Pioneer Report: Issue 1, October 2006

Progress to date

The Year 2006 has been full of changes for the Southeastern Ohio Port Authority (SeOPA).   With the closure of the Washington County Economic Development office in late 2005, SeOPA is now Washington County’s lead economic development entity.  The county commissioners have appointed a board of 11 business people to lead the board, and they have undertaken an impressive fundraising campaign as three-quarters of SeOPA’s funding comes from private businesses and individuals.  In March, Mike Jacoby was hired as SeOPA’s executive director.  Janet Nelson has been hired as Mike’s executive assistant.  SeOPA has established offices at 200 Putnam Street (the old Dime Bank Building) rooms 500-504.  The Plan of Work adopted by SeOPA establishes four priorities: (1) Retention and expansion of existing business & industry, (2) Attraction of new business & industry, (3) Community leadership and stewardship, and (4) Building SeOPA for the long-term. 

SeOPA has unveiled a new economic development website at www.pioneerspirit.us.  The website features a new logo and tagline: “Washington County – Where the Pioneering Spirit Lives,” which plays nicely into our history and fits well with the efforts of the Visitors & Convention Bureau.  From a business standpoint, SeOPA is saying the "Pioneering Spirit Lives" in three important ways:

• Our people Work Hard and Smart – just like the pioneers.  Worker productivity rates compare favorably and our companies and their employees use advanced technologies.
• Our people Create and Innovate – just like the pioneers.  Over 200 patents have originated in Washington County, and we have an impressive array of entrepreneurs leading their industries, not to mention a vibrant environment for art, craft, design, theater, and music.
• Our people Live Well – just like the pioneers.  Life is good and a little simpler here.  We are free of congestion, sprawl, crime, high prices, and impersonal neighborhoods that you experience in large cities.  Schools perform well.  Nature is in our backyard.  Recreational and cultural opportunities abound.   

The new website is full of useful information about why Washington County is a great place to do business, resources for businesses in the county, a site and building inventory of over 30 properties, and lots of facts about our great quality of life here.  Also listed on the website is information about the Third Frontier Internship Program and the EPA Petroleum Brownfield Assessment grant that SeOPA is overseeing.  Now that the website has been created, SeOPA will launch a marketing campaign designed to reach out to businesses matched with our competitive strengths as well as people who may already have some emotional attachment to Washington County and want to return: those who moved away, Marietta College alumni, and tourists with a fondness for the area.  Be sure to watch for our upcoming campaign.

A Look at 2006 Business Growth in Washington County

• Ohio Valley Alloys is building a 100,000-square feet warehouse in the Westview area of Marietta. The expansion will allow the company to get into a new product line and create eight new jobs.  Ohio Valley Alloys was assisted through Washington County’s Enterprise Zone.
• Dimex is building a 60,000-square feet expansion to its manufacturing facility in Marietta Township that will create 20 new jobs.  Dimex was assisted through Washington County’s Enterprise Zone.
• E2E Serwiz Solutions has located in the Reno Business Complex and is in the process of hiring 100 customer service representatives that will help people with their travel reservations through companies such as Expedia.com.
• Steel Dynamics is expanding its facility in Muskingum Township.  Steel Dynamics will create 16 new jobs and is being assisted by an Ohio Department of Development roadwork grant and Washington County.
• Pioneer Pipe is expanding its operation in Warren Township.  Pioneer Pipe will create 32 jobs.  The expansion is being assisted by an Ohio Department of Development roadwork grant and Washington County
• Solvay Advanced Polymers is completing a $50 million expansion to its sulfone polymers production facility in Warren Township.  Solvay has been assisted through Washington County’s Enterprise Zone and Ohio Investment in Training funds.
• Electronic Design for Industry (EDI) is expanding into the former Carter Lumber facility in Dunham Township, and it expects to create 34 jobs.  An Ohio Job Creation Tax Credit and 166 Direct Loan from the Ohio Department of Development as well as training help from Washington County assisted EDI.
• The construction of the U.S. Route 50/Corridor D bridge and interchange in Belpre Township represents a $140-million investment that is bound to result in more development in the area. 

Technology Intern Subsidies

The Southeastern Ohio Port Authority (SeOPA) has become the local grantee for the Third Frontier Internship Program.  The Third Frontier Internship Program allows companies that employ math, science, engineering and information technology college interns in certain high-technology jobs to receive a 50% reimbursement for the intern’s wages, up to $3,000.  Ohio residents that are sophomores, juniors, seniors or graduate students in four-year institutions are eligible, as are second year students working on their associate's degree.   Companies engaged in advanced manufacturing, biosciences, engineering, information technology, power & propulsion are targeted by the program.  Companies are encouraged to call Janet Nelson at the SeOPA office at (740) 373-3233 for more information or go to www.ohio3fip.com for more information.

Help for Petroleum Contaminated Property

The Southeastern Ohio Port Authority (SeOPA) received a grant from the U.S. EPA to pay for environmental assessments on properties that may have been contaminated by petroleum. 

Properties that are known or suspected to be contaminated sites, known as brownfields, pose a real challenge for redevelopment.  Lenders often will not accept a brownfield as collateral.  Buyers don’t want to assume a potentially expensive liability.   SeOPA will use the EPA Brownfield Grant to pay for phase one and two studies to identify the extent of any petroleum contamination.     EPA funds can also be used to help create “remediation plans.”  Actual clean up costs cannot be funded through this grant.  

Buckeye Hill – Hocking Valley Regional Development District will administer this grant for SeOPA.  Property owners, realtors, and bankers interested in learning more about using these grant funds are encouraged to call Melissa Zoller at Buckeye Hills.  She can be reached at (740) 374-9436.  Buckeye Hills also administers Clean Ohio funds, which CAN be used to clean up brownfield properties.