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Intervals of clouds and sunshine. High 78F. Winds light and variable..

Partly cloudy during the evening followed by cloudy skies overnight. Low 58F. Winds light and variable.

The Indiana County Chamber of Commerce held its monthly board of directors meeting on Thursday at the Hilton Garden Inn in White Township.

The board discussed many important issues including the Excellence in Education program, experiential learning opportunities, the state budget, fall events and more.

Chamber President Mark Hilliard began his report by providing an update on the new Excellence in Education program, which will highlight students and teachers from all of the county school districts throughout the year and will culminate in a banquet in May 2023 where one student and one teacher will each win a brand-new car from Colonial Motor Mart. Hilliard explained to the board that the chamber’s Workforce Development Committee has been hard at work all summer on developing the criteria for the students and teachers.

“We have developed a rubric that will be used in selecting the students each month at the schools as well as a rubric to use in selecting a teacher from each school district,” Hilliard said. “We are very excited as we feel that our criteria really allows for any student who is excelling in any area, not just academics, to have an opportunity to be selected.”

The student rubric will focus on areas such as academics, school/community involvement, growth and maturity, and essential/soft skills. Students can be nominated by teachers, guidance counselors or administration and will be chosen each month by a committee at each district. Teachers can be nominated by parents, students, fellow teachers or administration. Hilliard said that the next step in the process is to educate parents, teachers and students within each district about the program, how to nominate and how to be selected.

“We have met with the superintendents of the schools and are in the process of setting up meetings with the teachers in each district,” Hilliard said. “We have also asked each district to help us not only to market the program to everyone within the district through their lines of communication, but also to help recognize the students each month in various ways to truly make them feel special, because it is a significant accomplishment to be nominated.”

To continue with the workforce discussion, Hilliard explained to the board that another initiative is underway related to experiential learning opportunities in Indiana County. The chamber is joining a number of community partners, both in education and business, in starting the process to create a program that will allow for meaningful experiential learning opportunities in both high school and post-secondary education in Indiana County.

“We want every student, whether they are attending high school or college in our county, to have access to an internship, job shadow or apprenticeship opportunity with businesses within our county,” Hilliard said.

Hilliard said that discussions are already underway with many of the educational partners throughout the county and he hopes to engage the business community very soon.

The chamber report concluded with an update on the Leader’s Circle awards banquet. Sherry Renosky, Leaders Circle Committee chairperson, informed the board that finalists for this year’s Indiana County Male Civic Leader, Female Civic Leader and ATHENA awards have already been notified, and the reveal of those finalists is now on the schedule.

“We will be holding the finalists reveal on Sept. 29 at a Chamber Business After Hours event at The Indiana Gazette,” Renosky stated. “We are very excited to be partnering with the Gazette on this event and cannot wait for the banquet on Oct. 27 at the Indiana Country Club.”

Indiana County Commissioner Sherene Hess reported that she had returned from the County Commissioners Association of PA conference and annual business meeting in Lancaster. Hess reported that she attended several sessions that provided a window to how other counties continue to find innovative and cost saving ways to deliver programs and services. She informed the board about the increasing importance of establishing outdoor recreation opportunities for visitors and those who live year-round in the county.

“Indiana County is blessed to have the Ghost Town Trail developed and continually attracting more tourists and riders each year,” Hess said. “The spending that occurs as a result is quite helpful to local businesses.”

Hess also learned about how other counties are using the American Rescue Plan Act funds to help their communities in ways that can be replicated in other parts of the state.

Hess continued the county report by highlighting efforts in other counties to create a trauma-informed courts and corrections system to recognize that a significant portion of those in criminal justice and juvenile justice systems have experienced trauma, including those who are incarcerated and those who are providing services such as police, jail staff and parole employees. Hess stated that the session illustrated how helping those who have been incarcerated deal with their trauma benefits not only them in their personal journey of recovery related to trauma and mental illness, but also the society to which they will eventually return by reducing recidivism and increasing safety for all.

Hess spoke about how the CCAP organization continues to advocate for additional funding for mental health treatment from the state and that the county will soon receive a significant sum of funds from the opioid settlement. The settlement resulted from a case brought by the attorney general’s office against three major pharmaceutical distributors and Johnson & Johnson for their willing contribution to the overdose epidemic that occurred over the past several years.

