Following the Student of the Month presentation at the May 21 meeting of the Morrow County Chamber of Commerce, the staff of the County Development Office gave a report on projects planned and underway in Morrow County.

Grace Byler said there are 12-15 grants in process, representing projects from $5-8 million in the county. Byler is the county’s grant specialist, working with both economic development and the Morrow County Land Reutilization Corporation (land bank). She said 17 properties are now “in the pipeline through foreclosures” thanks to land bank activities.

The airport expansion and update is a major development which will benefit the county in making the airport more accessible. A new Automated Weather Observation System (AWOS) is being installed. It will be of use for the community as well as for pilots using the airport. Fuel will also be available at the airport. There will be a relocation of the windsock as well as the removal of the beacon obstruction.

Angela Powell handles tax incentives and abatements for businesses. These incentives are important in retaining businesses and thus providing jobs in the county. Yizumi/HPM, Chester Crossing and Fairfield Homes were recipients of sales tax exemptions, which wave the state portion by county collections.

Other projects Powell described were the new County Garage and Engineer’s Office on County Road 76 and the gas line project, which is in cooperation with Consolidated Cooperative.

Attracting new business as well as business retention and expansion are the focus for both Powell and Byler with an emphasis on creating jobs in the county.

Powell is involved with developing the county’s Workforce Alliance with a focus on jobs in manufacturing. She works with the Teacher Manufacturing Bootcamp and Career Fair for local high school students. The MOESC Business Advisory Council brings in ideas on expanding the workforce from the surrounding area.

The Workforce Alliance is presently surveying county employers and employees to discover what the needs are for workers and businesses. With 80% of the workforce leaving the county for work, the alliance’s goal is to understand what the barriers are to staying in the county to work and to keep more workers in the county.

Chamber students of the month

• Nevaeh Gallagher is the Student of the Month from Pioneer Career Center (Northmor Local School District).

Terri Crain, medical assistant lab instructor, introduced Gallagher and said she is an extremely hard-working student. She is a student ambassador and member of Pioneer’s National Technical Honor Society, Student Council and Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA).

Gallagher is planning to attend Bluffton University for nursing. She will be working as an STNA during her schooling. Her parents are Betsy and Seth Gallagher.

• Tri-Rivers Career Center (Highland Local School District) Student of the Month is Trevor Stewart.

Mark Robinson, TRCC representative and engineering instructor, introduced Stewart. He said Stewart will attend the University of Akron for engineering next year and has been accepted into the honors program there. He competed in VEX, Skills USA and in the National Robotics Challenge. Robinson praised Stewart as a “great kid and a 4.0 student.”

Stewart’s community activities included helping teach adult robotic classes and helping at events to teach about Ramtec. His parents are Jaime and Gerald Stewart.

Alberta Stojkovic is a correspondent for The Morrow County Sentinel. She can be reached at [email protected].