Newcomerstown mayor outlines community goals for 2023 and beyond
NEWCOMERSTOWN − It’s 12 pages of just words, ink on paper, but it represents the recent past and the hoped for future of the village.
Mayor Pat Cadle presented the community’s goals for the next few years and reviewed the recent accomplishments at his mayor’s breakfast Saturday at the new Administration Building on S. College Street.
Cadle’s handouts included six pages of accomplishments from himself and department heads, four pages of goals and two pages listing the number of businesses lost or the businesses gained since 2016.
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“This building (the Administration Building) may be what I’m most proud of,” Cadle said. “It’s been over 20 years since the village has had its own council meeting space. We have met at the (David Barber) Civic Center, the (Newcomerstown Public) Library Annex and at the Senior Center and we appreciate their willingness to host our meetings. But now we have our own space and we want the community to use it because the community is paying for it.”
A full house was on hand for the meeting, which included a quick tour of the new facility. The mayor said a sign has been ordered for the outside but has yet to be delivered.
Newcomerstown downtown improvements proposed
One of the key elements for the future include pursuing an Appalachian Community Regional Grant through the Ohio Mid-East Governments Association for Newcomerstown’s downtown.
Cadle heads that committee for Tuscarawas County. The mayor said the federal program will result in $15-18 million per Appalachian county in Ohio. He said the local grant application is for funds to paint buildings in the downtown, which could be as much as $350,000 for paint, labor and associated costs.
Another part of a proposed downtown renovation is for new sidewalks, which Cadle said could cause some disruption to the area.
A third facet would be replacing 14 lamp posts with new ornate versions. The mayor said American Electric Power (AEP) has a program to provide the posts but the work would have to be done by the village.
“We don’t expect the shops to close during this work,” Cadle said, noting the work would be spread out over the next few years. “Most of the buildings are over 100 years old and showing signs of wear. In addition to this work, we would expect business owners participate by cleaning up and doing their part.”
Cadle said projects at the Newcomerstown Industrial Park are also continuing, but slowly, including a building by a company called Plymouth Foam and a new cement company, St. Mary’s Cement.
“We need a big company to locate here,” the mayor said. “We lost Simonds and nearly 200 jobs (a few decades ago) and we’ve not replaced that. But we also need housing. We have available land, we have infrastructure but we need to create the demand. And now we’re being impacted by rising costs. What was once a $150,000 house in Newcomerstown is now closer to $300,000.”
Cadle said new industry and new housing results in a “chicken and egg” scenario, with industry wanting to have housing for employees and developers wanting industrial jobs to justify building new housing.
This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Goals for 2023 & beyond: Newcomerstown mayor outlines future direction