“The county will prepare an opioid response plan to maximize the use of those funds for treatment, prevention, and education,” Hess said.

Hess added that the Indiana County Conservation District was holding a legislative tour illustrating district success stories on Aug. 22, to which all in attendance are invited. She also mentioned that the district will celebrate its 75th anniversary of existence this year, acknowledging how much the ICCD contributes to the support of local economic development and support for a leading industry, agriculture and food systems, for Indiana County and Pennsylvania.

Commissioner Robin Gorman continued the county report by informing the board that the county will be holding an open house this fall. The event, scheduled for Oct. 20 from 4:30 to6:30 p.m. at the Indiana County Courthouse, will be open to the public.

“The event is meant as a meet and greet opportunity, but also to help educate the public on the various services available to the county and its residents,” Gorman said. “We are looking forward to opening the people’s house to the people in October.”

The plan is to have all four floors of the courthouse open with extended offices of services housed outside of the courthouse to also have representation. Refreshments will be provided.

Gorman also spoke on elections process and that the county is pulling on recently passed grant funding available, as well as a Highway Safety Grant through PennDOT. Indiana and four other surrounding counties will be contracting with IUP’s Highway Safety Program to deliver educational programs in bike safety, child passenger safety, Click it or Ticket, motorcycle safety and so much more.

Gorman concluded by sharing some current feedback the county has been receiving with regard to workforce needs. She concluded the county report with the news that Sam Buzzinotti, warden at the Indiana County Jail, is retiring after 38 years of dedicated and loyal service to Indiana County.

Gorman was also happy to report that the interim warden will be Jamie Boyles while the search for a new warden is underway. Boyles brings a wealth of skills and vast experience in his 28 years of service in the state prison system.

State Rep. Jim Struzzi began the state report by updating the board on the state budget, which was recently approved by Gov. Tom Wolf and the state legislature.

“Overall, we feel as if this is a good, business-friendly budget,” Struzzi stated. “We were unfortunately not able to fund everything that we were hoping to; however, we do feel as if this budget is fiscally restrained and forward-looking in order to help the commonwealth for years to come.”

Struzzi concluded the state report by providing an update on the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority, on which he serves. Struzzi said that a significant amount of federal money has been given to PENNVEST to be used throughout the commonwealth for water infrastructure projects.

Dr. Michael Driscoll, president of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, provided an update on move-in weekend for the school.

“We are thrilled to be able to welcome the new students onto our campus and into our community this weekend,” Driscoll said.

Driscoll said that some students, particularly those involved in fall athletics, began the move-in process one week ago; this weekend will see the majority of students make their way back on campus.

Driscoll concluded the university report by thanking the state legislators for their work on the state budget, which will see a historic increase of more than 15 percent in base appropriation funding for the State System of Higher Education.

Byron Stauffer Jr., executive director of the Indiana County Development Corporation and the Indiana County Office of Planning & Development, began his report by stating that the brand-new Indiana County Education and Technology Center, which will house Westmoreland County Community College’s Indiana campus and the proposed Challenger Learning Center, is nearly set to open its doors to students. According to Stauffer, the county entered into a 25-year lease with WCCC in July. Stauffer reported that the Westmoreland County Community College and the Indiana County Commissioners are planning to hold an official ribbon-cutting for the complex in the coming weeks.

Stauffer continued his report by informing the board that the ICDC will soon be closing on the former Carriage/Essex House property, located along Oakland Avenue in Indiana Borough.

“The initial acquisition is part of strategy to help address the student housing problem within the community; however, the strategic location within Indiana Borough provides a significant redevelopment opportunity within the Federal Opportunity Zone.” Stauffer said.

Stauffer that the ICDC is in the process of negotiating details on the future use of the 6½-acre property and expects to have an announcement in the coming months.

