By Tom Davidson
FARRELL — “Working together, we can create a future,” Shenango Valley Chamber of Commerce Executive Director George Gearhart told about 25 people who came out to a business summit Thursday morning in Farrell.
The two-hour meeting was a chance for the city’s leaders, business owners and residents to talk about what can be done to improve the so-called “City of Champions.”
That’s how Ed Fosnaught knows Farrell.
A local government policy specialist for the state Department of Community and Economic Development, Fosnaught, an Ellwood City native, remembers Farrell’s “rich athletic tradition and community pride.”
But others see Farrell as Mercer County’s crime and drug-dealing hub.
“People in Mercer and Clark are afraid to come to Farrell,” Councilwoman Stephanie Sheffield said. “I get offended when people say ‘That’s where you can buy your drugs.’”
The challenge the city faces is changing that mindset, Farrell School Board Vice President Terry Harrison said.
Times have changed since the 1960s and 1970s, “when Farrell was vibrant.”
Now portions of the city are a federally-designated Weed-and-Seed area because of the drug and crime problems. Progress has been made on that front — but people’s negative perceptions about the city remain.
“One of the biggest hurdles is changing the mindset,” Harrison said.
Another is attracting businesses to the area.
It’s unrealistic to say “let’s build another steel mill,” Gearhart said.
Many who attended said they’d like to attract a franchised fast food restaurant to the city, but Mayor Olive McKeithan said she’s contacted a few and the city doesn’t have the population or vehicle traffic to support one.
Craig Fenton of Shenango Valley Ambulance service suggested the city revive a business association and work on compiling a directory of Farrell businesses.
“A lot of businesses don’t realize the resources businesses have in their own hometown,” Fenton said.
Mrs. Sheffield, who also operates a day care center, said day care providers — of which there are several in the city — are often overlooked as businesses.
City officials need to come together and come up with a plan for the future, Harrison said.
Council will have a economic development/strategic planning committee next year, Mrs. McKeithan said.
The city also should try to take advantage of planned improvements to state Route 60, which in Farrell is called Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Mercer County Housing Authority Executive Director Dewitt Boosel said.
The road is a gateway to the Shenango Valley for many motorists and PennDOT will be widening the road in 2011 from Council Avenue in Wheatland to Connelly Boulevard in Sharon.
City council candidate Kim Doss championed improving Idaho Street as well. Once the city’s main drag, Idaho is now the heart of Farrell’s high crime/drug area and has several dilapidated buildings lining it.
The Rev. Charles Johnson, pastor of Cedar Avenue Church of God in Sharon near the Farrell border said the city’s spiritual community should step up to help as well.
“We must get involved, we can’t sit on the fringe,” Rev. Johnson said. “Every pastor in this area should have been at this meeting.”
Everyone attended agreed that something needs to be done.
“We’re the people of Farrell, we have to take pride in our community,” Mrs. McKeithan said.
The next step will be for officials to organize the ideas presented Thursday and plan another meeting to go forward.
“I really think you have a lot to work with,” Fosnaught said.
