Commissioners announce 2010 plans
ST. CLAIRSVILLE The board of Belmont County Commissioners officially announced its plans and priorities for the year 2010.
"This year is about moving forward and putting our county on a planned path of growth," stated Commission President Ginny Favede.
The commissioners said they are dedicated to planned growth in the economic, financial and county facility sectors. Part of the budget process in 2009 projected costs savings that could be reflected by adjusting the way in which the county operates. In an effort to continue to reduce the county budget, the commissioners said they are making consolidation of facilities a priority this year. The county will undertake a two-year, five-phase building program in an attempt to cut county costs and reshape and better utilize existing county-owned buildings.
"Reducing the budget is not just about cuts, it's about making sure that the money we are spending is spent productively and wisely," said Favede. "Belmont County cannot cut itself into prosperity. We cannot continue paying rent when we can put county departments and agencies into county-owned buildings."
Relocating agencies and departments will also open up the ability to finally create a Belmont County Records Facility and an Archival Historical Library. Board members said they are committed to moving county records into a county-owned building. The second phase of records storage will be to digitize all county records making storage more efficient and retrieval of the records more expeditious.
"Communicating with the public and with other elected officials is also of enormous importance this year," said Commissioner Matt Coffland.
The board of commissioners will be visiting each municipality within the county this year as they have scheduled 14 Town Hall meetings throughout the county. The board also plans to provide more information to the public by having department and agency reports at regular board meetings. In addition to department and agency reports, monthly financial updates will be provided by Belmont County Auditor Andy Sutak and economic development updates will be provided by the Port Authority and Community Improvement Corporation. This effort is designed to provide the public knowledge of the financial status of the county and what is being accomplished to create more jobs, increase sales tax revenue and cultivate the overall financial health of Belmont County.
The commissioners and the staff are excited to launch a new county Web site. The recently retooled site is being redesigned, making it more user-friendly. It will provide citizens and potential developers a place to find useful information. The new Web site will feature an alphabetized "Who do I call?" list as well as a "frequently asked questions" page. The site is intended to be utilized as a marketing tool for Belmont County and features budget information as well as a scrolling photo page featuring beautiful photos of the villages and cities within Belmont County, providing a chance to showcase what Belmont County has to offer as well as assisting residents' ability to locate what and who they need to reach.
"Our number one priority for Belmont County this year is planning for our future," said Favede. "Reality is, development is not going to just happen in Belmont County, we have to plan for it and make it happen. Creation of jobs is the number one focus; recruiting companies to relocate in Belmont and development of land for companies is crucial."
Coffland added, "The economic recession will not last forever, and we have to be ready when things turn around. Our commitment to planned development centers on our dedication to working with the Belmont County community to create a plan to turn this county around."
A formal planning commission of 11 members, which will include the board of county commissioners and eight appointed citizens, will be formed this year. The main duties of the planning commission will include the creation of an economic strategic plan. The purpose of a strategic plan for economic development will be to set in place a blueprint to guide future activities aimed at steering and facilitating economic development, which can be loosely defined as retaining and increasing job opportunities, capital, quality of life and local tax base within Belmont County.
"I've often said no one was going to come here and fix our county for us, this is our commitment to taking control of our situation and working with dedicated members of the county to put us on the right track," Favede said. The Board of Commissioners is committed to creating a plan for the economic development that reflects the county and its residents.
"We want to work with the people of this county to create a plan that points us in the right direction, a plan that we all participate in so that collectively we know where we are going and have measurable objectives to assure that our goals are achieved, said Favede."
"We need a plan that we all agree to and can work collectively to achieve," noted Coffland.
The commissioners said they are excited to have the opportunity for the planning commission to work with various groups throughout the county and plan to meet with township trustees, municipalities and various other community groups throughout the county during the year. The board of commissioners recently hired WSOS Community Action Commission, Inc., a firm the county has frequently utilized for various other projects, to assist in the plan. WSOS's RCAP (Rural Community Assistance Program) continues their efforts to assist in acquiring the much needed funds for the Neffs Sewage Project and most recently met with the Belmont County Fair Board to offer their assistance in funding for the fair's future. They are also currently working on the Belmont-Guernsey-Harrison Regional Waterline Project to create a back-up water source for the three counties and subsequently create an ability to provide much needed water to the Hendrysburg area.
Other projects for 2010 include the completion of the Mt. Victory Road Waterline project, the Neff's Sewer project, water to the Hendrysburg area, continued development of the new East Ohio Regional Industrial Park and the Interstate 70 Mall Road Interchange project. This much discussed project could potentially open up 250-plus acres of developable land in the mall area making room for much-needed retail expansion.
Another major priority for the board of commissioners this year is the creation of an annual report, a comprehensive report to share important information about Belmont County with the citizens. Citizens want to know how the county is doing financially, where the money comes from and where it is being spent. The report will be a brief document that reflects financial information that is available to the public and easy to read. Board members said they hope to establish a general fund five-year financial plan. The plan will provide a framework for annual spending.
"Businesses and families plan for their futures, and we think county government can and should have not just an economic plan but a financial plan, too," said Coffland.
"We will never accomplish anything if we just continue to operate on a day-by-day and case-by-case basis. We need a plan in place to grow the county and a financial plan that will help pay for that growth," said Favede. "Belmont County has so much potential and it is our job as commissioners to make sure we are doing everything possible to renew this county. We work hard every day for the people of this county and want to share with our residents that we are committed to the future."
Regular board meetings are held on Wednesdays at 10 a.m. Commissioners will continue to hold work sessions on Mondays and Tuesdays beginning at 10 a.m.
For more information, please contact the commissioners office at (740) 699-2155.
