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Commissioners push for Brownfields funding, tourism and rural revitalization after CCAP meetings
Summary
Commissioners reported on the CCAP and Brownfield summits and discussed using Brownfields phase‑1/2 funding and private investment to create shovel‑ready sites, revitalize the Fourth Street School and pursue ARC and federal programs to support rural redevelopment.
Commissioner Josh told the board he attended the Brownfield Summit and CCAP conference and urged Cameron County to combine Brownfields grants with private investment to make shovel‑ready sites that can be repurposed for housing, industry or tourism.
"These small investment firms . . . will invest into shovel ready sites," Josh said, and he encouraged pairing matching grant dollars with private capital and local storytelling to attract visitors and developers. He recommended exploring the Fourth Street School for assessment and potential rehabilitation and said consultants will begin community engagement and story‑mapping next month.
Chair added that several local Brownfield Phase 1 assessments are complete and some sites are moving into Phase 2 planning, including Bickard Flats and an industrial road site where the IDA is advancing land acquisition and an engineering study to create shovel‑ready parcels. Chair said consultants will be at community events, including the Sizerville Fall Fest, and a regional mapping tool will let residents track parcels and propose reuse ideas.
Josh and Chair also discussed tourism and rural development strategies: agri‑tourism, campgrounds, youth engagement, AmeriCorps VISTA grant‑funded staff for grant writing, EPA's Healthy Places for Healthy People program, and the potential to seek Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) funds now that regional economic conditions have changed. Josh noted that one county reported about $1.1 million in tourism tax revenue and said Cameron County should study models that fit its scale.
The board heard that a closed Sheetz building downtown has cleared orange blockades and work could begin next week, which the chair called a positive sign for downtown revival. Commissioners said they will continue to pursue state and federal grant opportunities and to coordinate with regional partners to attract funding and investment.
