“Help wanted” signs have sprung up all across the region as employers seek to fill jobs with little to no success. But there’s another form of help that might be of interest to many of them. Pa. CareerLink of Potter County will hold an Open House/Employer Resource Fair from 11 am to 1 pm on Wednesday, Sept. 11. Assistance will be offered for businesses large and small, including:
- recruitment, from posting jobs to matching candidates to openings.
- training and work experience programs.
- incentives/tax credits for hiring individuals from certain groups.
- employment programs to support military veterans seeking work.
- handling of unemployment compensation claims.
- bonding/insurance to protect against loss for hiring at-risk applicants.
More information about the event is available from Lora A. Cope, Pa. CareerLink career advisor, at 814-274-9331. Office location is 279 U.S. Rt. 6 West in Coudersport. Area employers can also access free online job training services through Pa. CareerLink. “SkillUp Pa.” offers courses to help employers training workers in dozens of categories, from selling skills and customer service, to workplace health and safety, and telecommuting.
PEMA Director Randy Padfield
Potter County Commissioners Nancy Grupp, Robert Rossman and Paul Heimel were among county leaders who met with Randy Padfield, director of the Pa. Emergency Management Agency (PEMA), this week to press the case for government help as hundreds of county residents continue to reckon with damage from the devastating flood of Aug. 9. The session followed a visit by a PEMA team to assess damage to private property and public resources totaling in the billions of dollars – and counting. Director Padfield emphasized that PEMA has worked rapidly with county and local agencies to produce a preliminary damage assessment that will be used to determine if Pennsylvania qualifies for federal funding.
“If the federal major disaster declaration is made, we are prepared to move very quickly,” he added. This would include deployment of a team to process damage claims in affected communities and establishment of disaster recovery centers, some of which could be mobile units traveling across flood-ravaged areas.
Under Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) policies, disaster declarations can include separate qualification criteria for individual assistance and repairs to public infrastructure, Padfield pointed out. Seven members of Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation from districts affected by the flood signed on to an appeal spearheaded by U.S. Senator Robert Casey asking President Joe Biden to issue the declaration. Congressman Glenn Thompson and Senator John Fetterman also supported the request. Earlier, a state disaster declaration provided an initial $5 million to deploy resources and personnel to the flood zone. The proclamation also waives some state regulations, including certain bidding and contracting procedures. PEMA is instructing residents and business owners to continue to report flood damage to their local township or borough.
Entering Harrison Valley on Rt. 49 after remnants of Hurricane Debby caused flooding.
Potter County has been awarded a $100,000 state grant to support community and economic development through the arts. Potter was one of six successful applicants among 200 received by the Pa. Council on the Arts (PCA) for its Creative Communities Initiative. Recipients have demonstrated their ability to implement “placed-based projects with innovative and comprehensive approaches that address local challenges and opportunities.” PCA will provide $25,000 annually for four years to the Potter County Creative Council (PC3), a non-profit arts and culture organization founded in 2023. Funds will be used to make communities more vibrant and appealing for local residents and those seeking to relocate to a rural area. PC3 is relying on successful models from across the nation and a panel of rural development experts. All of the school districts in Potter County and many other partners and stakeholders have come aboard.
“PC3 will address the challenge of youth engagement and population loss by improving community vitality, promoting the county’s assets and providing opportunities for creative expression,” the state agency said in its funding announcement. “The project is rooted in deep community engagement and capitalizes on the Potter County’s unique creative assets to cultivate connectedness, livability, and economic development.”
Other grant recipients are Kane, Easton, Johnstown, Uniontown and Pittsburgh. Officials in Kane will hire an arts engagement coordinator to support public art, community festivals, and creative small businesses. According to PCA, the arts and cultural production accounted for more than $30 billion of the state’s economy in 2023 and supported more than 175,000 jobs.
Any Potter County military veteran or his/her surviving spouse who has been affected by last week’s flooding is encouraged to reach out to the Potter County Department of Veterans Services by calling 814-274-8290, option 8. Depending on the extent of damage and other circumstances, financial assistance may be available.
Those who have suffered major building catastrophic loss on their property in Potter County during last week’s flooding are advised to contact the Assessment Office so that their tax assessments can be adjusted accordingly. Without such notification, property owners may find that they are continuing to pay school district, municipal and county real estate tax on buildings that are no longer usable. Those who are aware of neighbors who were affected are asked to help spread the word. Chief Assessor Jake Ostrom advised those seeking more information to call 814-274-0517 or email jostrom@pottercountypa.net.
Freeman House in east Coudersport was the first major public housing project of the Potter County Housing Authority.
Potter County Commissioners Nancy Grupp, Robert Rossman and Paul Heimel have filled vacancies on agencies that provide safe and affordable housing for the underprivileged and promote economic development. Ron Rapp, recently retired chief financial officer at UPMC Cole, was named to the Housing Authority. Steve Green, a retired environmental manager whose career spanned major industries, and involved interaction with public, government, regulatory and legal sectors, was appointed to the Redevelopment Authority. In recent years, Green has served as president and CEO of the Eliot Ness Museum in Coudersport. Rapp and Green are filling the unexpired terms of Ellen Russell, who served on both authorities.
Mission of the Potter County Housing Authority is to provide safe and affordable homes for low-income residents of Potter County (under the Pa. Housing Authorities Act of 1937, with modifications in 1970 and 1996). The agency operates a housing assistance program (rent subsidies) funded by the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development. Additionally, PCHA operates two apartment complexes for low-income tenants, one in Ulysses (18 units) and the other in Galeton (15 units). Also, the authority has three apartment units for senior citizens or the disabled: Freeman House (Coudersport), Redwood Village (Galeton) and Honeoye Haven (Shinglehouse). Housing Authorities can, at their discretion, take on other initiatives to provide safe and affordable housing.
Meanwhile, the mission of the Potter County Redevelopment Authority is to encourage, support and facilitate economic development and community revitalization; eliminate blight and dangerous conditions; assist local businesses with obtaining the capital they need to invest and expand, and other activities as determined by its five appointees. Among the agency’s many projects over the years was the Truck-Lite manufacturing plant (see below) in the Coudersport Industrial Park, which was expanded in 2021.
Authority members are appointed by the commissioners. Each is an independent agency. Members are responsible for developing policies, initiatives and directives, direct supervision of managerial personnel, and accountability to the public. Service on the authority is voluntary with no compensation. Applicants for appointment are to be motivated by dedication to public service.
