Economy moves to spotlight

The 2007 campaign has switched to the city’s economic future.

By D.A. WILKINSON

VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU

SALEM — The city’s politics are switching from the Quaker Community Fire District to economic development.

“Ninety-nine of the people in Salem are saying, ‘Let’s move on,’” said Michael Burns, the head of the firefighters union.

Clyde Brown, the Democratic candidate for mayor, said, “The economy is the biggest thing.”

Jerry Wolford, the Republican mayoral candidate, a Perry Township trustee and former city councilman, agrees.

“Economic development has to be the big issue of the area,” Wolford said. By the area, he said he means the both the city and township, which are closely tied.

Dennis Johnson, the Columbiana County Democratic Party chairman, said of the fire district, “I don’t think it’s going to be an issue.”

David Johnson, chairman of the county Republican Party, said that council will have to live within its means to operate and attract new businesses.

Three ward councilmen were defeated in the primary. The withdrawal from the November election last week of the last ward councilman eliminated the officials who created the district with Perry Township. The at-large council members and council president were voted out in 2005.

Council hoped the fire district would save money, but the State Employment Relations Board and a court ruling blocked the district from operating. Council is trying to work with the trustees to legally eliminate the district that was formed in 2004.

Dennis Johnson said that the party doesn’t get involved in local battles.

But he said Democrats are busy collecting information needed to support Baard Energy’s plan to build a $4 billion plant near Wellsville that would turn coal into liquid fuel. Some 99 percent of the economic benefits would go to Columbiana and Jefferson counties, he said. The energy plant is projected to employ about 250 full-time workers.

The party is also working to help aid a business with 300 good-paying jobs. Dennis Johnson said he could not provide more information at present.

Brown said he, too, is working on several economic development projects that he can’t discuss. He said council needs to focus on job retention and creation.

Wolford said he is on the economic development committee of long-range community study being made through the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce.

Information obtained as part of the study shows that Salem has changed in recent years, Wolford said.

“It’s more of an older population,” Wolford said, “And on economic issues, the mean income has come down quite a bit.”

Still, there are job opportunities in the area, and the chamber has been hosting programs to show people how to create or improve their businesses, Wolford said.