Representatives of a half dozen businesses in the Crestwood Industrial Park and state, county and municipal elected officials along with Crestwood School District and community leaders met at the Wright Township municipal building recently for what officials hope will be the first of regular bi-monthly sessions to address issues affecting the Mountain Top community.
The meeting was organized by Wright Township officials and facilitated by Donald Zampetti, chairman of the township board of supervisors.
One of the topics that got plenty of attention was roads, particularly the poor condition of county-owned roads in the industrial park and throughout Mountain Top.
Romilda Crocamo, Luzerne County acting manager, acknowledged that the county’s 123 miles of roads and bridges need a lot of work.
“We have a list of roads that need immediate attention,” she related. However, she told the gathering that she and her management team are committed to finding “appropriate money to replace, refurbish and maintain” those roads and bridges.
“We need an infrastructure plan,” Crocamo said. “A one-year plan, a five-year plan, a 20-to-30-year plan,” she offered. She pointed out that members of Luzerne County Council are very interested and committed to repairing the county’s long-neglected infrastructure.
Crocamo emphasized that quality roads and bridges are key to attracting businesses with skilled, high-paying jobs. She said the county is looking at how it can use American Rescue Plan Act and the Infrastructure Bill funds effectively. She pointed out county council recently approved submission of a $950,000 Local Share Account grant application to repair Oak Hill Road in the Crestwood Industrial Park.
The acting county manager is leading the charge against PennDOT’s plan to toll two interstate bridges in Luzerne County. Her opposition to the plan was echoed by state state Sen. John Gordner, R-27, who was in attendance along with state state Sen. Lisa Baker, R-20.
While Gordner’s senatorial district currently does not include any Mountain Top municipalities, a redistricting plan expected to go into effect soon would put most of Mountain Top in the new district. Baker, who currently represents most of Mountain Top, would not no longer represent those communities when the proposed plan goes into effect.
Gordner told the group he too is opposed to tolling the bridges and is working to reverse the highway department’s plan.
Roads and bridges weren’t the only topics discussed at the meeting.
Barry Boone, president of Crestwood Board of Education, said he feels the school district should have a strong relationship with businesses in the industrial park. He said he would like to see business leaders look at and offer input on the curriculum currently offered at the high school.
“We need to get students ready to move into the workplace right out of high school,” he offered.
Michelle Schmude of the Crestwood Education Foundation (CEF) explained the foundation helps to fund initiatives not directly supported by the district’s budget. Some of the programs the CEF supports include Odyssey of the Mind and the Logo Robotics Club. She talked about how businesses can take advantage of the state’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program (EITC) by pledging to the foundation.
Zampetti told the group he is planning another meeting for mid-May.
