SHENANGO VALLEY West Middlesex seeks to join enterprise zone

Expanding the zone's boundaries will require the approval of five of the six municipalities.
SHARON, Pa. -- The board of directors of the Shenango Valley Enterprise Zone has approved a request from the borough of West Middlesex to join the private development agency.
The issue now goes before the elected councils of the six member municipalities, and at least five of them must approve. The six are Sharon, Farrell, Hermitage, Sharpsville, Wheatland and Greenville.
Both West Middlesex and adjoining Shenango Township have asked for membership in the enterprise zone. Thomas Stanton, board president, told the board Wednesday that both were asked to submit detailed maps of what industrial area they want included in the zone.
So far, only West Middlesex has submitted that map, he said.
That was enough for Mayor Robert T. Price of Sharon, a board member, to introduce a motion accepting West Middlesex into membership. It passed unanimously.
What this means: The motion will allow industries in the designated area of West Middlesex to apply for low-interest enterprise loans, but it won't give the borough any voting power on the board of directors.
Stanton questioned the motion, pointing out that previous zone expansions brought board voting rights to new member municipalities.
Gary Gulla, a member of the board's executive committee, said that was true but that the earlier expansions also brought more state grant money into the zone.
Now that Shenango Valley Enterprise Zone is no longer a part of the state enterprise zone program, an expansion won't mean more state grant funds and the board shouldn't be expanded, he said.
The area of West Middlesex to be included runs along the east side of the Shenango River and to the west of state Route 18.