West Virginia Lawmakers Offer Support to Economic Development Agencies
Joselyn King Trending
WHEELING -- West Virginia lawmakers in Wheeling indicated they are willing to help regional economic authorities do what is necessary to encourage development and growth in the state.
Legislative interim meetings in Wheeling this week concluded Tuesday, with one of the last being a meeting of the Joint Standing Committee on Economic Development and Tourism at Oglebay Park's Wilson Lodge.
Presenters included Marvin Six, executive director of the Business Development Corporation of the Northern Panhandle; and Josh Jefferson, president and CEO of the Regional Economic Development Partnership (RED)in Wheeling.
State Sen. Ben Queen, R-Harrison, told Six and Jefferson to let lawmakers know in the days leading up to the Legislature's regular session that begins in January if there should be any changes in code they need to make the job they do easier.
State Senate Judiciary Chairman Charles Trump, R-Morgan, also indicated the Legislature wants to provide any help it can to the state's regional economic development authorities.
"I'm enough of a fossil now to remember when I started my political career, the largest private employer was Weirton Steel. It had over 10,000 employees," he said. "To have this community go through what it has gone through over the last 30 years ... it speaks volumes about the determination and grit of the people who are here. I congratulate you for all you manage to do. I know in many ways it has been a long, hard road.
"I think you will find a willing partner in the Legislature to initiate things that will help you advance the ball in the Northern Panhandle."
Queen asked Jefferson to explain just how RED's orchestration of private-public partnership works.
Jefferson said the arrangement permits RED to do things to leverage private investment and make things happen in the Northern Panhandle when there is a need.
As an example, he pointed to RED's acquisition of the Wheeling Nailers hockey team.
Jefferson noted the Nailers are the most prevalent tenant of the city-owned WesBanco Arena, and when they were considering leaving the arena, RED felt it necessary to step forward and buy the Nailers to keep them at the arena and in Wheeling. He explained the move was necessary "for economic development."
"We are a unique organization in that we own and manage property, we own a professional hockey team, and we also own broadband in Wetzel County," Jefferson said. "It's a very broad spectrum from an organization's standpoint."
Delegate Caleb Hanna, R-Nicholas, said he noticed the former Ohio Valley Medical Center Property sitting off of W.Va. 2 in downtown Wheeling and wondered what its status was.
Jefferson told him that would be the site of the future regional cancer center to be constructed by WVU Medicine.
"The destruction should be in the process," he said. "They hope to be under construction by next year. I'm not sure about operations. I would say (the facility will be open) within the next two years."
Mark Nestlen, vice president of business development and strategy for GreenPower Motor Company, the company will roll out the first four electric school buses produced at its plant in South Charleston.
"It's an exciting time, and a monumental time to get to the production of the first group of buses," he told the lawmakers.
Nestlen invited them to attend the rollout at 10 a.m. on Dec. 13 at the plant.
Ohio County Schools was among the pilot school districts trying out the company's largest buses called "The Beast" last year. The buses being unveiled next month are the smaller version being purchased by Monongalia County Schools.