Strategic thinking
WAYNESBURG – “You always have to think strategically.”
That was the message C. Alan Walker, secretary of the state Department of Community and Economic Development, sent to Greene County officials Wednesday during a tour of several of the county’s economic development initiatives.
Walker began his tour at EverGreene Technology Park where he met with Don Chappel, executive director of Greene County Industrial Development Inc. and representatives from Consol’s CNX.
He concluded by visiting Waynesburg Crossing, the home of Walmart.
In between, he stopped at Greene County Airport, where he gave officials some advice that the county most likely cannot follow.
After hearing what the county is planning at the airport – demolishing the older hangars and building new ones elsewhere to free space along Route 21 for the possible development of various retail and aviation-related businesses – Walker said the runway needs to be expanded from 3,500 to 4,500 feet for the airport to be successful.
But Pam Snyder, whose last day as commissioner is Friday before she takes her seat in the State House representing the 50th District, said, “We are landlocked here pretty much as far as runway expansion is concerned. We try to make this property more of a recreational facility.”
Snyder said that is why the county is trying to open up the property for some restaurants.
“We want pilots of smaller planes to fly in, have dinner on Sunday and fly back. And while they are here, pilots can fill up their planes using our credit card pumps,” she said.
Yet, Walker seemed firm. “You ultimately want to expand the runway to 4,500 feet because you never know when the state or federal government will have a special program and you have to have plans ready because if you are not ready, you will be bypassed.”
Plans to replace the aging hangars have been discussed in some form for several years. Five years ago, the county received its first wave of grants in the form of $200,000 in federal transportation funding. The county has obtained roughly $600,000 from state and federal sources for airport development, including $250,000 from the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program.
Some of that money was used to resurface the runway, which was completed last fall, and to make other improvements.
But Walker also said, especially after hearing from Snyder and fellow Commissioner Archie Trader that the county has leased the gas rights of more than 400 acres between the airport and fairgrounds, “You are in the middle of a boom. This is a lifetime opportunity.”
Walker, whose agency would be the conduit for grants to enable the county to realize its vision for the airport, assured the commissioners that housing follows opportunity.
“If your economy stabilizes and these jobs (gas drilling) are here, housing will follow.”
And, he said developers will come in because developers follow success.
“You always have to think strategically,” he said.