(Story by Matt Drzik/Photo by Mark Peterson)

“I do believe that Beaver County will be the fastest-growing county in the Commonwealth.”

That statement, said (twice, in fact) by Commissioners Chairman Dan Camp, summed up the optimistic attitude of the Board of Commissioners at the 2022 State Of The County breakfast event. The event was presented by the Beaver County Chamber of Commerce, who acknowledged their 50-year anniversary coming up in July of 2022, with BCCoC president Helen Kissick as the master of ceremonies.

Camp spoke along with fellow Commissioner Jack Manning at Geneva College’s Alexander Hall about many of the different concerns and issues involving Beaver County citizens, with Tracy Lawless of K&L Gates mediating the ceremony. Commissioner Tony Amadio was absent from the ceremony due to personal reasons.

Major topics of optimism were the ongoing push towards broadband connection for households in Beaver County, the beginning of many infrastructure creations and renovations for the county with the $17 million ARPA grant money the commissioners are allotting, and the continued success in areas such as the development of the Shell Ethane cracker plant and the ongoing success of the AHN Cancer Center and the St. Barnabas Health System.

“We’ve really tried to work hard to diversify the economy as much as we can,” Manning said. “And a lot of the expenditures that we’re doing with the money coming in through the CARES Act and now with the American Rescue Plan Act is to build the infrastructure and foundation for greater growth and development…residential growth and  development as well as business and industry.”

On the other side though, were the challenges and roadblocks that lie ahead in 2022 for Beaver County; chief among them being the continuance of the reassessment process for county buildings and residences. “At the end of the day we have to follow what the law says, and the law says we have to reassess,” Camp said. “It’s costing the county up to $10 million…it might have been something that was long overdue, but we’re going to fight through it.”

Other roadblocks mentioned were the ongoing struggles to cooperate with CSX–whose reluctance is delaying the final inspection of the Ambridge-Aliquippa bridge and (if funded) the creation of the Blacks Run Bridge–and the continuance of the coronavirus pandemic as it enters its third calendar year.

Still, the overwhelming aura at the State of The County was that of optimism, and both Commissioners stated that the motivation for them to see Beaver County succeed hasn’t abated. “I’ve found that my niche in life,” Manning stated, “has been to be able to listen and relate to people, muster resources, solve problems, bring people together, and make things better. And the best avenue for me to continue to impact folks is at the commissioner level.”

The full replay of the 2022 State of the County address by the Commissioner will be on Beaver County Radio following Noonday at 12:35 on Monday, January 10.