Fayette County is a worker-based economy with many skilled trade workers, manufacturers, energy producers, small business owners, farmers, and family-owned businesses.
My plan for growing the county’s economy will be based upon establishing the right conditions for private employers to make investments in their operations and increase local employment opportunities.
While a County Commissioner does not directly create private sector jobs, they do have a significant influence on factors such as:
Businesses in Fayette County should have a clear idea of what will be necessary, who to speak to about their needs, and an estimate of the time frame for decision-making at the local level.
County government should evaluate those parts of the approval process for economic development purposes that cause unnecessary delay, duplication or excessive administrative burden.
As part of this evaluation, the county should consider:
Ultimately, the objective of the county government should be to provide a predictable, responsive and straightforward environment for conducting business.
Economic Development Initiatives Should Focus on Energy Related Opportunities
Energy has long been a significant contributor to the economy of Southwestern Pennsylvania.
Therefore, economic development initiatives must take advantage of the opportunities created by the development of the natural gas industry, generation of electricity, construction of energy infrastructure, and manufacturing companies that rely upon low cost and dependable energy.
County governments have the opportunity to partner with municipalities, economic development agencies, utility providers, workforce development entities, and private sector employers to determine suitable locations for industrial development and assess the necessary infrastructure improvements required for such developments.
Finally, economic development decisions made by governmental bodies must be consistent with private property rights and all applicable environmental regulations and safety standards.
Manufacturers create jobs for those with skills such as skilled tradesmen, technicians, equipment operators, engineers, transportation workers and other supporting businesses.
A county’s economic development plan should identify properties that meet the needs of potential employers in terms of:
Instead of marketing all of the available properties in the same manner, the county should determine which properties are suitable for immediate industrial development and what additional improvements are necessary.
Employers tend to seek out those locations that have had all of their infrastructure and permitting issues resolved.
Fayette County needs to keep an up-to-date list of potential commercial/industrial sites, and determine why each site has not yet been made ready for development.
Examples of these “preventative” actions could include:
The county government can use this information to prioritize grant and infrastructure funding toward development-ready projects that offer a reasonable chance of attracting private investment.
Most economic growth does not need to be produced by a single large employer.
The smaller employers and local companies of Fayette County produce employment opportunities on an ongoing basis.
Therefore, the county’s economic development policies should ensure that the smaller employers have access to information regarding:
Smaller employers should not require political connections to learn about the various governmental assistance programs that exist.
The county should identify where employers have difficulty hiring employees by occupation.
Training resources can be better aligned with the following areas:
The goal should be to provide training that will result in actual jobs.
While a four-year college degree is a common way to achieve success in a career, there are many other options available. Fayette County should collaborate with:
to inform county residents about careers that provide both training and wages.
Apprentice and technical programs allow employers to train their own workforce and provide residents with opportunities to enter skilled careers without obtaining a four-year degree.
Redeveloping vacant industrial property or underutilized real estate could provide an opportunity for economic development.
County government may collaborate with
to identify opportunities for redevelopment including:
Brownfield redevelopment
Former industrial properties
Vacant commercial buildings
Underused county property
Infrastructure-ready development sites
Reusing existing sites can sometimes be faster and less expensive than building entirely new infrastructure elsewhere.
The County is considering a strategic plan that would use several of the practical obligations that counties have to help improve our local economy. These include:
The ultimate goal of this plan is to promote long-term private sector job creation which will expand both the number of available jobs in the area and the amount of revenue generated by taxes.