off Route 68.The former Yorktown Caskets facility has just been bought and a small manufacturing company is expected to move into the 150,000-square-foot building on Ziegler Street.The majority of that building has been vacant since the floods from the remnants of Hurricane Ivan in 2006.Rape said a new Federal Emergency Management Agency flood map was recently updated for Harmony. She hopes the map will help deter developers from developing in flooding zones.
Mayor Tom Oliverio said the biggest project in 2010 will be the completion of the borough's new water distribution system.The borough will get its drinking water from the Beaver Falls Water Authority this fall.Because of major repairs that were required by the state Department of Environmental Protection that would have cost the borough millions of dollars, the borough opted to get out of the water distribution business.Oliverio said the new water system will be a great asset to the town's residents and its businesses.The previous water supply, which came from Scholars Run, would dry up during arid fall seasons.
Jackson Township Supervisor Roy Huffman said 2009 was quiet in terms of development, with Harmony Junction off Route 68 as one of the few development projects under construction.But with Cranberry Township's continued growth and the pending construction by the state of the missing ramps for Interstate 79, growth eventually will come to Jackson, he said.Several developers have talked to the township, saying if Jackson would change its ordinances, they would bring developments there.However, Huffman said the current land development ordinances direct where development should occur.A potential flex warehouse development just north of the intersection of Route 19 and Lindsay Road has been proposed by the Buncher Corporation. A zoning amendment is needed to allow flex office space in the mixed commercial office district.
Jackson Township Police Chief Len Keller said, "The perception is that (Jackson Township) is a quiet community, but that just isn't the case."The department this past year went to 4,219 calls that required police services.Unfortunately, he said, the township has the second highest crime index in the county.The proximity of I-79 brings transient criminals into the community and contributes to the higher crime numbers, he said. The past several bank robberies in Zelienople and Jackson Township have been committed not by local people, but by people from Pittsburgh and other areas, Keller said.While crime rates have remained about steady over the past decade, police efforts in traffic enforcement and safety have been paying dividends. Crashes last year in Jackson were down 11.2 percent from 2008.The department has received a state grant the past three years for target enforcement in high crash areas. Route 19 in the township is one of those areas.Crashes are down 50 percent along Route 19, said Keller, while overall the township has not had a fatal traffic accident in three years.The Zelienople Police Department has dealt with some major issues and traffic problems in the recent months.It has handled several suicides, assisted with an armed standoff and dealt with a recent traffic accident off Benvenue Road that killed three young men.Those incidents have taken a personal toll on several of the officers in the department, Police Chief Jim Miller said.He said it was "perfect storm" of an unfortunate set of circumstances that resulted in three teens deaths after their vehicle plunged into a lake earlier this year.Miller said people who know someone is dealing with personal issues should try and get that help for that person because when the police show up, it's usually too late.Through Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger's office, the department got a grant that helped pay for AR-15 assault rifles for officers during standoff situations.The need for emergency support services is growing in the southwest part of the county.Jay Grinnell, president of Harmony EMS ambulance service, said the company has been growing rapidly since its formation in 1992. It employs 25 people, has a fleet of 10 vehicles and a budget of $900,000.The ambulance service covers seven boroughs and three townships in and around Zelienople and Harmony.Last year, Harmony EMS answered just under 3,000 emergency calls and 4,500 nonemergency calls.In the past six months, the company has bought four new ambulances, which cost $145,000 empty and $230,000 equipped with heart monitor and other life-saving equipment.
