The Altoona-Blair County Development Corporation will be the venue today where local officials will pitch their messages in an attempt to have three areas in Northern Blair County designated as Keystone Opportunity and Enhancement Zones.
The areas in question include an undeveloped parcel of land in the Tyrone Industrial Park, two parcels of ground associated with the Westvaco site and a 434-acre tract of land near the Pinecroft Interchange of Interstate 99, known as the Bishop of Roman Catholic Diocese estate.
According to Marty Marasco, ABCD president, the meeting will gather both taxing municipality officials and school district leaders to discuss if they would be in agreement with submitting the proper paperwork to the state to see if these areas qualify for KOEZ status.
Marasco said the paperwork must arrive in Harrisburg by June 1. He said ABCD will contact the Blair County Commissioners after today’s meeting to get their opinion on it.
“There are positives and negatives to it,” said Commissioner John Ebersole. “It’s no secret that we need more jobs, but when these places are designated as Keystone Opportunity Zones, local taxing bodies are taking the hit.
“I’m not too fond of the 15-year KOZs, but I think the five-year programs are definitely an enticement,” he said. “Almost every community across the state is hoping big businesses and industries move into their area. They, like us, need them for the jobs and for the local economy. Blair County is like all these. We have to do these kinds of things.”
Rep. Larry O. Sather echoed Ebersole’s comments. He talked of the importance of jobs in the area.
“It’s something that we need and something we need to compete for,” said Sather. “We definietly need more family-sustaining jobs in Northern Blair County. These incentive programs are going to help us get them here.”
Perhaps the most notable talk today will be concerning the Westvaco plant, which closed its Tyrone doors and packed up in 2001, and took with it more than 250 well-paying jobs.
Marasco said ABCD has organized a team of individuals made up of representatives from Tyrone Borough, the Governor’s Action Team, U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster, state Senate Pro Tem Robert Jubelirer and state Rep. Larry Sather to look into the Westvaco situation and discover an entity to begin operations there again.
Rumors have surfaced about a group of ten local and non-local investors who are working feverishly to purchase the plant from the owners of Westvaco and begin paper production again.
This morning, Carl Marcharola, executive assistant with Sen. Robert Jubelirer, deferred comment about “Team 10” to ABCD, but did note its progress is continuing. Ebersole said this morning that he knows “Team 10” has applied to different entities for funding, but has not asked the county for any financial help.
Marasco said he would not comment on “Team 10.” He said ABCD is continuing to advance the project and there is “no deal at the present time” and he would not comment until signatures are on the documents.
Mayor Stoner would not go on the record as to the activities of “Team 10” and Rep. Sather said he would not comment on possible entities that are involved in negotiations.
