Pictured: Jim Vaughan, Sergeant at Arms; Norm Blanchard, Director, Guernsey County Port Authority; Shana Fair, Speaker Host.Norm Blanchard, Director of Guernsey County Port Authority, shared his perspective about the positive outlook for economic development in Guernsey County. Currently the Port Authority has been very busy in working with local residents and representatives from oil and gas companies who want to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the county’s shale resources. Blanchard expects county residents to see rapid changes occurring in the next year.
Blanchard stated that, he sees no negatives with the arrival of oil and gas interest in the area. He reassured club members that the state of Ohio has learned from the experience of other states and is passing regulations enabling the state to stay ahead of any potential problems.
Growth leads to challenges to community. The Port Authority is identifying projects aimed at limiting any negative effects. For example, the junction of Rt. 209 and I70 is all ready congested and will continue to get worse. The Port Authority has asked the state for a traffic study to identify possible solutions to this bottleneck.
Another challenge is to upgrade infrastructure at the airport by improving the fuel system, adding de-icing equipment, and lengthening the runway by 700 feet. The cost of adding length to the runway is estimated to be a $3.3 million project.
Blanchard advised club members to watch for construction projects to multiply in the near future. He reported that all buildings in the county are either sold or leased. The county needs to provide space for business offices and living quarters for families and workers. He stated that $200,000 to $300,000 four bedroom, 3 bathroom homes will need to be constructed to provide housing for people moving into Guernsey County. Additionally, 3 hotel chains are discussing the possibility of building hotels in the area. The Port Authority is working to find appropriate locations for these businesses.
Tanya Hitchens, Byesville Rotary president, encouraged all members to consider attending the district conference May 18-19. Randy Launder updated club members about plans for the club’s 25th anniversary celebration. Kick-off for the celebration will be held February 21 at the weekly club meeting. The celebration will culminate with a banquet on June 28.
Byesville Rotary meets every Tuesday, 7:30 am, at the Stop Nine Senior Center at 60313 (GPS use 60299) Southgate Road, Byesville. Anyone interested in learning more about the Byesville Rotary can call Membership Chairs Marty Patchen, 740-685-3828, or Randy Launder, 740-685-8294
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