Lawrence Co. sees growth in areas

Some officials say population increases aren't accurate.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Although Lawrence County saw an overall drop in population in the 2000 census, there were a few pockets of growth.
Wilmington Township saw the highest percentage of growth at 11.9 percent, but the biggest leap in the number of individuals came in Neshannock Township, with an increase of 837 people.
Officials, Realtors and developers say the growth pockets are a mix of new people coming from other areas and those moving from other sections of the county.
Attractions: The lower taxes and easy access to highways into Pittsburgh and Erie are attracting people to the high growth areas of Neshannock, Shenango and Wilmington, said Anthony Staph, owner of Castle Realty.
Neshannock Township had 837 new people, Shenango 446 and Wilmington had 293, according to the census.
Many are working in Youngstown or Pittsburgh but living in Lawrence County, Staph said.
"We are not that far away with the road system, and our taxes and traffic are better. It's just a little easier to get around here," he said. "We are becoming a bedroom community more and more."
Shifts in population: Leo Golba, a developer and president of the Lawrence County Builders Association, said he thinks most of the growth in those areas are a result of population shifts from other parts of Lawrence County.
"We aren't growing industrially or commercially as we should be. At the point where we do grow industrially and commercially, we would see more of an influx. Right now you mostly have people just going from one township to anther township," he said.
Lower taxes and better school systems are usually the reasons, he said.
Neshannock Township Supervisor John DiCola agrees and adds that nearby state Route 60 also helps.
Sees inaccuracies: However, he's not sure the 2000 census figures are an accurate reflection of the township's growth in the last 20 years.
"I believe the whole census in 1990 was undercounted. In 1990, it reflected we lost 300 people. We challenged it but lost. I don't believe this 10 percent [in 2000] is totally accurate," he said.
Other officials agree, attributing growth spurts in the 2000 census to undercounting in the 1990 census.
Enon Valley had a 9 percent jump or a 32-person increase in population from 1990 to 2000, but township tax collector and borough secretary Veronica Dombrosky doesn't think that's accurate.
"I know everybody. We are only 1.65 miles. It's a really small area and I know we didn't have that many new people," she said.
Dombrosky said the 2000 census increase just represents the number of people who were not counted in the 1990 census.
Others say there are also problems with the 2000 census counts.
Wilmington Township expected its numbers to be much higher, said Susan Wimer, township secretary and treasurer. The 2000 census counted 2,760 people, an increase of 293.
"We thought it would be 2,900 or close to 3,000. We have a lot of Amish in our community and we just weren't sure if they would actually fill out the form and return it," she said.