CCPA Signs MOU with Development Department

LISBON, Ohio – The Columbiana County Port Authority is one step closer to becoming a “one-stop shop” in assisting the economic development needs for both private businesses and governmental entities in the county, said its executive director, Penny Traina.

The port authority entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Columbiana County Development Department, which will help the two entities work cooperatively in undertaking certain economic development activities. Both are housed under the same roof at 7860 Lincole Place here.

Under the one-year contract, the port authority will pay the county development department $7,500 quarterly to help it complete economic development projects that will benefit the county. The consortium has been two years in the making, Traina said Monday at the monthly meeting of the port authority’s board of directors.

“We can all work together collectively as we have removed all political silos and we’re all working as one,” she said. “Now it’s our time to bring the government, public entities together with the businesses, so we can all sit down together and find out what the needs are in the county.”

At the meeting, the board also approved two lease agreements with tenants who rent space in the lower level of its headquarters. Both are one-year agreements with the Community Action Agency of Columbiana County. In the first, the agency will pay $3,730.74 monthly for its health services to operate in 4,423 square feet of space, and the second will see the agency by $2,142.72 monthly for its Food Bank in 2,577 square feet of space.

In other matters, Traina reported that the job fair the port authority held Jan. 23 was a huge success, drawing 19 employers and 139 attendees in search of a job. The fair was held along with the Sustainable Opportunity Development Center and the Columbiana County Development Department.

Traina said she heard from employers who attended the fair say it was the best job fair that they’ve ever attended. “The employees were very excited because most of the attendees that came to the job fair were looking for work and they were ready to go to work right away,” she added.

The next job fair will be held Feb. 6 at the SOD Center in Salem.

Additionally, the port authority renewed its board members’ terms for 2019 with no changes made from 2018. The board members are as follows:

• Charles Presley, chairman
• Keith Chamberlin, vice chairman
• Tad Herold, fiscal officer
• Nicholas Amato, secretary

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