The Herald, Sharon, Pa.

Local News

September 25, 2012

Ceci: Panels aren’t a priority for city

By Tom Davidson Herald Staff Writer

FARRELL — Jeff Greene left Farrell’s council chambers in silence Monday night. His idea to give his fledgling woodworking business a boost while giving a handful of city residents jobs was met with no comment from city council members.

“It would validate us as a business,” Greene said of a $7,500 proposal he initially floated to council in August to install decorative wooden panels in the council chambers.

His handiwork, which uses trees felled in the city, has been praised by many who see it, but as of yet no one’s bought into Greene’s business plan.

If council had approved the proposal, the contract would have provided seven people with $400 worth of work, Greene said.

They would have been folks like Zachary Campbell.

Campbell, 44, is unemployed. He said he wants to work and has enlisted the help of the Mercer County CareerLink and the private Manpower temporary employment agency, but said there are too few jobs for too many people.

Campbell said he’s left with little to do but “stand on the corner.”

“There’s no jobs,” he said.

Council didn’t act when the item containing Greene’s proposal came up during the council meeting and it died for lack of support.

City Manager Michael Ceci said he couldn’t recommend council approve the spending because it isn’t a necessity.

Council members had nothing to say about the proposal, but Mayor Olive McKeithan noted there is some good news for the unemployed in Farrell.

In a move that’s been several months in the making, McKeithan and Ceci announced plans a Youngstown-based custodial services company has to locate in Farrell and employ city residents.

The company, Dempsey Inc., will provide minimum wage jobs, but will consider for employment those with criminal records or who otherwise are considered unemployable, Ceci said.

Six people could be hired in the next two weeks, Ceci said, adding that details about the company’s move were still being worked out.

The goal is to specifically focus on employing Farrell residents, Ceci said, with the hope being that people could use these jobs as springboards to others as they develop positive work experience.

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