Stauffer also reported that the Indiana County Commissioners recently advertised a public notice regarding the RFP for high-speed internet and broadband services utilizing funding through the ARC POWER Initiative, CDBG-CV, the Keystone Communities Program and local match funding through the county totaling $7 million of available funding. The RFP is targeting unserved and underserved areas of the county; therefore, any residential or business location that currently does not have download and upload speeds of at least 100/20 Mbps for residential and 100/100 Mbps for business services would be eligible. The Office of Planning & Development has been tracking broadband inquiries that have been shared from calls to elected officials, petitions and other outreach, which will help further demonstrate the areas of need to responding internet service providers. Responses to the RFP are due on Sept. 21.

Gregg Van Horn, president of the Indiana County Tourist Bureau, reminded the board that the tourist bureau will be selling discounted tickets for Idlewild Park and SoakZone for $30 through Aug. 19. Tickets are valid Monday through Friday until the 19th and can be purchased at the ICTB office from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Tickets may also be used Labor Day weekend and the following weekend with a $10 surcharge.

Van Horn welcomed back IUP students, faculty and staff. He said that ICTB is once again working with IUP to provide welcome bags, visitor guides, upcoming event rack cards and discount coupon books for the incoming freshmen students and families during move-in weekend. He suggested to take some time to “Meet the Hawks” Aug. 18 during Downtown Indiana’s Third Thursday celebration at IRMC Park from 5 to 7 p.m.

Van Horn continued his report by mentioning that agricultural fairs are the highlight of the region August through September with the 159th Indiana County Fair Aug. 28 to Sept. 3, the Ox Hill Community Fair from Sept. 4-10 and the Green Township Community Fair in Cookport from Sept. 12-17. Van Horn said that this is a great time to highlight and showcase the yearlong hard work of those both young and seasoned, in the agricultural industry, for all to see.

HOMER CITY AREA BUSINESS ASSOCIATION

Rob Walbeck with the Homer City Area Business Association informed the board that the Hoodlebug Festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 11 in Homer City. Walbeck said that this is the 25th anniversary for the festival and that the HCABA has decided to extend it an extra hour to allow for additional activities this year. The Hoodlebug parade and the Homer City Historical Society rubber duck race will also return for this year’s event.

Chauncey Ross, public relations and communications specialist from White Township, informed the board that Krevetski’s Convenience and Sunoco station has opened at the former site of Vennard’s Crossroads Convenience, along South Sixth Street (Route 954) at Lucerne Road. It fills a gap of similar services in this corner of the township.

It’s road work season in the township and several neighborhood projects have been completed, including resurfacing most streets in the Chevy Chase neighborhood in July and pipe replacements on Barclay Road and North Sixth Street this week. A project affecting many area drivers was completed Wednesday on Indian Springs Road. Workers excavated near the road to replace a damaged sewage pipeline and completed the work that was planned, but discovered the damage was more extensive than originally thought. A second day of excavation and traffic delays will be scheduled.

Funding agencies have sent questions to the township about the applications for grants to construct an amphitheater in the recreation complex along East Pike.

The S&T Bank Arena is preparing the ice rink for the start of hockey and skating programs in the fall. The recreation department has a draft of the fall program offerings and its interesting to note the addition of arts and crafts programs to sports and athletic events. Many are hosted off-site, such as at Artists Hand Gallery in downtown Indiana, as partner venues with the rec program.

White Township will be featured in September in the next edition of Business View Magazine, a largely online publication that serves as a trusted source of new for executives, entrepreneurs, small business owners, franchisees and anyone interested in current industry trends and best practices.

Ross concluded the township report by stating that the White Township stewardship committee continues work on a plan to preserve White’s Woods as a natural asset to our area. The township recently applied for a grant to subsidize the work of expert consultants to help create the stewardship plan, and the township declared in the application that its wish is to maintain White’s Woods as a forest in perpetuity.

This clarified for many in the community who feared township plans for White’s Woods may have called for timbering or clear-cutting the forest into fields. The township’s intent is being expressed in an update mission statement for the work of the committee.

Upcoming chamber member events include:

• Coffee Talk, Aug. 27 at chamber offices

• Eggs and Issues, Sept. 1 at KCAC

• Lunch Mob, Sept. 13 at El Tesoro

• Business After Hours/Leader’s Circle Reveal, Sept. 29 at The Indiana Gazette

The chamber will meet next on Sept. 15 at Disobedient Spirits in Homer City.

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